October 02, 2007
Coaches and players met with the press on Tuesday at the weekly football media luncheon, held at the Bright Complex on the Texas A&M campus.
The Aggies (4-1, 1-0) are preparing to host Oklahoma State (3-2, 1-0) at Kyle Field on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. (CDT) and FSN will televise the game nationally.
Audio clips are available in MP3 format to the right. Quotes from Coach Fran's conference will be posted later.
Statements from Coach Fran, Director of Athletics Bill Byrne and Interim President Dr. Ed Davis are listed below.
TEXAS A&M INTERIM PRESIDENT DR. ED DAVIS: ?I have asked Bill Byrne and the athletic department, as well as our NCAA compliance officer, to urgently look into the matter of the VIP email list to insure there are no violations of NCAA rules or regulations.?
TEXAS A&M DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS BILL BYRNE: ?I want to reinforce to members of the media and to our outstanding Aggie fans, I will not discuss matters pertaining to head coaches during their seasons.
"Everyone who knows me, and that includes our coaching staff, understands my goals and expectations.
"I look forward to working with Coach Fran as our head football coach as we get ready to BTHO Oklahoma State.
"In regard to the VIP email list, we are gathering all of the information and we will release it in its entirety as soon as we possibly can.?
TEXAS A&M HEAD FOOTBALL COACH DENNIS FRANCHIONE: ?The last few days have produced many rumors and some misguided speculation about my status as head football coach at Texas A&M. I thought it would be helpful to address this issue today by making a statement to clear the air and leave no doubt about my intentions and status concerning this job.
"Bill Byrne, as my boss and the athletic director, has affirmed me in every way, and has left no doubt that he has confidence in me and has every intention to help me succeed in building this football program, and for that I am deeply grateful.
"I have no intention of resigning this position. I love this job, I love these players, I love this University, and my desire is to remain here and elevate this program to the highest level. We have a great nucleus already in place to accomplish these goals. I am confident we can get the job done.
"With Bill Byrne?â„¢s affirmation of my role here, and my commitment to the program, there is no more need to discuss this matter. My job is simply to coach these young men and to do the very best that they are capable of doing every Saturday on the football field. Nothing more, nothing less. I do not intend to discuss this matter further. As far as I am concerned, it?â„¢s time to press on and get back to the business at hand.?
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TEXAS A&M FOOTBALL
Tuesday Media Luncheon
Head Coach Dennis Franchione comments
COACH FRAN (speaking to assembled football players): You guys are in trouble for missing class. You know that don?â„¢t you? I certainly didn?â„¢t expect this. It is nice to see, I appreciate it. It means a lot to me. I need to give you a statement here today, excuse me but I want to read this because I don?â„¢t want to leave anything out or make any mistakes. So pardon me for doing that.
Statement: ?The last few days have produced many rumors and some misguided speculation about my status as head football coach at Texas A&M. I thought it would be helpful to address this issue today by making a statement to clear the air and leave no doubt about my intentions and status concerning this job.
"Bill Byrne, as my boss and the athletic director, has affirmed me in every way, and has left no doubt that he has confidence in me and has every intention to help me succeed in building this football program, and for that I am deeply grateful.
"I have no intention of resigning this position. I love this job, I love these players, I love this University, and my desire is to remain here and elevate this program to the highest level. We have a great nucleus already in place to accomplish these goals. I am confident we can get the job done.
"With Bill Byrne?â„¢s affirmation of my role here, and my commitment to the program, there is no more need to discuss this matter any further. My job is simply to coach these young men and to do the very best that they are capable of doing every Saturday on the football field. Nothing more, nothing less. I do not intend to discuss this matter further. As far as I am concerned, it?â„¢s time to press on and get back to the business at hand.?
Let me just say again, that you guys (the players) are the only thing that really matter to me in this thing.
THE QUESTION: Coach along those lines, despite what happened in Miami and despite what may have happened last week, you guys are still playing for first place (in the Big 12 South) on Saturday. Can you talk about the unpredictable nature of this league and how you don?â„¢t know what?â„¢s going to happen. Do you only focus on what you can control yourself?
