University of Massachusets Athletics
Ask The Coach
October 22, 2001 | Football
Oct. 22, 2001
Here are the responses from head football coach Mark Whipple, from the questions you submitted to "Ask The Coach" on umassathletics.com:
Joe from New Orleans, La., asked: Were you happy with the team's victory over James Madison last Saturday?
"We picked up a win and we got better, but we still have our work cut out for us. Our defense only allowed two big plays, and just one touchdown, so we were happy with their performance. I liked the fact that after we had a tipped ball returned for a touchdown, our kids did not panic on the sidelines. We are still not great, but we got better. All you can ask for is to keep getting better."
Ryan from Taunton, Mass., asked: Quarterback Matt Guice has had some outstanding games over the last few weeks. How important was his play in getting the team a win against James Madison?
"He probably had a lot to do with the team focusing. His second pass of the game gets intercepted, after he had four passes picked off the week before, but after that he played pretty well. He is throwing the deep ball better and our receivers are on the same page, even though we dropped eight, including a couple of touchdown passes. But Guice played better. I will never question his character or his toughness. His decisions were better and he made some plays on his own. I think he had his best game, but we still have a long, long way to go."
Misty from Paradise, Calif., asked: What did you think about punter David Sanger's performance against James Madison?
"It is strange when you score 43 points and still punt eight times, and it is really strange for us because it means we did not turn the ball over. After the second play of the game, we did not turn the ball over. James Madison took care of the football as well, and both teams had long fields. But Sanger kicked the ball well. He has been solid for two years, and he did not kick as well early in the season because we had a different snapper. Now that Jeremy Cain is back, I think David is into a better rhythm. He made a big kick right before the half, and had a good game."
Seth from Framingham, Mass., asked: How do assess the play of the defense this season?
"Up front, we have had some injuries. We have three guys out, so we are just putting packages together to try to stem the tide. Valdamar Brower is playing very well, and the backups are working hard. We hope to get Adam Waters back in the next week or two, which would really help us. We are really solid at linebacker now that Jeremy Cain is back in the lineup. He is probably as good as any linebacker in the league. Anton McKenzie is a good player, and he and Corey Potter make us solid at the linebacker position. In the secondary, when Jeremy Robinson plays well, then we do a good job. We are really young on defense. We have only two seniors starting, and they really need to lead our defense."
Stephanie from Anchorage, Alaska, asked: Are you happy with the way the offense has developed over the last few games?
"We did not run the ball well last week, but I did not think we would against James Madison. We also allowed seven sacks, so we still need to improve on the offensive line. At wide receiver, Neal Brown is solid, and DeShon Hardy has had some really good games. Adonis Kinsey made some big plays for us last weekend, and Jason Peebler has played well for a true freshman. Kevin Quinlan is a solid player at running back, but he is not Marcel Shipp or Brian Westbrook. If we have Omari Howard healthy, it helps us and gives us a decent combination running the ball. We really need to have everybody playing well. We are not playing very efficiently, but we have the chance to make big plays."
Jim from Medway, Mass., asked: What do you think the team's chances are at Villanova this Saturday?
"We have to hold onto the ball to have a chance. Last weekend was the first time all year we did that. They are going to score. Brian Westbrook is the best player in the league, and maybe the best in the country. They have very good players, so we can not give them a short field. We just need to continue to improve. We are still young - we are starting 14 freshmen and sophomores. The good thing is that they do not know we have not won a game at Villanova since 1962, and I am not going to tell that to them."
Thanks to everyone who submitted questions, and be sure to check back at "Ask The Coach" for more chances to interact with UMass coaches and administrators.
