Dec. 24, 2016
By Zac Ellis
VUCommodores.com
Shreveport, La. – Vanderbilt held its pre-bowl press conference at Independence Stadium ahead of Monday’s Independence Bowl. Here’s what Commodores head coach Derek Mason, quarterback Kyle Shurmur and safety/linebacker Oren Burks had to say on Saturday:
On the importance of the postseason to Vanderbilt:
“Every bowl game matters to me. When you talk about the intent of your program and what you’re trying to do, I can’t speak for anybody else, but I can speak for my program. Our young players have benefited tremendously from this extra spring ball, from having these extra practices.” -Mason
On potentially finishing 7-6 instead of 6-7:
“We’ve come a long way. But we still have some football left to play. This group understands what’s at stake.” -Mason
On Vanderbilt’s offensive growth:
“I thought our guys gained a lot of confidence and grew up in those 12 weeks. That’s part of the journey, just trying to get young men to go from where they are to where they want to be.” -Mason
On Vanderbilt’s 45-point outburst in a win over Tennessee:
“I think you saw flashes throughout the year of what we could do. Like coach said, we’re very process-driven. We just stuck to the process. We grew. It was great to put a complete game together towards the end. Those big plays, those flashes you saw, they became more consistent.” -Shurmur
On Vanderbilt defying expectations in its last two games and reaching a bowl:
“The one thing about football, it’s played between the white lines. You roll the ball out, you roll up your sleeves and you’ve got to play football. The prognosticators can say what they want to, but when you understand who you are, and you’re built towards being a football team that hangs its hat on certain things, you don’t deviate from that.” -Mason
On rain forecasted for the Independence Bowl:
“You got to play the game with the elements that you’re given. Football’s been around for a long time. I had the great fortune to coach with the Minnesota Vikings and coach in some harsh weather, whether it’s in Lambeau Field or Chicago. Elements are just part of this game. I think our guys embrace the elements well.” -Mason
On matching N.C. State’s intensity in the bowl game:
“North Carolina State, they’re a lot like us. They’ve grown as the year’s gone by. We’re looking forward to a physical game, and I think we’re going to match that.” -Burks
On N.C. State’s offense:
“You’re going to see two complete run games. Both offensive lines are extremely good. When I watch [Matt] Dayes, Dayes is as good a running back as we’ve seen all year long. You watch what he’s done in the ACC and you watch how consistent he’s been.” -Mason
On N.C. State All-ACC defensive end Bradley Chubb:
“We play against good players all the time, but when I look at Bradley Chubb, he’s dominant.” -Mason
On not being satisfied with reaching a bowl game:
“You play the game to win. That’s why you step on the field. Anything else, for this group, would be a shortcoming for us. We came here, just like N.C. State, to win a bowl game. And that’s exactly what we’re looking forward to.” -Mason
On Ralph Webb’s importance to the `Dores’ offense:
“It’s been great. You see him on the field as a great player, and he’s obviously a quarterback’s best friend. He’s embraced the role of being a complete back. He’s a great friend, teammate, captain, everything, even more than what you see on the field.” -Shurmur
On quarterback Kyle Shurmur:
“The biggest thing about him, he doesn’t get too high and he doesn’t get too low. He gives me the look that says, `Coach, I got this.'” -Mason
On Vanderbilt’s seniors:
“It’s the last leg in the journey for this 2016 group. We’re going to take all the time we can, love on one another, cherish one another, and really make sure that these seniors get a chance to go out the right way.” -Mason
On Vanderbilt’s growth under Derek Mason:
“The thing with Coach Mason, he’s building this program the right way. It takes time. This bowl game is really the prefect time for us to develop ourselves and send our seniors off the right way, establish the culture that we want to see for a long time at Vanderbilt. The success is going to continue to grow.” -Burks
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Full transcript from both teams
NC STATE WOLFPACKHead Coach Dave Doeren
Opening Statement:
“We’re excited that we ended our regular season the way we did and to be here. Obviously, these guys have worked really hard. It’s been a fun preparation to get ready and to get a chance to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day here. Then we’ll wake up and play a football game (on Monday) against a really good opponent, who has also worked hard and fought through adversity like our football team has. It’s an opportunity for our team to have a great finish and to do it against an SEC opponent, who like us has fought their way to a bowl opportunity just like we have. We look back on our season, there are always highs and lows, ups and downs, but you do remember how you finish, and these guys have finished together. They fought through the last three games, and we’re playing against a Vanderbilt team that had a similar deal in that they won their last two.”
