Bruce Arians Press Conference Transcript Thursday February 3rd Super Bowl XLV
QUOTES FROM PITTSBURGH STEELERS PRESS CONFERENCE
OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR BRUCE ARIANS
(on the similarities between Ben Roethlisberger and Aaron Rodgers) “They are both mobile. They are both extremely accurate. They’re big…hard to get down. They both have adequate running games to go with them if they are allowed to establish them. I think it’s critical for both offenses, in this game, to establish some sort of a running game so that they are not just teeing off on you. One of the things that people aren’t looking at is both offenses are going to be visitors at the stadium. You’ll have 50,000 on both sides with a closed stadium. Nobody is hearing anything, so snap counts are going out the window, tough to audible and tough to change plays. When you close that roof, it makes it hard on offense.”
(on being able to establish the run all season despite injuries to the offensive line) “It’s a gritty bunch. I love them. Whoever comes in steps up. As Coach Tomlin says, ‘the standard is the standard. If you put on a black and gold jersey and you’re in the starting 11, you play like a starter. No matter if you haven’t played at all or if you’re a 13-year veteran.’ We don’t change anything that we do. We don’t mix things up to protect a guy. You step up and you play that position. You block that guy. We’re not going to cover you up.”
(on if the play of Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders provided a ‘shot in the arm’ for the Steelers) “They really did. Back in September, we knew these kids were going to have to help us down the stretch. I told our receivers coach Scottie Montgomery, ‘you hug them a lot because I’m going to beat the hell out of them. We’re going to need these kids and they’re going to have to be battle tested.’ They got cussed out every day. Coach did a great job in September. He wouldn’t dress them both for one game. Only one got to dress and they had to come to practice and battle it out for the first five weeks of the season. Two dogs, one bone. They weren’t going to both dress. They had to find their niche on special teams and be consistent in practice. As we got towards the end of October, they both got to dress and contributed a lot.”
(on both Brown and Sanders saying that the competition was good for them) “Yeah, they’re best friends. They coached each other. They’re very tight. They are going to be a really good duo for a long time because of September”
(on what has to happen offensively for Pittsburgh to win) “I think we have to play solid, be balanced and not turn the ball over. We cannot give them anything cheap.”
(on if it helps playing a defense that is similar to that of the Jets and Ravens) “In a way. It’s never easy when you’re going up against Terrell Suggs and Jason Taylor and now Clay Matthews. The similarity between them and us and those two defenses help because it’s not going to be as drastic as the Chicago Bears would’ve been in a straight 4-3. That is mainly because we can get such a good look at our second team on defense for scout team. They give us a fastball pitcher because we’re running more stuff. That part of the practice plan really helps.”
(on how much Mike Wallace has helped opening up the running game) “There’s no doubt. In the playoffs, he’s demanded a lot of double coverage and that in itself is a lot of respect for a young player. It just tells you how far he has come. We still need to get some big plays out of him even if it’s not vertical. It might be across the field. We’ve got to get the ball in his hands a little bit more. He does help the running game from the fact that if you’re going to single him up, he’s going to hurt you sooner or later.”
(on if Isaac Redman has been the reason for the improvement in their short yardage running) “Yes, he is. We spent a lot of time in the offseason addressing short yardage and goal line. Our first and 10 running game was excellent last year and it’s about the same this year, but where we’ve really improved is in situational football and short yardage. Our goal line offense is 12 out of 13, 12 touchdowns. We had one mental error in New Orleans that cost us a touchdown. If we would’ve reviewed it, we probably would’ve scored on that one. We haven’t thrown the ball yet. I’m very, very proud of that stat and those guys up front for doing that along with our tight ends because I think we have the best group of three tight ends in the league.”
(on if Ben Roethlisberger is the best offensive player he’s ever coached) “He’s one of the top three and vastly becoming that guy. Yes.”
(on if he is enjoying the Super Bowl experience) “I love it. It beats watching it on TV. I promise you. You have to enjoy this. This is what it’s all about.
(on Hines Ward’s role in the development of the young receivers) “It’s huge. Hines’ role, as far as a second coach, it’s one that is both on and off the field on how to handle yourself; what to do with your time; how to budget your time; where to go; where not to go. The two kids have talent. We knew that when we drafted them. They showed it in OTAs.”
(on if Mike Wallace is one of the most explosive receivers he’s ever coached) “He’s the fastest player, in pads, that I’ve ever coached. Eric Moulds, in college, but Eric got so big in the pros. When the ball was in the air, not only could he explode to go get it, he could change directions and get it. Andre Johnson, I had him in the Pro Bowl. He has that kind of burst but he’s not as fast as Mike. I’ve never seen anyone play that fast.”
(on if Wallace has had to learn how to use that burst of speed) “Oh there is no doubt. He’s learned to slow down actually. You can’t run 4.1 or 4.2 and break right or left. 4.3 is pretty good. Most guys don’t have that. He’s learned to control his speed and then still stretch the field.”
(on if you can teach a quarterback to be clutch) “I think you can learn to get there. Most guys are born with it. They want the ball. From eighth grade on, they want the ball in the crunch time. They want, as a pitcher, the hitter. In basketball, football, the same way. Some guys learn to get there because they are so smart at what they do that the game slows down for them. There is no pressure. Other guys can know everything there is to know about the game but they can’t handle that. It’s not pressure because they know what to do. It’s the nerves or whatever it is to really let it go, trust it and trust yourself. I think it’s more inherent that is brought out than something you give in a classroom and teach. Talent has nothing to do with it.”
