Coach Davis And The Players Speak Out
Sept. 14, 1999
Head Coach Butch Davis
“We would be remiss to not talk about the scheduling aspect of this and how it has effected to some extent what we’re trying to do in preparation for Penn State. This morning at 7:30 we practiced. We had an hour and one half practice and I’d like to personally thank the players because it’s not always easy when you get into a routine of going to classes, watching film, meeting, then practicing to take some time early this morning, take this small window of opportunity with the weather and to be able to have as good of a practice as we could possibly have. The players will remain off for the remainder of the day and we assume tomorrow will be business as usual – that there will probably be classes, afternoon meetings and practice and if the weather should force us to change we will make whatever necessary adjustments that we have to make in regard to that..”
“The practice this morning was a good practice in the sense that the weather cooperated – we were able to address some things that normally we would not have the chance to address. We spent some time on some nickel situations and some red zone things. We sued this as an opportunity as kind of a little extra practice that normally we wouldn’t have gotten had this been a regular schedule.”
“The distraction part of it – to some extent last year’s UCLA preparation was a little bit of a dry run for these kind of situations. I don’t think it’s necessarily that big of a distraction. I think all of our players got an opportunity to get home last night and help their families board up and those who need to will have some time today to be with them. For the most part I don’t think it will be that much of a distraction. Our kids are pretty good about focusing when it’s necessary.”
“From an injury standpoint, I think we’re pretty healthy. We’ve been very fortunate and again in recognition of what Tommy Moffitt (Strength Coach) has done for our football program – I think that the strength and conditioning work that’s led into the season has allowed us to go now 5-6 weeks into the season with training camp, a couple of games and an open date to be as healthy as we are today – Najeh Davenport being the only player that is out for the season. Everybody else is relatively healthy.”
“The bigger issue is preparation for Penn State. That where everybody’s focused and that’s where everything needs to be. They are certainly a very talented football team. This is a team that Joe Paterno has pointed to for the last probably 3-4 years thinking that this is will be a great football team at Penn State. They have nine returning starters on defense. It is a very heavy laden senior football team. They have talent on both sides of the ball. Certainly they have gotten off to a very explosive start – a huge win over Arizona in the first ballgame, just crushed Akron in the second ballgame, and the third ballgame against Pittsburgh I think was a situation that both defenses played very well. In that game, Penn State didn’t particularly use a tremendous amount of the things that we had seen them do in the first two ballgames. One of the callers yesterday on a national talk radio show said that he felt like that they were very vanilla – sometimes that is Penn State, sometimes they are vanilla in a sense that they just try to beat you with athletes and in performance and in technique. I think that they will be a lot more imaginative (vs. Miami) because they were against Arizona. They were creative – multiple shifts, multiple formations and multiple position groups against them (Arizona). I would think very seriously that that is the way that they will attack us. They are very goodat special teams. LaVarr Arrington had a great play at the end of the ballgame blocking a field goal which is something he has done before. He did the exact same thing against Kentucky last year in a bowl game where he ran the exact same block. They blocked multiple punts. Their punt pressure unit is a very good unit. I think our punt team is going to get a great challenge.”
“Our football team has worked exceptionally hard. We’ve been very productive in the last week and a half and have used our open date exceptionally well to get focused in. We worked on ourselves the first part of the last week and then worked on Penn State the latter part of the week. That’s the only way you can approach an open date – is to make sure you use it to the benefit of your football team.”
“I don’t think the weather is going to be much of a factor for the weekend. Most generally, when a hurricane comes this close then leaves, it’s 95 degrees with 95 percent humidity which is probably perfect weather for Saturday.”
On the hot weather’s effect on Penn State
“Joe was asked this question last summer and his answer is that heat and humidity only bothers bad teams. So I assume that their expectations are that it won’t. What I like is that this is normal for us and practice in it every single day. Our kickoff this Saturday is at 3:30 p.m. and we start most every practice at 3:30. So for our kids this will be typical and will be just another day for us in terms of the heat and humidity,”
On Penn State’s linebackers
“What stands out is how athletic they are. Brandon Short is certainly an outstanding player. Lavarr Arrington gets a tremendous amount of the noteriety, but Brandon Short is really a terrific football player. He’s a player who plays very tough, they blitz him a lot, they bring him, he’s a good, accomplished pass rusher. They are like all good linebackers – they’re like Dan Morgan, Nate Webster and Michael Smith – they can run, they can chase the football, they play well in coverage. They are a good group of linebackers.
