Coach Greg Robinson Quotes
Syracuse University Coach Greg Robinson Quotes (Postgame)
Syracuse vs. Pittsburgh
Carrier Dome/Syracuse N.Y.
October 7, 2006
It seemed to be a step backwards today?
“It was definitely a step backwards. Defensively, the first half, we let that kid (LaRod Stephens-Howling) and make him look like he is all-world. He is a good back, don’t get me wrong. He is quick and he is fast. There were two plays that I would like to believe shouldn’t happen. One, I think it is a young mistake. The other one, I just think that we got outplayed on the play, a big one. The penalties on the offense, we have to evaluate why. It is really what it comes down to. There is a reason why those penalties are being called. We have to evaluate that and see what we could do to remedy that because we put ourselves behind the eight ball. We can’t play first-and-20 or second-and-19. You can’t do that. Every once in awhile you get lucky. It wasn’t good. We let them outplay us and they did. They outcoached us too.”
You had three fumbles that also took you out of rhythm?
“That is the obvious and turnovers kill you. On the other side, we have to get them. We didn’t get it going. I wish I could tell you it was better. I am not going to sit here and throw a fit. I am going back in there and evaluate it and try to figure out what we have to do to get better.”
Are you disappointed in your defense?
“I was disappointed in them. I was. I am disappointed in me too and not just them. It is all of us. I am over there with that group of guys. They did some things in the second half that they needed to do. We should have done better than that.”
Was it a linebacker/safety issue?
“There were a number of plays where he (LaRod Stephens-Howling) made seven yards when it looked like it should have been two. I give him some credit now. He is a very quick-footed back with a little bit of power and he is hard to see sometimes. I have to give him credit. He did some things. The first run that got out, that was as much on us. We just weren’t in position. We had a number of people in position. It was just a cutback play that got too far up field and we let him go underneath. The big one, I have to see it. I have to see the big one to see exactly what did happen there. I really am not certain when talking to the players exactly what went wrong.”
Was there a point when you said it wasn’t your day?
“When they made that first down with three minutes and something to go, it was done basically. I wish we would have a little better chance on the onside kick. Pat (Shadle) hit it bad but we were offsides anyways. What if we hit a good one? We were offsides. If we get an onside kick right there, anything goes. That was a big one. They made a first down in two plays, which they shouldn’t have made. I give the kid (LaRod Stephens-Howling) credit. I want to see those again. I thought that we should have had two guys there to make the play. He made five yards on one and six yards on the other. That was it. The game was basically on ice at that time.”
What would you say about your offensive line and all the holding penalties?
“That is my point, I want to see it. I want to look at it before I make statements. We have to assess one, can we remedy it? Can we find ways to take some pressure off of certain people or do we have to make changes? I don’t want to say anything until I really see and evaluate what the situation is.”
What about the dropped passes?
“I know that there was critical one, the one that Donte Davis dropped. I don’t know that they’re not all critical. I know that one was a good size chunk and early enough in that ball game. There is going to be a time when somebody drops a pass. I can’t remember who else did. Did Rice (Moss) have one? Curtis (Brinkley) in the flat route. With the running back, I am not going to lose sleep over that and really am not. I am going to lose sleep over a ball that is right there to us and is up field for a 20-yard gain and we dropped it. You have to catch that one. I am just proud of Rice to be out there, to be honest with you. At this time a week ago, he was hurting. I just give him credit for fighting through it all week. I think he practiced Wednesday and Thursday, which is pretty impressive.”
Can you talk about the swing passes?
“We had to make an adjustment and in the second half, they cooled it. We had to make an adjustment to what they were trying to do. We really hadn’t seen them do that too much at all. A play or two or something but that wasn’t a big part of their deal. We had to make some adjustments there and I thought we did a good job in that regard.”
Perry Patterson ran for 15 yards on the third down but there was a holding penalty. How big was that penalty?
“All of those penalties are big. When we have first-and-10 and we get called and it is first-and-20. They are all critical. More importantly, this is not designed to have Perry scramble. He is stepping back to get it down field. We have to protect him and let him get that ball down field because he is capable of doing it. You guys have seen it. If we have to drop back to run, that is not what it is about. So we have some issues that we have to address and we have got to get it fixed.”
Is there a sense of opportunity lost today?
“Obviously, we are 0-1 in the BIG EAST. So an opportunity to win here at home, that hurts. So we are going to have to come up with something big on the road and get things going. Really, that is how you have to look at it. We are going into West Virginia and we know the challenge. We have to find a way and that is the bottom line.”
Why did you decide to put Bruce Williams back there on that last punt?
“I told Max (Meisel), I told my man, and I love Max, I talked to him on a couple of occasions about being smart. That was not a good decision that he made not to fair catch that football. First of all, at that time of game and also with the way that ball was up there. There were a couple of situations in previous games so, like anybody, it is going to be competitive. Bruce is a capable punt returner too. It was his job until he got hurt. I had to let Max go out there and perform. He has to make good decision. I am not here to pick on Max. I love Max and as do his teammates.”
The turnover by Tom Ferron, was that the one that ended your chances?
“The game isn’t over. The game isn’t over unless we let it be over. I am not telling you that there aren’t critical plays. Any time you turn it over, it’s not good. He lost his shoe. I don’t know if that had an effect on him, if he was looking back for his shoe or something. The bottom line is it was a turnover. We have to go out and stop them. It is very unfortunate. It was timely. When they made that first down there, that clock said we were in trouble. We have no more timeouts and we can’t get that ball back. That is a problem.”
