SEC coaches call - Week 2
Published: Wednesday, September 8, 2010 at 3:45 p.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, September 8, 2010 at 3:45 p.m.
SEC coaches take questions from the media every Wednesday. Here are the highlights:
Les Miles, No. 19 LSU
Coach Les Miles was adamant that the biggest adjustment his team needs to make between Week 1 and Week 2 is putting opponents away.
In a 31-24 victory over No. 18 North Carolina last weekend, the Tigers led comfortably before letting the Tar Heels back in the contest on several occasions, aided by three lost fumbles.
Miles said that starting this weekend against Vanderbilt, LSU will look to shut the door early and lock it quickly.
Patrick Peterson continues to be one of the top cornerbacks and punt returners in the nation, but Miles admitted that his staff has discussed the possibility of moving the dangerous athlete for a few snaps on the offensive side of the ball.
"We would consider using him on offense," Miles said. "The issue is the number of snaps and what you're going to get out of him on key plays on defense. … Defense has priority. … We have thought about that, but we're not ready to commit to that because his number of snaps is going to be a great number as we go forward."
Linebacker Ryan Baker suffered a jaw injury against North Carolina, but is expected to play Saturday.
One of the Tigers' biggest holes, the right guard position, is still a question mark. Miles moved center T-Bob Hebert there at spots last weekend and says he may do the same at times this weekend.
Last Week: defeated No. 18 North Carolina, 31-24
This Week: at Vanderbilt at 7 p.m. on ESPNU
Steve Spurrier, No. 24 South Carolina
Not surprisingly, Steve Spurrier didn't have much good to say about his team after a 41-13 victory last Thursday over Southern Miss. He rarely has much good to say following a win.
But don't think he's not expecting that same effort, plus some, when his team takes on Georgia this Saturday to open SEC play.
"It should be a heck of a game," Spurrier said. "Georgia played really well last week. We played decently, but hopefully we can play even better this week."
Spurrier says the team is completely healthy headed into the weekend and expects to be at full speed for the important early season game in the conference's eastern division.
Spurrier still has not heard a ruling on tight end Weslye Saunders, who is being held out while the NCAA investigates a trip he took to Miami and whether it was funded by agents. He hopes to hear something late Wednesday or Thursday at the latest.
Saunders caught 60 balls for 718 yards and six touchdowns last season for the Gamecocks.
Last Week: defeated Southern Miss, 41-13
This Week: vs. No. 22 Georgia at noon on ESPN2
Urban Meyer, No. 8 Florida
The Florida coach once again expressed disappointment in how his team performed in an opening-day victory over Miami of Ohio, but said he's hopeful that a solid two days of practice will have his team ready for USF on Saturday.
Although the team picked up the pace in the fourth quarter against the RedHawks, Meyer said that the team never really put it all together in his eyes.
"I'm not sure we did get the rhythm back," he said. "A couple of guys made some nice runs and we blocked well. Offense is about rhythm and execution and we didn't always have that."
But his opinion was upgraded a bit after a solid few days of practice this week.
"I was very pleased with practice," he said. "I keep using the word intensity and I saw that on Tuesday."
Meyer said that Bulls sophomore B.J. Daniels is one of the best quarterbacks the team will see all year. The athletic Daniels is capable of burning you with his arm or his feet, similar to some passers that Meyer has had over the last few years.
"He's a playmaker," Meyer said. "He's a mobile guy and every time there's a guy that can move around back there, he can be trouble. … He's the man on offense that you have to contain. Once he gets out of that pocket, it can be trouble."
Lineman Sam Roby is now 100-percent healthy after battling a knee injury and bursitis in his elbow during training camp. He's expected to be ready to go this weekend.
The news is similar for left tackle Xavier Nixon, who has been banged up. Meyer said he feels very positive about Nixon's potential this weekend after a solid Tuesday practice. Carl Johnson should also play this Saturday.
Offensive lineman Matt Patchan is still in a long leg cast. Meyer said that he's still a few weeks away from being cleared to practice.
Last Week: defeated Miami (Oh.), 34-12
This Week: vs. USF at 12:21 on the SEC Network
Robbie Caldwell, Vanderbilt
One thing that Robbie Caldwell will know for sure when his team battles LSU this Saturday is which way the wind is blowing.
After a 23-21 loss to Northwestern in Caldwell's first game as a head coach, he's expecting his team to show some improvement. He also says he's expecting some improvement from himself.
"(The first game) was kind of nerve wracking in a sense that you want to make sure you have every I dotted and every T crossed," he said. "One thing I forgot to check was which direction the wind was blowing. Fortunately, I had somebody who checked it for me. It's funny because years ago, my job was to check the wind."
One week after a knee scope, Warren Norman returned in the season-opening loss to Northwestern and rushed for 46 yards on 10 carries. Caldwell says that he's getting stronger by the day.
