Marshall University Athletics
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Quotes/Notes/Video from Doc Holliday's Nov. 13 Press Conference
11/14/2018 10:14:00 AM | Football
Information below and right
Opening statement:
Our captains for this week will be Jordan Dowrey and Marcel Williams on offense as well as Ryan Bee and Chase Hancock on defense. Those four guys have played a lot of football for us. We have a total of 18 seniors that will walk out on Saturday, who have all done a great job while they were here. I know they are looking forward to playing and I know we are to. I am really proud of our players. It was one of the most impactful things I have ever been a part of last weekend. Those ex-players came back and joined us prior to that last game and walked out onto the field, and of course being led by Red Dawson. It was a really neat moment. I am proud of the way our players responded and now it is time to move onto Senior Day, find a way to play a great game for those guys and send them out the right way.
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On playing consecutive emotional games:
Anytime you play your last game at the Joan, which these guys are, it is very emotional for the seniors. The young guys have great respect for the seniors and what they have accomplished here. For a lot of these guys, it will be their fourth bowl that they will go to. They have accomplished a lot of things so it is important that we send them out the right way.
Â
On senior class:
It is a little different for each player and I really can't get into all of them individually right now. Ryan Bee for example, you think of toughness. There are a lot of good players in that bunch. Marcel Williams … all of them. I hate to keep mentioning individual names because you could sit here and talk so long about each of them and we just don't have time at this point. However, they all brought something different to the table. Kids today … a lot of them don't hang in there anymore and finish things. The great thing about this group is all 18 are graduating. All 18 will walk out with a degree and this is the most important thing. They will have to go to work sooner or later like we all had to do and it will be a lot easier on them (with that degree). I am most proud that all of those guys will walk out of here with a college degree. That is huge.
Â
On reflecting back on seniors:
They all have a story. I told Frankie Hernandez that if I was a betting man when he walked in here that I thought I would never see him be a senior, but here he is. That is what's great about coaching. You see guys come in and walk out of here with a college degree, turned into grown men. There is example after example. Each of them have a different story. They are all here for different reasons and they are all really good stories. When they finish their careers by walking out with a college degree and finishing that last game, it is a special time for the players and for the coaches.
Â
On his feeling just prior to the seniors' last game:
It is an emotional deal to watch them come out there for the last time. The good thing about this year is we have a couple more after. It is always emotional when they walk out for the last time, especially here. I am sure this Saturday will be no different.
Â
On the college landscape:
You look around the country and there are teams with 23-plus payers on transfer lists. It is crazy what is happening now with these kids. I don't think it is good at all. The number one thing I think that football and athletics, in general, teach these kids is overcoming adversity, which is one of the most important things to know in life … not running from challenges. Facing things head on and finding a way to get through things. That is what life is all about. These 18 (seniors) have done that. They have ups and downs and some great moments with some not so great moments but, in the end, they stuck it out. They overcame all the adversity they have faced and are now walking out of here with a college degree. We have a lot of football left to play this year and we have to make sure we finish things the right way.
Â
On leadership:
When your seniors are playing their best football that helps a lot too, and these guys are at this point. I have always felt that the best football teams you can have are when your older kids take ownership of their team. This is a group that has done that. It will be important that they continue to do that for the rest of this year.
Â
On UTSA:
I think they have had some issues at quarterback. They have played a couple different guys and had a few injuries on top of that. Anytime you are not consistent at the quarterback position you will struggle a little bit. However, they have some talented guys. You turn on that tape and, I know you guys think I say this every week, but they have some of the best receivers in our league. Just watch them … they are athletic. They have running backs, an offensive line that is solid, the quarterback play has been a little inconsistent but they have talent at that position. We just have to hope, defensively, that we can keep that quarterback under control and not let him gain confidence, make plays. Defensively that Mike backer is all over the place. He is a really good player. Thank goodness one of their defensive linemen from last year, I believe, ended up being (the 14th player taken) in the draft. They have some good players back on defense but we just have to make sure that we are prepared. We have to have a great week of preparation and go out there and play really hard.
