Sept. 28, 2010
Untitled Document
Opening Statement:
"Duke is ranked 20th in passing in the country, averaging 425 yards per game, fourth in total offense in the ACC, averaging 30.8 points per game, No. 1 nationally in the red zone, 13-of-13. Much of this is from QB Sean Renfree having a 62 percent completion, 278 yards per game, he is first in the ACC. Also playing quarterback is No. 18 Brandon Connette, he is more of a runner. He's rushed 19 times for a 5.7 yards average. Duke is running the ball a lot better. Freshman Desmond Scott has 42 attempts and is averaging 6.5 yards-per-carry. And Jon Needham is averaging 5.1 yards per carry. This passing game makes them a really terrific offense. With three receivers, they have a variety to pick from. Conner Vernon has 28 catches for 449 yards, 16 yards per catch. Donovan Varner has 23 catches, 258 yards and 11.2 yards per catch. Austin Kelly has 19 catches, 209 yards and 11 yards per catch. Those three players are responsible for most of Duke's touchdowns.
"Their offensive line boasts veterans, all very strong. Their two guards and center are very mobile. We'll have our hands full offensively.
"Defensively, they have had a little more trouble. They are young on defense. Their leading tackle, No. 8 Abraham Kromah and free safety No. 40 Matt Daniels are both strong defensive players.
"In regards to special teams, they are very solid. Their place kicker No. 96 Will Snyderwine is 6-for-7, 85.7 percent, 2-of-3 from 40 yards, and perfect from under 40 yards. Their punter, No. 38 Alex King, is very solid with 43.1 yards per punt. Their punt returner Lee Butler is averaging 10.1 on returns and No. 23 Juwan Thompson is averaging 23.7 yards per kickoff return. In the special teams area, Duke is very, very solid.
"We were very pleased with the win on Saturday. We felt that we played a very tough game. Our kids played with a lot of heart. We made some plays where we had to make them, both offensively and defensively, as well as on special teams. We had a good practice last night, we're excited about playing in the ACC and we look forward to playing our first ACC game home."
On the quarterbacks:
Jamarr (Robinson) is still limited. We'll know more about that by Thursday. He did practice last night so he's ahead of where he was last week. Danny (O'Brien) practiced last night also so we're ahead of where we were (last week). We'll make a decision by the end of the week.
On the kicking game:
"We had a kicking competition last night and (Travis) Baltz was ahead, but it wasn't under pressure. We'll kick today and we'll kick Wednesday and then we'll make a decision there also."
On Duke QB Sean Renfree:
"He's still a young quarterback, redshirt sophomore, big guy - 6-foot-5, 220 pounds. He has very good release. The quarterback, (Thaddeus) Lewis, they had last year I thought was really good and this guy's going to be in that same mold, he's just a young guy and he's growing. He's got three very good receivers to throw to and he does a very good job getting the ball out, he doesn't hold on to it. He spreads it around. Of course David Cutcliffe is probably one of the best coaches in the country at developing quarterbacks with the Manning's and he's doing the same with this guy. Right now he's on the way to being one of the best quarterbacks in the country."
On Tony Logan's development:
"Well I guess some of the guys last year didn't know what their role was. I find that hard to believe knowing me. I was pretty specific on what everybody's role would be (this year) and what they could do with the team. Tony was one of those guys. And I told him `Tony really there's a lot of ways you can help us.' And so far he has. He would've played quarterback for us last week if he had to. But I said the main way you can help this football team is on punt returns. I said one of the things we have to do better as a coaching staff is we have to give you more time to return kicks. What was happening last year is he was getting held up where he had to make a fair catch. What's happened now with the confidence he has catching the ball, our guys are a little more motivated to hold those guys up and give him a chance. I think the whole team has kind of rallied behind him and really gone out of their way to set up some blocks because they know this is a dangerous guy that can take it all the way back. I just see us growing and growing with the more success he has."
On Duke's defense:
"They've played a lot of different offenses. Elon was more of a throwing team. Then they played Wake Forest and they're kind of a spread option team. Of course then they played against Alabama and they're just really physical. And then last week they're back in against the Wishbone (vs. Army). I think it's been a little unsettling for us the same way. We've kind of had four different offenses we've had to prepare for and there are certain areas we don't feel like we're as far along as we want to be. I think that's probably happened to them a little bit. Their defense in some areas is more inexperienced and younger than ours. Very much like we were last year. So I think that's part of the issue with them. They're playing a lot of people and they're playing hard. It's not that they're not playing hard."
