University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Walt Harris Weekly Press Conference
9/12/2000 12:00:00 AM | Football
Walt Harris Weekly Press Conference
9/12/2000
Opening Statement: We're excited about being at this juncture. We're not deceiving ourselves with regard to who we've beaten, but we have two wins under our belt and we're excited about that. We know we have a tremendous challenge this coming week with Penn State. We've watched tapes we know they're blessed with outstanding athletes and a lot of depth, so they're very impressive when they put it all together, which obviously they did this past weekend.
On Pittsburgh's receivers versus Penn State's defensive backfield: Well, this is early in our study, but they look awfully good right now-- meaning they're really fine athletes. A lot of times during the early part of our preparation they all look like first round draft choices. Regardless of who you're playing, everybody looks tough, and then you try to decipher ways to break down what they do in order for your guys to have a better chance to be successful so it's always more difficult early in the week; but they look like that's a part of the strength of >their defense, you know, I think the secondary really can run and they play a lot of multiple coverages which only adds to the challenge. But I also know that our receivers like challenges.
On Pittsburgh's offensive line play against Bowling Green: That's a huge concern. We don't have many options with regard to making changes. We're just going to try and work harder at being better technicians. They have a young man number ninety- two, Hicks, is a real fine football player for Bowling Green. We knew it going in, and we also know it coming out. He was a little bit more than we could handle, but I think it was our technique problems more than just him being physically better than us.
On the status of Khiawatha Downey: He is not yet at 100 percent. I think until he is healthy Khiawatha will not be able to give us the presence that we think he can give us. Hopefully he will feel better this week and we will mix him in there.
On deciding on a starting quarterback for this week: No, I have not decided.
On quarterback John Turman's performance at Bowling Green: I will talk a little bit about it. Briefly, I am going to review my posture on it. My posture on it is I am not necessarily going to go with the productivity guy. I am going to go with the guy that I think is executing our system the best. So far we don't have one that is executing the system the best most consistently. I do like how they have both upgraded their play. Being able to coach them, being able to grade them, knowing what I have asked them to do, gives me quite a bit of insight to them that you all are not privileged to have. John (Turman) obviously was more productive in the game, but when you watch the tape, in a lot of it guys are running wide open so he obviously is a good quarterback, he is going to hit them. He threw a tremendous pass to Antonio (Bryant) on the go route that we didn't catch. But David did the week before too to R.J. (English). My plan is to not just go on the productivity. My plan is to go on the guy that is being most consistent because if you believe in our system, which I obviously do, believe in our receivers and believe in our plan, then if we get a guy that is most consistent then he will deliver all the time. So right now we are not there. I am not where I need to be in order to make a decision
The plan right now going into Tuesday's practice is that we will keep it the same. The pressure is on them. I think they have upgraded their performance. Their completion percentage is high and they both made some real fine plays. One of them made some better plays then the other but I made that decision based on watching the tape. Sometimes you may not feel the same way.
On the running game versus Bowling Green: I think the lack of productivity in the running game is my responsibility and we will spread it as far as that. I'll take responsibility. We have to do a better job of running the football in all phases. I have tried to address it to our offensive players last night so the buck stops here.
On the three fumbles against Bowling Green: Since we have been here we have not been a fumbling, bumbling football team. And we are not coaching loose carrying of the football. We are going to upgrade how we carry the football. We have been talking to them about it, asking them and we are done asking them. So, two of the fumbles were running hard. I think one bounced off a guy's helmet because he went over the top of him. He did not secure the football. The next one, he had the ball secured and he got it ripped out. Now, there was some question of whether he was down or whether he wasn't, but the fact that he got it ripped out, in our eyes -- we don't worry about the officials -- that is wrong. He did not cover up tight enough. The third one, I think is as much inexperience and technique as well. We are going to upgrade that drastically or we will have some of the best conditioned tailbacks in America.
On this Saturday's game being the last scheduled game between Pittsburgh and Penn State: I talked a little bit about that a year ago and I quickly was corrected on the game. I think it is a great rivalry. I remember when I was a coach at other places, we would always tune in if we could for this game. We have a great state for high school football. It is neat when some of the kids from such and such a school go to Pitt and some of them go to Penn State. I think that adds to the rivalry. It is just unfortunate that right now the powers that be are choosing that it is not going to happen. So we are going to try to do the best we can in our final competition with them. We played extremely hard the last three years but we have not got the job done and that us our responsibility. We are not going to be satisfied with our performance until we eventually get the job done and we are running out of time.
On the players preparing for the Penn State game and if it is similar to a Michigan-Ohio State rivalry: I think for our players it is the same (as it is for Michigan-Ohio State). That is probably one of our problems with West Virginia. I think that we have not done a good enough job, not to digress, but I think being very honest, I think that is some of our problem with West Virginia. In our minds, the coaches minds, West Virginia is our rival. But I think our players really look forward to playing Penn State and unfortunately West Virginia really looks forward to playing Pitt. We have to get that squared away and eventually we will.
