Gary Patterson Media Luncheon Quotes -- October 22, 2002
10/22/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 22, 2002
After extending its winning streak to six games with a decisive 45-31 win over Louisville last Saturday, TCU head coach Gary Patterson held his weekly media luncheon Tuesday afternoon at the John Justin Athletic Center. Besides recapping the big win over the Cardinals, Coach Patterson looked ahead to the nationally televised showdown with first-place Southern Miss next Wed., October 30 at 6:30 p.m. at Amon G. Carter Stadium.
Below are selected quotes from Coach Patterson's session with reporters.
On facing Southern Miss on a Wednesday:
"Tuesday and Wednesday games are hard because you want to think that you have some down time, but you really don't. We were off Monday and we'll be off again on Friday, so it's a lot tougher than if we had a two-week preparation period."
On Southern Miss:
"Against Southern Miss you have to play one of your best games defensively if you want to have a chance because usually they aren't going to give up a lot of points. They only gave up 20 points at Alabama and Alabama scored 40-something on North Texas. The positive thing is that they have to come here and their only two losses have been on the road.
"I think that one of the reasons that Southern Miss has been a team that has challenged for the conference championship every year is that they don't talk. Their kids love to play the game, they play very, very hard, they play great defensive football, they'll block punts, their punter is one of the top ones in the league. They do all the intangibles."
On the USM running game:
"They are big and really athletic (on the offensive line). Up to this point, we have not played an offensive line like theirs. It is the strength of their offense. Plus, (running back) Derrick Nix is a big back and he'll get one-on-one with you because those guys do such a good job of blocking, so you don't have a chance to gang-tackle Nix. He's such a big back, he will break arm tackles. We will have to find a way to get a lot of people to the football if we want to stop the run against Southern Miss."
On the USM passing game:
"The thing that they are still developing in their passing game - which was still good enough to beat Cincinnati, which we weren't. - is probably the youth they have at quarterback right now.
Offensively, they're just like us. If they can, they want to run the football. The only thing that has happened is when they have put the ball in their quarterbacks' hands, they have struggled a little bit. But both of those guys, D'Angelo and the freshman (Almond) have been good enough to win five ballgames. Again, that's why I think that going on the road is a little bit difficult for them. Playing on the road is a little bit different than playing at home."
On Southern Miss' defense:
"They're not going to be the biggest defensive team we play, but they run as well as we do, or better. Rod Davis, their middle linebacker, is a great player. They have corners that are great players. Their safety, Etric Pruitt, makes a lot of interceptions. They just do a great job. They remind me a lot of us when I watch them. The schemes are different, but both defenses run all over the place."
On TCU's injuries on the offensive line:
"I think everyone should be back. Brady (Barrick) should be back running around and Josh Harbuck should at some point before the game also. But I am still very impressed with the way J.T. Aughinbaugh has played the last couple of weeks. The big difference with him is that he is down from 320 pounds to about 295. He has gotten himself into a position where he can move around and do some things."
On TCU's quarterbacks:
"I have confidence in two quarterbacks. The chemistry right now might make it a little bit easier decision to stay with Tye (Gunn) because of some of his different dimensions. But in no way, shape or form do I count Sean (Stilley) out because of the relationship that he has with (the coaches) and Tye, and how important it is to him to win football games. I know that Sean would like to play, but I think his number-one goal is to win football games. I think that running back is the same way. Right now I think everybody is happy with whoever is running it when they get their chance. They would all like to play, but the bottom line is we all just want to win football games."
On the importance of the running game:
"Running the ball is something that we try to do in every game, not just against Southern Miss. Probably the one thing that Louisville is having a problem with right now is because of their youth and inexperience on the offensive line is that they can't run the football. When you aren't able to run the football, people can just load back and blitz when they know that you are throwing the football most of the time. If you look at how Southern Miss breaks down, you can't do that, except maybe on third down. Everything else is 50-percent even, run-pass. When you can do those kinds of things, it makes it awfully hard for a defensive coordinator to call a ballgame."