COACH FRAN: Well, you?â„¢re exactly right. You know, things can change so dramatically from one week to the next. I haven?â„¢t followed a lot of things but, what was it six of the top 12 or 13 teams were defeated over the weekend? We?â„¢re all finding out about ourselves here early in the season. The parity in college football today is as close as it?â„¢s ever been with the 85 scholarships. You know it?â„¢s a great weekend when you get done with the day and you?â„¢ve won and you know you?â„¢re playing the next week for a chance to be the only undefeated team in your division. I know these guys are fired up and inspired for that and we know that this is a big game in a lot of ways but as I told them on Sunday there are a lot more games and no matter what happens in this game they?â„¢re going to be a lot more big games. I think that?â„¢s the nature of the season, that?â„¢s what makes college football great. In my opinion we started playoffs last week. Each conference, in our case it was last week, but every conference game I think puts you in the playoff and I couldn?â„¢t imagine being much better than playing in front of the 80 plus thousand that we did last week, and I know we?â„¢ll have another great crowd to support these guys this week. We?â„¢re fortunate we?â„¢re at home for this one and we know we?â„¢ve got our plate full but should be a great game.
THE QUESTION: It has been a week full of distractions. How do you think the team has handled those and what is the key to overcoming those?
COACH FRAN: I think the only thing you can gauge is how well they handled Saturday and they played their most complete game on Saturday. We had ten three and outs defensively, over 500 yards of offense and we were pretty solid in the kicking game. You know there wasn?â„¢t a lot of doubt in the game, so you have to say they?â„¢ve handled it well. The last thing I ever want to be is a distraction. They know me well enough to know I hate distractions and I hate it if I?â„¢m ever a distraction. That just kills me. So I think they?â„¢ve handled it well and as we have said so many times it?â„¢s about us getting ready to play and staying in control of what we have control of and that is only our preparation. That?â„¢s the only thing that we can do, eliminate the distractions and focus on the present. We have a slogan on our team let?â„¢s be 1 and 0 and that?â„¢s about all we can handle is this week. We can?â„¢t play next week. As I talked to them last week about the Miami game going into the Baylor game you can?â„¢t let the last game affect the next game. You draw from it and you move forward. You can go to a number of teams this year who lost some tough games, top of my mind TCU lost a tough one to Texas after a lead then lost to Air Force. You can?â„¢t let that happen. I?â„¢m not saying that happened to TCU, just kind of grasping for an example for you. That?â„¢s important, just to stay focused on the present.
THE QUESTION: Can you talk about the confidence your team has going into the Oklahoma State game after the complete game you put together against Baylor?
COACH FRAN: I would think speaking for them that they should be very confident. We did play our most complete game last week. In our first four games I don?â„¢t think any of us felt like we had played our best yet. We were sputtering just a little bit here or there. Everything wasn?â„¢t quite the way we would like for it to be yet. I think we all felt like there were plenty of areas that we can clean up and do that. They were all potentially there for us to do that and so I think that last week has to give them some confidence. They played very well in a lot of aspects of the game and you know you live with the last game no matter what and certainly we have some positive to live with right now as we go into this next tough encounter.
THE QUESTION: Coach Gundy obviously had his share of distractions a while back. Can you empathize more with what he went through? Have you talked to him about how y?â„¢all handled the situations?
COACH FRAN: No, I haven?â„¢t talked to coach (Gundy). I think part of college football today is handling these. I always tell our team, they?â„¢ve heard me say this many times, they can tell you that, there will always be at least three crises to deal with in every situation. Crisis meaning with our football program. How you deal with those is going to impact your season. Certainly not everything?â„¢s going to go as well. I mean, look at Oklahoma they were sailing along pretty well and then go to Boulder and things don?â„¢t go well for them, so they?â„¢re going to have to respond. There?â„¢s all kinds of things in this game which is much like life. I?â„¢ve always said this game teaches more life skills and that?â„¢s what I do is teach life skills that they can take with them the rest of their life. The ups and downs of this game are much like what you go through in life and it does help you I think prepare you for life with the values that you have to learn to be successful in this game.
