University of Houston Athletics
Football Press Conference Quotes
11/20/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 20, 2007
Press Conference Quotes in PDF Format
HOUSTON ATHLETICS DIRECTOR DAVE MAGGARD
Opening Statement:
"This is a game and event that (TSU Athletics Director) Alois (Blackwell) and I have been talking about for years. I am really pleased that this is coming about this year. This is something that we have thought about as a city event. These are two institutions and two universities very close to one another geographically and there is no reason why we should not be playing. This is a wonderful opportunity for both universities to show in the city of Houston and it is a neighborhood kind of thing. Some of our players know players for TSU and it's going to be a nice friendly rivalry that is going to be a lot of fun. We are really pleased to be hosting this and we will look to the possibility of doing this sometime in the future as well. I appreciate Alois in terms of our negotiation and the way we went about this. We are very happy to be doing this."
HEAD COACH Art Briles
Opening Statement:
"I appreciate being able to play this game. Alois (Blackwell) and I played together back in the day a little bit. Alois is really a great football player. We are both fortunate to be here in a time with a lot of great people hanging around, a lot of great guys that have turned into great men. I feel very privileged to have walked through that era and it is good to see people like Alois at this time of our lives."
On TSU:
"Coach (DeChon) Burns has been there a couple of weeks and has done a good job. He walked in there and took over the job here in the last few weeks. They are going to come in here and battle hard on Saturday and we know that. We know that we are going to get the best shot that they have and we are going to give ours because we are fighting for respectability, credibility and getting to an eight win season. That is our goal for this week and our goal for every week."
On the Marshall game:
"Our guys did a really good job against Marshall. They showed a lot of resiliency, tenacity and toughness, physical and mental. I was really proud of the way they did what they had to do. We have to finish it up right this week and then get ready for whatever lies ahead. They have done a good job of getting us into the position to have a really good year."
TEXAS SOUTHERN ATHLETICS DIRECTOR ALOIS BLACKWELL
Opening Statement:
"I was just looking at some of the stats and records and when I was here I was higher in the records and now I am almost out of them. It just goes to show what a good job that they are doing here in regards to the football program. Like Dave (Maggard) said we have been working on this for at least a few years in trying to make this game happen and its something that probably should have happened a long time ago because TSU and Houston are right across Scott Street.
"We are looking forward to having a good game. Of course we would like for our record to be a lot better than it is currently but we are going to go and give our best shot. Art (Briles) has done a great job since he has been here in regards to the team and coming out with the (conference) championship last year and the possibility of the championship this year. It should make for a very good game. Our record doesn't show it but with the fact of us being cross street rivals our team is going to be pretty fired up to play the game. I am excited about it and I am looking forward to it. Hopefully it will be something that we can look forward to in the future on a yearly basis or every other year."
TEXAS SOUTHERN INTERIM HEAD COACH DeCHON BURNS
Opening Statement:
"I would like to say thank you to the community to extending their hands and arms to us and allowing us to have this game. It is a really big game for us on our side of Scott Street. I am glad that our young men will be able to showcase their talents at home in their backyard. We realize the significance of bringing two schools together that are just blocks apart and we look forward to coming out, competing and putting on a good show. Coach (Art) Briles and his staff have done a great job here at (Houston) and we would just like to be able to get on the field and show people that we play a little bit across the street too. I really appreciate everything that you have extended to us and we look forward to being out here on Saturday."
