Jerry Kill Press Conference - Gray's status is unknown, goal to get back by Saturday

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Here are my unedited notes from Jerry Kill's press conference (typing live as he talks) - the official transcript will be up later.

• I appreciate everyone coming in. We're looking forward to playing Syracuse and playing home again at 7pm, and moving our team forward, and fix some of the problems we have, and grow on the things we're doing right
• As a coach, sometimes you like playing at 11am, you get up, you go to work and play, and playing at night, as a coach you get done at 12pm or 1am, and you basically don't go to sleep. As far as the kids and fans go, people like going to Saturday night games. You don't worry about the time though, you just play good when you play.
• Gray is doing better, it's his ankle and his knee, no structural damage. Will be sore for a few days. I told him his goal is to be back up on Saturday and ready to play - but a big goal. Gray played last year with 3rd degree turf toe for 3 weeks. I can't speculate and talk about it, the good news is it's not a broken leg or torn ACL. If Gray is healthy enough to make himself available, that would be what we want. Can't control injury, if Nelson as the back up has to burn his redshirt.
• Shortell has the mindset that he wants to be a starter, and he's kept that mindset. We didn't have our starting center last week. We have a motto here, "the next man up" - now it's paying off because Max stepped up and did a good job. We'll have to see who will start as center. We'll have to see. We're going to play the ones that can play full speed.
• You always play to someone's strengths, every QB has strengths and weaknesses. Upfront, we do the same things we do everyday. We can do a lot of different things in our system. Max runs better than you think he does. He's worked hard to get better over the summer.
• We've been blessed with coaching good quarterbacks. Everywhere I've been we've had good qb's and they make good decisions, or I wouldn't be here right now.
• We've got work to do upfront, we do. We rushed and threw for some good yards, but our expectations have gone up like everyone else's, we need to play better to beat Syracuse.
• AJ can run, I've never seen him full speed because of the hamstring trouble. We need people to step up in that area. We need to block better around the perimeter. We've caught the ball well. We're all young, they learn every week. It's a teaching session every week.
• I think my track record speaks for itself (when asked if AJ would earn a scholarship) - I can't pull scholarships out of a hat right now. I think that's the 9th time I've been asked that question.
• I think Derrick Wells is playing as well as anyone. Brock Vereen has also made the transition very well, as well as Thompson. I think all 3 safeties have played very well. We're doing some good things there. Michael Carter stepped up and played his best game since he's been here. We need Shabazz back, hopefully we get him back before we start the Big 10.
• Michael Carter had said people were targeting him, does Kill think that's the case? No. It's hard to force feed a great receiver.
• I'm no different than you, I think at the time Gray got bent up pretty good, his leg went numb. As we progress, he was very sore yesterday, we'll try to move him around today. I don't know if he'll practice right now, I just knew yesterday he wasn't going to play. There will be a plan if Max has to come out - that's why I'm dressed like this right now, haven't shaved (laughing). Max talks to MarQueis all the time, they all talk. That's why we call it a team game. It's a "we" thing, not an "I" thing?
• Our approach is we're going to worry about playing this game, Syracuse, that's the way we've always approached it. We're in a good situation, if we weren't, we wouldn't have won last week (when asked if Shortell can earn a permanent starting spot).
• I think we've been pretty consistent that rather you win or lose, we'll treat you the same. You enjoy a win, but when you come back to work you go to work. It's a lot easier to go to work when you are having success. These kids are getting up in the morning, classes, study hall, etc - the grind. I've got a problem every day. There are no perfect programs, I want to meet the guy who does. I have the same problems every one else has.
• I appreciate everyone's coverage and the support and what you do for college football.
 

Sounds like the coaching staff is very open to Shortell stealing the starting job if he performs on saturday night under the lights by reading this. Did you get that impression from hearing him speak about the situation?
 

Status unknown on Gray? I thought it was a high ankle sprain and he was out 2-4 minimum?
 

