GO HAWKS!!!!
News and Notes on the Fly:
Part I of II:
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Trojan head coach Pete Carroll, who doubles as the team's defensive coordinator, understands the problems Banks can pose.
"He's a classic quarterback that has the great skills to run and the speed and elusiveness to cause problems," said the second-year Trojan coach.
"It is real simple what that presents to a defense. It is nothing in the running game, other than they run a lot of boots and nakeds, and you have to be situated for that. The other factor is on a pass, when he drops back, if he does not throw in rhythm, a new play starts.
"Sometimes the new play becomes a draw, sometimes a rollout, sometimes a rollout and throw. There are three or four different things that can happen."
All of this is nothing new to Carroll, who has been a defensive coach most of his career, including his time in the NFL.
"You coach how to stop a normal play, then it starts over again as the play breaks," he said. "That is the problem. It gives them multiplicity to an offense you almost can't design. He rolls out a lot, and if he doesn't see what he wants, he takes off and runs. They do exactly what you should do with a quarterback like that."
That is the kind of dilemma Banks has caused for the previous 11 opponents, too. He has thrown for 2,369 yards and 25 touchdowns, while running for 387 yards and five more scores. Some of those runs are designed, usually on draws, but some are not.
People always ask about using a spy because they heard of it on TV," said Carroll. "But it's not that easy. You put someone on them and, when it comes time, they can't tackle him because it takes more than one guy. So he beats you anyway, and he is running free.
"The other way to take care of a quarterback like that is you have to rush properly, you have to contain well. You need to come out of zone coverage at the right time so he doesn't scramble and throw behind you."
What Carroll was saying is there are many ways to attack a quarterback like Banks, but none of them are magic.
"I've been playing against these guys forever, and you've got to do everything," said Carroll. "There is no one way to do it, no one way to stop a guy. It isn't that easy."
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Quarterback Brad Banks:
Playing in the Orange Bowl- like playing at home?
?I like coming back home. My pops doesn?t have to get on a plane- he hates flying. The rest of my family they are going to be there.?
Would your dad have gone to the Rose Bowl?
?No.?
Are you more motivated by playing at home or the match up against Carson Palmer?
?Playing in front of family ? it has to be. I haven?t had the chance to play in front of a crowd that I have known since high school.?
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Tight End Dallas Clark:
How does your background as a linebacker help being a tight end?
?I think it helps out a little being able to read defenses. Being on that side of the field for a year, I was able to learn what the linebackers are supposed to do towards the offense. I was able to take that knowledge and use it on the offensive side.?
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Coach Kirk Ferentz:
On whether Iowa's best defense is their offense and keeping the ball away from USC ?
?It would certainly help, but that's easier said than done too. I think that's really the biggest understated part of the ballgame. Everybody is focusing on USC?s quarterback rightfully so, the receivers, the running game, but they're excellent on defense. I think they're sixth in the country defensively. Their statistics are outstanding and if you look at the tapes, the way they play on tape backs that up. I think that's probably our biggest challenge right now is to control the ball enough where they're not out there just taking the thing and keeping it one sided.?
?They?ve been very tough to move the ball against. People haven?t score many points against them. People haven?t had much success hanging on to the football. It?s going to be a great challenge for us and we?ll try to rely on our strength, but we?re going to have to be real diverse if we?re going to have a chance to move the ball.?
?They?ve got excellent team speed and they?re very aggressive with their style of defense. Their scheme has people running to the ball pretty freely. They cover their mistakes too pretty well with the kind of speed that they have so they?ll take some chances maybe other teams wouldn?t take. They?re good enough to recover if they do get caught in a bad situation.?
? On whether Iowa would like to have the ball on offense first ?
?That's probably safe to say unless a hurricane blows in or something like that. If we get the chance at it, we'll take it. No sense breaking that tradition.?
? On the importance of good special teams play ?
?They are certainly big in the bowl game and they've been all year for us. We're the kind of football team ? we can't give up any edge. We're not talented enough or good enough so certainly we really have to focus on special teams and work hard. I think our players realize that. If we're going to have a chance in this ballgame we're going to have to play well on special teams. No question.
