Marshall University Athletics
Photo by: Eric Espada
Quotes/Notes/Video from Doc Holliday's Oct. 22 Press Conference
10/22/2019 4:28:00 PM | Football
Kickoff is 2:30 p.m. Saturday
Opening statement:
Captains for this week are Brenden Knox and Levi Brown on offense. On defense, we'll have Omari Cobb and Channing Hames. If you look at that Western Kentucky football team, Tyson has done a great job with that team. They're well-coached. They get lined up properly. They make plays. They're taking care of the football. They're doing all of the things that excellent football teams do. It will be a great challenge for us. We're excited to get going and to be back at home. We're looking forward to a great game.
On WKU's defense:
When I was a coach at NC State, Clayton White played for us. He was a coordinator a year ago and stayed on. He's done a nice job with that defense. They were solid, defensively, a year ago. Last year, (Tyre) Brady had to make a big play at the end to beat team. A lot of those guys are back. It wasn't like they changed everything defensively, because the coordinator stayed. Clayton has done a great job coaching those guys up. They do a great job of tackling in space. They have some good players over there. They are a little similar to Old Dominion in that they do a good job of stopping the run.
On Saturday's game:
Last week, there wasn't any issue getting them going and this week shouldn't be any different. If you're a competitor and you're a football team with dreams and expectations, this is one you better get up for. And they will. Our kids … they'll get up and be ready to play as I'm sure Western will as well. It will be Homecoming (for Marshall), a great crowd and our guys will be eager to play.
On the possibility that Marshall could be over-hyped for Saturday's game:
I don't think so. It's all about preparation and doing a great job. Our guys have gone to work every practice. This game will be won by how they prepare. Last night was a great practice. We have to have one today and again tomorrow and Thursday. Our walk-through is on Friday and then we'll get ready to go play. But no, I don't anticipate that.
On avoiding penalties:
You have to. At the end of the day, it could've cost us a week ago. You just can't do that. A couple of them are aggressive penalties that you just have to eliminate. Any time you play an excellent football team … I've always said it can come down to two or three plays that win or lose games. You can't afford to have critical penalties at critical times. We've talked about that. We've worked on that. That has to get corrected and it will.
On Brenden Knox:
He works so hard, he's such a great kid. He does everything right. For great things to happen to a kid like that … it's special. I've said before … you know what you're going to get out of him every Saturday, every day. He's just a consistent person in the way he lives his life, the way he goes to work every day. It shows on the field. There were situations last week where guys were in position to make plays they didn't make them because of who he is. He's going to have to have a great game as well on Saturday because they're going to put that extra guy in the box at times too, just like FAU did.
More on WKU's defense:
They have really good players on that front seven. It starts up front with those defensive linemen. There aren't many teams that have had success blocking them because they're talented guys. They do a good job of holding their gaps. They get where they are supposed to be. They do what they're coached to do. We have to do the same.
More on Knox/offensive line:
I think the kid has played 12 games (at running back) and has over 1,200 yards. He's been pretty consistent since we put him in there during the ninth game a year ago. He's been a consistent player every week. Again, he just goes to work every day. You have to give those guys up front some credit too now. You go back and watch that (FAU) tape and they did some good things. Nobody runs for (220) yards unless those guys up front are playing really well. That happened last week and it will have to happen again.
On Marshall's defense:
Any time you can stop the run like we have the last two weeks and teams become one-dimensional … we've had 15 sacks the last two weeks. That's critical. We have to find some way to get pressure on (WKU QB Ty Storey) because he can throw it. The great thing about that (FAU) game is that I don't think any of the defensive ends played over 30 plays. We rolled four or five guys in there and there isn't much of a dropoff. Channing (Hames) played a few more than that but when you play (around 30 plays), you can play really, really hard. That's what those guys are doing and we're getting production out of a lot of players. We have some depth there. (Rodney) Croom is playing really well. Jamare Edwards is playing his football right now too. Any time we can roll those guys in there and spell those other guys, that's going to help. I think Hames was in the 40s in terms of his number of plays. Down there (at FAU), it was hot at humid. (You don't want) to have to have a defensive lineman go down there and play 70 plays. Our offense has also been able to control the ball a little bit at times. The last drive of the first half kept our defense off the field. We've done some things to help our defense and we need to continue to do that.
More on WKU's Storey:
He played at Arkansas. He's a guy who has played in the SEC. He's playing with a lot of confidence. He's doing what they're asking him to do. There is no doubt that he has control of that offense.
On Marshall's back-to-back wins:
When you win, the food tastes better. It's easier to go to work every day. It's all good.
