Assistant Coaches, Players Quotes
Mar 28, 2006 | General
Offensive Coordinator James Franklin
On what kind of offensive system will be installed...
“With Coach Prince’s background at Virginia and my background at Green Bay, we have some crossover in systems and things like that. It’s really too early to talk anything about that until you evaluate your personnel and see what they can do and what their strengths are. It’s really hard to say. It is a fluid concept.”
On the transition from the NFL to college...
“It’s not like I’m an NFL guy because I was only there for a year. I’ve really been a college guy my whole career. I was fortunate to be at the University of Maryland. We had a lot of success turning that program around. We hadn’t been to a bowl game in 10 years and then our first year we went to a BCS bowl game, playing in the Orange Bowl. The following year we played in the Peach (Bowl) and then the Gator (Bowl) and had some success. So, I wouldn't necessarily say there’s a transition from pro to college. Having that experience with Brett Farve, Donald Driver and Ahman Green and all those guys was just invaluable. It was interesting to be around Brett and see how he interacted with his teammates and coaches and how much passion he has for the game. You talk about a guy that has been playing for 16 years and there’s nobody that had more fun in practice; just to see that you can still be successful and work hard and have a good time at it. He told me you’re not going to play as long as I have without having fun.’ I think that’s probably one of the biggest things I’ve learned is that you can enjoy yourself and be successful.”
Defensive Coordinator Raheem Morris
On Coach Prince...
“He is a teacher. He teaches coaches, he teaches players, he teaches the media and everybody here. He is the leader of the program and he is what you want to be when you’re gone and everyone talking about you. You want them to compare you to guys like that. He hasn’t laid down his legacy yet, but he will.”
On what secondary players have stuck out in his mind...
“I cannot talk about any of those guys because that’s the head coach’s job. I’m going evaluate them all fairly. When we go out there to play our first game and get them lined up, it will be our best four guys, as well as the best three at backer and the best four defensive linemen. As for the first day, they were all excited and running around. I love them all.”
On the difference between NFL and college...
“The only thing different for me is the room we are standing in. We are all in here together and I’m talking to you guys. I really didn’t have to deal with that (in Tampa Bay). I could just lock in, be a coach, deal with all my players and make them better football players. It is a recruiting transition for me. I’m learning how to do that from Coach Prince. He’s also showing me different things and ways to do things. It’s not really much of a transition in coaching these guys and coaching those guys. The only difference is these guys are trying to get there and those guys are already there.“
Senior Quarterback Dylan Meier
On the competition at quarterback...
“It’s going to bring out the best in us. All in all, it’s going to make each one of us better, which will make the team better. I look at is as a challenge. My whole life I’ve met challenges head-on and I’m not going to back down now.”
On his status...
“I’m full-go now. It’s been a while. I definitely have to shake some rust off, but that comes with the territory. It’s a challenge just to overcome what I have already. These new coaches know that I’m full-go right now and I’m going to go from there. I don’t think that I’ve had a bigger challenge in my career, having reconstructive shoulder surgery and not knowing if I was going to be able to throw again.”
Senior Running Back Thomas Clayton
On the opportunity for success this season...
“No one wants to be a loser. We have a lot of seniors and starters coming back and we have the opportunity to make it happen this year so we are going to take it.”
On Coach Prince...
“Everything positive that the media has said about him he deserves it. He is a heck of a guy, and I couldn’t have asked for a better coach for my senior season. I honestly think that was a true blessing. He is very positive on the field; he’s very motivating and a great teacher. Not only is he a teacher on the field, he is a teacher off the field. He is a guy that we can come talk to if we need anything or if we just want to shoot the breeze. That’s very rare at the head coach position and we just appreciate that so much. I think that’s a huge difference maker as far as the direction, tempo and attitude of this team. “
Freshman Quarterback Kevin Lopina
On his thoughts when he came here...
“When I first came here we only had four quarterbacks and two of them were going to be gone next year and we needed some more people. So I wasn’t thinking there was going to be competition right off the bat but I thought we were going to need another quarterback.”
On the first day of practice...
“It was fun but also a little chaotic. We are all learning a new offense and everything is on a clean slate. We haven’t even put all of the offense in. We’re still installing a lot of it.”
On his role last year...
“They (last year’s coaches) kind of assumed I was going to redshirt, which was fine with me. The offense last year was really hard to learn. I took my role and ran scout team, which was fun. I also got to travel to some games and get that experience.”
