Indiana University Athletics
Courtney Roby Press Conference
10/15/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
October 15, 2002
Bloomington, Ind. -
Opening Statement: We have a big game against Iowa coming up this weekend, it is told by numerous media that they are the best in the Big Ten right now. It is going to be a big challenge.
Q: Talk about the comeback run late in the game, you were in the right spots each time. Talk about it.
"Coach always emphasizes that if we are in the position to get a first down, then we should stretch it. So, I just stretched my line a little bit so I could make sure that I would get the first down."
Q: Were you conscious of the first down mark?
"Yes, I knew where it was, but if I didn't get it, I knew to get as close as possible."
Q: Is that the best that you and Glenn (Johnson) have played so far?
"I think so, we both had a strong game. That is what our goals are. Coach emphasized that he wants us to be the best in the Big Ten as a group (wide receivers). We are taking it in steps. This is just the first step."
Q: Is this a matter of progression?
"It is a matter of progression, but we are feeling a lot more comfortable. When you do that, your play shows it a lot better. It is best to just go with the flow."
Q: As a receiver, is this a fun offense to play for?
"It definitely is because the ball is in the air more. Every receiver that goes to college wants to catch the ball."
Q: Coach DiNardo said in the beginning of the season that he didn't think that the wide receivers were playing competitively; do you think that this was valid critism?
"We definitely took what Coach said into consideration. As a group, we sat down and talked about it and I think that it was a matter of learning the new offense. Early on we didn't really know about the offense and how it was run because we weren't used to it, we were used to an option-based offense. As you get comfortable, your play starts to pick up because you know what the offense is about and the key to the offense. We just sat down and took Coach DiNardo's critism into consideration and just went out on the field and played hard."
Q: Is this a more wide receiver friendly offense than in the past?
"Yes because the ball is in the air more. With Antwaan (Randle El), he was a great scrambler and we had Levron in the backfield, so option-based in the past worked just fine. We had to block more then, we have to block now, but it's more of a passing offense."
Q: Is there competition between you and Glenn (Johnson) in hitting the 1000-yard mark?
"We haven't really talked about the 1000-yard mark, like I said, we are still making steps, it might be something in the back of our minds, but we have more important things to worry about. We do have a friendly competition, we try and out-do each other, but I feel that we keep improving by doing that. Competition is not hurting us."
Q: How has Gibran (Hamdan) made your job easier?
"Gibran is a leader, he is an excellent quarterback. As a matter of fact, he is taking us out to dinner tonight! He is a leader and makes our job a lot easier."
Q: What was the attitude in the huddle during the comeback against Wisconsin?
"To keep fighting. We never got down on ourselves. There were times when we could have, we have been in that situation before, but we knew that we had to keep fighting, that we would come out of the hole, and we did."
Q: Coach has mentioned the wide receivers having a Jerry Rice attitude- did Coach give you a tape to watch his style?
"Yes, he gave us a tape and made copies for all of the wide receivers. What we got out of that video was that it is not okay to drop balls. Coach wants us to take his attitude and that attitude will uplift our play and give us confidence."
Q: Describe your style of play compared to Glenn's.
"I think that we are both comparable. We have a friendly competition and feed off of each other. We try to out-do each other, and there is nothing wrong with that, because our play will rise."
Q: You've shown ability to make plays by cutting and leaping over guys- has it always been a big part of your game?
"Yes, I try and do whatever we need, whether it's making plays or jumping over somebody to get a first down. I look towards the defense. When I run I try to set people up."
Q: What is the attitude of the team going into Saturday?
"We are definitely fired up and looking forward to the challenge as a whole. Wisconsin was a good team and it has definitely boosted our confidence."