Zac Stacy has been battling knee problems also, but still led to Commodores in rushing last Saturday, putting together a nine-carry, 72-yard and one touchdown performance. There's a chance Stacy may have to wear a brace this weekend in a nationally televised game against LSU, but both the player and coach are working to make that not happen.
It's just one of the things Caldwell is working on to reverse the team's fortunes and not start out 0-2.
"Last week we had a great effort, but we didn't close the deal," he said. "We didn't finish and that's the motto we've been working on."
A point of emphasis has been creating and recovering fumbles. While Vandy created several against Northwestern, the team only recovered one. LSU gave up three last weekend to North Carolina and Caldwell thinks his team can exploit that weakness.
Last Week: Lost to Northwestern, 23-21
This Week: vs. No. 19 LSU at 7 p.m. on ESPNU
Derek Dooley, Tennessee
The Volunteers didn't get much resistance in a 50-0 victory over Tennessee-Martin last week. First-year coach Derek Dooley doesn't expect that to be the case against No. 7 Oregon this weekend.
"They won the Pac-10 last year and return 17 starters," Dooley said. "That's a dangerous team that you have to take very seriously."
Junior center Cody Pope is expected to play after being taken to the hospital during Monday's practice after reportedly experiencing "stroke-like symptoms." Pope was released later in the evening and later reports said that it was just a severe stinger. Pope was back at practice Wednesday.
He'll be needed in the early inter-conference game that features two powerhouse teams from a pair of powerhouse conferences.
"We can't afford to have any breakdowns," Dooley said. "We need to have patience. They're going to make plays, that's what good teams do. They'll knock us back on our heels but we need to stay upright and keep sawing wood."
Last Week: defeated Tennessee-Martin, 50-0
This Week: vs. No. 7 Oregon at 7 p.m. on ESPN2
Nick Saban, No. 1 Alabama
As a youth in West Virginia, Nick Saban often went to games to see the Mountaineers take on Penn State and coach Joe Paterno. Saturday, when the Nittany Lions take on top-ranked Alabama, Saban's seats will be a little better.
The Tide aren't expecting Heisman winner Mark Ingram back when they take on No. 18 Penn State in the nationally televised contest. The running back did some dry-land running on Tuesday and experienced no swelling in his knee. Though Saban said Ingram may be healed by game day, he won't play because his lack of practice.
In his place will once again be Eddie Lacy, who accounted for 111 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries in a week-one victory over San Jose State. As a team, the Tide rushed for 257 yards and four scored on 41 carries. Saban hopes to continue that.
"This is the type of game where you learn what you are and in many ways who you are," he said.
Last Week: defeated San Jose State, 48-3
This Week: vs. No. 18 Penn State at 7 p.m. on ESPN
Bobby Petrino, No. 14 Arkansas
The Razorbacks practiced for several hours Tuesday in the rain. The team wanted to get ready for the conditions, as weather reports say that Saturday's contest against Louisiana-Monroe will be just as wet.
The conditions may be ripe for Arkansas to continue its occasional no-huddle offense. The team used it a bit in the first quarter of a 44-3 victory over Tennessee Tech last week. It went away from it for a while in the first half, but tested it a bit more in the third and fourth quarters.
"It's something we've been practicing for two years," coach Bobby Petrino said. "It's something that hurt our rhythm early because we were kind of waiting around to see what the defense was doing, so we went away from it for a bit and went back to it for a bit in the third quarter. It's something that we'll go back to from time-to-time during the season."
Arkansas is up to No. 14 in the most recent Associated Press poll and expectations are for the team to climb higher as the season goes on. That's something that Petrino says his team understands, but doesn't take for granted.
"We're trying to focus on just one day," he said. "Going out on the practice field and leaving a little better."
Last Week: defeated Tennessee Tech, 44-3
This Week: vs. Louisiana-Monroe at 7 p.m. on FSN
Houston Nutt, Ole Miss
In what was probably the most embarrassing loss of week one, Ole' Miss failure to hold a 31-10 lead wound up in a loss to visiting Jacksonville State in double overtime.
"It was obviously a very tough first week for us," coach Houston Nutt said, "but I'm pleased with how guys have responded."
Nutt said that his team learned that it can't take a win for granted. With that lesson, the squad was anxious to get back on the field for practice this week with sights set on erasing the image it created in week one. Part of the distraction came from Kentrell Lockett being held out with a heart rhythm problem and the team having to appeal an NCAA decision that would have made transfer quarterback Jeremiah Masoli sit out the season. With each issues cleared up, both players are expected to play this weekend at Tulane.
"That stuff affected the team more than I thought," Nutt said. "You had some highs and lows all throughout the week. It's time to get really, really focused and zero in on what you have to do."
