Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Coach Lennon football press conference transcript
09/29/2014 | 12:00:00 | Football
By Jordan Roberts
SIUSalukis.com
Q: Do you think you guys need to start out stronger in the first half?
A: Football is a four-quarter game. We haven't really established ourselves as a second-half team; that's coming from the media. As you go through the game, you learn and make adjustments; and that's just how everything works out.
Q: How is their offensive line?
A: They are very physical and can execute. Physically, they look like a D-I offensive line, and that's why they have been succeeding at being able to move the ball.
Q: What defensive scheme do they run?
A: They are a 3-4 defense. In fact, their defensive coordinator is a good friend of mine, and we go back a long way. They have a good scheme. He knows it pretty well, and it will create some issues for our offense.
Q: How surprised have you been with the play of (Mark) Iannotti, especially on third down where he's completed 70 percent of his passes?
A: Third down is the key. You want your quarterback to be able to move the chains. That is what you're really looking for with that statistic. Mark has done a good job under pressure. There have been times where we've been third-and-long and were able to move the chains.
Q: With how good the MVFC is this year, does it feel as if it's a heavyweight-boxing match every week?
A: We've been prepared for this, so it's not really anything unexpected. With the way the league has been these past years, every game has felt like a heavyweight match. I think the reputation of the league has really taken off, and our non-conference schedules have really made a statement. In the end, we know we're going to be challenged; and we know it's going to be a battle.
Q: How different of a QB is Iannotti in the second half compared to the first?
A: I haven't really looked at the numbers to indicate if we are doing anything different with him. I think our run game is more effective; so when you're running the ball well, it makes it better for the QB because it opens some things up for him.
Q: How many plays on a game-to-game basis are you guys scripting out?
A: It's anywhere from 12-20. It depends on the game plan. If you feel like you really have to be diverse and switch things up, it's usually anywhere from 15-20 plays.
Q: What are your biggest concerns about your run defense?
A: Naturally, you don't want to give up numbers. If you look at our numbers statistically, our run defense isn't that bad. Every offense is different, and every offense brings different challenges defending the run, so we just have to be prepared.
