Staff Report
On the depth chart:
The depth chart still reflects who we think gives us the best chance to win. The question was asked if we were going to start playing for next year and certainly we aren’t – we still have two games left this year. The biggest one is Virginia Tech this week.
On the changing lineups:
You can’t work around it. You have to understand what’s going on. The kids are fine. I think they’ve kind of accepted the fact they’ve been dealt a bad hand. There’s nothing they can do but fight their way out of it, so we are going to continue to fight and play hard and be the best team we can. We thought it was bad last year. It’s three times as bad this year as it was last year. It’s got to end sometime before I die here. I don’t know, one or the other. I hope I’m the next one hurt the way we’re going. I’ll take a hit for the team if it’ll keep somebody else healthy.
On the mounting injuries:
We all keep waiting for a break. Something good has got to happen sometime. We can’t keep going South forever. We just got to hang in there, and as I say we got to circle the wagons, believe in each other and come out firing in all directions. There’s nothing else to do. No sense feeling sorry for ourselves.
On motivating his team:
There is no sense not to go out and play hard. A lot of it comes down to the leadership of the football team. We will work specifically hard to make sure those guys that are still [motivated]. I don’t think lost anybody by any stretch of the imagination. If we ever feel or sense that then they won’t play.
Most of the seniors are playing really hard, its there last year and you would expect that. We just don’t have enough of them in different positions to provide leadership. Two guys, Michael Cash and Leroy Burgess, both played probably their best games of the year on Saturday. A lot of guys are still competing and playing hard. Some guys are trying to do too much, that’s part of the problem – they just have to do their job.
On Michael Lemon:
He’s gotten better each and every week as he’s become more comfortable in the scheme of things. Right now him and McKeen are probably even and they are going to split time I would think from here on out. It’s been a good thing for our defense because its nice to have that position specifically be a strong position for us. Those two kids have made it a strong position.
On Sterling Lucas starting over Ray Michel:
I think Ray is still not at 100 percent. He’s gutting it out right now and giving us everything he can. He had a four to six week injury and its only been four weeks.
On tackling against Clemson:
We were too aggressive. We overran things. One of the things going in, especially against Spiller because he loves to cut back, we didn’t stay behind the football the way we should have. We got too aggressive. Certainly, Jarvis Byrd, if he hits you you’re going down. Knock on wood, that’s a pretty good thing. He’s got one start under his belt now, he gets two this week.
On Jarvis Williams:
The quarterback is very confident when he throws him the ball. That’s a big plus for a lot of people. Certainly he’s learned to use his size and his power to his advantage. He’s a big target and he’s tough to get a handle on. Especially if the ball is up high he can go get it and he’s made a lot of good catches that way.
On Dwayne Maddox:
He had a tough day Saturday. He was too aggressive, he was the backside linebacker that overran a lot of things instead of staying behind the ball. It was a question of trying to get there and playing too fast, too excited, I’m not sure what it was. It’s something we have to work on because we are going to see the same kind of thing from Williams this week. A lot of the same type of runs, a really tough back to handle. Virginia Tech is one of the only school that could lose Evans and come up with a Ryan Williams.
On Owen Spencer as a deep threat:
Well he is the one guy that seems to get open deep a lot. He has that deceiving speed. He’s getting better at making subtle moves so he can do a little more faking when he gets there especially in man coverage which has helped him a lot. He’s made progress in that respect. Russell has gotten better throwing the deep ball too a couple of his throws have been right on the mark. So I think its a combination of his route running and deceptive speed that he has and then Russell doing a good job of throwing the ball deep.
On Virginia Tech:
They are the school that just reloads. They have a system, especially on defense with Bud Foster, they recruit to the system. They play defense, he knows what he wants to do against anything you try to do – he does a great job there.
On Audie Cole:
I think Audie is still learning. Its not a natural position for him – he’s a guy that has to see some things but when he sees it he gets it. He’s a great effort guy. I think in time he’s going to be a great player for us.
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