Tuesday News Conference Quotes
9/30/2008 8:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 30, 2008
Head Coach Ralph Friedgen
On Saturday's game at Virginia:
"This Virginia team is having a tough year right now, but this is going to be a tough football game. I think they've won five straight at home playing at night. They've won 19 of out their last 21 ACC home openers. We haven't played real well when we've gone down there. It's a tough environment, and I know that they'll be ready to play us."
On the Cavaliers offensive line and running game:
"Now if you look at their team, they have great size and they're very athletic. Their offensive line is big and strong. Their fullbacks are big, strong and athletic. They've been running those guys at tailback too, so they're not only good blockers, but they can also run the football. Their running back is Cedric Peerman. He was out the last game, but I'm expecting him to be back. (RB) Mikell Simpson had a great game against us last year.
On Virginia's wide receivers and quarterback:
(WR Kevin) Ogletree and their other receivers are tall. They're playing with a new quarterback, Marc Verica. He's very athletic, and he has a strong arm. I know they're going to come out fired up and ready to go."
On the Cavaliers defense:
"Defensively, I think they're getting better. I don't think the score last week was really indicative. The game was 3-3 in the second half, and then they turned the ball over and Duke got some easy touchdowns. That's kind of what happened there. I thought they played very well against Richmond (16-0 win), so I see them improving. They've made a lot of changes, and I think they're young in their defense."
On Virginia's defensive players:
On their defensive line, Matt Conrath has five tackles for loss and two sacks. He's a freshman. Their linebackers are where they have their experience. (Clint) Sintim is a very, very good player. He has 4.5 tackles for loss and four sacks. He's leading the conference in sacks. He's a very good cover linebacker, but he also can rush the passer. He's very good, and somebody we'll have to deal with. Their Mike linebacker, Jon Copper, he has 34 tackles, and I think he's their leading tackler. He's very active. The secondary has some young players in it. Ras-I Dowling has two interceptions. He's their field corner, and their boundary corner is Vic Hall. He's also their punt returner. Their strong safety is back. He's a senior - Byron Glaspy."
On concern about the offensive line:
"We didn't play very well this week and we are still having too many missed assignments. We play it high but we are just not very exact on things. I am concerned about it right now. I just don't think we are playing the way we anticipated to play. I felt like that would be the strength of our team and it hasn't been."
On being concerned about the play of a senior-laden offensive line:
"Yes, I am concerned about it because I thought we would play really well there and I don't think we have."
On the defensive performance and being able to play consistently for four quarters:
"I would be more frustrated if we didn't win four games but if you look on the brighter side, we've been able to win games and I think we can still play better than how we are playing. That is the thing I am kind of frustrated about; getting players to believe that they can do it and stay on top of it together. I think we are in a stretch right now and if we don't do it we are going to regret it. So it has to start coming along. We have a great opportunity. This is a very important game, it's a rivalry game on the road, and it's going to be played in a tough environment. But if we are fortunate enough to win this game it will put us at 2-0 with an off week getting ready to go into the last half of our season coming back and playing some people at home. That's why it's important for us to get better as a team."
On the Virginia rivalry:
"I think its something where if you go to the University of Virginia or the University of Maryland, it's going to be a rivalry. I think it's kind of indicative that both (Al Groh and I) went to our schools. I am sure he's preaching that to his players just like I am to ours. I think it's good, they have Virginia Tech as and instate rival but they have us as their out-of-state rival. I think its good for college football. I think its good for our league. I think our league has done a very good job at having cross over rivalry games, I think Georgia Tech plays Clemson. The way they have arranged the whole league, they've kind of kept some rivalries in. we were very disappointed with our lost last year, but I'm sure they were elated. I hope our kids remember how they felt and still do feel."
On the way the team won against Clemson:
"It was a weird game and was even weirder after I watched it on tape. There were some crazy things that happened in the game and we are very fortunate because we did not play well. I thought we played hard in the second half, especially our defense. It says a lot about our kids and our coaching staff. We were fortunate that we got a couple of breaks and came away with a win that could realy be a big point in the season if you can capitalize on that. I think now this is an important time to be able to win this football game on the road, and I know it will be very difficulty for us to do but I think it will give us some momentum to go into the rest of the year.
On running back Da'Rel Scott's development:
"I see Da'Rel really maturing as a kid. I think he showed some toughness Saturday because he got hit a couple of times on that shoulder. He was very vocal on the sideline, more so than I have seen him before. At halftime he was vocal so I see him growing as an individual; as a football player but also as a person. I see him growing confidence. That's one of the neat things about coaching, you get to see these kids go through different stages of their life, start growing up, and turning into a good person."
On gutting the game out vs. Clemson and if that's the sign of a veteran team:
"I have a lot of faith in this team. I've gone on record, which I normally don't do, so there is a special feeling that I have for this team. Mostly because of the seniors and how well they have done on and off of the football field. I am struggling right now to get them to understand what is out there for them if they would just focus and concentrate for the next two and a half to three months; they have a chance to achieve something where they could look back on for the rest of their life and be pretty proud about. I don't know if I am getting that across, I preach it everyday, I don't know if I am getting that across. I preach it everyday but I don't know if they are hearing me, that's the frustrating part I have right now."
