The University of Akron Athletics
J.D. Brookhart Press Conference Quotes
September 21 | Football
AKRON, Ohio - The Zips' football heads to Mt. Pleasant, Mich. to take on the Central Michigan Chippewas on Saturday, Sept. 26 at 3:30 pm.
Akron at Central Michigan
Saturday, September 26 at 3:30 pm
Kelly/Shorts Stadium
TV: FSN Ohio and ESPN Plus
Radio: Akron/ISP Sports Network (1350 AM, 106.9 FM)
Coach J.D Brookhart's weekly press conference:
Head Coach J.D. Brookhart's Opening
Statement:
There were a number of missed opportunities. Playing a Big Ten
football team, you have to give them credit. Defensively, I thought
we played well in the first half and held them to a field goal
until the last drive. Offensively, we sputtered at best. We had 16
plays and part of that was the punt return block, but certainly not
all of it. In the second half, we did some good things, it was
24-14 with 2:30 left in the quarter and we're driving, whether we
get three points or seven, it's a three-point football game. We got
two penalties which were extremely costly and at that point, it
turns into a little bit of a throwing match which was really good
for their defensive ends.
We hurt ourselves. Indiana did some good things but we did not run the football, we did a poor job from play calling to coaching to the players executing the run game. For the group of running backs we have returning, we have to do a lot better with the run game. For Matt Rodgers to get into a passing contest in his first collegiate start with those defensive ends was not fair to him, and he made his mistakes, he can tell you that too. But he also threw for about 60 percent and made some good throws and good decisions. I know he would like to take a couple of them back. I thought the defense fought hard. They were given three fields with 30 yards or less, that's pretty hard to defend.
On Matt Rodgers:
I think he gives you an element of changeup because he can really
run but you like that to put it best-the Charlie Frye-type
mentality, the gutsy type, eager, wants more who comes in and
spends extra time, he's a real "want to" guy. You want that in a
quarterback and he's got that so he's gonna be a good player. He
did some good things and he's going to continue to progress, this
is really, really important to him. He's got pretty good speed. His
arm has gotten a lot better in the last year. You've really seen
him physically mature.
On Central Michigan:
I would think Central Michigan is favored in the league. They've
got a much improved defense and I think, not including a good
offensive line, they've got three NFL players, including the
quarterback and two wide receivers. Dan LaFevour is a football
player, he's strong, he's fast, I guarantee you it's really
important to him, he's in it. They are very good and very
explosive. Those two receivers can hurt you at any time.
On the Defense:
Considering two scenarios they've been given in the first few
weeks, to even be where they're at defensively is pretty shocking
because they have played a lot of football. They've been put in
some very unfair positions so I'm pleased with them. I told them on
Sunday that I thought the most disappointing thing, was that I felt
they were kind of down when they'd given up the first touchdown in
eight quarters. I was assured that wasn't true so it just appeared
to me that way. The opposition is gonna score, I imagine we'll give
up another touchdown before the year's over. I think they are doing
some very good things. We aren't getting to the passer very well so
we need to work on that.
