OPEN:
We have another tough opponent this week in Texas A&M. I have a lot of respect for them, their coaching staff and players. A very big team. Very fast. Very skilled team. We’ve only won one time in the last 11 tries. So it’ll be big for us to go down there and play well. It’s a rival for us and we’re looking forward to it.
NEWS ON WEIGMAN/JOHNSON
Well, obviously I hate it for Conner Weigman. I do. He was playing really well. I’m sorry to hear that news. I really, really am. Fortunately for A&M, they have a wonderful backup quarterback and now a starter in Max Johnson. Max has played a lot of games. I remember him when he was in high school when I was over at Georgia. He’s a very, very good quarterback. We obviously know he can run. They run a lot of nakeds with him, a lot of boots with him, and get him outside the pocket as well. But he’s a fine quarterback, a fine person. I’m sure he’ll do well, just like he did last week when he went in against Auburn.
ARE U CLOSER TO ESTABLISHING UR OFFENSIVE IDENTITY AND WHAT IS IT?
I want to score as many points as we can, whatever the defense is giving us that particular day. Obviously you want to be able to run the ball when you want to run it. And you want to be able to protect it and throw it. But I thought maybe Saturday night, with some of the things we did. We were able to run the football. We were able to throw it. Our protection continually has to get better. I think our O-line gave up a couple of those four sacks. The rest of it had to be with somebody else. In protecting the quarterback, you have to have a whole lot of people, the entire offense, protecting that quarterback. Whether it be getting open on a route faster. Whether it be the back, the tight end, the offensive line, the quarterback throwing it. So, we’re getting closer, yes. We should. We should be getting better each week. We always … any team that I’m the head coach of, or was the O-line coach, we want to establish a physical mentality where we can run the football. But you can have physicality protecting as well.
Our biggest concern right now is we’re killing ourselves in penalties. And we have to get rid of that. I know it’s a broken record because we’ve done that for three of the fur weeks. We’ve got to get rid of that. We’ve got to quit hurting ourselves.
(How confident are you that Rocket will be able to return this weekend?)
Well, I’m as confident as I’ve been since the Western Carolina game. I would be lying to you if I told you that I’m sure he’s going to play. I feel better about his opportunity to play, but we still have to see how he recovers from yesterday’s limited reps that he participated in and go from there. But this week I thought he was further ahead on Monday than I thought he would be. It didn’t swell up too bad on him yesterday. We’ll give him a little less reps today and then see where he’s at on Thursday. We’re obviously hoping he can play.
(Manuel has been banged up and hasn’t given you a full week and the strain you want — Have you seen what you wanna see so far this week?)
Well, I tell you Andrew, I think we’re getting closer, but he’s still not, in my opinion, back to where he was in camp. He’s getting closer, but we’ve still got a couple more days that he needs to play well for him, for his confidence. We’ve always had confidence in him, but he’s gotta get his confidence back a little bit more and that’s primarily had to do just with injuries.
(Isaiah Sategna was so good in fall/spring, what isn't translating to games?)
Well, we’ve got three pretty good receivers out there, as well, right now. Last week was probably his least — I don’t believe he played any offensively. He has had a good week this week. We do have some plays for him this week. I expect him to be out there on offense, but the bottom line is that our guys ahead of him have been playing well, too. We have confidence in Isaiah and we’ll see if we can’t work him in the offense this week.
Luke Hasz training wheels?
Well I think he certainly gets better each week, and I think he will continue to. Obviously, his blocking needs some work and some of his route running and things of that nature. But to have a freshman, a true freshman, as talented as him and for the things that he’s doing, is really incredible. It’s hard. Especially at that (position). I coached tight ends in 1996. Tackles and tight ends at Cincinnati. I thought it was the hardest position to coach. You had to know everything in the run game, everything in the pass game, and to play that position you have to be special. He’s done an incredible job of getting to this point, and I think he will get better and better each week.
Rocket handling being out?
The great thing about Rocket is he’s a much better person than he is even a football player. Very mature. Wants to play. Wants to be back. Wants to help his team, but he’s handled it professionally. If he can play, if he feels like he can play, we certainly will. He’s one of those guys, you just ask him. Hey, are you ready to go? If he says yes, then we’re going to play him. If he says no I don’t quite feel that way, then obviously we won’t, but he’s handled it professionally and really been a big part of practice even when he wasn’t able to participate as much as we’d like for him to.
Did you visit Greg Brooks on Saturday morning before the game?
Well, we love him and he was part of our program. He left and he left in good graces and he did all the things he needed to do while he was here. We love his MawMaw and PawPaw and his daddy. We needed to show him, in my opinion, the respect he deserved. We’re worried about him. We pray for him each and every day. I still talk to his MawMaw and PawPaw and dad everyday. We’re praying for him, but to be honest with you, it was the right thing to do, but it’s also something that I wanted to do. I wanted to show the family — and hopefully I could be able to talk to Greg — I wanted to show the family the respect that they deserve.
Travel rosters expanded to 74 for SEC games, thoughts?
I think there’s a lot to be said with that, Bob. In other words, in the day of transfer portal the more you can carry, the more you can travel. That might help them mentally, help them feel more a part of the football team. Obviously, that’s four more guys you can use for special teams help as well. I just think there’s a lot of good with that. Obviously, if you have a solid roster, you’re going to have a hard time figuring out what 74 are going. But I do think it’s good for the programs. I think it’s good for the kids, the mental and also for an opportunity to maybe encourage them more to stay out of the portal and stay on the football team. So I think there’s a lot of good about it.
