Liked how the team responded from previous game and were focused. Said it was too back and forth early, but 4 minutes left, felt like they took over in all three phases. Said defense bounced back and got a lot of takeaways which was good. Said it finally looked like the BullShark defense, said the offense was in control who game and Q was sharp the whole game, first drive was 6 minutes and good 3rd down conversions, said it was good for Marlon to get the record and do his thing.
Said ECU is a good team that throws it around, have fantastic WR in Zay Jones, said he is one of the best he has ever seen in AAC. Have to keep an eye on him and tackle him. Said QB Nelson is a good FB player, defense reminds him of Cincy, said the DL shows different looks up front. Said turnovers cost ECU last week, hope it continues. Have to play an A-game, tough game last year against them.
ON HIM COACHING FLOWERS THROUGH END OF GAME
It was a play he lost a little focus and he knew it and I told him I love him. He was upset and he knew he didn't do what he was supposed to do, he is supposed to keep focused for a whole game. We want him locked in and he had been sharp all day and something so simple, can't allow simple things like that to happen, stay focused in that situation. Told him I love and appreciate him.
ON NICHOLS
He is practicing, did a good job, hung with his teammates, can't hit anybody, look forward to him playing this week.
ON THE OFFENSIVE CONFIDENCE
Those guys go back to confidence and they believe they can score on anybody and they talk about it a lot. You don't see guys get down on the sideline, we can score on anyone. A group of kids that love playing with each other and making plays with each other. Every position is that way and every position group takes pride in it and their group being successful and that is what we see and they are having fun and take pride in what they do.
ON TAKEAWAYS ON D
Playing with a lot of energy and enthusiasm. That has been a big point of emphasis for us this offseason, a lot of takeways and that goes back to our offense. Great things happen for our football team and those interceptions and turnovers happen for our team, they rather than letting people take it to them, take the fight to the people. That is what we did in the second half, when the ball was in the air, we were in attack mode. Ronnie Hoggins had that mentality, it was his ball and he wasn't letting someone else get it. We are pretty darn good on defense when we play that way. The week before we didn't play that way and we got back to do that.
ON MARCUS NORMAN COMING OFF THE BENCH
Marcus started the first game of the season for us and he is always ready and does a good job and he will continue to help our offense and we are looking for a good performance.
ON THE OL NOT GIVING UP MANY SACKS AND BLOCKING WELL
I think they are doing a fantastic job of coaching those guys up and getting them to play with each other and have synergy. I think this past week was their best job with the physicality they played with is what we are looking for upfront. I thought we got after Cincinnati upfront. They went in with that approach and when they play I see a group of guys who really enjoy doing what they are doing. When they are on the sidelines talking about plays or guys they pancaked, it is good to see.
ON WHY THE OFFENSE IS WORKING
When you try to change the culture it doesn't happen overnight. When you lose a certain coach you create bad habits and that doesn't change overnight. Repetition of doing things the right way or certain way and getting good football players make us all great coaches. They fit the culture we are trying to create and they all believe in the plan and they never wavered from it and now the guys are reaping the benefits from it. We kept working and now we are benefitting from it.
ON WHAT HE IS NOT SEEING YET FROM THE OFFENSE
Some of the missed opportunities and we are leaving plays out there on defense too. It can be better than it is. I think we have left a lot of opportunities on the field and as a coach you want it all and to be perfect in what you do or be as close to it as possible. It will be something nice when we do it.
ON MARLON MACK GETTING THE RECORD
It was pretty cool to get it. I had forgot he was so close to getting. On his run, someone said there is the record. The play before I was getting on to him about something and we were going back and forth then he was ticked off, then he pressed that L1 button and took off and scored. I told him I need to tick him off every play. It was great to see how he did it. It was just a matter of time before he got the school record, however many games left to play, told him to try and make it hard for the next guy. When I was in school I broke the record then the next year the guy broke it.
