University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Walt Harris Press Conference Quotes
10/3/2000 12:00:00 AM | Football
Walt Harris Press Conference Quotes
10/3/2000
On playing in the Carrier Dome: It's loud, it's hot, it's humid. They only cheer for Syracuse. There's very few people cheering for us. It makes it hard for us to hear. It really helps them with their two edge rushers, Duke Pettijohn and number fifty-four who has really come on, Dwight Freeney. I know BYU's left tackle was slow on the snap count and it cost them big time.
On preparation for the noise in the Carrier Dome: We haven't finalized that. Fortunately, we have a few more days. We will probably at least have noise (piped in) somewhere. I don't know exactly where we are going to go.
On this past bye week: It was great. It is nice to get a little bit healthier. Get a little time off for our players to get away from football. Also, it is good for us to get out and recruit. We were out recruiting and hopefully made some hay when the sun was out that way. I think the bye week was very positive. Whether we turn that into a positive this weekend, that remains to be seen. I don't think that will be a reason why if we don't.
On the possible loss of momentum following the bye week: I really don't worry about all of that stuff. I try to do a good job and most of the time I'm able to not worry about things I have no control over. That was on the schedule so we've just got to make due.
On exercising the demons this week against Syracuse: I look at it as an elite team in our league traditionally. This is a team that beat us three times in a row (since Harris has been at Pittsburgh). And a team that if we want to develop our football program this season we are going to have to find a way to win against them and win against the elite teams in our league. I think Paul Pasqualoni's football program is one of the elite teams in our league. They looked like it Saturday night.
On the difference in Syracuse's performance from week to week: Well, I think that they have played in some tough weather conditions. Obviously, East Carolina. East Carolina has some football players and they gave up the big play on defense. Offensively, they were able to run the ball. They just weren't able to punch it in down there in the red zone. Last weekend it didn't look like they had the same problem. I think their quarterback really played well last weekend. Really played well.
On the Syracuse quarterback, Troy Nunes: I think Troy is a good football player. He fits into their offensive scheme very well. I think he's a guy that will not do the things that will get you beat. To me the first part in learning to play that position well is to not beat yourself . He also has physical tools because he can run around. He can run the option, which is something they require and he has some talent around him and he is utilizing those tools as well.
On Syracuse having success as its quarterback has success: I don't know. I think they are so good on defense. I think their defense could carry them in a lot of games. They are that good on defense. They are one of the better defenses we face. Their ends remind me of Brad Scioli, Courtney Brown, Corey Moore, and John Engleberger. The same kind of pressure they put on your tackles and your whole offense. And their inside guys I think don't get enough credit. Both of those guys, Rickie Simpkins, who did not play last week so he'll be real fresh and Eric Downing who I recruited when I was at Ohio State. I think those three-hundred pounders put a lot of push up the middle. So that makes it hard on the quarterback who is trying to step up in the pocket and avoid the pressure off the edge.
On DE Duke Pettijohn: Well, obviously we've got to upgrade and play him with the best people we have. We have to upgrade and play better. We have to play smarter and run the ball better. When you run the ball better you stay in the game better. We got behind 24-0 last year so it really wasn't a great opportunity for us run the ball very well. We have to try and keep the game close so those guys aren't rushing the passer every down.
On the possibility of seeing three Pittsburgh quarterbacks in the first half: I think from here on in if you've seen them so far, you are probably going to get a chance to see them again. I don't think that is a losing combination at all.
On who will start at quarterback this week: We will start John Turman. He is getting a little more practice reps starting game week. Last week they split the practice reps. Which is normally what we do on a bye week. We prepare as if it was training camp and even up the repetitions.
On the possibility of seeing David Priestley: Safe bet. Safe bet that John is going to start, I would say unless he does not execute to the level in practice that we expect. And I think it is a safe bet to say that David Priestley will play as well.
