Tuesday Football Press Conference Video and Quotes
10/27/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 27, 2009
Press Conference Video: Grobe | Betros | Ford | Looney | Malchow
 Jim Grobe  | |
On the team's morale...
"Our guys are OK. We've had a couple of tough losses. The way our guys bounced back effort-wise at Navy, we played hard, we just didn't play well enough to win. I told our players I couldn't fault their effort, we just didn't make enough plays. Our guys are hungry to win a football game. There's nobody that's lost their focus. They are anxious to get back at it."
On players that performed well during the last few games...
"We're really pleased with Dominique Midgett, he's played really, really well, maybe better than we expected. We expected him to be in the mix and to be a factor for us, but he's turned out to be a real bright surprise for us."
On the Wake Forest's recent losses and the upcoming schedule...
"We've played all good teams. We've got four of the better teams here at the end of the schedule. We knew going in it was going to be a tough schedule. We've played pretty good football, we've won some games, but we've also lost some really close games. For all the effort we've put in we probably haven't gotten a lot of bang for our buck."
On Miami's strengths...
"You hear a lot about their speed, but it's often overlooked how physical they are. They like to run the football out of the I formation, their offensive line is really big and physical. Defensively they've got the great foot speed but they are also a really tough football team."
On Miami being one of the top teams in the nation...
"They look like it on film. I've got a feeling they are going to look even better in person. They might have had as tough a schedule starting the season as anyone in the country. This is a really impressive football team. Anytime you ranked in the top 20 in the country you've got a lot of good players."
On being intimidated by Miami's reputation...
"I don't think it's intimidation, it's just respect. When you watch them you realize that they are not only very talented, but they are really well coached. This is a fine football team. That's what stands out to you."
On Miami quarterback Jacory Harris...
"He's got a lot of guys to throw to. But he's also got a big physical offensive line and they do a really nice job running the football. He's got as good a touch as any quarterback we've seen so far. He's got a live arm and can go down the field, but he really puts it where it can be caught. The thing that really helps him there is their front not only protects well for him, they run the ball so well that you can't just dial up blitzes to put pressure on him and hopefully help you in the throw game. They do a great job running the football."
On Miami's improvements from last season...
"They're better offensively. They've opened things up a little bit. They've got a nice mix of run, pass; they're a real physical defense that flies around. This is a team that had young players last year, they still have a lot of young players, but now they have a year of experience under their belt. Cory Harris is the biggest difference, he's really making them go and he does a great job at the quarterback position."
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OG - So.
On having only scored one touchdown in the last nine quarters...
"I don't think anything has been going wrong with the offense, we're just struggling a little bit. You just have to come to practice every day and work hard. You have to get in the weight room, too, and get stronger. You have to come out to practice every day to get better and take it a step at the time. I'm pretty sure we'll pick it up again."
On the lack of offensive production over the past two weeks...
"The teams we have played (in the past two weeks) - Navy and Clemson - are great teams with great defenses. We've just been struggling a little bit, and we've just got to get better day by day with the running game and the passing game."
On whether or not the team still has something to play for...
"Everyone is still really excited. The ACC is a great conference. Every week you have to come out and play hard. Every team is still in the race for the ACC Championship, so the team is really focused and we're just preparing every week for hard football games. We're just trying to win games."
On the toughness of the last four games on the schedule...
"We have some tough games coming up. Obviously our last four games - Miami, Georgia Tech, Florida State, and Duke - are all great teams doing great in the conference. We just have to show up every Saturday and play good football."
On the history and tradition of Miami football after having grown up in Florida...
"Miami has always been a great team that always has great athletes. They have always been in the top 25 and winning national championships. They have great players down there and a great program."
On the similarities of this Miami team to last year's team...
"They have definitely improved with their game. Their defense is a lot better, and their offense is really rolling right now. It's just a lot of good players down there in a tough program."
On the importance of offensive production for Wake Forest in Saturday's game...
"Miami's offense is really good, but we have a good offense too. It's going to be real important for us to just play every aspect of the game - block, kicking, tackling. It's just about playing a good, solid football game against a good Miami team."
On growing up around Miami fans and now facing them this weekend...
"I was not really a hard core Miami fan, but I always heard about the U when I was down there. Devin Hester is always on the news down there, and they just have a great program with winning national championships. It's always fun to play a Florida team, especially growing up down there and then coming to an out-of-state school. I have a couple of friends down there that play for Miami, too, so it's pretty fun getting to play against them."
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LB - RJr.
On the team's morale...
"I think morale is fine right now with our team. We still have something to play for; we're all trying to go to a bowl game. With the ACC, we're still in the hunt. We're not out of it yet so definitely morale is fine. We're still fighting and trying to win more games."
On the defense...
"We've played alright. There are definitely some things we could have done better; we didn't play perfect. We missed some assignments, myself included. We're just trying to get better this week and trying to play better defense."
On Miami...
"They're very fast all over. One other thing I was noticing when watching film was that they're very physical up front. They're very strong - both the linemen and tight ends. They are very fast, but they're also physical and strong."
On Miami's quarterback Jacory Harris...
"He's had a great year. He's played in some big games and been very successful for them. He can pass but he can also run. He's a great athlete so it will be a good challenge for our defense this weekend."
On playing a team like Miami with a storied history...
"It's fun. I think everybody's excited to play Miami with all the history. You always watched them growing up on TV so it's just a dream for every little kid to play Miami."
 Betros | |
LB - RFr.
On team morale...
"Everyone's still really positive. We've come up with a couple losses but all the senior leadership that we have on this team is really awesome. We can still play for an ACC Championship and we know that. All we have to do is win some games."
On Jacory Harris...
"He's going to bring a lot of speed and a great arm to the table, with a lot of fast receivers. He's got a really good pocket presence and hopefully we can contain him."
On Miami's reputation and if they have an advantage due to an intimidation factor...
"No, I think our team's not really going to be intimidated. I think we're going to come out and play really intense. You've got a top-ranked team coming into the house and we're all jacked up about it, so we're ready."
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TE - RSo.
On the offensive gameplan...
"As far as our gameplan, it's been sound. We've just been shooting ourselves in the foot with penalties that put us at second and long. In the second half, we had four possessions and we had a penalty on every one of them except for one and that was a touchdown drive. So we just have to execute the plan better."
On the struggles of the offense...
It's been a long season. Defenses are constantly adjusting to what we're doing. That's just the way it goes. Sometimes we go into a slump offensively, but we're not going to let that effect us the next four games.
On the chances of winning the Atlantic Division...
"We're defiantly not out of it. Any time you have something to play for it gives you extra motivation. Everyone here wants to play in the ACC Championship game, so that's what we're going to be working for."
On the speed of Miami's defense...
"Yeah, we saw that with Clemson. They had a really fast defense and we're about to see a similar situation with Miami. But we have fast players on offense too so it's going to be a great game when you have fast players on both sides of the ball."
On whether Miami is better this year than last...
"I think with the way they have been playing this year, they are better than last year. Last year they had two quarterbacks rolling in and out and this year, they have Jacory Harris, who's done a great job of leading the team. So yeah, I think they have a lot more confidence than they did last year."
