troymarkus
10-01-2004, 04:48 PM
I don't know if it's just poor communication or closer to the coaching staff losing some respect from the players. After reading what DeWhitt said in the interview with Trojannews.com and now the article below, it seems that the coaching staff is killing momentum and confidence in the offense--especially the QB situation. When your QB says he doesn't understand why he's taken out after a score and then LB or Fleetwood say that it's been good for him to relax on the sideline--something is very wrong. It's not adding up. I'm getting nervous now.
Leak determined to get offense on track
By Ben Thomas
Montgomery Advertiser
TROY -- Aaron Leak is not comfortable watching from the bench.
However, Troy University's senior quarterback spends a couple of series in each game on the sideline, while highly touted freshman D.T. McDowell gets his shot to lead the Trojans.
"I want to play. If I'm going bad and they take me out, fine. I understand," Leak said. "But it kind of threw off a couple of people when I came out last week.
"I had some guys on the sidelines asking me if I was hurt. But it's not my call. It's up to the coaches. I just have to deal with it and make sure I play well when I'm in there and worry about that."
Troy head coach Larry Blakeney and offensive coordinator Mark Fleetwood have said since preseason that they wanted to give McDowell a chance in each game. For the most part, they've stayed true to that.
McDowell has received limited playing time in three of the Trojans' four games. He did not get a chance in Troy's 24-14 win over Missouri on Sept. 9.
Leak says he watches from the sideline when he's not in there, trying to critique McDowell's play and help the young quarterback any way he can. But he also hinted that it isn't an ideal situation.
"I think it's easy to lose momentum -- like New Mexico State. We went up and scored and I get pulled out. I didn't know why," Leak said. "I thought we had things going our way. But, again, I can't focus on that.
"I have to be happy when I'm in there and make sure I try to help this team the best way I can, whether I'm behind center or on the bench."
Leak has gotten the majority of the snaps this season, but -- by his own admission -- has been inconsistent. He's completed just 45.3 percent of his passes (39 of 86) and been intercepted six times. He's thrown just a pair of touchdown passes.
McDowell, one of the most highly recruited quarterbacks in the South last season out of Tucker High School in Stone Mountain, Ga., has attempted just seven passes so far, completing three. He's also run for 39 yards.
"We try to get him in there one series in the second quarter and maybe a few in the second half depending on the situation," Fleetwood said of McDowell. "The main thing is we don't want to put him in a bad situation and hurt his confidence. But he's done well when he's been in there and made some things happen. He's going to make us better."
McDowell made some things happen in last weekend's loss against Southeastern Conference member South Carolina. He didn't complete either of his two passes, but did scramble for 34 yards on four attempts.
"I think I'm coming along really well. I'm getting better day-by-day, and that's all I can do," McDowell said. "I've just got to keep fighting and keep learning."
Leak completed 9 of his 21 passes for 108 yards against the Gamecocks. He was intercepted twice, but did lead two fourth-quarter drives that gave the Trojans a chance to make the game even closer.
"I thought Aaron played pretty well," Blakeney said. "He had one pass that kind of slipped out of his hands and was intercepted. But I thought he played pretty good. I think playing another guy has given him a little time to rest and relax on the sideline.
"D.T. has shown some good things. He's certainly not completely polished yet and he hasn't learned everything. But he can be good if we get him into the right situations."
No matter who is in the game, the Trojans must find a way to be more consistent on offense Saturday against Utah State.
They've averaged just 277 yards and 16.5 points a game through the first four weeks. They hold the ball on offense an average of six minutes less than their opponent and they've converted a dismal 26.4 percent (14 of 53) of their third-down opportunities.
Last week at South Carolina, Troy ran 20 fewer plays than the Gamecocks, had the ball for 13 minutes less and went just 3 of 11 on third-down conversions.
"There is no doubt that we didn't have enough plays last week," Leak said. "We had too many three-and-outs and we left the defense out there for a while. South Carolina hit on a couple of third downs and that made all the difference.
"We've been kind of up and down offensively. We're doing some good things at times, but the bottom line is we aren't moving the chains well enough and managing the game. That is kind of all about me. So I'm going to hit the film room this week, try to work hard and get it straightened out."
McDowell has an even simpler solution to improving the offensive production.
"Faith," he said. "Faith in each other. Faith in our coaches, faith in our assignments, faith that everything's going to be all right. That's the key word. If we have faith, everything's going to be OK."
Fleetwood said he's seen some progress through the first four weeks and said the level of Troy's competition has had something to do with the team's offensive struggles.
