EWU vs SHSU - The Wait Is Over
9/28/2013 7:27:00 AM | Football
The Huntsville Item's Gene Schallenberg talked with Sam Houston State head coach Willie Fritz about today's highly anticipated game against second-ranked Eastern Washington.
Item: You've said multiple times how you've got to take it one week at a time. What's it like that now you've finally arrived at this Eastern Washington week?
Fritz: One thing about games like this. You don't have to do a whole lot of motivating. If you can't get up for a game like this, you probably don't have a pulse. I think our guys are raring and ready to go. I think we're going to have a fantastic crowd. I look forward to it.
Item: This is the first game of a home-and-home series with Eastern Washington. Next season the Bearkats will return the game in Cheney. What is it that impresses you most about the EWU program?
Fritz: We know they're a very strong ballclub. I was actually on the sideline when Eastern Washington beat Delaware for the (2010) national championship. I was very impressed with their sideline demeanor and the size of their team. They have very good skill kids. I knew they were going to be a very strong team.
Item: What have you said to your team about this week's game?
Fritz: After the Incarnate Word ballgame, I told them we've got to do the exact same thing we do every week. You've got to have that same preparation each and every week. You only have 12 opportunities that you're guaranteed and you need to make the very best out of those 12 games. When you're playing a high-quality opponent like this, you don't have to hype the game. The game hypes itself.
Item: The Big Sky Conferences annually is rated as one of the tops in FCS. Is that something that's beneficial to face teams from a conference that the Southland is often paired up against in the playoffs?
Fritz: I think that's neat. It's a good rivalry between the two conferences.
Our half of the (FCS playoff) bracket, I think (the Southland Conference and The Big Sky) always going to be together when you're talking about regionalization and playoff implications. They're often going to put Southland teams and Big Sky teams on the same side of the bracket. When I'm talking about regions, I'm talking about our part of the country. We have a hard time trying to find someone to play us. It's always good to play an opponent and obviously the winner of this game is going to have a leg up on the rest of the season.
Item: What does the defense has to do to defend against Eastern Washington quarterback Vernon Adams' play-making abilities and the Eagles' high-flying offense?
Fritz: Last year, we just had some big busts. Sometimes, we had the best coverage we could have, but we have to stay over the top. I've got a saying that the easiest way to get beat is over the top. We've got to do a good job of not allowing those and making them drive the football field and not give up quick easy scores.
The other part is rush integrity. We've got to do a good job of keeping him in the pocket and not allowing him escape lanes. When we blitz, we've got to blitz with speed and with proper leverage as well.
Item: How much of a barometer can this game serve as for the rest of the season as the Kats dive into conference play beginning on Oct. 5?
Fritz: This will be a big barometer for us. They're the No. 2-ranked team in the nation. They're a very good team on offense defense and kicking game. They're very well-coached, very talented. I like the way they conduct themselves on the field. They really play hard and very well-disciplined. This will be a very good measuring stick for us, that's no question.
Item: You've said multiple times how you've got to take it one week at a time. What's it like that now you've finally arrived at this Eastern Washington week?
Fritz: One thing about games like this. You don't have to do a whole lot of motivating. If you can't get up for a game like this, you probably don't have a pulse. I think our guys are raring and ready to go. I think we're going to have a fantastic crowd. I look forward to it.
Item: This is the first game of a home-and-home series with Eastern Washington. Next season the Bearkats will return the game in Cheney. What is it that impresses you most about the EWU program?
Fritz: We know they're a very strong ballclub. I was actually on the sideline when Eastern Washington beat Delaware for the (2010) national championship. I was very impressed with their sideline demeanor and the size of their team. They have very good skill kids. I knew they were going to be a very strong team.
Item: What have you said to your team about this week's game?
Fritz: After the Incarnate Word ballgame, I told them we've got to do the exact same thing we do every week. You've got to have that same preparation each and every week. You only have 12 opportunities that you're guaranteed and you need to make the very best out of those 12 games. When you're playing a high-quality opponent like this, you don't have to hype the game. The game hypes itself.
Item: The Big Sky Conferences annually is rated as one of the tops in FCS. Is that something that's beneficial to face teams from a conference that the Southland is often paired up against in the playoffs?
Fritz: I think that's neat. It's a good rivalry between the two conferences.
Our half of the (FCS playoff) bracket, I think (the Southland Conference and The Big Sky) always going to be together when you're talking about regionalization and playoff implications. They're often going to put Southland teams and Big Sky teams on the same side of the bracket. When I'm talking about regions, I'm talking about our part of the country. We have a hard time trying to find someone to play us. It's always good to play an opponent and obviously the winner of this game is going to have a leg up on the rest of the season.
Item: What does the defense has to do to defend against Eastern Washington quarterback Vernon Adams' play-making abilities and the Eagles' high-flying offense?
Fritz: Last year, we just had some big busts. Sometimes, we had the best coverage we could have, but we have to stay over the top. I've got a saying that the easiest way to get beat is over the top. We've got to do a good job of not allowing those and making them drive the football field and not give up quick easy scores.
The other part is rush integrity. We've got to do a good job of keeping him in the pocket and not allowing him escape lanes. When we blitz, we've got to blitz with speed and with proper leverage as well.
Item: How much of a barometer can this game serve as for the rest of the season as the Kats dive into conference play beginning on Oct. 5?
Fritz: This will be a big barometer for us. They're the No. 2-ranked team in the nation. They're a very good team on offense defense and kicking game. They're very well-coached, very talented. I like the way they conduct themselves on the field. They really play hard and very well-disciplined. This will be a very good measuring stick for us, that's no question.
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