Opening statement…
I told our team yesterday that sometimes you get hammered like we did in our last ballgame and you go look at the tape and the tape’s not very good. But I didn’t feel that was the case with this football team. I feel we need to execute better, we need to take care of the ball, there is no question about that. But the effort is good. The want-to is good. We’ve got guys that have put a lot into this, and the main focus for us this week is let’s continue to get better. Keep improving, keep working, keep getting better. We’re going to have to, when you look at this Boston College team they are very impressive. The quarterback is the leading rushing, but the other backs, they got some yards. They are just tough up front, both sides, you know, like Boston College. I think their schemes really help them, both on offense and defense. A really good football team coming in here I think. A really good football team.
On Michael Brewer’s status as the starter…
Michael Brewer is our quarterback. We’re going to give Mark Leal some more snaps this week, just to see if we need to get him in the game a little more, we will see about that. But Michael Brewer, without question, is our quarterback. He’s done a good job. We’ve put in some tough situations I think at times. I think we need to help him with how we do things a little bit. I’ve got every confidence in Michael Brewer. He knows how to play quarterback. I’ve said that before, but I really mean it.
On what he has seen to instill confidence in Brewer at QB…
We got to be good around him. You look at the game, the throw doesn’t look very good, but the receiver is at the wrong depth. During a game you get tied in, ‘Well that throw wasn’t very good.” But then you go back and look at video and you know. We’ve got to run the football, we did a better job of that in the second half. If we are good around Michael, we’ll be OK. We’ll be OK.
On how important the couple extra days off this week are…
The big thing right now is us improving as a football team, and we need a win. That’s where we got to work hard. I think the rest is probably helpful. I think any times you can get a couple days extra in this time of the year, it’s good for your football team.
On what he saw when he watched tape…
I’m just talking about the score. The score that happened. Defensively, you’re playing a running back that makes you have to be very exact. If you took a false step you’re done, because you have to be in the gap. If you took a false step and you’re not quite in that gap, this running back has the ability to make you pay. You have to be very exact on defense and a couple times on defense we weren’t very exact, and a couple times that thing popped out of there. The guy, I thought, was about as good as I’ve seen about getting in the hole quickly and getting out of the hole quickly. I thought he was very, very good. I thought he was good at the game, I thought when I watched the tape he was good.
If he thinks Chase Williams will play this week…
I don’t know. Chase was running around yesterday, but running around and being game ready are two different things. Andrew Motuapuaka did a nice job in there when you watched the tape. For the first game, a couple things here and there, but overall he really did a nice job.
On the importance of extending the bowl streak…
I’m just worried about winning the next ballgame. That’s what we’re thinking about right now. Bowls are way down the road; let’s go win a ballgame.
On his frustration level with the way the year has gone…
I said from the very beginning that we were going to go through some growing pains, and we are. Now we’re far enough along, as I said, that there needs to be less growing pains. But as I told you from the very beginning, I think we’ve got some really good offensive skill people that are freshmen - all our touchdowns for the most part have been scored by freshmen. I think our skill level is good, and with some experience we’re going to be a really good football team. But starting out this year, I told you, we were going to grow through some growing pains.
On where he seems the team today vs. where he expected it to be…
I think the important thing for us this week is to improve as a football team. I feel very confident that our players have worked hard, that hasn’t been an issue. They’ve played hard, that hasn’t been an issue. Where we are, we are. Now let’s keep getting better. That’s the bottom line.
On if there needs to be schematic changes to limit BC’s running quarterback…
I think you realize he’s the leading ball carrier for them. He’s a guy that transferred in there, but he’s doing a great job for them. The problem, you can’t forget those other backs though. That’s the problem with Boston College. All these different formations, unbalanced sets, the personnel, they got different guys in there are different positions, they really do a good job. And you have to be sharp in there recognition and recognize sets.
On slow offensive starts…
I think if we help Michael Brewer, we won’t have a slow start. That’s my point. It’s all right there for us. We need to run the football, we need to execute better and that’ll take care of all our problems.
If he and OC Scot Loeffler are on the same page…
Yeah, yeah. Scot and I believe a lot alike. I think during the course of the games it could’ve been a little different, but Scot and I and the offensive staff all think a lot alike about how you should play offense.
On if he thinks they’ve gotten away from gameplan from first couple games…
No. I think we’ve got a team that has been up and down a little bit, I don’t think there is any question about that. I’ve told you why I think that happens with a team like this, but what I’m interested in right now is do we get better this week. I’m not interested in anything else. I think effort is good, kids want to, coaches want to. Let’s get better and go win a football game.
On if he’d like to see adjustments come before halftime…
It helps to get in there at halftime, get your charts, what’s taking place, what are they doing, exactly what we need to do and have some time to talk between people. Some adjustments I think are very obvious as you go through a ballgame, but I think it does help to get in there, put it all out and see what you need to do in the second half.
On running game…
I think Marshawn, I was really impressed with him. He broke some tackles, showed some speed. I think he has good running vision. I think Sam Rogers is going to end up getting more touches because he is an effort guy. You just know that you’re going to get a 110% percent from the guy. I think he effects other guys on the offense seeing how hard he is trying to run and break tackles and keep the offense going. That’s kind of where I see it right now. Those two guys and then with Jerome Wright, we got him in there the other night and I think that has to continue.
Update on health of Trey Edmunds (broken clavicle)…
No. Right now we’re trying to get ready to win a ballgame this week. Wright needs to play, Rogers needs to play, and Marshawn Williams certainly needs to play.