---------- ---------- ----------
News and Notes on the Fly:
Part I of II:
---------- ---------- ----------
Trojan head coach Pete Carroll, who doubles as the team's defensive coordinator, understands the problems Banks can pose.
"He's a classic quarterback that has the great skills to run and the speed and elusiveness to cause problems," said the second-year Trojan coach.
"It is real simple what that presents to a defense. It is nothing in the running game, other than they run a lot of boots and nakeds, and you have to be situated for that. The other factor is on a pass, when he drops back, if he does not throw in rhythm, a new play starts.
"Sometimes the new play becomes a draw, sometimes a rollout, sometimes a rollout and throw. There are three or four different things that can happen."
All of this is nothing new to Carroll, who has been a defensive coach most of his career, including his time in the NFL.
"You coach how to stop a normal play, then it starts over again as the play breaks," he said. "That is the problem. It gives them multiplicity to an offense you almost can't design. He rolls out a lot, and if he doesn't see what he wants, he takes off and runs. They do exactly what you should do with a quarterback like that."
That is the kind of dilemma Banks has caused for the previous 11 opponents, too. He has thrown for 2,369 yards and 25 touchdowns, while running for 387 yards and five more scores. Some of those runs are designed, usually on draws, but some are not.
People always ask about using a spy because they heard of it on TV," said Carroll. "But it's not that easy. You put someone on them and, when it comes time, they can't tackle him because it takes more than one guy. So he beats you anyway, and he is running free.
"The other way to take care of a quarterback like that is you have to rush properly, you have to contain well. You need to come out of zone coverage at the right time so he doesn't scramble and throw behind you."
What Carroll was saying is there are many ways to attack a quarterback like Banks, but none of them are magic.
"I've been playing against these guys forever, and you've got to do everything," said Carroll. "There is no one way to do it, no one way to stop a guy. It isn't that easy."
--------- ---------- ----------
Quarterback Brad Banks:
Playing in the Orange Bowl- like playing at home?
?I like coming back home. My pops doesn?t have to get on a plane- he hates flying. The rest of my family they are going to be there.?
Would your dad have gone to the Rose Bowl?
?No.?
Are you more motivated by playing at home or the match up against Carson Palmer?
?Playing in front of family ? it has to be. I haven?t had the chance to play in front of a crowd that I have known since high school.?
---------- ---------- ----------
Tight End Dallas Clark:
How does your background as a linebacker help being a tight end?
?I think it helps out a little being able to read defenses. Being on that side of the field for a year, I was able to learn what the linebackers are supposed to do towards the offense. I was able to take that knowledge and use it on the offensive side.?
---------- ---------- ----------
Coach Kirk Ferentz:
On whether Iowa's best defense is their offense and keeping the ball away from USC ?
?It would certainly help, but that's easier said than done too. I think that's really the biggest understated part of the ballgame. Everybody is focusing on USC?s quarterback rightfully so, the receivers, the running game, but they're excellent on defense. I think they're sixth in the country defensively. Their statistics are outstanding and if you look at the tapes, the way they play on tape backs that up. I think that's probably our biggest challenge right now is to control the ball enough where they're not out there just taking the thing and keeping it one sided.?
?They?ve been very tough to move the ball against. People haven?t score many points against them. People haven?t had much success hanging on to the football. It?s going to be a great challenge for us and we?ll try to rely on our strength, but we?re going to have to be real diverse if we?re going to have a chance to move the ball.?
?They?ve got excellent team speed and they?re very aggressive with their style of defense. Their scheme has people running to the ball pretty freely. They cover their mistakes too pretty well with the kind of speed that they have so they?ll take some chances maybe other teams wouldn?t take. They?re good enough to recover if they do get caught in a bad situation.?
? On whether Iowa would like to have the ball on offense first ?
?That's probably safe to say unless a hurricane blows in or something like that. If we get the chance at it, we'll take it. No sense breaking that tradition.?
? On the importance of good special teams play ?
?They are certainly big in the bowl game and they've been all year for us. We're the kind of football team ? we can't give up any edge. We're not talented enough or good enough so certainly we really have to focus on special teams and work hard. I think our players realize that. If we're going to have a chance in this ballgame we're going to have to play well on special teams. No question.
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