I think Coach Kill is obfuscating about the injury to keep Syracuse on guard about the game plan. He probably has a better idea than he's letting on whether Q will play or not.
 

afurry91 said:
Sounds like the coaching staff is very open to Shortell stealing the starting job if he performs on saturday night under the lights by reading this. Did you get that impression from hearing him speak about the situation?
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I don't think it's quite like that. I think it would take more than just a nice game this week to "steal" the spot, but I think this coaching staff has proven over their history, you're never handed anything, so I would imagine that there's a chance Max could eventually get the spot. But considering the offense has produced with Gray back there and assuming Max does decent this week, it will have produced with him as well, I think they'll just consider themselves fortunate to have two QBs they can count on.
 


Are we to infer Zach Mottla will be held out this week?
 

It's apples & oranges. With Gray in at QB, there's a major run threat which opens up the passing game. With Shortell in there, there's a major pass threat that opens up the Kirkwood train.

Both work, and both are stoppable. It really doesn't matter which they choose. Shortell is in for now, the rest to be determined later.
 

Basically if Shortell's helmet falls off and Nelson needs to come in for one play he'll lose his redshirt. Hopefully they'll plan for that.
 

SDSUAlum08 said:
Basically if Shortell's helmet falls off and Nelson needs to come in for one play he'll lose his redshirt. Hopefully they'll plan for that.
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If Gray dresses, it will be Gray.

ButchNashGuy said:
Status unknown on Gray? I thought it was a high ankle sprain and he was out 2-4 minimum?
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He's out until he's healthy enough to play. There is no IR in college sports.
 



Someone made this comment in a different thread, if Max's helmet falls off (and Gray is out) one would guess the coaching staff would run a wildcat play with Maye seeing as he was a QB in high school. If it's an injury that's a different story entirely.
 

Son of a Badger said:
Someone made this comment in a different thread, if Max's helmet falls off (and Gray is out) one would guess the coaching staff would run a wildcat play with Maye seeing as he was a QB in high school. If it's an injury that's a different story entirely.
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That is actually a great point with the new rule. It could have very unintended consequences. Dexter Foreman?
 

I'm quite certain the staff is confident enough in Foreman (or hell, even Alipate for that matter) to go out and take one snap to hand it off to someone if the helmet situation arises. Nelson doesn't need to and shouldn't be playing unless Shortell is out for a full series or more.
 

ButchNashGuy said:
Status unknown on Gray? I thought it was a high ankle sprain and he was out 2-4 minimum?
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He doesn't know when he'll come back. Was even asked if he'd practice today - he didn't know. So his injury is known, his status is not.

husker70 said:
Are we to infer Zach Mottla will be held out this week?
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Kind of went around that question too. Said he wasn't sure.

SDSUAlum08 said:
Basically if Shortell's helmet falls off and Nelson needs to come in for one play he'll lose his redshirt. Hopefully they'll plan for that.
Click to expand...

That was asked - and he said they would plan for that, if Shortell just gets banged up and has to sit out a play, or something like that happens.
 



Here's the official transcript from the U:

An Interview With:

COACH JERRY KILL


JERRY KILL: I appreciate everybody coming in. I guess opening statement wise, we're looking forward to playing Syracuse and playing here at home again at 7:00, and looking forward to moving our team forward and continuing to try to fix some of the problems we have and then build on the things that we're doing successfully.
With that, I'll take on any questions.

Q. Talk about playing at 7:00 p.m. as contrasted to 11:00 a.m.?
JERRY KILL: Well, I think as coaches sometimes you like playing at 11:00 because you don't have to think about everything all during the day and afternoon. You get up, go to work, you play, you get home and you can get your week started again.
And playing at night, you, as a coach, you get done about 12:00 or 1:00 and you basically go to sleep and you go to work on the next week. So I think as a coach as far as the kids and the fans and those kind of things, I think a lot of people like going to a Saturday night game.
Again, from a standpoint, when you have 12 opportunities, the time you play them, when you play them, you don't worry about, you just play good when you play them.

Q. What's the latest on MarQueis' ankle?
JERRY KILL: Well, right now, I talked to the trainer, we met this morning, and he said that he was doing better. You know, it's his ankle and his knee, but there's no structural damage or anything like that. He got bent over pretty good, so he's going to be sore for a couple days. I talked to him yesterday, and I said your goal is to try to be a backup on Saturday and be prepared to play.
Now, that's a pretty drastic goal, but you've got to have something to shoot for, so we'll see how it works out.

