Post by rainman on Oct 10, 2007 5:47:38 GMT -5
Rodriguez pleased most with players’ focus in first half
By Mickey Furfari
For the Times West Virginian
MORGANTOWN— Coach Rich Rodriguez has been pleased most with his West Virginia squad’s focus every week in posting a 5-1 record during the 2007 football season’s first half.
“We’ve had really good practices and also have been focused, even in the game we lost,” he said Tuesday afternoon at his weekly press conference.
“Our guys have paid attention to detail. I’m pleased that they have been early for meetings and on time for practices.”
However, he believes that the eighth-ranked Mountaineers can still play a lot better fundamentally.
“We talked a lot Monday on the difference between success and excellence,” Rodriguez said. “Excellence is really the maximum of potential.
“We always strive for excellence. This is how people compare you with someone else.”
He thinks WVU has been excellent a lot of times and has fallen short of that level at other times.
“But I’m sure there are 118 other Division I teams that say the same thing,” he added.
“You build a program based on excellence, and success is a byproduct. A 5-1 record is not as good as 6-0. But 5-1 is better than 1-5.
“We’ll take it and get a new start for the second half. We have some big, challenging games coming up.”
With an open date this week, the Mountaineers won’t resume action until Saturday, Oct. 20, against Mississippi State (4-2).
Rodriguez said quarterback Patrick White, who incurred a shoulder sprain in last Saturday’s 55-14 victory at Syracuse, continues to show improvement.
“He’ll be very limited all week in practice and probably not throw the ball until the weekend,” he explained. “But he should be fine by the middle of next week.”
Rodriguez sounded irritated when a reporter brought up the 21-13 upset loss at South Florida, which now is 5-0 and ranked No. 5 in both major polls.
“It’s in the past,” the veteran coach responded. “There’s nothing we can do about it. All we can do is learn from it and get better.
“We control what we can control. We’re not going to hang our heads. Before the end of the year, a lot can happen.
“Very rarely is a team going undefeated. You’re seeing that now. I’m not worried where we’re ranked. I’m not worried about the national championship.
“I’m only concerned about winning the next game. I think you learn something from every game.”
WVU had a season-high six turnovers, and those enabled USF to jump out to an early lead in the game at Tampa.
“It’s not good to turn the ball over,” Rodriguez continued. “It’s not good to have interceptions and fumbles. It’s not good to call a bad play, which I did.”
He has mentioned all fall that there are a lot of good players everywhere. And he noted that some true upsets are popping up — including those at Southern Cal and Michigan.
Rodriguez admittedly resents any allegation that his team is unprepared for a game.
“It bothers me when Joe Blow Fan ... says, ‘Boy, this team is not prepared.’ How do you know? Our practices are closed.
“All I can judge is on what I see. Our players were very focused that week. They couldn’t wait to go out there.
“Football is an interesting sport. People know less about it, but could learn more. Our players know when you don’t execute against a good team, especially on the road, you’re going to get beat at their place.”
Rodriguez went on to say WVU has been fortunate in being able to overcome some bad plays earlier this year and last year and still win the game.
But that wasn’t the case at South Florida.
“We had a lot of bad plays and we got beat,” he said. “There was some bad coaching at times, too.
“South Florida played better than we did. I wish I could do it over but can’t.”
By Mickey Furfari
For the Times West Virginian
MORGANTOWN— Coach Rich Rodriguez has been pleased most with his West Virginia squad’s focus every week in posting a 5-1 record during the 2007 football season’s first half.
“We’ve had really good practices and also have been focused, even in the game we lost,” he said Tuesday afternoon at his weekly press conference.
“Our guys have paid attention to detail. I’m pleased that they have been early for meetings and on time for practices.”
However, he believes that the eighth-ranked Mountaineers can still play a lot better fundamentally.
“We talked a lot Monday on the difference between success and excellence,” Rodriguez said. “Excellence is really the maximum of potential.
“We always strive for excellence. This is how people compare you with someone else.”
He thinks WVU has been excellent a lot of times and has fallen short of that level at other times.
“But I’m sure there are 118 other Division I teams that say the same thing,” he added.
“You build a program based on excellence, and success is a byproduct. A 5-1 record is not as good as 6-0. But 5-1 is better than 1-5.
“We’ll take it and get a new start for the second half. We have some big, challenging games coming up.”
With an open date this week, the Mountaineers won’t resume action until Saturday, Oct. 20, against Mississippi State (4-2).
Rodriguez said quarterback Patrick White, who incurred a shoulder sprain in last Saturday’s 55-14 victory at Syracuse, continues to show improvement.
“He’ll be very limited all week in practice and probably not throw the ball until the weekend,” he explained. “But he should be fine by the middle of next week.”
Rodriguez sounded irritated when a reporter brought up the 21-13 upset loss at South Florida, which now is 5-0 and ranked No. 5 in both major polls.
“It’s in the past,” the veteran coach responded. “There’s nothing we can do about it. All we can do is learn from it and get better.
“We control what we can control. We’re not going to hang our heads. Before the end of the year, a lot can happen.
“Very rarely is a team going undefeated. You’re seeing that now. I’m not worried where we’re ranked. I’m not worried about the national championship.
“I’m only concerned about winning the next game. I think you learn something from every game.”
WVU had a season-high six turnovers, and those enabled USF to jump out to an early lead in the game at Tampa.
“It’s not good to turn the ball over,” Rodriguez continued. “It’s not good to have interceptions and fumbles. It’s not good to call a bad play, which I did.”
He has mentioned all fall that there are a lot of good players everywhere. And he noted that some true upsets are popping up — including those at Southern Cal and Michigan.
Rodriguez admittedly resents any allegation that his team is unprepared for a game.
“It bothers me when Joe Blow Fan ... says, ‘Boy, this team is not prepared.’ How do you know? Our practices are closed.
“All I can judge is on what I see. Our players were very focused that week. They couldn’t wait to go out there.
“Football is an interesting sport. People know less about it, but could learn more. Our players know when you don’t execute against a good team, especially on the road, you’re going to get beat at their place.”
Rodriguez went on to say WVU has been fortunate in being able to overcome some bad plays earlier this year and last year and still win the game.
But that wasn’t the case at South Florida.
“We had a lot of bad plays and we got beat,” he said. “There was some bad coaching at times, too.
“South Florida played better than we did. I wish I could do it over but can’t.”
