Bowling Green State University Athletics
Urban Meyer Weekly Media Lunch
August 28, 2002 | Football
Aug. 28, 2002
Urban Meyer's Opening Statement
"We have put a lot of work into this game. Whenever you have so much time between your first game and second game you treat it as if it's a one game season and worry about the rest of the season later on. All our focus and all our preparation has been on Tennessee Tech. They're a team that came in here a couple years ago and the score indicated that Bowling Green won hands down but the score at halftime I believe was 14-9 and they came in here and actually beat up Bowling Green. Bowling Green rushed for 90 yards and they were a running football team. They had an experienced offensive line which just got really close to being embarassed. They were pushed around all over the field so you can bet we've shown that tape, and now they're a much better team. They're a perennial top 25 Division I-AA school now. They're well coached on offense and defense. They are a no-huddle offense which we've had a little of trouble with that and on defense they play sound fundamentals. They're not a high risk defense, they play a 4-3 and they pretty much stick with it. They're very well coached and I need to let everybody know that we need to put all our efforts into this game."
How do you gage if the players are focused for this game and not overlooking it?
"Well I think if you had a really veteran group coming back you have to worry about it. Right now our guys are so assignment conscience and assignment oriented because there are too many missed assignments, especially on defense, they're so young, and we're trying some new things on defense that to even think they're worrying about anything other than putting on a good show and performing well on Thursday night, that's nonsense. That's not going on. On offense you have more veteran players, especially up front but that's why we made such a big deal about showing that film from three years ago and the fact that they did get embarrassed. There's no issue, the coaching staff is all over it, these players just want to play well and play hard."
Last year before the Missouri game you weren't able to sleep or sure how you were gonna react, with one year of experience are you going to be able sleep before the game?
"Well, I don't know. The youth of the team has me concerned, and as a coach, the reason you can't sleep is because you are just so concerned about getting them in position to make plays to be successful. The job description of a coach entails a lot of things, but number one, you have to get those guys in position to make the play. And then it is their responsibility to make the play, so we've covered everywhere. We are far more advanced then we were a year ago, we have covered every situation that could possible happen in a game, or a scrimmage, or an up-tempo situation in practice, which last year, we didn't have the luxury to do that. This year we've covered every, every area of special teams because the team we're playing is simple, not simple, but is, you know they're not real unique on defense, and offensively, they're not real unique other than their huddle. But on special teams, they give you multitudes of looks and I can see them coming in there and trying to run a fake field goal, fake punt, and we've spent a lot of time on that. So, to answer your question in a round-a-bout way, I am more concerned about just making sure we put these guys in position to make plays, and I think we have."
What kind of things have you done to work towards producing more points.
"Well, people, coaches often complicate offenses. Offense, in football, is all about finding the right match-ups, and giving that guy the ball. And that's the beauty of the spread offense, you can find out, if you split up five receivers, their fifth best cover guys is going to be covering one of your guys. Hopefully, that's Robert Redd, Joe Alls, James Hawkins, or one of our better players-if that's the case, we have now got to find a way to get him the ball. So, it's all match-ups, and early in the game, you'll see us do a variety of things to find out how they are going to play us. Then, once we do, Gregg Brandon and Dan Mullen, and all of us, we'll just find a way to get the guys to the ball, they can make plays. Last year going to Missouri, Andy Sahm did a good job in that game, throwing the ball to, basically, David Bautista. Cole caught a couple balls. We threw the ball for a hundred yards, I think. Last year, in our run game, we had John Gibson, who was not a big play guy, who ended up having a great year. Joe Alls ran very well for us. So, whereas last year, we maybe had one or two that we said, let 's find a way to get to the ball. This year, we have four or five. And that's where you gotta be. You know, when you start getting six, seven guys, that you say let's let him get the ball in his hands a couple times, then you got a really potent offense, and we're really getting close to that now, 'cause I can think of about four or five guys right off the top of my head that we've already got in the game plan ways to get them the ball."
How important is it for you and the team to get off to a good start this week? Especially when you don't play again for two weeks, how do you play football?