On Vanderbilt’s qualities:
“Vanderbilt is a very smart football team, and they don’t beat themselves. They are plus-six in turnover margin with two really hard-running tailbacks in an offense that controls the clock and takes advantage of people that don’t understand gap integrity.”
On Vanderbilt’s red zone defense:
“It’s the No. 1 red zone defense in college football, and it’s a great challenge and opportunity for our offense. They aren’t a big pressure team, but they have good personnel that can run to the football. We worked really hard on both sides and polished up some things from our season, and we’ve spent these last days working on our opponent. We had great energy at practice (Friday) after one of our best Wednesday practices of the year. It’s been a long time since our last game this time of the year. It’ll be an honor to coach these seniors one last time.”
On what you have to do in the red zone against Vanderbilt’s red zone defense:
“I think we do both (improving current red zone offense and adding new wrinkles). As an offense, we’ve had a lot of red zone opportunities that we haven’t capitalized on. Some of it is penalties and some of it is turnovers. That’s an area that we want to get better at, and we’re looking forward to that challenge. We’ll need to throw in tight windows and run the ball when they load the box. Our guys understand that we have to do those things to be a good red zone offense, and we know that we need touchdowns and not field goals to win tight ball games.”
On the impact of Bradley Chubb wearing No. 9, the same number as former No. 1 draft pick Mario Williams:
“Mario Williams is still the only defensive lineman to be picked No. 1 from the ACC. He’s a great human being, and he comes back and spends time with our program. He’s very humble. Bradley felt like he could honor Mario, and he got on the phone with Mario and talked to him about it. I think it was a burden (on Bradley) early and learning how to deal with it. He just had to play and be himself and those plays will come to him. He’s done a great job of working hard. Bradley created opportunities for himself but also did his job, and that’s important. Sometimes you try to do too much just to make a play, and you don’t. He’s learned that, and now he leads the nation in tackles for loss. We’re proud of him, and hopefully we’ll see him make a few more (Monday).”
On Vanderbilt’s recent offensive improvement:
“They are able to throw the ball down the field now. When you play a team that’s balanced like they are it forces you to stop the run, it will put your secondary at times in one-on-ones. And you’ve got to make plays on the ball, and I know our guys will. We look forward to that challenge. They made explosive plays in the passing game (late in the season), and that’s how you get into the 30s and 40s on the scoreboard. It’s not just running the ball, you’re going to have to have some chunk plays in the passing game.”
On the impact of likely rain in Monday’s game:
“Our guys love the rain. We’ll be pretty happy if it rains all game. We don’t control that, and we’ll be ready to control the things we can control. Running the ball and stopping the run will be important in the rain. I don’t know if it will be like the Notre Dame (hurricane) game was. Punters had a hard time catching the football, and kicking in this can be tough. Field turf helps you kick field goals because it drains well. It will be an issue for both snappers and both holders. You just have to keep your focus, and whatever the weather it will be like, it won’t be like the hurricane we played in against Notre Dame. It rained as hard as it possibly could for three hours, but our guys embraced it. We had fun playing in it, and we found a way to win the game on a blocked punt. The weather is out of our control. None of us would be sitting here if we had that power.”
On the importance of bowl games in light of several players nationally choosing not to play:
“Every game means something to these guys in my opinion. In college football, you don’t know how long you will play the game. You’re an injury away from not playing football ever again at any level or at any time. The beauty of football is the family bond it creates and the brotherhood these guys have. When you get to the NFL, it’s a little different. Those guys are hired to do a job, and they go home to their families and don’t hang out much together. This is the one time in your life as a football player where it’s truly a brotherhood. That opportunity to fight together one more time for the school that has invested in you, I think it’s very meaningful to players and coaches alike.”
