Indiana University Athletics
Quotes from Cameron: Preview Iowa and Looking Back at Cincinnati
9/26/2000 12:00:00 AM | Football
September 26, 2000
Bloomington, Ind. -- Cam Cameron addresses the media each Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. to discuss the previous week's game and the upcoming games for the Hoosiers.
Opening Statement:
Well, after we looked at the tape, I think the area that we were pleased the most with was the fact that the guys we decided to play more on defense really came in and played well, especially the guys on the defensive line. Tony Brown came in and did some nice things, as did Jamil Frink. Stephen Anthony played the most he's played and I think Derek Barnett had by far his best game as an Indiana football player. Then we get a solid effort from Kemp Rasmussen, Paul Mandina, and Dominique Smith. So those guys are all doing some good things, but the guys that came in really made an impact in the ball game. Steve Williams, a true freshman, also played and it was nice to see Herman Fowler, he came in and did some nice things, as well as Scott Genord and Robert Brown. Now we play six linebackers instead of three. I think that makes Justin Smith, Devin Schaffer, and Joslin Goodman better. The secondary, Joe Gonzalez, Clarence Young came in, Clarence got his first significant playing time. Duane Stone continues to get better which obviously helps us. You'll continue to see us rotate guys through on defense. We are going to continue to let those guys get better as they get to play more. It also keeps our starters fresh. Offensively, we've just got to keep getting better. We have got enough skill. If we'll block people then we are going to move the football. We had by far our best game in terms of blocking and eliminating mistakes. Those are the things we'll have to continue to do. All that being said, this week poses our stiffest challenges so far, from a physical standpoint and from a kicking game standpoint. Iowa's got an excellent kicking game. Kahlil Hill, their returners are excellent. (Jason) Baker is one of the top punters in this league. So they give you some problems in the kicking game...the return game. They are, by far, the most physical group we've played defensively and the most physical group we've played up front offensively. It will be a big test for us. They come in here, believe it or not, you listen to what they have to say, you listen to their players...they come in here with great confidence knowing that it is a new season, as both of us know. We are both just starting conference play. They feel good about the way they played against Nebraska, especially the beginning of the ball game. With the exception of three plays, that is a one touchdown ball game. I am not sure how many people realize that. The Kansas State game, the Iowa State game, those games were a play here or a play there away from being wins for Iowa. If Iowa could have kept from giving up the big play in a couple of those early ball games, they wouldn't be sitting here in this position. Of course, I know another team in the same position. A lot of similarities in our two teams. Two different styles of offense, two similar styles on defense. As I've said, this will come down, this will be another good ball game.
On the consistent scoring of Indiana's offense:
"I am not sure how good the defenses are we've played yet. I think that will play itself out as the season goes along. What I do know is we are getting ready to play against better defenses, more physical type defenses. North Carolina State and Kentucky are smaller guys, but they're fast and they've got great skill. This becomes a completely different challenge for us. We'd like to feel we can score points. Hal Hunter has done a great job of getting our offense to understand that we have not arrived on offense by any stretch of the imagination. The reason is, we still make too many mistakes. If we can continue to eliminate mistakes and protect the football this is going to be a very good offense. We've trimmed our mistakes down almost in half for three consecutive weeks. We'll need to do that again. They are just mental mistakes. New offensive line guys, early North Carolina State did some stemming and some things but then our guys got adjusted to that because Kentucky did the same thing. Our guys adjusted well. Antwaan has trimmed his mistakes down. He doesn't make a lot. Like James Bell and I were talking, you can play a great game as a quarterback or as a defensive back and make one or two mistakes and it costs you the ball game. That is the nature of those two positions. As a quarterback, you can't make two mistakes. As a secondary back, you probably can't make one mistake because if you make one mistake it is a touchdown. We'll continue, everyone, quarterback included, to trim down our mistakes.
Derin Graham
"We've seen the last few years where the field position battle or hidden yardage, whatever you want to call it, has affected us in close ball games. We came out in this past ball game a plus-144 in hidden yardage and field position. A guy like that, when he can run the ball back, he's not doing it by himself. When a guy can return the ball back to midfield your chances of scoring become obviously a lot better than they do if you are starting on your own 20. At the same time, people are going to adjust, start moving the ball around, kicking away from him. You'd like to think that's going to help you. If you handle it and are prepared for it, it is going to just add up increasing your field position. I've got a lot of confidence in Derin. I think he's got to continue... he can't be satisfied. In the last couple years, he's started out fast and has got a little satisfied with his play and leveled off during conference play. This year is a critical year for him. Don't be satisfied, take your game now to another level. People are going to do things to stop him and now he's got to respond and step his game up."
