	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 14, 2016

Larry Fedora

Greensboro, North Carolina

COACH FEDORA: We're excited about getting back and playing at home in the Tar Pit. Our players are anxious to get back in front of a crowd that's not as hostile as it's been the last two weeks. We're looking forward to playing a really good James Madison football team. It should be a heck of a game.

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Coach Fedora.

Q. The focus, a lot of it's been on Mitch Trubisky, what he's been able to do. Talk about your offensive line, their protection of him in the first couple of weeks.
COACH FEDORA: Yeah, I think they've become a little bit more comfortable. We've switched in and out with the right guard. There's more of a comfort level now. I think they handled a very, very difficult defensive line in Illinois, did a really nice job of it.

We gave up too many loss-yardage plays in the running game. But as far as pass protection, keeping people out of Mitch's face, I think they've done a really nice job of that.

Q. Then on your offensive side, Elijah Hood, you've spoken highly of him over time. What can you say about what he's given in comparison to what you think he's capable of?
COACH FEDORA: Well, he's giving us exactly what we expect from him. He is doing a tremendous job in the running game. He is doing a great job for us in pass protection, with all the protections we have. He's catching the ball well out of the backfield.

He's exactly what we were expecting, and he's bringing that each and every week.

Q. I wanted to talk to you about your punt coverage team. JMU have returned three punts in three tries. What has been your key with your punt coverage team early on?
COACH FEDORA: That three-yard return really makes us mad actually. That's the one that hit the guy in the thigh, bounced out of bounds three yards downfield, he got a three-yard return. Our guys were really upset about that.

But, first of all, they pride themselves on allowing nothing in yardage. They do a great job of getting down the field. I think our scheme enables us to do that. Then you have to give Tom Sheldon some credit. Tom does a great job with ball placement and hang time. I think they work really good together and they take a lot of pride in what they do.

Q. James Madison's offense, they've run for over 800 yards in two games. What do you see on film when you watch JMU on offense?
COACH FEDORA: I think JMU will spread you out and then run the football on you. They're similar in scheme to what we do offensively. I think they've done a really good job of it.

I mean, 800 yards in two games. I don't care if you're playing against air, that's hard to do. So their offense is really clicking. I think they're very comfortable with the personnel they have, and they know how to take advantage of it.

Q. Your first two games are against Power 5 opponents on the road. Now you're coming home to play an FBS team. Is there any danger of not maintaining the focus and the intensity that you've had in the first two games?
COACH FEDORA: Well, there's always danger of it. Hopefully the way we prepare I'm hoping keeps us from doing that. We prepare the same way each and every week. I think our players would tell you there's no difference at practice whether it's Georgia, whether it's James Madison or whether it will be Pitt down the road. We prepare the same way. So as coaches we try not to allow there to be any type of different thought process against anybody that we play.

You can look at the film. They scored 136 points in two games. They've rushed for over 800 yards. They've returned three punts for touchdowns. I mean, this is a really good football team that we're going to have to bring our A game to hang in there.

Q. Again, Paul Johnson reminded me there's a danger of reading too much into stats after two games. But rush defense appears to be an area where y'all could stand some improvement. They're going to test you in that area?
COACH FEDORA: Yeah, they're definitely going to test us. They've run the ball at will on people. We're going to have to do a great job against it. They've got really good personnel.

Q. Now that you've had couple of days of practice since Monday, do you have an update on Tyler Powell, Tommy Hatton, how much they may have lost by not being there a couple weeks, what role they might play this weekend?
COACH FEDORA: Tyler is working back into the rotation. Depending on how he does this week in practice will determine how many reps he gets. Tommy is still dealing with some personal issues right now. Right now, that's really all I can tell you.

Q. Do you expect Tyler to see some game time on Saturday?
COACH FEDORA: As of today, yes.

Q. JMU, this is your second year in a row you played a Colonial Conference opponent. Last year he played a good Delaware team. What are the differences between both schools? You played Delaware last year, that's last year, but what do they look like together?
COACH FEDORA: Well, trying to compare James Madison to Delaware last year, that's hard for me to do. I can tell you from studying the two films I have on James Madison this year, they're a really solid football team in every aspect.

You really look hard for weaknesses in a team to find out where you want to attack. They're really good in their special teams, they're good on offense and they're really good on defense.

I don't know how they compare to Delaware. I guess I would say what I remember about Delaware, I would say James Madison is a better football team.

Q. Talk about Coach Houston. I know you haven't coached against him yet. He did some clinics with you. What type of coach is he?
COACH FEDORA: I think the proof is in the pudding. Look at what he did at The Citadel. I'll tell you what I think of Mike Houston. He does such a great job of adapting to the talent level that he has. He was totally different offensively at The Citadel. He goes to JMU. He looks at the players that he has, figures out what he can do, then takes advantage of it.

I think he's a really good football coach.

Q. T.J. Logan, his versatility. Seems to have come back pretty strong. Leading the ACC in all-purpose yardage. Just his ability to contribute as a runner, receiver, kick returner, how valuable is that?
COACH FEDORA: It's extremely valuable. I've said it many times, he's one of the hardest working guys on the football team. He has such a great attitude. He wants to help any way he can. He's on special teams. He's involved in everything offensively.

I mean, no one even hesitates ever to put him out on the field in any situation. In fact, we have to keep him off some things just because we worry about wearing him down because he is so valuable in so many ways.

Q. The combination of having him and Elijah Hood at tailback seems to give you a lot of versatility there.
COACH FEDORA: It really does. Two different styles of runners. One is bigger, obviously one is smaller. But they both are really aggressive runners. They both do a great job in pass protection.

THE MODERATOR: Coach, thanks for being with us.

COACH FEDORA: Thank you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297