Nov. 15, 2010
A full transcript of Coach Sherman's press conference, along with selected quotes from players, will be available below. Audio clips are available in MP3 format to the right.
HEAD COACH Mike Sherman
On the team's resiliency... “I think our growing up last year, playing all those freshman last year, I don't think we had the maturity we have developed this year as well as the confidence. I think when guys look around the locker room they see guys who have worked hard, are talented and have given us a chance to win football games. Confidence has helped in that regard. We went in at halftime during the Baylor game and just told them what they needed to do in the second half, people thought we went in there screaming but we just talked about keeping composure, not panic, stay the course and we will win this football game. I think the more you're around your guys, the more they buy into what you are doing and the more success hopefully you will have.”
On the play of junior running back Cyrus Gray... “I am not surprised he has been able to do what he has done. It is an unfortunate circumstance that we lost Christine Michael but it has put him more in the front and he is getting more opportunities. He is the type of back that plays better when he gets more opportunities. It's hard to be in and out of games the way we had played him before the injury and he has definitely taken advantage of that. He has grown up so much as a football player and runner. I see a guy that just keeps getting better and better as the weeks go on.”
On this year's senior class... “It is a great group of men. When you commit to a program, people have to buy into what you want to do and how you want to do it. Every single guy in that room has bought into everything little thing I have asked them to do. They are a special group, they have brought us this far and their leadership this year has really been instrumental. I will always remember this group as a very special group, and the leadership, unselfishness and humility and how much they love A&M. There is not a guy in that group that I don't feel strongly about.”
On the energy the Aggie crowd provides his team... “Games like this make it special when you are competing for something and the school gets excited. I went over last night on the way home and talked to some of the kids with their tents all set up and the enthusiasm makes you so anxious for the game, to play the game well and win the football game. It is special when you have a home game like this and it was special to have the crowd we had at Baylor, we thought we were at Kyle Field there for a little bit and that has a firm impact on the football game.
On Nebraska defense... “They lock you up on the perimeter and they work hard to take those receivers out of the game. They play man coverage as good as I have ever seen and they have an excellent secondary. I think they have only given up 149.5 yards passing per game, which in this league is pretty impressive and they have a scoring defense as well so it will be a challenge for us.”
On the Nebraska and A&M special teams... “They do a good job and have a very good punter and we need to be able to punt the ball well, field position will be huge in a game like this and we can't trade off that much yardage. They have a very good punter and a very good kicker so the specialists make them special as well as their coverage and return units. It is going to be a challenge for us; there is no question about that. Judie, two touchdowns in two games back there, has just done a phenomenal job. I am excited about Judie. Consistency is a requirement of being a good punter and we need to have consistency there and we didn't get the yardage we needed to get there obviously the other day, we lost that battle.”
On the possibility of playing for a Big 12 title... “That all takes care of itself; just take care of business today. I don't care about that; we have no control over that. All I care about it how we practice today, how we prepare as coaches, how we get our guys ready to play and how we play on Saturday night. I have never done the math, never looked that way. One day at a time, one practice at a time, one period at a time, one game at a time. I can't go much further than that.
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR Tim DeRuyter
On his thoughts on the Baylor game... “I thought our guys played with a good energy level in the first half and after watching that tape, you have to give Baylor a lot of credit. They came out and executed really well and gave us some things that were a little different than what we had practiced against and it didn't fit really well so you have to give them credit. They out coached us in that first half but once our guys got settled down and figured out what they were doing, it helped us play faster and little more fanaticism.”
On what the defensive coaches did at halftime of the Baylor game... “I think the biggest thing is we wanted to reassure our guys that we knew what they were doing and explain to them exactly how they were blocking things. We had to make some changes in our calls and how we were going to fit some things and then just show it to them so our guys could play fast. To their credit our guys took to it. Typically with guys in a new system you want to have practiced against those plays the way they were going to call it and fit things. We did not fit things very well in that first half. After halftime, after seeing it and getting calm, the biggest thing was our guys having faith in each other and the adjustments that we were making and they did.
On the similarities between Baylor and Nebraska... “Nebraska will block things a little differently, but Taylor Martinez is a guy who is very capable of making explosive plays just like Robert Griffin III. That's why it's critical for us to have a good week of practice and fit things they way we're supposed to. Nebraska will be by far the best running team we will face this year and they have some explosive players in Martinez and Helu that if you don't defend well it can get ugly like it did in the first half last week.
