MEET THE PRESS: Fritz Previews Houston at Weekly News Conference
Oct 5, 2021 | Football
NEW ORLEANS - Listed below is the complete transcript from Green Wave football head coach Willie Fritz's weekly press conference leading up to Tulane's matchup vs. Houston on Thursday.
Â
Opening Statement
"I've played a lot of Thursday games here, and you've got to have a different format. We came back on Sunday, we got our lift of the week done and watched the film from Saturday. We also turned the page and got ready for Houston and had a big practice yesterday. We cut back a little today and we will cut back a whole lot tomorrow. The last thing you want is for the guys to be tired on gameday Thursday evening. We've got a lot of time right now. We always talk about the final 48-hours. They should eat right, sleep in, stay off their feet, hydrate, and get rid of distractions. They can rest up, we really have more like 56, 57 hours. Looking forward, they're a big challenge. Houston has a very good ball club. Their defense is playing extremely well right now, they are very aggressive up front. They play with a lot of leverage and good tight man coverage. The safeties do a good job of triggering down and playing the run against you, and offensively they have a lot of weapons. They have a very experienced quarterback, a good skill set with their receivers, and they're very potent in their kicking game with the best punt returner in the country, Marcus Jones. Their kick returner is dynamic as well. So we are going to have to play well in all three phases."
Â
As the leader of the program right now, do you feel like you are being tested and your team is being tested when you go through a stretch like this?
"It's difficult, we knew coming into the season that we had a really tough schedule without question. But we've got to play really well. I've told our guys that our margin for error is very small, we have got to play well. I don't think we've played very well, and sometimes during stretches it's the offense, it's the defense, sometimes it's the kicking game. We have won a lot of ball games around here with all three phases playing well and that allows you to get an opportunity to win in the fourth quarter and that's where we have got to be. We need to be within striking distance and have that opportunity to win."
Â
These slow starts you have had recently, is that strictly execution or do you look at pregame efforts and off the field things leading up to kickoff?
"Some of it is adjustments and some of it is execution. Sometimes you get away with nine of the 11 guys doing the right thing, but if the two guys who are doing the wrong thing are at the point of attack — offensively or defensively — you can't overcome it. That happened a few times defensively where we were there running the ball and had a guy out of the gap. When he was supposed to be in the D he got in the C gap. We were supposed to have an edge fitter and he fit inside. So that really gets you. If they'd been calling the other way we could overcome it by mistake, but they didn't. And same thing with our offense, we had a couple play calls early in the game where we needed a block at the point of attack and would have had a nice play, but we didn't get the block. It's a combination of both things, and sometimes we need to make adjustments. Sometimes we need to do things a bit differently than what they are prepared for and they are going to do some things differently and both the players and the coaches need to adjust to it."
Â
Do you think that it has been harder to replace those guys from the defensive line than you thought it would be?
"Without question they are great players, they are both playing a ton in the NFL right now, so they are pretty darn good players. I think Patrick (Johnson) got his first start last week and I know Cam (Cameron Sample) got a sack two weeks ago. Both are great players but we have a lot of guys back. Part of our slogan for our team is recruit, retain, develop. We feel like we have guys who could step into those spots. Do we think they're going to be as good as those two guys right now? No, they're going to have to get a little bit better. But we have other guys who are older and who should be improved and should be better. Those guys, and anytime you lose a good player, it's difficult to replace, but I feel like we've got enough where we should still have a good defense."
Â
Last year you guys won there (ECU) and it was an emotional game. Do you feel like you underestimated the intensity that they would come after you guys with?
"No, they've got a bunch of big, tall, long and fast athletes. They are very talented. We knew that we were going to have to play really well in order to win. I followed the book and we went after it there at the end of the first half with some timeouts and tried to get the ball. We needed to play catch up. We were receiving the opening kick in the second half, and it was one of the few times I wish I hadn't followed the book. We came within striking distance and got down two scores. We had a fake punt and threw a pick on the very next play. We just didn't play with momentum throughout the game. You've got to make plays and we had a couple calls defensively where we were supposed to be over the top and we weren't. We've got to do a better job calling and executing. I don't sit around and point a finger at players, coaches, trainers or managers. It's everybody involved in the program, we have to get better. As head coach, I've got to get better."
ÂÂÂÂ
Jalen McCleskey was here today, what are your thoughts reflecting on him?
"We're hoping Jalen gets into camp here, he's really close. He pulled his hamstring while we was with the Saints and has been working to get back to full speed and hopefully he's picked up by somebody. He's a fine fine young man."