Q. Do you think he'll be out at least a couple weeks?
JERRY KILL: You know what, MarQueis, last year he played with turf toe, third degree turf toe in two weeks. You don't ever limit on somebody's healing process and things of that nature. I mean, I can't speculate and talk about it. It's a one day at a time venture. The good thing is he doesn't have a broken leg or torn ACL or something of that nature. Speculation is one of those things, we have to prepare that Max is our quarterback going into the game, Phil Nelson is the backup, and we move forward, and if MarQueis is available, that's a good thing, but that's the approach we'll take.

Q. Are you reluctant because of the red shirt deal to play Nelson?
JERRY KILL: Well, I mean, what do you want me we have no choice. We're going to I don't know how more to explain about the quarterback position. I can't control injuries or what happens tomorrow or the next day. I can control what we have today. If we're playing tomorrow, Max Shortell is our guy that we're playing, and Philip has to be the backup, and Mitch Leidner has got to be ready to play. There's no avoiding to that. If MarQueis is able to get himself healthy enough to be available, that even benefits us more. You're dealt the cards and you play them.

Q. What are you seeing in Max that makes you believe that he's better prepared to be a starting quarterback this year than he was a year ago?
JERRY KILL: Oh, I think the biggest thing is when you're a freshman it's a whole different mindset going in, and I think Max has been through some of those trials and errors as a freshman last year, and his preparation, he came in with the mindset, hey, I'm going to try to be a starter, and he's kept that mindset. Our quarterbacks and our coach have a great relationship, and he's continued to push forward. Not only him, we talk a lot about the quarterback position, but a lot of people don't realize we didn't have our starting center last week, either.
We have kind of a motto here, the next man up. We talked about depth, the way we practice is a little bit different than most people, and right now it's paying off because the next man up has done a pretty good job. Max stepped in, did a pretty good job, and now we expect him to go in and play well and be ready to go against Syracuse.

Q. You're going forward as if Epping will start at center?
JERRY KILL: We'll just have to see, again, until we get out to practice. Zach Mottla was available on Saturday for emergency needs if possible, but we'll see how he moves we got banged up pretty good, and we've met with we'll have some guys out today and throughout the week, hopefully some of them will heal up, but I think any time you play, more so for whatever reason, the more you play on Saturdays the more physical the game is, you get more guys that are dinged up, and the next person has got to be ready to play or they've got to get healed up pretty quickly.
We're going to play the ones that can play full speed and can execute what we're trying to do. We're not going to play a guy at three quarter speed or something like that and take a risk.

Q. Will the playbook change with Max playing?
JERRY KILL: I think you always play to somebody's strengths and weakness. I think everybody quarterback has his strengths and weaknesses, even the best ones do, and we'll play to his strengths a little bit, but we don't have to start something all over again.
Up front we do the same things every day we have for the last year and a half. Coach Limegrover, you could take a tape recorder out there and it's going to be the same thing. In the backfield it's the same. But we can do a lot of different things within our system to help fit who you have playing there a little bit.
You know, Max is a guy that a lot of people don't Max runs better than you think he does. A lot of people say he runs a lot better than you think he does. He's worked hard to get better over the summer, and again, he's just like all our kids that have been here a year under the strength program. He bends better, he moves better than he did a year ago, and that's a thing that's a credit to our strength program.

Q. He moves better, but would you like to see him not dive headfirst into
JERRY KILL: Again, yeah, you'd like him not to try to run over somebody, but at the same time, if he slides, I've seen them slide and blow their knee out. The bottom line is as a quarterback you try to protect yourself as you possibly can, but in this day and age and in college football or pro football, you just have to when you can get out of bounds you've got to be smart. When you're in the middle of the field you're playing, and your instincts take over. You can teach and coach all you want, your instincts are going to take over sometimes.