On the win over FAU:
For me, it was watching that offensive line and Knox take that game over … to be able to run the ball like we did. We were able to kick the ball off (laughing). We did a nice job with our kickoff team and made some changes there that helped us. That was the best game we played all year on special teams. Robert LeFevre downed four inside the 20. Our kickoff team did a nice job. We had a punt return for 10+ yards. When you walk in and turn that tape on, you see what you're coaching. You can actually see, on tape, guys taking coaching and doing what you're asking them to do. That was the best overall game we've played, in all three phases, to date. We have to continue to get better. If we can do that, we have a chance.
On getting contributions from freshmen:
Micah Abraham went in and played extremely well. He's a true freshman who is starting to get it now and playing well. Eli Neal went in and made three tackles on the kickoff team. Knowledge McDaniel went in and made another tackle on kickoff. E.J. Jackson, another freshman, went in there and did a nice job on punt return and ran down on kickoff. There are four freshmen who are starting to come around that's what has to happen on your special teams to be where you want to be. Those guys, at this point in the season, are having to go in there and play. With Chris Jackson out, we had to move Nazeeh (Johnson) to nickel, which moved (Abraham) to safety and he went in there and played well so that was great to see.
On Steven Gilmore:
What a game that Gilmore kid played. Not only (the interception), but he's also a missile on our punt team and he and Micah (Abraham) made just about every play. He's (Gilmore) just a competitor. He just has "it". His brother (Stephon) had two (interceptions) last night for the Patriots. I'm not saying he's his brother, but if he were 6'1" like his brother, he probably wouldn't be here. He'd be at South Carolina or somewhere. He's a hell of a football player who has "it". He (Steven) was one of our defensive champions last week, so it was great to see.
On Tyler Brown:
He had two sacks. He plays well. Like Knox, you know every day what you're going to get with him. He's going to go work and you know exactly what you're going to get. He goes extremely hard. He's getting better. He was a quarterback all through his high school career and started out in college as a quarterback. There's a guy who is getting his feet wet and starting to understand the game at linebacker. He's on two or three special teams as well. He's playing a lot of football for us.
On the possibility of seeing trick plays from WKU:
I was surprised last week that FAU didn't pull out some sort of gadget or trick play because that's who (Lane Kiffin) is. (WKU) is the same way. The way you handle that is by being disciplined and executing your techniques and doing what you're coached to do. Just being disciplined and playing the defense that is called. Just do your job. If you do that, then normally, those trick plays aren't very successful.
Captains for this week are Brenden Knox and Levi Brown on offense. On defense, we'll have Omari Cobb and Channing Hames. If you look at that Western Kentucky football team, Tyson has done a great job with that team. They're well-coached. They get lined up properly. They make plays. They're taking care of the football. They're doing all of the things that excellent football teams do. It will be a great challenge for us. We're excited to get going and to be back at home. We're looking forward to a great game.
On WKU's defense:
When I was a coach at NC State, Clayton White played for us. He was a coordinator a year ago and stayed on. He's done a nice job with that defense. They were solid, defensively, a year ago. Last year, (Tyre) Brady had to make a big play at the end to beat team. A lot of those guys are back. It wasn't like they changed everything defensively, because the coordinator stayed. Clayton has done a great job coaching those guys up. They do a great job of tackling in space. They have some good players over there. They are a little similar to Old Dominion in that they do a good job of stopping the run.
On Saturday's game:
Last week, there wasn't any issue getting them going and this week shouldn't be any different. If you're a competitor and you're a football team with dreams and expectations, this is one you better get up for. And they will. Our kids … they'll get up and be ready to play as I'm sure Western will as well. It will be Homecoming (for Marshall), a great crowd and our guys will be eager to play.
On the possibility that Marshall could be over-hyped for Saturday's game:
I don't think so. It's all about preparation and doing a great job. Our guys have gone to work every practice. This game will be won by how they prepare. Last night was a great practice. We have to have one today and again tomorrow and Thursday. Our walk-through is on Friday and then we'll get ready to go play. But no, I don't anticipate that.
On avoiding penalties:
You have to. At the end of the day, it could've cost us a week ago. You just can't do that. A couple of them are aggressive penalties that you just have to eliminate. Any time you play an excellent football team … I've always said it can come down to two or three plays that win or lose games. You can't afford to have critical penalties at critical times. We've talked about that. We've worked on that. That has to get corrected and it will.
On Brenden Knox:
He works so hard, he's such a great kid. He does everything right. For great things to happen to a kid like that … it's special. I've said before … you know what you're going to get out of him every Saturday, every day. He's just a consistent person in the way he lives his life, the way he goes to work every day. It shows on the field. There were situations last week where guys were in position to make plays they didn't make them because of who he is. He's going to have to have a great game as well on Saturday because they're going to put that extra guy in the box at times too, just like FAU did.