On the legacy of great Miami-Penn State games
“It has the makings of that. It’s one of those classic matchups. When the truly great matchups around the country it reallly garners a tremendous amount of attention. If you’re a competitor and like challenges, you have to look forward to games like this.”
On Penn State’s Quarterback Situation
“They are playing two guys. This is a little bit similar to how we perceived Ohio State with no real rhyme or reason as to when one comes in and how long he’s goiing to stay. They don’t alter what they’re going to really, but who have to prepare for both.”
On whether the 1999 Miami Offense is Davis’ most talented
“Our offense took a hit when we lost Najeh (Davenport). But from the standpoint of good depth and talent at wide receiver, depth and talent at both tight end and h-back with Bubba (Franks)and Mondriel (Fulcher), with James (Jackson) at tailback and Kenny’s (Kelly) athleticism at quarterback. And I think more than anything else the one ingredient that’s different since I’ve been here is the talent and the depth in the offensive line. You can have all these same skill players, but if you had a poor offensive line – they would never be able to do all the things that they do. Richard (Mercier), Ty (Wise), and Joaquin (Gonzalez) and the starters and the guys behind them provide a luxury that we’ve never had.”
On Miami’s Backup Tailback Situation Without Najeh Davenport
“It’s getting better. With the open date both Clinton Portis and Jarrett Payton were able to learn more about the timings and the assignments.”
On the naming of Jeff Popovich as a Burger King Scholar Athlete
“I’d like to start of by thanking Burger King personally. There are a number of different companies around the country that make major contributions in recognition of athletes that typify what you’d like to serve as great student-athletes. Jeff is a phenomenal young man and is a terrific student. He is one of the better academic student in what is a long line of great students we’ve had at the University of Miami. He is a great student and a very valuable member of this football team.”
Quarterback Kenny Kelly
On preparation for Penn State
“Our preparation has been great. We prepare every week like we are playing a Top-10 team. We just take it week by week. This is a big game coming up for us. We’ve been working hard and doing all the things necessary to win.”
On Hurricane Floyd’s effect on preparation
“We practiced on Monday which we don’t normally do. The only distraction has been the uncertainty of not knowing in advance if we’ll be able to practice and when we can practice. It’s just something that you have to adjust to. Right now, we’ve been adjusting well.”
On Penn State’s defense – similar to Ohio State?
“They are both great defenses. Ohio State blitzed a lot. Penn State plays an aggressive style defense, just like Ohio State Both teams have excellent defenses. We will have to come ready to play, just like we did in the Ohio State game.”
“I think we played really well against FAMU and Ohio State and I think if we play as well as we did in those two games then we’ll be fine this Saturday. I think after this game we will definitely know where we’re at.”
On Santana Moss and the Miami receiving corps
“Santana is a great athlete and I think all of our receivers are. On any given day, I think that any of our receivers can do what Santana did against Ohio State. The one thing I like about our receivers is that I can go to any one of them at any time. It’s not like I have to count on Santana for this situation or on Reggie (Wayne) for this situation – I can count on all of them in any situation. That’s a quarterback’s dream – to have three or four receivers that you can just put the ball up and they’ll go and get it. I feel like Randall Cunningham sometimes with Chris Carter and Randy Moss.”
On the crowd
“As players, we’ve been waiting for this for a long time. I think the crowd is going to have a great deal to do with the game and I think with their help and the playing of our team – I think it will be a successful Saturday.”
Linebacker Dan Morgan
On Penn State’s running back corps
“They have a lot of depth. They’re come in and be fresh whatever the situation is. They have power backs and the kind that can shake and bake- so we have to be ready for any of them.”
On the heat and humidity
“I’m from Pennsylvania, so how the weather compares. I know it’s a lot hotter and humid down here. It’s hard to adjust when you first get down here.”
On the team’s maturation over the last few years
“We are a lot more experienced now. We have that confidence now when we come out on the field and really feel in control. That’s how our whole defense feels right now. Before when we were young and in games we might have panicked a little bit because we didn’t know our assignments here and there. Now we know our assignments cut and dry and just have to go out and play.”
On preparation for Penn State
“Penn State of course is one of the top teams in the nation and we have to prepare like they are one of the top teams in the nation. We go out and practice hard every week and there really is not hat much difference. Of course they are a better team – we just have to be a little more prepared.”