ON ECU BEING LAST TEAM TO KEEP YOU UNDER 35
I think last year we played sloppy and had 350 yards in the first half and had the ball down there had a turnover or two and we can't play sloppy. We moved the ball but didn't finish. It was wet and sloppy, it was the last time, they got some talent on the team and athletes that can make plays for them. We have to take care of the football. It is not about the opponent, it is about us, our best is good enough to beat anyone.
ON HAVING TOP PLAYERS AS RETURN GUYS
That has always been my philosophy as a HC. I told our coaches we should have one of the best special teams in the country and our return guys are our two most competitive guys on the team. Trevon was really happy to play and he went down and made some plays on kickoff. We took D'Ernest out and he didn't let out.
ON THE HURRICANE ISSUES
We are planning on playing as long as there is not lightning, we can have wind and rain.
ON KANO
He is making the plays when the ball gets to him. Early in the year he had a chance to make some plays and we didn't get the ball to him. Kano is doing now is taking advantage of it especially on third down. Especially against Syracuse and now in this game, and getting yards after the catch.
ON GETTING TIGHT ENDS MORE INVOLVED
Run our offense and depending on what the defense is giving us, then we can get to them and if they are covered we take what we get. We have certain plays to get them the ball, it just goes back to executing when they are open.
ON 200-YARD RUSHING STREAK
Yeah if you can run the football you can have a good FB team. If you can run and stop the run, great things can happen for your football team. Play great defense and run the football is a good recipe to win a lot of FB games. When we have rolled it, it makes things good on the outskirts. I think some of the things we are doing are good for us and allow us to get some points with the athletes we have. It goes back to execution and our guys have a better understanding of it.
ON RUSHING EVERY WEEK LIKE THAT
I'm excited because our guys know what to do, I can call anything and they can run it, you can make some game adjustments or call certain plays, we don't have to run it in practice, because they understand the rules within what we are doing and the rules take care of everything. I know whatever I call they can get it done.
ON DEVIN GETTING HURT AND GODWIN MOVING TO SS
Devin broke his thumb, so he had surgery this morning. Gonna put a couple of screws in and get him back soon.
Said ECU is a good team that throws it around, have fantastic WR in Zay Jones, said he is one of the best he has ever seen in AAC. Have to keep an eye on him and tackle him. Said QB Nelson is a good FB player, defense reminds him of Cincy, said the DL shows different looks up front. Said turnovers cost ECU last week, hope it continues. Have to play an A-game, tough game last year against them.
ON HIM COACHING FLOWERS THROUGH END OF GAME
It was a play he lost a little focus and he knew it and I told him I love him. He was upset and he knew he didn't do what he was supposed to do, he is supposed to keep focused for a whole game. We want him locked in and he had been sharp all day and something so simple, can't allow simple things like that to happen, stay focused in that situation. Told him I love and appreciate him.
ON NICHOLS
He is practicing, did a good job, hung with his teammates, can't hit anybody, look forward to him playing this week.
ON THE OFFENSIVE CONFIDENCE
Those guys go back to confidence and they believe they can score on anybody and they talk about it a lot. You don't see guys get down on the sideline, we can score on anyone. A group of kids that love playing with each other and making plays with each other. Every position is that way and every position group takes pride in it and their group being successful and that is what we see and they are having fun and take pride in what they do.
ON TAKEAWAYS ON D
Playing with a lot of energy and enthusiasm. That has been a big point of emphasis for us this offseason, a lot of takeways and that goes back to our offense. Great things happen for our football team and those interceptions and turnovers happen for our team, they rather than letting people take it to them, take the fight to the people. That is what we did in the second half, when the ball was in the air, we were in attack mode. Ronnie Hoggins had that mentality, it was his ball and he wasn't letting someone else get it. We are pretty darn good on defense when we play that way. The week before we didn't play that way and we got back to do that.
