Colt McCoy Q&A: September 4
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Colt McCoy
On the magnitude of the Ohio State game: North Texas was a big game too, that was my first game. Offensively, we played really well. We made a few mistakes, but we’ll correct them and be ready to go for Saturday. Defensively, I don’t think they even allowed North Texas 100 yards on offense. It was a good team effort. We just have to get better and be ready for next week.
On being prepared for Ohio State’s tendency to blitz: I’ve just got to have my eyes right. I’ve got to have my eyes in the situation and know where the blitzes are coming from. They blitzed a lot last year. I know they did, and I watched their game on Saturday and they blitzed a lot in that game too. So they’ll be bringing it, I just need to have my eyes right, know where my protection is and just be ready.
On any personal criticism from the North Texas game: I almost threw an interception one time. That was just a bad decision. I had an open guy on the backside that was my third choice, but I didn’t go through the whole one, two to three. So that was a mistake I made. You just have to correct that, know what you did wrong, and be ready to go in the next week.
On being given access to audibles: We have audibles, and if I see something, then I have the ability to audible. It’s just a game plan thing. We’re going to work on them, I know they’re going to be blitzing a lot. We just have to be ready. I need to know where my protections are. The offensive line is going to do a great job picking it up. They did tremendous last year and they did great on Saturday also. With a good week of practice, and a good week of practice knowing what they’re going to do, we’ll be ready.
On feeling poised as a quarterback: Vince [Young] was the best at having poise. He was a leader; he was confident. The most important thing about poise is to go out there and have fun, be loose and relaxed, but also know where your problems are, know what the game plan is and know what you have to do. So when you talk about poise, I think the most important thing is to have fun. If you have fun, you’re going to lead your team and you’re going to have a good game.
On playing Ohio State last year: That was the second ball game. The first game, Louisiana-Lafayette, I was ecstatic. I was excited to run through that tunnel, being on the field and it was loud. Then we went to Ohio State, and I couldn’t even hear myself think. It was fun. I got to watch them; I got to watch their defense and learn a little bit about what they’re doing and be involved. It’s going to be a good game on Saturday.
On Ohio State’s loss of starters and the problems it may pose for their team: It’s not really hard to get a read. They have tremendous athletes. Just like here, if somebody great leaves, we’re going to have somebody to take their place. So that is definitely not a problem for them. They’ve got great talent and great speed. Their defensive line is really big and they’ve got a really good game plan, and they’re going to do a lot of the same stuff they did last year, but we’ll be ready for their blitzes. With a good week of practice, Coach Davis will have the offense ready, and Coach Chizik will have the defense ready. What more can you ask for than having the number one team come here and the great challenge? It’s going to be really good for college football.
On the importance of getting started with a good first series: Well obviously when you step out on the field, you want to come out on top and have a great series to get the momentum in your favor. Having a good first series is really important. They might do something totally different on that first series, but we just have to figure it out, stay focused and do what the defense tells us to do.
On feeling like he has something to prove to the Ohio State defense: I don’t really think I have something to prove; I just want to go out there with my teammates. The offensive line, their veterans, they’ve been here before and they’ve been in this situation so they’re going to be fine. The running backs and receivers are going to do great, so we just have to go out there and play. Coach Davis tells me everyday, ‘Don’t try to do something that’s not there, just do what the defense tells you to do.’
On the great plays and catches made by the receivers versus North Texas: That helped a lot, but they’ve been doing that all summer and all throughout the fall camp so I knew we were going to be able to execute and I knew guys were going to step up and make big plays. That was really assuring; I had all the time in the world behind the offensive line and things clicked. We’ll get the game plan ready for this week and hopefully we’ll do the same on Saturday.
