Tulsa vs. Bowling Green Postgame Quotes
9/11/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 11, 2010
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Charles Davis and Marco Nelson.
PRESS: Charles, could you talk about that last drive, the interception?
Charles Davis: I mean, they were driving down the field. I mean, the quarterback made a bad throw and I just capitalized on his mistake.
PRESS: Charles, talk about last week's defense, this week's defense.
Charles Davis: I mean, we just went to work and just went and worked on tackling and today we was able to make tackles in open space.
PRESS: What about the way this guy played?
Charles Davis: Marco Nelson as a freshman came out there and had a real great game. He had a pick, the first game had a couple of pass breakups and whole bunch of tackles.
PRESS: Marco, what's it feel like to get that first interception?
Marco Nelson: It's an honor to play with this guy. I mean, he's been out there working with me, being out there and just telling me the coverage and stuff, and so I ---- I give him all the credit. I give him all the credit.
PRESS: What happened on the play that you got your interception?
Marco Nelson: I mean, it was a little flea flicker, I think, and I ---- I seen the ---- I seen the, you know, running back pitching the ball. So I just ran up on the receiver and just read ---- read the ball right.
PRESS: Marco, you ---- you've been under a lot of pressure, you know, as a first year player playing defense. Talk about that.
Marco Nelson: Coming ---- coming from offense to defense was like a struggle like in the summer, but my strengthening and conditioning coach worked with my feet and turning my hips and all that good stuff and it just kind of worked out, felt good.
PRESS: Now, you've played all over the secondary in ---- in the last month. Do ---- have they found your right spot or do you feel like that's the right spot or do you feel like you'll be moved around more?
Charles Davis: Yeah. Well, Coach Graham called me last night and asked me if I was comfortable, and he thinks I'm comfortable right there, and I'll stay there the next couple of years.
PRESS: Charles, how important was it to come out and play this better this week than you did last week?
Charles Davis: It was very important. I mean, it was our first home game. I mean, we just had a tough loss last week, and we just wanted to get one win under our belt, and hopefully we can just carry it on.
PRESS: 41 rushing yards. I guess it stops by stopping the run. Talk about that part of the game.
Charles Davis: You know, it always stops by stopping the run. I mean, we did ---- our front did a real good job. O Ray, our other guys, Cory Dorris, and other guys, and the linebackers. Curnelius Arnick came in, and Shawn Jackson, another freshman. He had an extraordinary game, stopping the run, and then made it real simple for us in the secondary. All we had to do was stop the pass.
PRESS: How much better is this feeling than last week?
Charles Davis: A lot better. It always feels way better when you win.
Marco Nelson: Yeah.
PRESS: You got a big one next week. Let me ask you first, Marco. I know you being from the area, talk about next week's game.
Marco Nelson: You know, it's a ---- you know, college ball's a new ball game to me, and so I'm just going to go out there, ready to learn, and just get out there and experience a whole new game.
PRESS: Charles?
Charles Davis: I mean, it ---- well, like we say, the next game's always the biggest game. So, I mean, we're going to get out here and practice hard and be ready for OSU.
PRESS: Thank you.
PRESS: Trae, just talk about the feeling last week to this week.
Trae Johnson: We just ---- our team just had to get that bad taste of our mouth. I mean, last week was a terrible loss that we had, and just to come out and get a W, it's ---- it's the same for our program. It's the same for our fans, and everything is (inaudible).
PRESS: You guys hadn't lost a homeowner in a while. What's it like playing on this field, and why do you play so much better here?
Trae Johnson: Just the electricity from all our fans. I mean, going into an different environment for our first game like we've been doing the past couple of years and then just coming back and rolling into our home opener, it just ---- just the excitement that we just pick up and just ---- all the excitement from our fans and all the electricity that goes on with that, and it just makes everybody play a whole lot better.
PRESS: Did you put any more pressure on yourselves on offense knowing that defense didn't play that well?
Trae Johnson: Yes, sir, and they played an outstanding job tonight. So we have to just look at it like we're going to have to score 50 points every game, not toughen down on our defense. Just ---- that's the way our offense rolls. I mean, we have to score 50 points. 50 points is ---- is a low standard for us.
PRESS: 14 of their points come off your turnovers. Do you guys go out there with the mentality, we need to get those points back, when to give the ball up?
Trae Johnson: Oh, yes, sir. I mean, whenever the defense goes out and they make a stop and we go out and turn the ball over, we just tell them, hey, we're going to make a point ---- we're going to make them points right back for you. So it's all bad. That's all we say to them, all bad. Keep your heads hot.
