Head Coach Greg Robinson Press Conference Transcript
2005 Syracuse Football
Syracuse vs. South Florida – November 12, 2005
Carrier Dome – Syracuse, N.Y.
On an overview of game:
“First of all they are a better team than I gave them credit for, completely. I knew they were really good offensively. I knew that. I saw them. They have ripped just about everybody. What they did in the Pitt game was they got out of their game and tried to be to finesse in that game. The rest of the year, they have been a hard-nosed, tough football team. Defensively, I thought they were a good team, but I thought we were going to move the football on them. I thought we were going to run it. I thought at times we flashed the run. But our passing game, you have to complete more than eight balls against them to be successful on offense. I’m into that game so much that I’m not one who is able to sit back and have it all assessed totally. It was a physical football game.”
On whether not getting a turnover awarded on a fumble in the first quarter changed the momentum:
“I would have loved to have had it. I thought we should have and I think they did to but they said that the umpire blew the whistle. It’s amazing. I don’t know how much (it changed the momentum). I would like to say that it did, but I don’t know that. We would’ve been off the field and we would have been on the other side of the 50 and it would have been good to see what was going to happen there. But it didn’t.”
On how he feels when Jim Brown and Floyd Little publicly state their belief that he will be good for the Syracuse football program:
“I like it. I think it is good. Quite frankly, I believe they are right. I think we are going about it the right way. We are laying a foundation. We are working our tails off. We didn’t take the step I wanted to take, but we will. I feel strongly about that. We are going to do well in recruiting. We are going to get players here who can get it done and fit into what we are doing. I think there are a lot of remarkable people here who really feel for this program. I want so badly to get it done for them. I can’t do it as fast as I wanted to do it. That’s how I look at it.”
On how hard it was on him today, knowing that number 44 was being retired:
“I wanted (the win) for all the different reasons, but really, I wanted it for our team. I wanted our team to be able to display and go out and win with those people watching them. So that they could walk away and really have something to hang their hats on in regard to that. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen. But you know what? You have to go on.”
On his emotion on the sidelines:
“No, I didn’t go presto, and… No, that’s me. When I was in pro ball, they called me… I forget the nickname they gave me about being college. To me, that’s what it’s all about. It isn’t just emotional as it is you feel them, you give it to them. You have to be who you are.”
On if the team took a step back tonight:
“I don’t know that. I have to watch and see. I don’t know, might have. I don’t want to make that statement until I really look at it and evaluate. I think we played a good team. I really do. You look at the (USF vs.) Miami game, they got out, they (USF) screwed it up early. They took themselves out of the game. The Pitt game, it wasn’t like them. Penn State, it was early for them. They started the other quarterback. I think it’s a pretty good football team. I really do.”
On South Florida running back Andre Hall:
“I like him. Tough, competitive, fast, and he’s got a really good offensive line working for him. They started us off with the quarterback working us, and it checks you out. It does. The more exposures… they kind of get their gun sights on you a little bit.”
On if South Florida can challenge West Virginia for the BIG EAST title:
“They have two games. They have to worry about this one. But I’ll tell you what, they are a good football team.”
On the USF offense:
“I give them credit. They earned their yards. The first break out, we had guys there, we just missed tackles. I give the kid the credit. It’s hard to imitate in practice what exactly it’s gong to be, and that first hit, you get a little low, compact guy that explodes on you and boom, he’s out. Then, schematically, they did a couple of things there in the second half, I give them credit. They kind of had us wired. I feel for the defense because I know that they’re clawing and scratching, but we didn’t have enough answers for them today really.”
On bouncing back:
“It’s hard right now to tell you that. I’ll be a lot better tomorrow at 3:45 and see how it is. I do know this – we’re a football team and we’re going to play. We get the chance to go to South Bend, Ind. And play Notre Dame. Shoot, I’ll be ready to play. I can promise you that. The first college game I ever went to in my life was in the LA Coliseum, and it was the Irish against the Trojans. I’ve had a long, long watch on that place. I’m looking forward to it. I like to believe that I’ll be able to get that across to the guys, and I think that they will be too.”
On recruiting:
“I think that we have some people… I think they believe in what we’re doing, they know where we are trying to go, and a number of them are on board. I’d like to believe that they can see opportunity for them to help us.”
On looking ahead to Notre Dame:
“I don’t want to say that right now. I’m still in the mode of South Florida. I’m still seeing that back. I’m still seeing those guys pressuring Perry (Patterson) and Joe (Fields). For me to say that I have it all down a wired, I really don’t.”
