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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA MEDIA CONFERENCEOctober 23, 2007Pete CarrollCOACH PETE CARROLL: Well, it's Tuesday, right? Since it's Tuesday, we'll just make a mention about last week, we're really pleased with the game and had a lot of fun going to South Bend to play that one. We're thrilled to get out of there with the big win and the kids had a great time and a bunch of guys played. It was a great experience and we're really thankful for the seniors, that they had their run in that match up and that they got a big game to come out of their win and remember forever. Had a lot of fun with that one. For the future, the best thing is we came out healthy for the most part. We will run a number of guys to the practice field in the next couple days. Whether they can play or not, we don't know yet. But we actually had six new guys practice on the offensive line yesterday that we didn't have in past weeks, so that's a big boost. So the injury report is better than it was, and how good, I can't tell you. Going against this team, this Oregon team, returns us to Pac 10 play, of course and on the road, and against a team that is just red-hot, an incredible offense that they are putting up. This might be the most productive, the best offense that we've played since we've been here. They can do whatever they want to do with the running game. The evidence last week, they ran for hundreds of yards, 450 or whatever it was. They can throw the football. The quarterback is extremely efficient, almost 70 percent completion percentage, is ridiculous this late in the season. They have a number of ways that they can attack you. So this poses all of the problems you could ever want, or ever hate, as a defensive coach with a big-time runner, a big scheme, and then a running quarterback to tackle on to that and a guy that's efficient, as well. So this is as definitely as big a task as we've had, so hopefully we can find a way to gear up and slow them down and give us a chance to win. It's really important whenever you play a quarterback that's running the option that you hit him. You have to hit this guy. We have to make sure that we don't let him get loose and get a bunch of space and get all of the air to complement the rest of their offense. Dennis is such a good football player, we have to have a lot of attention on him and make sure that we don't miss our opportunities to bang him around and at least make it a hard day for him. So other side of the ball, the defense has always been aggressive. They attack you well. They have a long-standing scheme that's won them a lot of games over the years, and again, they are able to come at you and give you a lot of problems. Just from the basics, they make it tough on you to run the football and then they will attack you in the passing game when they get their passing situation. So it's a great match-up. This is time for us, we need this match-up right now. It's one of those teams that comes along and they pop up every year. We need this ballgame. We need to get back into Pac 10 play and do something about our situation that we face with a front-running team and a team that's really out there. And it will be difficult, we know the stadium is a challenging place to play. We'll bank on the experiences that we've had. With Mark as the starter, this will be a more aggressive stadium than it was last week. We controlled it early and didn't let it get going. That's what you hope to do, but this is a very difficult place. We'll find out what happens with John David somewhat today. We'll gain the information on him today as he practices and then we'll see how he throws; one, and then two, we'll find out how he responds tomorrow. And the thought that we have is we're trying to get the guy well, and if he can take the work and then come back and play the next day, then he's moving forward. We know that if he practices hard today, throws the ball and then can't respond, then he's not ready; if we play him in the game he won't be able to respond the next week, as well. So we have to get over the hump with him and we're going to try to get that done this week and see where we are and figure that thing out. In the meantime, Mark will take all the starting reps again. We'll prepare him to play the football game until we know more, and we'll see how that all turns out. So we're revved up. This is a great, great opportunity and this is time for us, and I like the way we're feeling more push from the guys and the competitive side of the roster like we've had in the past. We like that feeling and we'd like a lot of guys playing and a lot of guys battling. We've been surviving like that for the last month, and I think we're ready to turn that corner. So look forward to this challenge. Q. (No microphone). COACH PETE CARROLL: I said we'll give Mark all of the reps as the starter and that's how we'll go and just like we did in the last couple of weeks until we know more. Do you want me to clarify that again? Same deal. Nothing's changed. Q. (No microphone). COACH PETE CARROLL: No, just wait, wait on the information. Q. (No microphone). COACH PETE CARROLL: Well, if I answer that question, then that would mean that I accept the thought that you just stated that I'm a defensive genius. Q. Not going to argue that -- COACH PETE CARROLL: What was the question? (Laughter). Q. Is this your forte? COACH PETE CARROLL: I love this challenge. This is a heck of a challenging. This is the best offense we've maybe ever seen, maybe since Oklahoma or the Iowa offense years ago. This is an enormous offense. Cal, three years ago, or whatever. These guys are averaging almost 300 yards a game rushing, which is ridiculous. So, yeah, I love this challenge. This is good stuff and I like the fact that they gave up -- they got 600 last week and they got 600 against Michigan, and nobody has been able to slow them down and we're