COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Head Coach Mike Sherman and players on the 23rd-ranked Texas A&M football team met with the media this afternoon to talk about the upcoming game against No. 24 Baylor.
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HEAD COACH MIKE SHERMAN
Can anything be done about the injuries when going against a hurry-up offense? I know Texas Tech was kind of upset about that this weekend...
"I can't do anything about Texas Tech being upset. Every one of those injuries was legitimate. Brandon Alexander dislocated his elbow. One injury happened when their player was down, Damontre Moore got kicked in the ribs. Coryell Judie sprained his ankle. Trent Hunter had a stinger. We've never told our guys to take a dive, I wouldn't do that."
On the injury front, how are Jeff Fuller and Brandon Alexander?
"Brandon is a tough, tough kid. A lot of kids would be wailing, that's a pretty painful injury. We'll have to wait and see how he handles things this week. He's probably questionable. Jeff's injury happened early in the game and as with any head injury precautions have to be taken, and they were. I think he'll be able to go this week."
Is there a chance you get Steven Campbell back?
"There's a chance he could do something today. He did some running yesterday and there's a chance he could be out there today."
How did Howard Matthews do in his first start?
"We had two guys have their first starts, Jarvis Harrison and Howard Matthews. You always worry (with first starts) that the game is too big for them. It was a big game in a very hostile environment, and I thought they both handled it quite well. Howard was very much composed and was in a non-panic state, as was Jarvis. There are things to clean up with both of those guys but they both fared well. Howard played aggressively. He missed some calls but overall he did a good job. Jarvis did some amazing things physically that really impressed me. He missed a protection or two that caused pressure on the quarterback, but overall did a good job."
Talk about moving Brian Thomas around on the offensive line...
"Brian Thomas has played every position on the offensive line, and he's very, very smart. Moving him around is probably not fair to him but it's something we had to do. Brian can handle it and he played well."
You made some lineup tweaks defensively, will they stay this week?
"We'll see how this week goes. We did okay but we have a long way to go. But I thought they handled it."
Talk about Baylor's defense...
"Phil Bennett has done a very good job as have their defensive coaches. They are very fundamentally sound. They have pretty good players. Ranking-wise, they're second in the Big 12. They have good speed, the middle linebacker does a nice job, the corner does a real good job as well. They have good safeties that make a lot of tackles. I think they're a good, solid defense and they play well together."
Can you talk about the issues you're having defensively on third down?
"I think the biggest issue with third down is we're not getting enough third and longs. Last year we'd put people into third-and-long situations, meaning 7 to 10 yards, and now it's more like third-and-1 to 3 and 4. The more convertible, the percentage will go up obviously. It's not as much a third-down issue but more a first- and second-down issue. When you deal with third-and-3 and 4 it really shouldn't be a substitution issue. Most teams keep their base team on the field then."
Where has Robert Griffin gotten better?
"Every year his passing accuracy has improved. He's throwing at an 82-percent efficiency. He has 1 interception and 19 touchdowns. Last year he had 22 for the whole season. He's hitting on all cylinders. His accuracy as a quarterback has been the biggest thing. They are a big downfield play-action team this year. (Kendall) Wright has been catching everything, and they have great speed at the skill positions."
Can you comment on the touchdown catch by Lamothe and what he brings to the team?
"He works hard. Mike's not the fastest, biggest or strongest, but he gives you everything he has. I thought the play of the game obviously was the field-goal block and return for touchdown. But the other play that can't go unnoticed was Michael Lamothe's effort. I called the play-the pass by Tannehill-and I wouldn't say it was a good call, they really defended it. It was about as good a pass as he's ever thrown. For him to get the ball off with that guy in his face was amazing. Then for Mike to catch it and run through two different defenders just shows the kind of toughness he has. He's a great kid, he works hard. I'd recruit him 10 times over and more so. He brings a lot to the table for us. If the game's on the line he's one of the guys you can trust to do what he is supposed to do when he's supposed to do it."
Baylor is another in-state rival that you'll be playing likely for the last time in a while...will there be extra emotion Saturday?
"Y'all always ask me that and I try to be honest in my answer. Anytime you play a football game and represent A&M it should always be extra emotionally. Maybe that's naïve on my part. It always is. Every game we play is the biggest game of the year. Certainly this is a big game. Last week Tech was our biggest game. That is just the way I look at it. I try to make every game seem very important. But this is been a great rivalry. I remember when I was an assistant coach here and James Francis and Santana Dotson, playing against those guys. Grant Teaff was the coach. So the history goes back with me as well. It's a great rivalry, there's no question.
