Oct. 12, 1999

MISSOURI FOOTBALL MEDIA LUNCHEON Press Conference with Head Coach Larry Smith Tuesday, October 12, 1999

Opening remarks on Colorado and upcoming Iowa State ?Much like the Nebraska game, it is behind us. However, we do need to learn something because in regulation we gave up 39 points. You can?t win football games when you do that. That?s the number one thing we have to address in practice. Other than the first priority?preparing for Iowa State.?

?We came out of the (Colorado) game in pretty good shape, injury-wise, and everybody should be ready to go this week. Iowa State is an excellent football team, the most improved football team that we will play. They?ve got a great back in Darren Davis. He?s every bit as good as his brother (Troy Davis of the New Orleans Saints) was. Their offensive line is extremely tough. Defensively, they?ve improved tremendously. They are very sound and don?t give up many big plays. They play hard and just come at you.?

?This week?s game is between two teams that are 3-2, that need this game very badly and two teams that are trying to build a winning season. It promises to be a heck of a battle. Our football team will have to rebound and play our best game of the season.?

On the use of two tailbacks ?They are a little bit a head of us (at the tailback position). I think that it?s physical football when you run your tailbacks a lot. The guy better be pretty physical and durable. Alternating back and forth allows you the option of not changing up your offense and getting a fresh back in there every few series.?

On Joe Chirumbolo ?He is probably the biggest surprise on our football team. A year ago he wasn?t even in school because of a broken hand that never healed. He came in during spring practice, that?s where he got his edge. That was probably the best thing that could have ever happened to him. He?s a very quite guy that just keeps doing things. He?s not overly impressive in lifting weights and running, but when he got on the football field the thing that impressed you was that he knew what he was doing. He was always able to get a helmet on a helmet and do what you told him to do. When (Rob) West got hurt, he got in there and just kept making plays. He?s done an excellent job and has been a pleasant surprise. He still has a way to go in his blocking but can?t blow people up like (former Tiger) Ron Janes. He still has a long way to go to catch up to that.?

On problems with the punting unit ?The number one problem you have is the center. It has become a mental thing with him (Ben Davidson) because there is no difference in his technique. At this point, we don?t want it to become a mental block. We told him not to worry so much about sliding after the snap. We are trying to give him more help on his blocking and make sure we have a call when the ball goes over the punter?s head. We don?t have any other punters because long snapping is an art. We have trained Ben for two years now. We also have a guy in training who is no where close to going on the field, so we are going to stick with Ben. What he is going through is no different than any of our other young players. The confidence of young kids is very thin. You have to help them understand why it happened and not let it happen again.?

On the effect that young personnel have on a football team ?We have 29 out of the top 47 guys that are freshmen, redshirt freshmen or sophomores. We have 17 guys that are on the two-deep (roster) that are juniors and seniors. So therein lies the problem?that is inconsistency. When you have inconsistency, you give up big plays. That will kill you as a team.?

On finding the ideal long-snapper ?You look for your best athlete. He has to have strength and must be flexible.?

On Missouri Guard Michael Gavins ?I was in doubt whether we would see him again (following his injury during bowl game preparations in December). He was a mess, physically and in his goals. His injury gave him time to sit and learn self-discipline. Mostly, he learned how much football meant to him. I think he realized how much he would have to sacrifice to get on the football field. He has done a pretty good job of handling it. He?s grown up a little bit and realized what he wanted to do and what he needed to do to get there.?

On Missouri?s offensive play calling ?We are farther along right now than we have been in a long time. We have been able to put together a package of personnel that allows us to not have to depend upon the run so much. We?re getting very close to what we want to be able to do. But we don?t want to take our eyes off the run. We must make sure that is always top priority.?

?I think the two quarterback system has been fairly productive. The offensive line situation has been productive even though we are very thin up there.?

On defending against and running a two-quarterback system ?If the attack changes, you have to prepared. We don?t change a thing that we do offensively. It?s just whose in there, you do it. Jimmy is the fast starter and Kirk is the fast finisher. That?s the way it has worked out so far. I don?t think that the (actual game) starter is important to them or to us.?

On Iowa State Wide Receiver Damien Groce who is out for the season ?Groce is a heck of a player. He has been their number one deep threat. I?m sure that is a big blow to them and I am sorry for that because he is a great ball player.?

On Missouri Center Rob Riti ?Rob Riti has had a very fine season so far. He has helped steady the group (of young offensive linemen). The key factor on the line has been Rob Riti and he does it by personal example. He has had some very fine games for us. We feel that we can always count on him.?

On playing a tough schedule at the end of the season ?I tell the players not to think about (the schedule). You just try to be better every week than you were the week before. If you win a game, improve on your mistakes and make your strengths stronger. If you lose a game, improve on those things that beat you and prepare for that next game. Find a way to win the next game.

On Iowa State?s running game ?The biggest change they have made in their football game, other than they are playing really tough, sound defense (is the running game). They have switched their interests to the running game. They are going to run the football and it is going to be with No. 28 (Darren Davis). But they?re not afraid to run anybody. They are playing just about every way there is to run the football.?

?Our number one step to beating Iowa State is to have an excellent week of preparation.?