October 02, 2001
Did you expect a 100-yard rushing game from Derek Farmer in his starting debut?
"You never know. He had played the week before and when he came in the game he was making some good five-yard runs. Then he had the fumble, but it was an effort fumble, which reminded me a lot of Rodney Thomas. He was fighting and scratching and doing things you like to see your tailbacks do to gain yards. I thought we could coach the other parts, but I really like the little cuts here and there that he uses. I was really impressed with how he came in and played in the Oklahoma state game and for that reason I felt like he deserved to go into the ball game. There was a little risk involved with starting a true freshman in a big game like that, but he seems to be a pretty steady young man. I though he responded beautifully. He had a couple of runs that he showed his natural talents. He is a tough hard running back. I see a lot of Rodney Thomas in Derek Farmer. He is a real quiet kid that goes about his business and plays hard in practice."
On Jarrod Penright's development...
"He is an extremely strong guy physically. He took a big step on Saturday for us in that position. He is one of those guys that the light just sort of clicked on and he really came out big on Saturday. I think he can be comparable to (former all-conference OLB Warrick) Holdman. I saw one time on the belly option on Saturday when he manhandled the guard on a belly g option. He just took him and shoved him back into the play, and it was a big guard."
Punt block success...
"We've had some success doing that. Jay Brooks has had some remarkable success. He has a great effort every time to get in there and block it. It takes a lot and not many guys want to do it. You have to have a guy that you trust enough to let them go and do it."
What risks are involved in the Sidelines show?
"I had people question us doing that. I might be na?ve in saying this but I have a basic belief in the good of all people. I think most people are good people. I give people the benefit of the doubt, and in this case I feel very strongly about all of the positives about Texas A&M. My experience has been that the people that have been here have been very polite, nice and cordial. I cannot think of one instance where they have stepped out of bounds or not been respectful of us. They have been around so much that I do not even know when they are there and when they are not there."
Can you talk about Brian Gamble?
"He has some strong family ties with Baylor, since his dad played there and his mother went to school there. There is no doubt that he will be fired up for this one. Brian played quarterback in high school and was a son of a coach. Because of that I think he was farther along as far as knowing football than most. He played early in his career and I think has gotten a lot better while here. The thing I talk to him about in becoming a more complete player is to get more physical. He is exceptional in the sideline to sideline finesse pass drop-backs. The play he made in short yardage the other day is one of the better plays he has made since he has been here. He was going forward and knocked the quarterback on a short yardage play. He played much better against the iso in the ball game. He still has some improvements to do and I think he is working hard on becoming a more physical player."
Are you satisfied with the improvements in this season?
"We have made progress and that is what coaching and being part of a team is all about. We have had no problems with selfishness or problems that might come about from playing the number tailbacks and the number of receivers that we've used. All of that has not been a problem. We have used lots of defensive lineman and played lots of freshman. The chemistry of our team is growing. I think if we can just keep nurturing along and getting better then that is how you become a good football team. Very few teams are talented enough to come back and automatically have a good team. It is a process that you start every year and go from the ground up and hope that it just grows."
Is the Big XII stronger than what you might have expected?
"I thought it was going to be really good. I made a statement earlier,' If you collectively put all of those schools together; those schools among themselves have won more national championships than any league in the country.' That is a pretty good indicator right there. One other thing I am impressed with is the teams like Iowa Sate that have become better football programs. The same can be said for Kansas State. There are not really any weak links. It is a very competitive league and I think it is going to get tougher and tougher. Every week no one school is going to dominate this thing, but you have to give credit to Nebraska for the things they have accomplished and continue to accomplish."
What about the tailback position?
"We'll start Derek Farmer again and just let it settle out. I feel like we have a solid position with Keith Joseph and Oschlor Flemming and the way they have played. I do still think it would be ideal to have one guy start the game and go play for awhile, without having to switch him out just for the sake of switching. I am not saying that this competition is over, but right now with this last weeks performance that we'll start Farmer again. What normally happens is that a guy like him will meet an ankle injury or a bruise and we will need to have another guy."
What factors led you to call the trick play against Notre Dame?
"That is the one we used with Bucky Richardson in the Holiday Bowl. We had thrown the half-back pass before with Oschlor Flemming but what you'd like to see is man to man coverage. I talked to Bob Davie yesterday and he said they worked on defending it and were calling it out when Oschlor came into the game, but they never thought he was going to throw it back to the Mark Farris. Picking the right time against the right coverage was the key and I give Dino the credit for doing that. They were man coverage team a high percentage of the time, and that is the one guy you do not assign someone to. If you can run all your receivers out and sneak Farris out there, then you have a chance."
What can you say about the injuries?
"Andre Brooks and Ty Warren will be doubtful for the game. Ty would likely be back before Andre, but I do not really know when either will be back. I would like to have them this week and I would think they will both be back for Colorado."