University of Houston Athletics
Football Press Conference Quotes
12/19/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 19, 2006
HEAD COACH Art Briles
Opening Statement
"I would like to thank the fans and everyone that showed up at the championship game. The atmosphere that we have been shooting for the last four years came to a realization on December 1. That's the way it needs to be every time we step into that stadium. That's how you have home field advantage. That's how you win championships. That's how you have winning records every year when you have people behind you like we had that night. On behalf of our coaches, our administration and our football team, thank you so much to those people that came out passionately and set a stadium record for us. They've had some big games in that stadium but none bigger than that one and none more meaningful than that one. Secondly I would like to say a thank you and a congratulations to our seniors as a whole and particularly to our guys that have already graduated. We have eight graduates that are going to play in the game on December 29. We have four more to graduate in the spring and a couple more in the summer. These guys have a done a great job going to class and getting their education. Championships and college degrees stay with you."
On preparing for the Liberty Bowl
"I know where we stand as a football team and I know where we stand as a staff. I know how we will represent this city and this university on December 29. Our players are focused, determined, eager, hungry, intelligent and dedicated and they are ready to go play football. We've maintained our energy and our vision throughout this break and that's something I am very proud of. That doesn't come from me it comes from our seniors and our leaders on the football team. We will be prepared, we'll be ready and we will explode on both sides of the ball and special teams."
On South Carolina
"They are a very balanced football team, very unpredictable on down and distance and scoring on the board. They are hard team to get a good feel for from the defensive standpoint. Defensively, they play very aggressively and very intelligently. They have good players on the field. It's not much different than what you would expect."
On South Carolina's defense
"Their defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix was at Southern Miss in 2003 and 2004 so we have some history with him and he has some history with us. He has a better feel for us than someone who just stepped out of the car and onto the field. We have to execute and perform on the offensive side of the ball and we have to stop them on defense. We don't need to make something easy hard. If we take care of business and do what we are supposed to do then there will be some people in red smiling."
On staying focused
"What we have tried to do is maintain our mental edge and physical toughness. Those have been our two points of focus through this 28-day layover. You do that through strength and conditioning, which we spent about 10 days doing and then this last six-day span we have been doing a combination of both. We are making sure our mind stays alert and fresh and our body stays tough."
On fan support at the Liberty Bowl
"We need a lot of people to go to Memphis. We need a lot of people to show up. Support is a big word, it's a meaningful word and it's a powerful word for a football team. We need to have people in the stands hollering for the Houston Cougars. When the game is over there is not going to be any food left on the table. We are going to eat all that's there. We aren't going to take it home with us. We are leaving it all on the field."
SENIOR QUARTERBACK Kevin Kolb
On the season
"(The season) has been pretty good. We had a lull period in the middle but it happened at the exact time you would want it to rather than it being the last three games of the season. The conference championship is what we wanted. We worked hard for it and we focused as a football team. We were able to get it done and we are hoping that's what will happen this week."
On the team's momentum going into the conference championship game
"We were on a roll because we knew that end was coming. We needed a break and it feels good to get a break but you have to maintain the focus that you have because we were on a roll. We have a good group of seniors and even the underclassmen are a mature group of kids. We haven't had a problem in the past focusing and getting ready for a big ball game and we don't think we will have trouble this time."
On South Carolina
"They are very aggressive. With an aggressive defense there are going to be a lot of shots to make big plays. We like that as an offense and we feed off of it. We have some big, capability players. It's going to be fun. There should be a lot of people traveling down there and it should be one of the top five bowl games."
SENIOR CORNERBACK Willie Gaston
On going to a bowl game
"It feels good going to a bowl game. Whenever you can play one or two extra games your senior year it's always a plus."
On South Carolina
"They have great players and a great receiver, Sydney Rice, who I am looking forward to playing against. They have a good running back and I am looking forward to getting on the field against an SEC school."
On preparing for the game
"You just have to get in the weight room and lift weights hard and when you're in practice you have to be mentally focused and prepare the best you can."