On the rhythm between he and Limas Sweed: It’s great, I couldn’t ask for more. Limas [Sweed] worked hard all summer, he really wanted to step his game up. He told me this summer, he said, ‘Look, have fun. Just be yourself, don’t try to do something that you can’t do, and just go out there and play.’ I really took to that and now I just go out there play. We’ve really developed a rhythm, but it’s the same with all of the other receivers. All the other receivers are doing great also. We worked with them in the summer; everybody was dedicated, they wanted to be good and they want to win. We just have to go out there and keep executing.
On anticipating a tough defense on Saturday against Ohio State: Well North Texas was my first game, but I play against our first team defense everyday. We’ll see on Saturday, I’m sure they’re going to be great. Going against our first-team defense everyday in practice gives our receivers, offensive line and myself a great look because they do a lot of the same things. We’ll be ready.
On his role last year: I just stood on the side right beside the coordinator who called the plays, and he would lean over and tell me what the play was. And I would just try and figure out what they were doing defensively. I really couldn’t hear anything, I really couldn’t think. Sometimes I would get to do a dummy signal, but that’s it. They expected me to pay attention and know what was going on in case something happened.
On controlling his nerves: The secret is to just be confidant, go out there and have fun. Having fun is the secret. If you have fun then you’re going to be loose and relaxed and ready for whatever the defense throws at you, and your teammates will see that also.
On learning to watch film: I watched film growing up with a lot of people. What I do is watch the play; I like to see what happens, and then go back and study it and see what the defense did and see if I can pick up any tips or anything. Coach Davis also does a great job of relaying to me how to watch film. When we watch film together, he sees a lot of things, and he does a great job of letting me know what he sees.
On the how watching film has helped him: To play quarterback here, you’re going to go up against top-notch competition all the time, so you definitely need to be able to pick up tips, pick up little signs about what they are going to do defensively.
On being “coachable”: I am coachable, but you have to be. Playing at this level, the coaches are really smart they know exactly what they are doing and you listen to them and pick at them all the time they’re going to get you right.
On gaining confidence from last week’s game: It’s nice. I mean I just need to go out there, play my game, play with my teammates, be confident, be loose, and find the end zone with my teammates. I know our defense is going to be great so if we put points on the board I know we’re going to have a good chance.
On his hometown Tuscola: There’s not even a Dairy Queen, and you don’t even have to stop at the stoplight – just drive threw (laughter). I loved living there. Everyone is so supportive, everyone knows each other, and nobody locks their doors. It was great - I couldn’t ask to grow up in a better place.
On Ohio State’s defensive: Defensively, they are really good and really fast. I know they lost a few linebackers and a couple people off their secondary, but they’re just like us, and they have people to replace them that are just as good. They are well coached, they know what they are doing on their blitzes, and what they do on their secondary is really good. So, we’re going to have a tough challenge, but we’ll be ready.
On this week’s game: It’s going to be awesome. I mean, now that I’ve played in a game and have that under my belt, I just need to go out there and have fun like I said and play with my teammates. My teammates are going to do a great job, and we’re going to be well coached and well prepared so we’ll see what happens.
On being recognized now: Things change when you play quarterback here, but that’s what it's all about. You just need to play, have fun, and play for the fans. We have so many fans and they are so supportive.
On Ohio State QB Troy Smith: Troy Smith is a great quarterback. I can’t say enough about him. He knows what he is doing. I’m not going to compare him to Vince (Young), but he is a lot like him; he can run and throw and he has been in that program he knows what he is doing and he has great players surrounding him. They’re really good offensively.
On not having a soda since sixth grade: It is true; I haven’t had a carbonated beverage since sixth grade. I was about to start seventh grade and I just wanted to see if I could be dedicated to something; see if I could dedicate and challenge myself not to do something and that was the best thing so I still haven’t had one to this day. It was hard; I mean I loved Dr. Pepper. I used to drink like six a day. I drink Gatorade, water, juices, and milk. I drink about half a gallon of milk a day - that’s my thing.
On the biggest crowd he played for before he came to UT: I think 10,000 if that many. It was the state semi-final game in Abilene, Texas. We played against Shallow Water.