"I think it's everything, I really do. I think the community expects a good team, the student body expects a good team, and we expect a good team. It's very important to come out first, full of passion, energy and juice. The way we did the last few games last year and see a spirited team that's going to go out and play hard, play disciplined football, that's our trademark-and I can't wait. We're tired of hitting each other. The guys' legs are starting to come back, which until yesterday, I was starting to question their head coach, whether their legs will be back, but they are coming back. And they'll be-I tell them all the time that they'll be walking on water by game time. And I think they will. I think what you just said is key. They better come sprinting their butts out of that tunnel. They better on the first kickoff, or first kickoff return, be flying around that field, and I think they will."
Have you changed anything about your actual game management, Urban, as far as who you have on the sideline, who's in the press box, who makes the majority of the calls here and there-is that all basically the same, the system you used last year worked comfortably?
"Oh yeah, and we have the same staff back and a little more trust within the group. You know on offense, we have Gregg Brandon to call all the plays. Now there's input from other people and during the course of the series, you'll hear myself and Dan Mullen discussing, in-between, series. The line coaches have a lot of say-so on what they're gonna run and that's how we operate on offense. On defense, Tim Beckman's gonna call the defense and John Bowers is down below and those two are the ones having the most conversations with the. Special teams, Tommy Thigpen has been named head coordinator, he'll have very much input in what we do but ultimately I want to be involved with that as well. So really it hasn't changed much at all to answer your question, we have continuity of staff and that's a real positive."
How much more comfortable are you with your own game management of that big moving monster that's a football game going into this game as opposed to last year?
"Well I'm kind of a a bit more nervous than last year. Last year just happened so fast, before I knew it I was in Columbia, Missouri on the sideline. This year I've mulled it over in my head a million times now because there is more continuity and more trust. Last year, I was so concerned with the offense because we were so young, and now I've actually spent the same amount of time with the defense. Last year just hit me so fast that, I'm always gonna be concerned that the players are in the right position and where they need to be."
You've had injuries, a couple on your defensive line and then Jarrett, is he good, bad?
"Jarrett is out for the year, he'll have surgery this week and that is a devastating loss not only because I think he's maybe the best all-around football player on our team, now fans may not realize that because he's kind of the unsung hero but he's a leader, he's by far the toughest player on the team. He has a future in football that's how much he's worked. He'll be back next year, he's with us heart and soul. I'm devastated myself, that's how much respect I have for Craig Jarrett. Will Teague, a guy we planned on having start for us, has been unhealthy since I got here. He's just been plagued with injuries. He had a bad ankle and ended up needing surgery and that hurt us, especially us lacking depth. Andy Grubb will be back; he was a back-up player for us giving us some depth on the defensive line. We've had some injuries but I think that's a tribute to our conditioning program. You're not allowed to pull a hamstring, we can't have that."
How do you think some of the young guys will react Thursday? A younger defensive back or a younger receiver that's gonna play?
"I don't know. We'll have a few big mouths out there and a few big eyes but we've got some good freshmen in here and they're gonna play hard. They understand that the MAC starts up at the end of September."
Who are the true freshmen that will play?
"Leininger, a young man from Liberty Center. I anticipate that Monty Cooley will get in the game , a defensive end from Georgia. Jelani Jordan, a defensive back from Georgia. PJ Pope and Steve Navarro will play special teams from Chicago. Those guys are the ones off the top of my head for sure that are gonna play."
Did you anticipate that you would have half a dozen going?
"Yeah, especially Jordan. PJ Pope is a real pleasant surprise, I didn't expect him to come in and beat out Godfrey (Lewis)or Martez (Johnson), I mean he's on Joe Alls' heels a little bit. I mean he's a talented guy, but he's got to take care of the ball. The D line forces you to play guys like Leininger and Monty Cooley. You know they're not ready to play but that's the hand you're dealt and you deal with it and move on."
Is it a better deal community-wise to have the game on Thursday rather than Saturday?
"Community, I don't know. The campus, no question and that's our top priority. If we can get 10,000 students there we'll be alright. Our marketing people are doing a great job, I was on campus today and we're doing everything we can to get them here. I spoke to the freshmen and I'll be very disappointed if we don't have a good student turnout."