PRESS: Alex Singleton, here's a guy we really don't know a lot about. Having the team high 74 yards rushing. Just another weapon we're just now noticing. Tell me a little bit about his game.
Trae Johnson: We just call him the big truck, the big choo--choo train. I mean, he's, what 5'11", 250, 260. I mean, he's a big guy, just like Courtney Tenille was. I mean, just get in, just make touchdowns. That's all he's doing, just run people over.
PRESS: You personally, big game, 6 catches, 80 yards. Do you really like this can be ---- and you had another touchdown today. Can this be another breakout game for you?
Trae Johnson: Oh, yes, sir. It's just making my ---- making all the bad taste coming out of my mouth like I was saying about us losing. I mean, just to come out from last year, with that ---- that old ---- that old stuff we had, and just coming in and rolling and me coming and everybody talking bad about me, about my freshman year, and how (inaudible) past couple of years. So it just give me a whole lot of just encouragement for my ---- for my teammates actually, to go out and make plays for my team.
PRESS: What do you know about the Tulsa/Oklahoma state rivalry? Being from Texas, do you know a lot about it?
Trae Johnson: Oh, I have no clue about it, but I know my mama graduated from OSU. So it's just going to be a whole lot of hassle in the household from back home and to me. I hope she's wearing blue.
PRESS: Is it just one of those big games you're anxious for?
Trae Johnson: Oh, yes, sir. I mean, it's just like another Arkansas game, another Oklahoma game, just to go out and just get exposed, and that's what we're trying to do, is get our offense and our defense exposed to playing Big XII schools.
PRESS: Did you guys have to win today going into that game against OSU?
Trae Johnson: Oh, yes, sir. We had to just ---- like I said, we had to get that bad taste out of our mouths, and, I mean, we've been hungry for a win for ---- for a good long time, especially losing the last five seconds. That's what we came out to do here today.
PRESS: In this game, you had four possessions that ended with field goals (inaudible), you know, four for four, you like to see that, but how important is it for you guys to end those drives with touchdowns and not settle for field goals?
Trae Johnson: I mean, it's very important because I can blame it on myself because I missed a couple of touchdown passes that ended up in the field goals. I mean ---- but we have a great kicker. I mean, Coach ---- Coach Morris always says we are never leaving without points. I mean, three points is better than zero points. So it still just kept us rolling.
PRESS: Thanks.
PRESS: Shawn, how'd it feel to go out and get your first start and have the kind of game you did?
Shawn Jackson: I feel good. I just came out and I played hard. That's what I told myself I had to do, so that's what I did. I just focused on what I was supposed to focus on, and I had a good game.
PRESS: How important was it for the defense to really establish itself? I know it's faced a lot of criticism after last week's game to come out and have the game it did today.
Shawn Jackson: Like you said, we just had to be focused. I mean, it was a ---- it was a tough loss last week, but we bounced back and we came out with a win tonight, and that was a big emphasis this week in practice, was to just stay focused on what you're supposed to do, so that's what we did.
PRESS: As a first year player as a freshman, did you realize that ---- how much criticism can fall upon a team after one game?
Shawn Jackson: Oh, yeah.
PRESS: Did it surprise you?
Shawn Jackson: Oh, yeah. It's big, but, you know, we can't really look into all that. We just have to stay close together as a ---- as a team, and that's what we did.
PRESS: How bad did you guys feel after last week?
Shawn Jackson: It was ---- like I said, it was ---- it was tough, but we just had to put it past us and ---- and look forward to ---- to this Bowling Green game, and we just built ---- we just built on a loss and just corrected our mistakes, and we came out with a win.
PRESS: Your thoughts. The ball's in the air. They're driving. I mean, there's still six and a half minutes on the clock, and Charles Davis comes up with a big interception. Just your thoughts. Is it almost a feeling of relief when he gets the ball back in the fourth quarter?
Shawn Jackson: Oh, yeah. It was a great interception by Charles. He's a great player, and it was ---- it was a good feeling, you know, to know that ---- you know, we had a good fight night as a whole defense, and it was a good way to end.
PRESS: Do leaders ---- do they really help talk you guys through this stretch this week, saying you needed to come back and have a strong game this week?
Shawn Jackson: Yeah, Curnelius Arnick and Charles Davis and Audrey Gray (phonetic), you know, they pushed us this week. Just a big emphasis on know what we're supposed to do, know your assignment, and things like that. They stepped up, and they was great leaders.
PRESS: How excited are you for OSU?
Shawn Jackson: I'm very excited to go to Stillwater and play. It's going to be a big rival game, and we just looking forward to it.
