Troy University Athletics
Players Mentioned
QB
/ FootballTroy Football Press Conference (Blakeney) - ULM Game
9/22/2014 2:26:00 PM | Football
Troy Head Coach Larry Blakeney
Opening Statement…
As you probably know, if you know me, I don't have much to say. We have a lot of work to do. The University of Georgia is a SEC team. I often say when you go to a SEC venue, normally you find a SEC team. This is probably an exceptional SEC team.
Â
(Georgia) might've had some question marks about a few players but (Hutson Mason) looked like he can do anything they want him to do. He looked as good as any of those quarterbacks we were able to win the SEC with in the late 80s (at Auburn). He does a good job getting the ball to the right people and they spread it around well. They certainly have skill at running back. We were unable to do much to stop them, unable to move the ball on them and we even gave up things on special teams, where we have been decent. They caught our rugby kick on the one hop, twice, and we looked like we were glued to a couple guys on some plays. We will work to get better there, too. We might have some personnel changes, moving around.
Â
Here we are. We are headed into conference season. One of the best teams in our conference is probably Monroe. We sort of have everything in reverse this year. We are playing all the hard teams early.
Â
On the status of quarterback Brandon Silvers …
I really don't know. I think he's better. I don't know if he's ready to go to practice, yet. He will need to practice before we can put him out there. I'm hoping maybe (athletic trainer) Chuck (Ash) will let him try early in the week to see if he can prep for the game. If so, then he will be in the mix. If not, we have Dontreal (Pruitt). Pruitt obviously wasn't perfect, wasn't great, but he did some good things against a really good team. We need to get him the reps and do some things for his package in the offense that he can do better: moving around and getting him outside, away from rush, to help him see better. He needs snaps in practice to learn exactly where he needs to go with his pre-snap and post-snap reads. Time in practice is what he needs. I know people ask about No. 12 (Silvers). Silvers is a great player and I hope we get him back. We will probably still play both of them.
Â
On finding success in Monroe…
Well, that would be my wish. We changed hotels because I'm not staying next to that railroad track this time, I promise you. ULM has been a tough place for us to win. I think we won in 2006, though, which was the first of the championship runs. It would be some great medicine for this team to go to ULM and win on the road against a good, well-coached team. Todd Berry (ULM head coach) has proven himself to me as one of the best in the business and in our league.
Â
On ULM's defense…
Their movement is problematic. They move around. They know where they want to wind up, but they will show you a lot of stuff in pre-snap and standing up, moving around, cross charges, twist, etc., but they are still going to be in gap control when the ball turns over. They are simple coverage wise. We just have to make sure we know where they are and get them blocked up. When we have a read in the secondary we have to make sure we read the right guy and go to the proper place with the ball. I don't think they are impossible to move the ball on. They have given us trouble before in the standup, run around stuff. I really think their guy (defensive coordinator Troy Reffett) does a great job. He knows where he wants them to be and what he's trying to stop. He knows where the backs are lined up. They don't start out where they wind up. I think they're good. We will have to have a great plan and execute it.
Â
On the players having a clean slate mentality…
I'd say (that's a good thing). That's a great mentality to have, considering the outcome. You need to put those things out of your mind and behind you, and move on. Those guys that dwell on the negative cannot play this game.
Â
On what he's saying to forget the losses…
I have tried to shoulder the burden of the responsibility from my part of it, and the staff's part in it. We have to coach better, number one. We have to practice better, number two. We have to play better, number three. That's how you win, that is it. There isn't any earth science to that. It is simple. That's what I'm preaching. I hope they are preaching that to each other. I don't think we are a mature football team. We have some guys that should be leaders, but sometimes you have to push them into that role and see if they can positively affect the rest of them.Â
Opening Statement…
As you probably know, if you know me, I don't have much to say. We have a lot of work to do. The University of Georgia is a SEC team. I often say when you go to a SEC venue, normally you find a SEC team. This is probably an exceptional SEC team.
Â
(Georgia) might've had some question marks about a few players but (Hutson Mason) looked like he can do anything they want him to do. He looked as good as any of those quarterbacks we were able to win the SEC with in the late 80s (at Auburn). He does a good job getting the ball to the right people and they spread it around well. They certainly have skill at running back. We were unable to do much to stop them, unable to move the ball on them and we even gave up things on special teams, where we have been decent. They caught our rugby kick on the one hop, twice, and we looked like we were glued to a couple guys on some plays. We will work to get better there, too. We might have some personnel changes, moving around.
Â
Here we are. We are headed into conference season. One of the best teams in our conference is probably Monroe. We sort of have everything in reverse this year. We are playing all the hard teams early.
Â
On the status of quarterback Brandon Silvers …
I really don't know. I think he's better. I don't know if he's ready to go to practice, yet. He will need to practice before we can put him out there. I'm hoping maybe (athletic trainer) Chuck (Ash) will let him try early in the week to see if he can prep for the game. If so, then he will be in the mix. If not, we have Dontreal (Pruitt). Pruitt obviously wasn't perfect, wasn't great, but he did some good things against a really good team. We need to get him the reps and do some things for his package in the offense that he can do better: moving around and getting him outside, away from rush, to help him see better. He needs snaps in practice to learn exactly where he needs to go with his pre-snap and post-snap reads. Time in practice is what he needs. I know people ask about No. 12 (Silvers). Silvers is a great player and I hope we get him back. We will probably still play both of them.
Â
On finding success in Monroe…
Well, that would be my wish. We changed hotels because I'm not staying next to that railroad track this time, I promise you. ULM has been a tough place for us to win. I think we won in 2006, though, which was the first of the championship runs. It would be some great medicine for this team to go to ULM and win on the road against a good, well-coached team. Todd Berry (ULM head coach) has proven himself to me as one of the best in the business and in our league.
Â
On ULM's defense…
Their movement is problematic. They move around. They know where they want to wind up, but they will show you a lot of stuff in pre-snap and standing up, moving around, cross charges, twist, etc., but they are still going to be in gap control when the ball turns over. They are simple coverage wise. We just have to make sure we know where they are and get them blocked up. When we have a read in the secondary we have to make sure we read the right guy and go to the proper place with the ball. I don't think they are impossible to move the ball on. They have given us trouble before in the standup, run around stuff. I really think their guy (defensive coordinator Troy Reffett) does a great job. He knows where he wants them to be and what he's trying to stop. He knows where the backs are lined up. They don't start out where they wind up. I think they're good. We will have to have a great plan and execute it.
Â
On the players having a clean slate mentality…
I'd say (that's a good thing). That's a great mentality to have, considering the outcome. You need to put those things out of your mind and behind you, and move on. Those guys that dwell on the negative cannot play this game.
Â
On what he's saying to forget the losses…
I have tried to shoulder the burden of the responsibility from my part of it, and the staff's part in it. We have to coach better, number one. We have to practice better, number two. We have to play better, number three. That's how you win, that is it. There isn't any earth science to that. It is simple. That's what I'm preaching. I hope they are preaching that to each other. I don't think we are a mature football team. We have some guys that should be leaders, but sometimes you have to push them into that role and see if they can positively affect the rest of them.Â
Goose Crowder - T-Day
Saturday, April 18
Donnie Smith - T-Day
Saturday, April 18
Gerad Parker - T-Day
Saturday, April 18
Gerad Parker - April 16
Thursday, April 16