THE QUESTION: What is your reaction to this gathering and support that your team is showing you and what kind of message do you hope that sends?
COACH FRAN: Well, I mean, it?â„¢s pretty awesome really. (Chokes up) I think that tells it all, doesn?â„¢t it? Pretty awesome.
THE QUESTION: I think you?â„¢ve said before that you don?â„¢t really believe in statement games or sending a message or anything like that. But considering all of this and everything else is Saturday about as defining of a moment maybe in your tenure here that there may have been thus far or...
COACH FRAN: I don?â„¢t know. I really never think in those ways. I just stay up in that film room and on the practice field and do everything I can to take care of this game and worry about the next one. I let you guys define those things for me. You reach those kind of moments in a season but you don?â„¢t really know until you look back I think when they were. Obviously it could be, but usually at the end of a season you can define something like that. Your definition might not be the same as mine in which moment that was. I?â„¢m glad that this has come and gone and I want this to be about the players and not about me. That?â„¢s really all that matters is how we do for them and what we do for them.
THE QUESTION: Coach, this is the first of the games that you played last year where it was a one play game either way and it ended so suddenly. You had those last year and Oklahoma State obviously is thinking about that. When you play a team that was one play either way the next season what do you have to do to get your guys ready face that challenge?
COACH FRAN: They understand that from the game from last year. You certainly do remind them of that. A season like last year?â„¢s for instance, there were six, eight plays that really defined the season that could have gone either way for us or against us and they didn?â„¢t all go for us but fortunately more of them did go for us than against us. We won nine games. You know that shouldn?â„¢t take a lot of reminding to these guys. They respect Oklahoma State and they know they?â„¢re very talented and they know they have a good football team. Coach Gundy?â„¢s done a good job. I don?â„¢t think I?â„¢ll have to say a whole lot in that regard.
THE QUESTION: Coach, you talked a little while ago about three crises in a season. Which one was this or where are you at now? All behind you or ...
COACH FRAN: I wish I could say that. I doubt, you don?â„¢t know. Three?â„¢s just kind of an average ballpark figure of what you go through. Crisis may be way too strong of a word. I don?â„¢t mean anything like we?â„¢ve gone to war or had a hurricane or lost lives but they?â„¢re always three taxing developments in a team I think in a season and coming back from Miami was probably one of them for our team and this may be the second. Hopefully there are not too many more.
THE QUESTION: Coach, usually the Red River Shootout defines who?â„¢s going to be in Big 12 South Championship game. Those teams (Texas and Oklahoma) being 0 and 1, here at Kyle Field may be the real Red River Shootout. How important is playing this game and getting the one game lead in the Big 12 South?
COACH FRAN: It?â„¢s significant. You look and Saturday night somebody?â„¢s going to be 2 and 0. They all count one at this point in time. As you mention there are some teams that are 0 and 1 right now. Once we get past Saturday night there?â„¢s six more games and tough games and I would not be honest if I didn?â„¢t say I wouldn?â„¢t think it would be possible for there to be two losses on a team that won a division as close as this division is. I?â„¢m not saying there will be, hopefully there?â„¢s none. I think with the balance and things and who plays who and then when you mix crossover games into schedules it really creates some uncertainty because we don?â„¢t all play the same teams. There?â„¢s a long way to go yet but we certainly want to be the one 2 and 0 when the night?â„¢s over.
THE QUESTION: Just on this particular game the challenge Oklahoma State?â„¢s offense presents. They have the receivers, have the running back, and also their quarterback now Zac (Robinson) what he gives them that maybe Bobby Reid doesn?â„¢t?
