Wake Forest Athletics
Caldwell Talks About Season Opener Against Army
9/7/1999 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 7, 1999
On The Injuries at Linebacker (Moses, Lyman, and Guice)
"We're going to certainly have to overcome some adversity. But nevertheless
I think we're fortunate, primarily because of what happened to us last
year. We ended up playing quite a few guys that we did not anticipate
playing a lot, that being Nick Bender and Marquis Hopkins. They were able
to get a lot of valuable playing time last year. So we pretty much have -
except for Abdul [Guice] - the same group of linebackers that we ended the
season with. We were thin then, and we're thin now."
On Avoiding What Happened in Last Year's Season Opener (a 42-0 Loss to Air
Force)
"It's a different team, a different time, a different setting ... We don't
necessarily just reflect upon a game from a previous year, but nevertheless
we think we're better equipped to deal with some of the things that
happened to us last year in that first game. I don't think there's any
difference between Army and Air Force. They're both very, very talented.
They both have a good nucleus of guys coming back. They both give you all
the same kinds of problems, and we're not as healthy as we were going into
our first game last year. So it's going to be a real test for our football
team."
On His New Role as Offensive Coordinator
"I just think that in order for us to get ourselves in position to win
consistently, we have to run the football better. Often times I think
that, in particular, guys in the coordinator position succumb to pressures
of crowd noise and writers and media folks about what's best for our
football team. They kind of adjust and maybe put the ball in the air maybe
a little bit more than we should. I don't bend, and I'm committed to seeing
our team get better in that particular area. So I decided that the best
guy to do that and make certain that happens is me."
On C.J. Leak and James MacPherson's battle for the No. 2 QB Spot
"Right now, both of them are doing a nice job for us. They're both
learning. They're both obviously inexperienced, and they're both good
players. But we're going to play C.J. in the first game. There's no
question about that. I've stated that all along ... A little bit later in
the week after we've gone through the final phases of putting our game plan
together, we'll settle on that in terms of exactly when we'll put him in
the game."
On QB Ben Sankey's Progress
"I've been extremely pleased with his progress, but you and I both know and
anybody that's ever watched college football knows that there's going to be
that little bit of an adjustment period that he goes through. But I think
you'll see him catch fire, because he is very capable. He's a strong
leader and a guy that wants to win in the worst way."
On Army
"They are one of the better rushing teams in the country, obviously, and
they present quite a challenge for you in terms of the ball-control
offense. They do enough misdirection with their option attack to give you
problems. They motion a little bit, they keep you off balance, you have to
balance up against them. And then they obviously know all the tricks of
the trade in dealing with that particular offense. They're crafty enough
to A good solid kicking game, just a heck of a punter. And obviously their
defense is one that doesn't just sit back and read, they attack you. They
come after you. So they try to present multiple problems for you on both
sides of the ball and they do a very good job of that."
