Wake Forest Athletics
Coach Jim Caldwell Football Quotes
9/13/2000 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 13, 2000
Audio Clip
WAKE FOREST'S JIM CALDWELL
On the offense
"I think we did show some improvement, or played better at least, in the first half of that game (UNC). Sometimes it's tough to judge with a pretty good defense out there. As we look at the film and evaluate it, we certainly did improve. We made a few critical mistakes with the fumbles. We certainly made our plan to adjust slightly with the punt return to a totally different style of game. We'd normally like to be a little more patient with our running game. That really changed the complexity of the game - you keep dropping back on those guys and they've got some pretty good pass rushers that can give you some problems. We've got to keep moving forward. What's important is that it's obviously going to take some patience in some phases of our entire team. That's tough to do - to have that kind of patience. We have the makings of a good, solid team."
On the running game
"I think there's a number of areas we need to improve upon, but not one particular facet that we can say 'well this is the problem and if we fix that we're headed in the right direction.' Timing also has a lot to do with it - how quickly they hit the holes. The timing of each play is a little different because they all run at a little different pace. Some might get a quicker start than others. So that timing factor is not only important in the passing game, but the running game as well."
On the offensive line
"They're getting better. We're certainly a ways from where we need to be, but I think they're getting better. I don't think there's any doubt about that. Play from the previous week had improved, but we have a long way to go and we have to do it in a short period of time. One of the things I said (at the beginning of the season) I think at some point in time this season that line will be a good line, a solid line.
Obviously, that's barring injuries and we've suffered a couple. I still think it's going to be a solid line, there's no question about that."
On Clemson
"They really haven't changed at all. They use the same style (as last season) and their personnel is pretty much intact, give or take a couple guys here and there. Very few guys on our team remember (the 1998 game at Clemson). We've always played well down there. It's certainly a loud place to play. There's a lot of enthusiasm and I fully expect us to play well. We're going to take the field and be a better football team than we were last week. We have to be. And I think you'll see that improvement."
