Sep 10, 2022; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bearcats head coach Luke Fickell reacts after a touchdown scored against the Kennesaw State Owls in the second half at Nippert Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports — © Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

Luke Fickell: UC Players 'Definitely Know' All-Time Series Lead on the Line Against Miami

Fickell had plenty of thoughts during his weekly press conference before UC tries to break a 59-59-7 tie with Miami (OH).

Author:
Russ Heltman
Updated:
Sep 13, 2022 4:12 PM EDT

CINCINNATI — UC head football coach Luke Fickell met with the media on Tuesday ahead of this week's Battle for the Victory Bell against Miami (OH).

Check out some of his notable comments from the gathering.

On breaking the tie in their all-time series history with Miami:

59-59-7? Believe me, the team knows. They knew that when we went over it in fall camp that we haven't held the lead since 1915 and that is 59-59-7 all time. There are a lot of guys that we have got that are from different areas that don't know a lot about it. Our job is to make sure that we teach them about it from the get-go, most importantly, make sure that they respect what it is that they are part of. They definitely know that and they definitely know we haven't had a lead since 1915.

On the future of this rivalry:

I'm a big traditionalist, and I love rivalries. I think that's what makes college football, and I think that's the uniqueness of it. There's all different kinds, and over time, things change and programs move and grow and do things in different ways. But I think that, for me, I would love to continue the traditions that still are really important to me. A few years ago, I was asked when they kind of went to the 1-1-1 where they were going to play at a neutral site.

I was asked, “Hey, is there something we would ever think about getting out of this?” I don't know why we would; this is history. This is a big part of it, or close in proximity, whatever the other things that people think you should do, I think the uniqueness of making sure our young men understand about our program and in the history of our program, it gives us a great avenue into doing that. It reminds me every year, based on what I'm doing about respect to the rivalry to really kind of show and study a little bit more of the history and to give that to those guys. So, if I got a choice, we would continue this rivalry is as long as we possibly can.

On the QB performances against Kennesaw State:

We knew we were lucky. The dynamics is the most difficult thing on those guys, not on us as coaches. I mean, we can compartmentalize, but you've got a heart too. You don’t know what those human emotions are really like, and you don't always know exactly what you do have. I think that's why it was really good that Evan (Prater) got in this past week, and I have said it over and over again, he had the opportunity to go play, not handcuffed, to be able to kind of get out there and then have his opportunity to have the whole playbook at his hands, and it makes him feel really good ad it makes us feel really good. It gives us a lot of other options as we continue to move forward.

The tough thing is always the human element and keeping those guys engaged and really excited about what they're doing. You got to rely upon their maturity and their ability to put the team first and understand that, throughout this year, there's going to be some opportunities, we don't know when they are we don't know how it's going to happen, but we're going to need both, so we are very fortunate, but we are more fortunate to have the maturity in that room that has been able to handle it. I don't know that you can do it if you don't, because it's such a unique position that is talked about so often that if you don't have that maturity and that true belief in the bigger picture, I don't know that you can.

On averaging 10 penalties per game through two weeks:

It's hard to say they kill you. I think that they definitely put a dagger in the side, but it's all a part of it. We have to do better with the pre-snap stuff. I think that even if you look at week one, just like last year, the (total yardage) wasn't the killer because they were pre-snap penalties, but they are sores. If they don't get better at some point in time, you really have to ask yourself what you are doing. Last week, we had some of the ones that were a little bit bigger, like 15-yard penalties, but a lot of those are the aggressive ones, so I don’t want to lose sight of saying we got to eliminate all penalties like I have told you in the past.

We have to eliminate the stupid ones. The ones that are pre-snap, the ones that sometimes people don't think affects you because it is only 1st-and-15 or only 2nd-and-12. Those are the ones that continue to nag at you and that is where we got to do a better job. The roughing the punter, no, we never want to rough the punter, but we want to be aggressive, and we will learn from that. The other 15-yard penalty on (Josh) Whyle; I still don't understand what the penalty was and I will get some clarity on that. Those are the ones that show up in the stat book and are really, really big penalties that we weren't able to overcome on that drive. We all know that has been an Achilles heel of ours and we have to do a better job playing cleaner.

On the importance of names up and down the roster playing Saturday:

It is good. Those guys work so hard. I think it's good for us as coaches to see them in live action, but it's better for them. I think just to really get out there and see that there are opportunities all the time and you never know when your opportunity will be called on. I look at some guys that maybe didn't rep anything on the triple option, then all of a sudden have to go in the game. Everybody that goes in the game wants to play well, “Why don't I know what I'm doing?” That's not an excuse, their parents aren't going to accept excuses and their coaches aren't.

It bodes well in the long run down it for guys to understand how they still need to pay attention to what it is we're doing and how we do it. I think more than anything, it's just the attitude and the human element of things within your program. Those guys never get an opportunity to go on the field. It adds up by the end of the year. The more opportunities they have to go on the field, the better they feel about what it is that they're doing, and those things add up as well.

Fans can watch the game against Miami at 12 p.m. ET on ESPNU via fuboTV. Start your free trial today. Click here to watch Fickell's full presser on ESPN+.

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