I thought that we did some good things in the GASouthern game and got off to a good start offensively. Defensively we made some plays, but we gave up a score late that was disappointing. Bye week came at a good time and it was good to get a couple of games off for the guys. Hopefully we can finish up strong.
ON DEFENSE FOR DUKE
They are really pretty good on defense on tape. They are well-coached, the two ILBs are good players. The DL play a lot of different people. The Wolf kid has been playing a long time and he stands out. #26 who took Cash's place makes plays. They have veterans in the secondary the Singleton kid from here and the Borders kid is good. They've played a lot of options teams from Navy to Army to us, they've got a lot of experience.
ON CASH LAST FEW YEARS
He made a ton of plays against people, he was up for defensive player of the year. Our last two games against them have been different. Last year we didn't play well up there, the year before we turned the ball over too much to win it.
ON DEFENSE
We have to get better on 3rd downs and at times we've been okay on scoring defense, the games have been limited possessions, we can be better on third downs, if we can get off the field. Turnovers is another big thing.
ON DEFENSIVE EFFIENCY BEING DOWN
That is one way of looking at it, total defense is down, but it depends on how you look at it.
ON PAT GAMBLE
We when recruited Pat out of HS, we thought he might be an OT, we gave him a chance to play defense. He started at DE, moved inside and embraced that and he has gotten better each year he has played, lot of injuries played through and he is one of the tougher kids on the team and I have tons of respect for Pat Gamble and what he brings to the team.
ON MARCUS MARSHALL
He had issues with ball security and he has fixed that, he has taken advantage of limited reps and we need to give him more playing time and let him play a little more.
ON OL BODY ON BODY
We've made progress there and we are a lot better than we started. We've got two true freshmen, Jahaziel will start again this week and Parker has been one of our better players up there, the more they play the better they get. Andrew Marshall was playing better than any other OT. Right guard is up in the air.
ON SHAMIRE'S PLAY
Just playing, Shamire struggles with his weight .
ON LACK OF WRs PLAY
We've had the least # of plays ever. Jalen got in one game briefly and mostly Mikell as the third guy rolling in. We were talking this morning, sometimes we want to get Jalen in the game, but he has to give us a reason, sometimes you've got to put him and see what he can do, we thoughts he would be playing by now. I've been impressed with Antonio Messick, healthy and catching the ball, in passing situations we may get him out there as well.
ON THIRD DOWN DEFENSE, FOCUS IN OFF WEEK
We try to practice it and sometimes you have to make plays, best way is not to be third and two and create some negative plays and have some sacks, but we weren't good on second down. We haven't been good on third down and we haven't been great either. We have to look at ourselves, if we send five and no pressure send six or seven, can't keep doing the same thing over and over and expect it to change.
ON RIGHT GUARD
Could be a host of guys, I'd like to see Brad Morgan play once he is assignment sound, he will go 100 mph, could be Will, Shamire or Brad.
ON PUNT RETURN FOR A TD SINCE 2009
Most teams would be longer than that, we've blocked kicks since then, I thought Jamal Golden had one more recently. If you go back you will see teams not have them in 10 years unless you have some gifted guys back there.
I think we've done a good job of holding up and Brad does a nice job of making the first guy miss and truly we don't have a ton of returns, several returns, we haven't had a ton, what 7, not a big pool.
ON ACC HAVING FOUR OF TOP 11 DEFENSES
It is getting harder and harder and this is the best the league has been defensively from top to bottom.
ON ACC LEVEL OF COMPETITION
Since the expansion the 1980s teams if you take Clemson out of the mix, only two teams has been to the ACCG discounting us, Duke, Wake NC State, UNC, UNC and Duke last two years are the first two times they ever went after expansion.
ON DEFERRING ON THE TOSS VS TAKING THE BALL
We took the ball against Miami, didn't help much. GaSouthern deferred last time. We had a really high rate of scoring on the first possession in the second half, I kind of felt like I wanted that tone to start the second half, we deferred. With our kicker we know they will start at the 25 and if you get a start you will get good field position. We went 8-9x we scored on the opening possession, got into the mode of doing it.
ON BUILDING UP NAVY
Ken and his people deserve credit, football is important there and once they got a taste of winning they stay in that mode and keeping up with that mode. They've won some close games, it has changed somewhat, they've had some good QBs, done a nice job being creative on defense and creating turnovers. They don't have the same type of players other people have.
I was talking to Jeff Monken, you can't play defense with this offense, Army was #2 in the country because you play fewer possessions and they've won a ton of close games and really done a nice job.
ON TALKING TO JEFF ABOUT DUKE
You get to see them on tape, it can be different when you see the guys, overall personnel and if you had to do it over what would you do, it is helpful and you do that every week. There are very few teams you play where you don't know somebody. You know Arkansas State, or Duke guys know GASouthern guys so you can get some information.