Jerry Dorsey
"Number one, he's worked extremely yard. If you know the Jerry Dorsey story, it's a unique story. Here's a guy, who was a basketball player, who didn't play a lot of high school football. He went to junior college, in his mind was 'Well, I'll try football.' At San Francisco City College he played both. I remember when I went out to recruit him, we watched him play basketball for San Francisco City College. He'd always seen himself as a basketball guy. Now he's really committed himself. He got bigger and stronger in the weight room, which I think has given him more confidence. He's always been able to run but he's a lot more physical than he's ever been. He's mentally tougher and the other good thing about him, he's one of those guys that, not only he can he run, he's got great endurance. He runs about an 8:30 mile-and-a-half for us. Every year he's one of our top guys. He and Antwaan are probably the top two mile and a half guys on our team. He can just run all day. When you can run, maintain that speed, then you can continue to put pressure on the secondary. That's really helped us."
Levron Williams
"Levron is a multi-talented guy that we are going to have to continue to find more ways to give him the football. As you can see, this is one of those games where we were able to pitch the ball out to him but we will continue to find more ways to get him the football. He didn't really have that many snaps Saturday. We do want to mix Brian Lewis in there a little bit just so we can maintain his level of play throughout the next 8 or 9 weeks. But you can see he (Levron) gets a little better every year. He's not a finished product yet. You see him running inside a little differently than you've seen in the past. He's got to continue to do that as people defend the perimeter. We'll continue to challenge him as he gets bigger and stronger. I still believe Levron is 60 percent, 70 percent, as good as he's going to be someday. He just gets better and better and better."
Joslin Goodman
"Joslin has just got better and better these first three weeks. He's probably more suited, at times, for a team that's just going to come and run right at you because of his toughness. We're pleased with the way that he's playing. Leadership wise, as I came over he was over looking at tape. I think he has an understanding of the preparation it takes to play at the level we want him to play at. He's in there looking at tape all the time--he's in morning, noon and night. He's a guy that does a great job of leading by example. I thought he did an excellent job on Saturday."
With Iowa at 0-4, does their record and hunger for a win make them more dangerous?
"Maybe it does. We are going to look at it the same regardless of what their situation is. This is a team that we are going to have to play extremely well against. It's a great opportunity for us to get better. It's the first game of the Big Ten Conference and everyone can see anything can happen in this league this year. I consider Iowa a very dangerous team and everyone else will find out as they play them that they are dangerous."
Iowa's misleading record
"Very misleading. That's why these non-conference games are overrated when you are playing in the Big Ten Conference. The bottom line, everyone's goal in this conference is to win the Big Ten championship. As you look at non-conference schedules, and Kirk would agree, playing the kind of non-conference (schedule) they play doesn't help you win the Big Ten Conference. One, it doesn't allow you to get as many of your young players on the field as you would like. Secondly, you take a physical pounding in a lot of those games. That's why we know this is a good Iowa football team. They come into the game healthy. They were able to play that schedule and basically come out with everyone healthy. I'm sure it has made them better. You sit there, try to get into bowl games, win championships, it's still tough to start out 0-4, or 1-2, no matter how you look at it."
Johnny Anderson
"We saw it in him, especially this winter. When you come from junior college, that is a major adjustment for those guys. You come from a junior college and you're thrown right into Division I football at the Big Ten level. You start out fast and then pretty soon it wears you out. But now you go through winter conditioning, you get in a little better shape. I didn't realize he was as fast as he is. He ran extremely fast for Matt Bomba (head strength and conditioning coach) this winter. He went out and had a great training camp and it hasn't been a surprise to us. We think he's a heckuva player. Without question, he has no fear. He's physical. If he had been in the system a little bit longer--he's playing well in the new system-imagine how well he'd be playing in something he was familiar with. There's another guy that's an amazing story. We know the story of these guys. When he first came here, we have an evening where first time participants kind of tell their story. Young guys were telling their stories. I'll never forget Johnny Anderson. He just came here from San Francisco City College. He says, 'I say thank you every time I eat a meal here at our training table. I know all you guys are used to being on scholarship, having all these things that athletes get. You got to realize at junior college...you go to the game hungry. And after the game they don't feed you. I've been through two years where I haven't eaten before a game and I haven't been fed after a game.' All the sudden, there's a lot less complaining around our football program. Sometimes athletes today expect all those things and guys like Johnny Anderson have overcome a lot. I think that's why he plays the way he plays. It's been hard and he appreciates what Indiana University is doing for him and we appreciate what he's doing for us."