On how players from other areas of the country, such as Antonio Bryant (Florida) feel about the Pittsburgh-Penn State rivalry: I think Antonio is looking forward to playing Penn State because he has watched them on television, it is a national game, a national rivalry, and as all our receivers do, they get up for big games, and they get up for all the games, all of those guys.
On what a victory over Penn State do for the program: Someone asked me that earlier and I really can't state that until I experience it. So, I am looking forward to that experience happening, but until it happens my focus is on preparation and getting our guys ready to play and I think if that part happens it will be easy to answer that question at that time.
On what type of impact a win over Penn State would have in recruiting: You know we think we have improved our recruiting and we have not beaten them the last three years. So I am not putting all our eggs in our basket that this is a win or else game. I don't like to do that to our football players or our football team or football program. I don't think I have to. It's a game, it's a big game, it's an exciting opportunity for our team to play them in Pittsburgh, we are playing them at home. We are playing against a great football program with a great head football coach and a staff that has been there for years and years and years. So to me, that is enough right now and I don't need to look past anything else. Just like we have done before we are going to play them as hard as we can and we have to get the job done. And if we don't get the job done, then we will move on.
On playing Penn State very close the last few years: I hope it (playing them close) will give us some confidence, but we had 21 seniors leave us and if you could tell by the number of young players in our lineup, not in the two-deep as much as in the starting lineup, a lot of those guys have to play. Every year is a new year. I think it is up to our coaches to give our players confidence. It is up to our senior leadership to give our guys confidence. But the bottom line is we have to get the job done. We have to play good early and gain some confidence as the game goes on because they are an outstanding football team with great athletes sprinkled all over the football team. All you have to do is watch the tape to see it.
On if there is any extra hype for this game because Pittsburgh has improved and Penn State has slipped a little the last few weeks: Well I am sure some of our supporters think that our chances might appear to be better, but they don't get to watch the tape like I have had a chance to watch it the last 12 hours and as they proved last week they have great athletes and we are looking forward to the opportunity. As for all of the other stuff, I can't be concerned with that.
On the tape exchange with Penn State: I think the change of tape thing is going well, honestly. I don't quite understand, I think there has been some miscommunication or misleading about this obligation with the film exchange. We had a complaint in 1997 and that proved to be negative and this one is negative as well.
On what the exact situation with the tape exchange was: I don't know what the situation was, honestly. I came to work today and I heard that Coach Paterno was upset with the film. Being a good soldier like myself, I went to the sources, Mitch Wilkens (video coordinator) and Tom Freeman who handles our tape exchange on our staff and we have done some research on this and I would like to read you our comments: The University of Pittsburgh has met all of its film exchange obligations to Penn State fully and on time. Never once have we personally received a complaint from Penn State regarding film exchanges. If Coach Paterno wants to throw around some inaccurate charges or mislead the public, then so be it. We have met our obligations to them and on time.
On what the obligations for tape exchange are: The general rule of thumb is you exchange - we have played two games and they have played three - so we only exchange two with them because that is all we have to exchange. That was the problem a while ago, a year ago, whenever that was. They have more games to exchange than we do so therefore they won't give us three. We only have two to give so we are going to get two >from them and we are going to get two from us. I think there was discussion with regards to summer exchange. Both conferences did not exchange films. In other words, a school in our conference will not exchange films to Penn State of our later games and their conference will not either. We chose not to exchange films during the summer.
On when the exchange of films takes place: I believe we sent the first game (on Sept. 4) after we played the game and we sent this last one on Sunday (Sept. 10) and all of those obligations were met on time with no problems. What didn't happen was the summer exchange.
On knowing some of Penn State's vulnerabilities this year: They all look good on Mondays, honest. Looking at some of their athletes, we have been here a while now so we have had a chance to either try to recruit them, see them at the Big 33 or watch them on tape on national television or whatever it may be. You know they are loaded and they have it going again. A good football team has to not make it easier for them and I think Louisiana Tech made it easy for them. And they obviously capitalized on that. We are tremendously impressed with the athletes that are on their special teams. It will be a good challenge for us no question ? an exciting challenge though too.
On some playmakers emerging on the defensive side of the ball: I feel good about the progress our defense has made through our new defensive coordinator Paul Rhoads as well as our new coaches as well as our new players. We are playing a lot of young players, but let's not kids ourselves, we have been playing two MAC teams and we are now playing Penn State which is a nationally recognized football program. So we have our hands full but we are looking forward to the challenge and we are going to try to do the best we can.
On Penn State losing to Toledo: I was very surprised. But Toledo really executed. You look at their football team and their run game, and they were executing. Their backs were not turning the ball over and they were running hard towards the goal line, not towards the sidelines. And their quarterback was a dominant player. He made plays for them. I thought they had a tremendous plan. I'm looking at their offense against Penn Stat's defense and they had a tremendous plan. They had the players that bought into the plan, the lineman were stepping properly just like they had been coached. It was impressive. Against a superior talented football team, that was a great victory.
