Doug Martin's Weekly Press Conference
10/8/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
Opening Statement
“This is going to be an exciting game for us, particularly for the the kids of ours who played their high school ball here in Ohio. Getting to go play in this venue is very special, playing the number three team in the country is really special and it's a great opportunity for our kids to go out and compete against the best and we are really looking forward to it. I'm really proud of the way our kids played last week, they fought hard, we just didn't make enough plays at crucial times in particular. We were in position to make plays and we just didn't make them. That's the last hurdle we need to get over to be a real quality program here. And we are really close, it is frustrating be this close and not getting over the hump but we are going to get there, we'll just keep slugging away, so we look forward to this week.”
Difficulty of living up to the expectations
“Talent-wise I think we are good enough to compete for a championship here now and with a little help who knows what may happen. But that's okay, I want the expectations to be good here, it has been a long time to get that here, and we need to hope it continues. If we could produce a successful season this year, half the students at Kent State will only know that Kent State has had a good football year here. I'm talking the freshman and sophomore class, the normal student body, so for half of them that's all they know. And that's what we want to change, we want to get the full cycle here at Kent State knows that the football team is pretty good, and then it will spread throughout the community and outside to everywhere else and that's the goal. We have it set up, we just need to do what our motto is and that is to finish strong. We have five conference games coming after this and we need to finish the right way.”
Timing of meeting Ohio State
“I would prefer to play this game earlier in the year if I had my druthers before the season started. But right now it might be good for us to have a little break away from the conference and catch our breath and go play this like a bowl game and in the mean time reload and then come back to the conference for the rest of our conference schedule. I hope that is the case I think our kids will be excited, maybe freshen them up a little bit for down the road.”
Approaching Ohio State
“We are not going to change our style of play, we are going to go out and run the same offense and defense that we have been running. We have to shorten this game, we can't leave our defense on the field and it be a 40 minute possession advantage for Ohio State. That is what is happening for all those three and outs their defense is getting, we have to manufacture some first downs and we need to shorten the game with the clock. We have to be effective enough running the ball to keep the clock running, much like we did against Virginia Tech last year, and we stayed in that game for a long time because of that.”
Ohio State's better than last year
“I think they are defensively, obviously when you lose Teddy Ginn and Troy Smith that's going to take a hit out of your offense, but I think their offense is a lot better now than what was earlier in the year, particularly Robiskie and Small. Those two wide receivers are starting to step up for them now. And I think they have found what their quarterback is comfortable doing stretching the field and going deep alittle more than what they have been, they are starting to hit their stride offensively too.”
Showing hearts of champions on the Kent State roster
“You get exposed in every game but especially when you are playing the number three team in the country. This deal here is that you have to play your heart out to keep this thing close, and we found that out last year at Virginia Tech, and I would be surprised if we saw anything different.”
On Nate Reed
“In pregame warm up we kind of get a read on where he is against the wind, with the wind, and we went one game and said that a 45 yard field goal he could hit. And I think he did hit one 42 yards that game. But he has been great, 10 of 12 right now, and that's a little bit of the persevereance thing that we are going through right now. Last year everybody wanted to take a rope out and lynch Nate Reed, and I kept saying that they kid's going to be very good, he is just progressing to kick off the ground for the first time. He has proven me right right now. We are in the same situation as the program and have to maintain some perseverance and fight through this thing to come out the other end.”
Who will play
“Early on we will play the other guys no matter what. I have told everyone who is going on the trip they are going to play. Late in the game if we are hanging around, fortunately, then we will try and win this thing, open it up and go play.”
On the offensive line
“They keep track that in their meeting room about trying to get a back over 100 yards. It is a big deal for them. For anyone to do that against Ohio State is a big thing as I doubt anyone has done that this season.”
On the team's mindset
“There upset because when you look at the MAC statistics, where up at the top in about every defensive category, at the top of every offensive category and at the top of about every kicking category while last year we were at the bottom. As a coach you say 'well, we got better as a football team.” When I look at us as a football team, I believe we are a better team than last year, primarily because of the kicking game and our offense is better. That doesn't always translate into wins, you still have to execute at critical times and that's not what were doing right now.”
On Coach Tressel
“I think he is outstanding. The thing I respect and what is unique about him is where he came from. He won national championships at Youngstown. I don't know how good Youngstown was before he came there but whatever happened he won national championships there. He is one of the few coaches at the Division I-A (Football Championship Bowl Division) level to get promoted from the Division I-AA (Football Championship Sub Division) level. For whatever reason you look at basketball coaches, a lot of basketball coaches come from smaller schools to get big time jobs. That doesn't happen a lot in football and I don't know what the reasoning is... For him to do that, I think he dispels a lot of myths about [the Football Championship Sub Division].
