Weekly Football Press Conference Quotes
9/14/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 14, 2010
Press Conference Video: Grobe | Brown | Ehrmann | R. Haynes | Nenon
On what the offense still needs to work on even after scoring 107 points in two games ...
"We need to be more consistent. We have had a lot of big plays in the first two games, but you can't rely on that every week. We're getting ready to go against a Stanford team that is really stingy defensively, so I think our execution play-in and play-out can improve. You can't go into a football game knowing that the only way you are going to score points is through big plays. Some of the defenses we play will be more stingy, so we just have to be more consistent."
On facing Stanford ...
"The thing that impresses me so much about Stanford is that they are very balanced. You hear a lot about their quarterback, and he is a really special player, but he has a great supporting cast. Defensively what you see is a team that is very stingy, and they are a ball control offense, so they are able to keep the defense off the field. We're looking at not only a very good defensive football team, but a team that is good in all three areas - kicking, offense and defense."
On Ted Stachitas' status after injuring his non-throwing hand against Duke ...
"Ted practiced yesterday. He is still sore and has a lot of tenderness in his hand. They're going to x-ray him again today to make sure that he doesn't have a break. Right now, I think we're probably going to start out with Tanner [Price] on Saturday. My guess is that if Ted's healthy, he'll play."
On Tanner Price getting his first-career start in a hostile environment a long way from home...
"I hope he understands this, but they are all hostile environments, whether you are home or on the road. With the teams that we play, that is where the hostility comes in. No matter how the fans are, the teams that we play against are really tough, salty football teams, and for the rest of the way out, every Saturday is going to be really tough. I think Tanner understands that, and I know Ted understands that. There are no easy outs the rest of the year, and every defense will be after our quarterbacks."
On Tanner Price's performance against Duke ...
"The thing I really liked was how he improved from the first game to the second game. I wasn't very impressed in the first game, but I don't think Tanner knew he was going in. It was probably a little shock to him when we put him out there against Presbyterian. From that game to this past Saturday he was light-years better. He was much calmer and made really good decisions. He made some mistakes, but all the guys did. What impressed me the most about Tanner was that he really seemed calm and had a good focus to him. He didn't seem like a guy who was playing college football for the first time."
On Wake Forest's defense going against Stanford QB Andrew Luck ...
"We are in a murderer's row as far as quarterbacks. We felt Duke's QB Sean Renfree was a really good player, and now we have a great one in Andrew Luck. Then we go to [Florida State QB] Christian Ponder and then we have [Georgia Tech QB] Josh Nesbitt. Every week we are going to play a great quarterback, and we might face the best one this week. A lot of people feel Andrew Luck is the best quarterback in the country right now. Our defensive kids understand that we can't rely on 54 points every week to win football games."
On Stanford's motivation for Saturday after losing to Wake Forest last season ...
"Last year our kids played well, and I thought their kids played well. We were fortunate to get the win, and I think that in itself is enough to motivate their football team."
On how the 11:15 EST kickoff time will affect the team ...
"I tell everybody that I think most young kids don't really get started until about 11:15 at night. I don't think that will be a problem for our guys, but we'll find out. My biggest concern is the turnaround. We're going to take our best shot with Stanford, and maybe that timeframe will bother us a little bit, but it's coming back to the east coast and getting our feet back under us before we head to Tallahassee that has me as concerned as the start time of the Stanford game. The time will probably hit the coaches a lot harder. It's past our bed time, but the kids are just getting started. Going out there on Thursday will help the coaches get a little rest, too."
On the team's 2-0 start...
"Anytime you start out 2-0 it gives the team a lot of confidence, but we did go into the season as a team that bonded well in the summer. We had the same goals in mind coming in and we worked hard. We know we're a pretty young team, but everyone is on the same page with the same goals and we knew that 2-0 was a possible start for us. Our confidence level is up and we're just trying to start 3-0 now."
On what the offense has to work on after averaging 53.5 points a game...
"You're never perfect at anything. There's always something you can work on. As far as receivers go, we can come off the ball harder, get our blocks, and do different things at the line. There's always something that you can improve on. You're never perfect at anything, so of course there are still things that we can work on and get better at."
On true freshman QB Tanner Price's progression and arm strength...
