Sept. 28, 2006
ORLANDO- UCF head football coach George O'Leary looked back at the Southern Miss contest and ahead to the Marshall game at his weekly press conference, held on Thursday at the Wayne Densch Sports Center. O'Leary and his team will travel outside the state of Florida for the first time this season as the Golden Knights continue preparations for their contest with Marshall, next Wednesday in Huntington, W.Va.
The game with Marshall will mark the second-consecutive appearance for UCF on ESPN2 as kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. EDT. The Golden Knights have appeared on the network four times and this contest will mark the third time Marshall has been their opponent.
Opening statement on the Southern Miss game:
"Before the game, I said that there are six or seven plays that make a difference in the game, the problem is that you do not know when those plays are going to occur. Right now my concern with this football team is our specialists. Obviously, missing field goals, we cannot continue doing that, so I have opened that job up to both kickers and we will go with the one that is more consistent in practice. When you have a team that is fairly young and you make a drive like that, that is 85 yards, you have to walk away with points. Obviously, it was a game of points and we had 10 points on the board that we did not get, we left them all on the field with the fumble on the one. Kevin [Smith] was trying to get more yardage than the play dictated, but I will never take that away from a kid. I think he was trying to score and he was trying to score and basically those things are going to happen in a game.
The pick on the goal line goes back to the quarterback, actually making a bad decision. A lot of those times when you look at plays regarding the quarterback, you don't really see the whole picture. How was the protection? Did the guy run the right route? I look at the film and I left the game, saying whoa, especially when we took three sacks in the last four plays to end the game. I was on him pretty good about at least throwing it, make sure we throw it on the fourth and we probably should have thrown it on the fourth, but again I look at those four plays at the end of the game and I put that directly on the offensive line, directly on it. I didn't leave the field thinking that way because I just saw the sack. I thought he was late, but one play, he probably should have gotten the ball off, but the other two were related directly to protection. He has to make better decisions in the game, no question about it. Some of the things that are glaring that jump out really are not his fault because there are other people involved in those mistakes. That's where the negative is in that game.
There is no question, the run game improved in that game against a good defense that has played well. I think our defense played much better than they have played. We missed some tackles, but for the most part we tackled better and we were closer in coverage concepts. We will build on those concepts and move from there.
How does last year's rebound from the Southern Miss loss help after losing the first conference game in 2006?
"We have a lot of conference games to play here. Believe me, I doubt that anybody is going to win the conference without any losses. Each and every week, you better bring our `A' game and our minds right now are set on Marshall and getting ready to play that game. I thought today and I said this last week, I thought that the kids practiced as well as I have seen them practice. I think they improved as far as they took the practice to the game field. I thought today's practice was the best `Monday' that we have had. I think you learn a lot more from losing than you do winning - I think in games. I think the kids understand that is a team game. You like to point the fingers at everybody and if he did this and he did that, but basically it comes down, it's ultimately a `W' or an `L' and it goes down on the record that way. It does not go down as an `L' because he fumbled or it is an `L' because he got sacked, it is a `W' or an `L'. I think our team is finally starting to understand that, especially in today's society where you are in a very selfish world, where everybody is `I, what can you do for me?' I think football is still the ultimate team game and everything has to go right if you are going to be successful.
I do think we came out, we were down 10-0, we came out in the second half and took the ball right down the field and do things you have to do. Defensively, we got the ball right back from them. I think that's what I am looking at as a head coach - are we improving? Yes, we are. We played both of those teams last year and I thought we got smacked around pretty good as I see it. I thought this year, they are still losses, but we had opportunities to win that game, both games, last week and this week. That's how I see it, we just have to take advantage of the opportunities."
How is the play of junior wide receiver Javid James going to help the team?
"I think that Javid James did a good job. I have been waiting for him to break out. I have said this for a couple of weeks now, he is the guy that if you look at the receivers and line them up and say pick out a receiver, I think you pick him out. He looks like a receiver, he really does. He can run, has big hands and does things real well. I am glad to see him come out. I think six different guys caught passes this game, so we are starting to spread the ball around."
How are you preparing to play on the road this week?
"I am looking forward to this game. I really like games on weekday nights. The players have to get on the plane and have to play. The only thing that I have to be concerned about is the crowd noise and how some of the younger kids react to it. We all have been to major stadiums now, so we know how to deal with it. The biggest thing that I look at is playing at night and playing away. A lot of the players have already been up there [Marshall], so they know the preparations that are going into this game. It should be a great crowd and great electricity for the game. All of our players are looking forward to playing the game."
On the Marshall offense:
"(Ahmad Bradshaw) is a good running back, he is a very quick, dart guy. He can beat you in the run and the pass game. He is their leading rusher, but I think he is third leading receiver also on the team. And obviously the quarterback, No. 14, he is the second leading rusher on the team. They are doing more with the quarterback now in keeping the ball in a lot different situations. Both of them are guys you have to contend with and there are a couple of receivers that can go and get it and (they have) a big offensive line. I am looking forward to the game and I know our guys are too."
On working the first teams against each other in practice:
"I do that all of the time - good against good. I think that is speed work, I think that is what we like to do. It also gives your show team a chance to get a breather because they have to give you the look and when you play against them, obviously, it is slower. You are not getting the quick look that you like to get all the time. But, I do think they give them the formations and the recognition defensively that they want from an offensive viewpoint. We go against each other and we try to emulate some of the plays that say Marshall may run on offense or defense, but it is a lot more speed to it and the play of the game is quicker. It should help the players."