Highlights from Mike Leach’s media availability

The biggest news to come out of today’s Washington State press conference is the coaching staff changes that we wrote about here . Mike Leach also voiced his disagreement with the officials that ruled Gerard Wicks down short of the goal line near the end of the California game.

“The second to the last run play on the goal line,” Leach said. “I mean he was clearly across the line, I mean there’s no question about that … I think the process, without commenting on it, if a guy crosses the line he should be awarded a touchdown. That’s what I think.”

You can watch a slow-motion replay of that play and decide for yourself here . In my opinion Wicks did get the nose of the ball over the line before his knee touches, but I think it’s close enough that the initial ruling would not have changed after a review. It’s the second time in three games a controversial call has gone against the Cougars. Against Oregon WSU’s final drive ended on fourth down when the officials didn’t whistle the Ducks despite obvious pass interference .

Highlights from the rest of Leach’s press conference are after the jump.

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(What makes Stanford so good on pass defense?)

I think they’re big and strong and physical. They haven’t played anybody that really throws it a lot. I mean that’s one element of it but the other thing is they are a big, physical group like they always are and I think their physicality and playing together is one of the things as well but it has been a little tough to get film for this game because they haven’t played anybody that throws it a lot.

(Do you think they’ll try to take away the pass and maybe open up run possibilities?)

I think schematically they’ll be very simple like they always are. Stanford, that’s one of the things I admire most about them: They have their core beliefs that they believe in and work on that and center their skills and their focus around that and work to execute better than their opponent. I don’t think there will be a bunch of surprises or different stuff.

(Some of the players have mentioned Stanford’s football intelligence. Is that a result of that simplification?)

Yeah, I think they value execution over playing on the chalk board and trying to out scheme somebody.

(What were the big takeaways from the Cal game for you?)

Well we moved the ball really good. There are some drives that if we finish on offense we win. I think we need to play sharper on special teams, we win. If we get a stop the second half we win and, you know. The second to the last run play on the goal line, I mean he was clearly across the line, I mean there’s no question about that and so, you know, the elements have to come together.

(Are you frustrated that Wicks’ run wasn’t reviewed?)

You saw the game, what did you think?

(It looked close, like it should have been reviewed, so what do you think about that process?)

I think the process, without commenting on it, if a guy crosses the line he should be awarded a touchdown. That’s what I think.

(What does Vince Mayle bring to the table?)

Well, for one, he’s steadily improved. The biggest thing he brings to the table is he’s focusing better now than he ever has and he’s always been a hard worker but then as you work hard you develop the ability to focus longer, focus better, focus more precisely. I think he’s done that, I think he’s kind of brought the physical together with execution. He executes physically. He’s faster than you would think he is because he’s a big guy but he’s faster than you would think and I think, you know, he’s continuing to polish his skills and made some big plays, had some big plays, got some good yards after the catch.

(Did he have to learn how to focus at this level?)

Always worked hard, always worked hard, had to get in shape but I think focus is something people practice and they get better at. Just like you guys growing up, in my case it was the multiplication tables. I thought I’d focused all I could and then second time through I didn’t get it right. Of course, my dad was pretty upset about that and decided we were going to stay up until about one o’clock that night until I got it right. Well, I learned to focus. Hey, want to go to bed you’ve got to learn to focus. And, in fairness, I’ve never forgotten my multiplication tables and I don’t even like math. So I think there’s a practice to it and I think Vince came in excited and really wanted to make himself a receiver and then I think he’s worked harder and harder at it and coach Simmons has done a great job with him. Because he even looks like a different person than when he first got here.

When he first got here he could run the slant and he could run the vertical but he’d always turn out for the vertical so the ball would be exposed. Now he’s one of the more refined receivers in the conference.

(When you’re recruiting a guy who’s out of shape is it tough to project what he’ll be like when he loses 20 pounds?)

