Oct. 2, 2007
Head coach Joe Novak, cornerback Chase Carter, offensive lineman Jason Onyebuagu, and linebacker John Tranchitella met with the media during Tuesday's weekly press conference. The group previewed NIU's trip to Philadelphia to meet Temple on Saturday. Below are selected quotes from the media session.
Head Coach Joe Novak
Opening remarks
"Right now we are a good example of a team that is beating ourselves with turnovers, penalties, kicking game breakdowns, and red zone inefficiency. However, those are things that are correctable and we are going to continue to correct those things. If you look at this Temple team, I see a team that looks a lot like ours with what they are doing. They did everything but beat Connecticut, and they had Army just slip by them. They are doing everything but winning games. Other than that they are a pretty good looking football team. I said last year that they were going to get nothing but better."
On the state of the team
"We are turning the ball over at the wrong times and we are having penalties at the wrong times. They are legitimate mistakes that we are making. We were in the red-zone five times on Saturday and we managed to get 10 points. There are just some things that we just have to do better."
On facing Temple this week
"They should be winning games, but they are just learning how to win period. They have hardly any seniors that they are playing and played a whole bunch of freshman last year. I tell you, they are a good looking football team. I'll guarantee in a year or two, they will be a force in this league. Their two defensive tackles are 6-4 and 285 pounds and you just don't see that much of that. Their linebackers run and are skilled kids. They are just making the same mistakes we are - getting a lot of penalties, turning the ball over, and giving up big plays in the kicking game. They are beating themselves the same way we are. The team that wins Saturday will be the one that plays the soundest. You look at Temple on tape and they are an impressive young group that will be a force in a couple of years."
On handling the team
"We came in Sunday and for the first time in a long time and we had them put shoulder pads and a helmet on and we went out and worked for an hour. It told the kids that this is not punishment, we just need to work. We simply need to just practice more. I think sometimes that I have treated this team too much like a veteran team and they are not. I don't know how else to get better, I really don't. I feel this is the best way. When you do not go that firm in practice, I really don't know how much better you are getting. You can get away with that on a veteran team, but this is not a veteran team by any means. If anything, maybe I have overestimated the maturity of this team, and there are no excuses. You don't want to beat up the team, but we definitely need to practice more and harder and that is what we are going to do here for the future. It's a new season."
On where the team can make improvement
"This team has a new personality and the coaches need to figure that out a little. I look on the field and I see some good things, I mean some real good things. I'll tell you, our offensive line isn't the best or the greatest, but they have made some progress. Those kids are playing pretty well, blocking well and moving the ball. Our run blocking is a lot better than at the beginning of the year. It is clean and crisp and making some holes for Justin [Anderson] to run through. Those kids are doing a fine job. Our receivers have been catching the ball, we have just had some trouble gaining yards after the catch and these are things we are going to work on. Danny [Nicholson] will throw some interceptions but then he will be 15-for-15 or 20-for-28. I see some good things. We need more young guys to help these older players out on the field. I mean we just have not put the whole thing together. We have bad mistakes and penalties holding us back. We just need to put it together, we have to."
On looking ahead
"We can't do anything about the past. We can't do anything now about the last five games, but we can do something about the next seven. We talked about making this a new season for us starting with Saturday. But when you look at the future opponents there is some competition there starting with this week. I see, and the coaches see, so many good things, we just need to put it together. We are going to have to play better football. Our goal right now is one game and one week at a time."
Chase Carter
On the team's attitude
"We are not angry as a team. We know that we are better than 1-4. We just know that we need to make some corrections. We need to take care of the ball. We need to do everything right for four quarters instead of two quarters. Once we put everything together, we will be on track for our next win."
Jason Onyebuagu
On the play of the offensive line
"We as an offensive line set goals every week to help us get better. If we look at our performance game to game, we are improving. We just have to keep coming along. I think we are starting to gel. Once you have a feel of who is playing next to you, you start to form unity. I think we are starting to form that and it is starting to show."
On the team's outlook
"Coach has said that it is a new season now and something that coach knows that we need to do. It is a long season and we are 0-0 starting now. We will just bang a little bit in practice and work on things we need to work on to get better. I think [contact] will be more fun for the team. I think starting from the beginning is a good thing for this team. We have a lot of confidence looking into the future."
John Tranchitella
On the team's attitude
"There is a vibe that we just want to win now. It is frustrating to lose. It's not really anger, it is just frustrating and guys want to win now probably more than they ever have."
