ShowMeBear2
September 15th, 2007, 09:46 AM
An interview with Matt Krapfl
Kyle Neddenriep
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I caught up with sophomore quarterback Matt Krapfl after Thursday’s practice to pick his brain on a few subjects. Krapfl has helped the Bears to a 2-0 start, completing 13 of 22 passes for 340 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for a touchdown in last week’s 51-44 win over Tennessee-Martin despite admitting his right knee is still not 100 percent after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in last season’s sixth game.
Here’s how it went:
How is the quarterback rotation with yourself and freshman Cody Kirby working so far?
“It’s going good. Whenever I get in there I have to make something happen and I’ve done my best to do that.”
Do you know how the rotation will go before the game?
“(Kirby) comes in the third series for sure and then we have no idea what’s going to happen after that. So far it’s been about 50-50.”
Is hard to be the starting quarterback and not know if you’ll get the majority of the snaps?
“I’m used to it by know (he also shared time with Garrett Congdon last season). It’s been that way almost my whole time here. It’s not as bad as it might seem. I learn a lot sitting on the sidelines when he’s in. When I get back in, I can know even better what’s going on.”
Do you and Kirby talk much during the course of the game?
“Oh yeah. Every time one of us comes off to the sideline we compare what we are seeing. We communicate a lot.”
Does it throw defenses off with the different styles you have as quarterbacks?
“I’m sure it does. I don’t know for sure, but I would think so. I’m sure they don’t expect me to run the ball too much when I’m in. But (Kirby) can still throw the ball really well. There’s really not any drop off when one of us comes in for the other.”
Are the plays called differently for Kirby?
“I don’t think so. He might run a little more ‘zone-read’ and option than me. Other than that it’s not any different.”
But you did run an option for a touchdown last week, right?
“Yeah, that was easily the luckiest touchdown I’ve had in my life. Clay (Harbour) and (right tackle Mark Graf) blocked three people between the two of them. It was pretty lucky for me. I felt blessed.”
The success you guys have had so far (leading the Football Championship Subdivision in scoring offense) has probably helped everyone buy into the two-quarterback system.
“That’s true. We’ll find out if we start struggling if there’s going to be a problem or not. But right now it’s great and everybody’s fine with it.”
Have the coaches told you if this is something they’d like to do all year?
“I have absolutely no idea. I don’t know who’s going to start Saturday or next Saturday. We really have no idea.”
Do you just put all of that out of your mind?
“Yeah, it’s not something I can control. I know the coaches will make the best decision. I don’t even think about it.”
Are you surprised the way the offense has clicked?
“A little bit. I knew we could do it, but I didn’t know we would do it in the games this soon, especially against UT-Martin. But I’m so happy that it is working. I really don’t know what to say. I’m speechless.”
When you took the 14-0 lead on UT-Martin in the first three minutes, could you sense their surprise?
“When we scored the second drive we thought we could just punish those guys. We were saying there’s nothing they can do to stop us. That’s how we felt.”
What do you see out of Kansas State?
“They are really fast and physical. It’s going to be a really tough challenge, but if we do what we’re supposed to do I think we can move the ball on them. We feel like we have the people to match up with them.”
It looks the protection from the offensive line has been pretty good so far.
“It’s been outstanding. I couldn’t ask for more. They are giving me four of five seconds to throw every time. They are picking up blitzes and doing unbelievable.”
Does being on the shotgun every snap help with protection?
“I think it does. I hate taking five-step drops. I’m lazy like that.”
How does the knee feel?
“I’m not back to 100 percent, but it feels life. It hurts a little when I take hits there, but other than that it’s fine. I’d say it’s about 90 percent. I think it will probably be next spring before it’s 100 percent. I can’t do rehab on it during the season.”
Kyle Neddenriep
Post Comment
I caught up with sophomore quarterback Matt Krapfl after Thursday’s practice to pick his brain on a few subjects. Krapfl has helped the Bears to a 2-0 start, completing 13 of 22 passes for 340 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for a touchdown in last week’s 51-44 win over Tennessee-Martin despite admitting his right knee is still not 100 percent after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in last season’s sixth game.
Here’s how it went:
How is the quarterback rotation with yourself and freshman Cody Kirby working so far?
“It’s going good. Whenever I get in there I have to make something happen and I’ve done my best to do that.”
Do you know how the rotation will go before the game?
“(Kirby) comes in the third series for sure and then we have no idea what’s going to happen after that. So far it’s been about 50-50.”
Is hard to be the starting quarterback and not know if you’ll get the majority of the snaps?
“I’m used to it by know (he also shared time with Garrett Congdon last season). It’s been that way almost my whole time here. It’s not as bad as it might seem. I learn a lot sitting on the sidelines when he’s in. When I get back in, I can know even better what’s going on.”
Do you and Kirby talk much during the course of the game?
“Oh yeah. Every time one of us comes off to the sideline we compare what we are seeing. We communicate a lot.”
Does it throw defenses off with the different styles you have as quarterbacks?
“I’m sure it does. I don’t know for sure, but I would think so. I’m sure they don’t expect me to run the ball too much when I’m in. But (Kirby) can still throw the ball really well. There’s really not any drop off when one of us comes in for the other.”
Are the plays called differently for Kirby?
“I don’t think so. He might run a little more ‘zone-read’ and option than me. Other than that it’s not any different.”
But you did run an option for a touchdown last week, right?
“Yeah, that was easily the luckiest touchdown I’ve had in my life. Clay (Harbour) and (right tackle Mark Graf) blocked three people between the two of them. It was pretty lucky for me. I felt blessed.”
The success you guys have had so far (leading the Football Championship Subdivision in scoring offense) has probably helped everyone buy into the two-quarterback system.
“That’s true. We’ll find out if we start struggling if there’s going to be a problem or not. But right now it’s great and everybody’s fine with it.”
Have the coaches told you if this is something they’d like to do all year?
“I have absolutely no idea. I don’t know who’s going to start Saturday or next Saturday. We really have no idea.”
Do you just put all of that out of your mind?
“Yeah, it’s not something I can control. I know the coaches will make the best decision. I don’t even think about it.”
Are you surprised the way the offense has clicked?
“A little bit. I knew we could do it, but I didn’t know we would do it in the games this soon, especially against UT-Martin. But I’m so happy that it is working. I really don’t know what to say. I’m speechless.”
When you took the 14-0 lead on UT-Martin in the first three minutes, could you sense their surprise?
“When we scored the second drive we thought we could just punish those guys. We were saying there’s nothing they can do to stop us. That’s how we felt.”
What do you see out of Kansas State?
“They are really fast and physical. It’s going to be a really tough challenge, but if we do what we’re supposed to do I think we can move the ball on them. We feel like we have the people to match up with them.”
It looks the protection from the offensive line has been pretty good so far.
“It’s been outstanding. I couldn’t ask for more. They are giving me four of five seconds to throw every time. They are picking up blitzes and doing unbelievable.”
Does being on the shotgun every snap help with protection?
“I think it does. I hate taking five-step drops. I’m lazy like that.”
How does the knee feel?
“I’m not back to 100 percent, but it feels life. It hurts a little when I take hits there, but other than that it’s fine. I’d say it’s about 90 percent. I think it will probably be next spring before it’s 100 percent. I can’t do rehab on it during the season.”