| Mike Sherman and the Aggies talk about the upcoming game at Iowa State
Posted: 5:25 PM Oct 17, 2011
Reporter: Texas A&M Sports Information |
Monday, October 17, 2011 - Bright Complex - College Station, Texas
When you were recruiting Ryan Swope did you as a wide receiver, or back, or return guy?
"We recruited him as a slot receiver. We thought he'd be a return guy as well, but the position he's playing is the position we recruited him for. The nice thing about him in that position is you want a guy good with the ball in his hands. In college football today it's important in those slot positions to have a hybrid guy that's played some running back and can catch the football and do something with his hands. What he did in high school demonstrated him to be able to play that position for us."
He said he's a big fan of Wes Welker.does he remind you of him?
"He's bigger than Wes actually. But he's that type of player and that type of competitor I believe."
Was it nice to see Swope connect on those long plays?
"Sometimes they're there and sometimes they're not there. They happened to be there the other day. Sometimes he goes through the middle and he's not the choice based on the coverage."
How special of a combination has Tannehill to Swope become?
"It's a real special combination I think. As I said after the game I think it's become that way because of the way they both practice, they practice at game speed. When you do that the game is not too fast. Things don't change so the timing and the tempo of the play exists in practice and carries over to the game. It allows them the opportunity to be on the same page on gameday."
How complete an offensive performance was that on Saturday?
"I don't know. I'm still frustrated about that first interception on the screen pass. But I thought it was a solid performance. I thought we did some good things. The game was in the balance the entire afternoon, but the turning point I think was the fourth-down stand by our defense that allowed us the opportunity to get the ball back. Then the offense took the ball 94 yards for a touchdown. I think that was the turning point. I was pleased with the offense but there's things we need to get fixed though."
Evaluate the offensive line's play Saturday.
"When you have five guys in there and they play 80 snaps and don't make a mental mistake the entire ballgame-I don't think they had a penalty either-that's pretty spectacular, considering you have a freshman, two sophomore and two juniors in there so it's a relatively young group. And they demonstrate a lot of toughness and savvy. They want the game on their shoulders. They wish we ran it every down. That's what you want from the offensive line. Nothing happens offensively if those guys aren't working and having success."
How well has Pat Lewis adjusted to playing center?
"He's adjusted to it pretty well. He's physical, he's tough and he's a hard worker. He's a big component in our offensive line. He's the glue in that group."
How are you on the injury front? How is Coryell Judie?
"Coryell has a hamstring strain and this week he would be questionable. Garrick Williams might be questionable as well (ankle)."
Talk about Sean Porter and trying to fill the shoes of (All-American) Von Miller.
"Sean just has to be Sean, not Von Miller. He just has to be Sean Porter. He's fine with that. He wants to be the best Sean Porter he can be. That's all we are asking out of him. Sean is playing up to his potential and beyond. He's the best Sean Porter we have, and that's good."
Talk about where Jeff Fuller is at.
"One thing about Jeff you have to understand is how much practice time he's missed. He's always been a hard worker and loves his reps in practice to master his craft. He hasn't had the opportunity with the concussion and the hamstring holding him back. He's not getting the reps in practice he's used to having. He's very close, I think this week could be his breakout game. But I thought he did nice job in the ballgame Saturday. He'll continue to improve."
Evaluate the play of Damontre Moore.
"I thought Damontre played his best ballgame. He's a very emotional player and we try to funnel that in a positive direction. I think he's worked very hard on doing that. I thought he played his best ballgame of the year. He was not offsides that I can recall, he stayed out of the ruckuses for the most part and he played real hard. When you're playing against these hurry-up offenses it really stresses the defense. You can be a heck of a player for 40 plays but maybe a so-so player for 70 plays. I think the fact we minimized reps for our guys helped us play better at times, and I think Damontre benefitted from that."
How well has Randy Bullock been kicking?
"Randy is playing as well as I ever remember him playing. His kickoffs, if they're in the right direction, will be into or out of the end zone. His field goals are very good and very dependable. He's really put himself in another category."
Iowa State has lost three in a row, are you worried about the team overlooking them? Also, can you provide a scouting report on ISU?
