Troy University Athletics
Photo by: Chip Dillard
Football Press Conference (Blakeney) - UL Lafayette Game
11/24/2014 2:21:00 PM | Football
Head Coach Larry Blakeney
Opening Statement…
Thank y'all for being here. Over the years I've gotten to know a lot of people just like you and I'm very appreciative for how I've been treated as a person and as coach at Troy University. I appreciate the job that y'all do.
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I'm looking forward to the week. We've had two unusual, really three unusual weeks. If you go back to starting the Idaho week, our truck had to leave on Tuesday night to get to Idaho in time. So we practiced in gear one day and let the truck go. Then we went out and stayed two days, which is unusual for us. We used to do that on long bus trips, but we have not done it, except for bowls. I was worried about how the players would respond to it, but I think they did a great job, certainly played well. They looked fresh. I think it was a good idea and the right idea for our team, to take them out there earlier than normal. The trip back, we had a little tail wind, and got back quicker than we thought, under four hours. These two weeks in preparation for UL Lafayette, we come in with an open week after Idaho. We got a little bit done, some academic work and we got two days of practice and we let them off a little bit. We were going to practice yesterday but it was torrentially raining and storming here, so we are going to practice today (Monday). This just happens to be Thanksgiving week, so no students are here. We will deal with that and put them on an augmented eating schedule and stuff like that, Monday through Thursday. We will have Thanksgiving dinner with parents and family Thursday at 5 o'clock. Then do our usual Friday deal and try to get ready for UL Lafayette at 11:30 (on Saturday). We will honor our seniors on Saturday, pregame, with their parents down on the field with them.
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Anyhow, the main thing is the game and preparing these guys to play as well as they can. I think we will have to play our best game to win against UL Lafayette. I know we have played them close the last couple of years, but have not gotten it done. They are well coached and well personnelled. They are coming off a loss to Appalachian State. That did shock me a little bit, but you never know in this league. I tell our guys every week if you want to win you have to play good. You have to take care of the running game. You have to take care of turnovers. You have to convert third downs and you have to score in the red zone. You have to tackle in the grass, kick it well and cover and tackle on the other teams returns. We have done some good things in the games that we won. There are some pretty stark lessons in the ones that we haven't won, as far as how you can predict a win. There is nothing better than a win and there's nothing worse than a loss. So, we are looking forward to the opportunity and I hope to have a lot of former players back here before the game and a semi-reunion after. We are looking forward to that. It will be a lot better celebration if we win.
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On his final game…
Well, I have caught myself thinking about it a little bit. I haven't delved just directly, deep into nostalgia yet. There are so many good things that have taken place over the years, personally and professionally for me at this place. I could sit here all afternoon; things that are positive about how Janice and I and our girls have been treated. I wrote a little article in the paper, myself, just to let the people of Troy and the Wiregrass and Troy University know that we are appreciative for what we've been able to do while we've been here at Troy. Anyhow, this is an opportunity for us to go out with a win. If we can, it will be glorious. If we can't, we will still have a good time. I'm looking forward to the game and I think our players will get into proper mode and will be prepared to play.
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On moving into his role with the university after coaching…
I have told many people, and I will continue to say this, I want to be positive for this program, University and whoever the next coach is. I want to be his friend, if he needs me. If he doesn't need me, I want to be his friend. I want somebody to come in here to coach these kids up, treat them well and win. That is what would make me the happiest: if we selected a coach to come in here to take the reins and go get some players and continue to build this program. The sky is the limit. You can do whatever you want here. Down the road, I don't know what is going to happen with all the automatic bowl bid-money, but Troy will be in the mix. This place can handle getting to the point of competing with just about anybody, anywhere.
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On separating coaching and enjoying Saturday...
I'm going to have to try to separate it. I can't be jumping up and down with my former players and do my job. I will try to do my job first and then jump up and down with my former players. I think it will take me a few minutes, but I think I can do that. I want to win and these guys know I want to win as bad as anyone in the world. These players understand that. That is our number one goal, to win the game. Find a way to win the game. We have a celebration of sorts, not celebrating the win. We get to celebrate that too. You know what I'm saying. It won't be hard. I will see a lot of faces I haven't seen in awhile. I'll see most of my family, except one daughter who is getting ready to have a baby. Those faces brighten your day. I don't care if you've won or lost, probably need them a little bit more if you lose. I'll be grinning big if we've already won.