Talk about Robert Griffin and his ability to run the football...
"Yeah, I think he has a couple of touchdowns rushing. The one that sticks out in my head is the one he hit against us last year. It was a good distance. Anytime the ball is in his hands he can throw for a touchdown or run for a touchdown. You have to respect both aspects of his game."
Talk about the leap Sean Porter has made this year, and can you compare him to Von Miller?
"I thought Sean played an outstanding game the other day. He really showed the leadership on the sideline that we need out of him. I think you have to play in order to lead, and he has been doing both of those things. Comparing is hard, as Sean is a junior and Von was a senior. But if you compare them as juniors I think you can make fair comparisons. They are different though. Von was a hand-on-the- ground pass rusher at that time for the most part, and Sean is more of a blitzing linebacker from the outside. But they both brought a lot to able and Sean keeps getting better and better. We have high expectations for him."
Talk about Coryell Judie and what he's done this year...
"I'm real proud of Coryell. He's a wonderful human being. He's a great father to his twin sons. He's very responsible. He's probably one of the more mature players on our team. Players look up to him. He doesn't say much. He shows them every day in practice. He's very competitive. He's had the hamstring injury which has slowed him down a bit. He's a guy I have a lot of confidence in. When I look at him I see an NFL-type mentality. Not a lot bothers him. He's not fragile, he's mentally strong. And I think that's the difference with him."
Has it been interesting to you that your running backs have had hot hands in alternating games, not just series?
"Yeah. And I think it's a good thing in many ways. We feel like we have 2 starters, they both contribute and they are both supportive of each other. I don't sense any selfishness at all in that group. They are pulling for each other. Ultimately they want to win the football game. It's funny how they do play off each other and have both contributed."
Can you comment on the long-term anticipation of Texas A&M moving to the SEC?
"As a coach, I know it's hard to believe this, but I have not given it a whole lot of thought. It's the truth. As a coach you live day to day and week to week. It's a little better week than last week, but you live week to week. I really and truly have not thought about long-term implications. I've thought primarily about this season. But I know our fans are excited about it and our University is excited about it. As a coach I think it's imperative on me, which I do-I have a lot of respect for our Big 12 opponents and getting ready for every ball game. I think in order to show that respect to them I continue to focus on what we have to do here. That's totally how I look at it. I really and truly have not thought about the long-term. That's up to the President, Board of Regents and our Athletic Director. My job is to look at the short-term, and the short-term is we are in the Big 12 and we have tremendous challenges ahead of us. Our challenge this week is to get our team ready to play."
Is it something you have to address with recruits as well?
"They've been talked to about that. They've obviously been talked to in a negative way by our competitors and we've talked to them in a positive way, why we need them and how they fit into what we're doing. It has been addressed in recruiting. It's obviously not something you can ignore when the question comes up. We have addressed it in recruiting."
Does it change the way you and your coaching staff go out and recruit?
"We're very excited about the guys that we have recruited. Last year we recruited the best players we possibly could, and they're committed to us right now. We feel very comfortable with each and every one of those guys. Our philosophy on who we're recruiting and how we're recruiting them hasn't changed one bit. We're very excited about the guys we have committed to us and they're excited about us. That doesn't change our mentality in recruiting. We live in a very talent-rich, well-coached, high-school player state. We're very fortunate in that regard. The fact that we also recruit very heavily into Louisiana, which is also very talented, I think behooves us. The SEC is certainly a dominant conference in that state and LSU certainly gets their share of recruits. But there's only so many you can take. I feel comfortable recruiting that state with that trademark, because that's what they grew up with and that's what they know."
Have you and Phil Bennett crossed paths a lot?
"Phil's a great coach, there's no question. I've followed his career after we worked together for that very short time. And his time obviously at SMU and Pitt, and he's been down to visit us before he got the Baylor job. Phil does a phenomenal job up there."
In terms of Tech's bubble screens, did you feel you were more physical at the point of attack?
