University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Larry Fedora Weekly Media Conference Quotes...Oct. 13, 2008
10/13/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 13, 2008
Larry Fedora Media Conference
Oct. 13, 2008
Opening statement:
"This is another week that I can stand up here and say our team played extremely hard in all three phases. There is no doubt in my mind that the effort was there and the will to win was there. We just didn't get it done. There were some positives in every area. Defensively, there were some really good things in this game. We forced eight three-and-outs, of their 13 series, which was a pretty good job against a very good offense. On special teams, there were some individuals that did a very nice job. Offensively, there are some individuals who are stepping up and making a few plays. But on the negative side, we put the defense in a bad situation three different times. One with a communication problem in the kickoff return, which resulted in a fumble on the 12-yardline. The defense held them to three points there, which was a tremendous job. We also put them in a short field (situation) going for it on 4th-and-1, on the 45 and didn't make. We put them in a short-field situation on a punt that they returned for 23 yards down to about the (Southern Miss) 40. Three short fields against a very good football team - that was the difference in the game. If you look at it, Boise didn't make any spectacular plays. They just made the plays when they needed to win the football game. Offensively, we were very inconsistent. Basically, none of our playmakers made any big plays. So, therefore, the weight of the game was put on our quarterback and that is going to be difficult for a freshman to do. He (Austin Davis) probably didn't play his best game. A lot of that is because everything was on his back at that point. We just have to go back to the grindstone, put our nose down and go to work. That's what we have to do."
On second half (surrendering no point) being something to build off of defensively:
"Oh yeah. There is no doubt; it's not like they are the most experienced team out there. They will definitely build off of that. That was a very good offensive football team; they (Boise State) have scored points on everybody in the country. We will definitely build off of that. Those guys, the way they reacted throughout the game, the way they fought throughout the game, they very easily could have laid it down in the second half, when you are down 24-7. But they went out there and fought and got after it."
On starting the second half of the season:
"First of all as a team we have to realize we are not that far away. Nobody wants to hear that, but that's the truth of the matter - that's what it is. We just haven't gotten the job done. In four games, we just haven't gotten the job done. In none of those were we just totally out of the football game. You make a play here, you make a play there. The key is believing that you can get it done, and then getting it done. Our playmakers have to make plays. Defensively, we have to play like we did the other night. Special teams cannot be a detriment to us. We have to be sound on our specials teams - that has hurt us. But what do you say? You say `hey, we have a conference game coming up.' I don't think anybody in the East right now is just sitting out there looking dominant. If we take care of our business, and play the way we can play, every game is winnable, the remainder of the season. You just have to take them one at a time and we have to start this weekend."
On the Golden Eagles blocked field goal in the first quarter:
"The guy blocked it in the middle. We looked at it on film, but the little penetration they got inside, the guy was basically laying down. The guy that blocked the kick was at the line of scrimmage. He did not leave his feet and just stuck up his hand and the ball hit it. So, honestly, the ball had to be low. There wasn't enough penetration, and the guy that did penetrate was laying on the ground."
On the play of Martez Smith:
"He has done a great job. He played well the week before for his first start and he played well this (past) week. We are trying to do the things that he can do and do well. He has done a nice job for us, he really has. Not that I was surprised, but he hadn't gotten many reps before that. We are pleased with the way he is playing. He can run and he likes to hit. Those are his strengths, he can run, he can really run."
On the team's mood:
"We came out to practice last night, and we wondered how they were going to react. They were moving around, nobody had their head down. The thing that I could relate to them was the first time I could remember tasting coffee. I couldn't stand it and I couldn't believe people drank it. But I'm working now, and I need it, so I drank it more and more, and I don't think I still really like the taste, but the more you do it, you adjust to it, your bodies adjust to it. Human nature is if you don't hate it as much as you did the first time, then you are going to adjust to it. I don't want to do that because it's contagious and it becomes easier to do. We have to make sure it doesn't happen, and I don't think it will. We are going to find out what the character of this football team is. The easy thing to do is to have you head down and have no confidence, but I don't see that in this football team. I think you will see that the remainder of this season."
On the call on Boise State's kickoff that was called a touchback:
"The guy fudged the ball, called a muff, he didn't fumble it and the ball rolled back into the end zone. From our point of view the guy goes down there and you can't tell whether he was going to pick it up and run it out. I don't think he was sure what he was supposed to do. Our guys thought he was going to pick it up and run it out. He just keeps standing there and bent over the ball, so they went down to get the ball or tackle the guy. Well, the ref blew the whistle right before the guys made contact. So they called personal foul - a late hit - after the whistle. I have a hard time getting on the guys for that situation because I feel like the official should have handled it differently. The way it works is if the ball goes in the end zone and the guy makes no attempt immediately, then they are supposed to blow that ball dead immediately. But they didn't. They waited and waited, then they blew it."
On the team's health:
"We are beat up, we are at that point in the season, where everybody has nicks and bumps. It is a typical sixth or seventh game (of the season). It is hard to heal up completely every week. (Athletic Trainer) Todd (McCall) is doing as good a job as he can do and the guys are fighting though it, but we are beat up."
