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Caldwell looks for Morgan
Kane to continue leading
the improved running game.
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Caldwell Discusses State Of The Deacons
Football coach looks ahead to game against Duke.
On Ovie Mughelli's injury
"I think moreso than anything else, we've faced a couple of teams that we
haven't been able to control completely on the line of scrimmage I think as
much as anything. We have not been as effective as we are capable of
being. We certainly miss him. He's a very fine player. But we had a
group of guys that stepped in on Saturday and did a nice job."
On how teams defend the Deacons
"Teams have been playing us about the same since we played Rutgers. I
think initially, they were kind of wait-and-see. They didn't probably
think we were big and strong enough to handle them up front, and some of
those kinds of things so a lot of people did not pack as many people around
the football. Since Rutgers, we've seen a pretty steady diet of that."
On looking ahead
"They don't give you anything free these days. Just by talking about
things, you don't get them. You've got to earn it. You could certainly
ask a lot of questions about 'what ifs.' Those are the things that I'm
trying not to concern myself with until we actually have accomplished
something. We haven't done anything yet. This game is big. It's a very,
very important ballgame for us."
On Duke
"They're a good team. They've got a lot of weapons and have been playing
really good, strong football. They've probably had more close games than
anybody in our conference - three overtimes, they played Tech (Georgia
Tech) 38-31. Ever since the Florida State game, and even before that
playing close, tight ball games. We've got a lot of work to do. It makes
a really big difference when your offense is radically different from their
offense. To duplicate what they do is very tough for us. We simply don't
throw the ball nearly as much, therefore you have to lean upon your service
teams a little bit more. When you have to do that, you certainly don't get
the best look or as good a look as you'd like trying to emulate their speed
and quickness and effectiveness within their passing system. It puts a lot
of stress on you because they spread you out and do a lot of different
things. They're very multiple. The biggest illusion they give to you is
that they spread you out and you think that they won't run the ball at you.
But they will. They'll run the ball at you as well. They have some backs
that can run, and all it takes is a couple of real long runs that they can
really give you some problems. They're a team that can score points."
On the running game
"I think overall when you look at our rushing totals, there is quite an
improvement. That was one of the things we set out to do this year was to
certainly run the ball with some effectiveness and I think we have been
able to do thus so far. Obviously, this game is even more crucial to be
able to accomplish that. Morgan (Kane) has had a good, steady year. He
certainly has run the ball well and I think you're going to see him get
back into stride again here shortly. There have been lot of teams that
have been doing some things to him to take him away from us. They've been
keying on him and particularly the last ballgame. They certainly were not
going to let him carry the football, particularly on any sort of an outside
play with the option. But yet Ben (Sankey) was able to get a substantial
amount of yards. I just think moreso than anything else, we all feel good
about what we've been able to do from a defensive standpoint and stopping
the run. I think that running game helped our defense, too, and from an
offensive standpoint running the ball, with time of possession and field
position and those kinds of things. Those two things are the things we
felt that if we concentrated on, it would able put us in position to be in
every ballgame. As we look back and reflect upon, we have to look and see
if we accomplished what we wanted to accomplish with this new change in
philosophy. That's the real key. Our running game is a very, very
important part of it."
