Football: Head Coach Bill Stewart Teleconference
September 28, 2008 04:03 PM | General
September 28, 2008
MORGANTOWN, W.Va.- Quotes from Head Coach Bill Stewart's teleconference held on Sunday afternoon.
On the Marshall win:
I thought the competitiveness was really good and our guys came out to play and they played hard. We went up against a darn good opponent and they made a great effort. We were very pleased with the win. I thought we started very well at the first. Bob Hertzel asked me yesterday why we started doing some different things in the second series than we did in the first drive. That was so we could get Jarrett Brown introduced into the game. I told him that we were going to do it, and we practiced that. We also wanted Marshall to maybe scramble a little bit on their sideline. It worked out well with Jarrett. He came on and had a heck of a good game for us. He had some nice runs when we needed it in crucial situations, particularly on those third downs. He came in and passed the ball very well too.
We just tried to spread the field. We have to be more than a one dimensional football team-that’s No. 7, or a two dimensional-that’s No. 7 and No. 5 , football team. So we tried to spread the wealth by getting No. 16 into the ball game, particularly when Pat (White) was in the game. We thought that was really big time.
I thought our offensive line played hard and they are getting better. Marshall had some good players, especially their linebackers. We got things going on all cylinders and that was good.
I think Pat (White) managed the game very well except at the end of the two-minutes-he just tried to make a play. I thought he handled the clock well, his passion on the field was great, his leadership was great. Pat was right on No. 17 and No. 21 and he just missed a read or two, but he could have been flawless, just absolutely flawless. I’m glad he got in a couple touchdown passes to get back on track and I was very glad to see Dorrell Jalloh catch a touchdown pass for all of the hard work he has done in the program, as did Jock Sanders.
Offensively, I was pleased again with our rushing totals, but I wish we could have gotten the ball out there a little more with Jarrett (Brown). And defensively, what can you say? I thought it was a tremendous Marshall effort. I thought our defense flew around and knocked the ball on the ground. They played hard and they played with a passion. We created some turnovers and we gave up 158 yards which was pleasing to see. We kept Marshall from getting a big play and that was so big for us. Our corners did play as well as I thought they did. Our linebackers played well and we had a good game there.
I thought Patrick McAfee punted the ball well, lights out. He kicks off well, but I don’t know if the hang time is as quite good as we want-I think we want the ball to hang a little bit longer, but he kicked the ball deep. Marshall had to bring it out and there were a couple breakdowns there, which we will have to get corrected. The longest one was 75 and I was very displeased with that. I thought Pat McAfee stepped up and made two nice field goals, which was good to see.
We did what we’d hope we would do and not what we thought we could do as we continue to grow with this offense, defense and special teams. I was just very disappointed with kickoff coverage, but that will get corrected this week. I promise you that we will work on kickoff coverage because if we don’t, Rutgers will run us right out of the park. They have a tremendous return man, a couple of them actually, so we have to get that corrected.
I thought the crowd was great and I was very pleased and happy with our crowd. At stressful times in the game, we needed our 12th man, or so to speak, our Maniacs came and got on their feet. I thought the rest of the crowd got on their feet and 60,000 people screaming for the Old Gold and Blue made a difference in some very stressful times. I thought that was good and I’m very thankful to the Mountaineer nation for supporting us, hanging in there with these guys and it was very beneficial.
On the kickoff returns:
We strive for perfection even though our third downs got better, we still want to be 100 percent and that’s what we strive for. I know some people say you can’t get that all the time but we were 8-of-13, which is a great improvement and the defense still was 7-of-16 which is just over 50 percent so we have to get that better. We will do this today and when we run these guys and they’re running sprints, you put the hand behind the line and you put your head behind your hand and then you go on ball movement. We jumped twice on third and crucial. We were just excited, but you can’t do that. It’s down to discipline. They made the mistake and we’re going to work on it. Stay on sides-that frustrated me.