Â
Â
Opening Statement
"I've played a lot of Thursday games here, and you've got to have a different format. We came back on Sunday, we got our lift of the week done and watched the film from Saturday. We also turned the page and got ready for Houston and had a big practice yesterday. We cut back a little today and we will cut back a whole lot tomorrow. The last thing you want is for the guys to be tired on gameday Thursday evening. We've got a lot of time right now. We always talk about the final 48-hours. They should eat right, sleep in, stay off their feet, hydrate, and get rid of distractions. They can rest up, we really have more like 56, 57 hours. Looking forward, they're a big challenge. Houston has a very good ball club. Their defense is playing extremely well right now, they are very aggressive up front. They play with a lot of leverage and good tight man coverage. The safeties do a good job of triggering down and playing the run against you, and offensively they have a lot of weapons. They have a very experienced quarterback, a good skill set with their receivers, and they're very potent in their kicking game with the best punt returner in the country, Marcus Jones. Their kick returner is dynamic as well. So we are going to have to play well in all three phases."
Â
As the leader of the program right now, do you feel like you are being tested and your team is being tested when you go through a stretch like this?
"It's difficult, we knew coming into the season that we had a really tough schedule without question. But we've got to play really well. I've told our guys that our margin for error is very small, we have got to play well. I don't think we've played very well, and sometimes during stretches it's the offense, it's the defense, sometimes it's the kicking game. We have won a lot of ball games around here with all three phases playing well and that allows you to get an opportunity to win in the fourth quarter and that's where we have got to be. We need to be within striking distance and have that opportunity to win."
Â
These slow starts you have had recently, is that strictly execution or do you look at pregame efforts and off the field things leading up to kickoff?
"Some of it is adjustments and some of it is execution. Sometimes you get away with nine of the 11 guys doing the right thing, but if the two guys who are doing the wrong thing are at the point of attack — offensively or defensively — you can't overcome it. That happened a few times defensively where we were there running the ball and had a guy out of the gap. When he was supposed to be in the D he got in the C gap. We were supposed to have an edge fitter and he fit inside. So that really gets you. If they'd been calling the other way we could overcome it by mistake, but they didn't. And same thing with our offense, we had a couple play calls early in the game where we needed a block at the point of attack and would have had a nice play, but we didn't get the block. It's a combination of both things, and sometimes we need to make adjustments. Sometimes we need to do things a bit differently than what they are prepared for and they are going to do some things differently and both the players and the coaches need to adjust to it."
Â
Do you think that it has been harder to replace those guys from the defensive line than you thought it would be?
"Without question they are great players, they are both playing a ton in the NFL right now, so they are pretty darn good players. I think Patrick (Johnson) got his first start last week and I know Cam (Cameron Sample) got a sack two weeks ago. Both are great players but we have a lot of guys back. Part of our slogan for our team is recruit, retain, develop. We feel like we have guys who could step into those spots. Do we think they're going to be as good as those two guys right now? No, they're going to have to get a little bit better. But we have other guys who are older and who should be improved and should be better. Those guys, and anytime you lose a good player, it's difficult to replace, but I feel like we've got enough where we should still have a good defense."
Â
Last year you guys won there (ECU) and it was an emotional game. Do you feel like you underestimated the intensity that they would come after you guys with?
"No, they've got a bunch of big, tall, long and fast athletes. They are very talented. We knew that we were going to have to play really well in order to win. I followed the book and we went after it there at the end of the first half with some timeouts and tried to get the ball. We needed to play catch up. We were receiving the opening kick in the second half, and it was one of the few times I wish I hadn't followed the book. We came within striking distance and got down two scores. We had a fake punt and threw a pick on the very next play. We just didn't play with momentum throughout the game. You've got to make plays and we had a couple calls defensively where we were supposed to be over the top and we weren't. We've got to do a better job calling and executing. I don't sit around and point a finger at players, coaches, trainers or managers. It's everybody involved in the program, we have to get better. As head coach, I've got to get better."
ÂÂÂÂ
Jalen McCleskey was here today, what are your thoughts reflecting on him?
"We're hoping Jalen gets into camp here, he's really close. He pulled his hamstring while we was with the Saints and has been working to get back to full speed and hopefully he's picked up by somebody. He's a fine fine young man."
Â
Players Mentioned
DE
/ FootballPostgame: QB Jake Retzlaff - 10/9/25
Friday, October 10
Postgame: HC Jon Sumrall - 10/9/25
Friday, October 10
Postgame: K Patrick Durkin - 10/9/25
Friday, October 10
Postgame: DB E'zaiah Shine - 10/9/25
Friday, October 10
