Jeff Monken Press Conference Quotes: Notre Dame

WEST POINT, N.Y. – Army West Point football head coach Jeff Monken met with members of the local media on Tuesday afternoon for his weekly press conference inside Nowak Auditorium. The Black Knights get set to face Notre Dame at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, on Saturday, Nov. 12 at 3:30 p.m. ET

(Ref.: opening statement)
"Good afternoon everybody. We're coming off a disappointing loss that certainly was not our best performance of the year. We were sure disappointed we couldn't play better and give ourselves a chance to win. I think our guys played hard and gave an effort but as you can see there were a lot of mistakes and some errors that were very costly and really hurt us at some bad times. We will move on to face a great program this weekend. What an unbelievable tradition they have at Notre Dame. They're recognized around the college football world. They've got an extremely talented football team. It will be a tremendous challenge for ours guys in terms of the physical matchups.

"We're going to get really into the game plan today and tomorrow and hopefully have it in pretty good order by Thursday. Going into this game, what happens is your transition from a big game and an important game to another one. We'll see some very different things both offensively and defensively and that's the challenge. Our defense going from having to defend an option team to a pro-style offense with an NFL quarterback.

"And they have an entirely different defensive front. There will be some real challenges defensively. They played Navy in probably four different fronts on Saturday. And obviously that gives you a ton to prepare for. It's very difficult. Their linebackers are big and stout. They really stay in there to play the fullback. And it's hard to get the fullback going if that's the case. So we've got a lot to prepare for and we'll get to that this afternoon."

(Ref.: on Notre Dame's 3-6 record)
"I think it's just football, and that happens. They've had opportunities to win a lot of football games, and just haven't had a break go their way or the other team has made a play. That's sports. There's a lot of teams that I think are very talented that aren't having the type of season they hoped for. That doesn't mean they've got poor players, poor coaches or aren't a good team. The guys that line up on the other side have something to do with that as well.

"When people play Notre Dame, it gets the attention of the guys lining up in the opposite uniform. It certainly does for us. Notre Dame is one of the great programs in college football. To have a chance to play them is a big deal for everybody. It certainly is for our team. Notre Dame gets everybody's very best shot, and it's certainly a feather in the cap of anyone who can pull off a victory over the Irish."

(Ref.: on challenges of Notre Dame's defense, and whether their injured players change anything)
"No I don't think they'll change the plan that they have based on the people that they have available. I'm certain that they have guys that are going to fill those roles if they're not capable of playing. We're going to assume that all of them are playing, but it won't change the way we prepare for them, and it won't likely change the way they prepare for us.

"They have good players and the guys that start on that team aren't the only good players in their program. Our physical mismatches won't lessen when they bring in somebody else that may be a backup for them. They're certainly going to be, from a physical standpoint, a lot to handle no matter whom it is."

(Ref.: on impression of offensive line against Air Force)
"I thought they played hard, but I don't think we did a particularly good job at blocking those guys. Had we done that, we would have been able to run the ball better and get more yards on the ground. We did a good job of protecting the passer and we tried to throw it. We had one sack that we gave up and it was off the right edge and we actually had a back that was assigned to that particular defender. I thought the offensive line did a good job from that standpoint, but certainly not what we needed for the run game. It has nothing to do with their effort, but we didn't execute as well as I'd hope. We looked at the film, there were things that we could have done better from a fundamental standpoint. We needed to maintain blocks and get more movement at the point of attack. All things that we have to do better if we are going to move the ball successfully. That will be the case again this week as well, we are going against a team that is very talented and big and they are going to be hard to move out of there."

(Ref.: on facing Notre Dame's big offensive line and explosive offense)
"We have to try to keep the ball away from them. That's what Navy did last week. Notre Dame only had six possessions in the game. They have big people, talented people and they are a great bunch of football players. I've got so much respect for them as athletes and for Coach Brian Kelly and his staff. Their record is not a reflection of what kind of team they are and what they're capable of. Sometimes things don't go your way and you find yourself like they are, but they're an outstanding team. They're going to give us every challenge imaginable. The 300 pounders on the offensive line isn't something new, we face that pretty often. The big offensive line is one challenge and the rest of the guys on the team present several other challenges for us."

(Ref.: on what makes Jay Bateman an effective teacher)
"Jay has done a great job everywhere he's been. He's got a great track record. He and our defensive staff are doing a really good job with the kids we've got in our program. That's not taking anything away from our players, but we don't have 15 parade All-Americans, we have 15 guys who marched in a parade. We're a bunch of guys who are working really hard to be the best that we can be. I think our guys have really embraced the defensive scheme, tried to play it as well as they can and be good fundamental players in terms of tackling and playing blocks. Certainly, we still make mistakes, miss tackles and have tough time getting off of tackles at times. Those are things we'd like to be able to do 100 percent and do well all the time, but our guys have played really hard. We have created some turnovers at key points in certain games, and that's made a difference in us winning some football games.

"I think Jay has got the right temperament for this team. His personality and coaching style is a good fit, and I'm so glad he's on our staff. He's doing a terrific job. The kids like him. He can coach them hard and push them, but they like him and they enjoy playing for him. He's also got a really good supporting cast. Those guys are workin hard too."

(Ref.: on what special opportunities a week like this provides you and your players)
"Well, they're one of the great programs in college football. If you look at the history of college football, Notre Dame is a part of it. From decades ago, the Army program played big games against them, down at Yankee Stadium, at Michie Stadium and in South Bend.

"It's really just a privilege for us to play in a big game like this, against a program with so much history. I think it's really neat for college football."

(Ref.: on injured players)
"Chris Carter was available and ready to go. We just felt like Ahmad Bradshaw was the guy that we felt most comfortable with and had the most confidence in and that is why he went the distance. Andrew King got hurt for one play, but he came back in the next play. He is a tough kid that will go and battle through injuries."

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Jeff Monken Press Conference Quotes: Notre Dame

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