Aug. 10, 2010
On starting the season:
"We're excited about being here. We're excited to get started. We had a great meeting last night with our players. They really had a great summer, so I'm very excited to get started and work with these guys. I think we have an excellent nucleus. We're still a young team, but everybody has experience right now. I think they're very confident about having a good season."
On quarterback Jamarr Robinson being ready to take the next step as a starter:
"I saw tremendous progress in him this summer. I just think he's a lot more comfortable with his reads and his decision-making. The thing I really noticed, though, over the course of the summer and spring, is I think he's really become more of a leader. I've had many of the players come up to me and say that he's very confident and is being more vocal. I think these are very encouraging signs. I sat in with the quarterbacks this morning and I thought C.J. Brown was much improved and Danny O'Brien was very much in tune. I feel good about that position."
On if the team's philosophy has changed at all heading into this season:
"I think that happens every year. You adjust to who your players are and their personalities. Every team has a little bit different personality. I've done a lot of thinking between the Boston College game and now on things that we can do better as coaches - how we can better utilize our players, how we can try to keep them healthy. I've made some changes that I don't know if you'll notice. This camp is a little bit different than camps in the past. I'm going to try and really look at how much hitting we do. It's imperative that we stay healthy, especially on our offensive line. There's a fine line between getting them ready to play and getting them injured, so that's one of things I'll really be in tune to.
"I'm going to probably spend a lot more time with our players in the locker room. I have a lot of belief in our coaching staff. They've done a tremendous job preparing for this season. As for the players, this is the first time in 10 years everybody's passed the conditioning test, so there are a lot of good signs around for us."
On using Jamarr Robinson's versatility this season:
"Well, when you look at what Jamarr did last year, once he went in, our sacks went down because he was able to make some plays on his own. I'm sure James Franklin will be creative with what he can do with Jamarr as far as his running ability. The concern we have a little bit is he's not a real big kid and he did get nicked up, so I don't think we'll totally go with that, but we'll work with James' offense. I'm sure we'll have some plays where we'll use his running abilities to our advantage."
On the team rebounding after last season:
"You're 2-10 and like I said before, not a day goes by that I don't think about that. The biggest problem that we have to get with our players is getting them the confidence to be able to win. I set our goals for them last night and the first goal was to beat the next opponent and to just focus on that. I told them that we were picked last in the Division and when you look at the Atlantic Division, Florida State was picked first. I think everybody will admit that we had a pretty good chance to beat Florida State last year. We lost in the last 30 seconds on a long drive. The second-place team was Clemson, who we did beat. Third-place team was Boston College, who we lost to by two. Fourth-place team was N.C. State. We lost that one by seven and we had a touchdown called back and we missed a couple of touchdowns. The fifth-place team was Wake Forest. We lost by ten, but we fell behind early and came back.
"There's not that big a gap between first place and sixth and that's what I have to convince my players of. They put the work in, they made the preparations, now we have to punch through. I told them last night that there comes that point in every game and maybe sometimes in practice where it's a matter of will. You have to want something so bad that you're willing to sacrifice to go and get it. To me, I think we've got to talk about this, we've got to convince them. I think once we do that, you'll see this team grow in confidence and I believe the ability is there. They just have to believe.
"We've still got a lot of young kids. The difference is this year, they're not walking out there starry-eyed going, `Hey, I'm playing Division I football.' They've been out there, they know what it's about. Now it's about winning in Division I football, so I think that's the hurdle we have to cross as players and coaches. It's part of our job to teach them what they have to do to be successful. I don't doubt for a minute that they don't want it very badly. I think they're tired of hearing about 2-10 also. These kids are winners and they'll be successful in life. You don't have the record we had last year and still like your players very often. I like my players and they work very hard and I think they're good kids. They're growing and I'm enjoying very much being around them. It's nice to be around guys you enjoy being around."
On playing a game in Baltimore:
"Back in the 1980s when I was here, we played Clemson, I think we played Miami and when I left I think they played Penn State there. I think it has a way of unifying the state a little bit. It's in the center. We went up to Ravens training camp with Navy and I thought it was really a great thing for the state that we can partner with Navy and the Ravens. It's like all the football entities in the state are coming together to put on a tremendous game. The pageantry and the sportsmanship, if it is just like the last time we played there, is really outstanding. I think it's a great game for the state. In talking to [Navy head coach] Ken Niumatalolo, I think he feels that way also. I hope it can continue and I think it helps football in the state of Maryland."