DE Bradley Chubb
On Vanderbilt’s recent offensive improvement:
“Like (Doeren) said, this is an offense that takes advantage if you’re not gap sound. I feel like they’ve got significantly better in the last couple of weeks. They have some good (running backs). We just have to do what we need to do to limit their opportunities.”
C Joe Scelfo
On coming back to his native Louisiana for Christmas:
“It’s been really good so far, but we came here to do our jobs, and that’s to win a football game. This is my family, and I’ve been spending time with them.”
On snapping the ball in the rain:
“You just really have to focus on the snap a little more than normal. There are complications, but you just have to make sure you get the snap.”
On his favorite part of being a coach’s son:
“My favorite part is just being around the game. You have different experiences in different places, and that’s helped build my confidence in playing the game. I have such a love for the game, and it was great to be around it as much as I have. I got to spend that extra time around the game. It’s been special having my dad be able to watch every game this season. Sometimes he got on me pretty hard after games, but I’m glad he was able to watch me this season.”
CB Jack Tocho
On Vanderbilt’s offense and the problems it presents:
“They are very sound in the running game, and they have two strong running backs. They block well up front, and they have a lot of different formations to adjust to. We’ll try to set the edge, and we can’t go to sleep on the play-action pass. We’ve got to be prepared to stop explosive plays in the passing game. They’ve played well in crunch time when they needed wins at the end of the season.”
TE Cole Cook
On if playing an SEC opponent carries any extra weight and his connection to the SEC:
“It’s exciting to play an SEC team. I grew up in Tennessee and Georgia, so I grew up watching SEC football. I know the reputation that SEC football has. I’ve got a lot of family coming to the game, so it will definitely be fun. But at the same time, it’s just the next opponent.”
RB Matthew Dayes
On preparing for his last college football game:
“Being our last game, you just have to take it all in. Enjoy every moment you have. Enjoy being around the guys in practice and off the field. I’m just trying to embrace these last moments.”
VANDERBILT COMMODORES
Head Coach Derek Mason
Opening statement:
“This is, for our football team, what we call No-Sweat Thursday. It winds up being more meeting time, short practice, then we’ll rev it back up tomorrow. This has been a great venue for this football team. Vanderbilt University is extremely excited to be playing North Carolina State in the Camping World Independence Bowl. What we know is this is going to be a great game. Our guys are prepared. They came here to Shreveport with the right mind-set. This thing has been tremendous for them. This is an earned experience. We’ve come a long way, and there’s still football left to play. This group understands what’s at stake. We represent the SEC. North Carolina State represents the ACC. Everybody’s talking about who’s the best conference. You know what? Nobody really cares about that. We just want to play good football. For us, we want to play good football. Our group has had good practices this week. Yesterday we were outside at our practice facility. It was really wet – and that was fun. Our guys enjoyed being out in the elements. To be able to get a grasp of what that may be like for us on Monday was good for this team. We threw the ball well. We ran well. We fitted, formed up and did exactly what we needed to do, including special teams. Again, I think this group is preparing the right way. When you prepare the right way, you like the way you play.”
On the late-season offensive improvement:
“Obviously, it’s better execution. It’s part of the process. I’m a process guy. Some people are goal-driven, I’m process driven. For us, we just stuck to our process. From Week 1 to Week 12, it was just about doing what we do, be who we are. I thought our guys gained a lot of confidence and grew up in those 12 weeks. That’s part of the journey, getting young men to go from where they are to where they want to be. So, for us, it was about the steady process of doing the right things. It clicked. When we got to about Week 7 or 8, it started to take shape and form as to what it should be as opposed to what we wanted it to be. If I had my druthers, it would have been like that in Week 1, but it wasn’t. When you stick to your process and keep your head down, you hope at the end of the day you get from where you are to where you want to be.”
