Houston-Memphis Football Postgame Quotes
10/15/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 15, 2005
Recap | Final Stats | Notes
HOUSTON - 2005 Houston Cougars Football Postgame Notes
Memphis Tigers (2-3, 1-2 C-USA) at Houston Cougars (3-2, 2-1 C-USA)
Saturday, October 15, 2005 * Robertson Stadium * Houston, Texas
Houston Head Coach Art Briles
"We didn't execute in the red zone. I wish I knew. We had some strange things happen tonight that determined the momentum and outcome of the football game.
"It was not like they came out there and scrummed us around. I thought the defense played really well in the second half. You can't have the mistakes we had and expect to win a football game.
"We certainly didn't help ourselves with penalties. We created and had opportunities and did not capitalize on them.
"I feel like I have been shot in the gut. I am not sure words can describe the emotions."
On Memphis Quarterback Maurice Avery: "It makes a big difference in their offense because he's an exceptional athlete and they played to his strengths. They ran the sweep with him, ran a little big of the option and he's a good ballplayer. Coming in, we were worried about when they would start using him more. I guess they decided this week.
On Memphis Running Back DeAngelo Williams: He's been that way for three years. If you give him an inch, he will take 10 yards or more. You can't relax a second with him on the field.
On UH's offense: "We never really got comfortable rushing the football tonight. We had a good drive there at the end on the ground, but we turned it over in the end zone. We established ourselves but could not finish it out."
Memphis Head Coach Tommy West
"Everything that we've worked for the last four years was on the line. We didn't play with our hearts last week. I don't care about winning or losing, I care about fulfilling the potential of this program, and that's playing 60 minutes until it ends"
"We were fortunate, we got some breaks. We made some plays and they made some bad plays, but that's part of our game, they go both ways."
"The thing I'm proud of is our team played with heart, we fought for 60 minutes. It didn't if the ball was on the one coming out or going in or what the score was because we played hard, and that's what we came here to do."
"We had some injuries throughout the game, and we had two formations that we thought we could use, one of them was two tights and all of a sudden we were out of that."
"It's unbelievable these kids found a way (to win). I think our coaches did a nice job, we had a good game plan coming in and I thought our guys did a nice job of executing defensively."
"We stood up and stopped the run and they got some late but for the most part we played great run defense. The story for us tonight is that we played like we intended when we built this program."
"He (Maurice Avery) gave us senior leadership, which I thought we needed. Sometimes it comes a time where you feel like you need a change. I just felt like we needed a change, we needed something. I know we have to be a run team right now, and he gives us another run threat along with DeAngelo (Williams)."
"I thought this offense has been lacking the deep ball. We've been running the ball better than we ever have. We needed the deep ball, and we got one for a big score."
"Everybody wants to talk about schemes, we played our defense better. We didn't trick them, we got off the ball and tackled people. I know that's not what everyone wants to hear, maybe it was Joe Lee Dunn's defense that stopped them. Its players getting off blocks and making tackles, it doesn't matter what scheme you run, there isn't one where you don't have to get off a block and make a tackle."
"Houston is a good running football team; Ryan Gilbert is a very talented player. The worst thing that could have happened to us was for them to come down here and have them score on the first play."
"We are able to steal a possession. We've been working on that surprise onside kick all year, and we've been waiting for the right time to use it."
Houston Junior Quarterback Kevin Kolb
"It's kind of the same story. We got a quick score and stalled out for a while. Our defense kept us in it. It really felt like we were beating the dog out of them. We just could not put points on the board. I never, until the last time we touched the ball, felt like we were going to lose. There was never a doubt in my mind."
"We were doing whatever we wanted to. We were throwing it deep and playing our game. We just could not put it in the end zone. It was just a freak deal. Keeping hope is the way you win games."
"Until the last tick of the clock you have to keep believing in your team. I had confidence the entire game. I thought one of those times we would knock it in. We thought we had them."
Houston Junior Linebacker Wade Koehl
"We expected Avery to take the snaps. They got lucky on a few pass plays. We had a good third quarter but could not finish the game."
"I don't think DeAngelo Williams was wearing us down. I think Memphis has a very good coaching staff and they adjusted. He never misses his opportunity when he gets it."
Houston Sophomore Linebacker Brendan Pahulu
"I was in the right place at the right time on the interception. I was supposed to jump the flare route. I turned around and the ball was in my right hand. I tried to take it in for the score and I got close. "
"Memphis did not beat us tonight, we beat ourselves. We made some dumb mistakes and they capitalized. Today was frustrating, but we have to clean it up, keep grinding and start new on Monday. "
Houston Senior Running Back Ryan Gilbert
"I think we started driving the ball better in the second half. I was trying to score and the ball just came out. I was trying to get us a win, I never thought it would happen. I put the game on my shoulders. I am a senior and am not supposed to make mistakes with the game on the line."
"When you get to the red zone and don't score, especially three times in a row, it will hurt you. You have to overcome adversity."
