(Opening statement)
“An opponent in our stadium that is ranked #6 in the country undefeated and playing very well right now. It is going to be a great test for us and I know we are going to have a lot of guys fired up to get to work this week and try to improve and get better and see if we can figure out a way to go out there and get a win.”
(How different is Miami this year)
“They have got a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate and he [Cam Ward] is really good. He can throw it, he can move, he can buy time, he has got a great feel for the position, he can get it to their playmakers and he makes that offense go. When you combine that with the great talent on their team at all positions; very good receivers, good running back core, good offensive line, and their defense is a good solid defense with really talented players in a lot of positions. You know in order to win you need to be good in all three segments but definitely offense and defense tie together and they have a legitimate possible first round draft pick at quarterback to go along with a very talented roster. “
(On the key to slowing down Cam Ward)
“Well, I think if you watch him [Cam Ward] he is very poised, he understands football and he has got a great feel. I think he throws it best when he is on the move and when he can buy time and that is when the big plays are created because he is just so natural at doing it. So, we have to contain him in the pocket and make him throw from the pocket. We have to guard as well as we can and pocket rush and make sure we push that towards him and not allow him to escape and buy a lot of extra time because he is very dangerous when he does that.”
(On improvements in the Virginia game)
“Well, we did have some new pieces on the offensive line, I thought for the most part they played hard. There were a couple of time we got exposed and we found a way to overcome it. We had a couple of key drops and a lot of good plays; we have to continue to show up and perfect as we can. I think on defense we got better and at some things we need to get better at, still ways to go. We got better and continue to push the envelope and get it sharp and crisp as we can. We have to make sure that we are making the offense beat us one on one and we are not having miscommunication or misalignments or people thinking one thing and playing something else. Everything has to be on the same page, we have to continue to get that sharp as we can.”
(On Ashton Gillotte against Virginia)
This is the most he played. I know he played 60 to 70 snaps on defense. He plays hard. He gives great effort. He has a good motor. He gives great push. He made some plays. If we can ever get a lead and make the offense do things they don’t want to, that’s when we’ll find a way to make more plays on that side of the ball. I think he’s done a great job of doing his part. We just have to continue to work hard at it. We have to be really good around him. We need to cover as well as we can to allow those guys a little extra time to get in there to get those sacks and those tackles-for-loss. Then we need to continue to keep our rush lanes as much as we can and not rush past the quarterback. We need to be conscious of what the quarterback is doing. Is he stepping up? Is he trying to escape outside as we’re trying to get to him?
(How defensive communication changed against Virginia)
“We worked hard all last week, specifically on having an answer for everything that could come up. Getting the call in quick is important as well as getting it communicated to the right people as fast as we can is important. Timing is critical. Being on the sideline and having a feel of if this team is huddling on the line of scrimmage, are they going to snap the ball, and trying to get things in as quick as we can. It’s also about your ability to adjust when you see those things and to feel those things on the field was better than being upstairs. I think having a general pulse of the defense on what they need to hear and what emotions need to be displayed is better by being on the field. I thought that was beneficial but there’s still some things that we need to get better at but for the most part I feel like we’re moving in the right direction. We will be tested this week in all aspects of the game, but we have to work hard this week and improve.”
(What playing for the Schnellenberger trophy means)
“I think everyone knows that coach Schnellenberger played a great role in my career and played a great role in building this program and we’re all thankful for that. Him and Beverlee are huge Louisville supporters and Beverlee still texts me every now and then and we keep in touch. Coach knew how to build a championship team. He knew how to overcome adversity and how to hang in there when things got tough, and he never gave in. He never displayed a lack of hope. There was always positivity in his voice, and he knew he could get it done. He proved it at every level. That doesn’t mean it always went smooth, but he hung in there and displayed confidence throughout the team and the city that it was going to get done. That’s what you’ll learn from him a lot of great lessons. He was at both programs and did a great job, he took Miami to unprecedented heights too, so I know they’re grateful for what he as well. This will be a great game and a measuring stick for us on where we’re at. I like the fact that we played last week, and we found ways to get better and found some key areas that we need to continue to work hard and get better at. We will be playing a great team this week and see how exactly we stack up and what more we need to do to improve.”
(On Isaac Brown and his development)
“Issac has done a great job for us, from day one. He has not missed a rep of practice, he goes hard, he competes, he does everything we ask, he is very unselfish. But, he is a true freshman, so you do not want to overload him. We gave him a lot of carries this past game. Obviously, he displayed his talent and playmaking ability, but he was getting beat up and could not finish the game. You have got to make sure you are aware of how much someone can handle and have got to make sure that all personnel at every position are able to go and able to contribute. You have got to be very calculated in making sure that it is not all out for one game and not conscious of making sure we keep guys as healthy as we can. With that said, he needs to touch the ball a lot, we need to utilize his skills, and we need to make sure that that happens as much as we can get it to happen.”
(On Jamari Johnson and tight ends)
“Well [Jamari Johnson] has a lot of potential and a lot of talent. We like what he has done. Those positions are very important to us as we analyze ways to get them the ball. We have been better when we design ways to get them open than when they have had to get open on their own with a normal play. That is just the fact. We have got to be conscious that we continue to find more ways to have some misdirection and play action to allow them some space to get open instead of allowing defenders to get their hands on them in some drop-back pass situations. So that is all planning that we have to do. The catches they had last week were designed to kind of help get them open; it did and they did a really good job, so we have got to continue to build on that and make sure the tight ends get their touches.”
