Tulsa vs. Rice Postgame Quotes
11/6/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 6, 2010
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TULSA HEAD COACH Todd Graham
Opening Statement...
"We went out today and really responded well. I didn't like how we started the game. We were just a little bit flat, but we're a good football team. We went out and dominated and came in 41-7 at halftime. I thought our guys were very physical today. Our offense was very explosive. G.J. played extremely well. I'm really proud of our team. I think we've gotten better, and I think it showed today that we can do a lot better. It kind of hurt us a little bit getting ahead 41-7 at halftime because it was good to get our 2nd String in there, but we need to get better there. They didn't play as well as we wanted to and that's part of getting them reps. I'm very proud of our guys. Now it's on to Houston week, which is a special week. We know each and every year that this game is critical in the Western Division. We had a lot of guys beat up from last week who came out and played really hard. We gave up too many big plays because we weren't as focused, but I'm really pleased with how our guys played. Damaris Johnson--what more can you say about that guy? Unbelievable. He's just phenomenal. It's pretty much just a formality to give him a game ball every week. The kickoff return was spectacular, and he had a lot of other spectacular plays. He's just a really special guy, and I'm proud of him and proud of our team and proud of our staff. We're getting better. We need to keep pressing forward. This is going to be a big week this week."
On defensive tone:
"We really have set the tone defensively. That's what makes me mad about giving up so many yards and points with the 2nd string because our defense is really stepping up. Today they stepped up without Tanner Antle, and he's a big time leader for us over there. We blew a coverage on the first passing play and left a guy completely uncovered. But I'm really proud of them. It's just really hard once we start substituting in to keep our level of intensity. I didn't like that, and it's pretty frustrating, but we had total dominance today."
On G.J. Kinne's game today:
"I thought he played great. He followed his progressions. There are things that he continues to get better on. He threw the ball extremely well. I'm really proud for Thomas Roberson to get his first touchdown reception. That was big for us. But, boy I thought that G.J. played really, really well."
On momentum:
"I think we have a lot of momentum. Anytime you can go and win a game like we won last week, I could sense from our football team the confidence that we're playing with. This is a very close team and a very close staff. I like them. I like our team. We know we have a battle ahead of us. It's a big, big game coming up this week at Houston. We have to go on the road, but we have two of the last three at home and we play very well at home."
QUARTERBACK G.J. Kinne
On the role the offense played today...
"We came out a little slow and we just knew we had to come out and answer. I think the defense played a good game today. The offense has to continue to roll. It's going to be a big week."
On Damaris Johnson not only in offense, but in special teams today...
"He's a great player and I don't know what they were thinking kicking the ball to him. He always, always comes out and plays, and he's a good player."
On his plays lately...
"I think I've been playing pretty good I mean it's the last quarter of the season. Everyone has to step their game up. I take it on myself to step my game up, too."
On what being the C-USA leader in kickoffs means to him...
"I'd be lying if I said it didn't mean anything. I've just been put in a good position, I've got a good coaching staff, just been put in a good position to do good things. I've been working real hard to go up for this."
RICE HEAD COACH DAVID BAILIFF
Opening statement...
"I thought that we prepared well for this one. We came out and had a quick strike and we were really feeling good about things, but it was when we fumbled the kickoff that I thought we went flat. It looked like we were going to have our first kickoff return [for a touchdown] in decades and then the ball came out. That got us on our heels offensively and defensively.
We got outplayed in all aspects of the game - offense, defense and special teams. We put the ball on the ground three times in the first quarter and gave up 400 yards of offense in the first half. We weren't completing passes and we couldn't move the ball. You are not going to win a lot of games like that.
I thought we came back in the second half and played better, but at the same time Tulsa had nine points on the board without even running an offensive play. We've got three games left. Everything in this program starts with me and I have to do a better job."
On Sam McGuffie's play...
"I'm very proud of Sam McGuffie's effort. I believe he had 178 yards rushing and we can build on that. We can build the offense around Sam. I thought our offensive line did a much better job today protecting [the quarterback], but we have to continue to improve in all phases of the game."
On falling behind early and not recovering...
"When something bad happens, you have to strengthen your resolve as a man and as a football team. You have to show you have some grit and gut, and I think we went flat. That is something that we have to change. We didn't do that against Houston. When things went bad we kept playing hard. So I have seen us do it. I have seen us respond the way winners respond. We talked about that this week and there is no excuse to come out flat."
