University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Head Coach Jeff Bower Media Day Quotes
8/13/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 13, 2006
Opening Statement:
"Things have gone well in our preseason preparation. Our practices have gone well. We've worked the players hard and it has been demanding. We are still in the process of finding out more about our first-year players. I think it's safe to say that we are going to have a few to a number of guys help us out this year that are new to our football team. I think we're on track, but we've got a lot way to go. There are a lot of things we've got to get done. The work ethic has been good. We're about halfway through our preseason practice. This is a big week for us with our big Monday night scrimmage and next Saturday's scrimmage. Those are our two major scrimmages. We will continue to evaluate and make the necessary moves if there are any."
On The Defense Improving Tackling:
"We've worked a lot on tackling. We weren't a good tackling team last year. We gave up too many big plays. A lot of people fail to remember that we led Conference USA in scoring defense. But there are a lot of areas that we need to improve in. We need to get people off the field quicker. We need to be better against the run and I think we will be. I think we will be better up front this year. We have more depth there, with the addition of some junior college players and freshman. We have good competition there."
On Sean Merrill:
"He's doing well. There's no doubt he will help us this year. He will be in the mix. Where he will be when we tee it up against Florida, I don't know. But he is working hard and learning. He missed spring with the injury, but physically he is in good shape. He will help us out."
On If Anyone Has Been A Surprise With The Junior College Transfers:
"There have been no major surprises. You sign junior college players, you expect to get help. I think we will get help from all of those guys."
On The Linebackers:
"We are pretty thin there. With Mitch Craft out for the first two games, we're trying to find our best three players, whether that is Marcus Raines, Jerome Lyons in the middle or moving James Denley there. We will know a lot more after Monday's scrimmage. I think we need to continue to develop the young talent there, including Brandon Davis and Martez Smith to see if those guys are in a position to help us this year. That is an area where we need to stay healthy. We need to continue to develop depth."
On Damion Fletcher:
"He's done well. He's got good quickness and good running skills. He's a natural athlete. He's good at catching the football. He's picked up what we've done quickly. We have rotated our backs, but I want to see him at times with our first-string offense. We are going to give him an opportunity, which he has earned. He has practiced well and the last scrimmage he played well."
On Players Coming To School Early:
"We only had two scholarship athletes that weren't here this summer, one signee and one returning player. We're like everyone; you're going to have your whole football team here in the summer. That's important, from a conditioning standpoint and getting in shape. You can't get in shape on your own. They go through the strength and conditioning program in the summer, so they are ready to go when you report."
On James Denley Moving To the Middle:
"That's a possibility. We've worked him there some. We're in the process of finding our best three for that opening game."
On Running Back Depth:
"We have a lot of guys there. We have Cody Hull listed first on our depth chart, but he's been banged up. I don't know who our best running back is right now. We're going to play more than one, you have to. There are three or four guys there that will get a look."
On If Not Knowing Who The Best Running Back Is Scares Him:
"No. We will find out. We're going to play more than one running back. They've all got to be ready to play."
On Jeremy Young's Progress:
"He's a good leader. Our players have a lot of respect for him. He's a hard worker and does well in school. He does everything right. He's worked hard. He's where he needs to be right now. There are some things he needs to work on, like everyone. He's done a good job and I'm pleased with him."
On If Young's Decision Making Has Improved:
"I think so. We'll see more after these two scrimmages. He's pulling the trigger a little bit more."
On Marcus Raines' Development:
"He's getting there. Physically, he's where you want him to be. It's just a matter of him playing and making plays. Learning the defense and gaining some confidence in his overall knowledge in what we're doing and what he's doing."
On Defensive Line Coach Bill Wilt:
"He's a very good coach. He's got a lot of experience and has experience as a coordinator and has been very successful. He's very knowledgeable as a defensive line coach. I think he brings a lot to the coaching staff. I've really seen a lot of improvement in our defensive line. From a fundamental, technique standpoint, we're doing so many things better."
On Why He Stays At Southern Miss:
"I went to school here. I'm very loyal. I love it here and I have a lot of friends here. I love the program and want to continue to see it get better. We've got to get better. It's come a long way. I'm comfortable here. I guess it all goes back to loyalty, more than anything else. Certainly, having played here and graduated here and coached here for a while, it gets stronger every year."