On Maryland's improvement in turnover differential:
"When we go into winter workouts, we're not allowed to have a ball. It's illegal. I rolled up towels. We've been working on holding on to the football since February. It's the first thing we do every day. We have a turnover circuit and we have a ball-security circuit. If I see them getting lax, I'm on the coaches and I'm on them. It's an amazing correlation between turnover differential and winning football games. We have to keep it up. We were lucky last week. We had one that was nullified by penalty and Tony (Logan) fumbled one. They know when they come to the sideline they don't want to see me. That ball needs to be high and tight. We've even got our defense, if they intercept it, they know where that ball needs to be so they don't get it stripped. I emphasized it before but not like I am now. It's a passion with me right now. Hold on to the football and you win games."
Junior Wide Receiver Tony Logan
On his relationship and competition with Torrey Smith:
"Torrey and I are best friends. We were talking throughout the spring about who was going to be the first one to score on a return. We haven't had a punt return for a touchdown since 2004 so that was a big deal. I talked to Steve Suter yesterday and he gave me some advice and said he was going to come out to a game. Everything is working out really well right now and we just want to keep it going."
On being ready for Duke and the rest of the ACC season:
"The past four games, Coach Friedgen has called the preseason. They matter to you but at the same time you use those games to get toned up and ready for the conference. I think we will be ready to go. We have learned a lot over these past few weeks and overcome some adversity. We just need to come out and play hard on Saturday."
On keeping the team's offensive momentum going:
"That's our goal we want to keep the momentum going. We have a good thing going on the offensive side of the ball. The past few weeks we have showed that we can make plays. We just have to go out there and try to be consistent. That's the biggest thing with us on offense. "
Sophomore Offensive Lineman R.J. Dill
On the difference offensively this year compared to last year:
"It's the big plays and the ability of the guys like Torrey (Smith) to make plays. Tony Logan has been dong a great job on special teams. Not only does he score on special teams, but he sets up scores. He gives us a short-field to work with and that makes our jobs easier. As an offensive line, we are doing a better job of giving our quarterback time. It's the ability for us to get the ball out. As long as we continue to do that, we have guys like Torrey Smith, Adrian Cannon and Ronnie Tyler at wide receiver who can all make plays. As long as we continue to do that, we will keep putting up points."
Sophomore Defensive lineman A.J. Francis
On how he feels the team has performed so far:
"We really feel like we ended up giving the West Virginia game away, that was the worst that we have played- at least the first half - in awhile. We are 3-1 right now, but coming off a 2-10 season. If we come out and beat Duke this weekend, we already have double the amount of wins we had last season. In the long run, 3-1 is a good place to be. Yes we would rather be 4-0, but 3-1 is a good place."
On what the defense can do to improve:
"We are going to have to tackle better then we have the past couple of weeks. Open-field tackling, making more plays when it's one-on-one. Everybody, me included, has made mistakes on one-on-one tackling so as a defense we have to rally to the ball a little bit better. Once we get there, get him on the ground and end the play where it is."
On the challenge of defending the short routes:
"The biggest thing that coach says to us is that we have to treat them like screens. You don't want to cover guys that are running two yards past the line of scrimmage which we call the `no cover zone'. We just have to run to the ball and gang-tackle them."
On the differences of Duke from last year to this year:
"I think they are `pass' first, but I think they will run the ball more then they did last year. It's going to be a good challenge for us to get our keys and to stop the pass first with their offense. They ran the ball well in some games. They had some long runs against Alabama so that's definitely there as well."
On what the team's emphasis is on third downs:
"It's basically to lock in and stay true to your assignment and just play ball and stay on the field."
On what a successful kick return game can do for the offense:
"It makes things easier. It's hard when you have to go 80 or 90 yards. But with Tony (Logan) and Torrey (Smith) both contributing getting 10 yards every return it makes things that much easier. Instead of going 80, we can go 50 or 60. It's easier to get into scoring range and score points."
