Can the lack of a pass rush be a quick fix?
"When young guys transitioning from run to pass and when I mean knowing that you're in a run look and they give you a run look and you realize this is pass, is transitioning to the edge and getting that rush, yes it can. That can be fixed and be done well. That's experience, that's coaching, and then guys' recognition. We've got guys who can rush the passer and we got some interior guys that can rush the passer. They did a good job of sliding the protection and maxing (max protection) ... and they got some 1-on-1s. And it does affect coverage. You've got to get the ball out of their hands."
On the offense giving up so much pressure:
"Connor did a great job but there's two or three times he should have slid the front the other way. It wasn't the line. He had to get the MIKE decoration to slide the other way. And we split it the wrong way. There was a couple of those and then a couple times we had hot routes where guys came unblocked, but we knew that ... and he needed to dump the ball out in the flat or a drag or whatever the hot route was that he didn't pick up. And then we got beat a couple times. I mean it was it was a combination of all three so it wasn't all in that because you slide protections based off what you see. That's experience and knowledge and we got to make sure that as a staff we make sure we get that across to him and get it communicated in the game sometimes on the road that can be tougher, but that's part of it. You got to be able to do that."
Slipping issues:
"Maybe we had the wrong cleats. I don't know. I mean, the middle the field did slip but they know they had the same guys we do. I know that Connor did a couple times. He was getting ready to throw and his feet went out from under him. A lot of times when you play at teams that have different logos in other words, I say multiple teams play the same sport, they switch that logo out. When that happens, that grass has to be interchanged. So that's usually done on a very quick (basis) and then those stadiums that have that half don't get the sunlight to dry out and you have the rain and then you wet that part to make that grass take and it makes that slick and then you'll paint on the emblem and in my history over there they always do that. You'll have a lot of that some of those issues occasionally in that situation."
Whether he's gotten more involved on the defensive side of the ball
"We talk about what they do defensively quite a bit. Watch film, watch that and then watching all their offensive film, just got done watching ULM. Giving things, ideas, things I think given problems, all that we all that. Religiously."
Evaluating the job performance of DJ Durkin:
"He's doing a good job right now. We've played the run extremely well, had a great first game. We gave up a couple of deep balls (against Miami) and we've got to get more pressure. But DJ Is a very good coach, he does a good job and he knows what he's doing."
The team's response to the loss:
"After the game I mean, we were upset, guys were upset but they handled it well. They handle it maturely. And I think they'd been back asking questions and was nobody missed yesterday. Nobody did anything yesterday. They were on time they did what they're supposed to do when they're supposed to do it. They're up there watching film, they're studying and you know from their demeanor and their approach I think they're doing a really good job of (handling things)."
The play of the secondary:
"I mean, we gave up a couple of big plays. I mean, Chappell was pretty good in the game. I thought Chappell played well in the game I mean, made some good plays and played well. We got beat on a double move and they got an interference call on the other. A couple guys gave up plays in one on one situations we got to do a better job technique and staying in there and just not panicking and playing the ball at the point of attack. Play through the guy, play through the arms and not grab or touch. But also, we've gotta get a little more pressure to get the ball out a little earlier so you aren't guarding those guys as long."
On ULM:
"They're a no-huddle team on offense who goes fast, plays a lot of three and four wide receivers. Got a really good player, 4, a transfer the slot receiver can really run the two backs are excellent. They get really good they do a good job up front. Man, they got big offensive linemen who will maul you, they run the counter and the zone schemes
Defensively, they're unorthodox. They play a lot of different fronts, mix guys -- sometimes you'll see one of their their backers playing safety, one time and be linebacker and he's on the edge of the ball mixing coverages different looks up front stuck inside a lot. Bring a lot of pressures and create that double eagle front and how they do and mix their coverages very well.
"When young guys transitioning from run to pass and when I mean knowing that you're in a run look and they give you a run look and you realize this is pass, is transitioning to the edge and getting that rush, yes it can. That can be fixed and be done well. That's experience, that's coaching, and then guys' recognition. We've got guys who can rush the passer and we got some interior guys that can rush the passer. They did a good job of sliding the protection and maxing (max protection) ... and they got some 1-on-1s. And it does affect coverage. You've got to get the ball out of their hands."
On the offense giving up so much pressure:
"Connor did a great job but there's two or three times he should have slid the front the other way. It wasn't the line. He had to get the MIKE decoration to slide the other way. And we split it the wrong way. There was a couple of those and then a couple times we had hot routes where guys came unblocked, but we knew that ... and he needed to dump the ball out in the flat or a drag or whatever the hot route was that he didn't pick up. And then we got beat a couple times. I mean it was it was a combination of all three so it wasn't all in that because you slide protections based off what you see. That's experience and knowledge and we got to make sure that as a staff we make sure we get that across to him and get it communicated in the game sometimes on the road that can be tougher, but that's part of it. You got to be able to do that."
Slipping issues:
"Maybe we had the wrong cleats. I don't know. I mean, the middle the field did slip but they know they had the same guys we do. I know that Connor did a couple times. He was getting ready to throw and his feet went out from under him. A lot of times when you play at teams that have different logos in other words, I say multiple teams play the same sport, they switch that logo out. When that happens, that grass has to be interchanged. So that's usually done on a very quick (basis) and then those stadiums that have that half don't get the sunlight to dry out and you have the rain and then you wet that part to make that grass take and it makes that slick and then you'll paint on the emblem and in my history over there they always do that. You'll have a lot of that some of those issues occasionally in that situation."
Whether he's gotten more involved on the defensive side of the ball
"We talk about what they do defensively quite a bit. Watch film, watch that and then watching all their offensive film, just got done watching ULM. Giving things, ideas, things I think given problems, all that we all that. Religiously."
Evaluating the job performance of DJ Durkin:
"He's doing a good job right now. We've played the run extremely well, had a great first game. We gave up a couple of deep balls (against Miami) and we've got to get more pressure. But DJ Is a very good coach, he does a good job and he knows what he's doing."
The team's response to the loss:
"After the game I mean, we were upset, guys were upset but they handled it well. They handle it maturely. And I think they'd been back asking questions and was nobody missed yesterday. Nobody did anything yesterday. They were on time they did what they're supposed to do when they're supposed to do it. They're up there watching film, they're studying and you know from their demeanor and their approach I think they're doing a really good job of (handling things)."
The play of the secondary:
"I mean, we gave up a couple of big plays. I mean, Chappell was pretty good in the game. I thought Chappell played well in the game I mean, made some good plays and played well. We got beat on a double move and they got an interference call on the other. A couple guys gave up plays in one on one situations we got to do a better job technique and staying in there and just not panicking and playing the ball at the point of attack. Play through the guy, play through the arms and not grab or touch. But also, we've gotta get a little more pressure to get the ball out a little earlier so you aren't guarding those guys as long."
On ULM:
"They're a no-huddle team on offense who goes fast, plays a lot of three and four wide receivers. Got a really good player, 4, a transfer the slot receiver can really run the two backs are excellent. They get really good they do a good job up front. Man, they got big offensive linemen who will maul you, they run the counter and the zone schemes
Defensively, they're unorthodox. They play a lot of different fronts, mix guys -- sometimes you'll see one of their their backers playing safety, one time and be linebacker and he's on the edge of the ball mixing coverages different looks up front stuck inside a lot. Bring a lot of pressures and create that double eagle front and how they do and mix their coverages very well.
