December 27, 2007
Texas A&M offensive coordinator Les Koenning, along with senior lineman Cody Wallace and junior quarterback Stephen McGee, met the press on Thursday at the Aggies' Alamo Bowl "offensive" press conference at the Alamodome.
Audio is available through the link to the right. Selected quotes are listed below.
LES KOENNING, OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR
Opening statement...
"Well, you know, when we accepted the Alamo Bowl, we were very excited. (Defensive Coordinator) Gary (Darnell) was ecstatic when we did it and I told him -- I said, 'Gary, did you happen to look at where they're ranked defensively?' And he said, 'No, Les, I didn't.' I said, 'Well, they're a good defense.' They really are, and we're looking forward to the challenge this week. I'm sure y'all know what they rank defensively. In rush defense, they're sixth in the country. In total defense, they're ninth in the country, and in scoring defense, they're eighth in the country, and in pass defense, they're 46th in the country. They have the outstanding defensive player in the country with Connor, a really, really good player, good linebacker, very sound defensively. It'll be a really good ball game."
What kind of impact did you have on the offense that you didn't before, during the Texas game? Were you responsible for it being opened up?
"I'm going to say this, and this is the best way to put this and I think it's absolutely true. I really don't think it's the plays you call. I don't think it's that. I think it's the execution of the players. You know, when we talked about the issue of the Texas game, it was tremendous execution on their part. They did one heck of a job. As you know, we've had some time to work before the Bowl game. We're not going to throw out the playbook. I mean, we've got that right there with us. We're going to do some things that we've had chances to practice. You know, when you go through it, you get this much time, there's obviously some things you can do."
Did you call the plays during Texas?
"During Texas? It was the same way the whole year. I called them down to Coach Fran. If he didn't like them, he changed them."
Did he change them less during the Texas game?
"I'm going to tell you boys it was about the -- it was the same thing the whole year. It didn't change. You know, I mean, we did the same thing. The beauty about our system and what we do, the quarterback can tell you right here, we've game planned it all out by down and distance, by every situation you can put our kids into, and -- so it's just a matter of adapting during the game and making some changes during that time, but the whole week, we went through it. We practiced the situations, just like we're doing right now."
Is Penn State's defense similar in philosophy or personnel to any of the defenses you've faced this year?
"Yeah. I mean, the last bunch that we faced that was rated this high was Oklahoma. We faced them this year. They were rated high when we came across them. They're extremely talented. They're a good football team. They're very well coached. You know, they'll come at you if they need to pressure you in certain situations. They will play zone. They mix it up really well. They're predominantly a form of eight-man front or four-three with four down linemen. They have shown, in all the films that we have watched, that they can get within a three -- or three-man line."
Are you expecting Penn State to employ some sort of quarterback spy?
"Well, they definitely have some defenses that they dropped some people from the interior back. Okay? And they can use those to defense us and that's part of their scheme. That's part of their zone pressure scheme that they run, also."
Penn State does not have a lot of turnover in their coaching staff. Coach Paterno has got coaches on his staff that have been with him, 20, 25, 30 years, and he gives a lot of credit to the fact that they're 22-10-1 in bowl games, you know, for that. Can you kind of comment not only the fact that he's taken teams to -- this will be his 34th Bowl game, but the fact that they have almost a 70 percent winning percentage at the Bowl games?
"I think it's a tribute to Coach Paterno and Penn State University. I think it creates consistency in what he's done and what he stands for. You know, in our profession, as an Assistant Coach, you admire a man like that, truly, because he's endured the time, you know, and he's went through it, and I'll tell you this: When we went to -- We had a function with him last night and I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to meet him and his wife, and fellows, he's a down-to-earth, good man and coach that was just exciting to be around. And I think, you know, some of the things that they do and some of the things they put together at Penn State's been pretty awesome. Like, I was talking to their Defensive Coordinator and they told me their Athletic Director was a GA for them at one time, and so they definitely understand the ins and outs of football and what football coaches go through and what players go through. So, you know, they've got a strong tradition and rich program. Kids go there and they really enjoy it and, also, they know what Coach Paterno stands for."
How has it gone with you and (senior quarterback) T.J. (Sanders) and the whole working of everything and getting the offense in?
