Mark Ferrante
Jerry Millevoi

Football

CAA Teleconference Week 12

Opening statement…

"Coach (Jimmye) Laycock and his staff and team obviously came up here and were very well prepared and came in and executed really at a better level than we did. The four turnovers, the big ultimate difference in the game was our four turnovers to their zero. That led to at least 10 of their 24 points so that was really the frustrating part. There were enough opportunities for us to maybe have a different end result in that game but we just made too many mistakes along the way. You know if you go four turnovers to zero, you are probably not going to win a game especially when you are playing someone in this league and that was the frustrating part. The other frustrating part was that it was our last home game and our seniors you know their last opportunity to play on their home turf. It's frustrating whenever you can't come away with a victory on an emotional day like that. But we have to get ready and strap it up for another huge game this week as we are heading into our rival game versus Delaware and you know we will just have to go down there and execute better and hang onto the football."

On having an impact on Delaware's playoffs…

"Well you know what we are actually in the exact same position we were in last year. We are 4-6 going into our last game and they were 7-3 coming into the game. You know that is nothing we are going to talk about. I know the players are aware of their potential playoff implications for the opponent. But we just got to go out and try to win our rivalry game. We do have a trophy that signifies this game now going on for the last 12 seasons. The Battle of the Blue is what it is called and we just want to hopefully be carrying that trophy with us on the bus back up here to the Main Line."

On the mistakes against William & Mary…

"Well it is frustrating definitely in one regard. We had a couple snaps that were errant snaps. One of them was one of our four turnovers. We weren't able to get on that ball and that stopped a drive with three minutes to go with the ball at midfield. So those things are super frustrating but those things happen in the game. Sometimes you have to credit the opponent. They put some pressure on you and those types of things. You are going to have interceptions you just hope you are going to be able to get some along the way. As I said if you are going to give the opponent four more opportunities by turning over the ball over to them no matter who you are playing and especially in the CAA you are going to be in harms way. That is kind of what happened. We had the first interception; we threw it as we are going into the end zone. So that stopped an opportunity for us to get either a field goal or we can keep the drive going with a touchdown. It is just that the mistakes we made came at the most inopportune times. You know a third and three, false start and it turns to third and eight and you don't convert it. A third and goal at the two, a block in the back and now you are second and goal from the 17 instead of third and goal at the two. Then the turnovers as I mentioned. It was just too many of those things and William & Mary to their credit didn't make as many of those mistakes and they were able to come up with the victory because of those types of things."

On the defense…

"I think like you just stated you look at the overall statistics. And I tell our guys all the time none of that means too much obviously. You know the only statistics we concern ourselves about with is points for, points against and turnovers. The latter one probably directly reflects the first two. We've had opportunities but the mistakes we have made have just come at the most inopportune times as I just mentioned. It was a 0-0 game, we may put the first points on the board but we have a turnover in the end zone. While it is still a seven-point game we could have had the ball inside the five-yard line. Instead it is backed up because of an untimely penalty and those types of things. We are able to move the ball, we are possessing the ball. We've gotten better in the last couple of weeks in our third down conversion in offense and our third down prevention on defense. So there have been some things that are going in a good direction. But like the Richmond win we led the turnover battle. We got seven and two of those interceptions went back for scores. So that is why that score was so lopsided. This week it was the opposite. We were in the minus four category. So I think it comes down to simple missed opportunities, inopportune times to make the errors that we have been making."

