Syracuse Orange College Football Pregame Quote, 11/11/2019

On what the message is coming out of the bye week:

I think the biggest thing is we need to get better and to be able to find improvement in certain areas and we are striving to do that.

On what he’s looking to accomplish with the defensive coordinator change:

The big thing we are trying to get is a change. I already mentioned this, but I need to see something different. I thought we were not moving in the direction we needed to be moving based off of the last thing that I saw. It wasn’t one thing, which I am not going to go into because unlike a lot of professions, when something like this happens, it is extremely personal. You are talking about someone who has been a part of our family for a long time; his daughters, his sons and his wife has been a part of our family for a long time. Even with something like this happening, which is unfortunate, we expect it is going to be different, knowing that change was very difficult to make.

On what differences he’s seen in practice so far with interim defensive coordinator coach Steve Stanard:

Some of the things he has done in practice are different, but that does not mean those things will show results. The biggest thing I want to see is results on the football field, just like anyone in the community. We are going to see if we get those results when we get down to North Carolina.

Why was defensive coordinator the position that was let go midseason?

If we were going to get change, we need to do it now. I didn’t think we were going to have change if we did not do it yet. I feel like we have really good defensive personnel. Some of the things that were going on defensively are the issues that jumped out the most because I feel like we have really good defensive personnel that were just not playing at a high level. I think the biggest thing is just something different. I keep saying the same thing because it is as simple as that. We want to see something different than what I’ve seen. The first day I got here we talked about a vision and now I do not see the vision. We need something different because the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again while expecting something different to happen. It’s not something I am happy with. It’s the first time I have had it happen in my career, and it’s not something I am going to sit here and boast about because it hurt me deeply. But, I have a responsibility, not only to the community administration, but the members of this football team to try and do everything possible to win our next football game.

On how he has previously evaluated Coach Stanard and what he’s looking for in him:

I am going to keep an open mind and have a blank slate and he can start painting his portrait.

On if there is a redshirt possibility for McKinley Williams?

He’s going to redshirt. He’s past eight games, he is going to redshirt. I am still hoping some day we are going to see him, but I am not going to bank on it.

On his approach on not giving up on the season:

Well I think the main thing is we need to talk about Duke University. Coach David Cutcliffe does a great job. In the four years I have been in the ACC meetings, I can humbly say that guy is the smartest guy in the room. I am not talking bad about any other coaches, but when you have a conversation with David Cutcliffe you understand the knowledge that flows through his head. We have a very difficult task, not only to play well, but for our defense to play well against guy who knows so much offensive football. They’re doing a little of Georgia Tech’s run game tied in with some of their vertical passing game that they had years before with the quarterback with the Giants, and I just think he makes it very difficult on defenses. For us to be able to match what they do is a tall task, so we have a very big task. But, if we find a way that gives us a chance. We are not looking at anything except trying to play better than what we have been. We still have a heartbeat. It’s not over, but we have to start doing something.

On what he’s seen from offensive tackle Matthew Bergeron:

He’s getting better. I used to work with a head coach and he used to have this line: ‚ÄúWhen guys get into a game for the very first time, they hardly know their name.‚Äù They get in and they can’t remember the first three or four plays they did. Now, they could have done them right, but they do not remember what happened because everything is going so fast. I thought he was okay the first game, and he did some better things the second time. He is progressing and getting better. He’s in an exciting situation right now, we are happy that we got him and he needs to continue to get better, but if he continues to get better we’ll feel better and better. Matthew is not a normal freshman, he is stronger and bigger than what you think he is. He is not full grown, but he is not weak for a freshman. So for the physical standpoint, he is getting beat sometimes, but he can hold his own, he is doing an okay job. The big thing is mentally. Penalties, keeping his emotions under control. Somebody will say something to him – get over it, get to your next snap and don’t let it affect your play. He is doing well, he is one of the guys we are happy with.

On where his personal team rules come from:

They are my own creation. I thought about the things that were really important to keeping a team together. Things that were family oriented. There is a lot of rules you can have, but if you want to be really good about the rules, limit them and make sure everyone learns them. I think because they are very easy and simple, it tells you how complex it is to be in a family and be on a football team. But, if you can’t handle these three, then you can’t handle the complexity.

On how he delivered the message of firing the defensive coordinator and how has the team responded:

The message I delivered was the truth. I think as long as there is no grey area with the family and you tell them the truth, they can understand what you are saying. Does not necessarily mean they agree with what you are saying, but they do know what you are saying. We have had positive practices, but the only thing that matters is what happens in the game. So, I think they have handled it positively in this room, I think they have been positive on the football field. Let’s see if we can get some positive results out there.

On whether he’s against changing the defensive philosophy following Coach Brian Ward’s firing:

No. I am open to all things. When you are around long enough you see a lot of offenses and you see a lot of defenses. All of them are effective as long as your personnel and everybody can understand and do what you are trying to do. I don’t think there is one defensive style that is more effective than another. I think there is defensive styles that fit defensive players, and if you have those players you need to make sure you are running certain styles.

On how hard it is to switch things up so late into a season:

I know what we are doing, I know what we are trying to do. I just felt like now it was time to do something different, based off of all of that time, not just one season.

On how his staff’s recruiting efforts have changed due to the way the season’s going:

I think that the biggest thing is they [the recruits] are all excited that I am going to be here. I am not going anywhere, even though that is exactly what I have been telling them, but that is not what they have been hearing from outside sources. They are excited that I am going to be here, they think we are on the right track, and they like what they see or they would not come. More importantly, you have an opportunity to get an academic education from a private institution like Syracuse and that degree is going to carry you a long time. As long as you can break even on the other part [the education], you should have an opportunity at some good recruits, and we do have some opportunities. Are we getting everybody that we want, not yet. The biggest thing about recruiting is not who you get, but making sure you don’t take the wrong ones. I think we do a decent job evaluating and staying away from the wrong recruits, so we can have more of the right ones.