"It's been good. We've actually got Jerrod (Johnson) back this past week. I don't know if y'all recall this. Y'all might not know that his dad passed away last week, our second team quarterback, and it's been pretty tragic for him and his family. His dad was a high school coach in the area. We all went down as quarterbacks to the funeral. It was really a tough deal. We've gotten him back. He's had the chance to prepare this week. He will also be on the sideline with the headset on with himself, so we'll have both of them working the sidelines for us. You know, it's a great situation to have those guys around. You know, so many times when you get into coaching and you go into a meeting room, you go, 'Oh, no.' My meeting was absolutely a blast. We've got a tremendous amount of great kids in that meeting room and they're absolutely a blast to be around. We're actually --Relationships, like Stephen said, have been absolutely tremendous. It really probably won't hit you till it's not there and you're through with it, but it's been absolutely a blast with them. We're very fortunate to have Jerrod back."
But none of those guys will have veto power?
"Well, we've discussed that. T.J. is studying to be a doctor. He's pre-med. He's been accepted into the medical school here in San Antonio and, also, the one at Texas A & M. I told him just because he's a doctor doesn't mean he gets the chance to change the plays. So he enjoyed that part of it a lot, and it'll be interesting to go through that and I think it's a really neat way to do it, also. You see so often in the NFL in different places where everybody's on the headsets and I think it's a great learning experience for them and, also, a great experience for our team, too. And Jerrod will be heavily involved in it, also,with Ryan Tannehill."
Coach Darnell was speaking yesterday about uncertainty of the coaching staff and assistants with where you guys are. Do you know your future and can you speak to just what this is going to be like, this transition, for you and the rest of the coaches on the staff?
"Oh, you know, transition is part of our profession, fellows. We explain this to our players always. You know, we will know a lot more after the beginning of the year. As you know, the cycle of coaching is a never-ending saga. A lot of you guys have a chance to report on that every day and, I mean, there's jobs turning over. There's people talking to other people, and that's occurring as we're at the Bowl game in different places. We're very fortunate to have a great bunch of guys playing for us and we are very fortunate to have a bunch of great coaches around us, also. Probably the hardest thing of anything, it's really not for the coaches and the players, but it's a lot -- it's harder for the families because your wife and your daughter and your son, they don't know where you're going to be here in about a couple of weeks or so, but the relationships that you've had with your players, the relationship that you've had with Texas A & M and things like that will always be, you know, in your heart for those guys and the players that you've been around. And, again, we're very fortunate to have this opportunity to be here in the Alamo Bowl with a great bunch of guys like we have right here."
SENIOR OFFENSIVE LINEMAN CODY WALLACE
The game on Saturday is supposed to be the most attended sporting event in the Alamo Dome's history. Can you anticipate how it might feel like a home field advantage on Saturday night?
"It's been really neat this year. Our last game at Kyle Field was the biggest crowd in A & M history and then we're going to get to come to this one and it's going to be the biggest crowd in Alamo Bowl history, so that's pretty fun for us, but home field advantage, hopefully, it works out for us, but I remember playing Army here last year and it was loud the whole time and the stadium is just a loud place to play, but, hopefully, it'll help us out a little bit."
Could you talk about the confidence that Stephen gives you guys with the way that he takes the licks that he does and pops up and keeps on doing it, especially in that game against Nebraska, it seemed like. Could you talk about what that means to the teammates...
"He's not your typical quarterback in regards to trying to duck out of bounds and avoid hits and all, and when we're out there, we remind him during practice all the time, especially during, like, pass skill, (we say, 'Oh, yeah it must be so hard to stand there and throw the ball while we're out here working our butts off for you.' But to see him take those hits and just play hard and try to get every yard that he can, you know, that's something you definitely want to see out of him. Let's just hope he doesn't get hurt doing it."
If you combine the win over Texas with a potential victory on Saturday night, and you end the season with those two wins, would you consider it a successful season?
"Yeah. I definitely would. We're here at the Alamo Bowl this week and that's a big-time Bowl game. We're excited about it, and if we can be lucky enough to win this last game, finish eight and five, that would be a pretty good season for us, winning a Bowl game, and, hopefully, it'll work out."