Well he was in a different kind of shape. I mean, he was built like a Saturday morning cartoon character … he was all chiseled up. He’s like one of those figurines your mom bought you as a child that you may still have, I don’t know, but it looked like Vince. He didn’t have a monster face but it looked like Vince. The biggest thing is he’s more fluid now, he’s down to probably 220 pounds and a lot more fluid and quicker and a lot more precise in his technique.

(Has this team improved consistently?)

I think starting Portland (State) on we’ve improved. I felt like from Portland (State) on we improved. I thought those first two games, I thought those first two games I don’t think we improved a great deal. I think it was kind of a necessary step, we had some ridiculously young guys out there and assembling that and identifying problems and that type of thing. You go out there with a bunch of youth as we do and stuff’s going to reveal itself.

(Did defense and special teams take a step back on Saturday?)

I think Cal’s really good on offense, certainly, and I think our youth and our depth was exposed a little bit. I do think we can do better on both of those sides of the ball, no question.

(Was there a trickle down affect in the second half on defense, where one back play led to another bad play?)

I think defensively we didn’t do as good a job playing the next play as we could have. There’d be one negative play and they’d dwell on that rather than to the next one and then the other thing I think Cal did a good job with moving guys around and creating matchups, trying to get the matchups they wanted and attacking that. I thought our pass rush was aggressive the second half but on some of our pressures and things we need to get to the quarterback, we need to be a little quicker.

(Are there any challenges with a shorter week?)

Mainly what we’re going through right now. Late last night’s game-planning, it’ll be late today, we’ll game-plan today and practice will be a little bit later and so we’ll finish it out. So you lose a day, you just have to jam two days into one day. Yeah, it’s a nuisance but it’s good to get back on the field quicker, too.

(Connor Halliday got hurt against Stanford last year. How would you say he’s a better player than last year?)

Well for one, he hasn’t got hurt, you know? So I just think he’s more polished. I think the people around him are more familiar and I think he’s more polished. I think he’s similar but he’s just steadily worked and improved. But it’s not just him, I think we protect a little better, a little more precise in our routes and catch better and then between he and (the rest of the offense) they’re familiar with each other, who’s going to be where, when.

(How do you respond when people say Halliday’s a “system quarterback?” Could he be a great quarterback in a pro-style system?)

Well, I think that’s pretty obvious. One, I don’t know what a system quarterback is so I don’t understand the question. Two, anybody … let me just comment on that and then you can ask me some more questions because, shoot, it’s Monday, I don’t have anything to do today. I’m going to piddle around until Friday. One, I don’t understand what a system quarterback is. Two, anybody that’s not a system quarterback — I don’t know why they need a coach. If it’s just about some quarterback taking snaps and doing whatever he wants, what’s the coach there for? You don’t need a coach. And three, I can’t think of any quarterback in the entire world, on high school, college and even the NFL level that doesn’t need a coach or some kind of scheme to follow so they get everybody on the same page. And no offense to you, because I’ve had this question for decades obviously, and then there will be some definition of a (system quarterback), which is a stupid definition. If somebody doesn’t have a system or a core of beliefs or some ideas that they’re structuring their team around, you need to try to figure why they’re not. So that’s my position on that. Go ahead.

(How do you think you defense lines up against Stanford’s offense, which doesn’t have the big tailback it usually does?)

It’s hard to identify because they’re playing several backs and tehn of course the receiver they’re moving all over the place trying to get balls to him. One that’s tough because he’s a good player, the other, you don’t know where he’s going to surface next. To answer your question, defensively I think at times we’ve played well up front. Stanford’s offensive line, physical, that type of thing. That’ll be the matchup on defense and then don’t let them ambush you downfield.

(Has there been a change made on the coach staff at special teams?)

We made a change at special teams and well I think a great deal of coach Russell but we wanted to split the special teams up among the assistants and the way he’s most effective is with him running the whole thing. He’s a great coach. Yeah, I decided to make a change at special teams.

(Are there only eight assistant coaches on staff?)

“Really a lot of the same administrative stuff he was doing before and he’ll head up the special teams but deal it out among the assistants and just kind of keep it organized.”