Â
On not giving UTSA's offense short fields:
That's an emphasis every week. Every time we've done that, we've won. Last week was no exception. You look at the field positions we had from last week and our punt team versus their punt team, we started "plus 40" and they were at the "minus 19". Having that advantage in the kicking game, where field position is concerned, will help you offensively. Shorter fields will always help an offense.
Â
On having back-to-back home games:
Anytime you can play at home, it is tremendous. Fortunately for us, we have had a couple of home games here back-to-back. Normally they try to alternate it but fortunately for us we got a couple back-to-back. We'll take them.
Â
On keeping Marshall's players from being too amped up:
You have to be able to lock in. I thought our kids did a really nice job of that last week. I thought a little early on last week our defense came out on their heels a little. A lot of that may have been emotion. I think after that first drive they only allowed them to have (110) yards offensively. We were able to adjust and come back from that. You just have to go play. Sunday was a tough day (with Devon Johnson's funeral). We have had a tough year here with everything that has happened. There is a lot of emotion but we have to be prepared when your time comes to go play and to go coach. We all have a job to do. I have a job to do as the head coach. When that foot hits the ball on Saturday, as coaches and players, we have to be ready to go. If you don't, you're going to get beat.
Â
On Marshall taking advantage of the new redshirt rule:
I think it is a tremendous rule. I love the rule to begin with, and as you all have seen, I wish it was just a rule for first-year players. If they would have said, "Let's make this rule for all first year-players, junior college transfers or true freshmen" (where they can be plugged in). That is what it was meant for. What has happened is now you have guys who are third or fourth-year players that are a big part of teams who are leaving in the middle of the year, leaving their teammates for different reasons. I think that is an unintended consequence that has happened with this new rule. I think the way we have gone about it … for example, Dalton Tucker got the opportunity to go in and play eight or ten plays. That was huge for him. It keeps those guys going in practice and will help them with confidence. (You've seen Markeis) Colvin go in there and Sam Burton, early on, play. The only freshman that it won't apply to is Gilmore. He has played every game and is playing really well. That rule didn't affect him but the rest of the freshmen will not play more than four games.
Our captains for this week will be Jordan Dowrey and Marcel Williams on offense as well as Ryan Bee and Chase Hancock on defense. Those four guys have played a lot of football for us. We have a total of 18 seniors that will walk out on Saturday, who have all done a great job while they were here. I know they are looking forward to playing and I know we are to. I am really proud of our players. It was one of the most impactful things I have ever been a part of last weekend. Those ex-players came back and joined us prior to that last game and walked out onto the field, and of course being led by Red Dawson. It was a really neat moment. I am proud of the way our players responded and now it is time to move onto Senior Day, find a way to play a great game for those guys and send them out the right way.
Â
On playing consecutive emotional games:
Anytime you play your last game at the Joan, which these guys are, it is very emotional for the seniors. The young guys have great respect for the seniors and what they have accomplished here. For a lot of these guys, it will be their fourth bowl that they will go to. They have accomplished a lot of things so it is important that we send them out the right way.
Â
On senior class:
It is a little different for each player and I really can't get into all of them individually right now. Ryan Bee for example, you think of toughness. There are a lot of good players in that bunch. Marcel Williams … all of them. I hate to keep mentioning individual names because you could sit here and talk so long about each of them and we just don't have time at this point. However, they all brought something different to the table. Kids today … a lot of them don't hang in there anymore and finish things. The great thing about this group is all 18 are graduating. All 18 will walk out with a degree and this is the most important thing. They will have to go to work sooner or later like we all had to do and it will be a lot easier on them (with that degree). I am most proud that all of those guys will walk out of here with a college degree. That is huge.
Â
On reflecting back on seniors:
They all have a story. I told Frankie Hernandez that if I was a betting man when he walked in here that I thought I would never see him be a senior, but here he is. That is what's great about coaching. You see guys come in and walk out of here with a college degree, turned into grown men. There is example after example. Each of them have a different story. They are all here for different reasons and they are all really good stories. When they finish their careers by walking out with a college degree and finishing that last game, it is a special time for the players and for the coaches.
