Opening Statement
What were the ways you could've won?
“There's a situation where we start an offensive drive with about seven minutes to go in the third quarter and on the minus-28 yard line backed up with the score being 24-16. We go boom, boom and boom and all of a sudden we have a first-and-10 at the 33-yard line. Now we are in scoring position. (Kicker) Pat (Shadle) can hit a 50-yard field goal, or we can still continue on with our touchdown drive. Instead, we stall. On third down, we take the sack and it really takes us out of any scoring opportunity, which forced us to punt. Instead of having the opportunity to have a two-score lead going into the fourth quarter it's still a one score game. We turned right around and punt the ball and we pin them back. On defense we have a third down and nine at the minus-24 yard line and they throw a little screen on and we have an opportunity to make the play right at the 25-yard line. We didn't wrap up on the tackle and the receiver gets to where he's two inches short of making the first down and they're able to sneak the ball and make it. Right there, you have a situation where you can go up by two scores, you have a situation where you could've held them and gotten the ball back, instead, it put them (Pittsburgh) in a mode and it allowed them to do what they do best. From that point on, there were still some situations where we could've taken advantage of things. That's really where I see an opportunity that we could've still had good control of the game.”
Did you consider blitzing Pitt's run in the first half?
“We didn't have much trouble with their run in the first half. In their first 55 plays, the longest run that they had was a 15-yard gain. They had one explosive run. In the first 55 plays of the defense, we allowed three explosive plays. An 18 yard pass, a 20 yard pass and a 15 yard run. Now that's markedly improved from the past. I'm saying we didn't do some things in there and that we didn't put some pressure on. We did.”
What about in the second half?
“In the formations that they continued to stay in, it's not that simple to blitz. They had two tight ends and two backs. It's easier said than done (to blitz). It sounds really good, but it is feast or famine. I've been down that road. Quite frankly, what we needed to do is play better. We still did. Even in those situations I just mentioned to you, we had them when they were on offense after that punt in the third quarter. It was third and nine, backed up. We didn't take advantage of that. We blitzed that same formation against Penn State. It was a touchdown. Okay? It would have been a walk-in touchdown because it happens that way. We just need to play better. That's really what it was or we need to get that lead where all of a sudden, there was more pressure on Pitt to have to open things up. That's the way I would like at that.”
What made you think Curtis (Brinkley) needed a rest by putting Antwon Bailey in? Brinkley said after the game that he was frustrated not playing and that he was not tired.
“What we had said at halftime was Doug (Hogue) was not 100 percent. From that, we said we're going to use Antwon (Bailey) and use Doug just for third down. When he (Antwon) came in, they had the green light on that side of the ball to use him if they deemed it necessary. When he went in, he went in. So you know what? I would expect Curtis to say that. I would think in his own mind, he always thinks that way. All-in-all, we needed to make sure we had somebody ready to go and Antwon has done a fine job for us. I wished he would've gotten a little help on those two plays that he was in. In the case of Curtis, I don't question him in any way for being frustrated or wanting to be in.”
Could talk about safety A.J. Brown starting the game and Da'Mon (Merkerson) playing both sides of the ball (cornerback and receiver)?
“In A.J.'s case, he is an experienced football player. As the week progressed and I watched things, it really came down to Friday that I decided I was going to play A.J. I just felt like it wasn't fair to put Randy (McKinnon) or Kevyn Scott in at the start of the ball game. Quite frankly, A.J. played very well for the most part. On top of that, it was a period where I didn't have to worry about where A.J. was. Those two guys (McKinnon and Scott) are going to be good football players and they're developing. But, I just felt at that time it wasn't fair to them and in fairness to A.J., let him get back out there and go. Like I said, for the most part he played very well. He had a couple plays at the end where I wish he would've tackled better, but all-in-all, he made plays, he helped people get lined up and did what I expected he would do.
“As far as Da'Mon goes, he is a good receiver. I think he can help and he's an experienced guy. I wanted him over (on offense) there as well as over on the other side of the ball. He did a lot of good things during the week, and even on film, he did some things in that game and threw some nice blocks. Da'Mon is capable of catching the deep ball and running good routes. I wish he caught his first ball, but you know what, he's not the first one to drop a football. All-in-all, he's a good player and he's improved as a cornerback in that game. He played a number of plays.”
On third down situations, why is it such a problem for your offense to stay on the field or get your defense off the field?
“We've worked on it. We've spent the last two weeks on both sides of the ball really emphasizing it and competing against each other. I think some of it is youth. I think you have to be careful on the offensive side of the ball in what we do because I think you can't get too creative. On the defensive side of the ball, I felt a little bit better about things the other day. I felt like we were a little bit more in control on third down. I think we had a couple situations where we could've done a better job. On the defensive side it's improving and I'd like to believe that it is on the offensive side. I think as Cam (Dantley) gets more and more comfortable with his group and that protection group gets more and more comfortable, I think you'll see more productivity. We have addressed it over the last two weeks on both sides of the ball. Not that we hadn't in the past, but we've definitely taken periods where we've competed against each other to try and improve in those areas.”
Do you feel like that's how you fix it? In a competitive type of nature at practice?
“You have to get it to where it's a competitive environment. At the same time, it's about the things that you do and how you execute. You have to try and do it in a competitive mode to try and get it better.”
Do you think you'll have to be more aggressive in these situations, offensively and defensively?
“The other day on defense, we had success on the first one. The second time, they cracked on us and it was like a pick route that they got out there to (LaRod) Stephens-Howling. Really, we had a chance out there to make a tackle. Then I thought we pressured again on another time and had success. We had a pressure call on the one on the little screen to the wide receiver where we had a chance to make the play for a one-yard gain and we didn't. It was good mixture. There were a couple coverage losses that I was a little disappointed in on third down.”
Can you talk about how you're going to use the bye week and what sorts of things you will work on?
“Just as I told the team, we have seven games left. The thing I know about this team, is that we still have room to grow and develop. I do believe if we maintain the proper focus through this bye week and really use it to our advantage, we have a change to be a much better football team two weeks from now. That's what we have to strive to do is get better every week. I think it is happening. That's what the focus is. We play West Virginia and South Florida in the next two weeks before the next bye which helps us on the defensive side of the ball. They're offenses are similar and it can help click us into that mode. At the same time, on the offensive side of the ball, it gives us a chance to look at the West Virginia style of defense and the USF style of defense. They're different styles. It also comes down to just getting better, too. That's really where our point of emphasis will be.”
Are there some areas you will reassess this week?
“On the defensive side of the ball, I felt a comfort zone out there with our players for the first time all season. That was the first time I saw them out there, together, functioning together. There are still young players who I think are improving. We want to incorporate those people because they give you depth. On the offensive side of the ball, that offensive line, of the first seven players who play, five of them are young. They've improved a good amount. I think that they can develop. I think the wide receiver position is only going to get better. I see it looking cleaner and cleaner. I think that they're competing with each other and that's a good thing. We are understanding what we have better. Now it's a matter of trying to put guys in the right spots.”