Sept. 18, 2007

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More Coverage: Lafayette News Stand | Behind the Mic column

EASTON, Pa. - Coach Tavani and three of his players met with members of the media on Tuesday for Lafayette's weekly football media luncheon in Pfenning Alumni Center. This week's focus is the upcoming game against Princeton on Saturday at Fisher Stadium. Here are a few excerpts from the luncheon:

Princeton Head Coach Roger Hughes:

On last week's loss to Lehigh: "Clearly we don't feel we played as well as we could have. Lehigh is a good team, don't get me wrong, but the very first play from scrimmage we had an 11-yard gain and then we fumbled. Then the very next series our quarterback throws a pick and we're down 16 before we even know what happens, and then we have two subsequent turnovers in the kicking game and another interception. Surprisingly, we were only down by 16 at the half, it could have been about 50 I thought. To the players' credit, we kind of clawed our way back into a two-possession game but then couldn't finish it out. Our defense was on the field for 96 snaps, and offensively we never really got into a rhythm. Our special teams was probably the most disappointing that I've ever seen since I've been here as a coach. We turned it over, we didn't kick well, we had a punt blocked, and so all those just contributed to what I thought was a loss that I'd rather forget."

On the reasoning behind the loss: "I hope it's just first-game jitters and that we can get this thing straightened out. If it's not then I'll have less hair at the end of the season than I have there now, and there's not much left there. The two young men who had fumbles on our special teams, this was their first game in that position. And our quarterback was starting his first game at the quarterback position, and I really think he never got into a rhythm and was maybe forcing some things. So my hope is that it is the first-game jitters, and obviously there's the cliché that you're so much better your second game, compared to your first. You know we have to be when we're facing a team like Lafayette. They're clicking on all cylinders and had a great emotional win down at Penn, and Penn is not an easy place to play. To win it the way they did, I think they're going to be coming in with a lot of confidence."

Coach Frank Tavani:

On last Saturday's victory over Penn: "We've been involved in a lot of games since I've been head coach and even before that, but I don't think I remember a time that a team just pulled together as a team and gave such a tremendous team effort. I was telling somebody this morning that I can remember games way back when, a game like that we would have had some fights on the sideline between offense and defense and it was just the opposite. Everybody just kept pulling for one another. The defense didn't care one iota how many times they had to go back out there. The offense was working at it. So there's no disappointment, it takes offense, defense, and special teams; it's a true team effort."

On Penn's decision to take the safety to force Lafayette to make the FG: "It's beautiful how many coaches all over the place are talking about that on the internet now, I mean it's worse than a women's sewing circle. Because everybody is paranoid now - what will I do if I'm in that situation? I have to be honest with you, after looking at it now on film and how the game went, I think I would have done the same thing."

On Princeton: "They're going to be a much better football team coming in here than they were a week ago and we're going to have to step it up a level to get a win."

Senior defensive lineman Keith Bloom:

On the team's bond: "I think we spend more time together this year. I remember when we were out at Metzgar, you would get there as late as possible and you would leave as soon as possible to get back on campus. We spend more time together. You go down to the field house to watch film and you see more and more guys there, so the facility helps us bond more."

Senior offensive lineman Jesse Padilla:

On the team's bond: "We've also bonded a lot through the harsh conditioning we've been going through. With morning runs and with the people who stayed over the summer - we really worked hard. We wanted to make this team one to remember and we're on our way."

Junior defensive back Nigel Bryant:

On being labeled the stingiest defense in the Football Championship Subdivision: "I heard a couple of guys talking about it and it's exciting, but we've just got to keep getting better. It's too early in the season and we're not the best we can be right now, so we've just got to keep getting better each week."