On what he took away from attending Ravens training camp last week:
"I don't go anywhere without learning some things. First of all, the Ravens were great with their hospitality and they're so gracious and so down to earth. Steve Bisciotti and Ozzie Newsome and Coach Harbaugh they were all just so fantastic to us. There were a couple things in our practices that we're going to do that they did. I had a chance to visit with Harbaugh afterwards and had a chance to ask him some questions about what they do and why they do it. Our other coaches went around to the difference positions and picked a thing up from here or there. I think it was great trip, not only to promote the game, but I think it was a learning experience for all of our coaches that went up."
On how the team's secondary is looking:
"Right now, Cameron Chism probably has a strong spot on one side, but Avery Graham is pushing him pretty good as a redshirt freshman. The other corner is Trenton Hughes and Dexter McDougle. Both of them are young guys, too. I think that's an area where we have some inexperience. Kenny Tate and Antwine Perez will be our two safeties. Eric Franklin and Travis Hawkins will back them up, but Titus Till and Matt Robinson have certainly impressed our players this summer, so I'm anxious to see what they really can do. Jeremiah Wilson, Jeremiah Johnson, Mario Rowson, all of these guys are very talented kids coming in, it's just how fast can they pick up Don Brown's system. We're pretty excited and I know Don's going to play a lot of secondary guys, so he's looking for more help all the time."
Sophomore Defensive Lineman A.J. Francis
On earning his starting position:
"The first couple games, I wasn't really sure from a confidence standpoint that I could make plays. The Cal game was a good game for me. I made some plays, but it wasn't until the Clemson game that I realized I could play and dominate at this level."
On losing weight during the off-season:
"I weighed 340 when I first got here, and now I'm down to 288. I am a lot quicker, definitely with the blitz schemes, and I can run down more plays from sideline to sideline. I'm in much better shape and I don't get tired as quickly. I feel like I have more speed and more playmaking ability."
On the depth of the defensive line:
"There is definitely more depth on the defensive line. Don't get me wrong, Travis (Ivey) is a great defensive lineman, but last season that was it. This season, we have me, Joe Vellano, Zach (Kerr), Justin Anderson and De'Onte (Arnett) when he comes back from his ankle injury. So we have a lot more depth this season."
On the inexperience of last year's team:
"A lot of guys were forced into situations where they probably weren't used to playing, or weren't 100 percent ready to play yet. Take a guy like (Cameron) Chism, who was our third corner last year. He was forced to step in and play every snap at corner. Now he is one of our leaders on defense."
On becoming a defensive leader:
"It's all about being older and growing up. You get used to working with different players and how you can motivate different guys to do different things. I'm looking to push everyone to be their best.
On pressures of being a senior:
"I am just focused on coming out here and getting better each time. I'm not worried about personal awards or accolades. I want to help my team win in any way possible.
On sophomore defensive lineman Joe Vellano:
"I think Joe is going to have a big part in our defense this year. With him, myself, (Alex) Wujciak, (Antwine) Perez, Kenny Tate and the rest of the defense we are going to make some plays. I think having Joe step up is going to be a big part of our playmaking ability this year."
On team goals and last season's results:
"I really like our team goals. Our number-one goal is to beat the next opponent. I think that's a great stepping stone for this year. We need to focus only on our next opponent to be successful, and that is Navy. We need to maintain that focus throughout the season, because we are playing some tough teams this year. But we do have great leadership, and I know that is going to play a major role in our ability to win games. We are putting last season behind us. Two-and-10 was rough but we know what we need to do to win games this season. We want to get back into the BCS standings and put Maryland back on the map."
On his senior year:
"Last season was difficult because we had a lot of injuries and a lot of younger guys were forced to play. But now those younger guys have some experience for this season. I think this year is going to be really special. I won the state championship my senior year in high school, and I just had the feeling like that year was going to be special. I have that same feeling now, plus we have a lot of guys who are coming back who are willing to do the little things it takes to win."
