Georgia State football coach Bill Curry has experienced some highs and lows the past two months.
The highs: The Panthers announced they will advance to the FBS level in 2013 as a member of the Sun Belt Conference; watching the evolution of a quarterback and a leader; and the joy of coaching and teaching, two things Curry said he loves to do.
The lows: He dismissed two players from the team and suspended several others for various team-related infractions or arrests, more examples of behavioral issues that have hovered over the program for several years.
Curry wrapped it all up in a post-spring question-and-answer session (some answers have been paraphrased or condensed.).
Q: With the discipline issues the team has experienced the past two years, are you surprised that you are still having to dismiss players, that lessons haven’t been learned?
A: Yes. I'm disappointed, bitterly disappointed and very surprised. Having been in established programs before, we all understand that there are moments when dismissal becomes necessary. But they were few and far between. This run of this kind of behavior is really disappointing.
Q: Do you chalk it up to immaturity or players trying to take advantage of the coaching staff and the rules?
A: To have a few of the guys blatantly disregard [our rules] is really disappointing. It's become clear that, though I detest it with all my heart, dismissing players has become necessary and that it will get their attention. I didn't want to do that with us with scarce numbers. … I've been more likely to give a guy more chances than I have in the past but I've had to stop doing that. At the time I felt like it was the wisest thing to do. If I had to do it over again, I would do the same thing I did because I would have thought it would have worked and I would do it better. But you asked me if I'm disappointed. I'm bitterly disappointed.
Earlier in my career, anytime I had a real tough disciplinary thing, I always felt like I was being put upon, that I shouldn’t have to deal with things like that. That was stupid and immature.
At this age, there are some disadvantages, but when the hard times come, I know this is why I’m here. I’m here to make decisions that are in the best interests of our university and our students and I take that very seriously. I don’t get morose and feel sorry for myself. I try to be rational and do the right thing for the students and the student-athletes. It’s as if it’s a mission thing.
Q: I imagine that you didn’t go into spring practice with the belief that Ben McLane was going to be the starting quarterback coming out of the spring.
A: We didn't go in with any belief. You try hard to go into spring practice giving everybody a chance. It's the simplest thing we told our quarterbacks: "We want to know who is going to memorize the system, who can learn the new up-tempo things we are doing immediately, convey it to people on the field, make the read, do the check-offs, if you see something strange turn and look to the sideline knowing that we can call it from the booth, make the change, take the snap, get the ball and throw it to the right place at least 70 percent of the time." Ben did it. He just did it.
Q: Switching to the anticipated improvements in special teams, some of that may have changed during the past week, with the suspension of kicker Christian Benvenuto and dismissal of quarterback/punter Bo Schlechter. How did that look by the end of spring practice?
A: It looked better. We haven't done anything to write home about. We spent more time in the spring than we normally do on things like kickoff and kickoff return. Most teams only do PATs, field goals, blocks, punts and punt returns in the spring. We did all the teams. We worked on technique, we worked to make starters understand that being on the kickoff coverage team is more important than starting on offense and defense. You are going to stay on it. You aren't going to be pulled off because you sprained your pinky.
Special teams will be the way we win this year. We worked every day on a circuit of special teams skills: getting off blocks, blocking punts, blocking in the open field, things that aren’t traditional. We had 15 sessions of a five-station circuit of special teams skills that we hadn’t done before.
Q: What about the transition to the 4-2-5 defense? How did the guys pick that up by the end of the spring?
A: Pretty well. Not great, but reasonably well. We have to get tougher and better up front. But our skill people made a statement about effort and breaking on the ball and changing direction and disguising coverages. A lot of that stuff the 4-2-5 gives you.
Q: Since the Sun Belt move, have there been more scheduling opportunities for Georgia State?
A: Yes. There will be more scheduling opportunities and the economic benefits are simply obvious.
Q: ACC? SEC? Any hints?
A: Big-time programs. Big, big, big-time programs.
Q: What is left for you between now and August to get ready for this season in the Colonial Athletic Association?
A: We are going to work on the details of the scouting reports. We are going to work on the specifics of sideline communication. We are going to work on time allocation to special teams. We will evaluate everything we've ever done, just like we did going into the spring, to make sure we are doing it better. Even though coaches can't be involved with guys during the summer, we will be aware of the strength and conditioning program to the extent that it's legal.
Q: What about 2013 and the first season in Sun Belt? What can you do between now and then?
A: We've got serious recruiting to do starting [Monday]. We will be on the road because we are behind. We are assuming that there will be some additions to the grants-in-aid. Even though we aren't losing many seniors, hopefully we will get to sign a large number. We are spending a lot of time on our recruiting board and the names we have on it and evaluating recruits. Coaches will be in schools starting Monday. We will be out there all the days that we are allowed in April and May.
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