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ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 29, 2010

Mike London

THE MODERATOR: We're joined by Virginia's head football coach Mike London. We'll go to Coach London, ask for a brief opening statement and go to questions.
Coach.
COACH LONDON: Good morning. Been a great week of preparation. Looking forward to a home contest with Florida State, a program that everyone knows has been very good and is rebuilding with Coach Fisher at the helm there.
It's going to be a great atmosphere. I think a lot of people will be at the game. We're all excited and looking forward to competing against a good team as Florida State is.
THE MODERATOR: Questions for Coach London.

Q. Coach, Florida State's defense has played extremely well the last two weeks. Big play-makers on defense. Kendall Smith seems to be their linchpin. What were your impressions watching him on tape?
COACH LONDON: I tell you what, he is. There's a lot of players that are very, very good players in their defense. No. 13 is their leading tackler. You look at Markus White, Everett Dawkins, Greg Reid, I could go on and on with the names of guys who are really standing out.
I know that's kind of the way they expect the Florida State defense to play. So we definitely have our work cut out for us trying to not let those players wreck the game because all of them are capable of doing that in their own right.

Q. What does Smith seem to contribute from that middle linebacker spot? What are his strengths?
COACH LONDON: Well, I mean, when you look at the defense as a whole, they run very well. In space, they tackle. They get off blocks well. They use their hands well. But when you're a middle linebacker, you're kind of the quarterback of the defense, so to speak. I know he gets the guys lined up. He's involved in the running game and the passing game, all those things.
He just brings the middle linebacker presence. When you have a good middle linebacker, you normally have a pretty good defense. So there's no surprise the way they're playing on defense. Attribute a lot of that to the guy that's in the middle.

Q. Mike, with Tim out, do you expect one guy to kind of step forward and take all those snaps that Tim got, or are Jared and Matt likely to split it in some fashion?
COACH LONDON: No, outside of the first two guys, Inman and Burd will be receiver by committee because different guys can do different things. We're going to have to ask them to do what they can do or do what they're good at doing and being smart about what they ask them to do.
Next-man-up mentality. Whether it's Snyder, Green or Keys or Royal, whoever it is, to be able to do something to help us.

Q. Mike, how are you dividing the time between Taliaferro and Greer? How do you decide that during a game?
COACH LONDON: It depends on obviously what they're doing to you. It depends on down-and-distance. Sometimes, listen, after about the first eight, ten reps, you go in. It's a game-time adjustment. You look and see what they're doing. Hopefully you can assess what your own players' abilities and skills are, then what they're trying to do, you want to try to match it up with a player whose skills and abilities, what the offense is trying to do to you.
We don't go in and say 50/50 as far as reps are concerned. We go in saying, Both of you have to play, and it will depend on what they're trying to do to us in situations that are current to the game as far as who will be playing.
We definitely have two starting middle linebackers, guys that can help us.

Q. Coach, I know you had a question about some of the Florida State defensive players. What do you see in their end, Brandon Jenkins, No. 49?
COACH LONDON: Well, I tell you, he's one of those type of players that he plays well versus the run. Also, look at him, the way he rushes the passer. You have to have a good pass defense, guys that can come off the edge and rush. If you're going to have good run-stopping defenses, then you have to have guys that can do that.
You look at Florida State, their outside rushers, four-man rush, they lead the country in sacks. When you have a guy like that, of his ability, that can put pressure on the quarterback, hit on him, sacks, things like that, then you don't need to do a whole lot in the back end when you have four guys that can rush like he can.
I'm sure the other three players with him also make him better because all four of them demand constant attention and awareness. But he raises his game a whole 'nother level.

Q. I sensed you were pleased with both Rocco and Metheny when they played the other day. Are you anywhere closer to having a number two quarterback based on what you saw the other day?
COACH LONDON: It's what we saw yesterday and in today's practice. Today is another padded practice. We do different things. It was good to see both of them manage the offense. Obviously, Michael threw an ill-advised throw anticipating, but no receiver in that area.
So today is another day of evaluating. The practices were pretty efficient yesterday. Ross has done a nice job of continuing to improve. I think competition's made both of them step their game up.
We'll see probably by Thursday, we'll let that guy know which guy will be the next guy in the game based on their practice performance this week.

Q. Coach, with your three non-conference games under your belt, as you step into conference play for the first time, what kinds of things about your team are beginning to reveal themselves as to what kind of team you have offensively and defensively?
COACH LONDON: Well, we try to emphasize playing hard, playing aggressive, not worry about making mistakes, things like that. I think with the different schemes that have been implemented, for the most part our guys have done that. We played Richmond, a very good FCS, former national championship-caliber team, then we flew out to USC. Different venue, great team out there on the road. Came back, played VMI, another FCS team. We were able to do some things.
Now you're back in the conference schedule, playing a high-caliber team like FSU. We're trying to find out, What are you, what our identity is. That will bear out here as the season goes on as we get into the ACC schedule.
Right now, I just like the way we're playing, handling things. I like some of the leadership that's going on and the ability offensively to move the ball around to a couple guys, running game with Keith Payne, and Perry Jones, two different styles of backs. Quarterback for the most part is making good decisions. Receivers are catching the ball.
Defensively, very simple. We don't do a whole lot of things, just try to get them to play fast and hard.
Special teams it was good to see Robert Randolph kick a 33-yarder, 44-yarder, in practice he kicked a 50-yarder. We have to get the special teams aspects back because it's such a huge element. As you watch Florida State, I watch their No. 5, Reid, he's an outstanding kick returner, punt returner. When he gets his hands on the ball, he creates field position for them. We're going to have to be able to match that or gain field position by what we do on special teams.
So far we're a work in progress. But going into the fourth game, I'm pleased. But there's cautious optimism, but at the same time we still have work to do.

Q. Mike, the number two quarterback. Given that Mark is a senior and will not be around next year, would you look for opportunities in games to get a number two quarterback action kind of in the heat of the battle as opposed to just at the end of a game that was already decided? Is that not really something that appeals to you?
COACH LONDON: No. What appeals to me is having the best guy in there that, under the circumstance, can win the game for us. If it's Mark and his ability because of playing, so be it. Not looking to put another guy in on a move-the-clock situation at the end of the game, coming out to give him experience at that particular moment. Just have to pick and choose the moments that you put him in.
We'll stick with what we've got until we're forced to do something different.
THE MODERATOR: Coach, thanks for being with us. Good luck this weekend. We'll talk to you next Wednesday.
COACH LONDON: Thank you. Everyone have a good day.

End of FastScripts

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