Sept. 1, 2008
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Head Coach Bobby Johnson
Quotes from Weekly Press Conference
Monday, September. 1, 2008
South Carolina Game
Opening Statement:
“We are very pleased with our victory on the road over Miami last Thursday. I thought the first game was a good test for us and we had to overcome some adversity right off the bat with the fumble. We made some big plays and we did a good job of protecting the lead in the second half. The competition is going to pick up. This is a huge game for us to play South Carolina on a Thursday on ESPN. We are extremely excited about the opportunity and it’s just right around the corner.”
Did you guys like what you did offensively against Miami?
“I think our offense played well. I mean if we would have had to throw it more, we would have. We were running the ball and had some big plays to get the lead. I don’t care who you are playing against; you play to win the game, not to get more yards. We were trying to run out the clock,so keeping the ball on the ground was what we did.”
Was last year’s game against South Carolina the perfect storm for your football team?
“We did play well. We executed well on defense and we put some pressure on South Carolina’s offense. Then when we got the ball away from them, our offense capitalized several times. We got just enough points because we didn’t get the ball in the end zone in the second half. We were disappointed with that. We went into that game upset because we thought we should have beaten Georgia the week before, so our guys went into South Carolina and played hard. I was real proud of our team’s effort. Sometimes you have to step up and say, “we didn’t win last week, but we’re going to do something about it this week.”
How big is the South Carolina game to your program?
“It’s the second game on our schedule and that is the way our team is treating it. We know we are playing a quality opponent in South Carolina. I’ve said to our team that we have to play well every game if we want to win. You have to go at it every week and we had to play well against Miami last week to win.”
Coach, can you talk about D.J. Moore and the versatility that he has?
“He just knows how to play football. He just has that knack of knowing where the ball is going. Against Miami he had an interception, a sack, a long punt return and he tackled real well, so he can do it all. D.J. is different than most of the players that I have ever seen. He is one of those players where you don’t have to remind him that the quarterback is going to read this and then go to that. He has it down the first time you tell him. I know one thing, he is a lot of fun to have on your football team.”
Coach, with how D.J. plays at one corner, are you seeing offenses starting to go away from him and how do you see Myron Lewis responding?
“Well I think Myron has gotten better and better. He did a fantastic job in man coverage versus Miami and that allowed us to run some defenses where we could get some people in the box to stop the run. Myron not only plays well on defense but he also did well on punt return. He’s the guy that man’s up the gunner on the outside and he kept him from making the tackle. He is really starting to become a complete player. One reason people don’t notice him as much is because D.J. lines up on the other side. He is a physical specimen.”
What do you know about South Carolina’s receivers?
“South Carolina has excellent schemes and excellent receivers. Kenny McKinley and Dion LeCorn and all their skill players can light you up. We’ve got to be ready to play. I don’t have to tell my team that they need to be ready to go Thursday because they know that Kenny McKinley is that good.”
How do you prepare for a team that might play three different quarterbacks?
“I don’t know because I haven’t seen one of them. We played against one of them last year and the other one I have seen on film. We’re going to do what we do and I think that is one of the best things our football program has done the last couple of years. We have our defensive scheme and we stick to it. We’re playing faster and are bringing more pressure and I think it has paid off for us. We’re going to do the same things no matter who is playing quarterback.”
South Carolina had four turnovers in the first half last week but their defense still pitched a shutout. What are your thoughts on their defense?
“That was impressive. N.C. State had the ball several times with good field position but South Carolina’s defense went out there and snuffed them. That really put a stop to all of the momentum that N.C. State was building in the first half. The South Carolina defense played with a lot of confidence. They play a lot of man defense and crowd the line of scrimmage. Their defensive line is very aggressive and they get up field with good penetration. Our offense had a little problem with that last week against Miami so it will definitely be a challenge for our offense to meet USC intensity.”
Who are some of South Carolina key defensive players?
“I’ll tell you Emanuel Cook might be one of the best tacklers that I have ever seen in college football. He does a form tackle everytime he brings somebody down. If somebody gets by their defensive line and linebackers he seems to always be there for the big hit. Captain Munnerlyn is a great cover corner and a very dangerous kick returner. I think their entire defensive line is athletic and like I said before, they really get off the ball. Linebacker Eric Norwood has a great knack for the ball. He is sort-of like D.J. Moore, if the ball is somewhere you can find Norwood there.”
What were your thoughts on the kicking game last week at Miami and how important is it for Hahnfeldt to gain confidence?
“Confidence is huge in kickers and specialists. I was glad to see Bryant Hahnfeldt knock those two fields in with ease.”