Troy University Athletics
Football Press Conference - UAB Game
8/25/2014 3:30:00 PM | Football
Troy Game Notes | UAB Game Notes | Sun Belt Notes
Troy Head Coach Larry Blakeney
Opening Statement…
It's good to see all of you, thanks for coming. It's finally here. Everybody looks forward to college football season, the first game, and we are no exception. I wish we had a little more knowledge about everything. I feel like there is a distinct advantage for UAB, in that regard. They know a lot about us and we have to study South Alabama and Jacksonville State and anybody and everybody to try and figure out what they're going to do. Some of the personnel is different, but also a lot of the same personnel, guys that were there last year and had played. I have a high regard for Bill Clark (UAB Head Coach); he was a tremendous high school coach and college coach/coordinator and head coach. He certainly knows exactly what he wants to do, what they want to do and how to coach teams up. Several guys on his staff are associated with Troy, Troy players and other guys that have worked here, but Chuck Dunn being one and another three or four guys that have close ties to Troy University football.
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We'll have to make sure that we're well prepared and do the things that it takes to win any game, and that's being able to take care of the football, rush the football, do the same thing on defense, take it away, stop the run and then the kicking game being the great equalizer. We're trying to make sure we're prepared. The heat has been a factor. It is tough. We try to schedule practice inside some, which has been productive. The heat has been so strong that it's hard to stay out there long, especially in the afternoon and on the turf. We have had a constant battle with the heat. I think Chuck Ash, the athletic training crew, (Richard) Shaughnessy, and all the folks that have to do with us have done a great job in advising us in that regard.
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We're looking forward to a chance to win a ball game. You don't know how good you are until you play somebody else. You don't know how you're going to respond. We think we're better in some areas. We're moving right along here with an off day today, which is our normal in-week, game-week off day Monday. We hope to get our prep as close to finalized and practice it the next three days.
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On playing the in-state rivalry Saturday early afternoon…
It's probably fun for (the reporters) and the fans, I don't know how much fun it is for us. It's work. Especially when you have a situation. I don't know, TV rules I guess, 11 o'clock in Birmingham, Ala., on a Saturday that's going to be 95-plus degrees, doesn't make sense to me. We are going to have to deal with it. Our kids are going to have to deal with it. Our coaches are going to have to deal with it. Our fans are going to have to deal with, and so will all the folks at UAB.  I just think sometimes we talk about things and pay very little attention to what is really important.
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On the rivalry…
It's fun if you win. It isn't any fun if you don't win. I agree it is always a very close, equal, down to the fourth quarter, last play game. The game is a highly contested, very competitive, cross conference, in state-rivalry game.  There are a lot of relationships amongst the players and the coaches on both sides, that know each other and have worked together, competed against each other at other places. It is an interesting deal. A very close game.
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On the quarterbacks…
I think we have three guys that could really add to the plan. You don't need to go playing three quarterbacks, but we'll probably play two, depending on how things work out and how hot it is.
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On a dual-quarterback option …
Well, there are several times that we've had to do this. We have been fortunate enough to be very successful in those years, certainly Corey (Robinson), with a very good football team, not Corey by himself, or the quarterback or quarterbacks this year, but themselves, but with a good, three-phase football team. We can win with a new quarterback and so can UAB if they play well, play better than us. Everybody gets to coach and play.
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On special teams…
I like the way it looks. We always spend a lot of time during the course of practice on special teams groups. This has been no different. All the phases of the kicking game, kickoff cover, kickoff return, and punting. All the kinds of things that come into play, we have spent a lot of time off the field and on the field with special teams, understanding that we have won games because of those.
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On the weather in Birmingham ...
We're hoping that we have enough (depth). I think so. These guys are in pretty good shape. What we'll do this week is try and expose them to the heat, but we won't stay out there long. We don't want them to be shocked when they walk into the stadium up there on Saturday morning at 10 o'clock to warm up. You never know, it could be blazing or it could be a rainstorm.