"I thought we took a stride that way. I thought we did better job getting lined up. You know, we do it too, it's part of college football, but it's kind of like in baseball, where you're throwing strikes before batter gets in the box. Is that really what we want to do in football? I have a hard time deciding, is this good or bad for football? People aren't getting lined up and getting the chance to play their best...I'm not faulting Tech or anybody else, that's the way it is. We do the same thing. I don't know. We get lined up better, we defended that play a little bit better than the week before, because we didn't get lined up very well the week before."
With the atmosphere in the locker room Saturday, how great is that for you personally to see that as a coach?
"My greatest memories aren't of games but of the locker rooms after games. That's what you want to see as a coach. It really is the glue that brings your team closer together. What comes first, the chemistry or the winning? Does chemistry bring winning or winning bring chemistry? They go hand in hand. You have to have both. We definitely needed that. We lost to two top-10 teams by 7 points-I don't count the safety-and we had a chance to win those ballgames but we didn't. And we have to pay the consequences. We have to get some things fixed. And one of the things is we have to have fun. You win the game and go into the locker room and have fun. It's something worth fighting for."
ASST. HEAD COACH/DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR TIM DeRUYTER
Talk about the game Howard Matthews played...
I was real pleased. For a true freshman to go into that environment, a big-game atmosphere, a conference game, he really played well. He didn't play perfect by any stretch. We've got to get him much better in his read progressions. He turned some receivers loose, and that can't happen. But he was physical all day long. I was pleased with him."
Talk about the challenges of defending Robert Griffin...
"I think he's a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate. He affects the game and is as important to his team as anyone in the country. The way he can stress the defense by moving in the pocket or running the football, he's an extremely difficult person to try to defend. Our guys understand that and we'll be up for the challenge."
Is he more difficult because he's a more accurate passer this year?
"That's part of it. Part of it is it's the fourth year of that system. They have excellent weapons around him. Kendall Wright is an extremely explosive player, and explosive after the catch. He's fast and has great hands. They have a big back who can pound the ball. But (Griffin) can run and he's real accurate with his throws. His passer rating is through the roof."
Is it possible to be successful blitzing against a guy like him?
"We'll find out. We're going to do what we do. You have to be judicious with someone like him. We're going to mix things up. I think you have to do something to disrupt him. When he's comfortable in the pocket he's extremely accurate. We have to do some things to get him out of his comfort zone, and that's hopefully through some disguised coverage and some pressure."
How much are trick plays a concern against Baylor?
"It's obviously part of their plan every week and it changes every week. We'll run different trick plays every week just to show our guys are cognizant of it. They do a nice job of finding creative ways to get the ball to their playmakers. Our guys have to be very sound and you can't turn guys loose. You have to be aware."
Are they much different than they were last year offensively?
"I think they are playing with a lot more confidence this year. Anytime you have a returning quarterback and the moving parts around him back...they are just playing with a lot of confidence. They're playing with a little higher tempo than what we experienced last year. People are having a hard time getting lined up against them. They're playing with a lot of swagger. They have a ton of confidence in what they're doing. If you don't knock them off schedule they will keep rolling."
How do you get your team to maybe build that confidence and swagger on defense?
"We've got to get stops. We did a better job in the second half the other day. The other thing you've got to do is you've got to force takeaways. We've been horrible this year. The other day we were close on 4 different plays. We had 2 passes hit us in the hands. Twice we get sacks on the quarterback, the ball is out and we weren't there to get it. You can have momentum-changing plays when you get takeaways, and I think we're really close right now. We're making tackles and guys are going after the ball. Give Tech credit, they held on to it the times we were really going after it. It will continue to be an emphasis for us."
You talked about being more physical at the point of attack and you were on Saturday. How encouraging is that?
"We had an excellent week of practice last week going against that up-tempo. Our scout team did an unbelievable job. We had 2 huddles coming at us and that really emphasized getting lined up and being physical at the point of attack. Guys did a real nice job of getting off blocks or going through blocks. As the game was progressing we told them, 'Hey, the next thing they'll go to is fake stuff and go', and we had success in covering that too. I was pleased with how we defended that but we've got to do a better job rerouting."
Coach Tuberville and his offensive coordinator both after the game questioned the legitimacy of the injuries. Coach Sherman addressed it earlier but we'd like you to address it as well...
