Opening Statement
Just a sincere thank you to the fan base and the student body. It was really special to be a part of this for the first time, and you know so many people say how special it is to play football here, but it was really special to coach here today. The environment was second to none.
Q: How much of a luxury is it to be able to play as many kids as you did in an opening game?
A: I certainly think those have positive results, I think we were a little worried about the heat today. We didn’t know what that was going to look like, so I think it was to try to play as many guys as we possibly could. I think the bigger credit is the amount of guys that maybe were prepared to go play and play really well from the start of the game and to finish the game. We keep talking as a program, we’re not playing to the scoreboard, we’re playing to the standard, and I think we’re starting to understand that. There’s still a lot of work to do.
Q: How would you evaluate your offense today? Rocco throws four touchdowns, different receivers on the end of those. The first half you only had 62 rushing yards, just how would you define your offense overall?
A: I would say there’s a reason there were 62 rushing yards is because there were probably 300 passing yards, and I say that because when you have a quarterback that’s played extensively, I think he’s got the ability to take what the defense gives him. I thought Rocco was really efficient today in terms of, you were getting eight, nine guys in the box, you were getting a lot of pressure. I didn’t know exactly what to expect and I think for Rocco to be able to handle that and distribute the ball, sometimes being a great quarterback is like being a great point guard, you got to be a great distributor of where the ball needs to go, and I thought he was outstanding today. I thought he was from the beginning. A lot of those he put us in a really great position to be successful, so hats off to him. When we were pass protecting, we did a great job, so hats off to those guys, but again, offensively, I don’t really care how it happens, I just care that the ball’s going where it should go and be efficient, and I thought that’s what happened.
Q: What did it feel like to walk into the stadium for the first time, hug your family? How does that feel from an emotional standpoint?
A: I know everybody’s looking for that magic answer, and I hate to tell you this, that was awesome early, but now you’re responsible for the game and for me, this team, and earning the right to at least get to a game. I was so anxious of watching who this football team could be, and where we could respond, and obviously we know just a little bit, but we got great video tape evidence now in a chaotic game environment. How is this team going to respond? How is this coaching staff going to respond? Hats off to our coaches, unbelievable job. I think for me, there was more anticipation. What is this going to look like? How efficient can we be if we need to navigate something?
Q: Matt, you have talked about the kind of fall camp that Koby had, but to see him perform the way he did today on this field, what does it say about him and about his potential and about his potential for this?
A: I think Koby has been a guy, and again, you get to see today when I get to see at 5:15 in the morning in the facility catching the jugs, and that’s been that way since spring ball. That’s been that way almost every day this summer. I think Koby’s work ethic allows him to have real confidence, and I think the biggest thing for Koby is just the ability to continue to understand. Today is also when the ball found him, and there may be days when the ball doesn’t find you, and how you block and how you do all the things really matters. I think the sky is the limit for Koby Howard, and I’m really proud of him because, you were ready for this moment. You were ready when the opportunity came away, and I do think that is college football right here. Your shots come, the moment’s going to come when you take advantage of it, and Koby’s a guy that’s worked so hard behind the scenes to take advantage of this moment, so I’m really happy for him.
Q: You guys had a fourth and one at the 22, Marshall called a timeout and you chose to go for it, what did you guys learn about your team on that drive, that moment?
A: It just felt like we were trying to, I’ll be honest with you, I didn’t know if that was a great call or not, so we’re all being honest. I think the biggest thing from my end of it is I thought it was a lot closer. I think we had a fourth and one a little bit earlier in the game, and it was a long one. We were playing such good defense there. I just wanted to see who are we, and obviously that was a great step one. I think those were good moments. Those were moments that we can bank and we take it forward.
Q: Matt, can you just talk about the defense? I think the longest gain for Marshall today was 14 yards, so no explosive plays. And then also, that was a pretty established quarterback, a dual threat. You took it away. He didn't really run the ball at all. He had 132 yards. What was the plan going in, and what did you think was the key to really eliminate that?
A: So much credit goes to Coach Lynn and that he puts a stop to it. I think the ability to try to be multiple in terms of what we showed them, but simple in terms of our ability, especially in game one, and I think that that really evolved over the last two weeks, and we started putting some of these guys back and get them healthy. We started to see the multiplicity that we have and what we do, and I just thought our guys were really keen in. We knew the running game is starting to be able to stop the run, and I thought we did a great job of that from the start of the game over to the end of the football game, and then have the ability to be really efficient. We got to third down and got off the field, and I thought we did some really good things there as well.
Q: Congratulations, Matt. It looked like you were alone in your thoughts when you first came out at the 35-yard line for a while. Can you tell us what we were just soaking it all in, and also, did you pass on the chance to be introduced on the scoreboard? What's all that?
A: I'm good on that. The scoreboard is for the players. What I would tell you is just for me, I did take it in. Jordan Hill leads, he works with our leadership group, with myself and Jordan, and I thought he did a great job on Monday talking to our players about this is a special place to play football, and it means something to this crowd and this fanbase. It means something. I heard that because I thought you know there are probably a lot of moments of insecurity in my own journey as a coach at times where you're so worried about everything else you don't have a chance to sit there and soak in. It was really special. To want to come out and watch our fans and watch what this place feels like and maybe look up and you see those teams on the scoreboard or on our press box and what it's meant to our great coaches and players to play here. You're just grateful to have the opportunity as a football team to continue to try to represent the past of this program.
Q: Hey Matt, Caleb Bacon had three tackles for loss and a sack. I mean, obviously that paid off being up front, but we also saw him back in coverage. Can you talk about the versatility he's given you, and maybe where he is now versus when he was a full-time star at linebacker at Iowa State?
A: I think if you go back to some of Bacon’s last two years, you saw there was a lot of multiplicity in what he did there. You saw him in some very similar modes, and I think Caleb, he's such an incredible story. He started off as a walk-on. He was a guard coming out of middle of nowhere, Iowa. The reality is, this guy earned the way to become a great player, and he was a great player in the past. Sometimes he doesn't get the recognition of everybody else. He got injured two years ago in the opening game, literally play three. He runs down the punt, breaks his leg, and this guy's resilience to come back the way he played the second half of last season. I think you guys got a chance to just see a little bit of just how special this guy is with his health. He's worked for everything he's got. Nobody's ever given him anything. I think the great thing about Bacon is, like I said about some of the players, Zion Tracy has got a little bit of this. You know, Tony Rojas has got a little bit of this. They're just so multiple. They can do so many different things and just do a great job of putting those guys in position to be successful. That's where Coach Lynn and Mouser and Donald were masterful today. Obviously, a big fan of some of those great opportunities.
Q: So many people took a leap of faith to join you here in Happy Valley, players, staff, their families. To have this win for them in their debut as well. What does this mean for the program? Just to watch 10 months of work come together here.
A: I think that's the golden public comment of the day. I think, and probably there was a little bit of reflection for me early this week, it's been a long road, right? You're picking up families from our nutrition staff to our academic staff to our strength and conditioning staff to our coaches. There's a lot of young families that picked up and moved across the country because of their belief in what we were doing together, that had nothing to do with me. That was a “we” thing. I think what's always been great is that we've been always a great team together, and I am so grateful for them because they set the standard. They helped demand the standard of excellence in all of our areas. They've done such a great job developing real relationships with our players and really holding a great standard for our program. So certainly, really grateful for each and every one of them. I really appreciate the question.