Coach Pasqualoni's Press Conference Transcript - October 4, 2004
Head Coach Pasqualoni’s Press Conference – October 4, 2004
Thoughts after watching the SU-Rutgers game film:
“I thought early in game we had some real opportunities. Through the first four series of the game I thought we were playing defensively as well as we were going to play. Offensively, we just missed a couple of real opportunities. After their (Rutgers) fifth series of the game, the quarterback (Ryan Hart) got really hot and played very well. He really played a great game. At that point it really became a game and it became a battle. Fortunately, at that point we started playing better on offense. We were running the balll very well and Perry Patterson hit a couple of throws. I think the key thing was in the fourth quarter and we scored 21 and they scored seven.”
On dropped passes and overthrown balls:
“Well, I think that happens at every level of football. If you watched any games yesterday (Sunday), you saw passes dropped and overthrown. It’s part of the game. Sometimes you are on fire and sometimes you aren’t. I don’t know what “too many” would be. Perry Patterson came back and hit a couple really accurate throws in the fourth quarter. You would always like to hit the open ones, but no one ever hits all of the open ones. He just has to keep playing.”
On Tanard Jackson returning to the lineup:
Yes, Tanard will be in practice today and we will see how he does.
On Ryan Hart’s performance:
“We played against a quarterback who really had a great day. To the kid’s credit, I cannot tell you the number of times he threw it and then got hit or got hit and then threw it. At times, he threw the ball before the receiver even broke. He just put the ball exactly where it needed to be. I think you have to give the quarterback a little credit.”
On SU’s performance:
“We were prepared to go over there (to the Carrier Dome) and play four quarters. It would have been nice to hit a couple of those plays and go up 14 or 21 to nothing, but you have to play the game and finish the game. It became a great football game. I am proud of the way Walter Reyes hung in there. That run he made to win the game is a spectacular play. He kept his balance and broke two tackles and managed to get into the endzone. How about Perry Patterson? He misses those throws early in the game and then he comes back in the fourth quarter and hits a few great passes. You have to be proud of those kids. I am proud of them.”
On Perry Patterson and why it took so long for him to find his accuracy:
“Why does it take anybody time to get accurate? Brett Farve and Peyton Manning don’t hit everybody who is open either. You hope that the timing and the footwork are perfect.”
Surprised to get the ball back so quickly after the fumble:
“Well, I was surprised that they threw it, that’s the only thing that surprised me. I thought they would run it and force us to use another timeout. When we got the ball back on offense, we were not in the two-minute offense, we were just in the hurry-up and that worked best for us.”
Will it help to have Tanard Jackson back this week:
“Yes, if Tanard is back that will help. He has played great back there in all four starts. That is a key position on the team and he has played the most, so it would be very nice to have him back.”
On match up problems with FSU’s receivers:
“They have great receivers. Anybody will have match up problems with them. I think the Miami Dolphins might even have match up problems with FSU.”
On Florida State:
“They are athletic at every position. I don’t care if it is linemen, linebackers, safeties, running backs, wide receivers or tight ends, they are just a very impressive looking team. They are a top team. If you put too many guys in the coverage, then they are going to really hurt you running the ball. It is the same dilemma that you face all the time. Either quarterback will be a challenge for us. I think Chris Rix was scheduled to come back this week and I haven’t heard that he is not coming back. I think the Sexton kid is good too. He’s a coach’s son and does exactly what he is supposed to on the film.”
On Matt Tarullo and Adam Terry:
“They have come a long way in the last five years. Both were able to redshirt and that was a great year for them. The key thing about Matt and Adam is that they have made very steady progress through their entire career. They are by no means coming in here each day feeling like they know everything there is to know. They continue learning each day. They are two very good players. If they can keep getting better each week, maybe they will have a chance to be in somebody’s pro camp someday. That is what I hope.”
On penalties:
“We had far too many penalties. You try to coach every day to keep your hands inside and not have the holding penalties and all the others that we can control.”
How do you approach a team like Florida State:
“Fortunately, over the years we have played some awfully good teams. We played Miami every year for the past 12-14 years. I don’t think we approach this any differently. Every year we have gone into a Miami game we have expected to compete and win. We will treat this the same way. This is one of those games.”
On Xzavier Gaines:
“I am going to meet with Xzavier today at 2 o’clock. He had some personal issues last week, so I told him to take the end of the week off.”
On if the team may be intimidated by FSU:
“No, I don’t think our guys are intimidated. I have never known a Syracuse team to be intimidated. The kids here are not intimidated. I think they look forward to the challenge. I hope they can go out and execute and play great at home. I think it will be a heck of a challenge and fun for the kids.”
Senior Wide Receiver Andre Fontenette
On Florida State:
“They are a very athletic team. Their linebackers and defensive backs are very fast and very physical. They can play and they don’t end the play early. It is going to be a great challenge for us and we are looking forward to it.”
On figuring out a way to win:
“You figure out a way to win by playing hard. That is all you can do. That is all the coaches ask us to do. If we play our best and execute, it doesn’t matter who we play.”
On how this is different from Purdue and Virginia:
“We are in the Dome. When it comes to Syracuse football and you are in the Dome with those 40-50,000 people yelling, that always gives us an advantage.”
On playing three top ten teams:
“You guys see Purdue now, Kyle Orton is probably one of the best players in the country. In order to beat the best, you have to play the best. In order to be the best, you have to beat the best. We are going to go into the game hoping for the best and just play hard.”
On Perry Patterson:
“In reality he is a freshman out there, he has never really played before. Throughout the season and his career at Syracuse he is going to get better with his accuracy. He hits all those plays in practice and just with game experience he will get better with that.”
On the blocking on the primeter:
“I just think that we really finished our blocks this week, where earlier in the season we would make the block but we would not finish it. Jared Jones had a lot of big blocks on the perimeter. On a scramble play, Tim Lane and Landel Bembo each had nice blocks down field. As long as we keep on doing what we are doing and working hard at it we will be just fine.”
Junior Left Defensive End James Wyche
Opening statement:
“On the defensive side of the ball, there was a lot of effort and good plays out there. We are going to continue to do well on the defense. We had good pressure from Kader Drame, Julian Pollard and Ryan LaCasse. They kept on hitting the quarterback. As far as Florida State, they are a good team. Every team that we play is a good team. I am willing to go to battle at anytime, any day with a good team. It makes me better.”
On getting pressure but Ryan Hart still completed his passes:
“It is a little frustrating, but he’s (Ryan Hart) a good kid. He takes some punishing hits and gets up. Perry Patterson does the same thing.”
On big plays:
“I think big plays are a factor, but with our team everybody hustles to the ball. Every play everybody is around the ball and giving all they have.”
On being double-teamed:
“I take that as a compliment. I am still going to go out there and try to get to the quarterback.”
On his blocked field goal:
“Tony Jenkins gave a push and that freed me up a little and I just extended my arms to block it. I give all the credit to Tony Jenkins.”
