Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Head Coach Dale Lennon press conference transcript
08/31/2015 | 12:00:00 | Football
By Tony McDaniel
SIUSalukis.com
Opening Statement
Are you as excited as I am that the season is ready to kick off? This is always an extremely exciting time for a football coach and a football team. That first game week of the season, all that hard work that you put in during the offseason, that anticipation, everything is there. Now we've just got to focus on the preparation and putting the final pieces of the game plan together. What a way to start off with a Big Ten opponent, so the challenge is high, but that's the nature of our season and the league we play in.
What gives you the most confidence about your team and what is the biggest question mark?
We've been working hard. We've thrown a lot at them. Last week I thought was a very productive week and we really went hard. We did some live settings and put them in as many situations as we possibly can. As a coach, we feel good about our pre-fall preparation, now we've just got to make sure we continue that through with our game week preparation and just concentrate on our game.
What impresses you about Indiana?
They were very close last year to being a competitive Big Ten football team. They beat Missouri, so you're talking a pretty high caliber of play. They've got some people they need to replace. They're strong where you want to be. Their offensive line is very strong; their defensive line is very strong. They've got a quarterback returning that I think is the real deal. I'm sure they're optimistic about their season.
Do you plan to say anything to the team about the 2006 upset over Indiana?
All we're going to say is, "What's been done can be done again." We're not going to dwell on that. We're not going to use that as a theme, but it is something everyone is aware of, especially when you have coach (Nick) Hill as a coach. Having him coaching the guys brings awareness that that happened. It's a big moment in Saluki football history; but at the same time, we're going to focus on making our own history.
How do you plan to replace some of the key players you lost from last season like Malcolm Agnew and MyCole Pruitt?
We've talked about this from day one. Right now, we have a team full of nobodies. There's not a whole lot of preseason recognition for any of our guys. We're comfortable with that. We've got some guys that will be somebodies; it's just a matter of them going out there and proving it. That's what you play the season for. All the preseason hype and all-conference teams, that no longer means a thing. Now what matters is the team you put on the field. I'm looking forward to seeing who steps up and who is capable of playing at a level that is going to surprise some people, and I think we've got a number of guys that can do that.
What impact do you think the returning defensive players will have on the team?
Our experience returning is much greater than what the paper shows. Right now we just have five starters back, but in reality we've got nine guys that have started on defense, so there's a lot of experience on the defensive side just like there's a lot of experience on the offensive side. Whether you label them as a returning starter or not, that's for the media to put those numbers down. We know we have good experience on our offense, defense and special teams returning that allows me to sleep at night.
How different is their 3-4 defense from yours?
There are similarities. All 3-4 packages are very similar. In preparation I'm sure they're doing the same things as we are right now. They spend a lot of time with their defense against their offense because there are some mirrored similarities. It just goes down to personnel. That's probably the biggest difference, how you use your personnel. Some coverage adjustments are a little different than what we do; but for the most part, the upfront stuff is very similar.
How many freshmen did you decide not to redshirt that will potentially play?
The offensive players that will play right away are Daquan Isom and Chris Perkins at the running back position. On the defensive side, Nathan Sylvester at the defensive line position, Cody Crider at linebacker and Withney Simon at the other linebacker spot, and then Torian Lewis at the corner spot.
What characteristics made Cody Crider a backup?
The thing that Cody possesses is some incredible instincts. I was interviewed by a Paducah station that asked what it is like having a running back convert to linebacker; I told them this is a linebacker that was playing running back. He has some very natural instincts that you just can't coach. He has physicality to him, he loves to hit. He knows where the football is. He's not scared. He doesn't care who he's going up against. Those are qualities that you need to play early.
Have you selected your captains or will you stay with your 10 alpha dogs?
We're staying with the alpha dog teams. It's been good for us; I really like how our team has come together, just because we're spreading leadership throughout. What we'll do for the coin toss is let our 20 seniors rotate according to the games that are important to them and let them handle the coin toss. We will vote on captains at the end of the season. We've done that before. I like that concept just because you vote for your true leaders. You may have captains at the beginning of the season, things happen for whatever reason, and you have a different set of captains at the end of the season. Our leadership is pretty strong across the board. I don't want to do anything to limit that, so therefore it is going to be captain by committee.