PRESS: Growing up in Tulsa and obviously your brother used to play there. Have you been to a lot of games there?
Shawn Jackson: Yeah. When he played at Oklahoma State, I went to every game really.
PRESS: Uh--huh.
Shawn Jackson: And so, I mean, it's going to be kind of kind of ---- kind of weird going there and playing, but I'm just going in there, just get focused this week, and we're going to go to Stillwater and try to get us a win.
PRESS: How important was it to win this game before you go on the road to play Stillwater?
Shawn Jackson: It was big. We had to ---- we had to get that monkey off our back. Like I said, last week's game was a hard one. So we had to come back and we had to play, and just looking forward to Oklahoma State.
Tulsa head coach Todd Graham
COACH GRAHAM: First off, we're real excited. You know, want to thank our ---- our crowd. Boy, I tell you, it was ---- it was a great home ---- home field atmosphere and they were into the game, and I always appreciate them coming out and supporting our guys. And lots of things were going on today besides here in Tulsa, and ---- and so I was really ---- really, really pleased to see them come out and support us like they did. Really proud of our kids and how they played. We definitely got better as a football team. You know, lots of young guys out there getting their first start. Really proud of the maturity that our ---- our ---- our senior leadership is showing. You know, Charles Davis is just phenomenal. You know, we had two true freshmen starting on defense, Shawn Jackson and Demarco Nelson. I thought both those guys played outstanding. And, you know, Charles, I was joking with him. He ---- he's going to be a coach, and he's getting a little internship right now. So he was a ---- he was a little frustrated at times early. But I was really proud of how those guys have taken those kids under their wing and ---- and how we responded. You know, our guys really came out and responded well, and some of the guys that maybe made some mistakes last week really bounced and back and ---- and ---- you know, with Fitzpatrick was ---- was ---- had a great game kicking field goals and kicking off. Such did a great job punting. They ---- they performed like they should. I think they're two of the best kickers in our league. You know, really, really proud of Alex Singleton. I thought Alex did some great things. And probably the things that sticks out to me the most in the first two games is a play of our offensive line. Not many people have noticed that, but I think they're protecting our quarterback, and they're definitely getting better fundamentally. They keep doing that and good things are going to happen to us. So real excited and happy for our football team, and don't have long to celebrate this. We got a tall order this next week. So we'll celebrate about five minutes and move on.
PRESS: Coach, defense ---- 303 yards total offense, 41 on rushing yards. Talk about overall team defense.
COACH GRAHAM: Really pleased, you know. I mean, our guys really ---- up front, you know, we challenged our guys. We made a lot of errors last week that you don't really see as a ---- as an average fan looking our game. Our defensive line last week didn't really execute the things that we were trying to execute to put pressure on the quarterback. We're able to pressure the quarterback a lot better tonight, and ---- and they ---- they were more disciplined about their assignments. And so, you know, I thought the guys ---- you know, naturally, the guys that always play good on defense did. Guys that (inaudible), like Lowell Rose, has come in and been a really steady guy there at corner for us. Had another true freshman play a lot tonight named DeWitt Jennings. I think he is doing a great thing for us. James Roberson, another true freshman, got in tonight at free safety. So just ---- just proud of the development defense, proud of how our kids handled things and the approach that they took to this game. So this was a great win for it.
PRESS: Offensively, 87 snaps, a lot of ---- a lot of (inaudible) on first downs because ----
COACH GRAHAM: Yeah. You know, I think it was 87 snaps, and we played 65 on defense. I'm ---- I'm ---- I was happy about that. Not happy about the turnovers, you know. We can't turn a football over like that, and that was kind of frustrating there, but, you know, we just got to eliminate those things. We just got to eliminate those kind of mistakes we're making. You know, we get the ball the first drive there and everything is perfect, going down the field, and then we ---- we put the ball on the ground and exchange, a simple exchange, and, you know, we can't do that; and we do an interception right before the half, we can't do that. You know, we're going to be aggressive, no question about it, you know, but we can eliminate that. We put the ball in jeopardy too much in the last two weeks.
PRESS: So many young guys on defense. Did you actually see things that ---- that you didn't ---- that you could prepare the defense better this week than you could prepare last week, maybe?