COACH FRAN: They have a good solid offensive line and they have good skill guys. The tight end obviously maybe a lot of you saw the play he made against Texas Tech to win the game and he?â„¢s an outstanding player. (Adarius) Bowman?â„¢s credentials speak for himself and then they have a great tailback and then I think the quarterback is playing smart solid football for them. When you put all that together it makes them hard, you can?â„¢t just say we stop the run, you can?â„¢t say you stop the pass, can?â„¢t just stop Bowman, can?â„¢t stop the tail back. They are so multifaceted and good abilities to move the football that you have to find the way to kind of get your arms around a lot more things defensively than maybe a lot of teams. I?â„¢ve always felt that the toughest teams to defend are the ones that can run and pass and Oklahoma State has been a good 200, 200-yard team like we have most of the time. I think we went down to the last weekend of the year last year as two of the only teams in the nation doing that and they?â„¢re doing it again this year. It?â„¢s going to take a pretty complete all around effort and I think with them you want to keep them out of offensive rhythm if you can. If they get into a rhythm they?â„¢re even more difficult.
THE QUESTION: Coach, how do you select your 12th man? What does that position mean to your ball club?
COACH FRAN: Well, obviously who wears No. 12 is a tremendous honor. I had a young man tell me one day that this made everything he did valuable and worthwhile the day he got to wear No. 12. It validated him. We always try to select a person that deserves it the most that has worked the hardest and helped his team the most, that is respected. We?â„¢ve got some guys that are pushing on Nick (LaMantia) to get to it. But Nick?â„¢s had a strangle hold on it and Nick?â„¢s made himself very valuable in that regard and done a magnificent job on kickoff team and helping some at fullback played linebacker. He?â„¢s a guy you have to respect a great deal because whatever you ask Nick to do he will try to do it. When we asked him to try fullback he?â„¢d never played it before but he didn?â„¢t hesitate ?If I can help the team more that?â„¢s where I want to go?. I think those are all the attributes that go into that. When you know you wear No. 12 as an extension of the 12th man, that?â„¢s certainly something to be very proud of and very humbled by. I think when you have 30,000 students at a game it?â„¢s a humbling experience for me. I know it?â„¢s got to be a humbling experience for the person that?â„¢s given the honor to wear that number.
THE QUESTION: Coach, can you talk a little bit about your indoor practice facility and maybe what that conditioning has done with your ball club in the month of September and maybe how much better you are now physically since you?â„¢ve had that you?â„¢ve had that rough month of the hot games now you?â„¢re entering October and hope it?â„¢s a little cooler?
COACH FRAN: There?â„¢s not enough tape in your camera for me to completely explain exactly how much it?â„¢s meant. Just the opportunity during the week to give our guys a chance to finish the week fresher. The days when we would have a thunderstorm from 4:00 to 6:00 o?â„¢clock we would have to try to find a place to work out if it was lightening involved and we don?â„¢t have to do that anymore. We have a place we can go to work out. I really think it?â„¢s helped us be much fresher going into October and November than ever before. We had a taste of it last year with the tent that was much smaller but still an opportunity to keep some freshness in our ball club. One of the most difficult things I?â„¢ve had as a head coach to deal with in my first four years has been how hard I can push them in the heat and how much I can do and yet there?â„¢s ?X? amount you have to do to be ready to play on Saturday but you have to juggle that with I need them as fresh as I can get them on Saturday, too. That?â„¢s been a difficult point to reach. The last couple of years and this year especially it?â„¢s been much easier. Now the decision is when we back off and go inside and finish up in there rather than how much can I do. We can do everything we need to do to make sure our guys are given an opportunity to be as ready to play as they can be.
THE QUESTION: Coach with the kind of offenses that you are going to face over the next few weeks, how important is it to dominate the time of possession battle again?
COACH FRAN: Well, I think that?â„¢s a formula for success for us. I would like for it to be where we scored lots of points real quick and everything because points are still the determining factor. I don?â„¢t know if time of possession how meaningful it is sometimes but I think in our football team time of possession has in the last 18, 19 games proven pretty valuable. If we?â„¢ve got the ball they can?â„¢t score and I know even last year there were a couple of games we might have been behind a couple of touchdowns but stayed with your game plan and stayed with our formula and had a chance to win the football game and did win in a lot of instances. In our leg I think I mentioned this Saturday after the game right now there are some great offenses in this league right now. I think offenses may be a little ahead of defenses right now. As you look around at the number of points being scored and of course we?â„¢re coming out of non-conference play and into conference play that?â„¢ll probably level out a little bit more but as you look at each team you face they have weapons they have the ability to score fast and if you can hold onto the ball you might be able to keep that from happening and making them play your pace of football in the game.
