Boston College Athletics
2011 Football Media Day: Player Quotes
August 12, 2011 | Football
Aug. 12, 2011
Montel Harris, Sr., RB
On the biggest difference between this year and last year …
“The biggest difference is that we’re having fun out there. We have a lot of new faces getting the ball on offense. I feel confident that a lot of people who couldn’t make plays for us last year, will be making plays for us this year. The plan is to spread the ball around and get it into play-makers’ hands.”
On confidence in the offensive line …
“I feel really confident running behind the offensive line. They’ve been working hard and have been getting off the ball really quick, moving around well. We have some new plays, new schemes and I’m excited to see what we do the first week.”
 
On preparing for the season opener …
“I’m extremely excited. I’ve never sat out before, so now training camp couldn’t be any longer. Every night I think about running out of the tunnel, touching the Eagle and do everything I came here to do, which is play football.”
On the offense:
“I think we have one of the nation’s best rushers on the team, so we have to get him the ball. We know what [Montel Harris] can do with the ball. If we’re going to throw the ball, then we have to make sure that – as receivers – we catch it. It’s no use throwing the ball if we’re not going to catch it. When they give us the chance, we have to show them that we can do some things. I think the offense is very balanced right now.”
Luke Kuechly, Jr., LB
On how he can improve on his first two years…
“There are tons of things to improve on. I think the smaller intricacies of the game are what people don’t really realize, you know pass coverage, blitzing. People just look at numbers if they don’t really know the game. Pass coverage is one of the things you have to work on at the linebacker position to have a complete game. That and blitzing are the two phases of the game that if you improve on, you can be that much better.”
On his size difference between last year and this year…
“I was at about 230 last year and I’m about 238-240 right now. I think I feel like I’m moving pretty well right now. I feel good right now, so I don’t think I’ll try to do anything with my weight right now. I mean, you can always cut down during the season if you have to, but I feel pretty comfortable right now.”
On what he has learned since coming to BC…
“Tons of things. I think when I first got here, it was me trying to play how I played in high school. Now, it’s more angles, how to take on blocks and how to fit where you need to fit. There are a million things that if I had time, I could write them all down, but even just small things, like where to put your hands, how to blitz, how to cover. There are a bunch of things I’ve learned over the past two years that will help me take the next step.”
On how the defense as a whole is looking this year…
“We got a lot of guys back from last year that played together a lot. We’ve got the guys from the front, guys on the back end. We’ve got some areas to work on, but we have guys with experience so that definitely helps.”
Ifeanyi Momah, sr., wr
On what he emphasized during the offseason…
“During the offseason, I wanted to become a better athlete overall. We put in a whole new program around becoming bigger, faster and stronger. We definitely harped on those three things. My main thing was to get a lot faster. In the past, I worked on getting stronger when I was playing defensive end. I wanted to harp on getting faster.”
On teams that don’t focus on covering the BC receivers…
“I think that coverage is in for a rude awakening. We have some really talented receivers, especially with Colin [Larmond] coming back. People have been asking us how the rotation is going to work because we have so many good receivers. I think we are all good against press. Last year, they would put eight or nine in the box, trying to stop our run because our receiving wasn’t that good, but this year, those teams are going to be in for a rude awakening if they try that with us again. Our receiving core is definitely a lot more experienced and a lot more talented.”
On being named captain…
“It was a great honor. Just to have your teammates voting you for that kind of honor, it definitely meant a lot to me. I was very grateful.”
Kevin Pierre-Louis, So., LB
On the team’s sense of having to prove itself…
“BC prides itself on tradition and we do the small things right, and this year we’re focusing more on doing the small things right. We’re making bigger and better plays… Small things like passing off routes are important. Communication is big.”
On the defense carrying the offense…
“We believe that it’s a team effort. Offense struggled a little last year, but this year is a new year. Either way, defense has to help out the offense. If we’re down some points, we have to get turnovers, we have to get the ball in our offensive players hands.”
Chase Rettig, So., QB
On goals coming into the season …
“My goal this year is to take every game one at a time and try to allow the team to be as ready as we can, mentally, for the game. The most important thing, regardless what happens, is winning and losing. It’s black and white when it comes to that. The biggest thing you want to do when it comes to that is win the football game. Personally, my goal is show leadership on the field, be able to go up to the line of scrimmage and understand the coverage so I can get the right guy the ball and know what everyone on the field is doing – that’s my job as the QB. I think I’m making steps towards that and Coach Rogers has definitely helped me to do that.”
On any concerns about the offensive line after the loss of Anthony Castonzo …
“I really don’t, because the last camp I came into I had the mentality that I was competing with the rest of the quarterbacks in order to secure a starting spot. I was working with the third offensive line. I think Wetzel has done a great job. Wetzel is going to be our tackle this year. He’s a big kid. I didn’t get to play a lot with him last year, but from what the film work he did over the summer, he’s in shape and the things he’s doing camp I think we some a lot of veteran guys up front that people may not think of as veterans. A lot of guys played in games and had to step up. As long as we’re healthy, I think our guys up front will do a great job this year.”
Nate Richman, Sr., OG
On being named a captain…
“I think that’s the all-time honor you can have, is to be elected a captain by your teammates. You put the work in everyday and to have your teammates recognize that is an incredible honor.”
On what was learned from Anthony Castonzo …
“What I learned from Anthony the most was how to bring intensity to every play. He was the most intense player I’ve ever played with. The attitude and energy he brought to every snap was always the same. He really holds himself to a high standard and that’s what makes him so good.”
On importance of intelligence to play in this offense …
“It’s very important. It’s the recognition of defenses, knowing the guys behind you – the quarterback and running back - are doing. For example, when we go up to the line, we have to recognize the defense and/or blitz coming so we can block in a different way so the backs don’t have to pick up blocks or Chase doesn’t get hit. That comes on us and it’s a lot to put on our shoulders, but the more looks we get at it, the better we are.”
On importance of local player being voted captain …
“It’s definitely and honor. These are the guys I looked up to while I was growing up. You never imagine when you’re little [that it will happen to you]. You may dream about it, but you don’t necessarily think it’s a realistic dream that’ you’ll be in those shoes one day. You get the offer, you come here and hope you’ll play. To turn into a three-year starter and a captain has been a dream come true.”
