Sept. 27, 2005
Head coach Frank Tavani
On starting games slowly:
I don't know, maybe we should give them the halftime snack (bananas, pears and fig newtons) before kickoff. The important factor is that we have been able to rise up and face adversity and overcome that. The game is always 60 minutes. I felt we only played 30 against Princeton and 45 against Fordham, so I think we're on track to play for 60 this week.
On Georgetown:
In this conference, all the league games are going to be tight. Everybody in the league has the ability to beat anyone else. Georgetown in particular has the mark of a good team, since they've been improving week-to-week. Anytime you come off two tough losses and go into a hostile, homecoming crowd up at Stony Brook, and beat them after being down 7-0 in the fourth quarter says a lot. They know they have the ability behind a very good defense. They have probably two of the best defensive ends that we're going to see all year, along with an ever-improving offense. This is a game, like any other league game, that you can't afford not to show up or you're going to get beat. We're well aware of that, and know we're going to have to go down there and play our best football to date. I would certainly like to get off to a good start and get a jump on people, but as I say to our team, it's not how you start, it's how you finish."
On the kicking game:
It certainly concerns me, but it's simply a confidence factor. David Yankovich has the ability to kick it well if you give him the go ahead to kick it wherever you want. If we want to place it or kick away from a particular punt returner, which you have to be able to do, he starts to get in trouble. His confidence gets a little shaken, and he's a sophomore. We've been through the same thing with Mike Davis and he turned out to be an all-league punter, but David has to get over that, and it's tough on Rick Ziska being asked to do two things. I think maybe that has thrown Ziska off a little bit, which is something that you would see happening in pro games if a guy has to be your punter and kicker. Interestingly enough, we brought Mike in as a kicker and he finished as the punter, and now Rick's doing the same thing and all of a sudden he's punting better than he's kicking. It's an inconsistency there. I think sometimes he might get too relaxed. We're going to put some pressure on the kicking situation in practice. I've told them clearly that the position is just like anyone else - you get the opportunity to perform, and you do it, or we put the next man in. Matt Korn, a sophomore, has been getting better and better, and I have a lot of confidence in him from 35 yards and in, where most of your important kicks are going to come from. You really have to expect a high percentage of success inside 35 yards. It's a very competitive situation, and if need be, I won't hesitate to make that change.
Junior quarterback Brad Maurer
On Saturday vs. Fordham:
I felt a lot better moving around. It's a lot more fun when you can go out there and move around, and hopefully this week should be more of the same.
On his passing options:
Eleven guys is a lot of guys to have catching the ball. Dropping back, you don't have to worry about any of the guys that are out in the route. You just throw the ball and know they're going to make a play. It builds my confidence knowing that I can throw it anywhere. When I get to the line of scrimmage I have an idea of where the ball is going to go by looking at the defense, but at the same time everybody likes to changes looks after the snap to confuse the quarterback and I have to be able to adjust. It's a luxury to have so many guys that are able to catch the ball.
