Pete Lembo | Head Coach | Buffalo
Q: Speak on how you prepared versus how Penn State attacked you on all three phases.
A: You know, there were some good things in all three phases, but obviously a lot of ugly things as well. First of all, I’ve got to do a better job of getting them prepared and putting our guys in a better position to be successful, and I obviously think that was a big challenge for us. I think we’re capable of playing better than we did today, and that starts with me. It was a tall order for Jason [Wright] to start his first game against a team that’s this talented, and I’m proud of how he handled himself.
Q: Defensively, what is their (Penn State’s) biggest strength?
A: They play very cohesively, whether they’re playing coverage or bringing pressure. You know, you’re looking at some elite players, and they can roll through them too. They roll two or three deep through at each position, and they’re able to stay very fresh throughout the course of the game. That’s a good football team, and I’m sure they’re going to have a lot of success this year.
Q: The two field goals in the first half, how close were those to being touchdown drives?
A: Particularly the second one; we were moving the ball pretty well. I do think we moved the ball a little bit better as the game went on, but certainly not good enough. You know, we had some trouble tackling their punt returner. Some of our punts were very good; others didn’t go where they were intended to go. So, all three phases, there were some things that I saw with the naked eye that I’m encouraged by, and certainly a lot to fix. So again, that starts with me, and hopefully we can figure out a way to play a little more consistently here this coming week.