"Well, I take offense to it because we absolutely, without question, never teach that, never coach it, never talk about it. I've got an outside linebacker with a dislocated elbow. Damontre Moore may not practice today because he got a stinger in his neck. Every one of our injuries were guys in the middle of a pile, something happening. It's not the stuff that happened in the Cal game, where guys looked to the sideline and all of a sudden they take a dive. If they want to use that as an excuse, that's up to them. And I understand, the environment and people talk about that all the time, but absolutely there was no taking a dive. We had legitimate injuries and it offends me as a coach that someone would impugn the way we coach by saying something like that."
What's your thought on the up-tempo...it's changed the game so much, maybe it brings up the integrity of the game? What are your thoughts on that?
"It's within the rules. I'm not a big fan of it, clearly. But it's within the rules. So if teams want to use that as a tactic, they can. The issue I have is, if they're using the same personnel on the field up-tempo, you've got to match that. But when they sub out personnel, you ought to have the opportunity by rule to match with it, and we weren't allowed that opportunity."
Do you start looking at officiating crews? Will it get down to seeing how crews have called that in past games?
We're having discussions right now with the officials. I don't know what the answer is, to be honest with you. I know how the rules are supposed to go, and you're supposed to have an opportunity to match. And I think officials have a very, very difficult job when it is that high-tempo of a pace. They don't always see people change. We have people in the box looking for it, so when they change, we try to change. It's frustrating as a coach, because it looks like you're not organized when that happens. You have guys that are running on the field, and we tell them when they sub, we are allowed the opportunity to sub, so don't worry about it...and then the officials don't back you on it. I think it's difficult for the officials, but it's also very frustrating and very difficult for our guys. I think they're needs to be a discussion on it within the league to figure out how they want to handle it, because it's becoming more and more widespread with different teams. Like I said it's a legitimate tactic if you are using the same personnel. But we're having teams...last week, they'll run a 50-yard go route, the guy gets done with his route, runs right off the sideline, the other guy runs on from right at the line of scrimmage. Our corners have to run 50 yards back and they're snapping the ball. Without the opportunity to sub, I don't know that it's legitimate."
If you put spy on RG, would that be Sean Porter? Or who would that be?
"I'd probably make a call to the 303 area code and try and get #40 back here (Von Miller). I don't know. We are in the middle of discussions right now. He's a guy you have to take account for. He's a game changer. We'll have a plan for it."
He doesn't seem to have run the ball as much this year...
"He wasn't running a whole lot until our game last year and he creased us for a pretty good one. The fact he is so explosive and so fast, you have to have that in consideration when you put your plan together. He does a real good job of escaping the rush and getting outside to make and extend plays. You've got to keep him contained and that's very difficult to do."
How important this week are the three guys up front?
"We may not talk about them often, but every week they've got to play for us. I think we've got 3 good guys in our starters, in Tony (Jerod-Eddie) and Eddie Brown, and Spencer Nealy had a pretty good game stepping in for Jonathan Mathis. But in a game like this that's going to be up-tempo, you've got to have depth. The backups have got to really step up and play for us. Ben Compton played 40 to 50 snaps last week, and during camp he played offensive line. He's battling his tail off-he's not always doing the right assignment, but he's getting better every week. We can't go 100-something reps with 300-pound guys."
With the whole Baylor, A&M, SEC, Big 12 stuff going on, do you have a feeling that there's an extra emotional level for Saturday?
"To be honest with you I go from my house when it's dark to here, and head home when it's dark. I really don't have that much fan interaction. I know when we played Baylor last year going to Waco there was an electric feel to that crowd. It did seem like it was a big deal to them. It was a big deal to our players, having them be that close. I don't know that the SEC thing-for our players-our players aren't conscious of that aspect of whatever Baylor was doing to slow the progress or whatever. It's probably more of a fan thing than it affecting our players,
I would think."
DL TONY JEROD-EDDIE (Sr., DeSoto, Texas)
What's the toughest part of going against a hurry-up offense?
"Getting the call from the sideline and trying to get lined up at the same time. Most of the time it's not that we're tired, we're trying to look to the sideline and find the ball at the same time. That's the toughest thing."
How did the adjustments to that made over the week play out on Saturday?
"It got a lot better. We came up with a little sideline routine that helped out a lot and simplified it. It made it a lot easier and it worked."
How satisfying was it to get the win over Texas Tech with all the stuff surrounding it?
"It felt real good, just first and foremost to get another win after two losses and the way we lost. It was a tough conference opponent, away, in Lubbock. It felt really good to get a win there."
