Coach Bennett's media lunch quotes

[Hal]

Bennett media luncheon quotes
Coach previews Rice Game


Nov. 1, 2005

On this weekend's game against Rice...

"They are a team with a deceptive record. They have played some tough teams all year and have been competitive in conference play. Offensively, they have moved the ball against everyone they have played. Defensively, they are young and that has hurt them at times. Their last win was almost a year ago against us and they are coming in here with some incentive to play well. Our guys have great respect for Rice in the things that they do. We are expecting a very tough game, and in order to win we are going to have to execute and finish things off at the end of the game."


On the team's improvements over last season...

"We are not into moral victories, but we can tell we are a better football team and that we are not that far away. Each week you are judged by how you play. We haven't come out on top recently, but you have to believe in what you are doing and keep working. I don't think we are very far from being a good football team. However, when you are minus-7 in the turnover ratio the last two games, you have to make some things happen. Luck just doesn't happen, you have to go out and make plays to turn your fortunes."


On Jerad Romo...

"I have confidence that Jerad Romo is going to come back and play well the next three games. He got us in some good situations and directed our offense well against Tulsa. He is a very good competitor and he knows he is our quarterback and knows the importance of this game."


On stopping the triple option...

"The biggest thing with the triple option is stopping the fullback, the quarterback and the pitch in that order. Rice isn't strictly option. They run what we call "power football" out of the wishbone, where they put more people in the box to get your corners and safeties involved. The other thing you have to concentrate on is keeping them moving east and west and not north and south. You have to keep them playing hash-line to hash-line and not lose sight of their passing game. It is a challenging week to prepare for them for each person on this team. You have to try and get them out of their element and put them in long-yardage situations."


On the recent success of DeMyron Martin...

"DeMyron has had sore shoulder, but the more he ran at Tulsa the better he said it felt. He is maturing, though, and his comfort level is better than what it was to begin the season. He ran for some tough yards at Tulsa and he showed some toughness by staying in the game. His vision is also opening up. Instead of looking for cuts, he is feeling cuts and he is looking past what is in front of him."

[PonyPride]

.... Offensively, they have moved the ball against everyone they have played.....

This makes me tense.

.... However, when you are minus-7 in the turnover ratio the last two games, you have to make some things happen....

No kidding. We can be the most talented team in the world, but if we keep turning the ball over like we have the last two weeks .... let's just say we need to protect the pumpkin Saturday!

.... "DeMyron has had sore shoulder, but the more he ran at Tulsa the better he said it felt. He is maturing, though, and his comfort level is better than what it was to begin the season. He ran for some tough yards at Tulsa and he showed some toughness by staying in the game. His vision is also opening up. Instead of looking for cuts, he is feeling cuts and he is looking past what is in front of him."

If I'm not mistaken, Rice isn't too big in its defensive front seven, and teams have been able to run the ball on the Owls this season. We've had two weeks to prepare and to get Martin healthy. I'd like nothing more than to see Martin get the ball over and over and over again. Give him 30 carries and let him wear down the Rice defense.

[Caballo]

[quote="Hal"]Bennett media luncheon quotes
Coach previews Rice Game

On Jerad Romo...

"I have confidence that Jerad Romo is going to come back and play well the next three games. He is a very good competitor and he knows he is our quarterback and knows the importance of this game."





That translates into, "Chris Phillips will not play the rest of the year, unless Romo is injured."

[abezontar]

I will probably get slaughtered for saying this, but I wouldn't mind seeing a return to the Keylon Kincaide offense of two years ago, since we arguably have better passers and receivers than we did then, we might have been able to win a few more games by running it at the opposing team more (say 40 times) and since we have three backs (now two) that we trust to give the ball to, why not give it a go and save our few pass attempts to surprise the oppossing defense when they put eight or nine guys in the box.

[giacfsp]

We (mostly Martin) absolutely ran through East Carolina's front seven, before we inexplicably abandoned the run. If we could run through them, we damn-sure had better be able to run through Rice. The big boys up front need to stop being just big, they need to line up and knock the snot out of someone, and then look for someone else to hit. And someone else. And someone else.

There's no reason DeMyron Martin shouldn't crack 100 yards again and get in the end zone again.