Indiana University Athletics
Cam Cameron's Press Conference
9/29/1998 12:00:00 AM | Football
Cam Cameron's Press Conference
On Wisconsin
"Their first team defense hasn't given up a touchdown in 13 quarters,
I think. We'll have a real test for us on our offensive end. Offensively,
they create a lot of problems for our defense, just because they have the
number one running back in the country. He just pounds at you and then
all of the sudden there he goes down the sideline. The offensive line is
as good as any offensive line in the country. Mike Samuel's been injured.
I don't think he practiced all last week and he still went out and played
extremely well against Northwestern. He'll be full speed against us. They
will be able to create some problems for us. The good news or the bad news
is that their special teams is the best phase of their team. They have
a great kickoff guy that kicks it out of the end zone. They have a great
kicker and a great punter. They've got a young freshman returning kicks
that has already returned a couple for touchdowns and they have blocked
three punts. Really, they are just a team that gives you problems in all
three phases. I think it's going to be a great environment for a game.
I think it's going to be a great football game. I think our guys are excited
to play. We know they are a veteran team. We know they are more experienced,
but, I think our guys will be ready to play. I think they're excited about
playing this game."
"I think we understand how disciplined they are, how well coached they
are, and how hard they play. All you have to do is turn on the film. I
think we understand that there is no quitting point in Wisconsin. They're
going to play four quarters. We're going to have to play four quarters,
period. We've got to be ready to take this thing wire-to-wire with every
ounce of effort we've got. I know for a fact that's what they are going
to do."
On the importance of this game helping the program
"We're excited regardless of who we would be playing this week.
I get excited to get an opportunity to coach every week. We have the type
of team right now that gets excited to play anybody just because of the
way they feel about themselves and the way they feel about each other as
teammates. Yeah, we're excited, and it's exciting to have a team coming
in that's a good football team that you respect and you know it's going
to be a heck of a football game. We're starting to get some of the kind
of players that like that. They like the opportunity to be on national
TV. They like the expectations of having to make plays. We're not looking
at this game as an opportunity to turn this program around. I'll say that
because we still have a lot of things to do in order to get where we want
to be and I don't think any one game does that for you. Over the years,
Wisconsin has been able to create a home field advantage. We haven't done
that yet, but in the next three weeks we're going to start to take a look
at how we can turn Memorial Stadium into a big-time home field advantage.
Maybe something similar to what they have at Wisconsin but we're not there
yet."
On running back Marcus Floyd's play
"He played against Cincinnati the way he practiced last week which
is a good lesson for all of us. We keep telling our young players that
you don't go out on Saturday and things happen just because it's game time.
Again we talk about Antwaan. Everything we've seen on gameday we've seen
in practice. What we saw Saturday night (at Cincinnati) out of Marcus Floyd
is what we saw in the spring and what we saw on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The more our guys see that it becomes a reality for them and it helps every
other player understand that aspect. There were some guys that made some
mistakes in that game and they were the same mistakes they made in practice
last week. Marcus has that capability, and as long as he continues to practice
that way, he can play that way."
On putting a team away late in the game
"That was kind of the thought for the week. To get a team in the position
where you could put the game away. I felt that time was when we fumbled
the punt. When I look back at the game that was the time we were going
to put the game away and we fumbled the punt. We were able to stop them
and they missed the field goal. Then on the following series we basically
put the game away. That was what we had talked about all week."
On Wisconsin QB Mike Samuel
"The quarterback position is a function of the guys around him.
When you talk about playing at a high level over a long period of time,
there is no way you can do that by yourself. They've got an offensive line
that is good, backs that are good, receivers that are good, and he is kind
of the glue that holds it together. I've said it before you're measured
at Indiana as a quarterback not on how many spin moves you make or how many
yards you throw for or how many touchdowns you score. Your measured on
your win/loss record. I think Samuel is a great quarterback because he
wins."
On Wisconsin RB Ron Dayne
"He's a 260 pound guy who can bend his knees and get his shoulder
pads low and doesn't give you a real target for tackling. If your going
to tackle him around the mid-section of his body, your probably going to
bounce off."
Progress of offensive line
"We took another step in the right direction. I thought both our
tackles played well. I thought our right guard and our center played well.
We've got to get our two tight ends and left guard to take the next step,
and I think they can do that. You're talking about a sophomore in Broyles
and two freshman in Mintzer and Osika. I'd like to think in the next three
weeks, your going to see major improvement in those three. We're still
in that stage where guys are learning a lot as they go."
On Indiana's fan support
"There was an article this morning about our fans. I guess we
were lumped together with another program. Our fans have been fabulous.
I think we're going to be able to accomplish in the next few years everything
we want to accomplish in terms of fan support in Memorial Stadium. It's
interesting that an article comes out about our lack of fan support in one
paper, and in another paper there something about the Ohio State game being
sold out. A game hasn't been sold out here in a long time. They're talking
about maybe bringing in extra seating for that game which has never been
done. I would just like to make a comment to our fans, Cam Cameron is thrilled
to death with the amount of support we are getting. I think our fans are
starting to see the kind of program that we are going to build. The type
of team that we're going to be and it's going to do nothing but get better
and better. I'm excited about the possibilities of getting Memorial Stadium
filled."
Go to the Football Press Release INDEX