On having quarterback Zach Bednarczyk back…

"Well he brings the leadership and I don't know but you are probably aware that Ryan Bell was back in the lineup as well. That was his first game back, our tight end and he led our team in receptions with seven for 80 yards. So it was good to have some of those guys back. But then all of a sudden Ethan Greenidge our starting left tackle couldn't suit up for the game. And our right tackle Brandon Hitner went down in the first quarter and thankfully he is ok. Looked a little scary there for a bit when the ambulance had to come onto the field and so on and so forth. So those who were out there now about it and I know Coach Laycock asked me how he was doing. He is doing fine. He did get a concussion but other than that he is going to be ok. So that is a positive. But you know we lost some guys along the way.  But to have Zach back out there who is a competitor, he wants to play, he wants to do well and his leadership is definitely a positive. You know statistically again that is why I said they don't mean much, if you look at the stat sheets of that game you would have thought that we would have been able to come out on top of the score side. But we didn't, I think we possessed the ball for 13 more minutes. We had twice as many first downs as William & Mary was able to get and so on. But the turnovers led to 10 points and the difference in the game was seven. But getting back to your question it is exciting to have Zach back and Ryan Bell and some of the guys that have been out a good part of the season especially in the middle stretch."

On confidence against Delaware…

"Well I know our guys will be excited to play. I know that we have enough, I'm hoping we have enough senior leadership where they will be confident to go in. The bottom line is you got to go in and execute. Last week we weren't able to do that consistently enough throughout the middle stretch of our season we were moving a lot of guys around due to injury. We weren't able to do it consistently enough. The games we have been able to execute consistently and not shoot ourselves in the foot. No have critical turnovers or penalties at inopportune times we have been able to do pretty well and move the ball and so on. This is one of those games Kevin and you know you have been involved with it for a long time. It is really one of those games where you throw the records out the window because you know both teams are going to come out ready to play. I'm looking forward to our guys going down there. They always like to travel down to Delaware's stadium, it is always going to be a nice crowd, a raucous crowd. Going to be a great environment for college football and CAA football. I know our guys will be looking forward to it and I know Coach Rocco and the Delaware guys will be looking forward to it as well. We are just excited to go down there and hopefully as I tell our team every week in practice lets get better during the week and lets make sure we go out there and practice hard and they have been doing that for us. And lets go see if we can go put a consistent product on the field and hopefully if we are able to do that we will come out on top."

On Delaware…

"Well they are playing really well as we all know. Last weeks loss to Stony Brook was their first loss in six weeks. They are on a hell of a run with a five game win streak. And you know Pat Kehoe is doing a good job of controlling the football. I think he has second in the league in touchdown passes behind (Tom) Flacco. Then they have the leading rusher as far as touchdown rushes with (Kani) Kane there as well. They have Joe Walker who is a multifaceted player that they move around to different spots. He has been their quarterback, they have put him in some wildcat situations I guess that is what you call it now since he is a wide receiver. They are big and physical on offense like they are always going to be. Then you look at their defense. They got seniors all over the place. They have the leading tackler in Troy Reeder, his brother Colby is a really good player. We know those guys from recruiting. Charles Bell has been in the league forever, we are familiar with him as well. I think they are pretty much senior dominated this year. (Nasir) Adderley another local guy up this way from Great Valley High School is a really excellent safety in this league so it is going to be tough. They have a really solid defense. They are doing a good job. They are very opportunistic, I think them along with us if I'm not mistaken lead the league in interceptions right now with 15. It is a game that is going to come down to what I was just talking about earlier we weren't able to do this past week. I think it is going to come down to who can control the ball, who makes a few mistakes and those mistakes I'm usually talking about who can control the ball and have the fewest turnovers. And then we will go from there."

 

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Players Mentioned

Zach Bednarczyk

#14 Zach Bednarczyk

QB
6' 1"
Senior
Ryan Bell

#85 Ryan Bell

TE
6' 2"
Senior
Ethan Greenidge

#73 Ethan Greenidge

OL
6' 4"
Senior
Brandon Hitner

#77 Brandon Hitner

OL
6' 6"
Senior

Players Mentioned

Zach Bednarczyk

#14 Zach Bednarczyk

6' 1"
Senior
QB
Ryan Bell

#85 Ryan Bell

6' 2"
Senior
TE
Ethan Greenidge

#73 Ethan Greenidge

6' 4"
Senior
OL
Brandon Hitner

#77 Brandon Hitner

6' 6"
Senior
OL