Holtz' Weekly Press Quotes
November 09, 2009 | Football
Nov. 9, 2009
GREENVILLE, N.C. - East Carolina University Head Football Coach Skip Holtz addressed members of the media prior to this week's game against Tulsa. The following are selected comments:
On The Atmosphere For The Virginia Tech Game:
"Looking back at Virginia Tech and the game last Thursday night, there were a lot of things that were extremely positive. I was really grateful for the fan base and the way it showed up. The noise, atmosphere and support were awesome. It was a big-time college football atmosphere and a great venue to play in.
"It was exciting to play at home and expose this great university to thousands of people around the country sitting at home watching Thursday Night Football on ESPN. It was a great opportunity for us.
"Unfortunately, we didn't capitalize on a lot of chances as a football team between the lines."
On The Loss To Virginia Tech:
"I was really proud of the way this team competed. We always talk about winning the intangibles of focus, intensity and enthusiasm. I really thought the team was dialed in with what we were trying to do as an offense, defense and on special teams.
"Our team really competed and stood toe-to-toe with a very talented Virginia Tech team. They are a very solid program and I was really impressed with the physical nature of the game.
"Virginia Tech rebounded from a tough loss the week before and did what it had to do to win the game. I knew Coach Beamer would have that team ready to go coming in here. They played a very good game."
On The Special Teams Against Virginia Tech:
"I thought our special teams were solid. It was different from a year ago when special teams were really the difference in the game with blocked punts and extra points. The special teams on both sides were very quiet outside of Virginia Tech's initial punt return that set up the first field goal.
"The special teams on both sides of the ball did a nice job. There weren't a lot of game-changing plays like there were last year."
On The Defense Against Virginia Tech:
"I thought the defense did a great job in keeping Virginia Tech out of the end zone. It was the bend but don't break and keep the ball in front of us mentality. We didn't give up a lot of big plays. We made them earn what they got.
"Ryan Williams ran extremely hard. He's a very talented running back. Tyrod Taylor is truly a special player. I thought our defensive line did a nice job containing Taylor, though. I also think the secondary played one of its better games. The unit didn't let the ball behind it."
On The Offense Against Virginia Tech:
"From an offensive standpoint, there were some good things with the way we were able to run the ball. Looking back, I thought the line and the running backs really played a solid football game. The turnovers and the lack of big plays in the passing game were very evident.
"The passing game was inconsistent. We really had a hard time getting anything going. We completed 16 passes, but we couldn't put it together to get drives going. Outside of the two-minute drive at the end of the first half, there wasn't much of a passing presence on our offense."
On The Injuries Sustained Against Virginia Tech:
"The game came with a price. Dekota Marshall will be done for the year. He had surgery Saturday on his leg. Rob Kass will also be done for the year with his knee injury.
"It's unfortunate when it happens to anybody, but especially a senior and you see his career cut short. A guy like Kass has such an unselfish attitude and worked so hard doing many good things for us.
"Josh Smith is also a question mark on whether he'll be back or not with his shoulder. He missed most of last week's practices.
"We're hopeful right now with Jamar Bryant and Giavanni Ruffin. We're going to have to play it by ear and see how the next five days go as to whether they will be back for the Tulsa game or not."
Overview Of Tulsa:
"Tulsa is a very good football team that lost a heart-breaker Saturday to Houston, 46-45. Houston scored nine points in the final minute of the game. They scored with 21 seconds left, went for the two-point conversion but failed. UH then recovered the on-side kick and made a 51-yard field goal as time expired to win the game."
On The Tulsa Offense:
"Tulsa really played one of its best football games of the year Saturday. I was really impressed with G.J. Kinne, the quarterback, who rushed for 127 yards and threw for 334 yards. He's a transfer from The University of Texas who was injured earlier in the year. He's really starting to come into his own and become a huge part of that offense and what it's doing right now.
"Kinne is a very talented player who is their second-leading rusher. He can run with his feet and also beat you with his arm. He has a very strong arm and is really becoming a weapon for them.
"Their offensive line is very young, but is helping the offense average 29.7 points a game.
"The two big-play receivers they have in Damaris Johnson and Slick Shelley are both averaging 18 to 19 yards per catch. They're a big-strike offensive football team.
"Johnson is averaging 209 all-purpose yards per game with his kick returns, punt returns, rushes and receptions. He's their `skat-back" who they are going to try and get the ball to in as many different ways as possible. He's their version of Dwayne Harris. Johnson is a very talented football player."
On Tulsa's Defense:
"On defense, they're giving up 23.3 points a game. They give you a difficult scheme. They will play a three-down line front, but this year they're also playing much more of a four-down front that utilizes the same personnel. Schematically, they give you a lot of confusing looks. The difference between a three-down and four-down front is another linebacker you have to account for.
"Tulsa's two strong safeties, DeAundre Brown and James Lockett, and three linebackers are the top tacklers on the team. They are all aggressive and active. They're always bringing somebody off the edge and jockeying somebody around at the line. They create confusing looks and disruption.
"In the middle, Mike Bryan is the guy who lines everybody up. He's a very good football player. Their defensive backs are also very talented. Tulsa will put them in a lot of man-to-man coverage situations.
"Their front is smaller than most we have played up to this point. They are more in the range of 260-280 pounds. They do a lot more moving, stunting, blitzing and twisting within their scheme. They will pose some problems for us.
"Fortunately, we've had 10 days to prepare for this and get everything organized. We've given the players a little more a jump on Tulsa's schemes due to the extra days between games."