ON MARCUS NORMAN COMING OFF THE BENCH
Marcus started the first game of the season for us and he is always ready and does a good job and he will continue to help our offense and we are looking for a good performance.
ON THE OL NOT GIVING UP MANY SACKS AND BLOCKING WELL
I think they are doing a fantastic job of coaching those guys up and getting them to play with each other and have synergy. I think this past week was their best job with the physicality they played with is what we are looking for upfront. I thought we got after Cincinnati upfront. They went in with that approach and when they play I see a group of guys who really enjoy doing what they are doing. When they are on the sidelines talking about plays or guys they pancaked, it is good to see.
ON WHY THE OFFENSE IS WORKING
When you try to change the culture it doesn't happen overnight. When you lose a certain coach you create bad habits and that doesn't change overnight. Repetition of doing things the right way or certain way and getting good football players make us all great coaches. They fit the culture we are trying to create and they all believe in the plan and they never wavered from it and now the guys are reaping the benefits from it. We kept working and now we are benefitting from it.
ON WHAT HE IS NOT SEEING YET FROM THE OFFENSE
Some of the missed opportunities and we are leaving plays out there on defense too. It can be better than it is. I think we have left a lot of opportunities on the field and as a coach you want it all and to be perfect in what you do or be as close to it as possible. It will be something nice when we do it.
ON MARLON MACK GETTING THE RECORD
It was pretty cool to get it. I had forgot he was so close to getting. On his run, someone said there is the record. The play before I was getting on to him about something and we were going back and forth then he was ticked off, then he pressed that L1 button and took off and scored. I told him I need to tick him off every play. It was great to see how he did it. It was just a matter of time before he got the school record, however many games left to play, told him to try and make it hard for the next guy. When I was in school I broke the record then the next year the guy broke it.
ON ECU BEING LAST TEAM TO KEEP YOU UNDER 35
I think last year we played sloppy and had 350 yards in the first half and had the ball down there had a turnover or two and we can't play sloppy. We moved the ball but didn't finish. It was wet and sloppy, it was the last time, they got some talent on the team and athletes that can make plays for them. We have to take care of the football. It is not about the opponent, it is about us, our best is good enough to beat anyone.
ON HAVING TOP PLAYERS AS RETURN GUYS
That has always been my philosophy as a HC. I told our coaches we should have one of the best special teams in the country and our return guys are our two most competitive guys on the team. Trevon was really happy to play and he went down and made some plays on kickoff. We took D'Ernest out and he didn't let out.
ON THE HURRICANE ISSUES
We are planning on playing as long as there is not lightning, we can have wind and rain.
ON KANO
He is making the plays when the ball gets to him. Early in the year he had a chance to make some plays and we didn't get the ball to him. Kano is doing now is taking advantage of it especially on third down. Especially against Syracuse and now in this game, and getting yards after the catch.
ON GETTING TIGHT ENDS MORE INVOLVED
Run our offense and depending on what the defense is giving us, then we can get to them and if they are covered we take what we get. We have certain plays to get them the ball, it just goes back to executing when they are open.
ON 200-YARD RUSHING STREAK
Yeah if you can run the football you can have a good FB team. If you can run and stop the run, great things can happen for your football team. Play great defense and run the football is a good recipe to win a lot of FB games. When we have rolled it, it makes things good on the outskirts. I think some of the things we are doing are good for us and allow us to get some points with the athletes we have. It goes back to execution and our guys have a better understanding of it.
ON RUSHING EVERY WEEK LIKE THAT
I'm excited because our guys know what to do, I can call anything and they can run it, you can make some game adjustments or call certain plays, we don't have to run it in practice, because they understand the rules within what we are doing and the rules take care of everything. I know whatever I call they can get it done.
ON DEVIN GETTING HURT AND GODWIN MOVING TO SS
Devin broke his thumb, so he had surgery this morning. Gonna put a couple of screws in and get him back soon.
