University of Houston Athletics
Football Press Conference Quotes from Media Day
8/12/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 12, 2006
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Quotes from 2006 University of Houston Football Media Day
Saturday, August 12, 2006 * Houston, Texas * Athletics/Alumni Center
SENIOR QUARTERBACK Kevin Kolb
On Haircut and New Look: "It's time to get serious. It's the age where you have to cut it all off and get ready for the corporate world. There was a little pressure from my parents, but mainly it was my own (decision). I cleaned it up way before the Heisman talk ever came out."
On Heisman Trophy campaign: "At first it was really exciting. Once you get into the grind of it and you are doing interviews literally every single day, it is a little bit overwhelming. You have to stay focused on what is real here, and that is winning football games. That is what we are all here for. Coach (Art Briles) and my parents do a good job of keeping me grounded. It's fun. Every single day is different. This is the only time in my life that I'm going to be able to do something like this so why not ride it as it goes."
I don't think it's clicked yet. Maybe four or five years down the road, whenever I get out of football completely, it will click with me. It will hit that I was considered in that league at one time. When I tell my kids about it, that will be when it's really going to hit me. I can't wait for that moment."
"It's happened here. It seems far-fetched, but it is definitely possible."
On Expectations: "I like it. I remember when I first came here, when our group came back from the Conference USA Media Day, they said we had zero respect. I went there this year, and we had a lot of respect. I had guys coming to me after interviews saying that everybody is picking us to win o the side. You like that. People know your potential; they know we are dangerous. Game to game, we have to stay focused. If we can do that, we have enough talent to win the entire thing.
"That is why Coach is stressing Rice so much. We think we are going to be so good throughout the season. We cannot overlook Rice. That happened two years ago. They are going to be a good, tough football team. They are going to come out with electricity. We have to prepare them and then let it go and flow throughout the season."
On Early Schedule: "You set these goals for yourself every single year. This year, we wouldn't expect anything less. We expect to win all those games. That is the best thing about it. We really do believe in ourselves, and we are going to be in that situation at the end of the year. IF we are not, we are going to be let down."
On Offensive Line: "It's huge. Everybody talks about the receiving corps and the offensive line and the backs, but our offensive line is where it starts. If it doesn't happen, none of us will get the exposure and the numbers that we need to win. That's what we understand. There are a few little things right now but nothing big. They already are gelling together really well. Our first three days were as crisp as I have ever seen a UH team since I have been here. With all of the talent that we have, that is nice to have. Nobody has the big head; everybody just wants to win."
On Rice: "We have learned, because we have been there before. It's not about hype. In the second half, it's about who prepared the best, who has the best team and who comes together the best at the end. We are going to withstand that first surge they are going to throw us and stay there... and playing our football when it comes to the second half."
On Closing Out Games: "Our big thing is that we have to stay focused every single game. There is a reason that Oregon beat us. They're big; they pounded us. If we can just stay focused from game to game is my biggest thing. I have had people tell me that we look like a totally different team today than you did last Saturday. That's what we can't have. We have to be consistent and level throughout the entire season and play the same football."
On Offseason Work: "I have dropped a few pounds and tried to make my legs more of a running threat. I learned throughout the bowl games, watching some of the other quarterbacks, that that is an offensive threat that the defense doesn't have answer for. Coach (Briles) and I talked a little bit. I lost 10-12 pounds and just want to use my feet a little more where I can be mobile."
On Career after College: "It's hard not to give it thought. Stuff is thrown at your, you hear stuff and talking to people. This has to come first; that's what I understand. All that other stuff will come at the end."
On Progress of Team: "Last week was phenomenal. It was crisp. Everybody had their head on right. It was like we were ready to play the second day of two-a-days. You can see it in everybody's eyes. Nobody is talking about individual stuff. It's all about team and winning right now. With a fourth-year coach and all the seniors, we are tired of the individual stuff. Ten years from now, people are going to remember a season, not how many awards you got. They are going to win the team wins, the conference championship and the bowl championship."
On Bowl Loss as a Motivating Factor: "It was such a letdown at the end. We felt like we could get over that hump and beat those guys. We are still on that hump. We are ready to dive on over the other side. That is what pushed everyone throughout the season. When Coach (Larry) Jackson came in as the strength coach, he would put it like that from an OU standpoint and how they got over it and winning championships. It was a mental thing."
On What He Has to Do: "I just have to take care of the football. I should be a point guard out there. We have playmakers all over the field. I just need to divvy it out, let them make the plays. Gamebreakers are everywhere. We're going to get our points. It doesn't have to go through me every single time. Stay calm, stay patient and not make as many mistakes as I did last year."
