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Bowling Green State University Athletics
Brandon's Tuesday Press Conference Quotes
September 30, 2003 | Football
Sept. 30, 2003
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University football team (3-1) prepares to open the Mid-American Conference portion of the schedule Saturday (Oct. 4), as the Falcons host Central Michigan University. That game, the Falcons' Homecoming contest, begins at 4:00 p.m. at BGSU's Perry Stadium. On Tuesday afternoon, Falcon head coach Gregg Brandon sat down with members of the media to discuss the Falcons, the Chippewas, and other matters...
Q: How did the 'bye' week go?
Brandon: "It was good that we got to heal up, and work on some fundamentals. Get a little extra preparation for Central Michigan, although that wasn't the emphasis. The emphasis was to get healthy."
Q: Michael Malone is out for this week. How long do you think he'll be out?
Brandon: "I anticipate him playing against Western (Michigan on Oct. 11). He sprained his knee, and it just needs to heal. I hope it doesn't become like Burkes. Jovon's problems have resulted from favoring his knee. He is slowly working his way back in. He'll go on some special teams Saturday."
Q: During the off week, were there any surprises, or anything different or unique?
Brandon: "No surprises, just a week of getting healthy, we didn't practice our starters in pads."
Q: How did the rookie scrimmage go?
Brandon: "That was fun, execution was awful but enthusiasm was great."
Q: Ever since December, you have said Bowling Green's goal was to win the MAC West. You start down that road Saturday. Are the players are in agreement with that attitude, and is everybody on the same page?
Brandon: "We all are on the same page of what we are trying to accomplish."
Q: Central Michigan will start (quarterback Derrick) Vickers, who had a big game against BGSU last year. What kinds of problems will that present?
Brandon: "Vickers is a mobile kid, we've got to contain him. They rush the ball well and we have to focus on the running game, in the first four games (the opponents' rushing offensive plans) haven't really evolved a (rushing) quarterback. The one freshman (RB Jerry Seymour) is out, but (senior RB Terrence) Jackson had a good game at Michigan. They're leading the conference in rushing. We've got to bow up."
Q: Is it a bad time to face a running team when you lose one of your safeties?
Brandon: "T.J. Carswell (who will start in Malone's spot) should be starting anyway. We just don't have a spot for him. We play him as kind of a linebacker. We haven't faced a lot of throwing teams. T.J. had a great camp and he deserves to start."
Q: Is it tougher to prepare for a team when they've got these injuries and an uncertainty as to who will start?
Brandon: "Not usually. Vickers presents a little different problem, because he is mobile and experienced. How that is going to affect this game plan? Right now our game plan is implemented, if we don't like it we can tweak it. We've got to stop Central Michigan's running game that's the primary things we have got to do."
Q: Is stopping CMU's running game 'key to victory' number-one on your list?
Brandon: "That and (eliminating) turnovers. We can't have another four-turnover game. Josh (Harris) will be diligent about taking care of the ball. I've been satisfied with the kicking game, because we were sound. We're going to face some really good special teams. Central does a nice job with special teams. We need to step that up a little bit and make something happen."
Q: When you are setting up a game plan, do you focus on key players, or do you focus on systems?
Brandon: "If there is a guy like (Northern Illinois') Michael Turner or Josh Harris, you have to stop him, and usually that means stopping their offense. Against Ohio State, we designed a plan to stop their offense not necessarily a guy. Purdue the same way. You have to stop what they do, not who they are doing it with, from a defensive perspective. We did not want to let (Chris) Gamble in the game at Ohio State, though. We had to know where he was and not call a pass to that side. My motto is don't let the great players beat you. Try to take him out of the game."
Q: Most of the guys you mentioned, except for Gamble, play solely on offense. Is (CMU's) James King, who plays on defense, a key guy to stop?
Brandon: "King has demonstrated an ability to make big plays, especially in the kicking game. We have to be aware of where he lines up and find a way to block him and secure him so he doesn't hurt us."
Q: Have you coached with (CMU head coach) Mike (Debord) before?
Brandon: "At Northwestern, in the spring of 1992, the first year we were there. In June, the Michigan (assistant coach, offensive) line job came open and he left. It was bad timing, but that's just how things go sometimes. He's a good football coach, he is a running football coach and his teams are always solid in that area. I don't see that changing between now and Saturday"
Q: Talk a little bit about Ted Piepkow, who has moved into the starting lineup with the injury to Jovon Burkes.
Brandon: "He is an instinctive, smart football player. He is kind of like (Devon) Parks that way, but (at linebacker) he has to know all the calls and adjustments. He's done a great job. I have to give (defensive coordinator) Tim Beckman a lot of credit, too. Teddy had never lost a football game in his career before last year at Northern Illinois. He is a winner."
Q: Were you surprised at the way he was able to step in and play?
Brandon: "Yes, when Burkes went down, Ted picked up his rifle and kept right on going. It's been great."
