Oct. 23, 2007

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EASTON, Pa. - The Lafayette football team is looking to end a two-game slide with a win against Colgate on Saturday at Fisher Stadium. Head coach Frank Tavani and members of his team met with the media at the weekly media luncheon on Tuesday. Here are some excerpts from the press conference:

Colgate Head Coach Dick Biddle:
On how the team's level of play has differed in their wins and losses: "I think we've been very consistent. I just think we need to make a play here or there. And we've played a pretty tough schedule and I think our kids have played hard, and I think that's really all you can ask. I think it's probably that we haven't made a play at the certain time to win a game or to get the first down or to stop somebody to get the ball back."

On the growth of Jordan Scott from freshman year through today: "When he came to fall camp we had some experienced backs at tailback and I was going to move him to free safety or strong safety or linebacker, so that shows you how much I know. He said no he wouldn't do it, he thought he could be a tailback. What happened was, I think we went to play Dartmouth his freshman year - we were struggling and the first time he touched the ball he went for a touchdown for 30 yards. So then we ended up starting him at Cornell and it's just taken off since then. I just think he's a consistent player and the biggest thing about him is that he's low maintenance and for a skilled player that's rare nowadays. He just comes to practice everyday and he cares about practice. He does everything he needs to do. He's a quiet leader and he's much more mature and older. You just know what you're getting out of him and coaches like that."

On Lafayette's defense vs. Colgate's running game: "Obviously Lafayette is very good on defense. It's very hard to get big plays on them. We can't change much; I mean we are a running team. We just have to execute blocks and I think the other thing that is the determining factor is that our defense has gotten a little better. I don't know if we can go 70 or 80 yards against their defense because they don't give up the big play. I think the keys to win it will be good field position and to be able to move the ball. That's the way I look at it."

Lafayette Head Coach Frank Tavani:
On coming off a setback in the Patriot League: "Having spent Saturday evening breaking down both sides of the ball, by Sunday morning it's never as bad as you think or as good as you want. The bottom line is we were outplayed by a good football team. We had opportunities, quite a number of opportunities on offense and some on defense as well. Unfortunately we didn't make plays and they did. You have to regroup; you can't wallow around in your own self-pity and whatever the situation is, we've been down this road and I believe the football team will make some corrections and play better football than we've played. I shoulder a lot of the blame as the head coach. We were obviously not as prepared as we needed to be, and that falls on my shoulders and not theirs. I'll be much better prepared this week."

On the possibility of Rob Curley seeing more time at quarterback :"I'm looking at every position. It's hard for me to answer any of the questions honestly until I see the players and how we practice this week. Obviously when you lose a tough game, as in any week but maybe more after last week, every position is being evaluated hard by me personally, and our staff, but more so by me. Every position is under scrutiny and I'll make game-time decisions based on what I see at practice."

On Colgate's punter Benjamin Dato who repeatedly kicked the ball into the endzone: "Well it's no question that that's a big advantage in the kicking game and they have a guy who can do that. Now he was kicking with the wind all those times, we didn't catch one going the other way. He had a tremendously strong leg, we were aware of that. He hadn't kicked them in the endzone every time all year, he was wind-aided in those and they were kicking with the wind those times and he did a great job. So if you're starting the ball on the 20 [yard line], as we all know there are not that many 80-yard drives, but we had one and usually if there's one in a game that's a lot and if there's two that's a whole lot. Field position is a major factor in the game, so you've got to at least move it. You may not get 80 yards but you've got to get two first downs so that you change the field position."

Senior defensive tackle Kyle Sprenkle:
On Justin Stovall's inspirational speech before last year's game against Colgate: "He related it to a boxing match and this was round eight. He said it was a heavyweight battle and it was going back and forth and it was there for us to take it. He told us to go out there and win each round."

On whether or not he has planned a speech for the team on Saturday:"I don't try to think of them in advance. I'm the kind of guy that just thinks of them off the top of my head and when the moment is there, I'll say what I have to say."

On stopping Colgate tailback Jordan Scott: "When we do make the plays on him, we've got to make sure we wrap up and don't let him get out of our grasp. If we can eliminate the big plays, then we'll definitely be successful."

Senior punter David Yankovich:
On the consistency of his kicking game last Saturday: "This is definitely the best facility to punt in the nation. The turf is consistent, the wind is very low and the temperature has been excellent every day. If you show up mentally, you're going to show up physically, especially in the kicking game. I feel that very strongly this year and it's nice that it's been working for me."

On whether he used Fordham punter Benjamin Dato's accomplishments as motivation before the game: "During pregame I saw him warm-up a little bit and he was killing the ball. So it's nice to go out there and beat your counterpart on the other side of the ball, especially a guy that is that good and that consistent. It seems like over the last couple of years the punters have only been getting better and better. Last year the league's average leader was probably around 40 [yards per kick] and this year it's closer to 45. Every year it's been getting higher and higher so the punting position is becoming a more prestigious position year in and year out."

Sophomore tailback DeAndre' Morrow:
His take on his play over the last three weeks while subbing in for injured tailbacks Maurice White and Anthony D'Urso: "I'm just really humbled to get the opportunity. I often find myself critiquing myself more than I should. I feel that there have been good things and bad things that I've done over the last three weeks, but I need to improve on a lot of things. I'm young so luckily I have the time to do it. Right now I'm just going to learn from what I messed up on and don't look back."

On facing a team with such strength in his position: "Football is a team sport; you aren't supposed to look at it individually. You always look at your counterpart and want to do as well if not better than them during the game. You've got to put that in the back of your mind. That can't be your one and only goal because at the end of the game the only thing that matters is if it's a W or an