Larry Smith Press Luncheon Quotes, Sept. 12, 2000
9/12/2000 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 12, 2000
QUOTES FROM JUSTIN SMITH:
On loss at Clemson:
"It definitely got out attention and we're paying a lot more attention to it. We just have to go out with more fundamentals."
"I'm sure some people's focus was altered because when you're getting beat that bad it's hard to keep the same mental focus on what you're doing out there."
On playing Michigan State:
"If we can stop [T.J.] Duckett we'll have a good day."
"We have to regroup and work on our fundamentals this week and not turn the ball over."
"We have to work on not giving up the big play. Our lineman have to put more pressure on the quarterback."
"We need to be fundamentally sound and play better football. I feel the attitude was there, the focus was there [against Clemson] but we just need to have better ball security. I think Michigan State is better suited for us and it should be a better game. Hopefully a win for us."
On MSU's Defensive Line:
"We're used to play 300-pound games and it shouldn't be that big of a difference for us."
On MU's Confidence after loss:
"I think it was [low] after the game, but after watching the film I think the team realized what happened and what we need to do to be better."
QUOTES FROM KIRK FARMER:
On loss to Clemson:
"A team like us can bounce back and can regroup and come out with a lot of fire to show everybody that we're [a good team]."
I was [shocked] at what happened. We just sort of steam rolled downhill. I was in total shock. It was one of the most embarrassing things I've ever been a part of. But its over and I'm no longer embarrassed and I'm ready to go out and beat Michigan State"
On playing Michigan State:
"It's a completely different team then Clemson. But I do feel that we can play better against them."
On running game:
"There are some things we need to work on. We started out the game great, I probably should of checked some different runs. But it'll get going. If we keep mixing it up we'll be fine."
"I don't think I'm as creative as I can be. It's something I need to work on. I get into a rut. But this offense gives us a chance."
On confidence:
"We were down and embarrassed [after the loss] but this team has the ability to focus on the next week and forget about the past because you have to. Or you won't be successful."
"We need to get respect, it's something we strive for. Should we beat Michigan State, we'll get that respect."
On checking plays at the line:
"I learned that I have to stay creative and I have to learn check different plays. That's something that is important of this offense. And if I do that we'll be a lot better."
QUOTES FROM COACH SMITH:
"We came back from yesterday with a very good practice. We went through the tapes and saw the mistakes and the ways that we can get better. We went through a little longer practice on Monday than we usually do, because we did some fundamental work. We will have a lot more scrimmaging this week. Not to punish anybody, but to get better."
"The only way to improve your tackling and blocking is not through walking through practice, but by tackling. Therefore we will have a lot more full dose situations in our practices this Tuesday and Wednesday. Then Thursday will be normal preparation and then we will go right on through to Saturday."
"The team worked very hard yesterday, and I think they will play a heck of a game on Saturday."
On the team's demeanor after last week's game:
"We do a lot to build on the highs the kids experience, along with encouraging positive thinking. We want them to be positive, confident people. Sometimes it works against you, but you have to face reality to."
"Everybody practices to win, they don't just practice to practice. I think our team is ready to play. I think we are confident, I think we fought hard in the game, but we didn't win because of the six turnovers." The most important thing in football is the turnover margin. We had a short- kick, which gave them the last touchdown."
On the impact of such a big loss:
"I look at Stanford last year when they got beat by San Jose State and got wiped out by Texas and then they came back and won the Pac-10 championship. The thing is that you can be just a little bit off from being a good team and still lose. We're not a good team right now, but we're not that far off."
On the keys to the game: "The slant pass in the end zone that they caught for a touchdown was big, but our guys just unloaded on him. They hit him and then knocked each other off, and then he's in the endzone. It wasn't for a lack of effort, we might have tried to hit him too hard instead of wrapping him up and taking him down."
"The hardest part of the process is getting through each week. It's three or four plays in a football game that make a difference. Winning a game, upsetting an opponent, or even getting blown out can be determined by three or four plays. These plays can turn a game or even a season. You put these in every game and you then refer back to the two years we had winning, but it still came back to two or three plays. Our guys made plays, so we came out on top."
"You try to emulate the game in practice, but you can't do that for eleven weeks because the kids will get beat up. You want to have them refreshed so that they can run."
"Justin Smith is a very fine football player, and is the total package on the field. He is one of the finest defensive football players I have had the chance to coach."