Q. Do you think that Max last year as a freshman and now as a sophomore, still with limited experience, does he have more game management skill and poise than a lot of quarterbacks you've been with and coached over the years?
JERRY KILL: I think we've been blessed. I don't get into I've been blessed with coaching good quarterbacks. That's why I have the opportunity to be in the room today and coach. I mean, everywhere I've been, we've had good quarterbacks, and they've all made pretty good decisions or I wouldn't be in the room.
I mean, I think he's right along in that type of style of quarterback.

Q. What did you think of the cohesion with the line up front with the different center in?
JERRY KILL: We've got work to do. We've got work to do up front. I mean, we do. That's something that we'll spend I think that we've got to continue that's a work in progress, and we'll continue to do that.
Now, we rushed for some good yards and we threw for good yards and we protected the quarterback very well, but our expectations have gone up just like everybody else's, and I think we're going to have to play better than we did a week ago to win and beat Syracuse. I don't think there's any question about that. I think all of us know that.

Q. Talking about the receivers, in preseason you kept bringing up Barker's name as someone that's catching your eye. You mentioned being healthy, but were there specific of his skills that were jumping out to you?
JERRY KILL: Well, I think the big thing is A.J., I don't know, you'd have to ask our strength coach, but he can run. He's got good speed, he's a good athlete, he's been able to catch the ball, but again, I've never really seen him full speed because of all the hamstring trouble. Once he's gotten healthy, gained some confidence, caught some balls, and he's doing a great job for us, and we need people to step up in that area, and so far that area has played pretty good.
We need to block better. We don't block very good on the perimeter, and we've got to get a lot better at that. I think we've caught the ball well, and we've run good routes. We've got to get off press coverage better, but we're young, so they're all learning. Most of them haven't played.
They learn every week, and it's a teaching session every week, but hopefully we'll continue to improve. But we're going to have to do a better job blocking on the perimeter than we did last week.

Q. Is he close to getting a scholarship?
JERRY KILL: I'm going to tell you what, I'm going to hire you guys I get asked that every five minutes. I'll explain with the same thing I've said for the last year and a half: I think my track record speaks for itself. That's the best way I can put it, and I think it speaks very well for itself.
If he continues to do what he has, I can't pull it out of the hat right now, and when there's something available and he continues to do what he's doing right now, then we certainly have rewarded everybody I think in my coaching career. I think that's about the ninth time I've been asked that question, so that's the ninth answer.

Q. Syracuse has scored a lot of points in their three games. What do you see as their strengths?
JERRY KILL: They're explosive. They're very explosive. They've got a receiving corps, athletic skill set. They're different than a lot of people we'll play even the rest of the year. They've got very good skill sets and are very gifted at wide receiver and quarterback, and they can go vertical with the football.
It's a different skill set than we've seen, and I mean, it's a great challenge for us in the secondary, there's no question about that.

Q. How do you think your safeties have come along in just making that position change?
JERRY KILL: Well, I think Derrick Wells is playing as well as any it's pretty evident how well he's playing. I think he's done a great job. And then the guy that's made the transition tremendously is Brock Vereen. I think he's another one. Certainly we've used him in different packages but we're asking a lot of him. He's played very well and so has Thompson, so I think all three safeties have been productive and played well, and they're way ahead of schedule of what I thought we would be at that position. That's why we're doing some good things, I think, back in the back end.
Plus then Michael Carter stepped up and played his best game since he's here, and Troy is progressing as he learns more and has done some good things. We still have some young players behind them. Shabazz is going to be out probably for another week with his toe situation, but he's a very gifted athlete. Jeremy Baltazar is playing very quality minutes, played very well at corner, good press corner guy.
All those things are important, but we definitely need Shabazz back. Hopefully we can get him back before we start the Big Ten Conference.

Q. Mike Carter said that he felt like teams were targeting him a little bit on Saturday, but he likes it. Is that what you're seeing, as well?
JERRY KILL: No, not really. I don't think that quarterbacks are going to throw to the open people. I think that people use that in sports all the time, hey, they're going to try to garget this corner and that corner with as many different types of secondary coverage as you're getting and playing man, zone, cover two, it's hard to just go out and say, hey, we're going to force feed it to this guy. That's why Randy Moss got frustrated sometimes because sometimes you threw into double coverage with Randy Moss and he'd still make the play. But it's hard to force feed a great receiver, it really is.

