Nov. 17, 2009
On it being difficult to stay focused during the bye week:
"I'm not going to lie and say it's not. Obviously the whole idea was that this would be a time to stay focused on what we have to do and get better. I've kind of figured out some things. We're not going to miss a lot of bowl practices now. We're going to get a chance to have some bowl practices, which is something you don't get a chance to do the week before Thanksgiving. We're at least going to be able to prolong the season a little bit and go from there. I'll tell you what - we have good kids. They're going to hang in there. Is it easy for them? No. It's up to us as a coaching staff to do some things where they can compete against each other and make it a little more fun than just the drudgery of going out there and preparing. Plus I think next week will be a whole lot easier. I was very impressed with yesterday and I think today will be the same kind of thing. It's the three practices this week that are kind of a struggle maybe, but next week they have the opportunity to play a football team and once again, still make a name for themselves. Be a team that plays an awfully good football team and go out there and see what happens. See if we can be what we thought we could be. If yesterday was any indication, they were all there and they hung in there. I thought we had a good practice yesterday."
On Cincinnati's national attention motivating the team:
"No question. They realize that this is the No. 5 team in the nation. You still have a chance to prove yourself."
On Donsay Hardeman's injury:
"He did some X-rays yesterday and they were negative. He has a stiff neck and it's a day-to-day thing. He was not riding the bike yesterday. He did not practice and I would not foresee him practicing this week. We're going to have to wait and see how he is next week."
On where Cincinnati fits in the national picture:
"They're in it, they're pretty dang good. I watched quite a bit of tape of them yesterday. I kind of zeroed in on special teams this morning. They're a good football team, a team that has two quarterbacks who are both really good players. They have a receiver or returner that makes big plays. They play hard, they play physical and it will be a matchup."
On expecting both Cincinnati quarterbacks to play:
"That's what they've done recently. They did it the last game so yes, I think they'll both play."
On how different Cincinnati's quarterbacks are:
"They're a little bit different from the standpoint of the big tall kid, Tony Pike, who has the wrist problem will throw the football. He can throw it. Not that the other kids can't, Zach [Collaros] and Chazz [Anderson] both can, but they're more the runners. Tony is going to sit in and throw it, although he can run, but when you see the other ones in there you'll see more of the zone read option stuff."
On how much input a coach should have in making the schedule:
"As much as the boss allows it. I don't think there's any question that the whole thing here that we're trying to get done is get seven or eight home games in this stadium. I think to be able to get it to work that way you maybe have to some things you'd rather not do. The schedule is what it is. You've never heard me complain about the schedule and that's just the way it is and we have to play it."
On it being important to play Justin Greene as a freshman rather than redshirt him:
"Absolutely. I think we saw that last night. When they were out there going yesterday, I think there was a big difference. In a game atmosphere, the guy has scored a couple touchdowns and has played on special teams. There is no doubt. You can't buy experience. If you go back and look at
Rashard Mendenhall, he didn't play much as a freshman. We had those other guys here, and he played a little bit as a sophomore and went on as a junior. There's no doubt in my mind that we did the right thing with Justin. I think Justin thinks that. There may be some other people that don't."
On playing the quarterbacks based on who can help win:
"I haven't factored in 2010 at all. I think we owe it to these seniors to do everything we need to do to win these next two games. Obviously we're going to play the guys that we feel give us the best opportunity to win. Juice (Williams) probably could have played this past week if we had chosen to do that. On the same token, he could have ended his career on one play, so we just didn't feel like it was in his best interest to do that. If Juice can go, Juice is going to go."
On Rejus Benn getting a different helmet for his injury:
"He's had two, it's not a recurring problem, it's two. He does have a different helmet."
On the year Rejus Benn has had:
"First of all, he gets a high ankle sprain the third play of the season and plays in the next game just because he's a tough guy. He's had a shoulder, he's had a thigh, he's been dinged a couple times. It's just a combination of things. Is he frustrated? Absolutely. I'm sure he is as we all are. Its kind of one of those things, sometimes you're able to get through a season without guys getting hurt. The Rose Bowl year, I don't think we had a line that missed a start. Sometimes it's the rub of the green."