"It's also the same Iowa State team that beat Texas last year and beat Iowa this year-I have the utmost respect for Iowa State and what they're doing. We're the homecoming game and we know what we're up against. Defensively, they mix it up. They do things that if you run the ball well they'll go with an extra guy down and take care of the run game. If you're throwing the ball and spreading them out they try to match up with the receivers. They play extremely hard and chase the football real well. They have good athletes on the defensive side of the ball that will come downhill. I have a lot of respect for them. Offensively I always think they have good linemen, and you can be a dangerous team if you can have that. I think they mix it up like we do, try to have balance like we do."
Evaluate Dustin Harris at punt returner and what you thought about his interception.
"We haven't had a takeaway in quite some time so that was a huge takeaway. To get the ball back was huge and he went up and got it. It was a big play in the game I thought. Punt returning, he's an explosive player, the only problem I have is if he turns sideways you can't see him. So I always worry about him there. He's very electric and very explosive with the ball in his hands. I always worry about ball security with lighter guys, but he's very explosive."
How important are these two wins confidence-wise moving forward?
"They're very important. Even though I live a very cloistered lifestyle as a coach, they are out in public more than I am. My biggest thing I tell them is don't let anyone outside this building define who we are. We lost to two top-10 teams really by about seven points. We had every opportunity to win those games, but our opponents deserved to win the games-take nothing away. But we could be there. Because two or three plays went another way don't let rankings or polls or grades affect you. Make sure you identify yourself by who we think we are. That works for a little while but you need to win football games. Hopefully there will be a little stronger swagger than we didn't have a week ago. We'll try to build some momentum. We have things we need to clean up and we'll continue to work on those things and hopefully get there."
Talk about Malcome Kennedy's play.
"He didn't play a whole lot, but he made one catch and it was a key play. It was a great route and a great catch. He definitely helped himself. I remember a few weeks ago we had been running a 2-point play against the defense, then he gets a chance to run it and he drops it. He's back there with (Jameill) Showers and had him throw it over and over again to make sure he wouldn't drop it. He's very competitive. Over the last two weeks he's settled down a bit and he's really been on a meteoric rise. I'm really pleased with Malcome."
Does facing Robert Griffin help prepare you for what you may see from (ISU QB) Steele Jantz?
"It helps. Everyone has their own little nuances, but I do think playing against Robert prepares us for the mobility we'll face. Hopefully we can handle what he will present."
ASST. HEAD COACH/DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR TIM DeRUYTER
How big was the turnover?
"That was huge at that point in the game. They're dangerous, especially with their speed. We needed a takeaway. But just getting a turnover and getting that monkey off our back was huge."
How much did the officiating crew letting you substitute help out Saturday?
"Well, I like that crew. I thought they did good job controlling the game. I don't think they slowed the game down but gave you the opportunity to sub. That's big. The tempo was fast but not like some of the teams we played, and getting the chance to match up gave our guys the chance to be fresh and get the right guys on the field."
Talk about the play of Damontre Moore.
"He took several steps forward (Saturday). He was focused and very assignment sound. Even at times when he didn't get a sack he did a great job pressuring the pocket. I thought for the first time this year his presence was felt by the opponent. That's huge. He's got to be a playmaker coming off the edge for us. I thought he showed what he can do."
Talk about the sacks you were able to get.
"A few of the sacks were off the spy stuff we were doing. We try and change looks all the time and change tempos on the quarterback. It just depends on the time in the game and what we needed to do to throw (quarterbacks) off balance a little bit so they don't get into a comfort zone."
How much blitzing did you do against Baylor compared to the amount against Tech and Arkansas?
"We were probably 30 percent less than what we had been. Again part of that you judge based on their personnel and how we match up receiver-wise. When you're bringing extra guys against a guy like Griffin, if you don't keep him in the pocket he can create some problems and get the ball down the field."
How huge was it for your defense to close a game out?
"I was real pleased. Obviously we've had issues in the second half . I really liked the look in their eyes. As the game went on we got more confident. Part of that was we were getting pressure on Griffin. Our game plan was to get bodies on him and try and affect him that way. When he's fresh and running around he's real, real dangerous."
Talk about Baylor's big plays they hit you with.