On defense handling the adjustments with injuries in the secondary:
"We are trying to cover things up with some (pass) coverages. I think we are doing a pretty good job of trying to get us to play to our stregnths and hide our weaknesses. It would help if we could get (Nolan ) Carroll back. That's the only help that's coming. We have to get better at certain positions, and that's the only way to solve that situation. I think on the defensive side, our senior leadership has really stood up and have helped out. I think a guy like Jamari McCollough improved and really helped us in the secondary. Terrrel Skinner got back and he was a little rusty, hopefully he will get better in the next couple of weeks. It is what it is, we just have to keep getting better."
On wining three weeks getting three turnovers each time:
"I think we've been pretty consistent getting turnovers on our defense, more than we have in the past. What I think won the game for us last week is that we didn't have any on offense. If we continue that way, that will help us win a lot of games. We are working hard at it but I think we are ahead of where we've been on interceptions. In years past, we've dropped a lot of these that we've had opportunities to get but we haven't dropped as many as we've had in the past."
On wide receiver Danny Oquendo (the hit he took Saturday and importance to the team):
"He got his bell rung. Danny is a tough kid. I heard and saw the hit on the sideline and I'm going to tell you that a lot of times when I see those things a lot of guys would be out. In the second half (the training staff) told me he would be out and we had to get a punt returner so we went to Kenny Tate but he didn't feel like he could catch the punt because he hurt his elbow. So then we were down to Anthony Wiseman, but we go to get our first punt and I look and see Danny back out there. He made two big catches later in the game. He's kind of been that way ever since he's been here. He doesn't say a lot but if you need a big catch in traffic at a big time of the game, more often than not, he makes the catch. Not a lot of fanfare, doesn't pat his chest just, does his job. He really doesn't show a whole lot of emotion. He's a special guy. Probably a guy who goes under the radar, but I think he was a large part of why we won the game."
On the mental preparation for Virginia:
"I know what we are going to get. We are going to get their best shot and we are going into a very tough situation. I think one thing about having a senior group is that they've been down there and they know what it is going to be like, especially playing 7: 00 at night. We better understand that as a team because if we don't, it will be another Middle Tennessee game."
Senior Linebacker Moise Fokou
On the Clemson Game:
"Our first half definitely looked very ugly. Clemson was getting everything they wanted offensively and we had no answer. So we went back in the locker room, made adjustments, and remembered what got them beat two years ago. We tried to push their offensive line back a little more, and it worked out."
On the competition:
"They have a great offensive line, a couple of All-Americans on there. It's a rivalry game, UVa is going to be ready for us."
On being a contender for the ACC championship:
"That has been a goal of our since training camp. But we are taking it one week and one game at a time."
On last year's game vs. Virginia:
"Last year's game left a bitter taste in our mouths. We are going to go out there and give it our best effort and they are going to give it their best effort. Hopefully we'll get it right this year and come out with a victory."
On his personal progress:
"I think I've matured a little bit more this year in terms of as an athlete and a person. I think I've been playing more poised and more mature. I've played the game since I was very young. It's just a love for the game and wanting to go out on top. Trying to be an ACC Champion is one of our goals so I am trying to do everything I can day by day."
Senior Tight End Dan Gronkowski
On the need to play all four quarters:
"We have to go out there, we have to start off well on the road, we haven't done that yet, and we just have to play right on through, every quarter, and we should be alright."
On what's working for the offense right now:
"It has been changing every week from big plays to the five-yard plays and from the running game to the passing game...something has stepped up every week in our offense, we just have to put it together. Probably start with the run, I'm assuming, with how many yards they've given up, then just go from there."
On the quarterback Chris Turner's improvement:
"Chris has definitely got a lot more confident, kind of what he was last year after the first game. He kind of got in there and had to get his swagger back, and he's done that and he's getting better every week. He's really helping the team out."
On the magnitude of Saturday's game at Virginia:
"This is a huge game and at this point we can't lose right now. We have the momentum going. It's a game we should win if we play like we can and it's going to be a good feeling knowing we have a week off after to rest up and get ready for the rest of the season. But we have to take this game seriously."
Senior Offensive Lineman Edwin Williams
On how the offensive line is playing right now:
"I think we had a set-back against Clemson. We didn't play like we were capable of playing, but in no way shape or form am I saying that we suck, and we should just call it in for the rest of the year. Any given week you can play good or you can play bad, but we obviously didn't play the way we should have played on Saturday. I think we need to approach this week differently."
On playing Virginia:
"I think any game you get into is a dangerous game, UVA has always been a tough match-up for us, ever since I've been here, even before I've been here...it's a rivalry game and they're a tough team."
On last year's loss against Virginia:
"It definitely sticks with me and I think that it has stuck with anybody who was there and witnessed it. It was a tough one to swallow, but I remember saying last year we shouldn't have a game aside we should really get ready for. We have to finish games and we have to play consistently."
