Marshon Ford, Jordan Watkins Preview Virginia
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - With control of the Atlantic Division on the line, the Louisville (3-2, 1-1 ACC) could not extend their three-game win streak, falling 37-34 to No. 24 Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, N.C.
Next up, Louisville will return home to host Virginia (3-2, 1-2 ACC) at Cardinal Stadium. Kickoff against the Cavaliers is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 9 at either 3:00 p.m. EST.
Prior to their upcoming matchup, tight end Marshon Ford and wide receiver Jordan Watkins took time to meet with the media. He discussed the previous game against Wake Forest, previewed the upcoming game against Virginia, and more.
Below is the transcript from their press conferences, as well as the videos:
Tight End Marshon Ford
(On how the guys have responded in practice after the Wake Forest loss)
It's that "so what, now what?" mentality. We made our corrections on Sunday, and we're not really focused on what happened in the past. We just moved on, and are ready for the next game.
(On how healthy he is feeling now after being dinged up to start the year)
Yeah. Of course in the season, you battle injuries, knick knacks and stuff like that. I feel like, altogether, the training staff and the weight room staff have been on us to take care of our bodies. Getting in the ice tub and stuff like that. I feel pretty good.
(On the uptick in offensive production over the last three games)
Coach calls great plays for us just to lock in and execute. There's been a big emphasis in practice to - we got to make plays when it's time to make plays, and execute. Because we're in the right spots, we just got to execute.
(On the trick to staying locked in for all four quarters)
To know your alignment and assignment, and to keep watching film each and every day on the team that's you're playing. Just to get familiar with the game plan going against that team.
(On if execution and focus is the key to their recent success on third down)
Yes sir. We want to always convert on third downs. We want to convert on first down, on a second or third down. It doesn't matter. Whenever we have the offense on the field, we want to be able to execute, and make those plays so we can put points up on the board.
(On the biggest challenge in facing Virginia's defense)
They're a good team, but we haven't been really worried about them. We're worried about us and what we do, and about what we got to do to execute the game plan, and what we got to know. It's really just what we're doing.
(On the play of quarterback Malik Williams)
He's playing at a high level. He's making the right decisions, and he's been the head of the snake. The quarterback is always the head of the snake, and he's leading us in the right way. We got his back, he got our back.
(On the challenges of faces a versatile defense like Virginia's)
Just sticking to your rules. Like I said, knowing the game plan and stuff like that. They can give you all our type of defenses and fronts, but if you just stay true to your rules, and stay true to your game plan, then you should be straight.
(On the process of establishing playmakers on offense)
I feet like those guys wanted the challenge. They wanted to step up. We had good guys that left, great guys that left. Javian Hawkins' is not here, Dez (Fitzpatrick)'s not here, and Tutu (Atwell) is not here so. As a tight end group, the receiver group and the running back group, we all combined in to make up for those players that were leaving. I think each and every day in practice, we go out there, and they just want to get better each and every day. They're up for that challenge, and it's been going well.
(On if it took a couple games for them to get confidence)
Yeah, that's how it is. When I was a freshman, and I was out there the first couple of times, I was kind of iffy about things. I didn't know how to do things. But you know once you get the reps, you start to get comfortable, and you start to know your assignment a little better.
(On Dez Melton's receiving potential)
We have a lot of guys that can make big catches, and can block, and stuff like that. We can definitely get a lot more out of Dez, catching the ball like that.
(On the steps they are taking cut down the offensive droughts they have had the last couple games)
Just execute. We always got to believe that it's this one play. This one play is gonna make it happen. This one play. And then from that point on, then we're going. That's just the way we think: the next play.
Wide Receiver Jordan Watkins
(On the need for other wide receivers to step up with Braden Smith out for the year)
With one of our main receivers out for the rest of the year, somebody's got to step up and make plays. We knew that before the season, even before Braden was hurt, that people need to step up and make plays. That's what we've continued to do. Tyler Harrell's stepping up and making huge plays, huge strides, and that's what we need. Including myself, I got to step up and make plays for myself, and also Justin Marshall's stepping up and making big plays as well. JJ (Josh Johnson) is stepping up and taking (Smith's) spot, that's huge.
(On the key to the recent uptick in offensive production)
That's a huge emphasis for us. We knew that we kind of started out slow the first couple games, and we just harped on starting out fast, starting out strong. Making our opponents want to basically give up with with our offensive productivity. That's something that we've harped on. We got to start off fast, we got to take advantage of what the defense gives us, and that's what we've been doing.
(On the steps they are taking cut down the offensive droughts they have had the last couple games)
We've been taking huge strides. We just made sure to close towards the end of practice. The end of practices is where we focus more on our second half/fourth quarter type deal. We just got to finish in practice, and it's going to carry on to the game. That's what we really try to harp on: just focusing more in practice, and giving more effort whenever we're tired, and whenever we feel like we don't we can go the extra step. That's what we've just been harping on.
(On Tyler Harrell)
It surprises me. Going back and watching the TV copy on Sunday, just being in the game - I turn around and then I just see Tyler Harrell running down the field. I'm like 'ain't nobody catching him'. I just know that nobody's catching him once he's breaks stride and once he gets free. He's that fast, and it's surprising me how fast he is sometimes. Even when you think that he's fast, he steps it up even more, and then he goes faster.
(On what sees on film of the Virginia defense)
They play a lot of different type coverages, so we can expect a little bit everything from them. They're coached really well, so we just got to be disciplined out on offense, and we got to execute. That's pretty much all we got to do. We got to come out and execute, and we know that.
(On the challenges of faces a versatile defense like Virginia's)
That means we got to know our keys. We got to take advantage of our keys, and know what they're going to run before they run it. I think that's a big, big emphasis for us. We have to study film, and we got to get in the film room and look at the small details that's going to help us understand what covers they're in. We just got to be detailed. It's going to be a detailed football team come Saturday.
(On how close they are with their execution)
We're really close, man. We're really close. Coach Satterfield says it: every day, we're just right there. We just got to take that next step. We're super close to being one of the best offenses in the country. We just got to go out there and prove it to ourselves. That's the main thing for us, we got to go out there and prove it to ourselves first, before we can prove it to everybody else.
(Photo of Jordan Watkins: Melina Myers - USA TODAY Sports)
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