Brendan Carney and Jerry Mackey Reporting Day Quotes (August 6, 2006)
Brendan Carney, Senior, Punter
How does it feel to be back?
“We got that week off just to go home and say goodbye to our families. Now we are here to get to work and get things started.”
Do you feel more pressure coming off a bad year, knowing that this is the time to dig in and start working?
“There is a little bit of pressure, especially for the seniors because we are looking at it as our last go around. So we are going to leave it out on the field. We really reached out to these younger guys this off-season and really made them understand that they have to be there for us and are going to have to contribute a lot. I think they are really starting to understand that heading into Wake Forest.”
What’s the number one message, aside from contributing, that you are telling the younger guys?
“Just follow us. We are the guys who have been there. We have been through it all. Just to follow our example. Just stay behind us and we’ll lead.”
As far as confidence level, where are you now as a team?
“It’s high. A lot of people would probably think we’d be down, but we’re up. We’re feeling good. We’re very refreshed. We are very excited to get this thing started. We have a number of seniors coming back and a number of juniors who played last year who are coming back and we are all very excited and our confidence is high.”
Does it matter that it’s year two under the same coaching staff as opposed to the first time around?
“It definitely helps. We have a new offensive coordinator in Coach (Brian) White, coming in from Wisconsin, with knowledge and experience. That’s going to help us tremendously, too. So, we’re really ready to get this thing going.”
How anxious are you guys to get this thing going, given last season. Does that make the off-season longer?
Definitely. The first thing we did when the season was over was we buried that season. But we are ready to get this show on the road. We met at Coach (Greg) Robinson’s house a week ago for the barbecue and you could just see it in the guys eyes when he was talking to us and Coach (Will) Hicks talked to us, they were fired up. It looked like they were ready to play right then.”
Do you guys feel like you’re so much more ahead this year as opposed to last year because it is the second year?
“I believe so. I believe the offense is a lot further ahead than they were. Last year it was hard for them to adapt to it at first, but we have a lot of guys returning there, including Perry (Patterson) and he’s making great strides and he’s bringing the other guys with him. He’s working those guys out everyday and making sure they’re getting their film in, getting their lifting in, getting their field work in. And then the defense is ... I mean, you have K.J. (Kelvin Smith) and (Jerry) Mackey out there and that pretty much answers all questions there.”
Does it make a difference to guys that last year there were expectations that it was going to be a new era, big rise and this year the expectations are very low?
“No, not at all. People are going to have their opinions and that’s OK. I know what you’re saying, last year we had a lot of those big name guys coming back and we were expecting a lot of big things for them. The transition was a little difficult for everyone. Unfortunately we lost those guys and would love to have them back, but we have a great group of guys coming in here. Our expectations are high. All we can control is what we do on the field, so that’s what we’re really looking forward to.”
What was Coach Robinson’s message at BBQ?
“He always fires us up. He was talking about the phases we’ve been through with winter workouts into spring ball and summer workouts. He just talked about how much growth he and the coaches have seen from us and how impressed he is with us. And Coach Hicks got up there and he can fire us up with one word. He was really excited, he had tears coming out of his eyes and he said it was probably one of the best summers he has ever seen in 25 years with college athletics.”
Jerry Mackey, Senior, Linebacker
Are you glad you don’t have to do anymore construction work this summer?
“Oh yes, I’m very glad I don’t have to do anymore construction site work. This is the easy part now. Just playing football and having a blast. I’m really looking forward to this camp.”
How long have you guys been looking forward to this day?
“A ton. I can’t even really describe it. We’re really excited to be out here. We want to just work really hard every day, improve every day, be the best we can be cause I know we are going to have a great season this year. We’re real excited. Everybody’s revved up. If someone’s not revved up, I feel sorry for them cause they’re going to get kicked in the butt cause we’re ready to get going. We want to win.”
You are coming off great sophomore year and then had injuries last year. How does that affect your outlook for your senior season?
“Going through all of that, a lot of adversity and the injury and having to fight for playing time, it’s made me appreciate the game a whole lot more. So did working construction in the summer. It’s made me just put things in perspective, appreciate the game and I’m having a blast. This is my last season so from winter workouts on to spring ball, it’s just been one hundred percent fun. No pressure, no stress. I’m just happy. And that’s what everyone looks for in life, is just to be happy. I’m just having fun out on the football field. I’m a much better player, much more agile, I’m smarter and a lot of things are starting to happen naturally for me. That’s another reason why I feel like I’m going to have a successful season.
“It’s tough physically, but it’s fun. It flies by and the next thing you know we’ll be going down to Wake Forest. That’s a big game for us. We want make a statement first game out. It’s going to be a challenge, but it’s going to be exciting at the same time. We’re going to be ready for it. That’s why we’re here at camp. That’s why it’s fun. I look at it as an opportunity. I’m working on improving and just being the best I can possibly be.
Do you think Coach Robinson will be harder on you guys this summer?
“He expects a lot more from us now. We’ve been through the system for a whole year. The defense didn’t drop off one bit, so we’re looking to take that to the next level, also. I’m pretty sure he’s going to be harder on us, but we’re ready for it. We have to be. In order for us to pick this whole program up, that’s what we have to do. We’re willing to do whatever it takes.”
What is your take on the preason predictions?
“I was down in Rhode Island (at BIG EAST Conference Media Day) and that seemed to be the thing that popped up in every single interview that I did. Basically, like I told everybody else, it doesn’t matter where you start, it matters where you finish. Honestly, we expected to get picked last. It’s better because we have the opportunity to turn that whole thing around. Imagine going from being picked last to all the way to the top, the number one spot. You don’t get many chances to do that. We’re looking to make history. I look at it as a big challenge, but a big opportunity to do something every special for this program. So Ill flip it; take the negative and turn it into a positive. Use it as some motivation. Get out there, smack some heads. It matters where you finish, that’s what we’re all about.”
Where do you feel the confidence level of the whole team is?
“I love to think that they feel the same way. If not, we have to get them that way. That’s what and the other seniors and I plan to do. We plan to take this team to the next level and hopefully everybody’s already on that same page. If not, the younger guys, we have to pick them up and carry them along and show them how it’s done.”
Is there added pressure as a senior?
“I don’t even feel any pressure because I’m coming from a situation where it was very tough for me to climb out of, with the injuries and everything else. This is more like the easy part for me. The hard part is over for me. I went through the battles, I went through the storms. Right now it’s just time for me to enjoy my senior season and try to help this team be as successful as possible.”
With no Anthony (Smith), no Ryan (LaCasse), James (Wyche), who were all drafted in the NFL Draft, who is the leader of this defense?
“Obviously, we have three seniors coming back in the linebacking corps in myself, Kelvin (Smith) and Luke Cain. I look at all of the seniors as leaders. We all have to step up together on the defense. K.J., Luke, Tanard, and Dowayne Davis, he’s a returning starter, but he’s not a senior, but we all just have to step up together. We all have to become leaders. Those guys are gone so we have to step up and fill in those names. We’ll make the plays. All we have to do is trust in coach Robinson’s scheme like we did last year and the plays are just naturally going to come. We are going to have the opportunity to be put in the right positions many times in the game and all we have to do is just come through and finish the play off. If everybody flies to the ball together, we play good team defense.
Coach Robinson called the linebackers the strength of defense. Does that boost your confidence?
“Oh yes, definitely. I love to hear that. We work together, we work hard, and we aim to lead and to get the job done day in and day out. It’s definitely a pleasure to hear that from Coach Robinson.”
