Even after big victory, Jim Turner says A&M must get back to work

Key notes from Jim Turner interview

• Feeling great. Great win. I tell you what.
   
• Coaches in every sport and every business, body language means a lot.
• The exciting thing is that you look at our quarterback, Marcel Reed was fearless, and at the end of the game, he put that ball right there. Not taking away from the receiver, but it’s the quarterback right there. Just the way he came off the field after that play and the look on his face. As a coach, you are always looking at that. It’s the temperament of the team, and it was back and forth. It was a great football game to watch.
   
• This was the test. Discount the first two games. Two great warmups for the team, and I love the fact that they do that for them. It’s excellent, but this was the first real test. I thought the line passed with flying colors, and I thought that they did a great job. If there is a weakness right now — and I am taking a shot at the kid is and am being honest is, but he knows — it is Dametrious Crownover. He had five penalties that game, and one of those penalties was an absolutely ridiculous call.
   
• As an offensive lineman, when you’re pass-blocking, it’s a trap. You throw your hands on him, he’s got his hands on you, and you knock his hands down. It’s a trap. It’s a trap technique, and Crownover did that about as well as you can do. On the replay, to the announcer’s credit, he did say, “I don’t see where the penalty is.” I was thinking the same thing, and my soup is all over my face and on my shirt. I know the kid is working his butt off, but he had four false starts. He has to get that under control because it’s going to hurt them in a big game. Other than that, everyone played really well.
   
• The pass-protection is elite. Their run-blocking is very good. They ran Le’Veon Moss 20 times in that game, and we both said it last week that it had to be that way to win the football game. Both their run games were good. There was balance there, so now you have these weapons just showed up. Everyone knows about Marcel Reed, and I was excited about KC Concpecion.
   
• Mario Craver has got to be one of the top receivers, and I should not say that because I do not want to jinx the kid. I heard someone say about the trophy, and someone better punch him in the face at practice and say that you did not win the Heisman. I know that they’re going to do a good job of handling that.
   
• They have some weapons. You’ve got some serious offensive weapons right there. The biggest thing today is their ability to spread and attack the field, which they have the ability to do so. I love the way that they gave the ball to Moss. Every run doesn’t have to be a seven-yard gain. He was getting his ones and threes.
   
• I think that Miami has a good football team. I think Notre Dame did do a good job against Miami. We just dominated them.
   
• Maybe Notre Dame didn’t play well because we’re good. You look at Alabama and the game that they lost a week ago, and this week, they look like national champs. I think the defensive line for Notre Dame is not as good as the original credit we gave them. Those defensive ends didn’t do anything in the football game. They didn’t threaten our tackles. I watched it, and there was no threatening.
   
• I’ve never met Chase Bisontis, but he’s an absolute beast. He’s probably the toughest guy on the line. He did get away with a hold at the end. When we get away with hold, we don’t talk about that. You've got to take with the good and the bad. There are all these holds. I’d rather us be able to tackle those guys instead. I love that guy. Bisontis is a good player. They didn’t get him on it. I am glad they didn’t call that flag at the end of the game.
   
• I see teams working on tackling. There is a new way being coached to tackle. Not to put your hat in first. I used to say, “Get your head in front of the player. Bite at the ball.” This new way, I don’t understand it. I can’t stand it. When you block, try to hit them with your hands. If you are a guard, I tell guys, you attach the screws of your helmet to the target. When I do that, as soon as that happens, it works. You have to catch the defender with your whole body. It determines success and not success.
   
• It is what it is for bye weeks. You have to make it work. No one can walk into the facility with a smile on their face. I would torture them on Monday, and they would come out thinking that we had lost the game. You want to stick to a certain standard and not let the victory cloud our areas where we need to improve. The players will take the rest of the practice every time. I’ll be coaching the line, and another coach would come by and say, “You are doing a great job.” Don’t say that. It is all about mentality. If you say I am pretty good, someone will knock you out. Keep your ego down. It is a massive win they just accomplished, but all of a sudden, one play can change the game. They just need to stay focused, not smiling, and know there is more work to do.