Penn State may have some depth issues along the defensive front, they're going to be without two guys that didn't make the trip. They also lost a key guy earlier in the season. Does that change anything in terms of scheme, what you guys might try to do? Might you try to run more early to establish a tempo, things like that?
"I wouldn't think so, really. I mean, I know their front seven. They've got a great group of guys up there, all the linebackers and the D-line's real solid, but you never know when a guy is going to rotate in or out, hardly, so I don't see us really knowing when or how to take advantage of them missing a couple guys."
What it's been like playing with Stephen now for a couple of years?
"It's been a lot of fun. We have fun on and off the field. Practices are great. You know, if things are getting a little down or whatever, you know, we'll just kind of make fun of him a little bit and everybody will start laughing at him and it's good for all of us, but -- We've had a good relationship."
Stephen said earlier that in the Texas game, the guys were having a lot more fun, like, in the field and the huddle. What specifically were you noticing and, also, what are you doing to try to carry that over to this Bowl game?
"There's just certain times in the huddle where you can look at each other and you know that you're going to score on that drive and there's nothing that's going to stop us. So I think that's one of those things that he's talking about where everybody's just on the same page and everybody's got that same goal, just getting in the end zone."
JUNIOR QUARTERBACK STEPHEN McGEE
The game on Saturday is supposed to be the most attended sporting event in the Alamo Dome's history, so can you anticipate how it might feel like a home field advantage on Saturday night?
"Oh, yeah. We're excited. This is a great opportunity for a lot of us, you know, being Texas boys, you know, being -- I grew up in San Antonio, so I'm very familiar with this town and, of course, the Aggies are going to travel well no matter where it is, but since we're, you know, two hours from College Station, it's definitely going to play in our favor. So, you know, we're going to have sport no matter where we go and we're definitely excited about the atmosphere that's going to be here in the Alamo Dome. They've told us all week long this is going to be the biggest Alamo Bowl game in the history of Alamo Bowl, so, you know, that's all exciting for us as players and, you know, it's fun to take part in a Bowl game that, you know, is that well attended and looked up to, but it all comes down to just playing football for us."
How much fun was it for you in the Texas game to get to throw so much? Is that something you're hoping to be able to do on Saturday?
"You know, we have a good time. I think every quarterback likes to throw it around. We just have fun scoring points and I think everybody out there on the field has fun winning and we're going to get after it no matter what. And we've gone through so much and I think that game, more so than any, was a game that I could look back and say that our guys actually had fun and I think you could see that in the way we played, and everybody was out there competing hard and getting after it but, you know, having fun doing that as well."
Les even said Penn State ranks so high rush defense, but pass defense, he said, is 46th. What have you seen on film that makes you think you might be able to take advantage?
"They've got two really good corners that we think can be NFL-type guys and, of course, the linebackers are really good and their awards speak for themselves, so we're going to have to be very sound, whether it's going to be running the ball or throwing the ball, because, you know, they're a very good defense. I think they're No. 9 overall and they are very good against the run and we've just got to be able to do both well. You're not going to be able to move the ball against Penn State effectively all day long if you can't run and throw well."
Has this been a more demanding year physically or any more than the past ones?
"I mean, there's always - I mean, this is football. I mean, you don't sign up and not expect to get the crap knocked out of you every now and then. That's the sport we play. That's what makes it so fun. If you don't like that, then you probably should go play basketball or something because you're going to get hit up pretty good. So, I mean, I don't take any worse hits these guys do having to play up front, so -- and they remind me of that, too. They do a good job of that. They always remind me they take grenades for me and all that good stuff, so, you know, I'm just typical. I've got -- You're always going to get out there and get bumps and bruises, and there's definitely some games that have been tougher than others physically for me, but, you know, that's just more of a mental thing for me than it is, you know, a physical deal."
Describe what kind of quarterback you were in high school and what kind of offense you ran...
"Well, I'd like to always just be described as a winning quarterback, you know."
As far as scheming...
"I handed the ball off and tried to get the ball as much as possible in high school and we were pretty good when we did that, so -- we spread them out and did a lot of one-back stuff. I think the misconception, though, in high school is that we threw the ball every down, but, you know, if you look at the stats when I was in high school, we just had a lot of big plays, didn't necessarily throw it 100 times a game."
