Jerry Schmitt Quotations

This program has been very successful and a new coach won't drive us. This program is more about the kids, about them playing the game.

Obviously people are going to make comparisons between me and Greg. We're very different coaches, but when it comes to results I hope they are the same.

I was really pleased with the way this team competed all spring. The energy and effort they brought to each and every workout we had over the last month has made us a better football team.

He's a kid who's a winner. He did great things at Perry.

Penn is just a very good team. Although I felt Scott did some good things during that game, there were other significant factors besides his individual performance that keyed the loss.

Palumbo is the most athletic and a very good scrambler, Rupert has the strongest arm and Knapp is somewhere between the other two. We're looking to use their skills to manage the game the way we want them to. I'd prefer to have a No. 1 quarterback and stick with him, but we'll do what it takes to win games.

We'll be a little different with Knapp. But I'm sure we'll be ready to play against Robert Morris.

We've been practicing with a sense of urgency to our preparation. Duquesne's program has been very successful. A new coach won't drive us.

We have a lot of very good players who have been through this before. That should help our young quarterback.

This is going to be a tough spring. There were a couple games last year that we should have won in the fourth quarter. We didn't. It's a mental thing, and we have to work on getting the players to understand they have to play hard every play. They can't take a play off.

It's not pressure in any way for me other than how I prepare this team for the first game against Robert Morris.

For me, it's an honor to be in this position. And that's the way I approach it. To replace Greg, a guy I've learned so much from and coached with also in the past is an honor. I am extremely fortunate to have spent 11 years here as an assistant coach.

I knew we had a good defense, but they are impressing me more and more each week. This is more than I expected.

I'm an offensive coach, no question. I learned under that philosophy.

This is more than just another game on our schedule because it's a local rivalry. Add the fact they beat us pretty bad last year and that makes it even more important.