Oct. 28, 2008

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Easton, Pa.
- Colgate Head Coach Dick Biddle
On keys to the game: "They're a very solid football team in every area. They're producing on offense and obviously they're good on defense and they've made a lot of big plays in the kicking game so they're solid and that's very hard to defend. Most teams you play, they're good maybe offensively but are struggling on defense or are not good in the kicking game but they're solid in every area and they're getting better and better as the year goes on. They remind me a little bit like the team we had in 2003 that was good on offense, good on defense, good in the kicking game. You have to bring your "A" game in every phase of it."

On health of Jordan Scott: "Jordan is day-to-day. He has a high ankle sprain and those things are hard to diagnose. You don't know the length of them. If you're playing another position, if you're playing line or one of those positions you could probably play, but if you're a tailback or a running back or a receiver or somebody in a skilled position, it's hard to play. You can't play 75 percent on those so he's getting better and hopefully he'll be able to play on Saturday but right now I couldn't definitely you if he's going to play or not but he is getting better."

On tailback Nate Eachus: "He's had two decent games back-to-back but we need to get that out of our tailback. I think a lot of things went into it. We made a lot of plays with our receivers and our offensive line obviously is doing a good job. He still has a ways to go. He's only a freshman and we're really getting into the meat of our schedule, playing the very tough teams and it's not going to be easy, but I think he's handled it well; he's very humble about it and that's what you want and what he knows he needs to improve. I think he's going to be a pretty good football player, I just wish we didn't have to use him so early but everybody's got injuries and you've just got to move on. I think he's going to be a good football player for us."

On Eachus playing offense and defense: "When he came in we put him at running back and he did some work and I knew he was a good high school linebacker and as the season went on, at this level and particularly this year, you get down in numbers, you get guys banged up and we don't have a lot of depth so you have to move people around. We put in him long yardage and nickel packages because he ran well and blitzed well and he was doing a good job there and I thought we were probably going to have to move him to linebacker for the rest of the season and unfortunately Jordan (Scott) got hurt and we had to move him over but that just seems to be the way it is now at our level. We have to have some guys who can maybe play two ways and he did it and has done a good job."

On Jordan Scott's performance as a reflection on the play of offensive line: "That's our experienced group. If you're going to run the ball they're obviously the ones that have to do it. They've done that and it's got to continue and I think it's not just the offensive line but I think your fullbacks and tight ends need to step it up and I think our quarterback has made some plays that doesn't make us one dimensional where at times we were last year when our quarterback was hurt. I think that combination of things, and we were able to get a few big plays in the passing game, so it hopefully keeps you off defensively. But to be successful running the ball I think any coach will tell you you have to block and have a good offensive line and I think they've played pretty good this year."

On whether Alex Relph was the starting QB at the start of the season: "Yes, he was. He started against Stony Brook and I think about eight minutes into the first quarter he got hurt and we had to throw a guy in, plus Jordan didn't play. We started off pretty slow and if you'd told me we would lose our starting quarterback and our running back would not play three games that we'd be 6-2 I'd be happy about that but a lot of guys have stepped up. Alex was our starting quarterback but he's still kind of hobbling."

On Lafayette: "They're balanced. They do everything, the quarterback is experienced. They've got a number of running backs and they keep you off balance. What we have to do is, we're not great on defense but I think our kids play hard. We just can't give up the big plays and have make them go the full distance but that's just coach talk. We just have to keep getting better and better and we have to contain the quarterback and you got to make them execute and that's what they've done. I think the last two games they've played as well as anyone at the I-AA level and their offense has really stepped up the last two weeks."

Lafayette Head Coach Frank Tavani
On the Fordham win and previewing Colgate: "There's no question that we've played our best football of the season so far as a total team on offense, defense and special teams. I think the last two games we've really stepped it up. I've always said the sign of a good football team is getting better week to week and at this time in the season we're still making improvements. There's still improvement to be made, there's still some things we could do a little bit better but certainly we're very happy with our performance going into always a tough place to play at Fordham against the defending champs. Now it's another week on the road against another tough opponent in Colgate. Our lack of success against them prior to two years ago, having to go up there in the same situation, backs to the wall, we had one league loss, we had to beat them and we did in some pretty inclement conditions, but prior to that we hadn't beat Colgate for 10 years and of course last year not fairing very well here at home. As I've told our football team, in normal circumstances the championship usually goes through Hamilton, N.Y. and this year no different."

On expecting a physical battle with Colgate: "When you play you Colgate you really always know it's going to be physical because that's how (Dick) Biddle coaches his football team. He does a great job. They're always very physical. I think our game is being very physical. We showed that the last two weeks. We went up against two really good football teams and I think just played more physical than both of them and we'll need to do that certainly this week. I said the Liberty game, win or lose, was going set us forward through the league stretch and I think it kind of did with our performance there and we have to keep focus now and know that each game gets a little bit tougher and this one will certainly be a tough one. Everyone knows what's at stake. It's at their place, I think it's Family Day. Last week it was Homecoming, now it's Family Day. I think we're everybody's date for a big event. We like this road warrior thing that's going on; we're 3-0 on the five game road stretch and this is the biggest one yet."