On pumping the players up or trying to calm them down: We're just going to try to coach them to be ready to play. I think, to answer your question better, I don't think we'll have to pump our guys up, I think what we'll have to do is prepare them. I tried to talk to our football team, this is all about the most boring statement you'll hear me make, this is all about doing what they're coached to do. We don't have to do the herculean task, because what happens when you try to do that, you don't do what you're coached to do. I'm just trying to get our football players to do what we've coached them to do on every down and believe in what they're doing and execute that way. Because that's how football has to be played. When we do that, good things happen.
On the chance that it might not be a herculean task to defeat Penn State: I've been saying that the whole time since Ive been here. Because if you're doing what you've been coached to do, it gives you a chance. And as in the NFL, if you get into the playoffs, you have a chance. But you have to get in there. You have to do what you've been coached to do in order to have a chance, and if you don't, you don't have a chance. And we don't do the way we've been asked to do it, or instructed to do it, we won't have a chance.
On the new starters on defense for this week: I'm excited our defense is playing solidly, and that's what we have to do on defense. We are getting what we think is an outstanding football player back in Ramon Walker. That guy, we've missed him. So I know he'll be excited about playing. And he adds to the excitement of our team, because when he hits them, he hits them. He's a playmaker and we have a defensive scheme that allows him to be a playmaker. I know our football players, offensive players and the guys on the sidelines, defensive players, can't wait to see him play at the level we know he can play. I am pleased with where we're at, but I'm not going to vote us into the Hall of Fame yet. We have a long way to go. Honestly, if we don't run the ball like a good football team, it won't matter.
On how close the MLB, OLB positions are for naming a starter: It's awfully close. Either guy could play. And once again, that's exciting for us because that means there's competition. That's something that we haven't had a lot of around here and we're developing more and more. And that brings out the best in the players. We believe the old saying ?the cream rises to the top. And that's what we're hoping. It's called competition. But that's what happens in a game, tremendous competition between two teams, and the team with the most coachable players rises to the top and that's why they win.
On Ramon Walker's health: I think he's about as well as we're going to have him. But I don't know if that means he's wont be injured. I think he's been pretty healthy right now. But as hard as he hits, it can happen at any time, because he hits them.
On Penn State having some confidence problems and the possibility of an early lead being a bigger advantage than normal: No, I think it would just be an advantage. Last week brought back the memory of how long a football game is. I mean it's a long time. And there's a tremendous amount of opportunities in those four quarters of 15 minutes. I looked up at the clock and there were still 10 or 11 minutes to go in the fourth quarter, and I'll tell you, I was pooped. We had a lot of time still to go and we had a couple of unfortunate things happen. We have to bring it down after down, play after play. And it would always be nice to start off, but sometimes that goes the other way too. You start off, get a little cocky or over-confident, and then you don't back it up. We have to play four quarters of football and hopefully, I think we'll be inspired to play, but whether we believe in what we're asking them to do enough, and whether we execute that, that will be our challenge.
On whether a win on Saturday would accelerate the building of the program: I really don't want to comment on that, because that is not where it's at for us right now. We're in a preparation mode, not in that mode. Like I said, we'll have plenty of time for that if we're fortunate to make that happen.
On Penn State's defense being less physical: No, I just think it's the quality of the opponent. Southern Cal is undefeated. Toledo really, really played well. I was very impressed with how they blocked. They have a neat attack. I think they have a very well constructed attack. They have a quarterback that's a threat to run with the ball. I think he throws the ball competitively enough, but he's such a threat to run the ball. And I think Toledo really blocked for him well. Obviously, Penn State made some adjustments against Louisiana Tech and learned from that game, and played as well as they did.
On Rod Rutherford: You noticed he did play. He played way before the game was decided. We'll continue to do that. We're excited with what Rod brought to the table. We've got to upgrade some of his little parts of the game, like penalties and snaps and all that stuff. But we're very excited he's a part of our football program and he likes to play. We're going to put him in there to help us win.
On the head coach getting more involved in preparing for Penn State: I have great confidence in our defensive coaches, honestly. They can see what I can see. We have to keep him (Rashard Casey) contained. He's a great athlete. He's close to Michael Vick as a great athlete, probably not quite as fast but every bit as athletic. The difference is I don't think they run hardly any option, where Michael Vick does, that's where they differ.
On Rashard Casey operating from the shotgun: I'm sure it's always a threat when you have a guy who can run as well as Rashard can. Hopefully we won't see it this weekend.
On the film situation: It's like it was before. They had nothing to give us so we were under no obligation to trade. This year, we had two games to trade, they have three, but we only get two. That's their obligation. That's our contract and that's it. That's the way the rules are played. I don't understand. I really don't. I didn't really understand the last time either. I did call and talked to Coach Paterno the last time. That was on a Wednesday and on Friday, he finally corrected it. Am I going to call him again? No, I don't think so.
On whether any other school has ever complained about the tape trading: No. Once again, if it got there late, they obviously would have called us. It didn't get there late because they didn't call us. I really don't understand what the problem was, other than we decided not to exchange over the summer, but that was four months ago. And what we did decide to exchange, both parties agreed, and we have both been efficient on getting each other the tapes.
On this as a personal insult: I don't take it in any kind of personal way, honestly. I don't really understand, but believe me, it's not going to make a difference on Saturday either.