More on WKU's defense:
They have really good players on that front seven. It starts up front with those defensive linemen. There aren't many teams that have had success blocking them because they're talented guys. They do a good job of holding their gaps. They get where they are supposed to be. They do what they're coached to do. We have to do the same.
More on Knox/offensive line:
I think the kid has played 12 games (at running back) and has over 1,200 yards. He's been pretty consistent since we put him in there during the ninth game a year ago. He's been a consistent player every week. Again, he just goes to work every day. You have to give those guys up front some credit too now. You go back and watch that (FAU) tape and they did some good things. Nobody runs for (220) yards unless those guys up front are playing really well. That happened last week and it will have to happen again.
On Marshall's defense:
Any time you can stop the run like we have the last two weeks and teams become one-dimensional … we've had 15 sacks the last two weeks. That's critical. We have to find some way to get pressure on (WKU QB Ty Storey) because he can throw it. The great thing about that (FAU) game is that I don't think any of the defensive ends played over 30 plays. We rolled four or five guys in there and there isn't much of a dropoff. Channing (Hames) played a few more than that but when you play (around 30 plays), you can play really, really hard. That's what those guys are doing and we're getting production out of a lot of players. We have some depth there. (Rodney) Croom is playing really well. Jamare Edwards is playing his football right now too. Any time we can roll those guys in there and spell those other guys, that's going to help. I think Hames was in the 40s in terms of his number of plays. Down there (at FAU), it was hot at humid. (You don't want) to have to have a defensive lineman go down there and play 70 plays. Our offense has also been able to control the ball a little bit at times. The last drive of the first half kept our defense off the field. We've done some things to help our defense and we need to continue to do that.
More on WKU's Storey:
He played at Arkansas. He's a guy who has played in the SEC. He's playing with a lot of confidence. He's doing what they're asking him to do. There is no doubt that he has control of that offense.
On Marshall's back-to-back wins:
When you win, the food tastes better. It's easier to go to work every day. It's all good.
On the win over FAU:
For me, it was watching that offensive line and Knox take that game over … to be able to run the ball like we did. We were able to kick the ball off (laughing). We did a nice job with our kickoff team and made some changes there that helped us. That was the best game we played all year on special teams. Robert LeFevre downed four inside the 20. Our kickoff team did a nice job. We had a punt return for 10+ yards. When you walk in and turn that tape on, you see what you're coaching. You can actually see, on tape, guys taking coaching and doing what you're asking them to do. That was the best overall game we've played, in all three phases, to date. We have to continue to get better. If we can do that, we have a chance.
On getting contributions from freshmen:
Micah Abraham went in and played extremely well. He's a true freshman who is starting to get it now and playing well. Eli Neal went in and made three tackles on the kickoff team. Knowledge McDaniel went in and made another tackle on kickoff. E.J. Jackson, another freshman, went in there and did a nice job on punt return and ran down on kickoff. There are four freshmen who are starting to come around that's what has to happen on your special teams to be where you want to be. Those guys, at this point in the season, are having to go in there and play. With Chris Jackson out, we had to move Nazeeh (Johnson) to nickel, which moved (Abraham) to safety and he went in there and played well so that was great to see.
On Steven Gilmore:
What a game that Gilmore kid played. Not only (the interception), but he's also a missile on our punt team and he and Micah (Abraham) made just about every play. He's (Gilmore) just a competitor. He just has "it". His brother (Stephon) had two (interceptions) last night for the Patriots. I'm not saying he's his brother, but if he were 6'1" like his brother, he probably wouldn't be here. He'd be at South Carolina or somewhere. He's a hell of a football player who has "it". He (Steven) was one of our defensive champions last week, so it was great to see.
On Tyler Brown:
He had two sacks. He plays well. Like Knox, you know every day what you're going to get with him. He's going to go work and you know exactly what you're going to get. He goes extremely hard. He's getting better. He was a quarterback all through his high school career and started out in college as a quarterback. There's a guy who is getting his feet wet and starting to understand the game at linebacker. He's on two or three special teams as well. He's playing a lot of football for us.
On the possibility of seeing trick plays from WKU:
I was surprised last week that FAU didn't pull out some sort of gadget or trick play because that's who (Lane Kiffin) is. (WKU) is the same way. The way you handle that is by being disciplined and executing your techniques and doing what you're coached to do. Just being disciplined and playing the defense that is called. Just do your job. If you do that, then normally, those trick plays aren't very successful.
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