THE QUESTION: Coach, you mentioned you watched the film, you go out to practice. When you come in here reading the support of Bill Byrne and seeing the players as you talk to us now do you feel a big burden off your shoulders possibly?
COACH FRAN: Well, you know, the only thing that?â„¢s mattered to me is them and I appreciate them a great deal being here today. I?â„¢m only an effective leader if they want me to be the leader I think and certainly this was a statement to me by them. You know in my life my family is all that matters and that?â„¢s Kim and the kids and these guys. Not that you guys aren?â„¢t significant you just don?â„¢t fit into that group. A lot of times that guy right there will come up to me and say how you doing coach. And I say how you doing? And if they say good, I?â„¢m doing good. If they?â„¢re not doing good, I?â„¢m not doing good and that?â„¢s the barometer for how I lead my days. If they?â„¢re doing good, I?â„¢m doing good. And that?â„¢s good to know they?â„¢re doing good.
THE QUESTION: Coach for all the negative stuff that may be out there there?â„¢s supporters for you. When you receive an e-mail or a note, what does that mean to you?
COACH FRAN: It means a great deal. I hear from a lot of people. I?â„¢ve heard from tons of people and you know I think sometimes I?â„¢m going to say this and I hope I say this right: I think sometimes when you?â„¢re in this role some people forget you?â„¢re a human being. I don?â„¢t know exactly how to classify maybe what they think you are. But they forget that you have emotions and what you go through. So the ones that are positive and come to your support, are very meaningful to you. There?â„¢s none of them that are insignificant because I do have feelings and I am sensitive and everybody needs to know that. I do make mistakes as I have. But you know all the people that have come to my guidance are really important. The good Lord being with me is really important.
THE QUESTION: Coach I want to talk to you about Misi Tupe and find out what he gives you, what you?â„¢ve seen from him this year?
COACH FRAN: There are so many positive things to say about the young man. He is a great leader. I think he?â„¢s one guy that rallies both sides of the football. In the Miami game in the second half I don?â„¢t think there?â„¢s any doubt he was part of the glue for everybody. He is tough, intense, his big hit on Saturday inspired everybody. I think raised everybody?â„¢s level of play. The way he leads his life the kind of person that he is, the ability to communicate with all and I think he?â„¢s very admired by our team. The maturity that he has is pretty special and so both he and Mark (Dodge) have a lot of those qualities, but you know Misi?â„¢s a warrior and has taught us how to be a warrior in the sense of battling in a football game and battling through things and we all learn from Misi I think.
THE QUESTION: Coach, I know you like to control the ball; but how much has it helped having Kerry Franks emerge and how much does that help your vertical attack?
COACH FRAN: A great deal. Kerry has great speed and he?â„¢s playing the best football he?â„¢s played. He?â„¢s playing consistent football. He gives us that guy that can get down the field to make plays. As you see his consistency, then you can play to his strengths and some of the game plans that you try to develop, or at least try to. When he?â„¢s up and down, or any player is up and down it makes that a little more difficult to tailor a game plan to say ?okay we can utilize Kerry here? and things like that. So his emergence I think through these first five games now has given us somebody, I know as the offensive staff sits in and makes a game plan Kerry Franks?â„¢ name comes up a lot. We can do this formation and keep Kerry in this position and that?â„¢s the ultimate compliment from the coaches to the players is they see that consistency and believe that they can do that.
THE QUESTION: Coach getting back to the support you were expressing a little bit ago, you?â„¢ve obviously had a very long and successful career. Do you feel like you?â„¢ve gone through some things that you?â„¢ve never experienced at any of your other stops and how has that tested you and what you?â„¢ve learned about yourself through all of this?
COACH FRAN: Well, I think it?â„¢s been an unique five years but every job has it?â„¢s unique side to it. College football in my 35 years changes all the time and certainly we?â„¢re in a unique era. I think my faith has helped me through all this and that?â„¢s been very meaningful for me. There will probably be more unique things to go through as we go through this but it?â„¢s been a enjoyable ride for the most part.