Babers Presser: Drop a Bomb Edition

So Coach Babers went all the way through his presser today, answering questions about the next game, talking about VMI, etc.  Then, when everyone thought it was over, he said he had something to say, and dropped the bomb we all know...Matt Johnson is out for the rest of the season.

In fact, at the time he said he didn't even know if Knapke knew yet.  Coach said that he found out late last night that the injury was severe.  An earlier test had been inconclusive.  He was injured on the play where he got sacked and came up stretching his leg.  Coach says that he and his parents have not decided whether to seek surgery for the injury or not...apparently there are two options.

Coach has raised a theme earlier in the presser---that it was "take care of BG" week, and, as a reporter pointed out, that takes on even more significance with Johnson down.

A lot of people have seized on the statement that BG "trained one QB, really."  He went on to say the starter got most of the reps.  I don't think this is any different from what any other team would do.  You can't split reps evenly and expect your starter to be in the flow of the game.  I don't think it represents negligence or anything like that. I just think that's the best way to prepare the team unless someone gets injured, and then you have to do some follow up work.

Beyond that (and before that) Coach said some other stuff.

I will say this.  As I watch him, it is impossible to do anything but like him.  We were all disappointed Friday, but I liked his response then and I liked him today.  I am rooting for the guy.  Let's hope we has the success at BG he had at EIU, because it could be a lot of fun.

Among the quips were that BG could now "toilet flush" the pre-season clippings.  Now we can "see what we are and how we can get better."

He said there's no "grey" in a program...just black and white.  You can guess where last Friday fell.

He didn't "see" it coming, which was one of the things that upset him.  He wasn't expecting the defensive issues.  But, after practice, the players have a "good feel" for what is acceptable and unacceptable.

Assume there is some understatement there.

He referred to a VMI LB as being their "bell cow."

When asked if teams will attack the BG secondary, he said "I would."

He noted that WKU has a hard time running against BG, but they didn't have to.

He also clarified the comments about the offense keeping the defense off the field.  He said BG had 6 drops.  A couple were for TDs and if you make the other ones, you keep the offense on the field--who knows how long the drives run?

Anyway, that was today's presser, with the end overshadowing the beginning and the middle.  Everything changes now.  Everything isn't over, it just changes.  Let's give our QB a chance and let's have the team raise their game around him and let's see what happens.