Sept. 8, 2003

Charleston, SC - Coach Ellis Johnson and the media reflected on Saturday's loss against Delaware, their bounce-back and The Citadel's upcoming match up against Maryland at the third press conference of the season on Monday.

After a blowout season opener against Charleston Southern, the Bulldogs lost their first road game against the Blue Hens 41-7 in what Coach Johnson referred to as an obvious disappointment.

"It wasn't enough physical difference for the ballgame to result that way," Johnson said after reviewing the tapes from Saturday's game. There were a number of significant plays that could have kept the Bulldogs in the game. One of those plays was when a likely touchdown pass to wide receiver Bud Pough hit him in the chest, resulting in an incomplete pass and a no-scoring drive for the bulldogs.

"When you get a chance to get momentum like that and get control of the emotions during a ballgame, you've got to do that," Johnson said. "I saw a lot of intensity out of our players," he added about a team that wasn't lacking drive. Johnson said the team had a lot of decent plays, drives, quarters, etc., but it just wasn't enough to match the level of which Delaware performed on Saturday.

Johnson expressed concerns with both offense and defense, and though he admitted that there's a lack of consistency from players, there were several players who continued to have good performances. The first mentioned was Player of the Game Scooter Johnson, whom Johnson said had two good performances in a row. "Rontrell Tyler, for a true freshman, had some really good plays," Johnson added. Tyler was named offensive difference maker of the game.

"We've got to get the best 11 out there, rather than the best 22," Johnson said. "Maryland will obviously be better than Delaware." But because of Maryland's 0-2 start, Johnson said no one knows what to expect of the environment on Saturday.

Johnson expressed optimism about being on the road against another good program this week before conference play starts up next week with Western Carolina. The Bulldogs will kick-off against Maryland Terrapins Saturday at 6 p.m. in College Park.