This week, the Trojans may catch a slight break. Utah State is giving up an average of 421 yards and 31 points a game.
"This is a conference game and a must win for us," Leak said. "The offense is going to have to come together and really get the production going and put up some good numbers. We've got to take some pressure off our defense."
Leak determined to get offense on track
By Ben Thomas
Montgomery Advertiser
TROY -- Aaron Leak is not comfortable watching from the bench.
However, Troy University's senior quarterback spends a couple of series in each game on the sideline, while highly touted freshman D.T. McDowell gets his shot to lead the Trojans.
"I want to play. If I'm going bad and they take me out, fine. I understand," Leak said. "But it kind of threw off a couple of people when I came out last week.
"I had some guys on the sidelines asking me if I was hurt. But it's not my call. It's up to the coaches. I just have to deal with it and make sure I play well when I'm in there and worry about that."
Troy head coach Larry Blakeney and offensive coordinator Mark Fleetwood have said since preseason that they wanted to give McDowell a chance in each game. For the most part, they've stayed true to that.
McDowell has received limited playing time in three of the Trojans' four games. He did not get a chance in Troy's 24-14 win over Missouri on Sept. 9.
Leak says he watches from the sideline when he's not in there, trying to critique McDowell's play and help the young quarterback any way he can. But he also hinted that it isn't an ideal situation.
"I think it's easy to lose momentum -- like New Mexico State. We went up and scored and I get pulled out. I didn't know why," Leak said. "I thought we had things going our way. But, again, I can't focus on that.
"I have to be happy when I'm in there and make sure I try to help this team the best way I can, whether I'm behind center or on the bench."
Leak has gotten the majority of the snaps this season, but -- by his own admission -- has been inconsistent. He's completed just 45.3 percent of his passes (39 of 86) and been intercepted six times. He's thrown just a pair of touchdown passes.
McDowell, one of the most highly recruited quarterbacks in the South last season out of Tucker High School in Stone Mountain, Ga., has attempted just seven passes so far, completing three. He's also run for 39 yards.
"We try to get him in there one series in the second quarter and maybe a few in the second half depending on the situation," Fleetwood said of McDowell. "The main thing is we don't want to put him in a bad situation and hurt his confidence. But he's done well when he's been in there and made some things happen. He's going to make us better."
McDowell made some things happen in last weekend's loss against Southeastern Conference member South Carolina. He didn't complete either of his two passes, but did scramble for 34 yards on four attempts.
"I think I'm coming along really well. I'm getting better day-by-day, and that's all I can do," McDowell said. "I've just got to keep fighting and keep learning."
Leak completed 9 of his 21 passes for 108 yards against the Gamecocks. He was intercepted twice, but did lead two fourth-quarter drives that gave the Trojans a chance to make the game even closer.
"I thought Aaron played pretty well," Blakeney said. "He had one pass that kind of slipped out of his hands and was intercepted. But I thought he played pretty good. I think playing another guy has given him a little time to rest and relax on the sideline.
"D.T. has shown some good things. He's certainly not completely polished yet and he hasn't learned everything. But he can be good if we get him into the right situations."
No matter who is in the game, the Trojans must find a way to be more consistent on offense Saturday against Utah State.
They've averaged just 277 yards and 16.5 points a game through the first four weeks. They hold the ball on offense an average of six minutes less than their opponent and they've converted a dismal 26.4 percent (14 of 53) of their third-down opportunities.
Last week at South Carolina, Troy ran 20 fewer plays than the Gamecocks, had the ball for 13 minutes less and went just 3 of 11 on third-down conversions.
"There is no doubt that we didn't have enough plays last week," Leak said. "We had too many three-and-outs and we left the defense out there for a while. South Carolina hit on a couple of third downs and that made all the difference.
"We've been kind of up and down offensively. We're doing some good things at times, but the bottom line is we aren't moving the chains well enough and managing the game. That is kind of all about me. So I'm going to hit the film room this week, try to work hard and get it straightened out."
McDowell has an even simpler solution to improving the offensive production.
"Faith," he said. "Faith in each other. Faith in our coaches, faith in our assignments, faith that everything's going to be all right. That's the key word. If we have faith, everything's going to be OK."
Fleetwood said he's seen some progress through the first four weeks and said the level of Troy's competition has had something to do with the team's offensive struggles.
This week, the Trojans may catch a slight break. Utah State is giving up an average of 421 yards and 31 points a game.
"This is a conference game and a must win for us," Leak said. "The offense is going to have to come together and really get the production going and put up some good numbers. We've got to take some pressure off our defense."