Q. If MarQueis is not able I'm assuming MarQueis won't practice this week?
JERRY KILL: I don't know. Again, I'm no different than you. I think at the time he got bent up pretty good, leg went numb, thought there was a situation where this could be a long time. I don't think as we progress he was very sore yesterday, and I think Ed is going to try to move him around a little bit today. I don't know. So I'll be very honest, I'll get to see Ed at practice and certainly ask him, and if he's moving around I'll let you know. I don't know at this point in time, so we'll have to see. I just know yesterday he wasn't going to play anywhere. He was pretty sore.

Q. Knowing that you don't know what's going to happen during the game, will you have an eventuality in case Max has to come out for just a play or two, gets his bell rung or something?
JERRY KILL: Yeah, we'll have a plan. That's probably why I'm dressed up like this and haven't shaved yet, but we'll have a plan.

Q. What will MarQueis' role be if he's not able to play as far as on the field and during practice?
JERRY KILL: Same role he's had when he's not in. I mean, you play quarterback, you play quarterback, injured or not injured. You see it in the NFL or anywhere, you've got to be in the game. Your job is to play the game and be in it for the other guy just like he's been in it for you. Max has been in the last three games, and he talks to MarQueis all the time. They all talk. Hey, you're getting cover two, you're rolling down on this, corner is playing tight, think you've got the post. That's why we call it a team game.
Our guys do a great job of working together, and I think that's kind of a slow change. As we get better, our kids will learn and understand that it's a we thing, it's not an I thing, and if you work together you help each other out and the results are pretty good.

Q. Will his reps increase, Mitch Leidner?
JERRY KILL: Well, you can't rep four quarterbacks or anything like that, but we'll get him over for a couple reps in case something happens. We've been suiting him up the first three games, and you hope you don't have to go there. I'd rather not talk about all the things; that makes things happen sometimes. But he'll get a couple reps in there. We'll make sure we get them all repped and make sure they're all ready to play the best they can.

Q. He had the hamstring earlier in camp but he was able to progress from that, and he seems pretty fired up to help out.
JERRY KILL: Oh, yeah, he's in good shape.

Q. Has Max's play on Saturday or if he plays well in the next game or two, is this an opportunity for him to change your
JERRY KILL: Our approach is we're going to worry about playing this game, playing Syracuse, one day at a time. That's how I've always approached it, and things take care of itself. We're in a good situation. If we weren't in a good situation, we wouldn't have won the game on Saturday. So we're good to go where we're at, and we'll take this week and see what it brings and we'll move forward from there, and the bottom line is we'll do what it takes to win.

Q. Has the 3 0 record changed the team's approach to practice, especially compared to last year?
JERRY KILL: You know, I get so caught up in the bubble and so forth, you know, I'm sure it has. We'll know more today when we go out to practice. But we've practiced pretty well since we've started this season. But I think at the end of the season last year I think we practiced pretty well and practiced pretty hard, and the attitude was pretty good. I think we've been pretty consistent as coaches here; whether you win or lose, we're going to treat you the same. We're going to we get excited about a win and we enjoy it, and you enjoy the moments, but then when you come back to work you go to work. I'm sure deep down enthusiasm and for a young person or anybody, when you have some success it's a lot easier to go to work than when you're not having success. When you're not having success, it's a grind a little bit. When you're having success, it's a little bit less of a grind. But it's still a grind. These kids are getting up in the morning, they've got classes, study hall, long days and so forth. We've got a young football team, a very young football team. So there's life lessons.
I've got a problem every day. I'm just being honest with everybody. There's no perfect programs. I'm going to meet the guy that runs one of them. I've got problems every day. Every player has got a problem, I've got two daughters that have got problems, one has got a broken down car. I've got the same problems everybody else has got. We try to approach them the best we can. Take them one day at a time.
One thing I will tell you, I appreciate everybody's coverage and all the support, and appreciate what you do for college football. Thank you.

FastScripts by ASAP Sports
 


afurry91 said:
Sounds like the coaching staff is very open to Shortell stealing the starting job if he performs on saturday night under the lights by reading this. Did you get that impression from hearing him speak about the situation?
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I don't get that at all. What I got is if Gray can go at full speed, he's your starter. If not, it's Shortell.
 


