“After looking at the video, I felt like we played extremely well as a football team on Saturday. I think we beat a good 15 football team; Appalachian State is a very good football team and I think we got the momentum going our way and kept it going our way. I am very pleased with that. “We will learn from that game and will be a better football team this week. When you look at East Carolina, you are looking at a team that has no problem scoring points. They averaged I think like 37 points per game last year and got off a great start this year. I think when you look at their defense, they only gave up 351 yards. Now they gave up some points but those points are very deceiving here. I think their defense is stronger and very physical, so we need to get ready and play another great football game. We play there at East Carolina so we have to be ready to go.”
Telvion Clark knee injury?
“No, Telvion is okay. We’ve got a lot of guys banged up last week but Telvion should be okay. Mike Via, we are trying to get him back this week and Theron Norman also this week. No one else got too banged up last game to keep them out this week.”
Since you guys have joined the ACC, East Carolina has become your most common non-conference opponent. Is this a good series that you would like to see continue?
“Well yeah, I think we are close to each other and that helps as far a travel between the two teams, and they have a good football program and the Athletic Director [Terry Holland] does a good job. I think that because of the location and so forth, it is a good game for both of us.”
How do you think that Logan was able to see the 3-4 on Saturday will help him go forward into this game?
“Yes, I think any time you get a chance to play against 3-4 and learn from it and also as a football team learn from it. I think that hopefully you will be better at it next time around, so that would be my hope on this one.”
How did your offensive line grade out, I have been watching you for years and this seems like on of the better ones?
“Yeah, we do, I think the line graded out good. Talking about our winning performance, we call it our ‘chain gang’ – we got one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight – nine guys made that in our offensive line. So I think that it speaks well for us and our backups are coming along. I think if we can get in there and keep those guys fresh it will be a big help. Substituting there and not have a drop off and keep people fresh for the fourth quarter.”
I’m sure you have seen Dominic Davis in various locations that you care to see, I’m sure during the years, what does he offer East Carolina’s offense that clearly makes them a little bit unique. Is there anything that stands out or makes it difficult to prepare for?
“He’s an accurate guy, athletic and he’s 6-3. He can run and keep plays alive, he knows when to run when he needs to. But I think his accuracy. They are very patient and they are able to throw a three-yard pass and then run a zone play. And he is a patient guy so I tell you when you can average 37 points a game you are doing something right.”
You got a good quarterback and they really do. How big of a step is it for a new quarterback to make his first road start especially at a loud sell-out atmosphere like that on Saturday?
“Yea, that will be an emotional place down there. But I think our guys and Logan included like to play in places where they are excited about you being there. So I think that says something about your program and I think Logan will handle it as well as he can. He’s a smart guy and he knows what’s going on and he’s working hard to get a little bit better everyday. I think he understands, like the rest of us, that it’s going to be loud and that he needs go forward each snap.”
As far as places to go play, how is East Carolina? This has to be their biggest game this season.
“Yeah, last time I was down there, it was a frenzy and I don’t think it’s going to be any less this time. They take football serious down there and they run a good program for a long time and they have a good program going right now.”
Got a chance to watch David Wilson on film and that guy running 10-yards a pop. What about that day he had Saturday?
“I think he had 15 broken tackles and Coach Hite feels like that’s a record. He was something special.” “Yea, he had 16 carries and he is an impressive performance.”
Boise winning at Georgia, you have seen the Boise crowd, obviously are you surprised at all by that?
“No, they are a good football team. They have gotten us, now Georgia and Oregon I think three years ago, so yea they are for real. They have a good team and good quarterback. He is in complete control and has been there for a long time. They play good defense and they are a solid program.”
In year’s past, all this conference realignment chatters, with all the buzz during the past weekend. Do you have time to process what’s going on or do you just shut it out?
“Yea, you control what you can control and I think what coaches have to do now and control how your team is going to play Saturday. All the other stuff somebody else has to figure that out. That’s what I have always tried to do is to figure out what I can control and that is how you prepare for East Carolina.”
Do you ever worry about the future of the ACC?
“Well as far as I know, everyone is happy in the ACC and I think that if anything does happen the ACC is going to be right in the middle of it. So that would be my take on it but again we are just trying to get ready for East Carolina right now.”
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Chris Graham