On stepping in for the injured Nolan Carroll:
"It was tough seeing Nolan go down last year, but once someone goes down, we cannot dwell on it. We had to continue playing, and I really benefited from the experience."
On this year's off-season workouts:
"We are definitely working a lot harder than we were last year. We are a lot more comfortable in the defensive scheme than we were last year. Everything is becoming second-nature. When a play is called, we all know our schemes and everything is automatic. Last season, it took us a little while to become comfortable in the defense. We had to study film and learn from our mistakes. I feel like this year we are all more comfortable in the defense because of that experience."
On the Navy game:
"My biggest goal is to win. But Navy runs a good system with their option offense. Everyone must do their job on every single play. If we all do our jobs, we can be successful as a defense."
On adjusting to Don Brown's defense:
"I feel like this year everyone is much more comfortable. We are playing at a faster pace and making fewer mistakes."
On personal development within the system:
"The biggest improvement over the off-season has been my confidence. I am starting to realize what kind of player I am and what kind of plays I can make. With more confidence in each player, we can have a much better defense overall."
On the Navy game:
"I'm really looking forward to that first snap. I want to make sure everyone is ready and everyone has their head in the game. We are all eager and ready to win."
Senior Offensive Lineman Paul Pinegar
On experience among the offensive line:
"Experience is always beneficial to returning guys. I think ever since I got thrown into the system as a freshman, that has really assisted me in understanding the game. And the same thing is true for the guys returning this year. I want to work toward helping some of the younger guys in their development as well."
On James Franklin's system:
"I really think things are starting to gel for the offense. Guys were having a little trouble understanding what Coach Franklin was trying to get across. However, this year, things look more fluid and as an offense we are starting to click."
On the upcoming season:
"I'm so excited to get out there and play again. It's only so much fun playing against each other. I am excited to go out there and hit someone, especially since our first game is in front of a sellout crowd in Baltimore. It's going to be a great atmosphere."
On Jamarr Robinson being laid back in the huddle:
"He's always been laid back. But when he needs to, he'll get your attention. It was surprising in a great way. He can get real fired up."
On off-season personal goals:
"My personal goal this off-season is to win. Honestly, I want to help out as much as I can whether that be on the ground, receiving passes,or throwing blocks for Jamarr (Robinson)."
On backfield depth:
"We have always been a one-two punch. Da'Rel (Scott) and I have always worked well together and we don't look to change that this year. We have been successful in the past, and we look to continue that success this season."
On Jamarr Robinson:
"He's a natural leader. Everyone respects him both on and off the field. He is a really great guy and I am confident in his ability to lead our offense this year. Jamarr also has the ability to run outside of the pocket, which is something Maryland hasn't had in a while."
On running track in the off-season:
"The biggest goal for me for running track was to get my speed back. My 40-yard dash time went from a 4.37 to a 4.29. I feel much faster now in all areas of my game. I hit the hole faster and I can outrun defenders. The coaches even noticed that my burst is a lot faster since I started running track."
On the offense:
"I'm very confident. Coach Friedgen knows what I like. I have a very good communication level where I can tell him what I like and don't like, and I feel like he's sensitive to that. He knows my strengths, so I'm very confident in our offense. I feel like we're going to do great things."
On his own leadership style:
"I'm probably more the lead-by-example type, but I'm adapting to the vocal leadership role. Coach tells us every day that we need to step up and be vocal. Regardless if we're used to being laid back or not saying anything, we are the old guys now, so we have to step up and be vocal. That's in the back of my mind too, as is making sure I get what I want out of certain people."
On the receivers:
"We're all the best of friends, me and the receivers. I probably have the best relationships with them; I'm living with Torrey (Smith) and Adrian Cannon. We have a different kind of bond than I have with the rest of the guys."
On returning this year with more knowledge:
"I'm a lot more knowledgeable about defense... what to expect of different teams and just different things defense-wise."
On getting last season out of his system:
"I mean I personally still have the taste in my mouth. I'm excited for this next season to get going so we can get some wins. The first wins will get that out of my mouth"
On improvement this season:
"We all have been working hard all summer to do different things and do things better... Taking it on ourselves to get better and progress from the 2-10 season."
