Below is the chat transcript from ODU Head Coach Bobby Wilder's Monday press conference.
Q: When you went back and looked at the video, was there anything that stood out to you that you maybe did not notice on the sidelines in the heat of the moment, in the heat of the game, just at any point in the game?
A: Yeah, there was a sequence of big plays, just crucial plays that were made by our kids in the fourth quarter. On their next to last drive, when they ran the screen pass, Chris Smith, our nose guard, recognized the play and made the tackle to keep them from getting the first down. We had been applying a lot of pressure on the punt and their last punt went 28 yards so we started on our 35. This kid had been averaging 45 yards per punt where we would have to go 80 or 85 yards, so that was big. The pressure that we had put on that forced a bad punt, the third and 14 completion on the game tying drive from Heinicke to Nick England, that was Nick England’s first catch of the game. Then the fourth and three offensively, that was just a great call by Brian Scott. What we did was we lined up three receivers to the right, Zach Pascal to the boundary and Gerard Johnson was offset to Taylor’s left in the backfield. We knew that they were going to blitz, Brian knew a blitz was coming, and we ran Pascal on a quick shallow route, the linebackers blitz, the corner went with him and the defensive end rushed. The defensive end was supposed to go with him but blitzed and that left Gerard Johnson wide open. That was a play that we had been looking to get the right time to run that play and that was probably the call of the game and then for Gerard to make the catch that he did on that play, that ended up saving the game, the game’s over if we don’t complete that one. And then obviously on the next drive the defense making the play on the draw. Misher’s interception like I said was probably the play of the year and then Pascal, that 24 yard catch it was right on the sideline and to not only make the catch but to have the were-with-all to get his feet inbounds, that took that from a 48 yard field goal to now we could put it at the 28 yard field goal. So there was just one big play after another in the fourth quarter and it seemed like to me, and I am a little biased, but it seemed like our kids made every big play in the fourth quarter. With the plays we made on offensively, defensively, Satchel Ziffer, when the game was tied, he had a great kick, he pinned them down in the deep right corner and our guys covered it. Like I said they have the best return team we have played, tackled it on the 25, so everybody contributed, the special teams, the defense, the offense and for that to happen particularly in the fourth quarter, cause that hadn’t happened since Rice, we hadn’t had a fourth quarter performance where everybody stepped up in crunch-time like they did and that ended up being the story of the game.
Q: What is the difference going into the bye week coming off a win as opposed to coming off a loss?
A: The biggest thing is the attitude of the players. I tried to get them after the game and then again on Sunday, to get past the point of relief of the losing streak, to just the pure joy of winning. What I mean by that is, at the end of the day they are still 18 to 22 years old. They are still college kids; they should enjoy winning as opposed to the pressure of losing and how you react to it. I always want them to react to a win with pure joy and excitement and they should. They should react that way because they are kids. So just getting them past that, it shouldn’t be relief it should be joy and I am hoping they got that message.
Q: Bobby as the year has gone along, Antonio Vaughan seems to have gotten better. He’s catching a lot more passes for a lot more yards these last three or four games. Can you talk a little more about what he has meant to your program and is he getting much of a look from the NFL scouts?
A: He’s receiving tremendous recognition right now. He was just added to the Biletnikoff Award Watch List, which is the top receiver in the country at the FBS level. He is, the last time I checked it and we can verify this, I think he is at least 200 yards ahead of the nearest receiver in Conference USA in receiving yards and we should probably check the national stats. He is on his way to a 1,000+ receiving year and I think he is what the top two or three in the country, second in the nation in touchdown catches. The impact that he as had for us is just incredible. The players look to him as the big play guy and what is happening now when we are having success running the ball, we are starting to get one on one match-ups down field for Antonio. That’s what happened on that 74-yard touchdown. It was off of a play action and he ran a post route and it was just him and the safety that was there. So that is starting to happen now with the success of the run game. And then to answer your question about the NFL, when the season started they were aware of him but there was a lot of we have got to wait and see. But now there is genuine interest. All 32 teams have been through primarily looking at Taylor, are now focused on Antonio as well, and not just because of what he is doing as a receiver but how he is a multi-dimensional player. He can catch the ball, he can run the ball and he is a skilled returner. So the interest in him has increased based on his productivity.
Q: Given your challenge in depth at wide receiver at the beginning of the season, how important was it that he step-up?
A: Yeah, we needed Antonio Vaughan to do what he is doing and Zach Pascal, is the other one who is quietly having a tremendous year. I think he is in the top four in the league in catches; he is up there in receiving yards. They are both playing like all-conference players right now, but we needed Antonio to do what he is doing right now and that is taking some of the pressure off some of the other younger players that we have. Melvin Vaughn, he is a true sophomore, he played sparingly last year, now he has stepped up into a good role. Nick England is a transfer so this is his first year playing with us. And then we have Marques Little, Jonathan Duhart, and Vincent Lowe, these are true freshman that are playing at this point, so for Taylor to have that comfort level with Antonio is definitely helping us.