On the push from beating then-No. 17 Tennessee:
“Again, we’re process-driven. The win? Huge. We hadn’t beaten a ranked Tennessee team since, like, 1983. That win was huge. They were ranked No. 17 in the country. Nobody gave us a chance, much like nobody gave NC State a chance against North Carolina. The one thing about football, it’s played between the white lines. You roll the ball out, you roll up your sleeves and you’ve got to play football. The prognosticators can say what they want to, but when you understand who you are and you’ve built yourself into a football team that hangs its hat on certain things, you don’t deviate from that. We didn’t deviate from it. We played the game we wanted to play. Tennessee had to play catch-up. At the end of the day, we won and it got us to the other side.”
On the importance of bowl games:
“Every bowl game matters to me. You’re talking about the intent of your program and what you want to do for your program. I can’t speak for anyone else, I can only speak for my program. Our young players have benefited tremendously from having this extra spring ball, from having this extra set of practices. It’s about making sure they get the fundamentals, that they understand exactly what our schemes look like. For the most part, they’ve been what we call “Black Ops.” They’ve been working as scout teams for our main units to be able to get us ready for games week in and week out. That reward for them is huge. For our guys who have done the heavy lifting, what these practices mean to them, our seniors only get to do this 13 more times, 14 more times. Then you get a 15th practice, which is really a game. This 2016 group will never be together again. It’s the last leg of the journey for this group. We’re going to take all the time we can to love on one another, cherish one another and really make sure these seniors get a chance to go out the right way.”
On the weather’s impact on special teams:
“You’ve got to play the game with the elements you’re given. Football’s been around a long time. I had the great fortune to coach with the Minnesota Vikings and play in some harsh weather, whether it was at Lambeau Field or in Chicago. The elements are part of this game. Our guys embrace the elements as well. They like being outside more than they do being inside. Whether it’s rain or sleet, these guys are going to play good football. It’s about the opportunity. With that being said, you’ll see two good teams with two complete run games. Both offensive lines are really good. When I look at (NC State running back Matthew) Dayes, he’s as good a running back as we’ve seen all year long. You watch what he’s done in the ACC and you watch how consistent he’s been. If it winds up being a ground game with some gadgets and tricks, isn’t that what a bowl game’s all about? That’s generally what you see in bowl games anyway. You see ground games with shots and gadgets, and it makes the atmosphere fun. Whether it’s wet or not, you’re going to see a good game.”
On NC State DE Bradley Chubb:
“He’s hard to stop. He’s spectacular. We play against good players all the time, but when I look at Bradley Chubb, he’s dominant. He’s a true penetrator with the ability to disrupt, whether it’s run game or pass. Really reminds me of (Tennessee’s Derek) Barnett in our conference in terms of what Barnett was. He really impacts games. You always have to be aware of where he is. I’ll tell you what, their front’s been spectacular. What they’ve done with their safeties being the leading tacklers. They do a great job of getting teams in long yardage situations and being opportunistic. When I look at what the front has done, especially with Chubb, they’re going to be formidable. They’re going to do what they do; we’re going to do what we do. Again, expect to see a good game.”
On the impact of having a winning or losing season based on Monday’s result:
“When you talk about football, that’s all there are – winners and losers. You play the game to win. That’s why you step on the field. Anything else, from this group, would be a shortcoming for us. We came here, probably like NC State, to win a ball game. That’s exactly what we’re looking forward to. Both teams want to compete, show their muster. We represent the SEC; they represent the ACC. When you represent your schools and those conferences, there’s a lot at stake. Again, you’ve got to roll out the ball and play the game. That’s what we plan on doing. It’s going to be fun. Get ready.”
On Kyle Shurmur’s status as a coach’s son making him feel more at ease:
“It does. I tell you what, I was around Andrew Luck. Andrew’s father (Oliver) was a tremendous player. (Shurmur’s) football IQ and how they handle situations, they’re similar but different players. Shurm’s been around football his whole life. For him, occasionally I’ll look over to him and say a word or two to him, but the biggest thing about him is he doesn’t get too high or get too low. He gives me the look like, `Coach, I’ve got this.’ I say, `OK, you do have it,’ and we keep it moving. I love what he is. He’s a competitor. He understands when he makes mistakes, he doesn’t wallow in it. He moves on. He gets back to the middle. That’s the greatest part of having a quarterback who’s a coach’s son, he’s been around it a long time. He understands how to get back to work. Being a head coach, that’s what I want, what I’ve always wanted, a quarterback who can get back to work and get it right. It’s not about being right, it’s about getting it right, and he works to get it right.”
