Wednesday Presser Notes 11-4
Rich Rodriguez:
- Brandon Minor has practiced more this week than he has any other week in more than a month. Hopefully that means he'll be healthy enough on Saturday to play. The team needs the element of downhill running that he provides. Carlos Brown has been limited with tendinitis. Mike Shaw is practicing this week and should be ready to play, after missing last week with a sprained knee.
- Patrick Omameh has been playing at right guard, with Mark Huyge at right tackle. Perry Dorrestein has been limited with a back strain. The Big Ten made a statement to Rodriguez that Mark Ortmann will not be suspended for this week's game.
- Martavious Odoms practiced yesterday and will today in a limited fashion. He's still day-to-day, and they won't be sure until Saturday if Martavious can play.
- Kevin Leach is still starting at MLB. Obi Ezeh is still in the mix, and hasn't let his decreased playing time affect his desire to prepare for games.
- There's a goal to get more sacks, and more pressure will lead to more turnovers. 3 games without forcing a turnover is really bad. The defense will improve when guys feel comfortable in their roles, and can simply react instead of thinking. Despite that, there must be enough scheming that the offense doesn't know what they'll do every play. Players need to be confident enough to make plays, and not get too down on themselves if they miss one.
- In-season recruiting is tougher without a be week, because the coaches won't have an oportunity to travel to recruits' games, or they might risk missing a Saturday noon game. It's important to get an early start to recruiting (offering juniors, etc.), because it's tougher to recruit in-season, and because prospects are committing to schools earlier in the process.
- Brandon Graham is a leader of the team, but he doesn't more leading by example than with his voice. He'll get the guys cranked up before the game. A great example he sets is that when he makes a mistake, he doesn't let his disappointment linger into the next play.
- Yesterday's practice was physical and spirited. The team doesn't have any lingering hangover from the Illinois game. They can't do anything to change the result of that game, and it's time to move on.
- The team isn't "desperate," and Rodriguez doesn't like that term to describe a football team. He'd prefer them to be "hungry," but he wants that whether the team is winning or losing. They should always be hungry. The coaches haven't yet mentioned to the team that the next win is important for bowl eligibility. They'll say something about it, but it's more important to worry about how you're playing at a given time, not any other factors.
November 4th, 2009 at 4:48 PM ^
Here's to hoping Minor can give us a full game this week and Tay Odoms can return to the lineup healthy. We'll need them both Saturday.
November 4th, 2009 at 4:56 PM ^
to see Minor carry the ball 20 times Saturday (in an effective manner).
November 4th, 2009 at 5:06 PM ^
It seems to me that most every carry he has is effective, regardless of health.
November 4th, 2009 at 5:24 PM ^
.. or if the elbow's already down.
November 4th, 2009 at 5:46 PM ^
i love watching minor run. he is by far my favorite offensive player on the team when he is playing. its just really fun to watch a runner deliver the hit instead of taking one.
November 4th, 2009 at 6:35 PM ^
Imagine the offense's effectiveness if Molk and Minor were both healthy!
That would take a serious load off of Tate and Denard's shoulders (not to mention Moosman)
November 5th, 2009 at 12:16 AM ^
hunger is ok but I want to see some anger
November 5th, 2009 at 3:01 PM ^
... Do you mean some RAGE?
November 4th, 2009 at 4:59 PM ^
Come to think of it I am hungry!!
November 4th, 2009 at 5:17 PM ^
... most indestructible running back? He's the only one who hasn't missed any time, right? Of course, he's seeing far less action than the others. Still...
November 4th, 2009 at 5:18 PM ^
"The coaches haven't yet mentioned to the team that the next win is important for bowl eligibility."
Just a hunch, but I have a feeling that a couple of the players may be aware of this situation.
November 4th, 2009 at 5:57 PM ^
Desparately hungry....
November 4th, 2009 at 7:55 PM ^
damn he helps a lot for blocking, too. Remember the ND game? He was slaying crashing DE's like it was his job. Wearer of more than one hat, that Brandon Minor. My hat is off to him!
November 4th, 2009 at 9:22 PM ^
Outstanding.
When Grant had finally won the siege of Vicksburg it was time to turn his attentions toward something else ... like dominating.
After sailing south down the Mississippi River he made camp along the river. Before entering the south he ordered every single one of his soldiers to dump their food. Dump all of it. Erase it.
He wanted his troops hungry.
He wanted them to yearn for food, to know that it was not a given or a privilege, but something you had to earn.
He wanted them to fight for it.
They did.
They won.
I'll take a hungry team who wants it over a team who thinks they are entitled to it every day of the week and twice on Sunday.
November 5th, 2009 at 3:16 AM ^
but the offensive line is critical.
November 5th, 2009 at 4:32 PM ^
I hope we see that Minor Rage this Saturday that we haven't seen since the Notre Dame game.
Comments