Marshall University Athletics
Quotes/Video from Doc Holliday's Nov. 17 Press Conference
11/17/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
Press Conference Video
Opening Statement:
As far as having an open date, it was needed. Eleven straight weeks is a grind so this gives us a chance to catch our breath a little bit. We have coaches who are out recruiting. They left Sunday and will be back in the office tomorrow. The kids had yesterday and today off and we'll start back with a light practice tomorrow. We have a great challenge ahead, as you all know, but we're going to catch our breath a little bit this week and go at it next week.
On what he learned coming out of last year's WKU game:
One thing is that quarterback is a great player. He's a tremendous player and I have great respect for him and what he's done. They have great skill players and, at the end of the day, you have to play great defense. It was just a crazy game and hopefully it doesn't get to that point this year. At some point, whoever plays the best defense will win that game in a couple weeks. Hopefully that's us.
On the preparation for this year's WKU game:
Good football teams have a lot of tendencies already. We had a lot of tendencies a year ago and we have some that are happening now because you're pretty good at what you do at this point. I don't think, as successful as they (WKU) has been on offense, that they're going to change an awful lot. They lost a great running back, of course, but they guys who have stepped in there have done a great job. They had a week off last week, so I don't feel sorry for them not having one this week. They had an opportunity last week to do what we're doing this week, to get their kids back. I think by the time we get ready to go next Friday, the majority of our football team will feel pretty good.
More on the game:
We've had a lot of discussions on keeping their (WKU) offense off the field. If you look at time of possession, we've about in the middle of the pack as far as our league is concerned. Some of that will go into it, but at the end of the day, we have to play great defense. We have to find a way to win the kicking game and we've been pretty good at that all year. That needs to continue. The issue last year, we didn't play great defense, but we turned the ball over offensively too. When you're playing a team as good as they are, you have to take care of the football. You have to get stops in the red zone. It will be a great challenge for us, but I like our team. I like where we are right now and we'll show up and play.
On both teams excelling in turnover ratio:
I look at WKU in terms of turnover ratio. I think they're #1 in the league and we're #2. Both of us have done a good job of getting of getting takeaways and taking care of the football, for the most part. That's why we are where we are right now...playing for the (Conference USA) East championship. It's going to be a great game.
On the team's health coming out of Saturday's FIU game:
(Saturday) was important because all of those young running backs are getting better too. With (Tony) Pittman back, this will be the first time in a while that we have four healthy running backs. Our offensive line came out of the game intact. (Nate) Devers went in there and played the best he's played all year because he's healthy now. Finally, we're getting most of our guys back. We're also going to have a couple of guys back who didn't play Saturday.
On whether or not he feels the team will be mentally sharp coming out of a bye week:
We've got great kids and great leadership on this team. To be honest, I didn't want them around (the facility) yesterday and today, but I look up and they're all around. You look at them and they're in the building watching tape, in on their own, but that's what great teams, who have guys who like football, do. You don't have to worry about them not being mentally sharp and not ready to play. We'll actually start meeting again with them tomorrow and we'll have a light practice. Our game preparation has already started, of course.
On young guys stepping up:
I'm proud of the players because that says a lot about them. There are a lot of guys who have had to step up in important roles and they have. Our coaches have done a great job too. Coach (Alex) Mirabal has done a great job patch-working that offensive line together at times. We talked about the running backs. Defensive line was another position where we had some young guys step up last week. I looked out there a couple of times and we had an all-freshman defensive line. That bodes well for the future because they went in there and played well.
More on the game:
Everyone understands what this game is all about. You're right where you want to be. You're playing for the East championship with an opportunity to play for the conference championship. This is the third year we're doing it. That's where we want to be and where we want to stay. It's critical that we do everything we possibly can to find a way to win that game.
On kicker Nick Smith making the field goal Saturday:
That have been the biggest field goal I've ever had as a coach. I don't mean that jokingly. I was so happy for that kid. He's a great kid and kicked it extremely well for the first eight games, then struggled for a couple. We're going to need him at some point this year. We have two, hopefully three, bigtime games this year and he's going to be called on again, so it was great to see him go out there and do that Saturday. I was happy for him. It was great to see how our fans reacted as well.
On how he gets his teams to focus on the next opponent following a tough loss:
They key is, number one, you have great kids and great leadership on that team because they have to help you. The biggest thing is you have to put it behind you. From the time that game ended at Middle, you can't let one team beat you twice, because it can and it has happened to a lot of people throughout the country. You quit talking about it. I don't want (our players) talking to (the media) about it. I called (Assistant AD for Media Relations) Jason (Corriher) and told him, "I don't want one media member mentioning Middle Tennessee to our guys the following Monday". I want it behind them and looking forward because you have so much still to play for. Coaches have to do that too, now. We're as bad as anyone else. You can't walk around the offices pouting because your players have to see that you've put it behind you. When the coaches do that, the players will follow.
On looking at tape and "self-scouting":
We do a lot of self-scout, as far as what we've done with tendencies and that type of thing. But at this time of the year, if you're pretty good at what you're doing, you've got some tendencies. For example, last year, we ran inside zone 390-something times last year because we're pretty good at doing it. But you take a look at it so that you can evaluate yourself and try to get better in all of the areas.
On how WKU has improved:
They were tremendous a year ago and offensively and they are again. They have the same people back. Their entire offensive line is back. The tight end has been out, I'm sure he'll be back against us. They lost the running back, of course. This league lost three really good running backs for the season. The biggest improvement they've made is defensively. Last year, they were at the bottom of our conference in total defense and they're about in the middle of the pack right now. Again, they're doing a great job in terms of turnover margin.
