	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

Jimbo Fisher

Greensboro, North Carolina

COACH FISHER: Very proud of our team last weekend against Charleston Southern. Thought we came out and played very well early. Got the second half going well, got things under control, got better as a football team in some areas. Got some young guys a lot of experience on the field which we're going to have to keep developing for the future of our development throughout the year. Very proud of that.

So far this week, had good practices. Looking forward to playing a great Louisville team on the road. Will be extremely tough, be loud, great environment. Have great players on offense, defense, special teams are coached very well. I mean, have to bring our A game to play. Need to play very well. Be another great test and challenge early in our season with our very demanding season. We're looking forward to the challenge in going up there.

Got our hands full. Got to have a great week of preparation, handle all the different aspects of their team and play as well as we can possibly play. The key to doing that is practicing well, creating great habits in practice so we know what we're doing.

I am sure there will be some things they do that we haven't seen. We will have to adjust conceptually how we teach. Hopefully we'll readjust and make the adjustments as the game goes. Should be great for college football, great for ACC, great for Florida State and Louisville.

Questions.

Q. Could you talk about the personality and what seems to be a very unbridled joy in which DeMarcus Walker plays the game of football. And what happened in the second half of the Ole Miss game when he kind of went off?
COACH FISHER: I mean, different calls, different things we did. Got in the flow of the game. Sometimes it takes you a half, sometimes opening games, you never know what to expect.

But DeMarcus loves football, loves his teammates. Football is something that drives him. He wants to be great at it, he wants to be great at everything he does in his life. It's a true passion for him to play. That's one of the things in life he loves. You can see it when he plays. There's no doubt. Good, bad, indifferent, there's always a smile on his face when he's on the football field.

Q. How would you describe what it's been like to try to put together a game plan to stop Lamar Jackson, what he's able to do this week?
COACH FISHER: Well, I mean, it will be the same as we always do. You have great players, you have to keep great contain on guys, have to have great eye discipline, gap control. You set your plans.

It is not different as far as our process. You just have to be really relevant of the different talents which he has. We can move the pocket in which he can throw. Lamar is great. You can't forget those receivers catch the ball. The tight end catches the ball. They have dynamic play at runningback. They do different things.

You can't get enamored all with Lamar, let those guys off also. He's definitely the key to the ship that makes them run. There's no doubt about that.

Q. What sticks out to you about him that sort of separates him from a lot of other quarterbacks that you've faced?
COACH FISHER: Well, we faced him last year. The thing now, he's grown up. He's much better in the passing game, much more relaxed, much more poised. Then he's so dynamic as an athlete. Even when you have him hemmed up, getting him on the ground is a different story.

He can beat you with his arm, with his legs, he makes great decisions. He's a tough guy. He's one of the really, really dynamic players out there.

Q. Obviously Deondre was a very highly rated quarterback out of high school, has done pretty well for you guys. Recruiting him in Florida, Lamar was interested in FSU as well. What do you remember from those two guys as prospects looking at Florida State?
COACH FISHER: Both were outstanding prospects. You saw Lamar do the things he's doing right now. They ran him, they threw him. He played all over the field. I mean, this guy was a dynamic, dynamic play-maker.

They got beat in the playoff game by Miami Central who at that time was one or two in the country. But I think they got to be like 50 something or 60 something to 35. He had five touchdowns, just like he does now. He can run. Playing against those quality of athletes. You saw him consistently run the ball, throw the ball. You knew he was a great ball.

Then Deondre, we loved Deondre from get-go, the first time he threw the football, the way he moved, the dynamics, watching him practice, the different things he did. We knew both guys had a chance to be outstanding players. We were fortunate to get one of them, they were fortunate to get one of them, that's for sure.

We loved both those guys. We liked them. We're happy with the guy we got. I'm sure they're happy with the guy they got.

Q. I know you have a bunch of receivers, Travis has been doing it. But can you talk about what he's given you this year as he's gotten older, stepped up his game?
COACH FISHER: The effect on the other players. I mean, the maturity level, demanding from the other guys at the position to do things right and play right and do all the things that you have to do to be successful.

The playing on the field definitely has, but that on the field has grown because he's grown as a person, which you normally would. You're going to be a junior in college. Those guys start to mature. They really see the big picture of things as they go through things.

Very proud of him as an individual and a person. I think that's really led to his increased play and how he's playing.

Q. At the other end you have a freshman kicker. Is this in the blood for the Aguayos?
COACH FISHER: I think we got two freshmen kickers. I love Ricky. Ricky is killing it. Ricky is doing his job. Hitting field goals, hitting PATs. That's what he's required to do. Very proud of him. Coming from that background definitely helps. He is very sound, fundamental in his kicking, very talented. Has a good mind. So he is doing very well. Hopefully he'll continue that.

Also Logan Tyler, you are talking about a guy averaging over 45 yards a punt. All his kickoffs are either going through the end zone or dropping right on the line with a 4.0 hang. We're covering them. I'm very proud of our kickers in general overall.

Q. Any more kids in the Aguayo family?
COACH FISHER: No, just two boys.

Q. Last you played in Louisville, you were down 21-0 going into halftime, turned it around and won. How tough is it to play in Louisville with the noise and crowd?
COACH FISHER: It's a great environment there. They had a great environment that night. We were fortunate to be able to come back. That was a great, great college football game. They were very talented. We had a really good team, too.

Looks like it's going to be the same kind of matchup this weekend. We don't want to get down 21, I promise you that. That is a very tough environment, great crowd, great atmosphere.

Again, not just because of those folks, but because of how well-coached and how good of players they have at Louisville.

Q. With Lamar running the football, have you ever seen a quarterback besides who you had playing against his style? Looked like he matured over the summer.
COACH FISHER: He's matured. He's been coached very well. I think it's a combination of the two things and what's going on. The players around him are very good.

Yeah, we've played guys that are dynamic. But he's as dynamic as anybody we've played. There's no doubt about that.

THE MODERATOR: Coach, thanks for being with us today.

COACH FISHER: That y'all very much.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297