Bowling Green State University Athletics
Gregg Brandon Press Conference
October 19, 2004 | Football
Oct. 19, 2004
Q. What did you think after watching the tape of the Ball State game?
A. It was probably our best overall game in all phases of the game and a lot of kids got to play and that's encouraging for your program. We've played well the last three weeks, and we're keeping people out of the endzone. We're taking care of the football offensively, and our special teams have picked up and that is encouraging.
Q. What is the status of Keon Newson and T.J. Carswell?
A. They are both going to play. Keon's going to have a cast on his thumb, and we held T.J. out of the second half to avoid [irritating] his hamstring because of the cold weather.
Q. Any changes on the 2-deep at this point?
A. No
Q. How about the wide receiver screen - can you talk about that play?
A. We've always practiced that, and we are finally running it. The opportunities are there and we're doing a nice job with that play. It's nice to get the ball out there to Chuck [Charles Sharon] in wide open spaces.
Q. Ohio's defense has created a lot of turnovers. What is the cause of that?
A. They're leading the MAC in a lot of defensive categories. They're very active and disruptive - that is usually the reason that turnovers are created. And they tackle well. Their secondary is experienced. [Chip] Cox has been there forever, and their two corners are good players. Their front seven line up in that odd front, and they're always stemming and moving out at and just wreaking havoc.
Q. Having gone a couple of weeks in a row playing opponents that have struggled to stop the pass to one that is now leading the MAC, is there a cause for concern about stepping it up?
A. Well, we are still going to do what we do, and see how they try to defend us. We feel we match up as well as anybody we've played.
Q. Conversely, Ohio's offense has struggled a little bit...
A. They have struggled the last two games moving the football, and I think they're going through some growing pains on that side of the ball. I think their quarterbacks are talented, and they have some good players. I think they've got a couple of receivers that can run. Where you see the transition is in the line. They've all blocked that wishbone stuff for all of those years and that triple option stuff and now they're asking them to do something that is completely foreign. Until you can get that transition mastered, or recruit guys for that, you are going to struggle.
Q. How far along are they in their transition?
A. They kind of remind me of where we were in 2001. We were playing two quarterbacks and kind of waiting for Josh [Harris] to get it. And it took him a while to get it. We only had six players on our offensive line that year. So, we had some good receivers and a decent running game. We were about middle of the pack in the league in offense that year - I think we ended up finishing third or fourth in total offense that year. That is where they are right now. They are right in the middle of the pack in statistics.
Q. Do you attack Ohio's offense similar to the way you attacked Ball State?
A. Their quarterbacks haven't been in the system either, so it's like playing a freshman. You're teaching a quarterback a new system. Last time we played them they were playing (Stafford) Owens at quarterback, and now they've moved him to tailback. And he was running the option, so it's completely different. Obviously, we're going to try to continue to harass him and put pressure on and mix things up on the defensive side because Toledo and Marshall got after them the last two weeks pretty good. And we feel that we're every bit as good as those teams on defense.
Q. Does it make it more difficult for your team to prepare for two quarterbacks?
A. I don't think so because I don't think one guy is going to come in there and do something totally different than the other guy. They are system guys. I heard Coach Knorr make a comment about how they kind of go by feel of who seems to be into the game, who has a feel for what the defense is doing to them and that is who they are going to play. So, hopefully we can get both of them out of there and find out who the third guy is.
Q. Since the Temple game, Coach Beckman has been on the sidelines. Can you discuss that?
A. I think he has found that our players have a higher level of comfort with him down there calling defenses from the boundary. Really with Coach Tim Beckman it was a personal preference to be in the box because he can obviously see schemes. With Coach Mike Ward [in the box] who has been with Beckman a long time, and with the experience that Coach Vance Joseph has brought to the staff, it was probably something we should have done from the get-go. But, it was just a matter of Beckman feeling comfortable on the boundary and trusting the eyes in the box. Coach Joseph is a heck of an addition to our staff, and with him being up top along with Coach Ward, Joseph can eyeball the backend and Ward eyeballs the front. You've got a good combination, so Coach Beckman trusts those two guys that he is getting accurate information. I think our players like him down there a little more because he can jump in their face after a series and that type of thing. It's a little bit different screaming at a guy through the headphones or looking him in the eye.
Q. Does Coach Studrawa lobby to come back down on the sidelines?
A. He wants no where near the boundary now. He loves it up there...especially on a day like Saturday. And he's doing a nice job, and his play selection has been excellent. I think he's kind of grown with Omar. Coach Mick McCall has done a great job with Omar. Studrawa and McCall communicate well together. Coach Zach Azzanni has done a great job with the receivers. Of course, you know Coach Springer [is doing a great job] with P.J. Pope and B.J. Lane and he coaches that kick off return too, so he was fired up [on The Falcon's Nest with Gregg Brandon Radio Show] last night. He was going to let that slide - you've got to ride that wave boy. It's the penthouse or the outhouse in six days in this business, so Springer's in the penthouse now.
Q. Ryan Newble- can you comment on his play?
A. Well, Newble brings a great deal of maturity to our defense. He's a senior, as a JC transfer he's only been with us for two years, but he's a mature guy, an older guy. I wish we had him for two more years though. I wish he would have come in as a freshman because he's a quality person, and he's doing nice things for our D-Line as far as leadership. And he's a pretty good football player as well and he gives us great depth, provides us with leadership, and he's a good program guy and a good student.
Q. Is there any one thing that he does better than others?
A. He's pretty much a jack-of-all-trades. He's pretty salty in the run; he plays a good pad level. He's not as explosive on pass rush as Devon Parks or T.J. Carswell, but he can do some things in that area. He just needed experience here, and bringing JUCO players to this level...he could have benefited from a redshirt year. We couldn't redshirt him because we brought him in because we had no depth. And last year, if you remember, I didn't expect to have Rick Mauer and Will Teague, and they show up and hung in there and gave us more depth. I thought we were lucky last year that Mauer and Teague could play and we could bring on Newble and Gardner. This year, the backup guy is a redshirt. In the future, with (Joseph) Schaefer and (Diyral) Briggs, we'll be able to turn them loose.