COACH GRAHAM: No, no. We had people hurt, so ---- so we had to ---- we had to ---- we had to play ---- Dexter McCoil was out. I'm really proud of Jamad Williams. He's an unbelievable team guy to move over to defense, and he ---- he was hurt and ---- and played hurt and really proud of his effort, and, you know, those guys are giving us everything they got, but ---- you know, Cody Wilson was not able to go to tonight, and we could have probably played him, but we didn't. Just as a ---- you know, I mean, we didn't feel like he was really 100 percent ready. So we had some guys hurt. That's why those guys played. And this freshmen bunch, it's really ---- boy, every day we talked about, you know, how good this bunch is, but it's still hard for freshmen to play. And as a matter of fact, the formations and things that they did tonight made it for difficult for them to play against this ---- this system. It's more complicated this week. So, you know, they're playing out of necessity right now.
PRESS: You pulled the guys together before the half. Did you say anything specific to them before you guys went in?
COACH GRAHAM: You know, I always do that. I've done that ever since I was a high school coach, you know. I just pull them together, always like to be right there, and I don't know if you guys noticed. There's a logistical problem. I mean, we have to cross the opponent, so as kind of a gesture of goodwill to them, I let them go and I talk to my team just real quick. So there's kind of two parts to that. We don't want to be crossing the other team at halftime, and the other part is I like to be the first one to kind of talk to them, and, you know, the main thing ---- I always say usually the same stuff, that, you know, we got to play the second half and kind of go, real briefly, over where we're at in the first half and what ---- what we're ---- how we're starting the second a half. We got to kick the ball off and things we go to do to be successful the second half.
PRESS: It seemed like there was a lot more pressure from everyone on defense on their quarterback on any kind of screen passes. Was that something that you guys really tried to press in practice, more pressure?
COACH GRAHAM: Yeah, I mean, we ---- we tried to pressure and do some things last week; we just didn't execute. I mean, we ---- we blew a lot of assignments last week. And the nature of their offense, you know, was one that ---- you know, we ---- we ---- give us more opportunities for pressure. So, you know, I was really ---- and the guys really ---- you know, they ---- they ---- they ---- you know, if you pressure and you don't execute, it's really bad. You give up ---- you give up a home run. You know, so we pressured ---- tried to pressure last week and, you know, gave up two: one 41--yard touchdown and the other, 46--yard touchdown. So, you know, we executed (inaudible) and that's, you know, again, an improvement from week one, so we're ---- we're ---- we're pleased about that.
PRESS: How much further do you have to go to get to where you want to go be on defense?
COACH GRAHAM: A long way, you know, but, you know, it's a process. I'm really proud of the kids and where they're at right now. You know, we're going to be ---- you know, it's just ---- every week, you just got to continue to get better. You know, I ---- I do believe that. I think we can get there. There's no question we can get there, but, you know, we got to really continue to work hard. We've got to ---- you know, it's going to be, every time those young guys are on the field, they're going to get better. I mean, I thought Demarco Nelson was impressive. I mean, he ---- he might be the most impressive, you know, freshman defensive back I ever coached, and that's included Pac Man Jones. So he's pretty impressive athletically. But still, the ---- the complexity of ---- of, you know, all of the offenses that you see, it's very difficult for a young man to do that, and then his ---- his backup now was James Roberson who, I think, is going to be an unbelievable player as well. I mean, DeWitt Jennings is out there playing as well. So just ---- just really ---- I mean, I think those guys have great promise and we're just going to have to coach the heck out of them to keep getting better. I think that's the key in the season, just like, you know, everybody, you know, kind of ---- you know, we prepare all year long for a 12--game season, and ---- and each week ---- you know, coaches always use cliches and say, you guys, play the next game, but it's really ---- that's what ---- that's how you prepare your kids, and I think we got better this week.
PRESS: Coach, can you talk about Damaris Johnson tonight? (Inaudible.)
COACH GRAHAM: Damaris is phenomenonal. I'm not sure that he's not the best at his position and what he does that I've ever seen. I mean, he is just absolutely phenomenonal, tough, you know. I mean, he's 5'7", maybe 165 pounds, and just ---- he does just about everything for us and is tough as the guys I've ---- I've been around, I mean, just unbelievable. You ---- you look at ---- I mean, you know, we were ---- the other day, we were look ---- talking to Alice (phonetic) about making a highlight tape of him since he's been here, and it would last for an hour. I mean, it's just phenomenal what kind of player he is. I'm really proud too because he has stepped up this fall. He really ---- and fall camp, I felt like he stepped up and ---- as a leader, you know, and which he ---- you know, he'd always been a great player and always a hard worker but not ---- not a leader, and he has stepped up as a leader, and I'm proud of that. We have some really ---- really quality leaders, you know G.J. and ---- and Charles Clay, Damarius, and Clint Anderson and Tyler Holmes on that offense. You know, we've got some really strong leaders over there, and I'm ---- I'm really proud of them. I'm also proud of ---- I think Coach Morris is doing a tremendous job. I mean, he is, you know, letting him be ---- go and run and be aggressive and ---- and ---- man, he is a tremendous leader. Very fortunate to have him here.