How did Howard Matthews do in his first start?
"I think he played really well. He played fearless. He didn't hesitate. Sometimes with a freshman, especially starting a conference game away, you get a lot of hesitation and second-guessing. I feel like he played fast. I'm sure he made mistakes but he was going 100 miles per hour, so we can live with those mistakes."
How good of a job did y'all do of not letting Seth Doege get comfortable in the pocket?
"Going into the game Coach Williams said we needed to hit him at least 8 times. I think we hit him about 16 times. That was a big part of it. He's a good quarterback, and like any good quarterback if you let him sit down and set his feet and feel like he has all day to throw he'll pick you apart. But I think we did a pretty good job of making him feel our presence."
Is it important to match Baylor's intensity this week, with all they usually put into this game?
"Since I've been here I feel like Baylor has always had a little extra whatever you want to call it playing us. So we'll definitely have to match their intensity and come out hard. We know we'll get their best shot. We have to come out hard and just be us. If we come out hard, start fast and finish strong, we'll be fine."
How intense is this rivalry?
"It's really intense, especially on Saturday when you play the game. I guess it's just like every other rivalry. It will be a hard-hitting, hard-fought game to the end. We just have to go in there and do what we know how to do and we'll be fine."
How do you stop Robert Griffin?
"I'm sure Coach DeRuyter will come up with a lot of different ways. I'm sure we'll spy him. Last year Sean Porter did a really good job of that. But Coach DeRuyter will come up with some different things."
DB TERRENCE FREDERICK (Sr., Katy, Texas)
So where did the touchdown rank on the list of your favorite plays?
"Probably at the top. The past few years I got to the 1-yard line both times, so I made sure I got in this time."
Take us through the whole play...
"Dustin has been blocking them all week, and I've got to give him the credit. He came off the edge strong, blocked it, and I caught the ball and just took off with it."
How fast is Robert Griffin and how do you stop him?
"You've seen him play the last couple of years. We'll have to contain him. He can throw the ball and run the ball, and that's what makes him such great player. We usually put a spy on him but we will just go off our game plan.
Where does Kendall Wright rank among receivers you've seen?
"He's definitely up there as one of the best wide receivers in the Big 12. We know he is fast and can catch the ball, so we have to tackle and do our job."
Do you feel better about the pass defense than you did a week ago?
"I feel better, yeah, but there are still mistakes we have to get fixed. We have to fix our mistakes and get ready for Baylor."
Does it feel like Baylor has circled this game on their calendar? And do you feel you'll have to match their intensity?
"Yes, definitely. The last two years we have beaten them. I know this is a game they look forward to and we need to go out there and play. I know they will give us everything they have and we have to go out there and do the same."
TE MICHAEL LAMOTHE (Jr., New Iberia, La.)
Talk about your second effort on the touchdown...
"I was just trying to make something happen. Coach always talks about getting the yards after the catch. I was just trying to get in the end zone."
How big was your second effort?
"I trusted that Cyrus and C-Mike would have punched it in if I didn't get in. Second effort is what explains our whole team. We haven't really had that second-half effort that we needed the past couple of games, but that's what we needed. We needed some motivation from our offense and we got it."
Talk about your key blocks on Saturday...
"I was just trying to find somebody to hit. If he's in the hole I'll hit him. C-Mike and Cyrus were really patient in the game. It really worked out because they hid behind our blocks, found the holes and made good cuts."
How have you persevered at your position?
"I think my advantage is that I'm trying to learn different positions other than tight end. Between Nehemiah (Hicks) Hutson (Priloeau) and myself, I probably am the smallest one. I am just trying to be versatile and do what I can do to get the best opportunities on the field."
Talk about the environment in the locker room on Saturday and how good it felt...
"It was real good to get some payment for our hard work. We have been busting our tails the last 3 weeks and to get a win, especially in Lubbock against Tech, was really something special. That locker room scene is always special, with the guys you wake up with at 6 a.m. and work hard with. They are your brothers."
How important is taking care of the ball this week?
"It's huge. In the Arkansas game and Oklahoma State game, the turnover margin was key for us and may have been the difference in the game. If we wouldn't have turned the ball over in those games we may be undefeated right now. Taking care of the ball is a key component of our offense. There was one fumble in the game (Saturday) but we recovered it, and that was real huge."Â