Charlie Weis spoke to the media Sunday. Here are some of the highlights.
On not being able to run the ball:
It was very disappointing yesterday, because going into each game you have a different mentality that you go in with. For example, last week we figured that the long pass would soften up the running game.
This week we wanted to establish the running game to get going early in the game. And because we weren’t able to do that efficiently, you know, it forced us to spread them out and throw the ball more than we intended to going into the game.
On dealing with the team after the loss:
I think, first of all, I made my point in the locker room last night. So explaining to them how in a game like that how each play is important. There isn’t one play that takes place that isn’t important.
I think when they watch the tape tomorrow morning they’re going to see evidence of how many plays, that if one guy, one guy would have done his job better, the chance for success might have been that much better.
On “Laptopgate”
Because I had to do the due diligence on this one last night. You know, when we go on the road, what we do is a student manager is assigned to just, from a defensive staff standpoint, because it’s not on the offensive staff, okay, is assigned to type in on a laptop the down and distance in the defense. So when we come back here they can give it to (video coordinator) Tim Collins, and when they’re dubbing the tape for the next morning, it will just it just reads across, 1st and 10, under, bear. Whatever it is.
Now, you’re allowed to do that. But the one area where you’re not allowed to do that is in a coaching area. It wasn’t a coach doing it, but it was a student manager.
But their (Michigan State’s) coaches box is a 3 tiered one where the main coaches sat on the first tier and GAs and those guys sat on the second tier, then there was a third tier.
So we had a guy up there that was putting in the down and distance and the name of the defense so when we came back he wouldn’t have to stay up until 3:00 in the morning punching the stuff in.
To be honest with you, if he were sitting next to you in the press box, that’s perfectly legal for him to do the exact same thing. So if we were at fault, it was for the fact that he was at the top of the three tiers (in the coaches booth) doing exactly that.
On accountability:
I think you can spread the wealth a little bit more. I thought that last year the appropriate thing to do would be really to start, and it always does start with me. That doesn’t change, Pete. Ultimately, when you lose a game, you’re the head coach and the main responsibility falls on you.
But, for example, offensively, let’s just talk about offensively. You turn the ball over three times. Twice it’s going in. Once in your own territory. You’re keeping you from scoring points or you’re giving them points. Obviously, when you throw two interceptions and you fumble in the red zone, I mean these are all point related circumstances.
You think about our penalties. Okay. On offense, everyone wants to talk about Sam’s penalty in the third play of the game, which is a dumb penalty now. But I’m more concerned with James’ false start, because James’s false start on that play, if you recall, we completed a pass to us first and goal on the 6 or 7 yard line, because the play actually took place. The play everything happened in the play, and then they came back and we false started on the play.
On the bad snaps on field goals:
And as far as the field goal operation, I mean I can’t remember the last time in practice we’ve had a snap/hold problem. And yesterday in the game, I mean both of them, I’d say the operation in both cases, both field goal operations, weren’t exactly smooth.
On using the pass to set up the run:
I think you have to definitely explore that option. I think you have to look at but, Tim, I think the most important thing is you have to apply it to Purdue. You have to apply it to Purdue. You have to say, okay, what do we think gives us the best chance of winning against Purdue, because that might not be the same thing you’re seeing against Stanford.
One just one sack so far this season:
I think that this week you needed to get eight men in a box on a regular basis. I think that going in was the plan.
As you’re going against (Curtis) Painter this week, and I’m not talking about Purdue yet, but obviously the whole offensive scheme is different. So what you do against Painter is going to be a lot different than what you’re doing against Hoyer and Ringer, for that matter.
On the struggles of Sam Young:
Sam’s a guy who really likes to get into a slug it out type of game. And we’ve been getting in a lot of defense movement type game, and I think he’s getting better on the movement, which as all the pressures that we end up getting. We talk about the pressures we’re doing. But the number of pressures we end up getting, I think these guys would just continue to use him in particular, but I think all of them will continue getting the better and better handling the movement of the defensive linemen.