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Troy Head Coach Larry Blakeney
Opening Statement…
It's good to see all of you, thanks for coming. It's finally here. Everybody looks forward to college football season, the first game, and we are no exception. I wish we had a little more knowledge about everything. I feel like there is a distinct advantage for UAB, in that regard. They know a lot about us and we have to study South Alabama and Jacksonville State and anybody and everybody to try and figure out what they're going to do. Some of the personnel is different, but also a lot of the same personnel, guys that were there last year and had played. I have a high regard for Bill Clark (UAB Head Coach); he was a tremendous high school coach and college coach/coordinator and head coach. He certainly knows exactly what he wants to do, what they want to do and how to coach teams up. Several guys on his staff are associated with Troy, Troy players and other guys that have worked here, but Chuck Dunn being one and another three or four guys that have close ties to Troy University football.
Â
We'll have to make sure that we're well prepared and do the things that it takes to win any game, and that's being able to take care of the football, rush the football, do the same thing on defense, take it away, stop the run and then the kicking game being the great equalizer. We're trying to make sure we're prepared. The heat has been a factor. It is tough. We try to schedule practice inside some, which has been productive. The heat has been so strong that it's hard to stay out there long, especially in the afternoon and on the turf. We have had a constant battle with the heat. I think Chuck Ash, the athletic training crew, (Richard) Shaughnessy, and all the folks that have to do with us have done a great job in advising us in that regard.
Â
We're looking forward to a chance to win a ball game. You don't know how good you are until you play somebody else. You don't know how you're going to respond. We think we're better in some areas. We're moving right along here with an off day today, which is our normal in-week, game-week off day Monday. We hope to get our prep as close to finalized and practice it the next three days.
Â
On playing the in-state rivalry Saturday early afternoon…
It's probably fun for (the reporters) and the fans, I don't know how much fun it is for us. It's work. Especially when you have a situation. I don't know, TV rules I guess, 11 o'clock in Birmingham, Ala., on a Saturday that's going to be 95-plus degrees, doesn't make sense to me. We are going to have to deal with it. Our kids are going to have to deal with it. Our coaches are going to have to deal with it. Our fans are going to have to deal with, and so will all the folks at UAB.  I just think sometimes we talk about things and pay very little attention to what is really important.
Â
On the rivalry…
It's fun if you win. It isn't any fun if you don't win. I agree it is always a very close, equal, down to the fourth quarter, last play game. The game is a highly contested, very competitive, cross conference, in state-rivalry game.  There are a lot of relationships amongst the players and the coaches on both sides, that know each other and have worked together, competed against each other at other places. It is an interesting deal. A very close game.
Â
On the quarterbacks…
I think we have three guys that could really add to the plan. You don't need to go playing three quarterbacks, but we'll probably play two, depending on how things work out and how hot it is.
Â
On a dual-quarterback option …
Well, there are several times that we've had to do this. We have been fortunate enough to be very successful in those years, certainly Corey (Robinson), with a very good football team, not Corey by himself, or the quarterback or quarterbacks this year, but themselves, but with a good, three-phase football team. We can win with a new quarterback and so can UAB if they play well, play better than us. Everybody gets to coach and play.
Â
On special teams…
I like the way it looks. We always spend a lot of time during the course of practice on special teams groups. This has been no different. All the phases of the kicking game, kickoff cover, kickoff return, and punting. All the kinds of things that come into play, we have spent a lot of time off the field and on the field with special teams, understanding that we have won games because of those.
Â
On the weather in Birmingham ...
We're hoping that we have enough (depth). I think so. These guys are in pretty good shape. What we'll do this week is try and expose them to the heat, but we won't stay out there long. We don't want them to be shocked when they walk into the stadium up there on Saturday morning at 10 o'clock to warm up. You never know, it could be blazing or it could be a rainstorm.
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