Weekly News Conference Transcript

8/31/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football

Aug. 31, 2009

Northwestern Coach Pat Fitzgerald
Weekly News Conference

Opening Statement ...
"Thank you everyone for being here today. It's amazing, it's game week. You work 40 weeks of the year, for the 12 weeks in the fall, to go out and perform. Our young men are excited about it. We've had a very driven, focused off-season. It started with great winter workouts and carried into spring practices. It was as competitive as any that I've been a part of here in nine years. It's partially because of the graduation of some players and opportunity to seize some jobs. Guys came back to camp in great shape and I thought we had a very physical, very competitive, and very fruitful Camp Kenosha. We improved in a lot of different areas. I'm very pleased with our quarterback position, both Mike [Kafka] and Dan [Persa] had a very good camp; they took a positive step for us with the work they put in this summer.

Up front, the offensive line is really gelled and come together. I'm really pleased with the development of that group, I believe we're going to be about eight or nine deep, and you'll see some different combinations. To have Drake Dunsmore back, to add with Brendan Mitchell and Mark Woodsum and Josh Rooks to our superback position, and then our no-name receivers will continue not to be named until after Saturday, then they'll identify themselves. At the tailback position, it's probably been the most fun position battle for me to watch. We've got a group of guys that are hungry, to seize a role and to seize an opportunity. Yes, we have a starting depth chart as we go into the week, but we'll see how practice shakes out and we'll see how the game goes. Then we'll see who gets the bulk of the reps.

To have the eight returning starters on defense, led by All-America candidate Corey Wootton, and to have him back at full speed seven months removed from a difficult injury, is exciting. Along the front, Marshall Thomas had a tremendous camp, along with Corbin Bryant and Vincent Browne, so we feel great about that group. Nate Williams, last year at this time, was fighting to be a two. Now he's really taken over the reins as our middle linebacker, along with Quentin Davie. I like the way Bryce McNaul has played, along with Ben Johnson and Stone Pinckney. That group has played well, and I'm pleased with their development, along with David Nwabuisi. I can't argue it's the deepest secondary we've had going into a season, it's encouraging. The kicking game, Stefan Demos has had a tremendous camp, he'll start the season handling all three phases. We also have Brendan Smith returning as our punt returner, as well as a plethora of maybe six guys that can return kickoffs for us.

I'm excited about that, but I'm even more excited to get back out on the practice field today. We've got a lot of work to do to get prepared for Towson, the game will be here before we know it. Excited to have North Shore Community day this weekend, I'd like to invite not only our neighbors but also the greater Evanston community to come out and enjoy Big Ten Football. To get families, and especially little ones like we had on Meet the Team Night, where we had over 800 fans participate in meeting our team, just hanging out and having some fun with our players. Hopefully they can enjoy that atmosphere in Ryan Field and get the 2009 season started the right way."

How will you divide the workload at running back?
"As you see the depth chart, that's the way it'll start. You're going to see Stephen Simmons and Jeravin Matthews, Scotty Concannon and Arby Fields also playing in the kicking game. That group of athletes is going to be very involved, not only in offense but also in the kicking game."

What is the game plan for Towson?
"We're almost going into the game blind. We've got some film from what [the new coaches] did at their previous stops, especially with what [Head Coach Rob Ambrose] did on offense at UConn. How's he going to deploy their weapons, how he's going to use their players will be something that we're going to have to go in and plan on adjusting during the game.

How do you focus your players when they're playing a FCS opponent?
"Out focus will be on us. Our number one goal is to consistently prepare. This will be our first week to do that. So we'll put our focus inward, really take a fine and heavy look at how we go about our business this week preparing, and if last night was any indication, we had a very focused workout to get game week rolling. I'm pleased with the attitude and I'm looking forward to how our guys handle the week. We'll hopefully be fresh, well rested and prepared for the opportunity to adjust.

How did the two true freshmen on your depth chart distinguish themselves?
"Arby came into camp in great shape, and we're going to do the best job we can to showcase his talent. He's a very dynamic running back, he catches the ball very well and he's a physical runner. What I liked about him was his attitude. He came in humble, he came in to compete, and he's put himself in a position to play some football for us here early. Patrick Ward is a very bright offensive lineman, he could probably tell you the playbook inside and out. He's a very bright and talented young man. He came in right away, he competed, was here this summer working out with our strength coaches. He's put himself in a position to play a lot of football."

Where has the "no-name" receiver concept come from?
"It's their humility. They're a group of guys that want to go out and help our football team win. Obviously when you graduate three of your most prolific receivers in program history, there's not a lot known about who the next group is. So as we went through spring practice, instead of being asked questions about themselves, they were asked about the guys that just graduated. Instead of taking it with a negative attitude, they took it with a positive attitude and said, "Our challenge is to go out and perform and prove that we're capable players." The group of guys just want to help our football team win, and that humility is what's impressive to me."