Then you came in here and started running zone read option. A lot of quarterbacks would not have liked that, but you didn't seem to ever hold it against Coach Fran, from what I could tell, being the kind of quarterback you were in high school. Why?
"It's all about winning. We can sit here and talk about throwing stuff and running stuff. We've done this all year. I've tried to explain it a million times and I care less. Whatever it takes to win is what I want to do. I'll run it. I'll throw it. I'll hand it off. Just whatever it takes. Let's go out there and win and, you know, that's something that we always feel like could play into our favor and be successful when we're scheming up offensively, so I'll do whatever it takes, man. I'm not into, you know, my stats or what I can get or what award I can win. That stuff is just so meaningless and petty to me."
Can you just talk a little bit about playing your last game with Cody and the other senior offensive linemen?
"It's going to be -- I have to be honest with you, it's not going to set in until after the game's over and probably until I return back in January and they're not there anymore and it's going to be tough on me. And I don't think that comes as any surprise to you guys because, you know, not only our offensive line, but there's a lot of seniors in this class that have been really good friend of mine and that I'm going to miss a lot and -- not just football-wise but, you know, just getting to hang out with them and it's going to be tough. You can't -- You lose a bunch of good friends, man. It's not an easy thing to do, so -- You know, eventually, everybody's going to have to move on sometime or another and that's never easy for us, but I guess I think he'll be all right without me."
You combine the Texas win with a potential victory on Saturday night, and so you end the season with those two wins, would you consider it a successful season?
"I'm the kind of personality where you always want to win more and you want to do something better and improve and you always want to go back and change something, and I think that's probably part of everything that I've ever done, but just knowing what we've gone through this year and how we've stuck together and I think there's more to it. You know, we call it being a champion, you know, not just on the field but off the field. There's so many good guys and it's hard for me to say that no matter what any outcome of any game would be, that I couldn't, you know, feel like this group of guys hasn't displayed what it means to be a champion this year and, from that perspective, there's no way I could be disappointed."
what about your last game with this coaching staff and -- I know how close you are to Les, and now Fran's obviously gone, but have you thought much about this being your last game with them as well?
"I mean, I guess in the back of our mind, I guess it crosses your mind, but it just doesn't sink in until it's not there anymore and it changes, you know, so -- and that's something that it's so hard to, I guess, accept right now or visualize because we're still doing the same things we've always done and having the same good time together and all that. So it's going to be real tough. Everybody knows how much I respect and admire everybody that's a part of this team and especially Coach Koenning and the relationship that we have and all the quarterbacks and guys like Cody Wallace. I mean, that's not easy, like I said, and it's going to be different. It's going to be hard on me, but, you know, I know that they're going to be -- they're going to be fine. They're going to do great at whatever they do, with the kind of people they are and what they stand for, so, you know, you always have a little peace in your mind whenever you know that about them."
You were talking a little bit ago about all the fun you had in the Texas game. You went at Nebraska a totally different kind of game, offensively speaking. Was that just as much fun to you or was it fun in a different sort of way?
"I think it's fun whenever I see everybody else around me having fun out there competing and getting after it. That's what I like to see, more importantly. It's always fun to win. I mean, everybody knows that. It's easy and it's always fun to win, but not only that, I think there's two moments this year that I really point back on, like our guys in the huddle, especially offensively, we were having fun and that was in the second half against Oklahoma State. Our guys got in the huddle and we had fun. We were getting after it and competing and it's one of those things where we just know we're going to be successful. And then you get in the huddle against Texas and it was the same type of feeling. And, certainly, you know, it's not the only two times all year, but it seemed like it was more overwhelming in those two situations than it was any other game."
You said earlier that you noticed in the Texas game, the guys were having a lot more fun, in the field and the huddle. What specifically were you noticing and, also, what are you doing to try to carry that over to this Bowl game?
"There's just an air of confidence that you get and you can just feel it, and it's not -- it's just everybody knows that no matter what play --what play is called or what's going on, everybody's going to take care of business and we're going to be successful. There's just something about it. You just get this confidence and you see it in the guys' eyes. You see it in the way they're running, they're talking, they're moving, and you just know they're having fun and competing. I'm not trying to make it sound like that was the only time all year, but, I mean, it was just the whole game and it -- through the good things and the bad things, it never changed. The guys just kept having fun and I think that's what football's all about."