Head Coach Greg Robinson Press Conference Transcript (Sept. 21, 2008)
Opening Statement
"I had a chance to watch the film and study the game from yesterday. As I said yesterday, it was good to get a win. On the defensive side of the ball, there were some things to be encouraged by. I thought the tackling was much improved than it has been over the past couple of weeks. The first two weeks the numbers were way above what they ought to be. Against Penn State, we made real progress and then this week, the numbers were way down. The tackling was good. Getting the turnovers was big. You can take two plays, and you're talking about 100 yards of total offense, that are something I think are fixable. I think it's already fixed in my own mind. To shut them out until 25 second to go in the first half and we could've stopped that play.
On the offensive side of the ball, to have two rushers over 100 yards is a credit to a lot of people. Not only the runners played well, but the line and the wide receivers did the best job blocking they've done all year. There were a number of times their blocks were very good down field for those runners to work off of. I thought we threw the ball very efficiently and if we can continue to do that, good things are going to happen.
In the kicking game, the kickoff coverage team, on all but one play, really did a very nice job. They were inside the 25-yard line several times and inside the 20 one time. Rob Long got off one great punt and (kicker) Pat Shadle, with Rob holding and Dalton Phillips as the snapper, has been very consistent. To hit three more field goals was good for us. I'm glad that others recognize, hey, wait a minute, it could've been better. I agree with that, but I think this team is a work in progress and we have to take it just one day at a time, trying to get better. We have to go out today and see if we can be better than yesterday. We're excited to get ready for the BIG EAST. I think it is motivation for our football team. I'm looking forward to getting out there today and getting started."
Why did the younger guys in the secondary who've been playing so much lately not get much time against Northeastern?
“I think it was more of a situation where Nico Scott and Randy McKinnon were hurt (earlier in the season) and it was an opportunity for others to play. It wasn't timely to just slide people in and out yesterday because we needed to maintain, trying to get the continuity. That doesn’t mean some of those younger players might not play this week. It was more of getting some people back and trying to get some consistency back there more than anything."
Why do you feel teams are throwing in (cornerback) Mike Holmes direction?
“The play they ran (at the end of the half) was exactly what they ran last week and the week before that. We were in zone coverage and we didn't play it very well. They could've thrown the post or they could've thrown that ball. I don't mean the post was open, I just mean they had choices there. Last week, the quarterback just kind of threw it up and it looked like it might get intercepted, and instead it was caught by the receiver. I don’t know if that was directed to Mike Holmes. There were some other balls that I thought Mike played pretty well. I thought Mike looked good for a number of plays in the game. I thought his technique was cleaner. I mentioned it in the defensive room today and I thought there were a number of people who upped their defensive game. If opponents are going to work on Mike Holmes, I think when it's all said and done, we'll be doing just fine."
When did you make the decision to sit (running back) Delone Carter out for the game?
“Thursday. You could see he wasn’t going to be able to go full speed. We want him to wait it out and see where he was throughout the week and on Thursday we knew it'd be best for him to rest. We worked him on Friday and then yesterday, he really did nothing but get treatment. We'll see how he is today."
What has been Pittsburgh's formula to turn things around for them?
“I think in their game yesterday, they really hung in there tough. They made some plays on offense and on defense, they had a timely stop at the end of the game. It was a tight ballgame, 21-20. Iowa got the ball back and Pitt held them. They won a tight game which is good for them and winning at home against Iowa, they had to perform. Buffalo gave them a good, tough game. Both sides of their game ball are pecking away and working to improve."
Do you think the offensive line has finally turned the corner?
“The thing I'd like to eliminate is the holding penalties. We get a turnover on the 35-yard line of the second series going in and we hit a run, but we get it called back and move ourselves backward. We were really out of field goal range, but Cam (Dantley) scrambled on the third down and gained 20 yards to put us in field goal range again so we could get it. There are a lot of good things that have taken place with the offensive line, but we can't shoot ourselves in the foot. Holding penalties are costly and I think we're going to work hard on our technique to make sure that we're not violating anything. All-in-all, I like what's going on. They protected the quarterback better, but I think they're a work in progress. I am glad to see some things are improving. I think getting Ryan Bartholomew back in there, not to take anything away from Nick Lepak, but you had the experience of a group that has worked together all through the spring and the fall and were back in there. It was good to get them back working together again."
What's been the difficulty in generating a decent pass rush?
“I thought the other day there was a pass rush. I thought the Northeastern quarterback did well under pressure. He also escaped a couple times. We lost containment at least three times. You could've questioned a time or two where Vinny (Giruzzi) was held pretty good one time. But sometimes they miss those. There was pressure. I thought the quarterback dealt with it. There was the one ball, the big out route to his left where Vinny was right in his face and he threw that ball before the receiver made his break. It was on the money. The other time I talked about yesterday was the one on third-and-10 in a critical point in the game. If we get that third-down stop right here, they're probably going to have to punt. Derrell (Smith) was right there in his face when he threw it, he's ducking when he throws it and he lays it up there to their tight end and Jake (Flaherty) is all over him trying to make a play. I thought there were times the quarterback was under duress, but I give him a lot of credit. As I told you, I talked to Rocky Hager about their quarterback. Rocky has won national championships and he's high on that guy (Anthony Orio). I am, too. I was very impressed with his poise and his ability to understand what was happening to him and then to deliver the football. I give them some credit and I thought we let them out of there a couple times. I think our front four is going to be a good group. I saw some improvement in that group and I felt it was more stable. I thought that Anthony Perkins showed up and Jared (Kimmel) played better. Arthur (Jones) attracts a number of blockers. I think Nick (Santiago) and Bud Tribbey have shown some things, and Andrew Lewis has done some good things. I like that group of eight players and they are generating good play up front. "
Do you look at the BIG EAST as a second season?
“That’s really what it is. It's the beginning of what it's all about. That's why yesterday's game was so important to just go into that locker room and be fired up about winning a football game. This is the BiG EAST. We have Pitt coming to town. I think it's exciting for our team and for everybody.”
Thoughts on Pittsburgh?
“I watched their game today and I thought their quarterback (Bill Stull) did some very good things. Obviously, (LeSean) McCoy is a fine football player. Their defense line is a good group and, obviously, their linebacker, Scott McKillop, played well the other day. They're a good solid football team. On offense, they want to get McCoy going, but I thought Stull did some things throwing the football the other day. On the defensive side of the ball, they have a number of guys back and have played well.”
