Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Head Coach Dale Lennon press conference transcript
09/07/2015 | 12:00:00 | Football
By Tony McDaniel
SIUSalukis.com
Opening statement:
"It's week two. An interesting first week. An interesting first game. We learned a lot about ourselves as a football team. Definitely some work to be done this week. The level of improvement needed from week one to week two is definitely there. I think most college coaches would tell you that's the most important week to see improvement and we're in that category. We've got a tough opponent in Southeast Missouri. I was very impressed with how they looked on film in their performance against Missouri. The score is by no means indicative to the nature of the game. Southeast Missouri did a very good job playing Missouri. So that's our next challenge and what we're getting ready for."
How would you characterize the rivalry with SEMO?
"It's intense. When you look at the coaching staffs, there's some common ground. When there's people that you have something in common with, it makes it even more intense, and then just the rivalry between the two schools itself. I'm going on my eighth season, and there's enough there in my past, too, that creates that rival feeling to it. This is a good game for the area. I think a number of fans realize that and see it, because its going to be extremely intense, and both sides are going to be leaving it out on the field."
You mentioned the final score with Mizzou is not indicative of their team. What impressed you about their defense?
"Their overall physicalness. They're very good up front. The front seven did a good job shutting down their run game. Missouri pretty much abandoned the run game and went to the pass game. If it wasn't for the two late scores that Missouri got--one off of a blocked punt and the other one off a broken play--statistically, Missouri hadn't done a whole lot against Southeast Missouri. Defense will be the strength of their team. Offensively, they were going up against a very good defense. They were trying to establish the run. They got some things going. There's a few things they weren't able to accomplish that I'm sure they'll be working on, but I thought they played Missouri toe-to-toe and gave them a heck of a battle."
Coach Tuke said after the game they were pretty conservative. They held quite a few things back with the Ohio Valley Conference and other games in mind. How does that effect you team's preparation?
"It just depends on what you're ready to run. Everyone is going to throw curveballs at you with every game. That's just the nature of offenses and defenses. There are things that you prepare in the offseason for certain teams that you have ready to go when that week comes up. It's just part of the game and you just know it exists; and therefore, you go about business as usual."
What kind of tempo do you expect from them offensively?
"You look at the number of plays that they ran, both teams had around 64, so I think they'll be fairly deliberate, but every offense in today's football has that up-tempo capability where they can get it going and get the quick snap and get you off balance, so we'll definitely be ready for that, too. Right now, with their offensive attack, that run game is going to be very important for us to be solid against the run game. Usually, teams that are strong in the run game are pretty deliberate in their attack on the football."
Considering what your offense did in week one, how much is that going to become the expectation going forward playing FCS opponents?
"That's a week-by-week progression. It's a process. We had a good performance offensively last week; now we've got to see what were capable of doing. It will be a different defense. There is different looks were doing. People are defending you differently. When you go through a season you just don't have a canned offensive attack that's going to work every week. You got to be ready to adjust and to adapt, and the challenge is always, how do you adjust and adapt and make it happen for that next week? It's encouraging that we saw that performance that we had on Saturday. The big question on us was that we were a team full of nobodies. Who was going to step up? Who was going to make the plays? Do you have players capable of doing those types of things? That's probably the most encouraging thing is that some of our young talent had an opportunity to shine. Hopefully, we can keep building on their contributions."
How will your secondary be tested this week with Paul McRoberts and AJ Davis?
"I think McRoberts might be the best receiver we see all year long, and Davis has come into his own as a very good receiver. So they'll be testing us. McRoberts has hurt us in the past and is definitely capable of being a difference maker in the game. He's good. He's fun to watch on film; you just hate to watch him from the opposing sideline."
 | "There's no sense in downplaying anything; it's a big game. It's a game that both teams need to win. You've got that in week two, and it's a rivalry game. Why wouldn't you want to come out and see this football game? This is going to be exciting." Dale Lennon |
How has McRoberts improved?
"He went there on a basketball scholarship. Football was almost an afterthought. We were involved in the recruiting process, too. I think he started playing football late in his career, so it's just the awareness factor that he has now playing the game. When he plays, he looks effortless when he does everything, which is an indicator he's pretty darn good."
How do you evaluate your cornerbacks?
"It was their first rodeo. They got bucked off a few times. That's part of the learning process. There are things we can definitely coach up and help them with; but at the same time, they've got to get over that first game, wide-eyed mentality they were in. It's a little bit different when things are happening in real time compared to practice time. That's what they've got to get prepared to see. It was definitely a baptism under fire. They were challenged. There were times they did well, and there were times they did not do well. So that too will be a process."
How would you describe SEMO's new quarterback, Tay Bender?
"He'll be similar to what Snyder did. The run threat is definitely going to be there. The passing stats weren't as impressive, but that's because Missouri, I thought, did a good job with their defensive schemes. I think we're going to see a very similar look to what we saw last year, even their offensive look is very similar to ours. You'll see a lot of zone read. Quarterback keeps. Quarterback gives. The read-pass type concept that's just kind of the phase the offenses are going through."
What is the biggest improvement you'd like to see in each phase of the game this week?
"The biggest thing is the assignment sharpness and being more comfortable in the schemes we're doing. Our sideline management, that's something we'll be able to do better in the coaching staff. One of the penalties we got was a substitution penalty. It was just communicating with our trainers that an individual that we thought was sidelined returned, but nobody told us so we had an extra guy on the field. Just little things like that. Everybody on the sideline needs to be doing their job. Sometimes, fans don't realize how many people are actually involved in the execution of what is happening on the field."
How important is this game against SEMO to set the tone for the rest of the season?
"They're all big. Every game we play is a must win. There is no sense in sugar coating it and saying it's only the second game of the season. After this game we've got Liberty University. In today's game, these non-conference games are just as important as any in playoff selection. They look at what teams you played and from what conferences do they play. Those things too can have a decision on the outcome of the season. There's no sense in downplaying anything; it's a big game. It's a game that both teams need to win. You've got that in week two, and it's a rivalry game. Why wouldn't you want to come out and see this football game? This is going to be exciting."
With that in mind, how much does that play into scheduling, that idea that non-conference games are so important?
"Scheduling is extremely difficult. With SEMO, we agreed a number of years ago, so that's something that has been sealed for a while. Eastern Illinois opted out; so because of that, we had to find another opponent, and it was difficult. The only reason we're playing Liberty--and Liberty didn't want to play us either--is that we were the only two left that were looking for games on the same weekend. They were looking for a home game, but they said they'll come here this year. And we go there to play them in the future. But non-conference scheduling is key. You've got to win those games; you set your self up well if you do. Conference play is conference play, but don't underestimate the importance of these non-conference games."
17 redshirt freshmen, freshmen and transfers played in game one. Where is their confidence level?
"It better be high. My only talk with them was the first day of practice where I told them that day 2, you're no longer a freshman. You're expected to know everything that's going on, and they were all told here with an intent to contribute. That's why they came to school here. They're expected to be at the same level as the veteran players, and I think that's how you treat it. If you make a big deal of it they start realizing that they're young, for me it doesn't matter what year you are, just go out there and play."
