North Carolina State University Athletics
Coaches Quotes From Bobby Bowden and Chuck Amato
10/24/2000 12:00:00 AM | Football
On the Virginia Game
"After the game, I was so disappointed with our offense. Then I saw
we
had 500 yards. I don't know where they came from. All I remember is what
we
couldn't make plays. That comes from wanting to be perfect.
"Virginia plays a very confusing coverage in their secondary. They
are
always high in interceptions. Their secondary just kind of hovers and it's
hard to tell whether a guy is going to come up or go back."
On Chris Weinke
"It does look like he is going to have to play the rest of the year
with a level of discomfort (injured left foot). The trainers have it
wrapped up so
well that there's not much danger of any further injury. We don't have an
open
week, or I would just sit him down for the whole week. That's about the
only
thing that will help it is rest. We'll just hope it's a little better this
week. If it doesn't get any worse we should be okay we don't run him. If
you
had an offense where you ran him you'd be in trouble.
About NC State Game
"They know a whole lot more about us than we know about them. He
(Chuck Amato) has been around all of us. Now, we know more about him, but
we don't
know their offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator.
"They've got an open date again (FSU's last two opponents also had open dates before the FSU game). The question is what will they put in? They have a flare for the trick play. They throw the ball all around. What will they put in in an open week?
On Facing His Former Assistant
"To be honest having him there eases it (the pressure) some. With
so
much riding on it, at least it's not somebody from the west coast, or
somewhere, beating you. Like last year it's your son, or somebody you
know.
"I don't want to lose to him and he doesn't want to lose to me, no
matter how jovial and back slapping we are during the week.
On Chuck Amato
"He is sharp, analytical, always optimistic and very smart. He used
to
come in and sit in on our offensive meetings. He would ask if he could
listen
in because he wanted to learn it. Now I wish he hadn't. But he wanted to
learn it all.
"He's got them believing they can do it. That's the first thing you've got to do is make them believe. If you can't do that, forget it.
"It's good if your assistants move up to a better job. That's what I want. It's bad if you see them move laterally. That means they didn't like you much, or didn't want to work for you. What you've got to decide is if it's a good job or a career ending job. Lot's of people take jobs and a few years later are out of coaching. I didn't think he could turn down his alma mater.
"I would pull for Chuck. I hate to say that for the other coaches, but I would pull for him.
On NC State
"Rivers means to them what Weinke means to us. He ties all that
skill
together. If you can't get the ball to the receivers, or you can't protect
your passer, forget it. But I'm amazed at what he (Rivers) has done. He
did
have the spring and that helped some. His dad is a coach and coach's sons
sometimes have a little something special. A better feel for the game. But
to
do what he has as a freshman is remarkable.
On NC State Win Two Years Ago
"I'll remind my team of everything I can think of. This NC State
team
has similarities to the one that beat us. That team had a Holt - this team
has
a Robinson. That team had a good running back - this team has a good
running
back. I know some of the pros think that Robinson may be the best wide out
in
the country.
"Two years ago we allowed a great player to be great. They had a great scheme, but we've seen what Torry Holt is doing in the pros. He's returning punts for touchdowns, making great catches.
On Reaching Toughest Part of Schedule With Three Ranked Opponents in Four
Weeks
"The intensity kind of takes care of itself when the other team is
ranked. Our coaches won't let them (players) slack off physically. But if
you're playing a team way down there you've got a chance not to be ready
mentally.
"It's probably better for us that the schedule is getting to the toughest part of the conference now.
"We need some of the top people to get knocked off. If we win all our games, we still need something to happen. I don't worry about Clemson and Florida because we play them. I want them to do well.
On Why He Has Retained His Assistants So Well
"I think success has kept them here. Tallahassee is a good place to
live, and I let them coach. When I was an assistant it meant a lot to me
(to
be allowed to coach). I would hate for someone to tell me every step of the
way.
"I feel fortunate that we've been able to keep them here. They're good and they've done a heck of a job. The problem is you can't promote them all. You've only got one assistant head coach and two coordinators. They all deserve to move up.
NC STATE HEAD COACH CHUCK AMATO
On FSU
"I know the mentality because it happened two years ago on the second
game of the year when NC State beat Florida State," Amato said. "Because
of the Miami loss, I guarantee you that somebody is saying, 'we are in
the playoffs now at Florida State.' Their goal is to win the national
championship every year, not once every 10 years. To have a chance to win
the national championship, they have to win out. They're going to play
one at a time and there doesn't have to be any pep talks. You don't win
10 games or more 13 years in a row, or end up in the top four 13 years in
a row if you don't set your standards high."
On sneaking up on FSU
"We're not going to Pearl Harbor them, believe me. Nobody's going to do
that to them for the rest of the season. They're not going to overlook us
because of what's going to happen the following week (when they play arch
rival Florida). If something happens this week, the following week is a
moot point to them. It's like you're in the water and you're swimming
around and you cut your toe and there's five sharks coming at that blood.
They smell that blood down there; they want to get a piece of it because
they want a piece of another ring."
On Drew Wimsatt
He's real rusty," Amato said. "It's good to know that he could be
available for the game, but he still has a ways to go. He's getting
better.
