Bowling Green State University Athletics
Urban Meyer Press Conference
August 28, 2001 | Football
Aug. 28, 2001
Q & A FROM URBAN MEYER'S PRESS CONFERENCE
(Opening Statement)
"A lot of times, in the programs I've been associated with, you concentrate so much on your opponent, as opposed to yourself. Now, though, our whole focus has been not on who we're gonna play, but on improving as a football team. My main concern is just on getting these guys to play hard and understand the work ethic that is demanded of them. It's been a lot like spring practice. In spring practice, we started off so poorly, but we finished rather strongly. That was encouraging. The negative thing is that we came back for two-a-days, and it was the exact same thing. We came out real slow, with guys not understanding the commitment, the hard coaching that they were gonna get, and, obviously, the strenuous two-a-days of training camp that we put them through. But, the last week is a lot like spring practice, I'm really encouraged. Last (Monday) night, we had a great practice, one of our better practices of the year. We will practice at nights on Monday, that's gonna be a weekly thing. So, they have improved, they're buying into it, and we just have to find out how good they really are. I think we're gonna go into this game with a bunch of guys who want to play hard."
How does the offensive line look?
"My comments after spring ball were that they were probably the most improved area on the team, and that if they stay healthy, we're gonna be OK. We've stayed somewhat healthy. Our first five guys, the guys that are gonna play, have been coached extremely well. They are guys that we're going to count on. They have to stay healthy for us to be successful, because if something happens, we've got a serious issue. But I feel really good about Jon Mazur and (Scott) Mruczkowski. Andy Hart and (Greg) Kupke will both play at one of the guard spots, and then Dennis Wendel and Malcolm Robinson. I feel good about our offensive line, that first group."
What is the status of Kurt Gerling?
"We've made the decision that we're going to start him on Saturday, which is an absolute testimony to the kind of kid he is. He was a guy that went down, and underwent surgery, and I thought, `there's no chance (he will play this year).' But, then you have the trainer, the doctors and his teammates saying that somehow, he'll be back. What a story that is. He had an a.c.l. (injury) in April, and now he's going to start the first game. He's a tremendous kid.
"I had the opportunity, for the first time, to really study that Toledo game from two years ago (a 34-23 BGSU victory). I didn't see one game like that last year, as far as effort, execution and intensity by that offensive team. That game, which I studied because of the style of defense that we're gonna face, was impressive. The game Robert Redd and Gerling and Andy Sahm had, I mean, I'm glad Kurt Gerling is back, because we're counting on him to make some plays for us."
How about the receivers as a whole? Is that group where you'd like them to be?
"Probably one of the biggest non-truths when I got hired is that a lot of people said, `You've got the best group of receivers in the conference.' I absolutely disagreed with that 100 per cent after the film I watched. I'm starting to feel much better, though. You have a David Bautista, a Kurt Gerling and a Robert Redd, they all understand what we're doing, and they all have improved their techniques. I don't have anything to gage it by, but they're starting to be a productive group that you can count on. Now, all of a sudden, you take James Hawkins, you take a Cole Magner, Charles Sharon and Cornelius McGrady - there's four additions we didn't have in the spring. Add a healthy Kurt Gerling, and it's much improved."
What is the injury situation?
"Jason Van Dam and Godfrey Lewis are two starters that will miss the Missouri game. Van Dam has a concussion, and we hope to have him back in a week or so."
That leaves you a little experienced at tight end, doesn't it?
"Yes, we're inexperienced, but we've got D'Monn Baker and Craig Jarrett. Jarrett is not a prototype tight end, but he's a worker, he's a tough guy. We'll be OK, we just need to stay healthy in that spot. D'Monn Baker's a talented guy. You're going to hear a lot of D'Monn Baker in the next two or three years."
With Lewis out, who is in the mix at running back for the Missouri game?
"We have (Joe) Alls and (John) Gibson. John Gibson, the last scrimmage in particular, really impressed me as far as running hard. His job description is not gonna be to shake anybody, because he can't. And, I told him that. I said `get that out of your mind.' He needs to keep a low pad level and try to get six or seven yards. And, I think he's buying into that, and coach (Gregg Brandon) has done a nice job with him. He's running hard, and he and Joe Alls will carry the ball for us."