Opening Statement:
Well, after we looked at the tape, I think the area that we were pleased the most with was the fact that the guys we decided to play more on defense really came in and played well, especially the guys on the defensive line. Tony Brown came in and did some nice things, as did Jamil Frink. Stephen Anthony played the most he's played and I think Derek Barnett had by far his best game as an Indiana football player. Then we get a solid effort from Kemp Rasmussen, Paul Mandina, and Dominique Smith. So those guys are all doing some good things, but the guys that came in really made an impact in the ball game. Steve Williams, a true freshman, also played and it was nice to see Herman Fowler, he came in and did some nice things, as well as Scott Genord and Robert Brown. Now we play six linebackers instead of three. I think that makes Justin Smith, Devin Schaffer, and Joslin Goodman better. The secondary, Joe Gonzalez, Clarence Young came in, Clarence got his first significant playing time. Duane Stone continues to get better which obviously helps us. You'll continue to see us rotate guys through on defense. We are going to continue to let those guys get better as they get to play more. It also keeps our starters fresh. Offensively, we've just got to keep getting better. We have got enough skill. If we'll block people then we are going to move the football. We had by far our best game in terms of blocking and eliminating mistakes. Those are the things we'll have to continue to do. All that being said, this week poses our stiffest challenges so far, from a physical standpoint and from a kicking game standpoint. Iowa's got an excellent kicking game. Kahlil Hill, their returners are excellent. (Jason) Baker is one of the top punters in this league. So they give you some problems in the kicking game...the return game. They are, by far, the most physical group we've played defensively and the most physical group we've played up front offensively. It will be a big test for us. They come in here, believe it or not, you listen to what they have to say, you listen to their players...they come in here with great confidence knowing that it is a new season, as both of us know. We are both just starting conference play. They feel good about the way they played against Nebraska, especially the beginning of the ball game. With the exception of three plays, that is a one touchdown ball game. I am not sure how many people realize that. The Kansas State game, the Iowa State game, those games were a play here or a play there away from being wins for Iowa. If Iowa could have kept from giving up the big play in a couple of those early ball games, they wouldn't be sitting here in this position. Of course, I know another team in the same position. A lot of similarities in our two teams. Two different styles of offense, two similar styles on defense. As I've said, this will come down, this will be another good ball game.
On the consistent scoring of Indiana's offense:
"I am not sure how good the defenses are we've played yet. I think that will play itself out as the season goes along. What I do know is we are getting ready to play against better defenses, more physical type defenses. North Carolina State and Kentucky are smaller guys, but they're fast and they've got great skill. This becomes a completely different challenge for us. We'd like to feel we can score points. Hal Hunter has done a great job of getting our offense to understand that we have not arrived on offense by any stretch of the imagination. The reason is, we still make too many mistakes. If we can continue to eliminate mistakes and protect the football this is going to be a very good offense. We've trimmed our mistakes down almost in half for three consecutive weeks. We'll need to do that again. They are just mental mistakes. New offensive line guys, early North Carolina State did some stemming and some things but then our guys got adjusted to that because Kentucky did the same thing. Our guys adjusted well. Antwaan has trimmed his mistakes down. He doesn't make a lot. Like James Bell and I were talking, you can play a great game as a quarterback or as a defensive back and make one or two mistakes and it costs you the ball game. That is the nature of those two positions. As a quarterback, you can't make two mistakes. As a secondary back, you probably can't make one mistake because if you make one mistake it is a touchdown. We'll continue, everyone, quarterback included, to trim down our mistakes.
Derin Graham
"We've seen the last few years where the field position battle or hidden yardage, whatever you want to call it, has affected us in close ball games. We came out in this past ball game a plus-144 in hidden yardage and field position. A guy like that, when he can run the ball back, he's not doing it by himself. When a guy can return the ball back to midfield your chances of scoring become obviously a lot better than they do if you are starting on your own 20. At the same time, people are going to adjust, start moving the ball around, kicking away from him. You'd like to think that's going to help you. If you handle it and are prepared for it, it is going to just add up increasing your field position. I've got a lot of confidence in Derin. I think he's got to continue... he can't be satisfied. In the last couple years, he's started out fast and has got a little satisfied with his play and leveled off during conference play. This year is a critical year for him. Don't be satisfied, take your game now to another level. People are going to do things to stop him and now he's got to respond and step his game up."
