FRANK BEAMER
OPENING STATEMENT:
I think we’re a work in progress. I think we’ve got to continue with the plan of keep on getting better and try to be as good as we can be for the ACC opener. I know that’s the way we’ve got to approach this. I thought we took another step. Some of it was ragged. I thought we took another step today and did some good things. I think it’s a great video to again learn from just like last week. We’ve got a lot of things to get better. But we did some good things too. We did a lot of good things. I’m pleased with our effort I’m pleased with the attitude of this football team. We’ve just got to keep on working week to week. Make sure we’re ready for ACC play.
GETTING WIDE RECEIVERSS INVOLVED
I thought we did okay. Caught the ball better, had a couple drops, had a couple throws that could have been a little better. Overall that part of the game was better. Made a lot of good catches. Keep working, be better next week. That’s the deal. I will say this: I think you give Western Carolina a lot of credit. They’re from in the Southern Conference. I’m familiar with that conference; I coached in it. I think they’ve got some good athletes, they’ve got a lot of young players, they play hard. I thought they came in here and played tough. So I give them credit. And good luck to them in that Southern Conference play. I think that Mark’s building a program and knows what it takes. They’re going to get it done down there. Wish them good luck.
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN 2 HALVES
Well we came in at halftime and said let’s get better as the day goes along. That’s kind of a deal around here. Let’s make the third quarter our best quarter and I thought probably we did. Again I thought we took another step, I really did. But again it’s going to be one of those that we learn and get better and make sure we don’t make the same mistakes next week. Again I’ll say I like the attitude of this football team, I like the way we practice, I like our want to. Sometimes we’re just not very pretty to look at. Maybe we’ll get prettier as the year goes along.
ON LOGAN’S INTERCEPTIONS
I really believe this: as we get more used to each other and learn each other and get our timing down, that that’s going to, regardless of how many interceptions, the passing game’s going to continue to get better. I thought it got better today and it’ll continue to get better.
ON DETRICK BONNER’S INTERCEPTION RETURN FOR A TD
I liked it. That’s been it around here and had a bunch of them. I hope it’s the first of many this year. We’ve got to keep working on our kicking game and get some blocks and get some returns. It’s a complete… when we’re scoring and it’s not just the offense, the defense, the special teams, that’s when we’re really right. That’s what we’re working to get to.
ON WILLIE BYRN
Yeah he’s very dependable. He’s earned his scholarship, he’s a guy we trust. He’s going to do it right. He’s going to be where he’s supposed to be. He’s a valuable guy to our offense right now.
ON KALVIN CLINE
We want to see Kalvin keep on getting better, and I think he will. I think he had a shot to catch that one in the end zone today but he’ll make the next one. He’s a guy that’s athletic and can do some things. He needs to get a little bit bigger and stronger for the blocking part of it. I think he can give us something. When we lost Malleck we lost that athletic guy that can match up with some people, and hopefully Cline can get in to that position.
ON THE RUNNING BACKS
Yeah, you know, I thought Mangus made an exceptional run and showed his ability. The guys probably should have had him, but he made a nice little move and outran them to the end zone. He’s a fast guy; if we can work to get him in space a little bit he can really help this football team. Joel, I thought he ran tough and good and strong. Good to see J.C. back in there, and Trey, I think he’s just going to continue to get better.
KYSHOEN’S PUNT RETURN MISCUE
What happened is, he was going to fair catch it and then a guy flashed in front of him and he naturally tried to avoid him and then all the sudden the ball hits his foot. That guy shouldn’t have been there but then there’s no flag on the ground so it couldn’t be called anything other than it came off Kyshoen’s foot. I knew that but that guy interfered with his right to catch the ball. I think the lesson there, if he realizes it’s the other team, just go catch the ball and if he interferes with you then we’ve got a penalty.
ON COLES PLAYING TIME
He’s going to be in certain packages. We’re going to keep him fresh. I still think when he’s not playing a lot, he’s probably in a better position. The weight will get him a little bit, and the knee will get him a little bit, but he can bring something to this offense. I think we just got to play him less plays and get more out of him per play. That’s to me what we’ve got to do.
HAPPY WITH SPECIAL TEAMS COVERAGE
Yeah I thought so. The one kickoff return got back up to about the 26, 27, and we’ll look at that one. As high as that ball was, it shouldn’t have come back that far. Overall yeah I thought we were better.
SELLOUT STREAK ENDS
I really thank the ones that were here. That thing was pretty well full, I know there’s a few seats up there, but there’s a lot of good Hokies here. I appreciate the ones that showed up. We’re going to try to keep getting better for them, I’ll promise you that.
PLAYERS
DETRICK BONNER ON INT FOR TD
I thought it was a great play by Kendall Fuller with the tip. When the ball is in the air I thought we’ve just got to make plays and that was my opportunity.
DETRICK BONNER ON DEFENSE SCORING
It was real big, I don’t think we got a touchdown last year. With the second game getting a touchdown it was real big.
DAHMAN MCKINNON ON SPECIAL TEAMS IMPROVING
Yes, absolutely, we’ve been working hard all week trying to get our special teams corrected and get us better. We know how we can be better. Basically all week we worked hard we gave it our all and we knew this week we weren’t going to come out and have any repeats.
DAVID WANG ON IMPROVEMENTS WITH THE OFFENSIVE LINE
With the offensive line as a whole, I feel like we need to improve every week, and I feel like we did. I feel like we can also improve further, and we’re just going to keep taking steps forward and try to be the best O line that we can be.
DERRICK HOPKINS ON QUALITY OF WCU
We treat every team the same. We practice hard. It doesn’t matter what team it is, what their ability is. We got out there with the same passion and attitude. It doesn’t matter how good one team was or how bad one team was. We go out there and play Hokie football each day, each game.
DETRICK BONNER ON LOSING SHUTOUT
Honestly mistakes happen, we just told him to keep his head up. Three points, it’s a little heart breaking, but it’s alright.
J.D. Howell (@JDHowellShow) is the host of the J.D. Howell show every Monday-Friday 4-6 PM, on ESPN Blacksburg, 1430 AM and 94.1 FM. Listen Online!
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ECU, can be tought. If you have been there, they have a smaller crowd then Lane, but they are loud. ECU always plays like they got a chip on their shoulder, I read that somewhere else as well, but it is true. Wish I could make the trip but ahve to work
Someone tell me how good East Carolina is? Are they mainly passing?
I’ve got their first game on DVR. Will check it out and see.
“Three Points, it’s a littler heart breaking, but it’s alright.” Gotta love that!