Kent State Football
Head Coach Sean Lewis
Postgame Press Conference
vs. Penn State – September 15, 2018
Opening Statement
A: Obviously, not the outcome that we were looking for. There's some moments when we did some good things, but not nearly enough against the caliber and quality opponent we just played here. Coach Franklin and his staff do a fabulous job and the kids play tremendously hard. We need to get to the tape and review the mistakes and learn from it, roll from it, and it'll be a step in our growth and development as a Flash fast family.
Q: You kind of mentioned it. What were some positive takeaways?
A: I thought the way we started. The defense did a great job getting off the field. Again, unforced errors and self-inflicted wounds really hurt us there on the first punt return, to get a penalty there and making the defense go back out on the field. Again, they responded and hunkered back down after that, defensively. The offense came out and sustained a nice drive and to have a touchdown early on was great. Special teams had a bright spot, obviously, with the surprise onside. We just didn't capitalize on that opportunity. We stole a possession there and then went three and out, if I'm not mistaken right after that. So, missed opportunity there, which was just kind of the story of the game. When we got something rolling, again, we just had the self-inflicted wounds, whether it be a penalty that kills a drive, a missed block, a missed tackle, or a kick that goes off our foot. We're putting ourselves in all three phases in bad positions against a quality opponent like Penn State, you can't do that. You cannot do that in any game, hurt yourself and expect to win, but especially when we're playing a top-15 program like Penn State at home. They feed off the energy and environment that they're in. They're going to capitalize on those opportunities.
Q: You mentioned that gamble you took on that onside kick that Kent State recovered. What made you go for that onside kick and take that gamble?
A: They gave us a look that we thought we had the opportunity to do it. Again, ever since we got here we're telling the kids that we're going to call to win. As I said before, no risk it, no biscuit, so if you want to get a chance, we know it was a game where we were going to have to take some chances. It was an opportunity that presented itself. We confirmed it in the opening kick of the game. We had a look that we wanted, so there were no hesitations. The kids knew what we were going to do and did a fabulous time executing it and it was a big time play by Colt [Colten McFadden] there, kicking that thing and getting it back for us.
Q: Can you talk about the feeling on the sideline after you recovered that kick, you're tired and now you got the ball?
A: Yeah, again the kid's got life. We're playing well you know so they're high and they're good but not nearly satisfied. It's again like those moments like we had whether it be week one at Illinois in the first half you know and moments and glimpses into how we're getting it even here early on somehow when we're right and we execute and we do what we're supposed to do and the kids play and execute the way that they're capable of playing. We have more than enough weapons and more than enough skills to do the things that we're capable of doing and we believe that in our house and in our Flash fast family.
Q: You mentioned you wanted to establish a running game of difficult challenges today. What were those factors with what Kent State did or what Penn State did?
A: Yeah, I mean we knew that we were going to have to be great but one-on-one naturally, but especially up front it was one of those things that the new pieces upfront saved things together and handling what they were doing upfront. We knew that we needed to be great at that and we were able to get to it later in the game which was good, and obviously the ending numbers being what they are with the sacks that are clued in there as well. Obviously, they knew that well enough and we need to get back to the drawing board to find a better way to do that next week against another quality opponent.
Q: You kind of mentioned the sacks there. Do you attribute those more to the pressure that they put on because the lack of block upfront or what are your struggling kind of going through this week?
A: Combination of a lot of things. I thought Woody [Barrett] did a good job going through his reads and progressing through you know there was a few where he missed a few check downs which is going to happen again it's his third start. Some were just simple protection breakdowns other things where Woody made the right decisions and so you're going to win it downfield so some of them were covered sacks, some of them were missed assignments upfront or lack of execution upfront, some of them were when Woody was hanging onto a football too long, so a combination of a lot of things. That doesn't fall on any one unit, any one group. That's what makes football such a beautiful game that's what ties it all together and we have to be better again executing and being on the same page with everything.