On defensive game planning for Nebraska... “We do what we do, to be honestly with you. We have different tweaks with each game plan, but you do look at how teams that are similar to you defended them and see if things will match up. We will be multiple in what we do against them but you have to be very sound. This is kind of like playing a triple option football team because if you aren't taking care of your assignment they are going to get you for a big play.”
On teams that Nebraska's offense reminds him of... “Some of their running game is very similar to Baylor, but to be honest with you they remind me of Nebraska back in the 1980's, when they were a power option football team. They are very athletic up front and very physical. Helu is a very capable runner, strong with good vision that makes good cuts. He's been playing there forever, so he is a very experienced ball player. They have probably the most complete offensive line, especially in the run game that we have seen. They are very athletic and physical. They have a physical tight end. They are a tough match up with anybody and it's going to be tough for us Saturday.”
JUNIOR QUARTERBACK Ryan Tannehill
On Texas A&M climbing in the national rankings... “It's nice to have that ranking but we don't put a lot of worth into that. That ranking doesn't mean a lot once you step out on that field on Saturday. You have to go out and play hard and that ranking doesn't make you play harder or better. We work to get that ranking higher and higher every week, closer to number one but it doesn't affect you.”
On the play of junior running back Cyrus Gray... “Cyrus is a great player. He works hard every day in practice and gives you everything he has every time he runs the ball. He protects in pass protection; he runs out and gets the ball on routes. He runs hard and he is a great leader on our back field as far as the young backs we have. He is always teaching and is a great asset to our team. We love the guy.”
On the amount of penalties... “As a quarterback, people are always watching you; the line looks at you, receivers look at you and I knew if I got down, there was a chance the team would get down. It's frustrating when those things happen but you have to wipe that off and get another touchdown. I think our guys responded well. A lot of teams would have crumbled, but that shows the character our guys, just facing adversity, that is one kind of adversity we faced during the game and we pulled through.”
On playing Nebraska... “It is exciting, we have built up some momentum for this game and we are excited about where we are at right now. We have a hard week of practice to prepare for their defense; we know they are a great team offensively and defensively but we are excited about the challenge and the opportunity to play them. We have a lot of things to work on and clean up this week but we are excited.”
On senior quarterback Jerrod Johnson... “Just because he isn't playing right now doesn't mean he isn't a leader. He has been great keeping guys up when things go bad, huge vocal leader on the sidelines talking to players and coaches a like to see what's going on. He is another coach for us, seeing what is going on in the field and relaying that information to me and the O-line. He is a great asset to our team.”
JUNIOR RECEIVER Jeff Fuller
On his health status... “Physically I feel pretty good, I'm just going to try to go through practice to strengthen it and get better. Last week I sat out practice a little bit, but I came and practiced the last three days and this week I plan on practicing all week.”
On his leaping, one-handed catch against Baylor... “When it hit my hand I felt it stick, so I just tried to get my other hand to it as quick as I could and come down with it because I thought there was going to be a little bit more contact. When I saw it go up I knew I couldn't let it go, so I jumped as high as I could and reached my hand up, and then I felt it hit my hands and came down with it.”
On what he rated that catch... “On a one to ten scale I guess I could give it a high seven, because I didn't come down with it one-handed and get the style points.”
On teams trying to lock him down the last couple of weeks... “I've been getting a little double coverage, but we've been winning and it's all been positive. I don't mind taking the heat off some of the other receivers so they can get it done and get in the end zone. That's part of being on a good team, with a lot of talent. If they want to double cover me, we have other great receivers. It's just been a lot of fun going through the process, being ranked, and winning games.”
JUNIOR RUNNING BACK Cyrus Gray
On his mindset without after the injury to fellow running back Christine Michael... “I would say I'm playing the same. It's a greater challenge, and I have to carry the load more, and also guys behind me have to step up as well. Christine is in a hard situation, but he is helping me also. We talk every day. He gives me pointers and we talk about opponents and their weaknesses, and what I have to do to prepare every week.”
On the increased workload running the ball... “Actually, I'm not tired or anything, I prepare well. Coach Jordan is big on finishing after the run. After a run in practice he has us explode ten to twenty more yards to get that conditioning going. It's helping me in the game, and Bradley (Stephens) and Ben (Malena) also. They're in great shape and if they're needed they're going to be in the fire also. The opportunities and just being hungry, with more passion. We're in a position where we have to win each week, and that's a big step for all of us, and a load on my shoulders so I have to carry that.”
On Coach Sherman, who says he doesn't have favorites, saying that Cyrus would be one if he did... “That's big coming from Coach Sherman. He's seen a lot of football, and been around a lot of football players. That just humbles me, and I have to continue working hard so I can keep that.”