Weekly Press Luncheon Quotes
September 19, 2005 | Football
Sept. 19, 2005
GREENVILLE, N.C. - East Carolina University head football coach Skip Holtz addressed members of the media prior to this week's game against West Virginia. The following are selected comments:
Coach Holtz Opening Comments:
"After watching the film I have a lot of the same sentiments I did after the game. It was a game where Wake Forest did a really good job up front. They controlled the line of scrimmage on the offensive and defensive side of the ball.
"I thought we had some guys that played really well, even up front. I thought some of the changes we made on the offensive line were really productive for us. I think moving Guy Whimper up, Eric Graham to the guard spot and Gary Freeman to center really helped us. We probably ran the ball a little more efficiently than we did against Duke."
On ECU Individual Performances:
"I think we had some outstanding performances. James Pinkney really played well and he is doing a very good job of protecting the football. Chris Johnson is doing a real nice job for us. Andre Allison obviously is a special player and it was nice to have the addition of Robert Tillman in the mix because I think he gives us another guy from a wide receiver standpoint that eliminates double coverage on Allison.
"From a defensive side of things I think that or secondary played pretty decently. I don't think we were very tested in the passing game. Wake obviously didn't throw the ball very much. But I thought a couple of guys played pretty well back there.
"I think Kasey Ross is a real player for us. After going back and reviewing the play at the goal line, I thought he made a heck of a play down there on the opening series of the game. I think he is going about establishing himself as a great corner. Kyle Chase played well as well as Zack Baker in the secondary.
On ECU's Performance Against Wake Forest:
"I'm proud of this team and way they played. I'm proud of the heart that they played with and the fight that they had. As I have said to them and have said in here, we are a work in progress. If we continue to get better every week and can continue to improve, then we can continue to see what kind of a football team we can be. Believe it or not I thought we played better as a football team in this game than we did in our opener. We protected the ball much better. Just because you won doesn't mean you played great and just because you lost doesn't mean you played awful. Obviously we're in a win business and that's what we're trying to do is win a football game, but I was very encouraged by a lot of the things I saw on film."
On West Virginia:
"We will play the best opponent obviously that we have played up to this point in West Virginia. Wake Forrest played an excellent game against us but when you look at the athleticism of West Virginia and what we are walking into right now, I think they have an excellent football team. It's an offense that is averaging over 420 yards a game. They are rushing for 270 yards a game.
"Their offensive line is big and athletic and that paves the way for a lot of their rushing yards. Their center is a war daddy and can flat out play. At wide receiver I think Brandon Miles is one guy that stands out. He has 11 catches on the season with the next closest guy at three. Although they don't throw the ball very much, Miles has the explosiveness to beat you if you try and cheat and get into the running game to get your safeties involved.
"They play a two quarterback system and they do a nice job of it. You have to prepare to stop both of them. Their football team is made up of their full back, which is extremely big and physical. When you look at him he is 6-3 245 lbs. I'm sure that West Virginia is salivating and licking their chops after watching the Wake Forest game. I'm sure they're watching the film and thinking about lining up in the Power-I with two tight ends and trying to play "bully ball."
On West Virginia's Defense:
"Their strength is against the run. They only give up one and a half yards a rush, which is unheard of. They're giving up 45-50 yards a game rushing and they have played some pretty good football teams.
"Lining up against Maryland and Syracuse and having those statistics is very impressive. The strength is in the middle with their linebackers. Even though they are not all returning starters, they are all guys who have played. The linebackers are very athletic and are very aggressive. They play a three down line system to try and get more activity with their linebacker level. The safeties are a very experienced second or third leading tacklers on the team last season."
On ECU's Defense Against Wake:
"We are a gap defensive football team. When we go back and watch the film we made plenty of mistakes. It wasn't just the physical side of getting beat up. There were plenty of correctable mistakes that were coaching. I think when you look at a football team that is playing as hard as we are right now, a team that has bought in the way that it has and the way we are going to compete and not quit and keep fighting."
On Aundrae Allison:
"We are trying to establish another guy so that it's not just the Aundrae Allison show. He is a talented and when you get him the ball he makes things happen. He is as talented as any receiver that I have ever coached. If you try to take him out of the game, eventually you will let your guard down and that's when he will beat you."
