Season Review Press Luncheon Quotes
December 02, 2005 | Football
Dec. 2, 2005
GREENVILLE, N.C. -East Carolina University Head Football Coach Skip Holtz addressed members of the media Friday to review his first season at the helm. The following are selected comments:
Overall season recap: "When you look back on the season, it was memorable and frustrating year in a lot of ways. It was a year of `what ifs' because early in the season, if we could have gotten over the hump, we might have found a way to win one or two of those close games."
Graduating seniors: "I really would have liked to have the opportunity to get this football team into a bowl game for the seniors. I am in the process now of having exit interviews with the seniors and we are going through everything, all the hard work, the attitude and effort that they have put into this program. The way that they bought in, the foundation that they have laid, the positive attitude that they built with this program is going to turn out and be great for next year's class to build on. With all of their hard work, I would have really like to have seen them rewarded with a bowl game. Unfortunately that is not going to happen. I have told them, as they are on their way out, they need to have their head held high because they did a lot of positive things this year and we will build on those positives."
Post-season selections: "There were some guys that were mentioned as far as all-conference honors were concerned. Chris Moore and Aundrae Allison received first team, which I am very excited about, so congratulations to both of them. Also, Marcus Hands was selected to the third team. That is a real tribute to a guy that had an opportunity to play only about five games healthy. For him to come in and do what he has done, especially being rusty because he had sat out a year, is special. He has got a chance to be a really good player in the future as we go forward with this process.
"There are a couple of other guys that were deserving who were not selected to those teams. It is very hard when you look at how a Robert Lee or James Pinkney were left off. I know that there were some other kickers on there that were deserving, and I am happy for them."
The look ahead: "With where we are right now, the big thing for us is where we finished and where we are going from here. We are extremely excited to be where we are and to make the progress that we have made, but we are certainly not satisfied with where are as a football program. We still have a long way to go but we did take a step to where we can be competitive in Conference USA. When we first came in and met with Terry Holland and Chancellor (Steve) Ballard, the expectations of where we want to go with the schedule that we are playing, the insinuation was that we are going to have to step it up. We are a long way away from where we need to be, because it will only get harder as we go.
"Next year we play eight bowl teams. Four of the 12 teams we play out of conference (Navy, Virginia, West Virginia, and N.C. State) are all bowl-eligible at this point. Also, we have Tulsa (from the C-USA West Division) and the three teams from our side (East Division), so we have eight bowl teams we are set to play next season. As I told this football team, we are in December, and we certainly don't have time to get a pat on the back and take the month off and enjoy the holidays. We have hit recruiting hard and we'll come back and get started in January, but yet, eight teams that we play next year are still practicing. Those teams that we play next season are still lifting and having a `spring practice' in the winter. It is really important right now because we started our weight lifting program on Monday after the UAB game. We are going hard at it right now before they go home for Christmas, just trying and plant a seed. We have made some strides but the hurdles that we have left to climb are just as high as the one that we just climbed. You'd like to think that that we made some progress, but we are still a million miles away from being able to compete at the level in which we are stepping into next year."
Building blocks for next season: "The final games of last year, were not only a send off for the seniors, but they were building blocks for Shauntae Hunt, Eric Graham, Kasey Ross, James Pinkney, Aundrae Allison and a lot of the juniors that are going to have to step up as next year's leaders. It has really been nice to see those guys take a leadership role in the weight room for the last week, because they have been working hard and getting started. They understand the challenge that we have. We still have a long way to go, but it is something that we are extremely excited about."
Aundrae Allison turning to the NFL: "From my meetings with Aundrae, right now I do expect him to be back. We have met twice now on the issue, and I made him aware that if this was something that he wanted to do there were ways to test the waters. The NFL has some things were you can apply for the draft as an underclassman, and get a draft status back so that you are not making a blind decision. We talked about some of his weaknesses right now, and some of the things that he can come back next year and improve on. He understands those areas of weakness. I think that it is important for him to finish strong academically right now. He is rehabbing an injury to his knee, which is another thing that would make that transition difficult for him."
On Mike MacDonagh: "He has a couple more tests that he is going to have to undergo. He came out of the game on his own with tingling sensations in his fingers and toes. They have done the research (was hospitalized and released) and they completely cleared him. But some things have turned up since that he has got to continue to have tested to make sure that he can continue to play. Those things will probably be resolved in the next couple of weeks. He is going to have to make some decisions with his family."
Medical redshirt requests: "Markeith McQueen definitely qualifies. I don't see any reason why that won't be granted. After all, he did have plates put in after breaking his arm in the opener against Duke. It definitely qualifies where he did not overplay his boundaries, so to speak, to have his redshirt year granted. Shawn Levesque, from my understanding, has also applied to receive the grant."
