Aug. 29, 2005
ORLANDO - The following are quotes from UCF head coach George O'Leary from Monday's press luncheon at UCF.
Opening Statement: "Good afternoon ... I guess I will start where we are at offensively, defensively, and special teams. We are pretty much injury free and healthy from preseason. We had some nicks, but players have been over them for awhile now. The last two days we have been getting ready for South Carolina. Obviously it's the first game you go into, it is always the unexpected that you don't know about. I think you are only as good as your base offense, your base defense, and your fundamentals. Again, I think that will be a game Thursday night of adjustments, on the sidelines of both sides. I think they probably have a better picture of us, than we do of them, them being a new staff over there, not really having a lot of tape on what they have done. I think the key offensively is that our quarterback is playing with confidence. I think that is the key. Our offensive skill people have played a lot of football, and I am anxious to see them under the gun. That game Thursday night will be a good time to evaluate where we are at, how much improvement we have made on all three phases of the game. We are probably going into the game there is no question, with more depth than we had last year, as far as all positions. We are somewhat stronger up front, no question about it, offensively and defensively. It will be interesting to see how we handle the crowd there, the noise factor there. I think we are under the radar a little bit with this one, but I will be very surprised if we don't go up and play very well."
Question: Do you like being under the radar?
O'Leary: "I have been on top of the radar so much of my life I am enjoying just where I am going right now. I think South Carolina is fine, they hired themselves a great football coach that hired a great staff, and again there are some growing pains there also. It happens anytime you go into a new program, but you are much better going into a program where a guy retires, than where a guy is fired. I think there is some talent base there, and I think Steve will always make the most of his talent base. Likewise, defensively they got head coaching material coaching that side of the ball too. I think that it will be a sideline game and just what is available as far as play opportunity we will have to take. I think the key to playing any Spurrier team is to make tackles, and no yards after catches and keep the ball in front of you."
Question: Are you looking at more Florida tape or South Carolina tape from last year?
O'Leary: "I look at both. I look at personnel at South Carolina. Schemes are schemes. Players still have to do the schemes. I always look at personnel and just where the match ups are and how we handle match ups. Likewise, even though you have a new defense over there, a new offense, the match ups are the key. The key is still going to eventually be one-on-one somewhere, and just where we have an advantage, where can we take advantage of something."
Question: You have seven or eight first year guys on your bench, when you talk about your depth, does that make you anxious at all?
O'Leary: "Well I think it makes them anxious. Most of the depth is quality depth we did not have last year. I thought we just went in last year and probably had 12 or 13 (players) on each side of the ball and could sustain a game like that. I think this year I have no problem putting people in. We ran our seconds a lot in preseason, they got a lot of reps, and they will get their opportunities. The game comes down to responsibility and making sure you are accountable for what you are supposed to do. They are going to make mistakes because they are young players. What I have always told them is that as long as they are quick mistakes and not timid mistakes, we can correct those."
Question: Coach, Spurrier's schemes worked so well in college, not so well in the NFL. You were in the NFL at the same time, what do you think it was that did not work?
O'Leary: "I think probably it's personnel. A lot of the pro game, and passing game, you are always looking at the quarterback and receivers, but a lot of it comes down to protections, the number of protections you can run. I didn't study the Redskins. We didn't play them when I was at Minnesota. Most of your pro teams have four or five protections, and I think that is the key, mixing up your protections. I don't know because I don't think the throwing game changes. The pro game is more of a chunk game. You got to get chunk plays because you are not going to three and four-yard the ball down the field. You got to get some chunk plays in the pass game and run game. It is like anything else, if you are not getting chunk plays in the pros, you are not moving the ball because it becomes a field position deal."
Question: Coach, can you tell a difference in your players' psyche in week one of this college year, as opposed to last college year?
O'Leary: "I think there is no question there is confidence. Obviously I am continually asked about the losing record, but I have never brought that up to the team. The only time they hear about it is with you guys. I never bring it up because it is not a big item with me. That is a record that is not big a big item with me, because you look back on last year and they had opportunities last year, in my opinion, to win three or four games that we probably should have won. I don't think you keep harping on the past, you got to look toward the future, and I think the end of the year this year, if we still haven't won, then I got some problems. I do think the kids are playing with confidence because they have seen success on the field in preseason and it was a carry over from the spring. I see a little strut out of them, a concerned strut maybe. They need to see some confidence, have some good things happen early, and then stay together. Anytime you play away, on an SEC field, with SEC officials, I got concerns. That is probably a game I would not have agreed to, unless I had my own officials, since we are away. I think that is the way it is done. That was done before I got here, so that is the way it is. We are anxious to get up there and play the game and kick off the college season."
Question: Do you think Spurrier's game plan will still be to throw it all over the field, or will you adjust to his personnel a little bit?
O'Leary: "I think Steve runs the ball more than he throws it if you look at him. He runs the ball more than he throws it because he gets chunk plays in the passing game. A lot of people think he throws it all over. He is very cute about running the ball. If you watch him, if you watch his teams, he has always had a good running attack, which sets up the passing game, and likewise, he is not like the west coast guys who throw it 90% of the time. He is fairly balanced now when you look at him, yardage wise and calls wise, he really is. They ran the ball extremely well at Florida, and in order to do that, you got to put so many people in the box. Meanwhile when you have to do that, you got to put so many people in the box to stop them, it opens up the passing game. The quarterbacks have been well tutored on where to throw. It is a very good offense, but it is not any better than anybody else's offense. I think Steve has a great knack for making plays and staying one play ahead of you."
Question: What was it like this year not missing any practices because of the weather?
O'Leary: "We would have lost about nine days, well not lost, but with the lightning and the weather and the rain. With the practice time between 3-6 p.m. during double days, that is normally the time you are going to get some weather. I don't mind the rain - it is the lightning and you got to get of the field. It takes my video guys about seven minutes to get off the field and to the other, and then you just keep filming. I thought it was very efficient and there is no question the indoor facility was a great aid."