Boston College vs. Pitt Football: Steve Addazio Press Conference Highlights

On Monday, Boston College football coach Steve Addazio met with the media to discuss the UMass win and Friday's game against Pittsburgh. The full transcript is here, but let's hit on the most important questions and answers:

Opening statement...

It's great to start 1-0. That's great. We move forward to Pittsburgh. Here we are playing Pittsburgh who had a great week last week against Delaware. They are a power football team on offense and much like us they are a 4-3 defense. They are off to a great start with a shutout against Delaware. They are very capable football team with their explosiveness. As I said as we prepare this week, our defense gets a good look at them with a power run team. We can simulate their offense. We are a base 4-3 defense like they are we may be a little more pressure orientated.

We got to get our team feeling good this week in a short turnaround. Pittsburgh has the same turnaround but I'm not sure they were in the same style of game we were in. We have to prepare and handle this well. It will have a lot to do with how good football team we playing in. It's the first ACC game ... it's great to be 1-0. Now that all that matters it a way to get to 2-0.

Love to hear that Addazio is comfortable preparing for Pitt given the similarities in scheme on both offense and defense, though I'm not sure how different games against UMass and Delaware are, honestly. I suppose slight edge to BC given they had to go on the "road."

On Harris Williams, who suffered an ankle injury in the win over Massachusetts...

Aaron Kramer played well. Obviously he'll be starting for Harris. Harris will be out. So that's that story...He had an ankle injury and he had surgery. He will be out for an extended period of time. Harris will be fine and will be back this season. We are hoping to get him back somewhere in the 6-8 week range. Aaron is ready to play; Aaron has really prepared and will do a great job. I have all the confidence in the world in Aaron.

Great to hear the timeline for Harris Williams' return. Six-to-eight weeks puts Williams back somewhere between the @ N.C. State and @ Wake Forest games. This year's schedule sets up nicely if Williams can return to form in that time. Looking forward to seeing what Kramer can do over the next few weeks.

On running the ball on offense...

We ran the ball really well [against Massachusetts]. We rushed for 300-something yards. We ran from a variety of plays. We are ahead of where we were last year, schematically. We have a lot of backs but not that one power back yet. Although I thought you saw the development of some of the young backs. I'm pretty please with that piece. I like to get us also have the element having Tyler [Murphy] as a QB run, an option run. He rushed for over 100 yards.

I think the piece I'd like to continue on is the vertically game ... get the ball down the field. We are capable of doing that. So we are working on that. We have sill and ability there but we are young.

On the offensive contributors...

I thought it was nice that everyone had a little piece in there you had Tyler [Rouse], Myles [Willis], Jon [Hilliman] on and got a chance to see Marcus [Outlow] in the end. You saw Sherm [Alston]. You saw all those guys in the run game. You saw Sherm on the fast sweeps. We need to do it as a collection effort ... as a group as opposed to one guy. It was really spread out. That is kind of who we are right now. We are always going to be a heavy run team.

Translation: You saw a lot of redshirts burned (not that this is necessarily a bad thing).

On the kicking game...

Our opinion right now is that Alex Howell has a big leg. He's got a strong leg. Longer field goals belong to Alex. The shorter range is Joey [Launceford] right now. But [Mike] Noel may have the best stroke and best kick on the ball. I think he's going to be a really good kicker. He's young right now. That's where we are today. We'll go into the game just like I said. I thought they handled it well. It was easy last year. [Nate] Freese was our guy and that was it. There was not question and we rolled.

But we got productivity. I just know Howell's got a big leg. He's got to get more consistency with his accuracy. But he has that live leg which you worry about sometimes. They drive the ball a bit. Howell gets it up there with power. So there is no question who has the strongest leg. It's the accuracy part of it is where we are looking at right now. We are so spoiled from [Nate Frese]. He didn't miss anything; he was like automatic.

I'm not sure I don't really have [a distance] figured out in my head [between Howell's kicks and Launceford's]. I just call it out on the sideline. Probably that 30-yard line out is Alex right now. Inside a 30 is probably Joey. It may change. If a guy struggles I'll pull them out of there.

I don't think I can recall a field goal kicking rotation like this for BC ... ever. Perhaps some of the older fans may recall something similar. Seems odd. Definitely something to keep an eye on as the season progresses.

Also, who is this Mike Noel fellow you speak of? Transcription error, or secret FG kicking weapon?

On Pittsburgh...

I can watch their tape. I played against them while I was at Temple. Don [Brown]'s played against them at UConn. I've watched them on tape. We have a good feel for who they are and they have a good feel of who we are. Paul [Chryst] is a really good coach. They do a great job and they have a good staff.

It's not like last week now. We have a good feel and they have a good feel who we are want what we are. They are a good football team, really good. I think they're strong. And the thing about the game is it will be very physical game, because they're a power running outfit. I don't think either program is going to trick each other in this game. We have to play great defense and each team will try and establish a run in the same time. They traditionally have taken more shots down field probably than we have. They have a real go-to guy out there. We have a quarterback run game. Those are the subtle differences.

This is approximately the 30th time Addazio has alluded to being ticked at the lack of film on UMass, give or take. Not like it made a difference.

On BC quarterbacks running...

We feel really good about Darius [Wade] but he's still a young guy. You get [Murphy] running down field and he's taking shots. You lose your quarterback and now you're playing with a true freshman. We happen to think we have got a real good one but we'd like to give him more time to grow before he gets thrown to the wolves. You have to be a little careful.

Single tear rolls down the cheek of Flutie4StartingQB camp.

On the team as a whole...

We are growing and getting better. I told you we are a work in progress. There are a lot of positive things. I also said you have to watch out for the roller coaster ride a bit. We are still on the roller coaster. This will be another good step to take: An ACC game and hopefully a good crowd. And a great atmosphere and you'll begin to see the young players and their bright eyes... with that new scoreboard flashing.

"Hopefully" a good crowd. Translation: show up on Friday night.

-----

Anything else stand out to you? Anything you wish Addazio had addressed from the opening weekend win over UMass?