going to see if we can find a way. Q. It's not like you haven't seen spread offenses, you see them all the time. So is there a reason they are better, are they better athletes? COACH PETE CARROLL: They have a fantastic combination of running back -- Jonathan Stewart is a great football player. He's the No. 1 draft pick, he's an NFL, you know, prototype running back. He's big and he's fast and he runs really tough. He can catch the ball, as well. And then they have a really fast quarterback, also. This is just the perfect combination for this offense. So you have a really notable threat to run the football, plus the perimeter game gets in the hands of the quarterback. And, he's a 69 percent completion guy. So, where do you go, you know. So this is a great challenge for us, and I'm fired up about it. Staying up late and getting up early and trying to figure out a way, you know. Q. People draw comparisons of Dennis to Vince Young -- COACH PETE CARROLL: Well, I don't think anybody is like Vince Young. There's nobody that's ever been that fast, that big, that strong. He ran through everybody. Dennis is not that kind of a runner. Dennis is not like Jake Locker. This is a guy that runs with quickness and speed and finesse. Locker was a brute. And then you get to the other guy, there's nobody like him. You know, he's just way off the charts, because he was so big and fast that people couldn't even budge him, you know and he would run through tackles and things. He's a different style guy. But you get him in the open situations, they do the same kind of damage. You can't catch up with Dennis, either. Q. COACH PETE CARROLL: I can't even conceptualize that concern. No, we never really got that far there, we never even got close to that. We didn't talk matchups. (Laughing). Q. A close game -- COACH PETE CARROLL: Yeah, I think Sam is the one that's really the question right now. Shy low, he's going to make it, unless he has a setback during the week. So we're back to full-strength, kind of, on offense, and without Sam and without the running backs. But then on defense, we're in pretty good shape. We should have a full crew ready to go. Hershel and Shareece is made it through last week and Cush is ready to go full speed. Cush made about 30 plays last week which is what we needed, to get him in the game and manage his way through it and now he's really ready to crank it up. Although we'll still play with a big rotation at the linebacker spot. But we're at full strength on defense, except for the guys we lost early, and the offense is coming around. I don't know if you can manage one position group, six more guys are there, and that's crazy. There's 12 guys on the injury list on the offensive line. But Tiny did well and made it through it, and Butch has played beautifully for his first time starting. You can just feel it. You can feel it in the meeting room, you can feel it on the practice field and you can feel it on game day that we're getting better and getting stronger. Q. (No microphone). COACH PETE CARROLL: He's a terrific football player. He's a brute coming off the ball. You know, he was the guy that was in there; we were running his way a bunch when we were ripping earlier in the year. And the averages of the running backs were up in the sevens and eights and nines and all that. He's a really good pass pro guy. He's got good spirit about him and he's got a great attitude that he shares, and he's the most experienced right guard. You put all that together and he's really a big-time performer for us. To just extract him is a big deal and to have him back is great. Q. How big of a pick-me-up is to have -- COACH PETE CARROLL: Well, it's just great to have Cush back playing. He's a head hunter, he's a big hitter, he's a big playmaker and he's got a great attitude for us. I can't even imagine we played half the season without him. It doesn't even just -- because he's such a big deal to us and we love the guy. So, I don't know, I can't equate it, but it's great to have him back out. It's just great to have him on the practice field just working with us. Q. COACH PETE CARROLL: The players, the guys I'm coaching? Well, there's a good chance that they will be jacked up for this game. This is the kind of stuff that really excites you about conference play. You have a team that's really hot, and you have to beat them if you're going to have a chance to win your league. They have all of the elements that draw your focus; they have got great players and we're playing at a very tough place and all that. So, I mean, everything about it. I would really, really be surprised if we take this lightly. I don't think that's what's going to happen. Q. Earlier in the year when people ask you about, is he as good as the one great -- inaudible -- and you said no, you know enough about -- COACH PETE CARROLL: I didn't know you asked me that. I didn't know you asked me that question. I think the defense is really playing well. I think we're really playing a very aggressive style. We're tackling the best we've ever tackled in any of the groups that we've had across the board. Our numbers tackle-wise are the best ever. We're doing a nice job on the back end and taking care of the long ball that can strike you dead and third down numbers are really starting to get in the right area. So these guys are playing -- the yardages really good, I don't know how low we've been in the years past, I don't know the numbers, but to have the rushing yardages in the 60s and around 2-0 carry or whatever it is and good efficiently is numbers on third down and you're not giving up big plays, that's good stuff. This defense is playing maybe like everybody was hoping, myself included and with still we've got to get the football away more. We're not getting the ball as much. The seven sacks the last week was a big deal and we got a lot out of our pass rushers in pressure last week and maybe as happened last year, this all picks up from