“This is going to be an exciting game for us, particularly for the the kids of ours who played their high school ball here in Ohio. Getting to go play in this venue is very special, playing the number three team in the country is really special and it's a great opportunity for our kids to go out and compete against the best and we are really looking forward to it. I'm really proud of the way our kids played last week, they fought hard, we just didn't make enough plays at crucial times in particular. We were in position to make plays and we just didn't make them. That's the last hurdle we need to get over to be a real quality program here. And we are really close, it is frustrating be this close and not getting over the hump but we are going to get there, we'll just keep slugging away, so we look forward to this week.”
Difficulty of living up to the expectations
“Talent-wise I think we are good enough to compete for a championship here now and with a little help who knows what may happen. But that's okay, I want the expectations to be good here, it has been a long time to get that here, and we need to hope it continues. If we could produce a successful season this year, half the students at Kent State will only know that Kent State has had a good football year here. I'm talking the freshman and sophomore class, the normal student body, so for half of them that's all they know. And that's what we want to change, we want to get the full cycle here at Kent State knows that the football team is pretty good, and then it will spread throughout the community and outside to everywhere else and that's the goal. We have it set up, we just need to do what our motto is and that is to finish strong. We have five conference games coming after this and we need to finish the right way.”
Timing of meeting Ohio State
“I would prefer to play this game earlier in the year if I had my druthers before the season started. But right now it might be good for us to have a little break away from the conference and catch our breath and go play this like a bowl game and in the mean time reload and then come back to the conference for the rest of our conference schedule. I hope that is the case I think our kids will be excited, maybe freshen them up a little bit for down the road.”
Approaching Ohio State
“We are not going to change our style of play, we are going to go out and run the same offense and defense that we have been running. We have to shorten this game, we can't leave our defense on the field and it be a 40 minute possession advantage for Ohio State. That is what is happening for all those three and outs their defense is getting, we have to manufacture some first downs and we need to shorten the game with the clock. We have to be effective enough running the ball to keep the clock running, much like we did against Virginia Tech last year, and we stayed in that game for a long time because of that.”
Ohio State's better than last year
“I think they are defensively, obviously when you lose Teddy Ginn and Troy Smith that's going to take a hit out of your offense, but I think their offense is a lot better now than what was earlier in the year, particularly Robiskie and Small. Those two wide receivers are starting to step up for them now. And I think they have found what their quarterback is comfortable doing stretching the field and going deep alittle more than what they have been, they are starting to hit their stride offensively too.”
Showing hearts of champions on the Kent State roster
“You get exposed in every game but especially when you are playing the number three team in the country. This deal here is that you have to play your heart out to keep this thing close, and we found that out last year at Virginia Tech, and I would be surprised if we saw anything different.”
On Nate Reed
“In pregame warm up we kind of get a read on where he is against the wind, with the wind, and we went one game and said that a 45 yard field goal he could hit. And I think he did hit one 42 yards that game. But he has been great, 10 of 12 right now, and that's a little bit of the persevereance thing that we are going through right now. Last year everybody wanted to take a rope out and lynch Nate Reed, and I kept saying that they kid's going to be very good, he is just progressing to kick off the ground for the first time. He has proven me right right now. We are in the same situation as the program and have to maintain some perseverance and fight through this thing to come out the other end.”
Who will play
“Early on we will play the other guys no matter what. I have told everyone who is going on the trip they are going to play. Late in the game if we are hanging around, fortunately, then we will try and win this thing, open it up and go play.”
On the offensive line
“They keep track that in their meeting room about trying to get a back over 100 yards. It is a big deal for them. For anyone to do that against Ohio State is a big thing as I doubt anyone has done that this season.”
On the team's mindset
“There upset because when you look at the MAC statistics, where up at the top in about every defensive category, at the top of every offensive category and at the top of about every kicking category while last year we were at the bottom. As a coach you say 'well, we got better as a football team.” When I look at us as a football team, I believe we are a better team than last year, primarily because of the kicking game and our offense is better. That doesn't always translate into wins, you still have to execute at critical times and that's not what were doing right now.”
On Coach Tressel
“I think he is outstanding. The thing I respect and what is unique about him is where he came from. He won national championships at Youngstown. I don't know how good Youngstown was before he came there but whatever happened he won national championships there. He is one of the few coaches at the Division I-A (Football Championship Bowl Division) level to get promoted from the Division I-AA (Football Championship Sub Division) level. For whatever reason you look at basketball coaches, a lot of basketball coaches come from smaller schools to get big time jobs. That doesn't happen a lot in football and I don't know what the reasoning is... For him to do that, I think he dispels a lot of myths about [the Football Championship Sub Division].
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