Skip Holtz- USF Head Football Coach
Opening Statement...
"Just wrapping up last week, what a great win on the road for this football team and this program. I had the opportunity to sit down and watch it with the players. There was a lot of excitement, a lot of emotion, a lot of energy in that game, a lot of energy in the locker room afterwards. Big emotional game, but just really proud of this football team in so many respects, I think everyone came up really big in that game, obviously the special teams was huge with that big kickoff return by Lindsay Lamar. With Shields rumbling and stumbling down the field to get us in the position to get us into field goal range. To see what the defense did by keeping the ball in front of them, and not giving up big plays. Obviously the huge stop on fourth and inches in overtime, and then obviously the offense having some of the big plays that they had; the deep ball to (Dontavia) Bogan, the 65 yard return by (Demetris) Murray getting down there and scoring was just great to see, everybody contributed in this game. I said this after the game there's a lot of things we have to get better at. You can sit and nit and pick and say we have to do (various) things better. Just really proud of the way this team came together and put together a very strong, emotional win just really proud of them and the way they competed all the way to the end, because there were opportunities they could have thrown their arms in the air, but just really proud of this team and what they were able to accomplish."
On the match up this week versus Pittsburgh...
"We have our challenges really cut out for us. Everyone keeps asking me, what's your opinion in this league, who's the best team, ect. Let us get through it once before I'm ready to comment. Well I can tell by looking at film this week that Pittsburgh is one of the favorite teams to win this league. When you sit down and look at the job that coach Wannstedt's done, he's done a remarkable job. Then you look at them from a talent standpoint, and I definitely think their one of the most talented teams in this league. You look at Sunseri, their quarterback, who's doing a great job for them. He's managing the game, protecting the ball for them; he has a 13 to 6 touchdown to interception ratio. Two of the best tailbacks in the country. They're built like tight ends, they run like receivers, they have great hands they can make the circus ketches. When you sit and look at them on defense, there the completely opposite of what we just face, you know exactly where they're going to be. I imagine their defensive game plans are about ten minutes long every week. This is what (Pittsburgh) we're going to do; we don't care what you do. Their defense is sound in what they do. It all starts with their defensive ends. I think both Sheard and Lindsey are the better defensive ends in this league. When you look at those two, they're one and two in every category for sack, tackle for loss, and fumbles in this league. They're two in some, because the other one is one. Holley is leading the league in interceptions with five, and a lot of that has to do with the pressure they're getting from the inside. They don't give up a lot of cheap plays, they don't give up a lot of runs, and they don't give up a lot of yards. I think this is a very talented football team. It's hard to imagine how this team has lost four games, because I believe this is a very talented football team, I think they're playing better now than they did early in the year. Special teams, Dan Hutchins is a Ray Guy finalist, senior, about top three or four in every statistical category in their record books. He's been there for a long time; does all the kicking and punting, leads the league in punting, averaging about 45.5 yards a punt. Very talented team, I just don't see a lot of weaknesses on this team, it will be a great challenge for us, excited to be at home, excited to be playing this game at home with so much riding on this game, and to create the excitement and the energy and enthusiasm of this football team, really excited for this game."
On the importance of B.J's play against as the season progresses...
"He will definitely be a key. As it is with most teams, as your quarterback goes, your football team goes. When you look at where we are right now, and some of the things we're doing, a lot of it is built around B.J. who's one of our better athletes on this team. I think the criticism, B.J. is a very proud young man, he wants to be good, and he's never endured a lot of criticism during his career here. He went through some criticism with the interceptions in the Florida game , and the West Virginia game, missing some opportunities in the Syracuse game, and I really think he rolled up his sleeves and said, 'Alright, what do I have to do?' I give him a lot of credit, he didn't throw his arms up, he didn't make excuses, he didn't point his fingers at other people, he said that not me. He said I want to be a quarterback and what do I have to do to get it done. He's really been dialed in he's done a great job. The game last week he had a little nick in his leg, which he's going to be fine with. We tried to stay away from running him a little bit in the second half and getting him on the move, and getting him on the perimeter, keeping him a little more in the pocket, and trying to rely on the running game, but I really just think he turned and rolled his sleeves up and said what do I have to do. Who do I have to read, how do I got to drop, what am I looking for, he's really been dialed in and tuned in here the last three to four weeks. I think he's done a really great job. I think it's a testament to him and his character, and just his desire to be a really good quarterback."