North Carolina State University Athletics
Q&A With Football Coach Chuck Amato
9/28/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 28, 2005
Now 1-2 following last Saturday's 31-24 defeat to North Carolina, the NC State football team has an open date this weekend before it swings back into action with a nationally televised game (ESPN-7:30) at Georgia Tech next Thursday night. Following Wednesday's practice, Wolfpack head coach Chuck Amato spent a few minutes with Gopack.com's Tony Haynes to answer some questions about the current state of the NC State football program.
TH: What do you feel is the state of your program?
Coach Amato: "No one, and I mean no one, is more disappointed with losses than I am. I hate to lose, my coaches hate to lose and my players hate to lose. We don't go out there and bust our fannies every day to lose. And losing to our rival is certainly harder to swallow than any other losses. But having said that, I don't feel that one loss means that we have huge problems in our program. I believe that we are doing things the right way and that we have a good team and can have a good season. I know that we are headed in the right direction - we might not be getting there as fast as I would like or others would like, but we have made huge strides. We have been competitive in just about every game we've played since I've been here. But we are not going to flinch. My coaches know more than anyone that we need to get better and we are working hard every day to do that. Our only focus right now is on beating Georgia Tech. I learned a long, long time ago that when hard times come, you've got to say, `What are we gonna do now? Are we gonna scatter like a covey of quail or are we going to get tighter and keep going.' To quote one of my oldest friends and one of the greatest people in Wolfpack history, "If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that's a full day." That same friend also said, "Don't ever give up" and I'm going to stick to that."
Do you think some fans are growing antsy because of the investment, both financially and emotionally, they have made to the program?
Coach Amato: "I have said over and over and emphasized to our team that we owe our fans. I have been outspoken from the day I got here about the investment that our fans have made in this program. I don't take that for granted for one second and anyone who has ever heard me speak or do an interview knows how I feel about that. I'm GLAD that our fans care so much. Who else in America has fans that care this much? I'm human, I don't like criticism, but I'll tell you one thing, I'd rather have fans who care than fans who aren't interested."
TH: How do you respond to the criticism?
Coach Amato: "I have never responded to random criticism, but I have always responded to individuals who want to talk to me. When I am asked a question about 'fans' saying this or 'fans' wanting that, I want to know who those 'fans' are. But I think I have always been willing to answer any question that our people ask me. We have to stick together. This is a crucial time for recruiting and for our team and the worst thing that could happen is for us to be divided. I have always emphasized to our players that we are a family. When things get tough, families should get closer."
What more can be done to limit the costly penalties?
Coach Amato: "That has been one of the most frustrating things for our staff. We have made eliminating penalties a huge emphasis for two seasons now. We have officials at every practice and players are punished for penalties just like they have been throughout my career. I've never advertised what those punishments are - those stay inside the family. But it's something that has to get better. That's not an option."
TH: What is the team's attitude right now?
Coach Amato: "I think our team has a great attitude. I had a good talk with the seniors on Sunday and we had a great team meeting on Monday. Yesterday was our first practice and it was spirited and good. I have always told our guys that we need to look ahead, not look back. We've watched the film from last week's game and we know what mistakes need to be corrected. Our ONLY focus right now is on going down to Georgia Tech and taking care of business."
