University of Houston Athletics
Football Weekly Press Conference Quotes
9/13/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 13, 2005
HOUSTON - Quotes from University of Houston Football Head Coach Art Briles
Tuesday, September 13, 2005 * Houston, Texas * Athletics/Alumni Center
Entering UTEP game and following Sam Houston State game
"In the last game, we got a win. That was the main thing we wanted out of it, and that's what we got. That's the bottom line.
"It's been a whirlwind since then. We have burned the midnight oil the last couple of nights to get ready for UTEP because it hits us in a hurry. This happens pretty fast. This is going to be a big, exciting game for us this weekend. This is why you put the pads on and why you go play. They are going to pack the stadium and it's going to be on national TV. This is the first nationally televised game they've had in the Sun Bowl. They've had great attendance for many years there, but they have kicked it in the last couple of years. It's going to be a great atmosphere for us to be involved in."
"Being ready, being motivated, being intense won't be problem. They will add to that part of it for our benefit."
On playing UTEP in the first C-USA game: "It doesn't matter. All conference games are big, because they have the same bearing on how you stand in the conference. It's what we were dealt with, so we will deal with it. I would have liked a full week to prepare a little bit. They were off last week and had a little time. Last year, we went to Memphis, played Southern Miss on Thursday and had a great game at Southern Miss on Thursday, so that is overrated sometimes. You get there and get playing and then you take it from there. This game, as far as conference standings, is no more important than the Rice game in the last game of the season."
On playing Friday nights: "I didn't event think about that until somebody asked me Monday in a phone interview. It's not like high schools' play exclusively on Friday night anymore. They play Thursday, Friday and Saturday just like colleges. As far as sacred nights, ten years ago it might have existed. Now with TV and football games every night of the week with the exception of probably Wednesday - and there have been a few then - it's a little overrated. They have made adjustments out there in El Paso where they are playing Thursday and Saturday high school games. We're not going to be able to walk the stadium Thursday because of a high school game. It's just something that we were handed, and that's the way we will deal with it. Honestly, it didn't even enter my mind until it was mentioned to me."
On UTEP: "We got the one video from New Mexico State. We watched them from last year on and off. They are a very explosive football team on both sides of the ball. They play with high energy. They're going to come out of the gates playing with a lot of emotion and a lot of energy. We will need to match that early in the game, and then settle down and play ball. They have some speed on the edge, offensively. Defensively, they have seven returning starters off a good unit last year. They are riding a high right now. That's what makes an exciting game for us. They have proven to be a good team, so this is a good opportunity for us to play a good team on their home floor."
On improvement from Week 1 to Week 2: "It's hard to say. The SHSU game was more of a slugfest. We wanted to get the win and get gone. It wasn't something we were trying to look at certain areas and find weaknesses or strengths. I don't think we learned a lot from the other night. We got out of it relatively healthy, and we need to keep our guys on the field."
On play of C-USA teams in non-conference games: "I never expected it to be weak. In Division I-A football today, with the parity, anybody can realistically beat anybody on any given day. That's holding true more and more as the years get on. It's a strong conference. I thought it was all along. I am certainly proud to be a part of it. It's a good conference, and it's a good, strong conference with a lot of really good athletes. That is starting to be more evident by what is happening across the nation."
On health of Marquay Love and Wade Koehl: "Marquay has an outside chance (to play Friday). Wade has a pretty good shot. They tried to do a few things Monday. Neither of them worked out, but they tried to do some stuff. We will see as the week goes along."
On Anthony Evans: "He played one or two snaps (against Sam Houston State). He tried and played. He worked out Monday a little bit. I think he will be ready to go Friday."
