University of Houston Athletics
Football Press Luncheon Report
11/8/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 8, 2005
HOUSTON -
Complete Transcript in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
Quotes from University of Houston Football Head Coach Art Briles
Tuesday, November 8, 2005 * Houston, Texas * Athletics/Alumni Center
Entering Southern Miss game and following UCF game
"This is a big Homecoming game for us this weekend. Every game is crucial, especially late in the season. We need all the fan support we can get this week to cheer us on to victory.
"We came out and played pretty well (last week). We didn't start fast, which was a bit of a concern. UCF has a good football team. They played well. We caught them at the top of their game. Once we settled a rhythm on both sides of the ball, everything worked out pretty well. In any close game, a couple of situations seemed to be a little over-magnified. That certainly was no exception. All in all, our guys really played hard. We just lost a tough game. We need to win three tough ones here at the end."
On USM playing twice in a week: "I've been the team that's done that. We did it last year, went to Memphis and Southern Miss. It's the same thing they are doing with going to Marshall and coming here. I don't think it will have any effect. It didn't affect us last year. We played pretty well when we went to Southern Miss. This late in the season, the main thing is just making sure that everybody understands their assignments and has the right mental and physical toughness to go with getting into the game. They had an off week as we did back in September when we got ready for them and they got ready for us. They still have all that information as we do. From that standpoint, it won't be a big deal."
On pros and cons of midweek games: "It's definitely a pro for our conference because everybody watches those games. Those are watched football games. On a regular midweek game, they give you the following Saturday off so you have a 10-day span. This was just an unusual circumstance because of the hurricane early in the year. They are definitely a pro for our conference."
On preparations for next week against SMU: "That's where the issue is with us. We go Sunday-Saturday. That is something that we will address next week. As far as preparing this week, we just kicked everything back a day. We will use tomorrow as a Tuesday and then float from there on. The next week, we will have to buckle up and go a little faster pace."
On return of Lance Everson: "It was really exciting. I am a Lance fan as anybody is that knows him. He is a great individual, a dedicated person. He already has his degree. He is what you look for in a student-athlete. He has some outstanding leadership qualities. He has a good heart and cares about the team. From that standpoint, it was great. Hopefully, as he develops physically over the next two or three weeks, he will be able to come in and be a n impact player for us."
On USM's loss of Antwon Courington: "It will be an effect for them because he is a great athlete. They have good people. That's one thing about Southern Miss and really all those universities in Mississippi. Mississippi is not a heavily recruited state. You have three universities that come to mind there. They have a good run of people from that area. They are never going to be lacking for athletic people. They have been a solid program for 15 years."
On preparing for USM's defense: "It's a different week, no doubt. It has been the last two years. Without getting into the game plan, we have to anticipate as well as possible what we feel like they are going to be in. We have to do what we do and we have to do what we do well. They are going to get some plays on you. If you can be patient, hang around and do what you are supposed to do, you have the opportunity to make a play or two also."
On ups and downs of season: "It is a ride. That's what you love about athletics. Nothing is ever for sure. You put your heart and soul and everything you got every time you step on the field with no guarantee of what is going to happen. Nothing is ever certain until it is certain. We don't get caught up into being two games away from being bowl eligible. We get caught up in trying to be the best team that we can be every time we step on the field. If we do that, all that other stuff falls in line and takes care of itself.
"You can't get too excited after a win; you can't continually beat yourself up if things don't turn out the way that you want. It's human nature to do those things. You can't let your emotions control your actions all the time. If you did, you wouldn't be the same person day in and day out. My deal is that consistency is the key to success. That's how somebody is successful. They are consistent. They're not one day this way and one day that way. What you see is what you get. If they have any backbone, they are going to be solid day in and day out. That's the way that we want our athletes to be and that's the way we try to be as coaches.
We're not going to go out and do something crazy if we have a big win. We're not going to go into the tank and turn our back on people if things don't turn out our way. We are going to be solid and consistent every day of the week and prepare as we always do and be the best that we can. That's the way that you handle the highs and the lows."
