“Obviously we’re disappointed about what happened last week… We’ve got to get back to playing football. We weren’t physical, that bothers me.” - Babers on the Louisville loss.
"Not enough fight, not enough struggle, not enough clawing and scratching.” - Babers on what specifically went wrong this past Saturday.
Babers emphasizes the lack of physicality on offense as that unit’s biggest issue at Louisville. There were some mental mistakes in terms of making the right checks, but winning at the point of contact is the more pressing change to make.
Babers on the passing game: “We need to get better. There’s no doubt about it. The last two weeks were not acceptable.”
Axe asked him about the targeting. Dino says the call was legit.
“You’re talking about one of our team leaders, one of our MVP’s, one of our captains. I told him, the way he hit that young man was not safe FOR HIM.” - Babers on the hit that got Mikel Jones ejected due to targeting.
Babers said the offensive shift this year hasn’t affected recruiting. SU still values the same traits that it did, including bringing in pocket-passing QBs as long as they meet expectations.
"Practice will be extremely interesting on Tuesday"
Dino Babers said he tried to pull Sean Tucker and Garrett Shrader in the fourth quarter at Louisville. Tucker asked to go back in — the first time Babers said they’ve had a significant conversation in-game ever. Babers decided that he wouldn’t put Tucker back in without Shrader and the starting OL. Babers doesn’t believe Tucker was number-chasing and he emphasized that as a player’s coach, he’ll always hear his guys out.
Babers said he doesn’t expect to take a huge number of transfers this upcoming offseason, but the staff is mindful of the projected experience breakdown as current players transfer out.
No updates on Elmore.
Babers said QB transfer Dillon Markiewicz made his decision “the right way” and wished him the best. Dino said his pitch toward pocket passers in the future will be around Jimmy G’s success at Eastern Illinois. Still thinks this offense can work around any talented QB.
