Marshall University Athletics
Mark Snyder Weekly Press Conference Quotes
9/18/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 18, 2007
Marshall Head Coach Mark Snyder September 18, 2007
We're going to play a very good Cincinnati team this week. Coach (Brian) Kelly has done a very good job with those guys. They play very fast and very aggressively on defense. They are very good special teams. They've blocked a few punts and created some turnovers on special teams. All three phases are clicking for them. That's why they're 3-0 right now.
On the injury situation ... We have a bunch of nicks and bruises, but most of those guys will be back. Montel Glasco will not play this week, neither will John Inman. We pick up Zearrick Matthews. Most of the guys just have dings and bruises.
On the play of Branden Campbell at tackle ... He did o.k. we had to start putting him in at right tackle to replace (Daniel) Baldridge. When (John) Inman went down of course, we had to put him in there. Now both guys have go to pick it up because they're replacement will be Brandon Curry. He's a true freshman. We'll get Matt (Altabelo) out there a little bit to give Daniel (Baldridge) and Branden (Campbell) a blow.
On the play of Kelvin Turner ... I was very pleased with both of them. Kelvin ran hard and caught the ball. Chubb ran really hard. I was very pleased with both of them. I am encouraged by it.
On talking to Byron Leftwich ... I got a call form from Byron the other day. And I said, `You know "B", I'm down.' He started laughing. He said it reminds him of his sophomore year. He said once they got that bus rolling they thought they could beat anybody. He said, `You've got to keep your head up. We were all a little down and things started clicking. At the end of the year we thought we could beat anybody.'
On his decision to wait to bring in Bernard Morris vs. New Hampshire ... He didn't practice at all last week. That's why we tried to hold him out. He needed a week of rest. You keep hoping that you'll get a stop or that you can start moving the ball offensively. You're sitting there waiting for something to happen. None of us have a crystal ball. Obviously, you've coached your team all week and your pride and your ego say, `This isn't going to happen.' When we got down 24-0, I thought it wasn't going to happen so we made the move. To his credit he performed pretty well. In hindsight would I have brought him in a 14-0 or 17-0? Yeah. If I had known that we weren't going to win the game. Then again, if I had none that we weren't going to win, maybe I wouldn't have brought him in at all. None of us knows the answer to those questions. That's why I'm the head coach.
On the play of Brian Anderson vs. UNH ... We just weren't hitting on all cylinders. We had couple of little busts, and then he had a couple of little busts. That can not happen. There were a bunch of little things that he shouldn't have done. It was a combination of a lot of factors. It wasn't just Brian Anderson. Then he started to press. Then Bernard came in and the confidence went through the roof.
On Cincinnati ... Speed on defense and creating turnovers. They have a mature defense. They've been playing together for three years for the most part. They have some playmakers up front and those corners are very, very talented. They're blocking punts on special teams and creating turnovers there. On offense, they're very good at what they do. They have guys that can catch the ball in traffic. They have one burner. They have three big tailbacks and a guy who broke all of the Ohio high school records pulling the trigger for them. They do a lot of the same things we do defensively. Fortunately, that's something that our offense has seen all season and through camp.
On Cincinnati's quarterbacks ... I think they are to the point where they can put either one in and feel like they're not losing anything.
On where Marshall stands after three games ... I think our offense is starting to get an identity. I think we're getting closer and closer. I think this program is going in the right direction. I know some people don't feel that way, but I truly believe that. In past year's I've felt helpless sitting here. I don't feel helpless right now. We have some talent. Our younger talent just has to get better faster.
