Jinks Presser

OK, Mike Jinks was back in the presser room today.  It was a much better environment.  I mean, he said we were turning the corner the week before...and, well, I'm not sure we HAVE turned the corner, but, people seem to think we did and everything is back on track.  I'm not sure we're there yet.  So far, we've played one complete game out of 7 and succeeded only against the low standards of the earlier parts of the season.  UT did win the game.  Those program-record losses are still out there.

Don't get me wrong.  Things look a lot better than they did the week before.  BG played a very solid game and the schedule ahead is very forgiving.  It is very well within the realm of possibility that BG could finish 6-6 and make a bowl game.  We can revisit the turning the corner conversation as the season plays out.

Just as an example, he talked about Joe Davidson in glowing terms that Davidson deserves.  Also, he said that everyone needs to talk him into coming back.  But when he talked about the fake punt, he said that "He might have single-handedly changed the course of the season around."  I mean, I know what he means---it might end up that way--but Coach also later said "we are 1-6" and I guess it is a little early to be looking for where it all turned around.

A bowl game is the goal he has set for the team.  He talked about it in the presser.  He is putting BG into a playoff like run through the last 5 games.  Gives the guys something to play for...unless they lose.  Anyway, I'm for it.  And it is possible,...as are other things.

Coach gives good presser, I will give him that.  He had some interesting things to say today.

He seemed to really enjoy the Glass Bowl environment as a guy who loves football, which you have to appreciate.  He mentioned before that this was really his first rivalry game as a coach so he felt it was a great environment.

We need to play better in the 2nd and 3rd quarter.  Just have to be in a better position entering the 4th.

He says he sees improvement from the whole team, players and coaches, which I thought was an interesting way to put it.

He noted the two big penalties and said they were indicative of how far we have to do as a team.  The Banks penalty was just playing without confidence and the Zimmerman penalty on the TD was just (costly) youthful exuberance.

"I felt comfortable with the process.  I've seen it work.  Some people may not think so, but I've got an idea of what we want this thing to look like."

Just my aside, the key is can it be gotten there, not is there an idea.  Everyone is sure there's a idea.

Hitting the long passes changed the "dynamic" of the team.  It forced UT to decide whether to load the box, it opened up underneath routes as well as the run.  We can use some of the "air raid type stuff."  He went on to say that QB is "essential" and that he saw a different look in his team's eye with the offensive improvement, which should have led someone to ask....well, what took you so long to get Morgan into the games?

But didn't.

He noted that we are not playing at full tempo, which he says has helped the defense and I would imagine the offense as well.

He said he was most proud of Morgan checking from pass to run 3 of 4 times, something I would assume a gunslinging QB is reluctant to do.

He says our biggest improvement has been at WR, which is interesting.  He has been hard on them.  Drops are way down.  He says that is all confidence.

He does not fear an emotional letdown.  "No, sir. We're 1-6."

Wagner began to ask about the burning of redshirts.  Coach said he wanted to redshirt all of them.  For example, Bush got banged up and they had to put Tyrik Jones in and Jones, it turned out, was better than some of the older guys.  You could not have told him, he says, that he would have to play Zimmerman at "142 pounds."  The third one is Cam Jeffries...shouldn't have played this year.  And you never want to play a o-lineman but Tabor has had to start twice.

Then, in what became relatively funny, Wagner continued to name guys off...Terence Stephens, (coach would take that one back), McBride...Pickrom.  At this point, Coach said it was making his stomach hurt.

You don't want to plan 8-10 freshman.  He said it is a setback.  You have numbers you want at each position.  For example, you want 16 scholarship WRs.  We have 8-9.  It will take two recruiting cycles to get that fixed.