University of Houston Athletics
Football Press Conference Quotes
10/3/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 3, 2006
HEAD COACH Art Briles
Opening Statement:
"The thing about the other night is that we have to let it go. It's over with. It's done. We have to move on. I am as bad as anybody when it comes to rethinking and wondering, but when I get around our guys it brings me back to what it's all about. We are concerned now with rebounding and taking care of business. Another fact that was solidified the other night (against Miami) was that we have a group of fighters, a competitive team and a team full of believers. That's the way that we have to finish out starting this week with UL Lafayette. It's the last non-conference game and then we get into six conference games in a row. We are on a good path and in good shape. We are going to be in good spirits after this Saturday."
"Our mission right now is to beat UL Lafayette, improve to 5-1 and improve our bowl scenario. Then get into the conference schedule and fight like hell to win a conference championship."
On the turning point in the game:
"I think it was a game of momentum flows and when you have the momentum you have to run with it. When you don't have it, you have to fight like heck to hold on. We had momentum for awhile, and they got it for awhile. When we had it, we used it, and when they had it, they used it. I didn't feel we lost the capacity to be in the game. I saw it more as momentum and those things dictate who wins football games."
On UL Lafayette:
"We need to be consistent, be determined and be direct with our focus and our mental toughness. They have a good football team. They are 2-2 and they won handily the last two weeks. The first two games they had were against LSU and Texas A&M on the road and that's pretty tough on anybody. So we have a lot of respect for them. They have the same quarterback they had four years ago when we played them in 2003. He (Jerry Babb) is a good football player. They have a good system offensively. They are an option team, with the pass mixed in there. They do a great job with what they do offensively. They are aggressive defensively and their kids play hard. They will get after you. They are playing with a lot of confidence. It's a good chance for us to get on the field and evaluate ourselves again."
On the hype surrounding the Miami game:
"We are given 60 minutes every week. I don't care who we are playing. We are going to go out and perform and bust our tails, representing our football team, our players, and this University. Miami was a game. We didn't build up to the Miami game. UL Lafayette is a game. It's a game we need to win to improve our bowl scenario and improve our football team. All those things are equal every time we step on the football field. We can't control who we play but how we play."
On the review of the fumble in the second quarter:
"I clearly thought it was a catch, a fumble and a recovery. I think it would have been a huge play because they ended up punting and we took over on our 31-yard line and didn't get any points on the drive, instead of sitting in field goal range with the recovery. When you play the game and when you coach the game you realize there are going to be things that go your way and things that don't go your way. You have to be able to ride with the good things and overcome the bad things."
