During a practice in early August, Georgia State coach Bill Curry walked by two players as they exercised on a stationary bike. Without breaking stride Curry said, "I want to see you two in Denver by the time this practice is over." The meaning was clear: Every player needs to continue to work hard, even those whose efforts would literally take them nowhere.
Hard work isn't new to the 69-year-old Curry. He wants his players to become as familiar with it as he tries to lead the Panthers to a bounce-back season after last season's 3-8 record. The job will be tough. The schedule is more difficult, and the team again lost some key players because of disciplinary issues.
In an interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Curry talked about his team's aggressive approach and its focus, among other topics.
Q: How will you improve the team's focus?
A: We need to focus on everything. Special teams require focus. Creating turnovers require focus. [We will] find focus on the things that make the difference.
Q: Who are the freshmen who could play? [Defensive tackle] Joe Lockley seems like a lock.
A: We have several that have a chance, but not one of them has gotten in there and stayed. They get banged up. ... We are hoping that Joe can play. We're hoping that Melvin King can play. We're hoping that Mark Ruskell can play. We know they are all good enough to play. Whether or not there is the maturity and ... they have to stay healthy so they can get a chance to play.
Q: How will the team be more aggressive?
A: Just by attacking, having an attack mentality, by being grittier. We were drilling harder in the offseason, much harder in the offseason, much harder in spring practice, much harder in training camp. That's the biggest area for us: pure grit. Whatever happens on the field, whatever happens during the game, we want people leaving the stadium, whether it's opponents or observers, saying "That's a clean team, but man are they physically tough. They are physically and mentally tough."
Q: How have you become a better coach?
A: I grew up. I finally grew up. I'm more confrontational. I'm more physically involved. I'm not accepting anything other than the best from each one every single play that I see it. I was concerned whether my energy level would be what it should be this year. I think it's the best it's ever been.
Q: You say you are being more aggressive. Do you think that maybe you were too lenient in past years, and the discipline problems resulted from that?
A: In the context of giving too many people too many chances, then yes. I had certain people that I believed in too strongly — some of them are still here — so I was right about some of them. But others received extra chances. I felt like because of our situation, because of our desperate talent need, because we were essentially an expansion franchise, that if the guy was sincerely sorry, if he paid his dues, if he took the punishment, if he looked me in the eye and convinced me he was going to do what he was supposed to do, then I would give him another chance, more chances than I've given in the past.
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