Coach Shannon Holds Weekly Press Conference
Sept. 25, 2007
Coral Gables, Fla. (www. hurricanesports.com) – – Coach Randy Shannon held his weekly press conference on today. The Hurricanes host Duke at noon this Saturday in the Orange Bowl.
Click Here To Watch the Press Conference on All-Access.
University Of Miami Head Coach Randy Shannon Press Conference Trancsript:
OPENING STATEMENTS:
“This week, we play Duke. I have been watching a lot of Duke tape from this year and last year. One thing that they do is they never quit. They play hard throughout the entire game. They have the ability to make plays, and that’s how they get back into the game. They play aggressive on defense and play a four-man front, and when they blitz they blitz. They will line up everybody on the line of scrimmage. They are going to line up and show us what they are going to do. Their quarterback is doing an unbelievable job of reading coverages. He looks like he did at Miami Lakes (High School). In the running game, they do a good job of keeping you off-balance.”
ON DIFFERENT STRATEGY WITH DUKE:
“We are not going to take them lightly because last year they had a chance to beat us. It came down to the last play of the game. We understand what Duke is about now.”
ON IMPROVEMENT OF THE DEFENSIVE BACK FIELD:
“Those guys understand that we can’t give up big plays. We have had busted coverages. I think the defense is doing a great job now in the secondary. Those guys are competing around here.”
ON CORNERBACK Bruce Johnson:
“He’s done a good job. All of the cornerbacks are doing a good job. We’re rotating three guys right now. If Glenn (Sharpe) keeps on improving he will be in the rotation. Whoever is doing the best job will play.”
ON DIRECT SNAPS TO RUNNING BACKS:
“That is just game-plan situations. You can use that every now and then, but you can’t use it every game. It’s like the option.”
ON SAFETY Willie Cooper:
“Willie Cooper is doing great. He caused two fumbles in the game the other night and he has been playing well for us. We have to keep going on that path. He plays hard and this is his opportunity to play. He understands what it takes. He’s never had an attitude about anything.”
ON WHAT QUARTERBACK Kyle Wright DID DIFFERENTLY AGAINST TEXAS A&M:
“He didn’t try to win the game. He let the athletes around him win the game. When he had the opportunity to go deep, he did; but he did not force any balls. We tell him to just get it into the other athletes’ hands.”
ON COMPETITION IN THE ACC SO FAR:
“It’s early, because we haven’t gotten deep into conference play. Everyone seems to be just getting started in conference play this weekend just like we are. In three or four more games from now, you will really know.”
ON GIVING UP 17 FOURTH QUARTER POINTS AGAINST TEXAS A&M:
“We didn’t finish the game. That is something that Duke is good at. When you get on the field for the University of Miami you have to have pride and make sure you play defense and offense the way you should. Some guys didn’t respond and that cost us point. I was disappointed in that because you work so hard to play like that and end on a good not then something like that happens.”
ON THE DECISION TO PLAY AT NOON:
I love to play games during the day. There is the sun and heat that people are not used to. I would play all of them during the day if I could. There is a lot of excitement no matter when we play.”