What is your assessment of Cole Magner?
"He is an intriguing guy. I don't want to put a lot of pressure on a true freshman, but he could play a lot of places. I've coached at some pretty good places, and I'd take him every time. To be honest, this was the first evaluation of Alaskan High School football I've ever had. But, Gregg Brandon had him in camp at Colorado. And, nine out of 10 times, if you have a kid in camp, you know that you'd either take him or you're not gonna take him, because you've already worked with him. His father's a coach, and he plays like that. He's got good speed. You look at him and think, `he must hand out the drinks at practice,' but I'm ecstatic that we have him. He's also our third quarterback, he's practicing at both quarterback and wide receiver. I can't say enough about the kind of person that guy is."
Comment about playing a kind of game like the Missouri game, a road game against a team from a conference like the Big 12. Sometimes the playing field is leveled in this kind of game, and the "favorites" don't always win. Why?
"I think it's the quality of football players. I think the days of prohibitive favorites are uncommon now. You're only allowed 85 scholarships, and there's not a multitude of athletes like there has been in the past. There are a couple players at Bowling Green that could play at a couple of the other places I've been. Where you find the big difference, in my mind, is when you start getting guys banged up. At Notre Dame or Ohio State, the backup is also a Parade All-American, and you don't miss that much. What I'm finding here is that, if you lose a guy in certain areas of our football team, it's devastating. I don't know what the point spread is for the Missouri game, or if they even set a point spread for this game, and I'm not concerned about that at all. I'm concerned with getting our guys ready. We have not set our season around beating Missouri. What we've set our season around is playing extremely hard, learning the new offense, playing team defense, taking care of the football and playing good special teams. That plan was put in place in December, and that plan won't change whether we're playing the Green Bay Packers, the Missouri Tigers or the Buffalo Bulls next week."
How are the special teams units?
OK. I feel good about our punter. I was the special teams coordinator at Notre Dame for quite a while, and when you have Julius Jones returning kicks and Hunter Smith as your punter, you're really a good special teams coach. I feel pretty good about our punt team, because our punter, Pat Fleming, is good. I don't know enough about our return game yet. I don't know enough about Joe Alls and Robert Redd and those guys. Our kicking game, as far as field goals and extra points, is not quite where we need it to be. We're probably behind Missouri in that aspect, but I believe we'll be sound."
What are your thoughts about Missouri?
"I think they've completely overhauled their defense, and gone with a style centered around speed. ... I think they've gone with what's worked for them in the past. And, when you look at Toledo tape (from last year), why change. I give Gary Pinkel a lot of credit. He's gone down there and said, `Yeah, I know this guy was All-Big 12, but you're going to play our way.' That's why he's won before, and that's why he will win at Missouri. He's got a plan in place, and he's not gonna alter that plan. They have two very good inside linebackers in (Sean) Doyle and (Jamonte) Robinson. They're not very big, but they're fast. And, from everything I've read and seen, they are quality guys, along with their free safety (Clarence Jones). Those three guys are a concern for us. On offense, they're just huge. And, they're gonna be ball control, they've got an athletic quarterback like Toledo ran last year, so I think you could fire up the Toledo tape from last year, you're gonna see what you'll see the team from Columbia, Mo., run. So, the positive is, I think we know what they're gonna do, and the negative is, can we stop it?"
Is this week, the week before your first game as a head coach, fun for you?
"I think it's probably the most fun I've had, other than maybe when I first went to Notre Dame. Other than that, I can't think of more enjoyment that I've had. After last night's practice, I went home at about 10 o'clock, and watched an NFL game for about a half-hour. I'm at peace. I don't know, we might get our doors blown off, but I think it's gonna be because they're that much better than we are. It's not gonna be because we're disorganized and kids don't care. Or, you never know, that funny-shaped ball might bounce our way a couple times, and maybe we go into the fourth quarter, and we're pushing each other around."
