Post-Game Quotes
10/5/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 5, 2008
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Tulsa Head Coach Todd Graham
Opening statement:
"We're pretty excited. The guys played extremely well tonight. Our 30 defense wasn't too bad tonight. Our guys really stepped up. I'm really proud of our guys. We knew this was a game that would be very important in our goal to win the West, and you have to win them every week. I'm really proud how our defense played. We did a great job executing a great plan that Coach Patterson and coach Randolph put together. We had big hits, caused fumbles, interceptions against really quality opponent. I think our guys were really motivated. I wish every week someone would tell them that they're not very good, so they would play like that. They were pretty motivated, but that's not why we played god. We played good because we want to be champions. I was very pleased with the defensive performance. I thought it was outstanding in pressuring the quarterback, hitting the quarterback, causing fumbles, getting interceptions, flying around, making things happen, being very posed, facing adversity and rising up. I thought they did a tremendous job. The offensive line was very, very impressive tonight, and physically took over the game late and physically was whipping the opponent. Our guys played a complete game. I was very proud of our kids, our coaches and our program."
Talk about the run game:
"That was something I talked about back in camp is that would be the difference. To win a championship, you have to run the football and play rush defense and the turnover ratio is big. I thought our offensive line physically got after it. We're going to take what the other team gives us. I think early they saw that they couldn't match-up with our receivers, and with the weapons that we have a wide receiver and running back in the passing game that they have to play with two safeties and if they play with two safeties, we're going to run the ball. With 386 yards rushing, it's pretty impressive."
Talk about how important the punt return was in the third quarter:
"I thought it was big. Coach Blankenship got a game ball with the special teams. Our guys had a great plan going in. We're a really big pressure team when it comes to punt block, and people are nervous about it and that's why they tried doing the rugby punt, and Slick Shelley made an unbelievable heads-up play, caught it and ran it. That was big."
"We talked about it at halftime. I think we were all at a different level today as a team, all of our coaches and players. This team has a great synergy and commitment to excellence that is really special. We came in at halftime and there was no doubt in my mind that we'd come out there and win the game."
Rice Head Coach David Bailiff
Thoughts on the game...
"I'm extremely disappointed with our turnovers and our play overall. I came in here expecting to win. We had a tremendous week of practice. I can't put my finger on what went wrong, we will have to go back and look at the tape to see what we have to do to get back on track."
Thoughts on the running punt on the first possession of the 2nd half ...
"That was an absolute miscommunication between the wall and Kyle Martens. The call was a "rocket" and they though they heard "rugby." When you don't communicate it turns into a disaster like that, but it starts with me because I have to do a better job. We have a good football team and I have to do a better job of putting them in the right situations."
Decisions on kickoffs with the short kick and squib kick...
"There was so much wind here tonight. On the sky kick we had four guys with an opportunity to tackle and didn't make tackles. On the squib kick you would like it to pass that next line, but in warm ups because of the wind we couldn't get our kicks where we wanted them to go so we thought the squib kick was our next best option."
On how to get back on track after the loss...
"The great thing is we are going into an open week. It is going to give us four extra practices about getting Rice better and that is what we are going to do. It is going to be 'get better week'."
University of Tulsa wide receiver A.J. Whitmore:
On the Slick Shelly punt return...
"We were trying to find someone that could make a play. After halftime, that play was a spark of momentum for the offense and the defense. It got everybody fired up, and it even got the crowd back into it because it was kind of going to a lull in the game. I think that play changed it."
On adversity at the beginning of the game...
"It was expected. Coach Patterson, Coach Malzahn and everybody were stressing the fact that we are going to face adversity sooner or later. Tonight was the first time that we had a chance to deal with it. It was kind of a good thing in the way that it showed how our team would play under the stress and pressure. The defense played well and it made us feel real relaxed."
On the ground game...
"We always have the mindset to win. The offensive line played outstanding. We have it pretty well established that we can throw it and when we need to run I think we can get down to it."
On the ultimate goal of the team...
"It really is just another step in our goal. It is our second conference game. It is a pretty big step. It is where we wanted to be when we set our goals out for this year. With this game we are in the driver's seat in the Western Division. The way we played tonight tells everybody and lets the team know that we have a really good shot at going 14-0 and we got what it takes to make a real good run at it. If our defense keeps playing well our offense feeds off our defense. Defense, special teams, offense, we all played pretty good in all phases of the game."
University of Tulsa defensive end Un'tavious Scott:
On turnovers being key to the game...
"Like I said on the field, Coach Graham constantly stresses that we get turnovers in a game. So tonight we tried to focus on trying to get turnovers. He says that if you get turnovers you are guaranteed to win the game. So tonight we went out to try to get turnovers to help our team out."
On holding Rice to 28 points...
"The point is this, we feel like if we play together nobody can beat us. So tonight we had a goal in mind, we were focused and we want to show people what we can do."
On the third quarter...
"We came in at half and gathered ourselves. We just told ourselves the game is not over. We have to play four quarters. Graham stressed that we have to play 60 minutes of a game. We just tried to come out and refocus and recommit ourselves to going out and dominating."
