Weekly Press Luncheon Quotes
September 18, 2006 | Football
Sept. 18, 2006
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:
On Saturday's Win Against Memphis:
"I need to thank a lot of people. I need to start with all the fans that came to the game on Saturday. What a great environment. It was a special night and a big time atmosphere. It has been the best crowd since I've been here. I also need to thank the assistant coaches. I am really fortunate to have an unbelievable staff. Those guys are absolutely incredible. Not only because they are great people and they are very intelligent, but also the way they relate to young people and the job they have done with this football team. When I look at Coach Hudson with all those young linebackers and the adjustments that he made at halftime and I look at Rick Smith and the way that he has really brought the Pierre Parker's and Kasey Ross' along, I look at the job that Rock Roggeman is doing with the young Quentin Cotton and they way that he is playing at outside linebacker.
"Donnie Thompson has had a revolving door up on that defensive front before they just keep getting better and better every week. On offense Coach Shankweiler is going through déjà vu of what he went through last year with a new offensive line, but has brought those guys along. Junior Smith has been working with Chris Johnson to get him to run more physical and more north and south. Donnie Kirkpatrick has really brought that group of receivers together and they have really become a one-man show to an entire core that can really get it done. Phil Petty has had James Pinkney developed. I can't say enough about Don Yanoswsky and the impact that he has made bringing Davon Drew along as a tight end. I think our special teams is getting to the point not only where they're not hurting us but they are just being solid. I am really blessed with an unreliable staff. I am really excited to be here and have the opportunity to be around the Pirate Nation and be involved in this right now."
"This win Saturday was a great win for the program and it was one we needed. It changes the mind set, the attitude, the way that they are upbeat and positive, and the way interact with each other. It was a really big win for where we are right now in the conference."
"This is not a story about coaching, it's not a story about adjustments and it's not a story about how everything turned around. It's a story about these players. I would love to sit up here and take credit and I'd love to pass a lot of it to the staff. The credit for this football game goes to these players. This is a group of players that came together, that wouldn't take no for an answer and they wouldn't take losing for an answer. We called some guys out, some upperclassmen, some underclassmen and some guys that hadn't played and they answered the challenge. "
"This is a great success story about a group of players that made an unbelievable commitment. They weren't going to take no for an answer and they made the plays they had to make to go win that football game."
"We are still a long way a way from being a really good football team. We're not there yet. We still make way too many mistakes that we've got to correct. We have got to continue to mature and we have to going to develop depth on this football team especially with what we are looking at this weekend."
On This Weekend's Game against West Virginia:
"They are the number fourth team in the nation. To have the opportunity to play West Virginia and Coach Rodriguez we are excited about. I have an awful lot of respect for what they are doing right now and the steps that they have been taking to go from a middle of the pack top-20 team, to really becoming one of the elite teams in the country. When you look at them statistically, they're scary. They have played three games and are outscoring their opponents 46-12; have scored 19 touchdowns to their opponents four; are averaging 350 yards a game; rushing at seven yards a carry and they are giving up 117 yards.
"They are only averaging 137 yards passing but when you are rushing for 350 I don't know that you need to throw the ball. They are completing 75 percent of their passes and they are holding their opponents to 50 percent completion at 162 yards a game; are giving up 280 game and they are averaging 486; are averaging over 200 yards a game more than their opponents. From a kickoff return they are averaging 30 yards a return and their opponents are 14. From a punt return standpoint they are averaging 8 ½ yards in return, their opponents are averaging three."
"When you look at everything statistically, it is a lopsided battle right now and you can see why they are one of the top-five teams in the country. If you look at their third down percentage, they are at over 61 percent right now for the season and they are holding their opponents to 40 percent. They have a great football team. They are built on offense around an awful lot of speed. They have a very athletic offensive line. They're quick and they're a zone team. They have great speed in their backfield. Their Quarterback and Tailback will be two of the fastest players anybody in the country will play all year."
"When you look at them on the defensive side of the ball they're very athletic in the secondary. They only play about three coverage's, but what they do play, and they play extremely well. It's not complicated, it's more talent and athleticism than it is that they try and disrupt you with giving you a million different looks. They play a similar front to what we got last week with a three down line front. Their linebackers are the key and they are fast. They are not sideways type players they run down hill and make things happen. I don't know that they have a weakness and when you look at it statistically it's hard to find one. "
On Chris Johnson's Performance Against Memphis:
"Chris started running a little bit more like the way we saw him running during camp. I talked about how impressed I was with him during camp, how physical and downhill he was running and how he was being very decisive with everything. We got to our first couple games and its like he is trying to make something happen. He wants to get it going to so bad that he's always looking for that big run. I thought he ran extremely physical and I was very pleased with the way Chris ran."
On Playing West Virginia Last Year:
"They have a very focused football team. They know where they are and they know where they want to go and they are really close to getting there. I think they will be ready to play. I think Coach Rodriguez will have them ready to play. I am sure they are going to watch our game from last year and he will pick out all the clips of positive things that East Carolina did against them. I'm sure that's what they are watching in their team meetings today. I'm sure they're going to come down here and talk about playing their game and playing to the best of their potential and up to their talent. I don't think they will come in here flat and I don't think they will come in here and over look us. I think they will come in here and be ready to play."
On West Virginia's Receivers:
"They are big and they are physical. They have a very good offensive line. This may be one of the better offensive lines that I've seen play college football in a long time. They've got an exceptional offensive line and they create holes they're fast, they can reach you, they're quick and they're athletic. I think their receivers are doing a great job."
On West Virginia's Rushing Attack:
"I think the first drive is going to be an eye opener for the whole defensive front. Just at the speed that it is going to come at them. Those running backs don't need a lot of room. They hit it hard, they're decisive, they get up into that line and make their one cut and they go. I think the offensive line is the engine right now that makes the offense run."
On What It's Going To Take To Win:
"There is no doubt that wee will have to play a perfect game. We can't turn the ball over they way that we have been. They're not going to give us a bunch of turnovers. He [Pat White] has not thrown an interception. He is not going to throw it to us. We are going to have to go get it if we are going to make an interception. We are going to have to play a flawless game from an offensive and defensive standpoint."
On West Virginia's Schemes:
"What they are doing scheme wise we watched on film ten years ago. I'm not trying to take anything away from what they're doing. They're not where they are because of their schemes. It's they way they can adjust and plug things into their offense because they have been doing it for a while. Rich has been there for a number of years now and he has developed that program. I don't think it's as much just a scheme as much as it is him understanding it and him being around it and these players understanding it being able to execute it. "
On The Importance of Starting Fast:
"I think we better start fast, maintain it and finish fast if we want any shot in this one. This isn't a team that you can come from behind. It is going to be important for our players and our mindset to get everybody up and get the crowd into the game. It is important that we start fast but I think it is more important that we come together an play as a team."