On the existence of a plan in the quarterback rotation: I just show up and wing it! I know you are not being disrespectful, but I do have a plan. I know you've been very interested in this subject this whole time so I'm just kind of messing with you a little bit because you are out there almost every day. I'm very respectful and appreciative of those who cover us every day. I always have a plan believe it or not. I reserve the right to make a change as the game goes and I've exercised that right really in only one game where I decided to not make a change. All the rest of the games basically, my plan has been carried out consistently.
On the listing of two starters at certain positions on the defensive depth chart: I think that is a combination of competition and respect for the other guy. Also it shows the first guy that he just can't relax. There is a fine line between confidence and taking your foot off the gas pedal so to speak. We like having all of our guys having their foot on the gas pedal full. That's our philosophy. A lot of people don't agree with that and hopefully someday we won't have to do that. We have so many good players like Bryan Knight. You see Bryan Knight is not in there like that. Be careful, Bryan, we don't want your helmet not to fit anymore. If you get guys that play at that level then we are going to trust them that they are going to show up everyday in practice and practice and play at the level Saturday after Saturday after Saturday.
On the rotational process taking place on the defensive side of the ball: I think that's been huge, and I also believe that not having starters all the time on our special teams in every slot - especially on our defense - has been huge, too. We finally have guys, not everybody, but finally have a lot of guys going to the sideline after a special teams play. Instead of all them going in the huddle, I think that's really helped our players. I think our defensive players are excited about what they're accomplishing, and I think they're excited about what their coaches are giving them and I think they're really trying to respond at a high level, and they have.
On the overall special teams play: I think the only phase we're struggling with is the snap, and that phase is one of the most challenging parts of the game. I have a lot of confidence that Kurt Johnson is going to continue to upgrade, and continue to improve because he's a good person, a good young man, smart, and he's the best we have to offer - so Kurt is going to get it done. But overall our special teams have been competitive, and that's what we have to do. In some games they've been the difference. I think in the Rutgers game we blocked a punt, we returned a kickoff for a touchdown, and had a bunch of others. We went from 111th (in the country) in kickoff returns to number two in one week. Obviously that's huge.
On Kurt Johnson's snap problems: He had one other game (where he had a bad snap), but it's such a skill. It's like putting a redshirt freshman at quarterback, I mean he's going to have problems now. This is a hard skill and I have nothing but respect for those who have done it. And we're working hard and he's working hard to get better at it and gain more confidence in himself. It's not just snapping, if it were just snapping he'd have no problem; but he has to block somebody, snap and block. Which shows the value of that position and how challenging it is to get it done.
On the key to stopping Troy Nunes: I think you have to put a blanket around a scrambler and I don't think you want to flush him out, you want to keep him in the pocket and make him beat you dropping back. I think he will beat you rolling around and making things happen, I just think he's a good quarterback, a good football player, and he fits well into what they're doing and that's why he's become their starter.
On Nunes being a bigger threat than Mike McMahon (Rutgers QB): I think anytime you run the option you pose a bigger threat to the opponent, which is one of the things we look forward to, Rod Rutherford someday posing a big threat to the opponent because of the fact that he can run the option. Now what we've got to do is prove that Rod can throw the ball. So we're going about it the other way. Once again he's a redshirt freshman, so in time we're planning on him being better in that situation. But Troy is a threat, they really know a lot about the option. Not only have they had great athletes, they've had a tradition of great athletes at quarterback and so their coaching staff is very, very knowledgeable about how to run the option. George DeLeone is as good a coordinator as there is in college football in taking advantage of his talents.
On using Rod Rutherford in practice to run the option to prepare Pittsburgh's corners: I don't think the corners are really directly involved in the option, they end up having to tackle, but I think outside linebackers and defensive ends are. We ran a lot of option in the preparation a year ago during training camp and I think that really helped us on the option last year, because they had some plays where they were out the gate that I know Bryan (Knight) and Brian Beinecke, and some other guys really did a nice job on the option to help us. All in all Rod could be of aid to help them. So far they haven't complained about the look they're getting, of course it's not Saturday yet either.