"Back when we first came back for summer school, we saw it in him. Every year since my freshman year when Skylar (Jones) came in, everyone's been like `Oh, this quarterback's going to be good,' and the same thing with Tanner, but it was a little different. I mean everyone was saying that, but once we put the pads on and he has the defensive line in front of him, let's see how he does then. He's answered well, he's responded, and he's a great 18 or 19 year old kid coming in straight from high school to be able to do the things that he's doing. Tanner's just a great quarterback. He definitely has the strongest arm of all the quarterbacks, and I'm willing to go out on a limb and say even a stronger arm than Riley Skinner. As a southpaw, it's hard to see when his balls are coming, but his arm strength is just amazing. On deep balls he hits you right in stride, you don't have to slow down. It's just great."
On the attitude and confidence level of the team right now...
"The defense had a rough game last week, but I think it was a wake-up call for us. It really made us work even harder this week. We have a chance to do something really special, and we all know that, so we're all going to try to rise to the occasion and play really hard."
On Tanner Price...
"Tanner will definitely be something special. He has a beautiful release, he's really fluent, and he has good feet. He looks like a quarterback, too. It's a lot of pressure on him, but it's a chance for him to do something special."
On the defensive emphasis in practice this week...
"We have a lot of talent on defense in each position, but we just have to learn to put it all together and play team defense, and let everybody do their assignment. Everyone needs to be on the same page for every play."
On Stanford and what to expect in Saturday's game...
"Not only do they have a great quarterback, but they have a very powerful running game, too. They're physical all across the board, and they pound you. They have Andrew Luck who can throw it wherever on the field, so they have a really good team and a really good offense."
On handling Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck...
"I played against him last year, too, and last year I was saying what a good quarterback he is. But now, he's even better this year. He's just really good."
On the effect of traveling cross country and the late start time...
"We leave Thursday, so we'll have plenty of time. I think we'll be alright and won't be affected too much. Maybe on the way back we'll be tired. It will be a night game at their stadium, and we're going to be rocking."
On the confidence level of the team after starting 2-0...
"Whenever you get two victories in the first two games, it's always great, but we've had some mistakes on the defensive side of the ball that we need to fix. We have big games coming up, so we have confidence, but at the same time we still have to keep working and getting better so we can keep that winning streak alive."
On the challenge of going against Tanner Price daily in practice...
"Tanner's a great player, and he's such a young guy which is amazing. So when you see a guy with that type of poise in the pocket, and he's so calm, it's really hard to play against those types of guys. He has an unbelievable arm, but he can hurt you with his feet, as well."
On the cross country flight...
"It's a long trip, and it's going to be difficult, but that's why we're trying to get up there Thursday so we can get our feet wet and get acclimated. Anytime there's a challenge, you just have to overcome it, and coach has always challenged us in camps, so that when there's a rough time you have the ability to overcome it. So hopefully the time change won't affect us too much."
On Andrew Luck...
"He's probably one of the best quarterbacks I have seen on TV and watched played. He's an unbelievable quarterback, he can make every throw, and he can hurt you with his feet. So if we want to stop an unbelievable player like him, it's going to take a lot better defense than what we showed in the past. When you have a quarterback and a running and passing game like that, you really just have to buckle down and play the best defense that you can."
On the team's current confidence level...
"We're very confident in each other. We have to take it one game at a time. We aren't overconfident. We have a huge challenge this weekend to even be in the game with a great team like Stanford, and so we're working hard this week. It's exciting to be 2-0, not many people thought we could keep up with Duke. It's a great feeling right now, but we know we have huge challenges this weekend and a long plane flight, but it's a good feeling."
On what Tanner Price adds to the team...
"As far as a quarterback goes, he started off a little nervous during camp just because he was making the jump, but Saturday in the huddle he was as calm and collected like a fifth-year senior who's been there for a long, long time. He brings a lot to the table. Obviously he has a great arm, he has good feet, he has good awareness, and he understands how to be a quarterback. He also is bringing some leadership, because he's comforting guys in the huddle, and that's what a quarterback has to do to be successful. It's amazing how quickly he's picked up on it."
On what to expect from Stanford...
"From the end of last season, you always heard about the quarterback. He's a great kid and a great player, but defensively, they're a heck of a defense. If anybody watched their game against UCLA last weekend, you understand that they're bringing two good sides of the ball. We have to play well on special teams, offense, and defense to stay in the game. It's going to be a battle, but this team is excited to go to work every Saturday and I'm looking forward to a hard-fought match."