On What Explains The Success He's Had At Southern Miss:
"It's hard work and it's people. People make you successful. It starts with your staff. I've said it so often, in your recruiting effort, you've got to recruit good kids. We put a lot of emphasis on character and brining kids into the program that give a good days work every time. Most of them do the right things. When you have 115-120, there are some fires to put out everyday. Overall, we've had good kids and our success on the field has shown that. Obviously the 92 percent graduation rate is major-league big time. The kids are going to class and getting an education. It goes back to the character issue, working hard and doing things right."
On The Wide Receivers:
"We have some unanswered questions there. I think they are playing with better effort than I've seen them play with. I'm going to be real interested to see when we get into a lengthy scrimmage who the tough guys are, that will play when they get a little tired, play hard every single snap and make plays. We're going to keep looking at Rodney Gray. He's done a lot of good things and plays with outstanding effort. He's very athletic too. I'm still waiting on the guy to step up and who wants to get the ball.
On The Quarterback Battle:
"Nothing on this team is locked up. There is good competition. There is a good battle there. Stephen Reaves has done some good thing and so has Jeremy Young. I think that's healthy when you have that kind of competition."
On Playing Both Quarterbacks:
"I think the situation will dictate that. I've played two quarterbacks before, not necessarily in the field, but with short-yardage, that type of thing. We'll have to see how things go the next few weeks. I'd prefer not to. I'd prefer to have one guy. But if things are that close, maybe you do play two. We're going to do what's best for this team. Every position is still open to being won."
On How The Tight End Position Has Evolved:
"I think there's more speed there. I think everyone is looking to get more speed on the field. We'd like for Shawn Nelson to be bigger and stronger. He has put on some weight. He told me he was 243 pounds recently, and he came here at about 225. He's getting there. That's what's going to make him even better, another year in the weight room and bulking up. You've got to put speed on the field. It's a speed game. You're always looking to try to get as much speed on the field at each position you can."
On If C.J. Bailey Has A Chance To Play:
"I don't know. We have some depth in the secondary. He's done well. Michael McGee has done well and so has Justin Wilson. I think those three players are going to be ballplayers. We will move them around a little bit. I hope we don't have to play them this year. I'd like to redshirt them if we can."
On Freshmen Playing Right Away:
"You'd like to redshirt them, but you have to make decisions that are best for the team. If guys can help us win and play, then you're going to play them. I think Damion Fletcher and Rodney Gray will play. Ralph Turner has a chance to play. Martez Smith and Brandon Davis, I'm not saying they're going to play, but they've got a chance. Dwayne Paulin, a junior college player on the offensive line will have a chance to play. After that, I don't know. Anthony Gray is a load, but he's got to drop some weight. There are always positions where you need immediate help, where you are going to have kids that come in and are good enough to play right away. I think some times the quality of the recruiting class has something to do with it. I thought we had a good recruiting class last year. You're always going to have true freshmen to help you, but in more years than others. It depends on how things go, a lot of different factors."
On The Offensive Line:
"I have high expectations of them. We have a lot of experience there, and four returning starters that have played a lot of football. Ryan McKee is also a good football player. Of all the years I've been here, he's the second true freshman to play on the offensive line, I think Shederick Blackmon was the other. That's a hard position to come in and play. I think it's the hardest position to play other than quarterback as a true freshman. We have experience and we are athletic. We need to build some depth and hopefully stay healthy. Robby D'Angelo has had a hard time staying healthy. Right now, maybe we're best if we have Travis Cooley at center, and move Wesley Housley up at guard. It's something we need to look at and continue to work on the backups there."
On Steroids In College Football:
"There are tests for it and it's addressed in our preseason meetings when we go through our policies and procedures. There are all kinds of supplements out there. We quit using creatine a few years ago and you could give the players that, but now they have to do it on their own. There's nothing illegal about that. I don't see it being a major problem in college football."
On Preparation For The Back-To-Back Tuesday Games:
"You have to make Tuesday your Saturday and work back. That's the way to get on your game preparation week. After the N.C. State game, we have a Tuesday week game, so we will give the players a few days off. The best you possibly can, you try to get on your regular game preparation routine. That's how we'll approach it."
