After a preseason of guarded comments from N.C. State players and coaches, senior defensive end Willie Young provided some explosive bulletin board material for South Carolina, which visits the Wolfpack in Thursday's 7:03 p.m. season opener.
During a meeting with reporters on campus Monday afternoon, Young was asked if Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier - who's renowned as one of the most innovative minds in college football - is an offensive genius and whether the way he commands his offense is impressive.
"No," Young said. "No. I think you can be as sophisticated as you want to. Coach (Dana) Bible (N.C. State's offensive coordinator) can be sophisticated. But if you can beat somebody with basic plays, then you can whip them. It all comes down to their individuals against our individuals. And if you have a better individual, that individual can shake and bake, probably, and break the other individual down and make a play. That's just generally speaking.
"He (Spurrier) knows his offense. Don't get me wrong. No doubt. No doubt whatsoever. And I think he's confident. But it's going to come down to individual play."
Young also was asked whether South Carolina quarterback Stephen Garcia's ability to get out of the pocket and run will change anything about the way Young rushes the passer.
"Until he hurts us, I'm not worried about him," Young said. "It's as simple as that. Until he starts to hurt us, he can stand back there and juke and jive all he wants to. But until he hurts us, he has no effect on my pass rush or anything I intend to do.
". . .He's not getting around (defensive end) Shea McKeen over there. And he's definitely not turning anything up the middle between (tackles Leroy) Burgess and (Alan-Michael) Cash. You can take it to the bank."
Finally, Young was asked about Gamecocks tight end Weslye Saunders' comments last week. Saunders said he was going to ask Spurrier for permission to get a 15-yard penalty for extra celebration after scoring a touchdown against the Wolfpack.
"He just talked himself into the biggest MA (missed assignment) possible," Young said. "I'll just put it like that. That leads to nothing but mistakes. I think he's trying to draw attention to himself, if what he's trying to do. Becaus I know, me and my goons, we ain't seeing it."
Comments
The State (ColOmbia, SC paper)
Mon, 08/31/2009 - 19:05 — gvillegatrthese guys paint another picture of Ken's blog, here.
http://jperson.thestateonline.com/?p=355&cpage=1#comment-5825
some of the story was left out (i.e. goons) and The State appears to have twisted some of the words around ...
One more thing.
Mon, 08/31/2009 - 17:14 — JPDOhioLet's summarize Willie's comment about Spurrier. Basically, he said that it doesn't really matter what the coach's game plan is if he doesn't have the players to execute the plan and make plays. Can anybody really disagree with that statement?
Explosive?
Mon, 08/31/2009 - 14:31 — awdracerKen, Please.
Willie didn't say that Spurrier wasn't a genius. He said "no" to the question that was asked.
This was an obvious attempt to bait Young into saying something that could be construed as bulletin board material.
Your headline was also weak and misleading.
Willie would never stoop to Saunders' level. He had much better parenting than Weslye did.
No he is definitely a
Mon, 08/31/2009 - 14:28 — PatronusPotterNo he is definitely a genius. I remember when he brought his genius to help the Redskins win 10 Super Bowls like a bunch of geniuses.
Scrambling Garcia
Mon, 08/31/2009 - 13:31 — SurferSounds like Garcia better take a knee if he knows whats good for him.
Now there is a game within a game; Saunders vs. Young, maybe I will watch now.
Willie being Willie
Mon, 08/31/2009 - 13:21 — JPDOhioDo I wish that Willie would have kept his mouth shut? Yep.
Do I think it is possible when you are being pounded by question after question by reporters desperate for storylines? Not likely.
I do agree with YAR8pack in that the comments as I read them were not nearly as bad as the headline indicated. What I read was mostly honest confidence with some stuff that could be used as bulletin board material.
Here's hoping that Willie backs it up like Joe Willie did all those years ago.
It Always Concerns Me
Mon, 08/31/2009 - 12:58 — TheBigGuyIt always concerns me when people talk about what they are "gonna" do. I want to see Willie do it, then hear about it. Over the last week Tysiac has painted the picture of a team that has already put the W in the books, and that picture worries me.
Wow.
Mon, 08/31/2009 - 12:52 — YAR8packGreat exhibition on how sensationalism works. This is nothing but fluff over nothing. The title reads "Young says Spurrier's no genius," but Willie Young goes on to say, ""He (Spurrier) knows his offense. Don't get me wrong. No doubt. No doubt whatsoever. And I think he's confident. But it's going to come down to individual play." Hmmm. Me thinks the title and whatever sensationalism that was supposed to spring forth from this fluff piece just got blown to bits by that statement. Oh well. Call Glenn Beck. Maybe he can help you with fluffy sensationalism.
Hahaha
Mon, 08/31/2009 - 14:47 — YAR8packDiggin out, huh. Way to change the title of this lame attempt at sensationalism.
Seriously
Mon, 08/31/2009 - 16:35 — mikbarrettIt's like they're trying to backtrack without anybody realizing it. Such a blatant attempt to start some s***.