	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 27, 2017

Jimbo Fisher

Greensboro, North Carolina

JIMBO FISHER: Yes, had a very good week of practice coming off a very tough game against NC State who has a very good team, did a great job in the game. We had a lot of young players play in the game with some of the injuries and did a really nice job. Some of our other guys are healing up, should be back this week. Guys have been back to work very hard this week.

Got to go out and play, play a great Wake Forest team. This team is 4-0, playing outstanding defense, giving up almost nothing. Offensively, you can see the same guys have gotten much older, much more mature, the quarterback, the receivers, the tight end, the back, they've done a really nice job. In the kicking game they're actually very sound in what they do and have great returners and returners very dynamic, so we have our work cut out for us.

Got to play on the road, got to take our game on the road, need to step up and play better this week. Had opportunities last week, did not finish in a couple situations and have to play better on all three phases, but it's a drastic improvement in special teams, was very proud of that last week, and still have to get better but have opportunities and have a great chance to still have a great game this week, and we need to do it one game at a time.

Questions?

Q. Jimbo, Dabo was saying he still thinks Florida State is one of the best teams in the country, but when you start 0-2 how do you prevent sort of a momentum of, well, we're 0-2, we're out of the top 25 now and things going bad and a snowball effect?
JIMBO FISHER: Well, you just tell them the truth. You line up. They've been 0-2, they were here like that in 1989 and finished fourth -- or finished second or third. I'm not saying we're going to do that. We have to play one game at a time. Like you say, when you get behind by two scores, there's no nine-play drives or eight-play drives, there's no 10-win games. You have to go play one game at a time and have the pride in what you do, and we're very close in all the areas, but we have to improve and we have to get over that hump, and we have to find a way to get over that hump.

I thought our freshman quarterback did a great job. I think our guys are very excited about him and what we can do, and we can stand to play well around him and as a team, and you play one at a time. That's what you do. Just like last year, I mean, when USC was 1-3, we were 3-2 or 2-3 or whatever it was, all those teams just battled back, and that's what you find out about your program and your kids and you play them one at a time.

Q. Do you think that going through a start like this kind of helps you in some ways identify where that leadership is on both sides of the football?
JIMBO FISHER: I don't know necessarily think it -- sometimes, sometimes it doesn't, just depends. I mean, leadership can be shown whether you're winning or losing. I mean, I think that's very dynamic. I mean, you'll find out who a lot of your guys are that can deal with adversity, and I think we've done that, and I think our guys understand that, so hopefully we'll play well this weekend.

Q. What's been your approach this week in terms of personnel or scheme or having players in other positions help with the blocking to improve the offensive line this week?
JIMBO FISHER: Offensive line didn't do a bad job. We had a missed assignment on a chip, on two chips that weren't offensive line, and the offensive line got beat twice, but other than that we moved the football. We had six scoring drives in the game and didn't score one time when we had it down there, which was nothing to do with the offensive line on a kick return. Moving the ball, we've got to finish in the red zone, we've got to make throws, we've got to make runs, and some of the blocks weren't always on the offensive line. We have to just execute better as a team and as an offense.

Q. Ricky Aguayo is coming to school already with a unique follow-up behind his brother, and I think it's even more unique with how Roberto's career has kind of transpired in the NFL. What advice do you have for Ricky to kind of be his own kicker and not have Roberto's struggles kind of carry over to him?
JIMBO FISHER: Exactly that, don't worry about -- you can't control what your brother does. I mean, your brother can't control what you do. You have to be your own person make your own way in the world and do the things that make you successful. I mean, just that simple. Ricky was outstanding while he was here, did a great job. You know, he unfortunately had a little lull in what's going on in his career, but that has nothing to do with Ricky. Ricky can't worry about his brother; his brother can't kick for him and he can't kick for his brother. What he has to do is do what makes Ricky successful and what he has to do in practice every day and stay true to the process of doing things right.

Q. I noticed Roberto in Tallahassee working out. What has his mindset kind of been?
JIMBO FISHER: I don't know, I haven't had much time. I saw him once or twice briefly when he first got here, haven't had a chance to talk to him. We've been working on ourselves.

Q. I think most people would probably agree that the ACC is at its best when you guys are also at your best, but what does it say about the whole conference that you guys still have the best game in the country this week going on and Clemson, Virginia Tech, you've got Duke and Miami and Wake Forest undefeated, and it can be more than just Clemson and Florida State?
JIMBO FISHER: No doubt, been saying it the whole time. I've said that for a long time. This is one heck of a league, and the other teams in the league are very good. They're very well-coached. We have very good players, and they've done a great job. I think this league is an outstanding league. Like I said -- everybody sit there and say, like I said last year, who's the best. We're as good as any league out there, but other leagues are very good, too, but this league has depth. It has quality, and there's a lot of good coaches and players.

Q. Curious on an update of Auden Tate, if he's been able to practice the last couple days?
JIMBO FISHER: Auden will be day-to-day in what he's doing. He's been out and participating and loosened up and feels much better, and we'll take him day by day as we go through the week just how much he'll do.

Q. In his place what have you seen from the other younger receivers? You're trying to develop guys who may have to play if Auden can't go?
JIMBO FISHER: They've practiced well. They're continuing to grow in their development and getting a ton of reps.

Q. I was curious what's been your message to your team this week in the wake of the rough start to bolster their confidence in case they're shook up?
JIMBO FISHER: You have to go back to work and control what you can control, and it's how you practice. Ignore the clutter, ignore things outside and do the things that are in your control about how you prepare again and come back and play it one game at a time, just like we said. There's no magic formula, no magic dust you can put out there, you just have to finish and play a little more consistent and do a little better job and we have to practice you better, coach you better, put you in better situations, and it's been that simple. They've handled it one at a time.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297