"Our best corner is Coryell Judie, and on the first long touchdown he didn't play good technique and they made a heck of a throw. His confidence was shaken a little bit but he bounced back and played well. The other two big passes were just busted coverages. We have to do a better job of coaching them on exactly where they need to be. They can't use disguises and they can't guess. They have to do it exactly how we want them to do it."
How well did Spencer Nealy play Saturday?
"I really like his energy. He was extremely productive. Our guys rally around him. He has fun playing and when he's productive like that it really gives a spark to our defense."
On the stress Iowa State's quarterback will put on your defense.
"He's a guy who's athletic. They'll do a very similar scheme, he can make throws on the move. He's not just a pocket guy. That puts additional stresses on you that way."
Talk about the Iowa State offense.
"I really like James White. He's fast, has good balance and is a shifty guy. They will spread you out. He's good enough to burst and make people miss. The quarterback is part of their run game and that adds additional stress. He's a good effective runner and when they can spread you out you have to be sound, because it becomes option football and assignment football. If someone doesn't do his assignment they can make you pay for it."
What's your perspective on Ryan Swope from seeing him every day in practice?
"He's a very fast guy, a very strong, explosive runner after the catch. He runs great routes and understands coverages, so he knows where the holes are and where he needs to sit down. Our crew of receivers are as good as any in the conference, and he's obviously one of the best."
How well has Randy Bullock been kicking?
"He's been dynamite. He's knocking the ball out of the end zone on kickoffs. He does a great job on field goals. It's a big plus for us the way Randy has been playing."
DL TONY JEROD-EDDIE (Sr., DeSoto, Texas)
How did y'all grade out on pressuring Robert Griffin?
"We did pretty well. We had I think five knockdowns and like five or six pressures. We did pretty well. As a defense we did pretty well too."
Talk about the game Damontre had.
"That was great by Damontre. It was his big game this year by far. It's what we need from him. He's finally got that game under his belt and hopefully it keeps going throughout the season. And the outside linebackers as a whole.Sean is playing great football all season but now Damontrre and Caleb got in there too and that is big for us."
How important is it for Damontre to get going?
"We were looking for big things from him. He had a big game and hopefully now that he's got that one under his belt he'll get going."
Why is it so tough for opponents to run against your D-line?
"That's our main priority other than getting turnovers. We want to stop the run. The coaches preach it and that's what we do. It was key for us to stop the run versus them because if they have the option to pass or run they're real dangerous. We wanted to nip the run game in the bud early so they'd have to pass the ball."
Are you concerned about a mental letdown against Iowa State after two emotional wins against rival in-state schools?
"No. Not at all. We know that the next game on the schedule is the most important. That's how we approach it. We know this is the most important game of the season and we have to get a win."
QB RYAN TANNEHILL (Sr., Big Spring, Texas)
Talk about Uzoma Nwachukwu's progression the last few weeks.
"EZ has had a great year so far for us, especially over the past few weeks. He's making plays on deep balls for us and that's huge. We knew going into this year he'd be a big factor for us. He really progressed over the summer. Coming into this year he's gotten healthy. We expect big things from him and he's come through for us."
Is Ryan Swope a safety valve for you?
"We're a progression team. Whatever the defense gives you is how you go through progressions. It's not like I skip over other people to go to him, it's just the way progressions work. A lot of times he's open and I just get him the ball."
What is it about his skill set to be able to get open and bust tackles?
"First of all, once he has the ball in his hands he's dangerous. He played running back in high school so he knows what to do when he has the ball in his hands. He can make guys miss and get upfield. His ability to make guys miss and run with the ball while has it are huge benefits for him. He has great balance. He's our fastest receiver and he has great hands. He's not afraid to go up and make a play. He's not afraid to go over the middle too."
Talk about the offensive line's play Saturday.
"They had a great game. The entire game I had time to throw, I only got knocked down a couple of times and there were no sacks. Just watching the tape this morning and yesterday there were a couple plays when I threw ball but I could have stayed there for three or four more seconds. They were doing a phenomenal job up front. I can't say enough about the offensive line in the passing game as well as the running game."
How big were these last two wins to build the team's confidence?
"I think we're a confident team. Losing those games was tough for us. No one saw that coming and especially the way they came. These two wins help us move forward in a positive way. We played two good football teams and came out on top, so I think we feel confident about ourselves."