What do you like about your running backs and how many will you use?
I like what we have. Cameron Walter has looked very good. Aaron Stanton I think is going to be the type of player we hoped he would. With the backs we just want to make sure we have solid numbers. To ride one running back specifically, I don't know if we're capable of doing that. Daquan Isom has that big-play potential. He's going to be our return guy on kickoff return. Chris Perkins has showed a very steady development during camp. He's picked up the blocking schemes very well. We do think that four of them will contribute.
Is Perkins your short yardage back?
No, Cameron Walter is our short yardage back. Aaron Stanton is pretty thick. After watching the NDSU and Montana game, he's very similar to that running back they have at Montana.
Do you like opening the season against a Big Ten opponent and why?
I like playing an opponent that's going to bring out the best in you. With all the preparation we've done up to this point, we know It's going to have to be at a high level now. That's the theme of our season; the time is now.
What are some major goals for the season you want to accomplish?
To win the game we're getting ready for. I'm not a big goal, where you've got a list of 20 different things you want to accomplish. Everything we're doing is team oriented, which is basically, 'Win the game you're preparing for.'
How does your defensive line beat their offensive line?
I think they're the fourth best in the Big Ten, but our defensive line I think is one of the best in the Missouri Valley, which is saying something. T.J. Beelen has had a great camp and looks good this fall. Raysean Golden and Beelen compliment each other in the middle. Brandon Williams is getting NFL looks. Adam Brandt is exactly what you're looking for as far as the size factor. Khari Waithe-Alexander is just one of those players. I think you're going to see his name. He's a quick guy that moves well and can get into the backfield. We have some depth upfront and that's one of our strong areas.
What are the keys to this game for you guys?
Any big game comes down to doing what you do well. You can't have mistakes. What's hurt us in the past is giving up some big plays. Last year against Purdue it was a fumble that led to a quick score, the next thing you know you're reeling and trying to regroup. You just can't make those mistakes against a good team and expect to win. We've spent a lot of time on ball security. Offensively this past week we've done a great job at doing all the little things right in securing the football.
Will you talk to the true freshman about their first college game?
You don't need to make them anymore nervous. There is a quality when you're young where you're just too dumb to know any better. We don't want to tell them this is the big stage. Just go play and have fun; it's football. We're playing you because you're ready. We wouldn't play you if you weren't.
Will Matt DeSomer play receiver Saturday?
Right now he is listed as receiver, so that's his position. We're not pretending either. He is a receiver. He's good at it, he gives us a lot of ability both running the football and catching the football. There are always those potential spots where we can utilize him in the backfield. He's going to have a very diverse role in the offensive package.
Is there anyone that won't be available due to injuries?
As of today, no. We are good to go.
How do you plan to replace your returners?
The one I worry about is the punt returner. Anyone can catch a kickoff return. The punt return is the position we're looking for. Billy Reed is a guy that's done that in the past. He's very sure handed, elusive, can get us yards if he is carrying the ball. The other individual is Matt DeSomer, so that's another role he'll be playing for us. The big thing is making sure we're not making those mistakes where we're not turning the ball over. That's your biggest fear is making sure you're catching the ball. In college football if you watch the early games, you see a lot more fair catches because everyone is trying to make sure the return man is comfortable in that role. Eventually, they take the red light off and let him play.
What do you think of having home field advantage against teams like North Dakota State, Illinois State and Youngstown State this season?
We've got a great home schedule. If a person says they're a football fan, why wouldn't they want to come out on Saturday and see the lineup that we have? We've got Liberty University, a top-ranked team coached by Turner Gill. They're probably going to be an FBS team in a year or two. You've got Youngstown State, Bo Pelini coaching there, a powerhouse FCS team. You've got Illinois State, a rival, that made it to the national championship game and were just seconds away from winning a national championship. You've got North Dakota State, the four-time defending national champions coming to Saluki Stadium. That's great football. They're playing in our stadium against us, and we're going to have a chance to beat them, so with that I don't know how you can't get excited about Saluki Football and the venue we'll have at Saluki Stadium.
