2019 UTSA Football
Media Availability Quotes
Sept. 9, 2019
Head Coach Frank Wilson
On the approach with the team after a hard loss …
"It really tests what is inside of a man. I can stand in front of them and rant and rage the obvious, we didn't play well. Or I could be very poignant in pointing out the things in why we didn't play well. Not only to understand why we didn't but how do we play better? Then go out in a correction period and reenact those things, fix those things so they don't happen to us in the upcoming week. Then shore up the style of offense, defense and special teams that we need to play. To tackle better. And sometimes, in the rigors and how violate our sport is, you are limited to how many times you can get it done in a practice week, so a lot of it is on movable objects – but they are objects not human beings – and so you then contemplate do you have a period of live bodies so you can get used to it again to get readily prepared to fix those things. When you miss 30-plus tackles, we got to fix that. That can't happen. You can't beat anybody missing 30-plus tackles. We'll do that and we'll be better because of it. There is not a panic button that we are pressing at this time. We have good players, we have guys who are in position to make the plays and we have to coach them up to make the plays."
Stiff test ahead on Saturday at the @Alamodome! #BirdsUp 🤙
— UTSA Football 🏈 (@UTSAFTBL) September 9, 2019
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On the mentality of QB Frank Harris …
"Very focused. Very driven. Disappointed in himself. I shared with him that you don't need to carry the burden, that falls on my shoulders. He is very much wanting to be accountable and recognize the things that he did not do well, that we did not do well, collectively. We'll fix those things and hopefully we'll be able to showcase that on Saturday."
On the Baylor coverage in the secondary limiting big-play opportunities …
"They played good coverage at times. I thought there were some things that we could've taken advantage of at times as well. A lot of what didn't go well you have to attribute to that team. It wasn't just us not doing well. They played very well."
On the importance of the game vs. Army …
"This game is one in our mind that we have to have. So is the next one and then the next one but to bypass this team to get to the next opponent of a conference game is not something we are in a position to do. We cannot afford to do. We need to prepare as best as possible to play this team. Again, we have some experience collectively as a staff in playing against this style – it had been some time for me – ran it as a player, coached against it a time ago, and understand it – but haven't played a game against it in quite some time. I ran it in college when I was a collegiate player at Nicholls State. We'll need to lean on our defensive staff that has vast experience and expertise in playing against this style of offense and preparing us to play. Now the next part of it is preparing your players to play because getting cut front side and backside like never before is what is going to happen so to be able to beat that block with your hands and with your feet to escape but yet to keep your gap integrity is something that we'll have to practice throughout the duration of the week."
On the Army running game matching up against UTSA's defensive line …
"They are not a massive team. They are not big in stature. Their starting left tackle is 235, 238. And he's that because you pitch off the end, you read the end and works into the next level for backers and safeties. They rely on their athleticism, speed and toughness to get them by. Not necessarily a mauling offensive unit. Our defensive line matches up with them from a physical standpoint. The thing we'll have to do is match their intensity and effort because that is where they stand out."
On preparing for the Army rushing attack …
"A successful play for them is three yards. They'll take three, two, four, one, then it breaks for 50. Then they'll take one, or three, or two, then throw it for 50. They run their fullback – he's their first option – they are going to give it to him. They create movement. They have great angle blocks. They play with great pad level and they create movement and they take those yards. Then the next time the quarterback will pull it, then he'll give it, then he won't give it, he'll pull it and pitch it. Three options every time the ball is snapped is what that offense is equipped to do."
On how he evaluated the offensive line at Baylor …
"On the field I thought it was worse than what the film showed. Again, the very first one it was a communication deal and that turned a defensive lineman loose on a tailback. After that, to be able to understand the protection to be able to throw within the configuration and confinement of the pocket. At times when a quarterback aborts that it appears as though the offensive line is breaking down and that is not always the case. The protection is not designed to protect the quarterback out there. A lot of times the offensive line gets the blame but that wasn't the design of the protection. Then there were other times when guys came loose. Collectively, we all – the backfield, the offensive line, the receiving corps – we all had a share in not having the success that we desired."
On what it means to play a military academy …
"My mind, I just think of the Roger Staubachs of the world and all of the prestige of the military academies. What they stand for. How they stand on the frontline for our country. To have them come to our city, Military City USA. They have 24 young men from the state of Texas on their roster. It is a big deal. It's an honor to be able to play against that opponent that does more than most from sunup to sundown. Tremendous amount of respect for all of the academies and It's an honor to play this football team and what those players endure in their everyday obligations, and then their football added to it, it just speaks to the type of men that we're going to have to compete against."
On which running backs excel in pass protection …
"All of them are capable of doing it. I think it's a combination. Sometimes you want a guy in there for protections. Sometimes you want a guy that you can throw the ball too. Then other times you want a guy that can give you duality and protect and catch it out of the backfield and still have the threat in the run game. You look for the ideal back to be able to do it. The backs that we've had in the past have been fortunate enough to move on because they are every-down backs. They haven't been just third down. Third down is important because it's the money down, it counts, it allows you to continue the drive. But they are all trained the same. We don't do one thing different than the other. They are all equal in what they can do. Some have better ball skills then others but from a protection standpoint I feel confident in the entire unit."
On the Army defensive line …
"They don't stay blocked. You can put a person on them and they can be blocked, but they just don't stay blocked. They are relentless and they continue their pursuit of the quarterback."
On the play of the secondary at Baylor …
"They contested balls. They knocked down balls. Even the one that was caught on Cassius (Grady), he was in position and he mistimed his jump. He jumped a little early and the guy elevated as he was coming down. Then you had the back shoulder one and we gave up a slant that was more on the safety then the corner. It wasn't an air assault where balls are just flying over our heads. There were balls that were caught that went the distance that we didn't tackle but for the most part we kept the guys in front of us and guys weren't just running naked behind us, buck wide open for touchdowns. They were contested passes and sometimes they got the better of what we did. The thing about defensive back play, if there were 15 shots down the field if they completed two, those are the ones you remember. The other 15 don't matter. You gave up two big ones. The 15 that you contested – that is the life of the defensive back, you have to have short-term memory. People remember the ones that were caught on you not the ones that you deflected or knocked down."
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