Head Coach Doug Marrone Press Conference Transcript (Aug. 16, 2010)
“It was a good practice today. Coming off the scrimmage, like anything else, there are some good things and some bad things, but overall in the scrimmage the defense got the best of the offense. We had a lot of good work on special teams, we have a lot of young players that we’re looking to fill in (special teams) roles. In today’s practice the offense got the best of the defense. We need to be more competitive with each other and not so up and down, that is how we’ll become a better football team. Some players on the offensive line did a nice job today. Andrew Tiller, Ryan Bartholomew, Justin Pugh, Michael Hay all did a nice job out there, as well as the blocking tight ends. Run game-wise today, that group did a nice job, we’re excited about that.”
On Justin Pugh and Sean Hickey at left tackle:
“Justin Pugh will be a very good football player for us. We are going to be fortunate to have him for a long time. He is ahead of the curve. Justin is a good enough player where he can play for a lot of schools in the country. I feel very, very comfortable with him playing left tackle, I’m excited and that is obviously a position I know well with my background. Sean Hickey reminds me a lot of Justin when Justin was a freshman. Sean may even be a little bit ahead. Right now we’re trying to make sure between Sean Hickey and Ian Allport who that next tackle is that goes into the game.”
On freshman quarterback John Kinder in week two and whether or not he will have the same role this year that Ryan Nassib did last season:
“A little bit inconsistent right now. We’re not looking at him contributing in the same way Ryan (Nassib) did last year at this moment. He has a lot to learn offensively. He has done a nice job and now with the installation being where it is there are a lot of plays for him, so you’re seeing more inconsistency with him. We’re excited about where he is and we’re going to continue to work with him and with Charley (Loeb).”
On how sophomore quarterback Charley Loeb looks:
“He has done some nice things, he really has. Again it becomes the consistency at that position. He just needs to trigger a little quicker and once he starts triggering quicker and quicker then he’ll be at a higher level in his game.”
On the announcement he made at practice:
“It was a good announcement. What had happened was during BIG EAST Media Day, Doug Hogue was scheduled to go, but he had a big test coming up. It was a tough call. We wanted to make sure that he went to class and we wanted to make sure that he passed his test and would be able to graduate and it’s a tough class. Doug understood it and he wound up really doing well on the final and getting a passing grade in the class and that is a credit to Doug. I just wanted to make sure that was rewarded because that was a tough situation. He really wanted to go to media day but he knew he couldn’t miss the class and he made the decision to stay here for the class, which was the right decision to make. That is what you need to do as a student-athlete. He made the right decision and it paid off. I believe that Doug Hogue will graduate.”
On interior defensive linemen Anthony Perkins, Andrew Lewis and Bud Tribbey:
“Perkins today in one-on-ones, (offensive guard) Andrew Tiller had a good practice, but Perkins knocked him back in the one-on-one drill and Andrew is a big kid, so that was exciting to see from ‘Perk’. We have to do a better job of getting more push and using our hands inside. There were some things that (2009 senior) Arthur (Jones) did well that really helped us that we’re not getting right now out of that group. (Defensive line) coach Brumbaugh will be on those kids. They’re contentious kids and we have to work on getting more push in there and knocking that offensive line back.”
On the play of defensive tackle Andrew Lewis:
“He has played well up until this point today. Now it will be interesting how he bounces back from it and I’m sure he will, but he was playing well until this point. Today the offense just got the best of the defense.”
On the team hitting a wall:
“It is hard for me to stand there and say that because you always have to push your football team. We as coaches need to manage the situation more and not bring that up. Every day in practice we talk to the players about getting the ice tub, the cold whirlpool, make sure they’re hydrating, eating right, get off their feet and rest. We know it’s out there, we know it occurs, but that isn’t something I talk to the team about, camp legs. We need to push them through and make sure they don’t see that wall, even though it may occur.”
On how junior quarterback Ryan Nassib looked in Saturday’s scrimmage:
“Saturday we left some throws out there, Ryan is aware of that. We’re happy with the performance but we look at it as a total offense. We feel very comfortable with him right now. I’m excited about him as our quarterback.”
On whether any of the running backs stood out today:
“Delone Carter had a good day today, so did Antwon Bailey. If the offensive line does a good job the running backs should stand out. Prince-Tyson Gulley went in there, Jerome Smith got dinged up a little bit during practice, but those three backs did a nice job. The fullbacks did a nice job, as well. Adam Harris had a good day today, so we’re excited.”
On an injury update for safety Shamarko Thomas:
“The trainers came out to me and told me he would be out, I’m going to meet with them today and get a better feel for how long he’ll be out. As it gets closer to where it becomes days then I’ll let you know., without any setbacks, when we expect him back. It’s a hamstring, so if you say it’s a hamstring everyone kind of knows it takes two to three weeks.”
On tight end Charlie Copa on the sidelines today:
“He got dinged in the head area and that is one thing that’s a concern for everyone, parents, coaches, players, college football coaching association, BIG EAST conference. We’re just going to err on the side of caution and make sure we keep people out anytime there is a head injury.”
On his level of satisfaction with today’s practice:
“After Friday we revamped what we were thinking scrimmage-wise to come back and make sure that toughness that we’ve talked about stepped up. It stepped up in Saturday’s scrimmage and the offense stepped it up again today, that is a good sign. The defense stepped it up on Saturday, but today they didn’t. Coach Shafer, the defensive coaches and the players, come tomorrow I’m sure that defense will be ready to go.”
On whether there is ever a situation to be happy with both offense and defense:
“I don’t know, everywhere I’ve been it has been the same thing. Today after practice we did a little competitiveness and the defense ran a couple more sprints than the offense. Coach Shafer went over to the offense and said he was staying with the winners today. He was upset too. For me, you just want to see the competition going at each other. You expect if everything is equal who should win, that is what I look for.”
