Coach Fran Media Luncheon Quotes and Audio
Sep 02, 2003 | Football
September 02, 2003
Coach Dennis Franchione and selected players met with members of the media on Tuesday at Cain Hall. Click the links above to hear what they had to say.
Here is a partial transcript of comments made by Coach Fran during the news conference.
Opening Comments:
"The big thing we're focusing on this week is improving. We have lots of areas to improve. We're going to need to improve because Utah is a team that has Pac-10-type personnel. I've faced Utah several times when Coach (Ron) McBride was there. He always had good players and I think these guys have some good-looking linemen and skill guys.
"They have a new coach who's a good friend of mine in Urban Meyer. They put 40 points on the board last week. That's an impressive output. Their defense also played well. I've gone against their defensive coordinator several times when I was at New Mexico, and he does a great job. He's an outstanding coach. They played good defense last year and certainly will be a challenge for us and our offense.
"Looking back at the last game, I was encouraged by the kicking game. We made up some hidden yardage in that aspect of the game with the returns and with Jacob Young's and Todd Pegram's performance. Coverage wasn't too bad. The defense played a pretty solid football game. We missed nine tackles, that is a little more than we would like to miss, but really if when you hold anyone to about 200 yards then you have done pretty good.
"I will point out Courtney Lewis. We talked a lot about him in the spring and how he has done. He came in and really did a nice job by giving us a burst. He gave us a big touchdown when we needed it on a nice long run. It was explosive, which is good to see.
"We got some good plays from a lot of people. Jamaar Taylor had a good game for us, Jaxson Appel, Justin Warren came in and started his first game. That was good to see. He will be a starter again this week unless something unusual happens.
"We have to play better on offense and the offensive line. We have to get our running game on track a little bit more. Our quarterbacks have to get all of their reads down. There is not an area on offense that we do not need to improve on. Let me add this on an injury note, Patrick Fleming will have to have shoulder surgery again and will be lost for the year."
On the thought of an automatic win against Utah:
"I can understand that, but I know a lot more about Utah then everybody else does. I know a lot about what kind of program they have. They went to Ann Arbor last year and got beat 10-7. They played a tough football game and really contained Michigan well.
"Our team upset them one year. I think they were ranked nine in the nation on a last minute field goal. They have had some outstanding football teams. If this team was in the Big 12 they would hold their own. They would not be anything but very competitive. They would play everybody tough in our league. When I talk to you about them having Pac-10 personnel I think I use that as an illustration to tell you that they do have good players. You will be impressed when they run out on to the field Saturday night."
On Utah Head Coach Urban Meyer:
"Urban coached at Colorado State when I was at New Mexico and then when he was at Notre Dame he and I did a clinic at Mexico for kids several years ago with a bunch of other coaches. We got to know each other well and his wife and my wife became good friends and we have kept in touch. He has done a great job as a head coach. He has been under good coaches with Earl Bruce and Sonny Lubick and then at Notre Dame with Coach (Lou) Holtz. He did a great job at Bowling Green. He is certainly one of the rising stars in our profession."
On finally getting to play the first game in Aggieland:
"I am relieved to get that first game out of the way. This has been far too much about me and not enough about them (the players). I understand that, but I am anxious for them to take the focus more than me, they deserve it."
Is it fair to say that no matter who plays quarterback, if you don't run the ball better it doesn't make much difference?
"You could say that, but I am not sure I would take it that way completely yet. I do think that running the ball better is important. You have to keep in perspective a little bit about what happened Saturday night. We had a bunch of new guys on the offensive line and at tight end. We did not have the ball for very many plays in the first half and we threw it about of half of them. There is a combination of things that happened there. In the second half we got going a little bit in the rushing game and made some things happen. We are going to get better in that aspect of the game. I don't know if it is ever going to be as good as we want it to be, but I know we are going to improve in that area and that does take pressure off of the quarterbacks. There is certainly no doubt about that."
What is your personal philosophy about being able to run the ball?
"If you talk to any defensive coordinator, the first thing he is going to say when he plays somebody is that we have to stop the run. Their hope is to make the team they are playing one dimensional. If they can do that then they can mix and match a lot of coverage's and blitz's and things to defend the pass if they have taken the run away. I am a guy who believes in balance. That doesn't have to be 50/50 run and pass, but you have to have the ability to run the ball when you need to. There is going to come a time when everybody in the stadium knows we are going to hand the ball off on third and short. When we are successful making first downs then you will know that we are getting where we need to be. We certainly weren't quite there Saturday night, but we have work to do on that side of the ball. Offense is always tougher in the first football game."
What do you see from Courtney Lewis?
"He took the power play off tackle and stuck it there pretty good. Courtney is a good runner. There is no limitation to his running skills. He sees things very well, he finds openings and he can make cuts that are impressive. He has vision to see things very well. Derek (Farmer) is a north-south runner a little more and he is going to punish you. Courtney is going to be more illusive. On his long touchdown run he made a guy miss at the line of scrimmage and then took it a long way. You are always looking for a back that can make someone miss, it makes you a better coach and he can do that."
Why did Geoff Hangartner start out at the guard position?
"That is the way we planned to start the game. We feel like we can rotate (John) Kirk, Hangartner and (James) Milkavich in there pretty evenly. When we dropped a snap Coach (Jim Bob) Helduser felt like putting Hangartner back at center and he stayed with him."
What did you see in Justin Warren that made you start him?
"Justin has closing speed and instincts. When it is time to play at full speed he is one of those guys that can really do it. It is kind if special for a freshman to go in and do that and he made some big plays for us. He will be better this week than he was last week."
What does Earvin Taylor's playing time at receiver, a deep position, say about him?
"He is in the two-deep so he has done a great job. He has moved ahead of some people and has been very sound in assignments and he has good hands and runs good routes. He was a good receiver in high school and has carried that over well. He was here all summer with (his brother) Jamaar (Taylor) and I think that helped ease the transition and helped speed up the transition process. He has been pretty efficient since day one."
What style of running back are you more comfortable with?
"The good thing that Coach (Lee) Fobbs does is rotating them (Derek Farmer and Courtney Lewis) by the plays that may come up. I think that we need both of those guys. Derek is a proven Big 12 performer. Saturday night was Courtney's first game and one night does not make a season. We want to see Courtney do some more things. We believe in both of those guys and are fortunate that we have them."
Is Cody (Scates) going to be ready to play this week?
"I would say he is on track to be ready."
Is it important that stars rise to the front?
"It certainly helps. I think that we have some guys that are going to emerge. Terrence Murphy had a big game the other night and I think that Jamaar Taylor and Courtney (Lewis) had big games. This school has had a great defensive reputation for a long time and I think that Reggie McNeal and Dustin Long can both do those kind of things for us. We have skill guys that can emerge and it is important and always helpful. I think that it gives you a great platform to go in and talk to recruits. We can say 'look, this is what we have been able to do with this young man in our offense and this is how we can plug you in.' It certainly does help when they can envision first hand what you are talking about."
What is the latest on John Roberson?
"He starts practice today. He is ready to go."