Â
On getting the team excited coming off a bye week, two-game win streak and holiday week…
If I could tell you (how or if the team will get excited), you and I both could be millionaires. Right now, what we are trying to do schedule-wise, they are going to be ready to play. That is what I hope. Our coaches are working, of course they've had plenty of time to work. We will have most of the plan in and get to work on the plan in all three phases for four days.Â
Opening Statement…
Thank y'all for being here. Over the years I've gotten to know a lot of people just like you and I'm very appreciative for how I've been treated as a person and as coach at Troy University. I appreciate the job that y'all do.
Â
I'm looking forward to the week. We've had two unusual, really three unusual weeks. If you go back to starting the Idaho week, our truck had to leave on Tuesday night to get to Idaho in time. So we practiced in gear one day and let the truck go. Then we went out and stayed two days, which is unusual for us. We used to do that on long bus trips, but we have not done it, except for bowls. I was worried about how the players would respond to it, but I think they did a great job, certainly played well. They looked fresh. I think it was a good idea and the right idea for our team, to take them out there earlier than normal. The trip back, we had a little tail wind, and got back quicker than we thought, under four hours. These two weeks in preparation for UL Lafayette, we come in with an open week after Idaho. We got a little bit done, some academic work and we got two days of practice and we let them off a little bit. We were going to practice yesterday but it was torrentially raining and storming here, so we are going to practice today (Monday). This just happens to be Thanksgiving week, so no students are here. We will deal with that and put them on an augmented eating schedule and stuff like that, Monday through Thursday. We will have Thanksgiving dinner with parents and family Thursday at 5 o'clock. Then do our usual Friday deal and try to get ready for UL Lafayette at 11:30 (on Saturday). We will honor our seniors on Saturday, pregame, with their parents down on the field with them.
Â
Anyhow, the main thing is the game and preparing these guys to play as well as they can. I think we will have to play our best game to win against UL Lafayette. I know we have played them close the last couple of years, but have not gotten it done. They are well coached and well personnelled. They are coming off a loss to Appalachian State. That did shock me a little bit, but you never know in this league. I tell our guys every week if you want to win you have to play good. You have to take care of the running game. You have to take care of turnovers. You have to convert third downs and you have to score in the red zone. You have to tackle in the grass, kick it well and cover and tackle on the other teams returns. We have done some good things in the games that we won. There are some pretty stark lessons in the ones that we haven't won, as far as how you can predict a win. There is nothing better than a win and there's nothing worse than a loss. So, we are looking forward to the opportunity and I hope to have a lot of former players back here before the game and a semi-reunion after. We are looking forward to that. It will be a lot better celebration if we win.
Â
On his final game…
Well, I have caught myself thinking about it a little bit. I haven't delved just directly, deep into nostalgia yet. There are so many good things that have taken place over the years, personally and professionally for me at this place. I could sit here all afternoon; things that are positive about how Janice and I and our girls have been treated. I wrote a little article in the paper, myself, just to let the people of Troy and the Wiregrass and Troy University know that we are appreciative for what we've been able to do while we've been here at Troy. Anyhow, this is an opportunity for us to go out with a win. If we can, it will be glorious. If we can't, we will still have a good time. I'm looking forward to the game and I think our players will get into proper mode and will be prepared to play.
Â
On moving into his role with the university after coaching…
I have told many people, and I will continue to say this, I want to be positive for this program, University and whoever the next coach is. I want to be his friend, if he needs me. If he doesn't need me, I want to be his friend. I want somebody to come in here to coach these kids up, treat them well and win. That is what would make me the happiest: if we selected a coach to come in here to take the reins and go get some players and continue to build this program. The sky is the limit. You can do whatever you want here. Down the road, I don't know what is going to happen with all the automatic bowl bid-money, but Troy will be in the mix. This place can handle getting to the point of competing with just about anybody, anywhere.
Â
On separating coaching and enjoying Saturday...
I'm going to have to try to separate it. I can't be jumping up and down with my former players and do my job. I will try to do my job first and then jump up and down with my former players. I think it will take me a few minutes, but I think I can do that. I want to win and these guys know I want to win as bad as anyone in the world. These players understand that. That is our number one goal, to win the game. Find a way to win the game. We have a celebration of sorts, not celebrating the win. We get to celebrate that too. You know what I'm saying. It won't be hard. I will see a lot of faces I haven't seen in awhile. I'll see most of my family, except one daughter who is getting ready to have a baby. Those faces brighten your day. I don't care if you've won or lost, probably need them a little bit more if you lose. I'll be grinning big if we've already won.
Â
On getting the team excited coming off a bye week, two-game win streak and holiday week…
If I could tell you (how or if the team will get excited), you and I both could be millionaires. Right now, what we are trying to do schedule-wise, they are going to be ready to play. That is what I hope. Our coaches are working, of course they've had plenty of time to work. We will have most of the plan in and get to work on the plan in all three phases for four days.Â
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