Jerry Dorsey
"Number one, he's worked extremely yard. If you know the Jerry Dorsey story, it's a unique story. Here's a guy, who was a basketball player, who didn't play a lot of high school football. He went to junior college, in his mind was 'Well, I'll try football.' At San Francisco City College he played both. I remember when I went out to recruit him, we watched him play basketball for San Francisco City College. He'd always seen himself as a basketball guy. Now he's really committed himself. He got bigger and stronger in the weight room, which I think has given him more confidence. He's always been able to run but he's a lot more physical than he's ever been. He's mentally tougher and the other good thing about him, he's one of those guys that, not only he can he run, he's got great endurance. He runs about an 8:30 mile-and-a-half for us. Every year he's one of our top guys. He and Antwaan are probably the top two mile and a half guys on our team. He can just run all day. When you can run, maintain that speed, then you can continue to put pressure on the secondary. That's really helped us."
Levron Williams
"Levron is a multi-talented guy that we are going to have to continue to find more ways to give him the football. As you can see, this is one of those games where we were able to pitch the ball out to him but we will continue to find more ways to get him the football. He didn't really have that many snaps Saturday. We do want to mix Brian Lewis in there a little bit just so we can maintain his level of play throughout the next 8 or 9 weeks. But you can see he (Levron) gets a little better every year. He's not a finished product yet. You see him running inside a little differently than you've seen in the past. He's got to continue to do that as people defend the perimeter. We'll continue to challenge him as he gets bigger and stronger. I still believe Levron is 60 percent, 70 percent, as good as he's going to be someday. He just gets better and better and better."
Joslin Goodman
"Joslin has just got better and better these first three weeks. He's probably more suited, at times, for a team that's just going to come and run right at you because of his toughness. We're pleased with the way that he's playing. Leadership wise, as I came over he was over looking at tape. I think he has an understanding of the preparation it takes to play at the level we want him to play at. He's in there looking at tape all the time--he's in morning, noon and night. He's a guy that does a great job of leading by example. I thought he did an excellent job on Saturday."
With Iowa at 0-4, does their record and hunger for a win make them more dangerous?
"Maybe it does. We are going to look at it the same regardless of what their situation is. This is a team that we are going to have to play extremely well against. It's a great opportunity for us to get better. It's the first game of the Big Ten Conference and everyone can see anything can happen in this league this year. I consider Iowa a very dangerous team and everyone else will find out as they play them that they are dangerous."
Iowa's misleading record
"Very misleading. That's why these non-conference games are overrated when you are playing in the Big Ten Conference. The bottom line, everyone's goal in this conference is to win the Big Ten championship. As you look at non-conference schedules, and Kirk would agree, playing the kind of non-conference (schedule) they play doesn't help you win the Big Ten Conference. One, it doesn't allow you to get as many of your young players on the field as you would like. Secondly, you take a physical pounding in a lot of those games. That's why we know this is a good Iowa football team. They come into the game healthy. They were able to play that schedule and basically come out with everyone healthy. I'm sure it has made them better. You sit there, try to get into bowl games, win championships, it's still tough to start out 0-4, or 1-2, no matter how you look at it."
Johnny Anderson
"We saw it in him, especially this winter. When you come from junior college, that is a major adjustment for those guys. You come from a junior college and you're thrown right into Division I football at the Big Ten level. You start out fast and then pretty soon it wears you out. But now you go through winter conditioning, you get in a little better shape. I didn't realize he was as fast as he is. He ran extremely fast for Matt Bomba (head strength and conditioning coach) this winter. He went out and had a great training camp and it hasn't been a surprise to us. We think he's a heckuva player. Without question, he has no fear. He's physical. If he had been in the system a little bit longer--he's playing well in the new system-imagine how well he'd be playing in something he was familiar with. There's another guy that's an amazing story. We know the story of these guys. When he first came here, we have an evening where first time participants kind of tell their story. Young guys were telling their stories. I'll never forget Johnny Anderson. He just came here from San Francisco City College. He says, 'I say thank you every time I eat a meal here at our training table. I know all you guys are used to being on scholarship, having all these things that athletes get. You got to realize at junior college...you go to the game hungry. And after the game they don't feed you. I've been through two years where I haven't eaten before a game and I haven't been fed after a game.' All the sudden, there's a lot less complaining around our football program. Sometimes athletes today expect all those things and guys like Johnny Anderson have overcome a lot. I think that's why he plays the way he plays. It's been hard and he appreciates what Indiana University is doing for him and we appreciate what he's doing for us."
Thursday, August 13
Thursday, August 13
Tuesday, August 11
Tuesday, August 11