[Fuller/MGoBlog]
Royce, how much did that pace on Saturday affect you guys, and is it just one of those things where maybe the pace got the better of you for one game?
“Yeah, the pace was pretty bad. We didn’t play to our full ability and we definitely are looking forward to picking it up this week.”
When you looked at it- have you had a chance to look at the film yet?
RJS: “Yes.”
Beyond the pace, what were some of the issues you guys were having stopping the run?
RJS: “Just getting lined up. You know, everything was going so fast. Just getting lined up and getting the call since they were running a no-huddle offense the whole game. That was a big challenge. And just hitting a guy after so many plays, it takes a toll. Just had to find a way to get the W.”
Graham, coach Harbaugh was talking about how Jake [Rudock] doesn’t flinch and how he turns the page so well whether it’s a great play or a poor play. Talk about the effect that has on a team.
“It’s great to have a quarterback and have somebody who’s the leader of our offense who comes into the play the exact same as he was the play before. He’s not too high, he’s not too low; he’s unflappable. I think that gives us a quiet confidence about ourselves, and whether it was a bad play or a good play we’re ready to keep going.”
Graham, how’s your brother holding up, and what words of advice did you give him after his injury? Tough break there.
“Ryan’s doing fine. Playing a lot of Halo 5. We play a lot together. Maybe you’ll see us online one day if any of you guys play. He’s doing fine, and I just tell him that he had a great season and, you know, we’re taking it week by week. Take it week by week, he had a great season, and he’s going to come back next year stronger and better and ready to play again. You know, fight another day.”
[After THE JUMP: but does the injury affect R. Glasgow’s Halo ability? Also, more G. Glasgow, RJS, and AJ Williams]
[Fuller/Barron]
Does it affect his Halo ability, that shoulder?
“If anything it might hurt him- or not hurt him, help him. Just like in that position, you know, where his hands are close together.
/dinosaur arms an imaginary xbox controller
“There’s no effect on his Halo play.”
AJ, can you talk about the scoring run Jehu’s on? Seven touchdowns in three games. I don’t know if you saw it coming, but talk about the run he’s on.
“When you have somebody like Jehu who works that hard it’s not a surprise. We’ve just come along as an offense. We’ve been able to connect a lot better a lot more, and now you guys are starting to see the results of that.”
AJ, how close were you guys to connecting on some of those big plays before last week, and why do you think last week we saw some of the balls downfield that were completed?
“Pretty much it kind of takes a little bit more than practice sometimes; it takes game rep or two. Being able to get those game reps and then being able to practice and recreate that situation as best as possible. Now that we’ve gotten that we’re able to connect on them a lot more and we’ll be able to keep that going.”
Graham, obviously Jake had a huge game down in Indiana, but any concerns about the run game at this stage of the season?
“We had some high pad level, I though, and I think that we just need to get back on track. We’re going to have a tough week of practice this week. We’re going to make sure that we get back to the fundamentals and get back to what we were doing well for so long early in the season.”
AJ, a few weeks ago when you started getting some catches out there we asked coach Harbaugh about the difference and he said, ‘I told AJ he had to get faster.’ Talk about that challenge and that process for you.
“I’ve had a lot of good people, a lot of good teammates, everybody just been doing a good job kind of being on me like, ‘Hey, we need you this year’ and everybody’s done a great job with helping keep us all team-oriented and focus on the same goals. Losing weight, for me that helped and that’s got me able to be involved in this pass game.”
Coach Harbaugh just said that you have a bounce in your step; nobody’s beat up, everybody’s feeling good with two games to go. What is the mentality right now? You are late in the season. Guys are injured: your brother’s injured, Dymonte got injured. What’s the mentality just to keep that enthusiasm going these last couple of weeks?
GG: “I feel like winning helps the enthusiasm. When you’re winning you’re able to keep a bounce in your step. You want to keep it rolling, so I think it just comes down to do we want to win? Yes, we want to win, so keep the bounce and the little nicks and bruises you have, get ‘em right and let’s play.”
RJS: “That goes back to what we built on in the summer program. Family-oriented team, and just working hard and bringing everybody together and lifting everybody up offensively and defensively. Playing together, staying as a team, staying as a family and preaching it throughout practice and throughout the year. We’re just going to stick together and find ways to win.”
Graham, this team last year found ways to lose games like Saturday’s. What’s different this year? Why are you winning games like Minnesota and Indiana on the road?
“I think that really just goes back to what Royce was just talking about; all the work we put in in the offseason, all the work we put in in camp and spring ball. It was just- we went through too much to lose those close games, and we practiced too hard and our coaches put too much into it and we put too much into it to lose a close game like that. And just finding a way to win is just what we’ve been trying to do and have recently been doing.”