“An opponent in our stadium that is ranked #6 in the country undefeated and playing very well right now. It is going to be a great test for us and I know we are going to have a lot of guys fired up to get to work this week and try to improve and get better and see if we can figure out a way to go out there and get a win.”
(How different is Miami this year)
“They have got a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate and he [Cam Ward] is really good. He can throw it, he can move, he can buy time, he has got a great feel for the position, he can get it to their playmakers and he makes that offense go. When you combine that with the great talent on their team at all positions; very good receivers, good running back core, good offensive line, and their defense is a good solid defense with really talented players in a lot of positions. You know in order to win you need to be good in all three segments but definitely offense and defense tie together and they have a legitimate possible first round draft pick at quarterback to go along with a very talented roster. “
(On the key to slowing down Cam Ward)
“Well, I think if you watch him [Cam Ward] he is very poised, he understands football and he has got a great feel. I think he throws it best when he is on the move and when he can buy time and that is when the big plays are created because he is just so natural at doing it. So, we have to contain him in the pocket and make him throw from the pocket. We have to guard as well as we can and pocket rush and make sure we push that towards him and not allow him to escape and buy a lot of extra time because he is very dangerous when he does that.”
(On improvements in the Virginia game)
“Well, we did have some new pieces on the offensive line, I thought for the most part they played hard. There were a couple of time we got exposed and we found a way to overcome it. We had a couple of key drops and a lot of good plays; we have to continue to show up and perfect as we can. I think on defense we got better and at some things we need to get better at, still ways to go. We got better and continue to push the envelope and get it sharp and crisp as we can. We have to make sure that we are making the offense beat us one on one and we are not having miscommunication or misalignments or people thinking one thing and playing something else. Everything has to be on the same page, we have to continue to get that sharp as we can.”
(On Ashton Gillotte against Virginia)
This is the most he played. I know he played 60 to 70 snaps on defense. He plays hard. He gives great effort. He has a good motor. He gives great push. He made some plays. If we can ever get a lead and make the offense do things they don’t want to, that’s when we’ll find a way to make more plays on that side of the ball. I think he’s done a great job of doing his part. We just have to continue to work hard at it. We have to be really good around him. We need to cover as well as we can to allow those guys a little extra time to get in there to get those sacks and those tackles-for-loss. Then we need to continue to keep our rush lanes as much as we can and not rush past the quarterback. We need to be conscious of what the quarterback is doing. Is he stepping up? Is he trying to escape outside as we’re trying to get to him?
(How defensive communication changed against Virginia)
“We worked hard all last week, specifically on having an answer for everything that could come up. Getting the call in quick is important as well as getting it communicated to the right people as fast as we can is important. Timing is critical. Being on the sideline and having a feel of if this team is huddling on the line of scrimmage, are they going to snap the ball, and trying to get things in as quick as we can. It’s also about your ability to adjust when you see those things and to feel those things on the field was better than being upstairs. I think having a general pulse of the defense on what they need to hear and what emotions need to be displayed is better by being on the field. I thought that was beneficial but there’s still some things that we need to get better at but for the most part I feel like we’re moving in the right direction. We will be tested this week in all aspects of the game, but we have to work hard this week and improve.”
(What playing for the Schnellenberger trophy means)
“I think everyone knows that coach Schnellenberger played a great role in my career and played a great role in building this program and we’re all thankful for that. Him and Beverlee are huge Louisville supporters and Beverlee still texts me every now and then and we keep in touch. Coach knew how to build a championship team. He knew how to overcome adversity and how to hang in there when things got tough, and he never gave in. He never displayed a lack of hope. There was always positivity in his voice, and he knew he could get it done. He proved it at every level. That doesn’t mean it always went smooth, but he hung in there and displayed confidence throughout the team and the city that it was going to get done. That’s what you’ll learn from him a lot of great lessons. He was at both programs and did a great job, he took Miami to unprecedented heights too, so I know they’re grateful for what he as well. This will be a great game and a measuring stick for us on where we’re at. I like the fact that we played last week, and we found ways to get better and found some key areas that we need to continue to work hard and get better at. We will be playing a great team this week and see how exactly we stack up and what more we need to do to improve.”
(On Isaac Brown and his development)
“Issac has done a great job for us, from day one. He has not missed a rep of practice, he goes hard, he competes, he does everything we ask, he is very unselfish. But, he is a true freshman, so you do not want to overload him. We gave him a lot of carries this past game. Obviously, he displayed his talent and playmaking ability, but he was getting beat up and could not finish the game. You have got to make sure you are aware of how much someone can handle and have got to make sure that all personnel at every position are able to go and able to contribute. You have got to be very calculated in making sure that it is not all out for one game and not conscious of making sure we keep guys as healthy as we can. With that said, he needs to touch the ball a lot, we need to utilize his skills, and we need to make sure that that happens as much as we can get it to happen.”
(On Jamari Johnson and tight ends)
“Well [Jamari Johnson] has a lot of potential and a lot of talent. We like what he has done. Those positions are very important to us as we analyze ways to get them the ball. We have been better when we design ways to get them open than when they have had to get open on their own with a normal play. That is just the fact. We have got to be conscious that we continue to find more ways to have some misdirection and play action to allow them some space to get open instead of allowing defenders to get their hands on them in some drop-back pass situations. So that is all planning that we have to do. The catches they had last week were designed to kind of help get them open; it did and they did a really good job, so we have got to continue to build on that and make sure the tight ends get their touches.”