Is it encouraging to have such an explosive offense even without Jeff Fuller completely healthy?
"It's a huge luxury to have the playmakers we have across the board. It's a potent offense that doesn't have to focus on one person to move the ball. I think the fact we're able to do that really helps us spread the ball evenly and puts a lot of pressure on the defense across the field. They have to cover the entire field. I think once we get Jeff back at 100 percent-which I think is very close-that brings even another factor for us."
Why did you guys have so much success in the vertical passing game against Baylor?
"A couple were double moves.I think Swope's first touchdown was a double move. We knew they'd play a lot of quarters, that's what they have showed all year. But other than that it was just what they gave us. In the first four games we didn't get a lot of looks deep. Teams were playing soft coverage. This week they gave us some looks and we were able to capitalize."
How do you avoid a letdown Saturday?
"Iowa State is a good football team. We have great respect for them. They are playing at home, and anytime you play a team at home it will be a tough game. They've had a couple tough losses, but we have respect for them and there's no letting off. As soon as you let off something is going to happen."
Talk about the season Randy Bullock is having.
"We feel like once we get inside about the 35-yard line we have a chance with Randy. Once we get inside the 30 then it's a great chance. To have that luxury where we feel like we can put points on board when we cross that yard line is a huge factor for our team. To have a reliable field goal kicker is a huge aspect to our offense. He's not putting pressure on himself, is having fun and is going out and enjoying the games. We have a good time out there and I think the main thing is his confidence is up."
You're one game back in the race, do you feel heading into the second half of the season that the team's goals are ahead of you?
"For sure. We've had a couple tough losses but we feel we are in the thick of this thing on the road to the Big 12 Championship. We still feel like we're in it and until it's proved differently we're going to believe that. The road starts Saturday against Iowa State."
LB JONATHAN STEWART (Jr., Shreveport, La.)
Talk about your game this weekend, it seems like you have really settled in out there.
"I'm getting way more comfortable every day. I'm just trying to go out and work at practice and watch film of other great players in the NFL and watch and see what they do."
Talk about stepping up as a leader.
"I'm just trying to make sure everyone on the same page and gets the call. I just try to fulfill any role the defense needs me to."
How big was it for Damontre Moore to be the defensive force he was Saturday?
"It was huge. He was back to being the Damontre of last year, dominating and tenacious off the edge and causing havoc with the quarterback."
How big was the Baylor game for the defense's confidence?
"It was huge. We can take a lot from this game. We still made way too many mistakes. If we can fix those we'll be fine. We finally got a fourth-down stop, which is huge. We've been looking for those the past couple of weeks. This game hopefully will catapult us to the next level."
LB SEAN PORTER (Jr., Schertz, Texas)
How big was the Baylor win for y'alls confidence?
"We gained a lot of confidence. It was good to get back on track and get back to winning."
How big was the game Damontre Moore had?
"It was great. I'm extremely proud of Damontre. I loved it. That's exactly what we needed to see out of him. He's a great player, and I think he'll have a great season from here on out. I think he had to get his confidence back and get back into the swing of things."
Do you sense a lot of maturity mentally from Damontre?
"He's working on it. He's growing up. He's had growing pains just like anyone else but right now he's getting really focused on school and his playbook and he's making a lot of progress."
Have you gotten to the point where you get a 1-on-1 matchup with a tackle, you count that as a win for you?
"Yes. I think every time I get 1-on-1 with a tackle in my head, I think that's a win."
How key was getting a takeaway on Saturday?
"That was very, very important. It had been so many quarters. That's a big deal on defense, getting takeaways. Anytime you win the turnover battle in the game you're probably going to win the game. I think it's good we got back on track with that."
DB TERRENCE FREDERICK (Sr., Katy, Texas)
How nice was it to finally get a turnover?
"It was good. We hadn't had a turnover in like three or four games. Dustin got that pick and it was a big turnaround for the defense. It was good for the defense and good for the team overall."
Talk about Ryan Swope.
"He works hard every day in practice. There's not a day he takes off. It carries over from practice to the game, he plays hard every game and it shows."
How much better do you think the defense has gotten?
"A couple of weeks ago we were not playing good defense. But playing four quarters is the most important thing. We did some good things but we have a lot of work to do. The two most important things are we stopped the run and we got the win."
