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ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: CLEMSON v VIRGINIA TECHNovember 28, 2011Danny CoaleCHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA THE MODERATOR: We're joined by Danny Coale. Q. Danny, first, what progress have you seen in Logan over the course of the season? DANNY COALE: I've seen a lot of progress. You have a guy who has all the tools in the world and all the athletic ability along with the right mental approach to the game. So as you would expect, he has a little bit more comfort. He gains a little bit more experience each and every time, and you see him become more comfortable as the games go on. And I think he's just matured quickly into a very good quarterback. Q. And for you personally coming into your senior season, I know you expect to do a lot as a receiver. You took on the challenge to be a punter. Did you come into this year thinking, "This is my last year and I'm going to do everything I can to make it as most successful for me and the team possible"? DANNY COALE: Sure, as far as the punting goes I knew that was an opportunity ending spring, doing some punting duties and coming into fall camp with the opportunity to do that. I wanted to as long as I helped the team.  If I was the guy to be called upon, then so be it. But you do have the kind of sense of urgency going into your last year. You realize that it's the final one. And you really want to make the most of all the opportunities that you're given. So whether it be catching balls or punting them or whatever it may be, you definitely want to make the most of those opportunities. Q. Follow up on the senior question there. How do you guys keep topping yourselves? I see that you guys can be the winningest senior class in school history, and it seems like every couple of years that's a story line at Virginia Tech. How do you guys keep improving and keep up that tradition? DANNY COALE: I actually remember them saying that last year, the same thing, that last year's class could go out with the same kind of deal. I think it comes down to a few things. But I think there's an expectation around here that when you come in you're being recruited into a program that's had a lot of success, that prides itself on excellence and winning and getting to championships. So when it's your turn to be called upon and you want to add to that winning, you don't want to be the class that lets down that tradition. So I think there comes high expectation coming in here, and it's something that we pride ourselves on. It's something we expect to win, and we work really hard to do that. That's kind of the mentality of the program around here. Q. The other thing I wanted to ask you is you guys are obviously a different and better team than the one I saw when you guys last played Clemson. Is it that simple to say that Logan Thomas has been the difference, or are there other reasons for why you guys have gotten so much better here down the stretch? DANNY COALE: I think Logan's certainly gotten a lot better throughout the year. But I wouldn't say that the reason we lost to Clemson was solely his fault. I think in all phases of the game we played pretty poorly. And we didn't help him out. So he is a quarterback, and when you lose, unfortunately, a lot of fingers look to him. But he played very well that game. And the surrounding cast didn't play well enough to win that day. So I think not only has he progressed, but I think all three phases of the game, the offense, defense, special teams have jelled and come together after that loss and played better. We haven't played great at times. But I think we are becoming more comfortable with each other. And that's definitely always a good thing. Q. I'm doing a story on Jack Tyler. I know you guys are on totally different sides of the ball but in terms of him being a walk‑on and given the chance to start for this team, and you're sort of the same way you were kind of not a big time recruit and coaching staff‑‑ obviously coaching staff gave you a chance to earn your way into the lineup eventually. How does that dynamic work within the program in terms of walk‑ons and guys who maybe don't have all the recruiting stars, how does that work in this program with them getting an opportunity to play? It seems that Jack's not the first, and sounds like he won't be the last? DANNY COALE: Right. I certainly have a lot of respect for him coming in here not a scholarship guy, having to buy his time and earn it really. And to start on a defense, one of the better defenses in the country, I think that's a pretty awesome deal. I think a lot of it comes down to just the way things kind of are done around here. And I was a scholarship guy but I wasn't heavily recruited. I didn't have a lot of stars. And I think the mentality around here is that once you sign your letter, whether you be a walk‑on or a scholarship guy, once you come here, it's kind of an even and clean slate. And you kind of stick your, put your head down and work hard and kind of do the right things, you're going to put yourself in a position to succeed. And it doesn't really matter at the end of the day how many stars you had or if you had any at all or if you're a walk‑on guy, everybody kind of starts with a clean slate here. The coaching staff does a tremendous job of giving players the opportunity to succeed. So that's really what it kind of boils down to. Q. Did you have notice that you were going to punt the other day? DANNY COALE: I didn't get much notice, no. I knew there could have been an opportunity, and I really didn't find out for sure until right before the game where Coach told me he felt comfortable with me being the guy. Q. If I'm not mistaken, your first punt was from kind of deep in your own territory. DANNY COALE: Sure. Yeah, I was in the end zone. Q. When you're back there calling for the snap, I know you've done this all year in practice and stuff, but when you're back there calling for the snap, was there like an "oh crap, don't screw this up" moment for you? What were you thinking when you go back there? DANNY COALE: You know, first of all, you get in the huddle, you hear what the snap count is going to be. We decided to snap it quickly. And at that moment you don't have much time back there to gather your thoughts, because as soon as you get lined up the ball's coming. So my thought back there was just to really get it out. If I can get it out and just get it downfield wherever it may be, the coverage team, the punt coverage team does a great job. So if I can just put them in a position to make a great tackle or do something like that, then I think I've won. And fortunately for me it just‑‑ it happened to go a little further than I planned on it. But after that, the nerves kind of went away and it's something I enjoy doing. Q. Clemson beat you at home and now you're favored to win the ACC Championship. Does that surprise you? And I don't know if you pay any attention to the BCS rankings. You were fifth last week. If you win, you stay fifth and Stanford jumps from ninth to fourth, did that surprise you or disappoint you in any way? DANNY COALE: Okay, I think to the first question, I am a little surprised that we're favored. I mean, to me they came in here and they played better. They won. And so to me we have something to prove. We have to play better. And I think for us we're the kind of underdogs in the situation because we've played them once and they came out on the winning end. And second, you know, I did see the BCS results. To be honest with you, at the end of the day you realize there's just really nothing you can do. And the BCS is a complex process. And I couldn't begin to tell you how any of those rankings are determined. But it's like preseason rankings, you really don't want to pay attention to them because at the end of the day I think the final rankings where you finish the season is more important. Whatever happens in between is absolutely out of our control. And so I'm thrilled to be playing on a quality football team, and we're just looking forward to going out and playing Clemson a second time. THE MODERATOR: Thank you. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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