ON DEFENSE FOR DUKE
They are really pretty good on defense on tape. They are well-coached, the two ILBs are good players. The DL play a lot of different people. The Wolf kid has been playing a long time and he stands out. #26 who took Cash's place makes plays. They have veterans in the secondary the Singleton kid from here and the Borders kid is good. They've played a lot of options teams from Navy to Army to us, they've got a lot of experience.
ON CASH LAST FEW YEARS
He made a ton of plays against people, he was up for defensive player of the year. Our last two games against them have been different. Last year we didn't play well up there, the year before we turned the ball over too much to win it.
ON DEFENSE
We have to get better on 3rd downs and at times we've been okay on scoring defense, the games have been limited possessions, we can be better on third downs, if we can get off the field. Turnovers is another big thing.
ON DEFENSIVE EFFIENCY BEING DOWN
That is one way of looking at it, total defense is down, but it depends on how you look at it.
ON PAT GAMBLE
We when recruited Pat out of HS, we thought he might be an OT, we gave him a chance to play defense. He started at DE, moved inside and embraced that and he has gotten better each year he has played, lot of injuries played through and he is one of the tougher kids on the team and I have tons of respect for Pat Gamble and what he brings to the team.
ON MARCUS MARSHALL
He had issues with ball security and he has fixed that, he has taken advantage of limited reps and we need to give him more playing time and let him play a little more.
ON OL BODY ON BODY
We've made progress there and we are a lot better than we started. We've got two true freshmen, Jahaziel will start again this week and Parker has been one of our better players up there, the more they play the better they get. Andrew Marshall was playing better than any other OT. Right guard is up in the air.
ON SHAMIRE'S PLAY
Just playing, Shamire struggles with his weight .
ON LACK OF WRs PLAY
We've had the least # of plays ever. Jalen got in one game briefly and mostly Mikell as the third guy rolling in. We were talking this morning, sometimes we want to get Jalen in the game, but he has to give us a reason, sometimes you've got to put him and see what he can do, we thoughts he would be playing by now. I've been impressed with Antonio Messick, healthy and catching the ball, in passing situations we may get him out there as well.
ON THIRD DOWN DEFENSE, FOCUS IN OFF WEEK
We try to practice it and sometimes you have to make plays, best way is not to be third and two and create some negative plays and have some sacks, but we weren't good on second down. We haven't been good on third down and we haven't been great either. We have to look at ourselves, if we send five and no pressure send six or seven, can't keep doing the same thing over and over and expect it to change.
ON RIGHT GUARD
Could be a host of guys, I'd like to see Brad Morgan play once he is assignment sound, he will go 100 mph, could be Will, Shamire or Brad.
ON PUNT RETURN FOR A TD SINCE 2009
Most teams would be longer than that, we've blocked kicks since then, I thought Jamal Golden had one more recently. If you go back you will see teams not have them in 10 years unless you have some gifted guys back there.
I think we've done a good job of holding up and Brad does a nice job of making the first guy miss and truly we don't have a ton of returns, several returns, we haven't had a ton, what 7, not a big pool.
ON ACC HAVING FOUR OF TOP 11 DEFENSES
It is getting harder and harder and this is the best the league has been defensively from top to bottom.
ON ACC LEVEL OF COMPETITION
Since the expansion the 1980s teams if you take Clemson out of the mix, only two teams has been to the ACCG discounting us, Duke, Wake NC State, UNC, UNC and Duke last two years are the first two times they ever went after expansion.
ON DEFERRING ON THE TOSS VS TAKING THE BALL
We took the ball against Miami, didn't help much. GaSouthern deferred last time. We had a really high rate of scoring on the first possession in the second half, I kind of felt like I wanted that tone to start the second half, we deferred. With our kicker we know they will start at the 25 and if you get a start you will get good field position. We went 8-9x we scored on the opening possession, got into the mode of doing it.
ON BUILDING UP NAVY
Ken and his people deserve credit, football is important there and once they got a taste of winning they stay in that mode and keeping up with that mode. They've won some close games, it has changed somewhat, they've had some good QBs, done a nice job being creative on defense and creating turnovers. They don't have the same type of players other people have.
I was talking to Jeff Monken, you can't play defense with this offense, Army was #2 in the country because you play fewer possessions and they've won a ton of close games and really done a nice job.
ON TALKING TO JEFF ABOUT DUKE
You get to see them on tape, it can be different when you see the guys, overall personnel and if you had to do it over what would you do, it is helpful and you do that every week. There are very few teams you play where you don't know somebody. You know Arkansas State, or Duke guys know GASouthern guys so you can get some information.