On trusting Shurmur to audible:
“We always play within the scheme of what we do. He has a football team to answer to. He has an offensive coordinator in Andy Ludwig, who does an excellent job of putting together a game plan. He’s got a quarterback coach in Gerry Gdowski, who I believe he truly trusts. At the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about. We’re all tasked to do something. I’m the head coach of this football team. This is not a democracy. We don’t do what we want to do, we do what we’re charged to do. I come from a military household, a military background. Everybody’s got a job to do. With him, he understands there are audibles within our system, and he’ll get us into the best play, but in terms of saying, `OK, I’m just going to pull a rabbit out of a hat,’ no. That’s not what we do. We line up, we play good football, we understand the hierarchy. He gets held to the same standard I do. My wife is the captain of that ship, and I listen. I don’t pull audibles. I listen to what the chief tells me to do.”
On his family background:
“My stepdad served in the Air Force as a fleet mechanic. My high school coach served in the Marine Corps. I think anytime you have a chance to be affected by a man with a military background, you learn the idea of service, of sacrifice, of making sure what you do is always bigger than yourself. That’s the same type of wisdom I try to impart to these young men. The name on the back of the jersey is not bigger than the emblem on the helmet. What we have to do is make sure we always honor those we serve. We serve Vanderbilt. We serve one another. We make sure we hold ourselves every day to that standard.”
On Oren Burks:
“He came here as a linebacker. He played safety, because I moved him to safety. He’s played outside backer, which we call Star. He’s played inside backer. These young men know and understand it’s about doing whatever it takes. That’s what this program’s built on. I could care less about the stars, and more about the young men in them. Let’s put these young men in position to be successful. At the end of the day, the success bleeds beyond the football field. What we do on the field is a microcosm of how these guys look to live life every day. I hold them responsible for just doing what we ask them to do. In return, they get lessons much bigger than a game. With that, I can’t give him enough credit for what he’s had to sacrifice, moving from safety to outside backer to inside backer, but that’s just what we do on this football team. We lock, we load, we do what we have to, not necessarily what we want to.”
On the bowl experience:
“It’s been a blessing. Since the time we arrived, the hospitality in Shreveport has been outstanding. The people have shown us nothing but love and acceptance. They’ve shown us what service is. Everything we’ve needed, they’ve gone above and beyond in terms of getting us that. We couldn’t be more thankful and more humbled in terms of what the cities of Shreveport and Bossier have done for us.”
On the Freedom Fields facilities (where the Commodores are practicing):
“Nice? Man, that thing’s the Taj Mahal. We’ve had a chance to be on three or four different fields. I’ll tell you what, you can get spoiled coming down to Shreveport. We may have to do that a little more often. I’ve enjoyed the experience.”
QB Kyle Shurmur
On the improvement of the offense:
“I think you saw flashes throughout the year of what we can do. Like coach said, we’re very process-driven. We stuck to the process. We grew. It was great to put a complete game together toward the end. Those big plays, those flashes, became more consistent. That was the biggest thing.”
On the benefits provided by RB Ralph Webb:
“He’s been great. You see him on the field as a great player. He’s obviously a quarterback’s best friend. He’s embraced the role of being a complete back. He’s a great friend, teammate, captain, everything. More than what you see on the field.”
LB Oren Burks
On NC State’s offense:
“For North Carolina State, they’re a lot like us. They’ve grown as the year has gone by. We’re looking forward to a physical game, and I think we’re going to match that. This is a team we feel like we can compete with on every level – offense, defense, special teams. Our guys are very competitive, and we’re looking forward to the opportunity.”
On the growth of the program:
“The thing with Coach Mason is he’s building the program the right way. It takes time to develop. This bowl game is a perfect time to develop ourselves and send our seniors off the right way, establish a culture we want to see for a long time at Vanderbilt. The success is going to continue.”
