Weekly Press Luncheon Quotes
September 26, 2005 | Football
Sept. 26, 2005
GREENVILLE, N.C. - East Carolina University head football coach Skip Holtz addressed members of the media prior to this week's game against Southern Miss. The following are selected comments:
Opening Comments:
"It's frustrating and disappointing to be where we are right now as far as our record. There are a lot of positives but the bottom line is what we are trying to do is win football games. I thought West Virginia did a nice job of managing it and doing what they had to do win the game."
"Two weeks ago when we played Wake Forest I felt like our offense played well enough to win, but I didn't feel like our defense played well enough to win. This week I felt like the shoe was on the other foot. If we can put it together offensively, defensively and on special teams I feel like we have a chance to really be a decent football team."
On The Defense:
"When you look at where we were two weeks ago at Wake Forest to where we were against West Virginia, everybody asks what was the difference? I think it was a combination of a couple of things. We moved our defensive line around a little bit. We made Marcus Hands and Shauntae Hunt our two starting defensive ends and made Mark Robinson and Brandon Setzer our two interior defensive linemen. Those guys did a real nice job for us down on the inside and that was one of the differences."
"I think it was partly schematically. The defensive staff put together a couple of wrinkles to let our players make some big plays in the running game. And I think the third thing was that our missed assignments went from 20 missed assignments against Wake Forest to 12."
"I think we played really solid at linebacker and thought we played well in the secondary. Zach Baker, Pierre Parker and Kasey Ross are really becoming big time players. At the other corner, Erode Jean and Demetrius Hodges are playing the position by committee. I thought Chris Moore had his best day this season. Moore, Richard Koonce, Josh Chilsom and Dashaun Stephens really did a nice job for us. Our defensive line really showed up and did some things they hadn't done in the first two games."
On The Offense:
"There were a lot of good things in that game unfortunately we couldn't do them all the same time. I think we played hit or miss on the offensive line although I do think there were some guys who played really well."
On the Offensive Line:
"I think were are playing with the right five guys at this point it's just putting them all in the right position and leaving them. The moves we have made have improved our offensive line. We are not going to move them every week to match up with the other team. Simplicity is going to be the key. You can put in one protection but you have to be able to block it against 20 different plays."
On Quarterback James Pinkney:
"He's got to turn and get through is read progressions quicker. We had six sacks in the game and I think three of them could have been avoided. I expect so much of James because of the talent level he has, but he is in his fourth offense in four years. We've got to get him to develop fundamentally with his feet, his eyes and his read progression going from one read to another.
On Running Back Chris Johnson:
"He is becoming not just a track guy who plays football but a football player who runs track. He is really doing a nice job. I think he is progressing to being a big time caliber running back. We have probably got to try and get the football in his hands a little bit more."
On Wide receiver Aundrae Allison:
"When everybody in the stadium knows you are throwing the ball to him and he can still make the catch and make some things happen, it speaks volumes for him. I think he goes out there and works extremely hard."
On Southern Miss:
"In the last two years we are 0-2 against them and they have beaten us by an average of 45-15."
"They have been known as a very aggressive defensive football team. They will blitz you and play man coverage. They like to force the issues. They don't sit back on their heels and wait for the offense to come to them."
"I'm sure they are very eager to get out there and play after their open date. Their secondary really shows up and they're very experienced and very fast. The linebackers are young and inexperienced but they are very athletic. I think their defensive line is big and strong. This is a very strong football team that we are about to open our conference league."
On the Southern Miss Offense:
"The biggest word to describe their offense would be balance. Both of their wide receivers have great speed and big play potential. Antwon Courington really is scary and then you look at their three tight ends that they're playing with. When you look at their quarterback, (Dustin Almond) I think he does a great job of running their offense. He can throw it and tuck it under and run. He is more of a thrower than a runner. They run every formation known to man and I think it is going to be a very big challenge."
On ECU Turnovers:
"I think turnovers are coach-able. We have emphasized them to the team and have made a huge point with them. It's all about the quarterback knowing how important the ball is when it leaves his hands, and I think that may be part of the hesitation with James. The running backs have done a great job. Donnie Kirkpatrick and Junior Smith have done a great job of not tolerating turnovers and trying to get the players to understand how important it is to hold on to the ball."
"The defense's job is to get the ball back and I think the defense has bought into it. Zach Baker has done a great job of intercepting the ball and that comes from the great pressure that our defensive line puts on the other team."