Do you feel like the philosophy of stopping the run may be dangerous in the pass happy Big 12?
"I feel it's a good philosophy. Stopping the run period in any game is going to be a big key in winning."
Do you feel like your team goals are still in front of you?
"Definitely. Our goals are still up (on the board). We don't know what's going to happen the rest of the season for every team. We just have to go out there and win every game and play how we play."
How big was the goal-line stand?
"We needed it. In the past games we've been letting a lot of big plays happen on us in goal line, and for us to have that stop and get off the field and give our offense a chance to score was big for our defense."
Assess the secondary's play over the last few weeks.
"I feel like we've had times where we have played great but I feel like there's still room for improvement. We've got to get our hands on more balls every week. To be a great defensive secondary we have to get more interceptions and break more passes up."
WR RYAN SWOPE (Jr., Austin, Texas)
How much does it help Ryan Tannehill that he was a receiver before becoming a quarterback?
"Ryan when he started here was a great receiver for A&M. When I came in and he took over the quarterback spot, he helped me and molded me into the wide receiver I am today. I give a lot of credit to Ryan. When I came in here as a freshman he really helped me read defenses. I'd never played wide receiver before-I was a running back in high school-so I didn't have a whole lot of experience at that position. He molded me and helped me through that. It really showed Saturday. He had a feel for me and I for him, and the chemistry was really there."
Do you feel like you've had to take a bigger role in the offense with Jeff Fuller not 100 percent?
"Jeff is such an experienced receiver. He had a great day Saturday, he had some big third-down catches. EZ had a great day also. We've got such an experienced backfield. You've got to spread the ball around and it makes it tough on defenses. It's special because Ryan has so many options."
Assess the play of the offensive line.
"The offensive line really set the tempo of the game. They were real physical. I could just tell on that first drive they went out there and set the tone of the game. That's huge to get the defense tired and really be more physical. They played with a lot of fanatical effort and with a lot of passion. That was huge. It always starts up front in the trenches. They did a great job."
How big has Coach Walters been in your development?
"He really focuses on fundamentals and it's helped tremendously. He helps us every single day at practice and gives us tips and pointers. We feed off him at practice and he has molded us into a great receiving corps. He's done a great job with us."
Talk about the season Randy Bullock has had.
"Randy's been hitting the bulls-eye on every kick I feel like. Kickoffs he's booting out of the end zone. To get into the red zone and know you have such a great kicker is huge. He's had such a great season. He's my roommate, I remember him in the summertime coming up here every day and working on the little things. It's really paid off for him. To have that confidence in a kicker is huge."
DB TRENT HUNTER (Sr., Katy, Texas)
Take us through the fourth-down stop on the goal line.
"It was actually a corner blitz. Baylor does a great job of splitting their wide receivers out real far so we just switched it up. It was a last-minute thing we hadn't really worked on. I did a good job of putting a move on the back and staying outside like the assignment said. (Robert Griffin) did a heck of a job getting the ball off."
Were y'all picking and choosing when you blitzed the other day?
"Going into the ball game we wanted to be more basic. At the beginning of the season we had a lot of stuff in and with the up-tempo offenses it's harder for the defense to make changes. We're doing a good job of simplifying things and doing a way better job of getting set. We've moved ahead and we're just more prepared right now."
How big was the interception?
"It was a big deal. Actually it was a busted coverage. Robert Griffin did a heck of a job scrambling and extending plays. A couple of us came out of coverage and Dustin did a real good job of reading the quarterback. He did a great job of dropping back and made a great play on the ball. For him to get that far back and jump over the receiver-he was behind him-for him to do that just shows how athletic he is."
How big is it for Damontre Moore to play like he did Saturday?
"It makes it a lot easier on us especially on the back end. We went a lot more basic this week with our calls, and for our front to get the pressure they did hats off to them. They're doing a great job stopping the run and getting pressure on the quarterback."
Why do y'all have so many sacks, but the passing defense numbers are so high?
"A lot of it is being consistent on the back end. We're great for three plays and then one play we have a mental bust. We have to be more mentally sound play to play instead of trying to do too much. It's just little things like doing our job and not trying to more, and things like that will help us this year."
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