Tuesday Press Conference Video and Quotes
10/6/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 6, 2009
Press Conference Video: Grobe | Ghee | Newman | Okoro | Parker
 Jim Grobe  | |
10/6/09
On the team meeting expectations...
"I thought when we started the season we'd be a competitive football team and I think that's what we are. I knew going into the season we'd have a really tough schedule and that's proven to be true. We've played five really good football games. Four of them have gone to the last possession. So we're winning our share, not as many as we'd like but we're still a pretty competitive football team."
On playing well through the whole NC State game...
"We started the game that way and played well for four quarters. That was probably the best four quarters we played this season against what I think is a really good NC State football team. I'm proud of our guys for that."
On Wake Forest penalties...
"We want to eliminate penalties if we can, but that's probably not completely possible. Some of the penalties from Saturday were OK. I thought we had a couple of marginal holding calls and that could or could not have been called. The penalties that I really have no patience for are personal fouls. Those are selfish penalties. That really hurt the team, we had 45 yards of those. You're just giving yards away."
On Boo Robinson's personal foul...
"It was very costly at the time. He's lucky people weren't blaming him for a loss. That's what can happen in those situations. You can't think of yourself, you've got to think of the team first and you have to make sure none of your actions are going to hurt the team. Sometimes you're going to have penalties and not even try. But when you get a personal foul that's basically losing you're temper and being out of control. You don't win many games that way."
On quarterback Riley Skinner getting sacked six times during the NC State game...
"I think it's a combination of things. Certainly we want our offensive line to play better. I think we need to be a little bit more physical. At times we got pushed around a little bit. I thought the NC State defensive line played really well. Their whole front seven is really very special, you have to give them some credit. Also I think there were a couple of times were Riley had some release fouls, he probably held the ball a little too long. A couple of those sacks, Riley could have avoided. I thought overall we've got to play better up front, no question."
On losing 26-0 to Maryland last season...
"It was embarrassing. We had a good win the week before and went up to Maryland and didn't play well. You have to give credit to Maryland, they did some nice things defensively to keep us off balance. They came out and threw the ball well against us early. I thought they did a great job. But at the same time I don't think we played as well. We dropped several possession throws, we didn't block as well as we needed to. Overall we gave them too many plays, too many chances on third down. I thought Maryland played really well, but embarrassed is a good word to use for us."
On being 2-6 against Maryland in the last eight contests...
"They have a good football team, a good football program. I think of all the teams we've played against they've probably done a good a job against us anybody. I don't expect that to change this Saturday. I think we've got a great challenge on our hands. You've got to give them credit."
On Maryland's attitude coming in after a win last week...
"I think what we learned is there's no way to guess what the scenario would be. Last week I pointed out to our players that most people thought Clemson would beat Maryland. Most people thought FSU would bet Boston College. Most people thought Carolina would beat Virginia and most people thought NC State would be the Deacs. There's no way to guess what's going to happen from week to week and you just have to prepare the players the best you can."
On Maryland quarterback Chris Turner...
"He owned us last year. He did a great job against us. He made all the throws. They mixed up the runs pretty well with him. Last week may have been their best performance, against Clemson. They are starting to peak as they go into conference play. This is a dangerous football team and Chris Turner makes them go."
On Maryland being one of the youngest teams in the ACC...
"Youth has nothing to do with it. When you've played five games and you're in the middle of the season, that's not going to mean very much. They have lots of talent. They are a very talented football team. They lost some seniors off last year's team but this eyar they have a couple of really dangerous receivers, they have some really good running backs. I like their offensive line, they are as good as any line we've played. They are just a very solid football team. Defensively they are very athletic, they are guys that can run and are really physical."
On Maryland wide receiver Torrey Smith...
"What a dangerous football player. He's got a bunch of receptions, big play receptions. He's really good returning kickoffs. Yes, they lost Darrius Heyward-Bey but this guy's really picked up where he left off."
On Wake Forest's injuries...
"We're like most people right now. Everyone is beat up. Some injuries are worse than others, when you break your leg like Kyle Wilber or Dominique Midgett separated his shoulder, those are injuries that are going to keep you out for a while. But that's going to happen, it's football, it's a contact sport. It happens throughout the season. One of the issues comes up is your open date and ours doesn't come until the end of the season. So we just have to live with it."
"We've really got issues depth-wise. When you start having athletes get banged up you start trying to plug people in. When you get a guy like Cameron Ford that has a hamstring problem and Ben Wooster is having problems with his back, all of a sudden you're having problems with the tight end position. That happens everywhere. You just hold your breath and hope you don't get too many injuries as the same position."
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Redshirt Senior
Cornerback
On team expectations...
"Expectations were we were going to improve every game and I think, obviously, as a defense we're improving and also as an offense. We're coming together as a team and I think we're doing pretty well right now."
On if the young defense is improving game by game...
"Oh yeah. They're getting the game speed down and getting to know player positions. And they're getting to trust each other, which I think is the biggest thing. Everybody wants to compensate for other people's positions and they're just starting to trust each other, relax and just play their game."
On the ACC and how no one team is jumping out and taking a big lead...
"That's how the ACC is - very competitive... Of course, Maryland had a big game last week there against Clemson. They were picked to lose. Every game counts and you've just got to come out there and play."
On if he is surprised that Maryland is unbeaten in the conference...
"Not at all. Maryland's a good team. They had a few bad games at the beginning of the season but every ACC team's good. You can't doubt anybody."
On last year's loss to Maryland...
"Honestly, it was embarrassing going up to College Park last year. Twenty-six to zero, we got shut out, the defense played average - we've got to redeem ourselves this week."
On how they'll do that...
"Honestly, you've got to forget about last year. It's a new year, it's a new team. We've just to prepare like we prepare for every week and, hopefully, we'll come out with a win."
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Freshman
Placekicker
On how everything is going for him so far...
"They're going well. It's been really interesting getting to play in front of a lot more people than in high school. It's a lot more pressure but things are going well so far. There's still a lot of work that I can do to get better but [it's] going well."
On Maryland...
"We know they're good and they always play hard against us. They're a tough football team and they're undefeated in the ACC. And they're coming off a big win last week so we're really going to have to work hard this week to get that win."
On how he mentally prepares for each game and if it differs by the game...
"No, it's similar each Saturday. I don't listen to loud music or anything. I just try to relax as much as possible. Kicking isn't all about getting pumped up, it's about being able to concentrate and focus and being able to relax so I'll listen to some light music and just try to focus on how I want to see myself play."
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Sophomore
Tight End
On if team's living up to expectations...
"I think to do what we want to accomplish this year we have a long road ahead of us but I think we can make it. Our team has a family atmosphere and we all want the same goals so I think as a team we can come together and do what we want to accomplish."
On his current role on offense...
"I feel sorry for Ben [Wooster]. It's his senior year and he's been having back problems. But he's been out there helping out all the tight ends and he's been doing a great job. Cameron Ford, Ted Randolph and I have been taking over the role of tight end right now and it's going pretty well."
On the ACC...
"Every team in the ACC is a great team. Week-to-week, it's going to be a hard-nosed football game. You don't know who's going to win. Clemson lost to Maryland last week, North Carolina lost to Virginia last week - you don't know who's going to win."
On last year's 26-0 loss to Maryland...
"That game haunts us. They just came out and whooped us last year - nothing said. Their defense is a great defense and their offense is great, too. We just have to go out there this week and match their mentality because they're coming out to play hard and so are we."
