8/28/2002 - Football
Navy Football Practice Report Day 19, Practice 26
Links associated with this release:
0
0
0
Head coach Paul Johnson
Q. Are you happy with the way things are progressing?
A. I think things are going well. You have this opportunity probably once a year in the opening game where the game plan has been in for awhile so we?re just winding down and hopefully our guys will be ready to play on Saturday night. Our big concern now is getting everybody there healthy.
Q. Does it make it more difficult to prepare for SMU since they have a first-year coach and they are starting a freshman at quarterback?
A. Well, I think it makes it tough if you aren?t exactly sure what they are going to do. I feel like we have an idea of what they are going to do on offense and how they are going to line up on defense and I?m sure they have a good idea about us. Even though neither coaching staff has been there, both sides have film they can look at from previous schools.
Q. What?s been the difference in attitude going from a very successful Georgia Southern program that won two national titles the last three years, to a team that didn?t win a game last year.
A. I?m not so sure the attitude is any different. I think what we have tried to do since we got here last year is instill a work ethic and understanding why that happens, why your successful, it?s not an accident. I think our guys are making progress that way, I think they are learning to work hard and be committed. It?s like I said, the situation didn?t get where it is overnight and I don?t think it?s going to change overnight, but we?re making progress.
Q. Coach, coming from a school with a winning tradition and coming to Navy, do you enjoy the challenge of bringing that winning tradition back to Navy?
A. We hope so, I hope we establish a winning tradition. Our staff, and this football team, hasn?t lost a game. I?m not going to take any baggage from what happened in the last couple of years and these kids shouldn?t have to either. That?s behind them, that?s over with, and we?re starting new. It?s very rare you get an opportunity to start over and I think they are looking forward to it.
Q. From what you?ve seen in practice, where does your confidence lie in this team?
A. We probably won?t know that until three or four games into the season. We?ve just got to see, there are guys that we thing are going to be good players, but they haven?t done it on the field. Until they are out there in a game situation and make the plays, I wouldn?t have anybody right now that I can single out.
Q. Are you putting any expectations on these guys?
A. Yeah, my expectation for these guys is that they get better every day and they play hard. If they do that, the wins or losses will take care of it self. You can?t play football worried about winning or losing on every play. You have to go out and learn to play hard and do what you?re supposed to do. My background is if you do that at the end of the day you?ll kind of like the results most of the time.
Q. What has Tony Lane shown so far?
A. Tony?s a good athlete. He certainly needs to have a good year for us at slot back. We ask those guys to do a lot of different things. Tony is versatile and hopefully he?ll have a big year for us.
Q. Hearing the critics say things like ESPN saying that Duke vs. Navy is going to be the game to watch to see who is going to win a game, does that fuel the fire for the team.
A. Well, I hope it would, but I mean whose saying it? Lee Corso probably didn?t win a game when he was coaching. He can say whatever he wants. I?ll match my record against Lee?s any day he wants.