On whether he encourages the thought that this game determines the championship: "I really discourage it. That I don't think it can be farther from the truth. It's been proven over and over and over again, you look even a year ago Fordham went in to what should have been a laugher in the last game of the season to Bucknell and it wasn't and Bucknell turned around and beat them. This is a very strong conference. There's a lot of games left to be played, even if we're fortunate enough to be successful we've still got to go to Bucknell, then Holy Cross is playing very, very well and then a much-improved Lehigh team."

On the tailback position and injuries: "The good news is we've got enough in the stable to keep this thing going and it sets a good example to the rest of the kids that you better be ready because you could be on scout team playing JV ball one week and playing in the varsity game the next which is why you recruit that way--to have some depth. To have two years in a row at the same position in an almost identical set of circumstances is a little odd. Nonetheless, these are challenges you have to overcome if you want to be a championship football team."

On whether playing on Field Turf eliminates home field advantage: "I don't know. We haven't played any games on grass in so long and we won't the rest of the way. Colgate has Field Turf, Bucknell has it and then we'll finish here. I think some of the ankle injuries that are occurring could be a cause of that but I think it's more of a shoe issue. I know the different shoe companies are making a different type of a cleat that are a little shorter but more cleats on it, similar to an old turf shoe. Unless it's soaking wet and holding water on these surfaces you really don't need the screw-in cleats. In some ways it impedes, when the ball rolls a little better, the kicking game, if you can get it going the right direction, but again, the thing I like about it is you don't have to play in ankle-deep mud which probably would be the case up there. That to me doesn't prove anything. You have two good football teams and you got to play in conditions like that, it's kind of who lucks out. I really like the surface. I miss grass stains all those things on uniforms, but I don't think it's made a difference."

On Colgate's running backs (Eachus and Sullivan): "In that offense, they're both tough kids. They'll break tackles, it takes more than one guy to drag them to the ground. You've got to put hits on them but really I credit their quarterback. He just makes the right read 99 percent of the time. He's rarely wrong on that option ride that they're running and that's a big part of it. You can't seem to fool him. He makes very few mistakes and if you really gang up on it, they're going to pull that thing and he's very accurate throwing the ball and they're very efficient throwing the ball even though they've got a guy running the ball 35-40 times a game when they can pound it. Certainly the same kind of football I like to play, as well. They're also running through some gaping holes. Their offensive line is as good as anyone we've seen. They're nasty, they're big, they finish their blocks. They're a lot to have to do when you're running the football the way they are. Same thing with us this past weekend. We don't rush for 300 and some odd yards without our o-line playing a tremendous football game."

On how to approach Colgate's offense: "You've certainly got to pay attention to it. John Loose and our defensive staff will come up with a game plan. You've got to be able to adjust and change it. You can't just do the same thing because they're going to go to the sideline and make adjustments. You've got to be able to keep them off balance a little bit and you've got to make a decision--who's going to carry the ball and you can somewhat in that right option, say, `hey, we're going to make the quarterback and just punish him.' You hope you can beat him up enough that he makes mistakes or we're just going to pound the tailback but the problem is the kid just makes so many good decisions that he's going to get you."

On the first half scoring and its motivation: "I think certainly gets everybody pumped up, it's resting our defense and again putting on points and spreading that lead is certainly a big help. We really put a lot of emphasis on the offense as you know. It's well-documented my displeasure with the first part of the season but we're coming like we have been in successful seasons where our o-line has come together and working well as a group, the offense is coming together as a group and clicking, and again, I can't say enough about the job Bob Heffner and Mickey Fein are doing, putting together that game plan and utilizing every weapon we have, out-formationing people and just making great decisions. They're doing a tremendous job and the kids are executing that plan."

Junior tailback Matt Ferber
On major, classes: "I'm an Economics and Business major. One of my more notable classes has been International Finance. It's been really interesting to see how the U.S. economy has been affecting international markets."

On being a part of the "beast" backfield: "It's a great description for what we like to do. We usually run the ball and a beast is something I liked to be compared to."

Sophomore defensive lineman Jeff Katz
On major, classes: "I'm a Policy Studies and Economics major. Lately in our Elections 373 class we've been doing a broadcast for the 2008 presidential election. We've been working on that since the summer and it's been really pretty interesting and there's been a lot of students and professors around campus really getting involved."

On facing Colgate's offense: "The way we prepare at practice during the week and what Coach Loose does, and Coach Holcomb on the d-line, I think we'll prepare just like we do every week. We prepare to play harder every week and step up each week. Obviously their offensive line is very good but really it just comes down to preparation and how hard everyone works."

Senior offensive lineman Leo Plenski
On major, classes: "I'm a History and Government and Law major. One class I feel like has broadened my horizons this semester has been State and Local Government. It gives you more insight on what's going on in your town and your state except on a national level."

On the offensive line's performance in the final 10 minutes vs. Fordham: "It was definitely great. We knew our defense needed it. The last couple of weeks we've actually prided ourselves on time of possession, especially in the Liberty game. Coming into this week, we know that if we control the clock the game should be ours. It definitely helped when Joe Russo put that (touchdown) in (against Fordham)."

On Colgate's offensive line: "We've heard how good their o-line is. A couple of the defensive players have stepped up pretty big, but it gives us more motivation to do even better this week and keep them off the field."