PRESS: G.J., just talk about the offense overall. 87 snaps, 540 yards. G.J. Kinne: Yeah. We ---- we came out in the first half and played pretty well, you know. We got ---- we got to stop turning the ball over the first drive, you know, like we've done the past two weeks, but, you know, we'll ---- we'll get a lot better at that, and we got to come out and finish the opponent. I don't feel like we did that the second half. You know, Alex really came out in that fourth quarter and put ---- put in some hard ---- hard yards, and we needed that.
PRESS: I asked Trae about finishing drives. I know it's great to get, you know, four field goals and have a kicker like you did, but you want to put the ball in the end zone ----
G.J. Kinne: Yeah, yeah, I think that's what we need to do, is just put the ball in the end zone. You know, we have a great field goal kicker, and, you know, he really showed that tonight, but we got to ---- when we're in the red zone, we got to put the ball in the end zone.
PRESS: During the first two weeks of the season, you guys have put up over 80 points. Feel like Morris's scheme is working for you?
G.J. Kinne: Yeah, it ---- it's really working. You know, we ---- we ---- we've played two halves of football: last week we played the second half, this week we played the first half, you know. Once we get that together, you know, it's going to be really something special, and I can't wait for it to happen.
PRESS: What's it like having Singleton in the backfield to kind of grind it out like he did at the end of the night to run the clock down?
G.J. Kinne: Yeah, I mean, he's ---- he's a load, man. He's 250, 60 pounds of ---- he's just a hard runner, and takes more than one guy to bring them down.
PRESS: Next week's atmosphere will be pretty fierce. (Inaudible) you played in some of these atmospheres last year and kind of know what to expect.
G.J. Kinne: Yeah, and I'm sure they're going to have a great crowd, and we're looking forward to it. You know, East Carolina had a ---- a great atmosphere, very hostile, and we ---- we handled that well. So hopefully we can do the same thing at Oklahoma State.
PRESS: What do you know about this series? I know historically this is a pretty heated rivalry between these two schools. Are you familiar with a lot of it or is a lot of it before your time and ----
G.J. Kinne: Yeah, I think a lot of it was before my time, you know. I ---- I know quite a bit, you know, about Oklahoma State, you know, just being from around the area and stuff, but I don't really know too much about the rivalry between Tulsa and Oklahoma State.
BGSU HEAD COACH DAVE CLAWSON
On having a better performance than last week: That was the best our guys played in the second half. It's a young group, and every time you see little steps of us getting better. You have to give credit to the two offenses we've faced this season. Troy is going up and down the field against Oklahoma State. And Tulsa, it's not an accident, they're good. Our guys battled, they played hard and they competed in the second half. I'm proud of them, I really am.
On what he saw out of his defense that he liked the most: Just the resiliency. A lot of times you see guys on defense hanging their head and pointing fingers when they don't have success, and our guys don't do that. They keep working hard and they keep battling. It's a resilient group, and that's what you need to have.
On having mistakes at the wrong times: We had some inopportune breakdowns. We had (junior center) Ben Bojicic go down and we put in a true freshman in Dominic Flewellyn. It took him a little bit to get his sea legs. Once he did, he played really well. We got a true freshman in there (at center), and he played hard. (Tight end) Tyler Beck is a true freshman and he had a bust at a critical time, but then he came back and he made a play. Those things are going to happen. You just need to learn from it and you can't repeat the mistakes. This is going to happen early. I don't like it but I can't say it's unexpected.
On the biggest concern with the offense at this point: I'm concerned with our inability to have balance right now. We never really mounted a consistent running game today. Part of our hope this year was to be more balanced and not rely on throwing the ball. Right now it just seems like we're not consistently running the football. We need to get much better at running it to go through the season and to go through the MAC (Mid-American Conference).
On the prognosis of Ben Bojicic: It's too early to tell. I'm sure we'll get back (to Bowling Green, Ohio) and we'll get some results and we'll see where we're at.
On anything he can take away from the loss: You can't have this talk after too many games. I like our football team, I really do. Our guys play hard for 60 minutes. They give great effort and they're resilient. Teams that do that find ways to get better and win football games. I said all along the thing that has to happen this year is we have to be a better football team in October than we are in September, and we're going to have to be a better team in November. Young teams either grow or they get discouraged and they stop growing. We have to continue to grow, and that's our challenge as a team and as coaches.