On The East Carolina Schedule:
"This will be the end of our crazy month of going four Saturdays without playing. Fortunately, we're back on a little bit more of a usual schedule this week. Today is an academic day for the players and as a staff will be game-planning. We gain an extra day of practice with the Sunday game. We'll go Tuesday through Friday with practice, leave Saturday, play Sunday night and get back early Monday morning.
"One of the things I like about this schedule that we've had for the past four weeks is that we've given the guys a few days to heal bumps and bruises. Obviously, serious injuries take much longer to heal, but the sore shoulders and muscular things like that are given a chance to heal.
"What I don't like about the schedule is that you have 10 days to prepare for an opponent. Sometimes in having those extra days, you lose that sense of urgency. You lose your traditional three or four days to get ready because now you have 10.
"I don't know that I will expect more. I think this football team has been very blue-collar and working hard. They go to practice and work hard. There is great leadership and a very strong senior class in this football team. They understand what's on the line and what it's going to take to be successful."
On The Quarterback Situation:
"Right now, we've talked about some different things. With [Rob] Kass going down, it changes things a little bit because we had said all year that flipping him back to quarterback was always a move we could make. He had been getting some reps at quarterback and throwing the route tree after practice to some of the receivers. With him going down, that takes that security blanket away. Do we increase Dwayne Harris' role as a quarterback? Does Josh Jordan play a little bit more at quarterback? We'll just have to look at these options and see what will work out best."
On Dealing With Season-Ending Injuries:
"It's difficult. I met with Kass and his father over the weekend. It's hard for Kass. He has some decisions to make about what his future holds. He already has his undergraduate degree and is currently in graduate school. We talked more about where he goes from here. He's considering a future in football as a coach or in business. I said we would help him as much as we could. If coaching is something he would like to get more exposure to throughout the next month, we'll certainly try and let him get that. He might also go to Raleigh and pursue an internship from a business standpoint. We will help him in any way, shape or form.
"It's hard when it's taken from you. Nobody is prepared for that day. Everybody looks at it and says that we have four more games left. The reality is that anybody who plays this game is one play away from never playing again.
"Even with Marshall's injury and the surgery he went through, his spirits are up, but he has quite a long rehab. He continually tells me that he's coming back because what he's most upset about is that we had put him deep on the kickoff return team and he didn't get an opportunity to bring back a kick. He told me he's going to come back bigger, faster and stronger than ever so that he can have the chance to return kicks again. He's a phenomenal young man. That's why you hate it for anybody who is going through these injuries. You know that they're putting everything out on the field from a physical standpoint. To see them going through what they're experiencing right now is hard mentally and not just physically."
On The Opportunity To Become Bowl Eligible:
"It's big to have the opportunity to go to a bowl. The East Carolina program has never gone to four bowl games in four years. To have the opportunity to do that would be huge. Those are things that we talked about at the beginning of the season.
"What we've talked about with the team at this point of the season is just getting back to Conference USA games. We talked after the Memphis game about how big it was to win that contest, go to 4-1 and be on top of the East Division. Yesterday, I covered with the team the conference race. We're 4-1 and there are four teams at 3-2 right below us. I won't talk about it again until after we play Tulsa. We control our own destiny.
"We have not talked a lot about bowl games at this point, but that are one of the goals for this program. We do have high aspirations. Right now, though, that has not been talked about. We have to take each of these three remaining games one at a time and try and go 1-0 each week."
On How Last Year's Injury Situation Helps The Team Deal With This Year's Injuries
"We're going through a lot of injuries this year like we did last season. We're just not going through as many injuries to the starters. This year's injuries seem to be hitting mostly the back-ups. Jonathan Williams, Darnel Ballard and Ruffin are three running backs who are hurt. It's the same thing on the defensive line. You lose A.J. Johnson and Antonio Allison after you had lost Robert Jones before the season started.
"We're taking a lot of guys out of the depth chart. We've been fortunate that most of our starters have been healthy. It is getting awfully thin behind some of our starters, though. Kevin Gidrey has been the starting tight end, but Kass has played a significant role. It's the same thing at safety. Both Levin Neal and Van Eskridge have remained healthy, but taking Marshall out of that mix is a huge blow. Marshall was the next safety in and he started on all four special teams units.
"The injuries start to play a role. We've talked a little bit about how the next guy has to step up and step in. We can't have a drop off with what we're trying to do.
"In spite of the injuries, I think this football team is very focused and hungry. This team has its eyes on the prize. It was a nice mental relief to get away from conference play for the past 10 days when we were getting ready to play Virginia Tech. There is more pressure playing in the conference games. There is carry-over between each game that you play. Each game weighs more and more and the pressure starts to mount. I think the team did a nice job handling the pressure a year ago and I think that will go a long way to helping us handle things this year."
On Patrick Pinkney's Passing:
"I don't think it's a mechanical thing with his delivery. I would like to see him step into his throws a little bit more, but I think the fundamentals of his release are fine. When you look at the Virginia Tech game, the defense pressured us and we did not handle that pressure very well.
"When you see pressure and don't handle it well, you'll obviously see more of that. When you look at Tulsa, the team is capable of bringing pressure from everywhere and will try to create a lot of confusion.
"We were just out of sync last Thursday. If you look at Pinkney's deep pass to Darryl Freeney, it was a hair outside. It was a yard from being a huge play. If Freeney catches that ball running, in man coverage, with no safety, you're looking at a big gain. It was the same thing on the deep ball to Alex Taylor. It was just on his back arm.
"We're going to have to put Pinkney in situations this week where he's facing a lot of pressure and we're putting heat on him. We're going to have to get him to where he's playing a little bit better against pressure."
