Nov. 23, 2009

PHOTO GALLERY

Bronx, N.Y. - The ninth and final Monday Night Quarterback Coach's Show was held tonight in The Marketplace in the McGinley Center with appearances by Fordham head coach Tom Masella, senior offensive lineman Frank Rizzo, senior wide receiver Asa Lucas, senior defensive lineman Darzell Wright and senior linebacker James Crockett.

WFUV announcers Gregg Caserta and Alex Middlesworth led off the show with audio highlights of last Saturday's 41-14 season-ending Patriot League win at Georgetown and then went into an interview with Masella on the game. Here are some quotes from the questions:

On the game:
"It's always good to end a season with a win. It helps you feel good about yourself and it sends the seniors out on a positive note. I think we played well on both sides of the ball and it was a rewarding way to end a season that didn't go as planned."

On the attitude of the team heading into the last game:
"I was pleased that the kids came out and competed hard from the first play. We held them to a three-and-out and then scored on the first play on offense. It's a credit to the kids and it's something they've done all year."

On the play of David Moore, who caught five passes for 14 yards and two touchdowns in the game, his second straight 100-yard receiving game:
"David's always been a talented athlete who has played a lot of different positions for us. He seemed to find his groove late this year and we're happy that he will be back for another year."

On the prospects at quarterback for next year:
"We'll definitely miss John Skelton but we have some talented guys coming back in Doug Papy and Ryan Higgins and hope to have Clay Busch back next year. I think we'll see the starter coming out of the guys who are here now but you never know. That said it's hard to duplicate the numbers that John has put up. He's a NFL prospect who will probably be playing the in the NFL next year. So whoever we have start next year will be different as they won't have as big an arm as John or be as big as John."

On Darryl Whiting, who rushed for a career-high 172 yards at Georgetown:
"As deep as we are at wide receiver we think we're even deeper at running back. Darryl is a talented back who came into his own this year and we hope he'll improve next year. We also have Xavier Martin back, who we hope will bounce back, and Jamir Livingston showed what he can do in the Georgetown game. We also have a pretty god back who was injured all year in freshman Langston Lacroix."

On Jason Caldwell lining up in the backfield on Saturday:
"The coaches fooled around with Jason in the backfield during practice the week before the game. They way he played we should have put him back there earlier this year. When you put a wide receiver in the backfield it makes the defense react differently to the formation."

Rizzo and Lucas then stepped up to represent the offense.

On the Georgetown game:
Rizzo: "It was nice to go out with a win, especially the way this season went for us. It was an interesting season for me personally as I started the year and went through camp as a defensive lineman and then was asked to move back to the offensive line when it was hit with injuries."

Lucas, who had four catches for 42 yards and one touchdown, the final collegiate touchdown pass of John Skelton's career: "It was fitting since John and I started together that we finish together. The offensive line did a great job blocking on a lot of the screen passes, especially on my touchdown catch. I was hit by the first defender but was determined to get into the end zone as it was probably going to be my last chance."

On the season:
Rizzo: "The season obviously didn't go the way we planned but it was satisfying to see some of the younger guys on the offensive line develop after struggling early in the season, putting up three straight wins at one point."

On injuries:
Rizzo: "We were lucky last year in that we really didn't have many but it caught up with us this year. It was hard to lose Robby Reis early and then see Adnan Van Dyke go down. But it's a testament to the team that we regrouped and still managed to find some success."

On the approach to the season:
Lucas: "We go in to every season with three goals, the top one being to win a championship. We didn't do it this year but we still played every game like it was a championships game."

Rizzo: "The preparation was there but we didn't have the success we wanted. When you look at each of the past two years we were 5-6 each year but this year was different We played more like a team this year. It might be hard for someone on the outside to see but for the players and coaches we played better as a team."

On staying motivated as season went on:
"It can be tough but it's up to each individual to keep themselves motivated for every game. The seniors and the captains also have to step up to keep the morale of the team up and to set an example for the younger guys."

Rizzo: "Coach Morrissey told us all season that he wasn't quitting on us so we weren't going to quit on him or the team."

Lucas on his Fordham career where he finished with 129 receptions for 1,985 yards, both fourth best in Fordham history:
"I'm not a big fan of numbers and I didn't do it all on my own. A lot of the yards were from screen passes and they don't work unless you have the offensive line out in front blocking. So those numbers are a team effort."

On most memorable game outside of the 2007 season:
Rizzo: "I have two, the first one is my first collegiate appearance in 2006 at Holy cross and the other is the Cornell game from this year. I think in the Cornell game you got a really good look at what this team was and how potent the offense could be."

Next up was an interview with Wright and Crockett:

On the Georgetown game and whether they thought the defense could have shutout the Hoyas:
Crockett: "We always strive for excellence on the field. We never want to give up a touchdown but we were pleased with our effort on Saturday and that we finished with a win."

On the injuries to the defense this year:
Wright: "It was tough because as one guy went out you would have to shift to make up for him. It even affected me when I was hurt. But we had some guys step up and contribute which was nice to see."

On getting the guys excited, despite the losses:
Crockett: "I don't think it's tough to get the guys up for a game. We just show them that we are committed to excellence and that win or lose, we'll persevere."

On the returning players on defense:
Crockett: "I think the defense will be fine next year, they just have to continue to work hard. We have a great foundation and they should be in great shape come next year."

On the future:
Wright: "I don't think the injuries will affect my chances to play at the next level. I have time to get ready and train. If I want it bad enough, I'll work hard enough to get it."

Crockett: "If playing professionally happens, it happens. I will give it my best shot but if it doesn't work out I'll move on with a great education. That's the great thing about playing at Fordham."

On playing in their final collegiate game:
Wright: "It was weird. It was almost like watching a movie where everything slows down at the end. I thought a lot about other final games I've been in but they can't compare to this one. I will miss the guys I've played with the past four year. It's like a family member moving on."

Crockett: "For the first time in my career, Saturday's game felt different to me. It was almost difficult to play since I knew it was going to be my final game for Fordham. It was tough to deal with but I have made a group of friends for life. You couldn't ask for a better way to end it or for a better bunch of guys to play with."

On a memorable game:
Wright: "For me it was the UMass game because, even tough I never play on special team, they put me in on special teams and I blocked a punt."

Crockett: "My favorite game was going back to the Midwest to play Dayton in 2008. I had a lot of family and friends come to the game. Football is a much bigger deal in the Midwest."

Masella then returned to the headset and wrapped things up with some questions from Caserta and Middlesworth on the future.

On the senior class:
"It's a fact of college football that you only get the players for four years. So you must move on, regroup and replace. We have some holes to fill, most noticeable at quarterback. But we also need a long snapper, a nose tackle and a right tackle. We're hoping for the young guys to step up and we need to add some new people to the mix."

On what he told the senior class:
"I've always told the guys that it's what you leave behind that matters. Not everyone wins a championship and we were lucky to win one in 2007 which helped put the program back on its feet. The last couple of games the seniors really showed a legacy of hard work and dedication and I thanked them for it."

On recruiting with scholarships:
"Having scholarships will help move the program forward. Even though we won't be eligible for the Patriot League championship, I've always talked about competing nationally when I recruit so it will be no different. The difference will be that we will recruits against teams that we haven't normally recruited against and I don't know how they will recruit against us. But I will tell every recruit and their parents that Fordham is in the greatest city in the world, is a place where you can get a great education and is a school where you can compete at the highest level in football."

If you couldn't make it to the show you can listen to the archived shows at wfuv.org.