November 9, 1998
Head Coach Bruce Snyder
Monday November 9, 1998
(OPENING COMMENTS)
"In terms of the game, it was an expensive game from an injury standpoint. It was a fun game to coach in, a lot of terrific things happened, one being the win. The thing that stands out even more than the win to me is how the seniors, playing in their last game on this field as Sun Devils, they stepped up and played, led by Steve Campbell. I don't think a Hollywood script writer could have written a better script than that, having him come off the bench, throw three touchdown passes, no interceptions, he stayed on the field goal block team. We took him off the punt pressure team, which he did grudgingly, but then he marched down to the end of the bench where coach Wolthausen was and threatened to kill him if he took him off the field goal block team. A great thing for really a good person who has been good for this program for a lot of years, particularly this year. Jeff Paulk got his first touchdown in Sun Devil stadium so that was nice to see. All in all I am really proud of our performance. We did become injured with Ryan Kealy. I know you are going to ask me for an update but I don't really have one. They looked at him yesterday and those results were that the ligaments were fine, the ACL and all of those are fine. They were going to do some more testing this morning and I do not have those results. I am not going to speculate on what if and what if not. I just haven't decided, I am going to wait until I know if Kealy is healthy or not, if he is healthy and up for the game he will be our starter. J. R. Redmond, I really believed that he was going to be ready for the California game. As we got closer it came apparent that he shouldn't play. I kept him in pads because we were really having trouble fielding the punts. Justin Taplin, though, did a great job. I am out of the prediction category with Redmond, I just don't know. He is such a tough competitor that he really must be in pain to not play. It is just not like him to not play, we are just going to have to wait and see how it goes. Thomas Schmidt I do not think we will have him back by the weekend although it is a possibility at the right tackle spot. Christon Rance left the game and did not return, will not play against Oregon, and I believe I heard that hew will not play in the Arizona game, I will have to verify that. That is where we are with our injuries, hopefully we will get everyone else back. I am really pleased with the progress of the team, we are still making some mistakes, we are not perfect. We are close, we are getting better."
(ON FACING AKILI SMITH)
"He has faced teams that have had all of their weapons and he is still very good. I have not looked at Cade McKnown because we do not face UCLA, but I have a hard time believing that there is anyone that is playing better than Smith has all season long. He is so strong and accurate, he is mature and appears that he is really mature about competing, it will be a struggle for us defensively, he is just that good."
(ON HOW ASU'S CORNERS ARE PLAYING)
"Good and not good at times, it has been a bit inconsistent. Courtney Jackson is the most consistent corner. I also believe that they made some really terrific plays, both he and J'Juan Cherry. Jackson played his best game on Saturday. He had a lot of tackles, he had a tackle for loss, a couple of interceptions, he really did an excellent job in this last game. In defense of Cherry, he is very athletic but he virtually does not practice between games. His legs are so beat up, particularly his right knee, that we get him healthy for the game. It is really difficult to make progress when you don't practice."
(ON TAKING THE BALL AWAY FROM THE OPPONENT)
"You would like to think that coaching has something to do with it. We have not been really good early in the season. There are a lot of reasons for our lack of success early on but the main one, I believe, was the turnover, take away margin, that was the single biggest factor I think if you could isolate one. In the past couple of games we have been very good with the football in terms of protecting it. We have taken the ball away from the opponents and it has led to wins. The defense directly was related to 27 points on the board by setting up the score for the offense. If we can continue that, I think we will be fine."
(ON GERALD GREEN AND THE INJURY TO HIS LEFT SHOULDER)
"He could not run yesterday without holding his shoulder. I asked him and he said, 'Coach, I will be ready for this weekend'. I don't know how he would know that but that is what he said. As an insight to Green; he hurt that shoulder early and he continued to play and if you remember he dribbled one ball off to the left and that was because of that shoulder. He came off and said, 'You shouldn't give me the ball anymore because I just can't hold onto it with that arm, don't give it to me soon, it just doesn't feel right'. He was willing to admit that, so we didn't give him the ball for quite awhile and then he came back and said it was fine after we figured out what the problem was. He is an intuitive guy, he is aware, he loves football, he is coachable, he has been one of the more pleasant things that has happened to this team. He is really a heads up football player."
(ON VICTOR LEYVA)
"He will stay at right tackle and backup right guard."
(ON RANDY LEAPHEART)
"He has only played in one game this season and this was the second one. He played high, but it was nice to have him back. He is smart and I think with this week in practice we will see his pad-level go down and he will play better. He played OK."
(ON BEING PREPARED FOR OREGON'S OFFENSE)
"Early in the season their offense, and I take this as somewhat of a compliment, looked very much like our 1996 team, it is a balance of run and pass. I think the issue will be that Smith is a big strong quarterback and can throw the ball a long way and the receivers run deep routs. I bet they work their way to a balanced attack, play-action pass, power running game, and throw the ball deep."
(ON ASU'S GRADUATION RATE)
"There is a lot of support that goes into having a real strong graduation rate. I think we are headed in the right direction. I think the most significant thing is the diagnostic tests, advising, tutoring, along with the recruiting. I do believe there are some motivational things we can do and these are just some things that we have done. The only pictures I have in my office are of those that actually have their degrees. They have their locker for as long as they are here and as soon as they get their degree, whenever they get it, their names are put permanently on that locker. We have gotten away from class rings and we give graduation rings. The only way they get a ring at the banquet, they must be getting their degree. It is an academic theme in it instead of a football theme. Those are just some little things we do from a motivational standpoint. With the scholarship offer, the only way you won't get a degree is if you choose not to. It is really the players choice. I make every player, in front of their parents, promise me and their parents that they will get a degree. That may not mean anything to them but at least we have addressed the issue."
(ON THE TAILBACK SITUATION AND USING LARRY MONTGOMERY)
"We have not used him much even in practice because we have been OK. There was a time when it was hard for me to get Gerald Green or Davaren Hightower in the game because I did not want to take out Redmond. This week he will get some practice time. The other option I have is using Jeff Paulk at tailback."
(ON THE LINEBACKERS)
"I am really pleased with Eric Fields, he's getting better and better. Joe Cesta was around the ball and got an interception. Adam Archuleta played well. Stephen Trejo did not play all that much but was a huge factor in the game. He had an interception, a few tackles, I think he is starting feel like he is back in the groove."
(ON PLAYING IN EUGENE)
"I am expecting that it will be wet, and in the low 40's. I think the crowd at Oregon is much more active and loud. I think Oregon is a very difficult place to play, and they are good. If they weren't good then the crowd would not be as enthusiastic. It is the combination of the two."
(ON THE POSSIBILITY OF PLAYING IN A BOWL GAME)
"I think you have to know where you would like to be and what your eventual goal is. We know we are in a single elimination situation in some respects. Each game is so important to qualify for a bowl. I don't want to be home for Christmas, I want to play in the post season."