On the NCAA new clock rules:
The clock is so fast. It’s hard to get into the flow or momentum. It’s a faster game. I remember coaching the offense and thinking, wow; I have to do 85 plays! One time, we did 103 plays! You can’t do that today. The game is slowed down and television and ads all have their spots. They are going to take the game away from the players to get that on. There aren’t enough plays in football and it’s hard to get in the rhythm.
With more plays, you can try more things and set things up. Now, every call is a gut check. That’s going to make us too tight and we have to try to get in the flow. Maybe I’m the only one in the country, but a lot of peers tell me that it’s hard to get in that rhythm in order to do things like we did in the old days.
On opening the BIG EAST schedule:
We’ve played a good schedule and it’s been an attractive schedule for our fans. We found out a lot about ourselves on the road in games two and three. I’m glad we had those and it put us in some pressure. Our guys found out in game two that you have to do more than just wear the Old Gold and Blue. I’m never going to change my stance on that. Now we are going to get down into our routine and play our schedule. That’s what it’s all about and the goal in our program is and will always be the BIG EAST Championship-that’s what we strive for and that’s what we live for. Now it’s time to get out there and put our helmets on, our mouth pieces in and try to get after it. There are a lot of good teams in the BIG EAST this year.
I’ve seen physical play, a Pitt team get tough and I thought that was impressive. I saw a UConn-Louisville game that could have gone either way at 21-20 with two minutes to go. I saw some things there that are in the back of my head right now. I saw USF come back when they were down and they are a tremendous football team. Now we’re in BIG EAST mode.
On Rutgers:
I watched the Fresno game and some of the Carolina game and I think they have a tremendous quarterback. I think they’re going to get their running game cranked up. I did see a talented Rutgers team that is trying to get back on track and from what I heard, they are getting back on track and they are hitting on all cylinders. They will come in here chomping and I’m worried sick about it. We got after them good last year, in the rain if I remember correctly, and I’m sure they are going to be just like East Carolina.
Injury report:
Jimmy Lewis has a broken bone and he played a couple quarters on it and I didn’t know about it. We missed him big time and he was a force. I’m a little disappointed in some guys who didn’t make a couple plays and that’s what broke us. Injury wise we’re good. Pat (White)’s thumb isn’t nearly as bad. We’re in good of shape as we have been in a long time and we need to stay that way.
On the team’s overall mood:
They were bouncing and they were bouncing pretty good. I saw one of Marshall’s guys bouncing in pregame and he was doing the hokey pokey or something like that and when I saw Jarrett Brown run flat over him, the hokey pokey stopped. Always remember that that bounce in your step has a lot to do with who is hitting and who is getting hit. In game two, we got hit. In game three we were the hitters. In game four we were the hitters. I just hope and pray that the Mountaineers continue to have bounce in their step, or whatever this generation calls it. As long as they play within the legal limits of the law, play the game fair, do things in a classy manner, than they can bounce all they want. I want them to have fun. Football should be a fun game, but it’s also an important game and if an individual tries to take over with some showboat stuff, I’m going to clamp it. I want them to have fun.
On changing Jarrett Brown’s role:
I’m the biggest conservative in the world but yet I have enough river boat gambler in me to go for it. I gave him my word and I told the team that we were going to put that rascal back there and let him run. Before the game I told him to play loose and have fun. I told Jarrett that his legs were too long and I just told him to keep running.
On the secondary’s play:
You’ll see who our players of the week are this week, but I’ll tell you what, I’m so proud of our secondary and I’m just as tickled as I can be. Brandon Hogan came on a PAT block better than we have had here in years. And then he came like a shot out of a gun and that’s two big plays that never get in the stats. Brandon Hogan puts fear in the kicker. He did it on the field goal kick early when he came on that first one. He just about had it blocked and he dipped and bent and it was beautiful. Brandon Hogan and Ellis Lankster played lights out. I just hope they get better and they will. I’m sure people wanted me to throw him (Lankster) under the bus when he dropped that punt, but let’s not forget what he did at Boulder. Now if he keeps dropping punts, then I’ll have to get rid of him. I don’t throw my players under the bus-end of story. He’ll get back out there Saturday and return the punt for a big one, let’s hope.