Â
On his feeling just prior to the seniors' last game:
It is an emotional deal to watch them come out there for the last time. The good thing about this year is we have a couple more after. It is always emotional when they walk out for the last time, especially here. I am sure this Saturday will be no different.
Â
On the college landscape:
You look around the country and there are teams with 23-plus payers on transfer lists. It is crazy what is happening now with these kids. I don't think it is good at all. The number one thing I think that football and athletics, in general, teach these kids is overcoming adversity, which is one of the most important things to know in life … not running from challenges. Facing things head on and finding a way to get through things. That is what life is all about. These 18 (seniors) have done that. They have ups and downs and some great moments with some not so great moments but, in the end, they stuck it out. They overcame all the adversity they have faced and are now walking out of here with a college degree. We have a lot of football left to play this year and we have to make sure we finish things the right way.
Â
On leadership:
When your seniors are playing their best football that helps a lot too, and these guys are at this point. I have always felt that the best football teams you can have are when your older kids take ownership of their team. This is a group that has done that. It will be important that they continue to do that for the rest of this year.
Â
On UTSA:
I think they have had some issues at quarterback. They have played a couple different guys and had a few injuries on top of that. Anytime you are not consistent at the quarterback position you will struggle a little bit. However, they have some talented guys. You turn on that tape and, I know you guys think I say this every week, but they have some of the best receivers in our league. Just watch them … they are athletic. They have running backs, an offensive line that is solid, the quarterback play has been a little inconsistent but they have talent at that position. We just have to hope, defensively, that we can keep that quarterback under control and not let him gain confidence, make plays. Defensively that Mike backer is all over the place. He is a really good player. Thank goodness one of their defensive linemen from last year, I believe, ended up being (the 14th player taken) in the draft. They have some good players back on defense but we just have to make sure that we are prepared. We have to have a great week of preparation and go out there and play really hard.
Â
On not giving UTSA's offense short fields:
That's an emphasis every week. Every time we've done that, we've won. Last week was no exception. You look at the field positions we had from last week and our punt team versus their punt team, we started "plus 40" and they were at the "minus 19". Having that advantage in the kicking game, where field position is concerned, will help you offensively. Shorter fields will always help an offense.
Â
On having back-to-back home games:
Anytime you can play at home, it is tremendous. Fortunately for us, we have had a couple of home games here back-to-back. Normally they try to alternate it but fortunately for us we got a couple back-to-back. We'll take them.
Â
On keeping Marshall's players from being too amped up:
You have to be able to lock in. I thought our kids did a really nice job of that last week. I thought a little early on last week our defense came out on their heels a little. A lot of that may have been emotion. I think after that first drive they only allowed them to have (110) yards offensively. We were able to adjust and come back from that. You just have to go play. Sunday was a tough day (with Devon Johnson's funeral). We have had a tough year here with everything that has happened. There is a lot of emotion but we have to be prepared when your time comes to go play and to go coach. We all have a job to do. I have a job to do as the head coach. When that foot hits the ball on Saturday, as coaches and players, we have to be ready to go. If you don't, you're going to get beat.
Â
On Marshall taking advantage of the new redshirt rule:
I think it is a tremendous rule. I love the rule to begin with, and as you all have seen, I wish it was just a rule for first-year players. If they would have said, "Let's make this rule for all first year-players, junior college transfers or true freshmen" (where they can be plugged in). That is what it was meant for. What has happened is now you have guys who are third or fourth-year players that are a big part of teams who are leaving in the middle of the year, leaving their teammates for different reasons. I think that is an unintended consequence that has happened with this new rule. I think the way we have gone about it … for example, Dalton Tucker got the opportunity to go in and play eight or ten plays. That was huge for him. It keeps those guys going in practice and will help them with confidence. (You've seen Markeis) Colvin go in there and Sam Burton, early on, play. The only freshman that it won't apply to is Gilmore. He has played every game and is playing really well. That rule didn't affect him but the rest of the freshmen will not play more than four games.
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