Football Press Luncheon Quotes
12/16/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 16, 2003
On the Cougars playing Hawai'i in their first bowl game since 1996
"Needless to say, we're very excited about going to Hawaii to represent the University of Houston. It's been a process that's really worked out well for us as a University and a football team, and it's certainly a great opportunity for us to showcase not only our team and our University to the nation. We're going to be in every household in America, every hotel and every restaurant that there is a television with our game on. It's a great opportunity for us as a University and as a football team to make a statement. We've been under the radar for the last 10-12 years, in my opinion, and it's a chance to get back and show people what we're all about. It's a deal where, and we've talked about it with our players, the United States will remember the 25th, they're going to remember the game that was on the screen.
"Our objective is to go over there and take care of business on the 25th and win the football game. And we're going to enjoy the trip. It's a trip that our players have worked extremely hard for. I was just thinking this morning about how a year ago about this time, we were working out at 6:30 every morning preparing for this upcoming season. They've (players) have done a great job over the last 12 months helping us arrive at this point, and they certainly deserve all of the credit. Their work ethic, their attitude and their leadership. And that's the thing that inspired me from Day One - was the way that they (players) wanted to win and the hunger they had inside of them. And when you're working with people who want to be worked with that have desire and belief, it makes our jobs as coaches a lot easier."
On what point during the season did you realize this team was capable of making a bowl game?
"It's a tough question to answer because we went into this season planning on going to a bowl game, as we will every year. That was always a part of our mindset. We jumped out and went 5-1 and we're thinking, 'we're pretty close to this deal.' Then we went through three tough weeks, won the Army game and had to win the UAB game at the end. We had a very good start, which I think was very important, and we were able to stick together through the bad times and finish strong. And I think that's a testament to our players' character and attitude."
What is the team's game plan in Hawai'i, as far as mixing in fun while trying to work and prepare for the game?
"Well, our schedule is laid out for us. We don't have many opportunities to do too much, because of the bowl activities. We're going to work out early in the morning, then we have a lot of activities in the afternoon, and our players will have some evenings off. We're going to try to stay on schedule as close as possible, as far as our work habits in our preparation throughout the week. We'll try to stay as consistent as we have been all year."
Is there a danger that the goal in making the bowl game this season has already been accomplished?
"Actually, making a bowl game was not our goal - it was to win bowl game. We figure that as long as you make it, you might as well win it. Our goal is to win the bowl game.
How has making the bowl game aided in the recruiting effort around the state?
"It's been tremendous. First of all, to know that UH is out there. We can walk into a school and say UH and they know where we're going - the recruits, the coaches, everybody is excited and happy for us. And when the coaches in the high schools are happy, and they talk to players, they get happy and excited and understand what UH is all about. From that standpoint, it's really been a big boost for us and the last couple of weeks have been going well for us."
Most bowl games are on neutral ground, and is it a concern for you that this bowl game will be played on Hawai'i's home field and that they will have their crowd there?
"It's a concern. We're going to have some folks there, and they're going to be loud and they're going to have fun and boisterous - I think that was pretty evident last night at our pep rally. We've got some people that are really excited about this game, and that excited me and our team. As far as Hawai'i being the home team, they are the home team, but it's not a regular home game for them. They go through all of the bowl activities just like we do, they go stay at a hotel for the week just like we do. It's a deal where they are not going to be quite as comfortable as they would be if it were a regular home game. I think that takes a little bit of the edge off for them. Plus, it's a great place to go play a football game and we've been a tough road team all year, and I don't see anything different happening on the 25th."
Hawai'i's backup (quarterback) got some playing time late in the year, do you expect him to be in there, or do you not know what to expect from their offense?
"I'm pretty sure we'll see them both. I think that's going to be their ammunition throughout the preparation and the game. They've both done well the last few weeks. They're both capable players and they (Hawai'i coaches and team) feel pretty comfortable with either one of them."
Are you expecting a track meet as far as scoring back-and-forth?
"I'm not real smart, but I'm smart enough to know not to predict many things. You just never know. It doesn't matter to me, I don't care if we win on a safety and it's 2-0, or if we win 58-57. I've learned that they don't ask how, they ask how many when it's all over. As long as we have one more point than them, we'll hug each other and come home happy.
"And we're going to hug each other anyway, because these guys have worked their tails off all year to get to this point. That's the thing that inspires us, as a University and as a coaching staff. It's nice for them to feel good about what they're (players) doing, and that's what makes me happy and what keeps me going. It's a grind. College football is a grind for these guys. Everybody sees them play on Saturdays, but they don't see them go to class, they don't see them go work out, they don't see them preparing throughout the summer and the spring, and all of the things they go through. And to see them get rewards for them, it's uplifting."
Is Hawai'i's offense similar to the offense you ran at Texas Tech?
"I think philosophy-wise it is, as far as just throw first, throw second, throw third. They (Hawai'i) are going to throw the ball. If they have 80 plays, they'll throw 63, and out of those 17 that are not pass plays, four may be quarterback scrambles, or they may call 13 run plays. They're going to throw the football. As far as schematically, it's really not - there are quite a bit of differences."