the halfway point on. And it's going to be necessary this week, that's for sure. We're going to need it all. Q. Your experience over the years -- COACH PETE CARROLL: You know, I don't know. I don't have a good thought about that one because I don't look at it that way. As far as I'm concerned, we never look at, we're going to give up a bunch of yards and a bunch of points and hope we win. I don't have look at it that way. I don't know. I don't have a good answer for you, but I think it's always the best deal is to have your defense in order, and that gives you the best chance, in those kinds of matchups, but I don't know. I can't tell you how the record is, I don't know. Q. On game day, do you like -- COACH PETE CARROLL: Yeah, particularly now that we've played a few of them, it's really -- I think it's the way college football was designed to be played in the afternoon, you know, and campuses and with all of the build-up that comes up and this great game and then you have that time afterward to have fun and relax and you're not just traveling and in the middle of the night and all that kind of stuff. I think college football was always meant to be played in the middle of the day. We do it all for TV and the rest now, but it's really fun and you know, we get up at 7:30 in the morning, you're getting up, first thing you do is you're getting ready to go to your meetings and all, it's all football. Yeah, we like these games. It's fun to have. Q. (No microphone). COACH PETE CARROLL: I couldn't even tell you because I couldn't have told you that we weren't that in the past. That means nothing. I mean, that means absolutely nothing. To me. I'll never mention it and I'll never bring it up and if you guys didn't bring it up, I wouldn't even know. So I guess not. Q. (No microphone). COACH PETE CARROLL: Well, certainly in my opinion, it is the most critical factor in winning and losing, and you can win on days when you turn the ball over, but rarely does that happen, when you really have the big, bad day, you basically are up against it and you're likely to get your butt beat. So you do everything you can to control both aspects of that. That's getting them and not giving it up. In a game like this, I would bet you that that's what's going to decide this football game and who makes the big plays and who gets the football away from the other one. And sometimes the turnovers can come, they can come in big stops on fourth down. They can come in the I can canning game and they can come a lot of different ways, sudden change situations that you respond well and all of that kind of stuff. But they will most likely just because the odds are with it, the turnover situation will be a factor in this football game. They are doing a nice job hanging on to the football and we are still working at it. So they have the edge if you look at the past right now. Q. (No microphone). COACH PETE CARROLL: Yeah, it's working great. We're on it now. Joe, we have total confidence in him to play him in any situation, to put him back there in the punt running game, he's covering punts for us, too, because he's just so elusive and he likes doing it. He's excited about covering kicks. We're just going to continue to give him the football and know that if we do it enough times, something is going to happen. That is what we anticipated. If we get it to him 25 times, maybe it happens a couple times in the game. We'll see how it works out as we continue to grow with him. We're trying not to overload him but trying to call on him as much as we can fit him in. I'm really pleased with the way Chauncey has run the football, particularly the last couple weeks, he's really being aggressive with the ball. We want his style to stand out, that he's hammering the football. Stephen does what he can do and he's got his own stuff and he was effective in his first time coming back. And then Joe has his stuff, and that's a good triangle for us right now with the running back spot and I like the way that fits. It's taken us this long to really feel that and to feel the confidence of how to rotate the guys, and that doesn't mean that other guys are not in it, but those are guys that we know what we're getting now. The receiving group is coming along really well and individual all is playing terrific football, pat rake is good at the X spot and we're getting good plays out of David and still running with Johnson when we need him. It's taken us this much time with all of the newness to figure it out but that's pat of the reason we feel very upbeat and positive about what's coming and our chances here. Even though we are going against Oregon and they are favored, as you say, and the stadium and the offense and all that stuff, we still feel like we can play really good football now and we're ready to get cranking. There's no doubt, we had a little dip here and we got banged up and John got hurt and all the penalties happened up there in Washington and we dipped and didn't look characteristic of how we've played in the past. But I'm feeling like that has turned and we're ready to move forward and get going again. You know, we had to win every game to do what we want to do, anyway, and we still do. That hasn't changed a bit. I'm not feeling one less optimistic about our chances to do that until we can't. This is very exciting time for us. Q. (Has anyone been affected by the fires)? COACH PETE CARROLL: Not that I know of. I haven't heard anything from anybody. But it's affected everybody in the whole L.A. area now with the air quality being affected. But not directly. I heard that Hacksaw had to get out of his place but I don't know if I've heard of any other ones. Q. (About managing air quality in practice). COACH PETE CARROLL: I don't know. The coaches were asking about wearing the starters masks but I don't know if that's going to help us. Just kidding. (Laughter). End of FastScripts |
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