50PoundHead said:
I don't get that at all. What I got is if Gray can go at full speed, he's your starter. If not, it's Shortell.
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I don't think the staff will consider moving Gray to a different position. The only scenario I can see playing out if that if Max just lights things up the next couple of weeks, when Gray comes back they might look to go to a 2 QB system to make use of both guys. But I think it is a little premature to discuss Max replacing Gray. Let's see how Max looks in the next few games while Gray recovers and worry about what to do with our two awesome QB's when Gray is healthy again....:)

And for the last time the coaching staff is not made up of idiots. If Max gets his helmet knocked off they won't play Nelson for one play it just isn't going to happen. The only way Nelson plays this year is if Gray and Max are both injured. People are worrying way to much about the possibility of his redshirt year being burned for one snap due to the new rule. For all the love Kill and his staff have gotten since they got here I would think fans would give them enough credit to be smart enough to have an emergency plan for that very scenario.
 

This Coaching Staff might not be winning a lot of recruiting battles but give them credit, they seem to know talent. There was a lot of skeptics out there when they started signing players for the Secondary. It's early, but with a real pass rush those guys have looked pretty good back there.

Q. How do you think your safeties have come along in just making that position change?
JERRY KILL: Well, I think Derrick Wells is playing as well as any it's pretty evident how well he's playing. I think he's done a great job. And then the guy that's made the transition tremendously is Brock Vereen. I think he's another one. Certainly we've used him in different packages but we're asking a lot of him. He's played very well and so has Thompson, so I think all three safeties have been productive and played well, and they're way ahead of schedule of what I thought we would be at that position. That's why we're doing some good things, I think, back in the back end.
Plus then Michael Carter stepped up and played his best game since he's here, and Troy is progressing as he learns more and has done some good things. We still have some young players behind them. Shabazz is going to be out probably for another week with his toe situation, but he's a very gifted athlete. Jeremy Baltazar is playing very quality minutes, played very well at corner, good press corner guy.
All those things are important, but we definitely need Shabazz back. Hopefully we can get him back before we start the Big Ten Conference.
 

MNVCGUY said:
And for the last time the coaching staff is not made up of idiots. If Max gets his helmet knocked off they won't play Nelson for one play it just isn't going to happen. The only way Nelson plays this year is if Gray and Max are both injured. People are worrying way to much about the possibility of his redshirt year being burned for one snap due to the new rule. For all the love Kill and his staff have gotten since they got here I would think fans would give them enough credit to be smart enough to have an emergency plan for that very scenario.
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Yeah if they can't figure something out for one play, then we've got a lot more problems than Nelson losing his redshirt.
 



If the situation is unclear to us, it probably is to Syracuse as well.

Yes, we are smarter and better informed than Syracuse University.
 

If it's a situation where Shortell has to come out for a play or two (equipment or something), I wonder if KJ Maye will step in? Again, not to be the back up QB, but if it's just a fluke play or two.
 

TCF=UnitedWeStand said:
If it's a situation where Shortell has to come out for a play or two (equipment or something), I wonder if KJ Maye will step in? Again, not to be the back up QB, but if it's just a fluke play or two.
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Phil Miller tweeted. "Gophers have a plan for short-term sub if Max Shortell has to miss a play or 2. "You don't want to put somebody in for 1 play," Kill said."

He also tweeted that Gray has boot of and Kill was suprised at how much of an improvement was made over yesterday.


Hopefully Gray can be back-up if needed. I agree they need to put Maye in for any 1-2 plays and have a wildcat package available. Nelson has to play if more than one series.
 

This whole one play thing has got me baffled. How is it that this is such a hard concept for people to grasp? I mean it is getting coverage on Kfan and Kill is getting questions on it from the media. It is common sense that you are not going to toss a guy in there and burn an entire season of eligibility so that he can take one or two snaps while you fix a piece of equipment. Any staff that would do something that dumb would deserve to be fired on the spot for not being able to come up with a one play contingency plan.

Ahhh I just answered my own question....common sense...the sworn enemy of die hard fans and media members everywhere.
 

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