Greg Robinson Press Conference Transcript (October 7, 2007)
Opening Statement:
"I wish I could tell you that things were rosy, but we're still feeling the pain of yesterday. We still have a couple of hours left and then we are moving on to Rutgers after that. We met with the team and we know we have our work cut out for us to get back on track – get on a winning track."
On if the running game will be a factor in the upcoming weeks:
"I believe that, I really do. We really put a lot of work into it, even last week. To get our offense in balance we have to take a hard-nosed approach to getting this thing right. Our players, as well as our coaching staff, responded very well and went at it and I do think it established something. I felt like if we gained one thing on the offensive side of the ball that is what it was. It was a mentality that we were going to be able to run that ball and run it right at them – that's how we went about it."
On if he was comfortable with the way he used his running backs against West Virginia:
"I felt good about Doug (Hogue). He had one great pass protection play and I was glad to see that because there hasn't been as much consistency in that area and that's important. Doug had some tough yards in there and I thought Curtis (Brinkley) ran tough. Really Jeremy (Sellers) didn't get much work. He did more on special teams for us and did a good job. Paul (Chiara) did some third down work for us."
On if West Virginia made adjustments to stop the running game after the first couple of drives:
"I don't necessarily agree with that. There were still some good plays running the ball. It just wasn't as consistent right down the field time after time. Even in that drive we still had a big third down pass play that put the ball inside the 10-yard line – it was a pass to Mike (Williams) I think. There were other good running plays. There were some in the second half, but it wasn't as consistent. I give them credit, too. They tightened things up. All-in-all it was something we can take from."
On if stopping WVU on third downs early in the game would have changed the outcome:
"First of all, I haven't seen the T.V. replay – I've seen the film – and on the interception with Taj Smith, the one that he tipped, he was getting banged around pretty good on that play. It would have been nice ... sometimes they throw a flag for those. It would have been great to have that because it would have been first down on the other side of the 50. Instead it was first-and-10 going the other way on the 38-yard line.
"We had our chances – third down and seven – quite frankly the play that they scored on we stopped a couple of times later in the game for no gain. That could have been exactly the same way and for them to kick a field goal right there would have been really good. Defensively there were a lot of good plays. But there were a couple of situations – we have a third down and eleven and they are backed up 28-, 29-yard line. In that situation we have player get hurt – Brandon Gilbeaux gets hurt – so we run a guy in not knowing Lee Williams … what happens is there are 12 guys out there, but Andrew Lewis is trying to get back off and all of a sudden they stop the play and throw the flag. There is a rule about three seconds – I always thought that was a basketball rule. It was something new to me on defense. I'm watching the game last night and the same thing is called. Usually you have a chance to run your guy off the field. They called that and that third-and-six was a little bit easier for them to convert than third-and-11. Then we had a third-and-six where we have a situation where we have everybody to stop the quarterback on the pitch and our defensive end did a good job of closing for the dive, but then he saw the quarterback had the ball and he runs over and really gets in the way of Joe Fields and Jameel McClain, who are out there for the quarterback and the pitch, and the guys sneaks up under him – it's the longest run of the day – 37-yards. It could have been dead right there and punt.
"All-in-all, I liked the intensity from the first play to the last play. If I'm not mistaken, the last play was a lost yardage play and there were about six people on that tackle. I also like the hitting that went on and that's something to build on. It inspired me, the way our players flew around to get to that football and it reminded me more so of our defense of two years ago – the 2005 year – even more than last year. I'm excited for our group. I think we can build on that. There were plays in the kicking games. There were some different people – it wasn't just Max Suter making some returns and doing some things. I'm not trying to say everything is all rosy – no, no, no. We have our work cut for us, but at least there is something. When you talk about the running game, I was glad to see it. I was glad to see the defense flying around. I was glad to see different people involved in the kicking game. We just have to take it – what else do you do? That's what you have to do."
"All-in-all, I liked the intensity from the first play to the last play. If I'm not mistaken, the last play was a lost yardage play and there were about six people on that tackle. I also like the hitting that went on and that's something to build on. It inspired me, the way our players flew around to get to that football and it reminded me more so of our defense of two years ago – the 2005 year – even more than last year. I'm excited for our group. I think we can build on that. There were plays in the kicking games. There were some different people – it wasn't just Max Suter making some returns and doing some things. I'm not trying to say everything is all rosy – no, no, no. We have our work cut for us, but at least there is something. When you talk about the running game, I was glad to see it. I was glad to see the defense flying around. I was glad to see different people involved in the kicking game. We just have to take it – what else do you do? That's what you have to do."
If the lineup he used against WVU will be used in the future:
"Some of those things are situational. Michael Holmes fit his role very well. He played from sideline to sideline and really did a lot of things well. Max Suter, really the first time to be playing on the defensive side, the longest play of the game, he would have played that flat route and he got fooled, but he came back later and played the play. That's a young guy being out there for the first time and really playing a foreign position. He did a nice job and flying around hitting. It was good seeing those young guys infused in there and doing good things."
On if Jameel McClain will stay at linebacker:
"Time will tell. I know for that game, it helped. He was able to play more sideline to sideline."
On if he is surprised it took this long for teams to kick away from Max Suter:
"As soon as they started, you knew what they were doing. I don't know that (I was surprised), but people have to decide how they want to do it. They decided later to kick it away from everybody."
On being impressed with kicking returners:
"Mike (Holmes) did a very nice job and Randy (McKinnon) ran tough. But, Randy needs to know they are allowed to hit you and you better secure the football."
On if using cornerback Ryan Howard as a punt returner was situational or if he is going to replace Bruce Williams:
"It was situational and we were doing it with the rugby punt – the way they did it. Bruce (Williams) had a death in the family and we weren't even sure if we were going to have him on Saturday. We thought he had to go down to Philadelphia for an aunt's funeral, but it's going to be early this week. So we worked Ryan there and decided to do that."
On Bruce Williams making tackles in the secondary:
"Bruce did a nice job. He was in there on a nickel situation as an underneath coverage guy and made a nice play – a good firm tackle when he had the chance."
On if he watched the Cincinnati/Rutgers game:
"They are a good team. We know what Rutgers is and I think Cincinnati is a pretty good football team, obviously."
On whether or not playing nine freshmen yesterday is a trend this season:
"I didn't even know there were nine freshmen playing. I don't really count – I don't. Those who are on the field are on the field for a reason, because they can help us. These guys are all doing good things. And, a number of those guys are from New Jersey, too – freshmen."
On quarterback Andrew Robinson's ball security:
"It will be addressed. He has to get that ball high and tight like everybody else. He got careless with that football and they just popped it right out of there and it really didn't take much to get it out. I know they work it and they do some drills with it, but he got loose with it. That will be addressed."
On the center/quarterback exchanged:
"The one with Marvin (McCall) was just a matter of not having reps with Marvin in a while – that was he and Cameron (Dantley). The one with Jim McKenzie and Andrew (Robinson), it's hard to say why on that one. But it must be improved."
On what he expects from Rutgers:
"Ray (Rice) is a fine player and a good guy. I really like Ray. When I got here he was kind of on his way to Rutgers, but I went down and spent time with him and I liked him. He's a good guy and a competitor. Their quarterback (Mike Teel), I like. They have good receivers. On defense, their defensive tackle is a fine player. They have a lot of good players. In their secondary there are some fine players. You know what, same-old, same-old – it's not so much about them as it is about. We're 1-1 in the BIG EAST and we are going to have to win to stay in the fight. They are coming up to our place and we have to make the most of it."