Last Week: lost to Jacksonville State, 49-48 (2OT)
This Week: at Tulane at 9 p.m. on ESPN2
Mark Richt, No. 23 Georgia
Georgia Coach Mark Richt said his team had the best practice its had all year on Tuesday, and he gives most of the credit to his scout team.
With the entire squad healthier than it has been in some time, the scout team was able to go two-deep and simulate different kinds of offensive and defensive looks that the team is expecting to see when it opens SEC play this weekend against South Carolina.
He knows it's that type of contribution that can help his team get started on the right foot in conference play.
"If you win (in the SEC) early, you gain momentum and gain confidence and hopefully you can stay in the race," Richt said. "If you lose, then you have to hope for a team to beat the team that just beat you…It's not over by any stretch, but (losing) dampens your progress and some of your enthusiasm about winning the SEC."
As of noon Wednesday, Richt had yet to hear word from the NCAA in its investigation into the sale of a game-worn jersey by receiver A.J. Green. Though Green said he had little involvement in the sale, he was held out of last week's victory over Louisiana-Lafayette while the NCAA sorts it out.
Green said he did not sell the jersey on eBay and received less than $1,000 for it.
Last Week: defeated Louisiana-Lafayette, 55-7
This Week: at South Carolina at noon on ESPN
Dan Mullen, Mississippi State
Former Gator assistant Dan Mullen, now the head man at Mississippi State, already has an inside track on scouting his opponent for this Thursday.
It was Mullen who helped recruit quarterback Cam Newton to UF a few years ago. After a run-in with the law, Newton left Florida and spent a year playing junior college ball. When he re-opened recruiting this year, he narrowed his list of several options down to Mississippi State and Auburn. He said it was the most difficult decision he's made, but in the end, he went against Millen and headed to the Tigers.
In his first game as the team's starting quarterback, Newton accounted for 186 yards in the air, 171 on the ground and five total touchdowns.
"There's a little bit more maturity out of him in the pocket," Mullen said of Newton. "He's able to stay in the pocket and make the reads. That's the next step in maturity for a quarterback. All that running around and getting the crowd going, that's just a great athlete. But he's starting to show signs of growing as a quarterback."
Mullen said his team is ready for the Thursday night SEC opener in front of a nationally televised audience. Though some teams may get too fired up for the opportunity, he said his team has handled itself well.
"I think our guys had great focus this week," he said. "They're certainly excited to play this game, and they're going to be fired up, but they understand that they have a short week and they can't spend too much time thinking about that stuff."
Mullen said his team is healthy and everyone that played in the opening-week victory over Memphis is expected to go against the Tigers.
Last Week: defeated Memphis, 49-7
This Week: vs. Auburn at 7:30 p.m. Thursday on ESPN
Gene Chizik, No. 22 Auburn
One thing that stands out to Auburn coach Gene Chizik about his Thursday night opponent is how different it is than the last time he saw them.
The Tigers had little trouble in a week-two, 49-24, romping of the Bulldogs last season. Although many of the players are the same, Chizik says the team is very different.
"Mississippi State plays with a lot of confidence," he said. "It's amazing to look at them from our game last year until their last game last season and up until their game last week…They have a great feel for what they're doing."
New starter, and former Gator, Cam Newton got off to a good start last weekend. The JUCO transfer connected on 9 of 14 passes for 186 yards and three touchdowns, while rushing for 171 yards and two scores on 15 carries.
Still, many pointed to the 26 points Arkansas State was able to hang on Auburn in the 52-26 defeat. Chizik says he expects people to focus on that number, though the big picture seems to be lost in the shuffle.
"A lot of people see (the 26 points), but there's more to it than that," he said. "They threw the ball 50 times. We did a lot of good things defending that. We sacked their quarterback four times and had some solid contain."
Last Week: defeated Arkansas State, 52-26
This Week: at Mississippi State at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN
Joker Phillips, Kentucky
Joker Phillips wasn't sure how he'd feel when Kentucky kicked off its season last weekend against in-state rival Louisville.
It was his first ever game as a head coach and he was going up against good friend, and former Gator assistant, Charlie Strong in his coaching debut. Still, Phillips made a pact with himself around mid-week that he'd control the situation.
"I wasn't (nervous)," he said. "I decided about mid-week that I was going to sit back, relax and enjoy watching this team perform. You have to control your emotions when you're head coach. You can't get carried away… I decided that if I carried my emotions into the game like that, then I couldn't lose control of them."
Phillips said he's pleased with the way his young team handled itself against an experienced Cardinals squad. Though the Wildcats brought in only 13 seniors, Louisville lined up 27.
"The only thing that I'm a little disappointed in is that we had a little bit of a lull in the third quarter and that made us have to hold on for the win," he said.
Phillips said that he expects the experience from the win will help his young team eliminate that lull during its home opener this weekend against another in-state foe, Western Kentucky.
Last Week: defeated Louisville, 23-16
This Week: vs. Western Kentucky at 7:30 p.m. on CSS
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