Boston College Athletics
BIG EAST Teleconference With Coach Tom O'Brien
September 06, 1999 | Football
Sept. 6, 1999
Q: Briefly recap this Saturday's game and comment on your plans for the
team this week.
A: The kids did a great job. They were focused on making sure that
they were not going to lose that football game under extremely tough
conditions: I think it was reported over 110 degrees down on the
AstroTurf. They played hard for the whole game. We did extremely well
on special teams, played solid defense, but were just not real
consistent on offense...as we had seven kids as first-time starters on
offense. And I think that coupled with three new coaches, there are
just some things that we had to get ironed out, and we are fortunate
enough to come away with a win. Now we can get focused and just try to
improve this week.
Q: How much has the running game helped Tim Hasselbeck get into the
flow of the offense?
A: Number one, the running game helps us control the football and
control the clock. I think we had the ball 36 minutes to their 27.
Plus it gives us the opportunity to run 89 plays to their 62. So, by
running the football, we are able to control the clock, we are able to
control the game, and I think on both sides of the line, we had
control of the line of scrimmage. Obviously it is going to help a
first-year player like Tim (Hasselbeck). There is confidence there
that he does not really feel like he has to make a play to win the
football game, and that he can progress at his own speed.
Q: What did you think of the play of William Green? He had a couple of
nice runs and then he had that fumble. What did you say to him at that
point?
A: I just told him that that is not acceptable. He can not do that
playing at this level, and he knew that. He was just upset with
himself. He told me that he got a helmet on the ball. He understands
that he is not going to play if he fumbles the football. That is one
of the rules that we have for our tailbacks here. There is no excuse
for a fumble.
Q: Given a couple of the heartbreaking losses that you had last year is
it even better to win a close one like this than to go out and win
comfortably by two touchdowns? Does this help you more in the long
run to win a tight one?
A: I do not know that and I do not think that we can answer that. I
know that it is a great psychological lift to this football team. I
have never seen them celebrate like the way they celebrated when that
kick did miss. And actually I am looking at it at the end, I thought
maybe the kid slipped. (Chris) Hovan had good penetration where he had
blocked one previous in the game, and (Pedro) Cirino had come off the
corner. I am not positive on this but if he (Atteberry) would have
kicked it normal, I think that we would have blocked it anyway. I
think just a lot of pent up frustration was relieved by this football
team. You could see it yesterday when we practiced. They are awfully
tired and awfully sore but just their mental outlook is about a
thousand percent better than it has been after those tough losses.
Q: Can you comment on the way your offensive line performed?
A: I think the offensive line did a great job Saturday. We challenged
them all week that they have to uphold the tradition of Boston College
offensive line, which, as everyone knows, is a great tradition. They
did an excellent job in pass protection, and they did a great job in
the run-blocking. There are still some things that they understand, we
talk about: we are happy but we are not satisfied. They are happy with
their win, they are happy with their performance but they are not
satisfied to know that we are going to have to improve this week and
improve each week as the season goes.
Q: Could you comment on Cedric Washington's honor as BIG EAST Offensive
Player of the Week?
A: I would like to think that it is deserved. I mean thirty carries,
thirty-two carries or whatever he had, and a 110 degree heat on the
AstroTurf, and the amount of plays, he played. He was winded and we
gave him rest in the first half with (Carlton) Rowe and we got Green
in there. But then Rowe cramped up and could not play the second half.
We gave him (Washington) some rest with William Green, but he just kept
coming back and kept taking the ball. When we needed him in overtime,
he basically rushed it down the field and into the end zone. I think
that it is a great start for him, it has got to build a lot of
confidence for him and give his teammates a lot of confidence in his
play also.
Q: Could you talk a little bit about the strength of BIG EAST football
and if you think there have been improvements and in what ways?
A: I think that it is a little hard to tell right now. I do not think
that you can tell about anybody until probably after you play four or
five games. Initial impressions, you would think that Miami beating
Ohio State is a great thing for their program. But now as we start to
play out of conference teams in the conference, I guess we will find
out more because we got some marquee games coming up. Pitt is playing
Penn State. Michigan is going to play Syracuse. Virginia Tech is
going to go out of conference and play, and I think that we will have a
little better idea three or four weeks down the road.
