Blount and the Rams ready for Florida A&M at Circle City Classic

Photo: WSSU Head Coach Kermit Blount

by WSSU Sports Information

WSSU Head Coach Addresses Media And Fans

WINSTON-SALEM, NC - WSSU head football coach Kermit Blount met with members of the media on Wednesday afternoon at the Pig Pickins' on Deacon Boulevard in Winston-Salem in his weekly press conference to address the Rams' upcoming game versus the Florida A&M Rattlers in the 2007 Coca-Cola Circle City Classic in Indianapolis, Indiana.

WSSU Head Coach Kermit Blount

Talk to us about last week...

"It was a disappointing loss for us for a couple of reasons. Number one, defensively we gave up some easy touchdowns. One of the things we have to learn to do as a football team, especially defensively, is not give up big plays. We ended up giving up two big plays last week that really hurt us. Of course offensively we were a little sluggish starting but we finally got it on track where we were able to score a couple of touchdowns that were called back and we missed two field goals so when I look at the scenario, even if we make one of those field goals we don't go into overtime and we win a ball game that we didn't play very well in. But at the same time, this team of ours is a little banged up and we need to get past this one this weekend, take next week and try to rest up and get ready for another road game."

What was the energy level like last week

"I think we may have been a little flat. I think we may be, or seem to be, a tired football team and I can certainly understand that. We've been on the road since the second week of September but at the same time when it comes to playing the game there are no excuses. We didn't play our best football, we didn't start Purvis on the offensive side, we started Dunston, so offensively we got off to a slow start, but defensively we gave up something easy and we can't do that. We've done that two straight weeks in a row. We have to eliminate that, but I think our team may have been a little flat. I think we might have underestimated the ability of Howard and at the same time it was a combination of us being road weary but that's no excuse you still have to go out and play in order to win those ball games."

Talk about the schedule. You guys have six weeks in a row on the road

"Well it's tough, but you know, us coming into and moving up into this division and moving into the conference the schedule has to be adjusted and certainly next year it will be a different kind of schedule for us and I don't think we will ever be in a situation were we have to travel five or six straight weeks. It is what it is, you know, we had to do what we had to do schedule-wise to make sure we are compliant with the MEAC and we have done that to this point so our schedule should balance itself out."

Photo: RS Senior QB Monte Purvis is a passing and running threat for MEAC opponents.

Can you talk about the progress of the passing game?

"Well it is one of the things I talked about last week in that we had to get better at throwing the football and I still think we could have thrown it a little better last week but I was very impressed with the receivers and the way they stepped their game up to play last week and of course Purvis had a outstanding ball game when he finally got himself going. Monte missed four days of practice and Jed Bines missed four days of practice last week so in actuality they didn't practice at all and I think that had something to do with them being a little sluggish starting us off. Once they got on track and got warmed up the offense started to click a little bit."

How do the coaches get the players ready for the things that they will be doing?

"Well the good thing about playing on the road is it's a little easier to maintain your players. You know you can get them their down time and get them their rest because you don't have to worry about people visiting the dormitory on a Friday night so it's a little better on the road in certain instances. The thing we have to do this week is make sure we keep our kids corralled because it's not a pleasure trip for us it's a business trip. Our young men understand that we are going to stay away from all the festivities. We are staying outside the city limits so we are going to monitor things that way. They will have a chance on Friday to get some down time and relax and meet a little more offensively and defensively and special teams but at the same time we are going to prepare to play in this big venue which a lot of kids haven't played in before so its an exciting time and we have to respond to that as a team."

Photo: WSSU defense working over Morgan State runner.

What do you know about Florida A&M?

"Well, you know what Florida A&M presents and brings to the table is a lot of team speed. A football team that we played last year for the first time in the history of the school we felt that we gave one away down there last year. We missed a couple of field goals last year at FAMU that really could have iced the ball game. There were a couple of things that happened and other things that happened that we questioned but at the same time it's a game that we should have won. Our kids remember that game and that one really hurt them pretty bad last year because that was a pretty good run for us. It is going to be an exciting game this weekend and as I normally say, the team that makes the least amount of mistakes and gives up the least amount of big plays is the team that is going to win the ball game and that's something that we are going to have make sure we do this weekend."