University of Houston Athletics
Football Press Conference Quotes
9/20/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 20, 2005
HOUSTON -
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Quotes from University of Houston Football Head Coach Art Briles
Tuesday, September 20, 2005 * Houston, Texas * Athletics/Alumni Center
Entering Southern Miss game and following UTEP game
"It has been a while since the UTEP game happened, so we have been totally focused in on Southern Miss since then.
"The great thing about football is that you lay it on the line, you do all that you can do. If it doesn't work out or if it does work out, either way, you can line up and do it again. I wasn't sure that I was going to live, but the good Lord blessed me with some more days. Now I am back up being a fighter again. We are going to learn and live to fight again. That's what we are going to do.
"We have a dang good football team that is headed in the right direction. Like I said at the first press conference we had, I feel good about this football team and certainly nothing has done anything to change that. I am proud of them, and the University of Houston should be proud of them also."
On running more against UTEP in the second half: "I don't know. Honestly, I haven't even looked at the video. I am just going by memory. I don't know what we had rushing, probably close to 200 yards. We had a 19-5 lead and had the ball break. We only had the ball one time with a 14-point lead. We missed a long pass and fumbled the ball. The next play, they take it down and score. It was a 14-point swing.
"In college football or any brand of football, a 14-point lead to me is like a 7-point lead. All it takes is one thing to happen on the other side of the ball, and it's a 7-point game. If something good happens, then it's 21 points. I view a 14-point lead like a 7-point lead when I am thinking from a coach's standpoint.
"If we could have gotten the ball back later, if we had converted that into a first down instead of the turnover, then we would have pounded the ball a little bit. We felt good about moving the ball on the ground."
On if time defense plays on the field affects play calling: "It certainly affects that, without a doubt. It is something that I think about constantly, really both sides of the ball. If the defense is coming off a long possession, then we will try to hold the ball a little bit if we can."
On changing game plans due to Hurricane Rita: "That is being talked about as we are talking. Right now, we are planning on playing Saturday. That's the plan. We will see how this thing turns out and what happens with it. We have some contingency plans that are in effect. I really am not at liberty to say because they are not going to decide anything until Wednesday morning.
"We have a good Southern Miss coming into town. It will be a great game, great battle with them. It's a good team.
On playing Southern Miss: "We have had some good games with them in the last couple of years. They play hard, and I like that in teams, because I know we do too. They are an aggressive style, defensively and offensively. They like to play physical football, which is what we like to do. We are just a good match for each other. They have been one of the most dominant teams in the Conference the last 8-9 years. It's a great challenge for us to put a stamp on the program."
On quarterback Kevin Kolb's confidence: "That's not even an issue. Playing quarterback is like playing cornerback. You are out there. You have to try to make plays and believe in yourself every snap. That is certainly not an issue with Kevin at all. He has done a great job and will continue to do a great job. We have a lot of confidence and faith in him."
