University of Houston Athletics
Football Press Conference Quotes
10/23/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
For additional audio from sophomore Case Keenum at today's press conference click here: Listen
HEAD COACH Kevin Sumlin
Opening Statement
"Last week was another good win for us. As a team, last week, we challenged the seniors. We weren't real happy the week before in our leadership and our seniors responded in a great way on the road. Phillip Hunt continued to play well and has created some sacks and leads the country in sacks. Our linebackers were extremely accurate in a game where it was spread out and they had to make some plays. It made them one dimensional and with Cody Lubojawsky being named one of the players of the game we got a strong performance out of our senior. Everyone wants a stop every drive and score every time but the way football is right now, people are going up the field scoring a bunch of points and we have to contain people. We did that (last week)."
Mark Hafner had a big game. That was in response to his game the week before. He was disappointed in his performance a week ago. Like I said, those guys accepted the challenge and led us on the road.
Case (Keenum) continued to play well. We had a pretty strong performance out of our running backs. Bryce (Beall) continues to improve and played with confidence. Justin Johnson is kind of an unsung hero around here. He is the back-up running back and we put him in the game and he protects really well. When we throw it to him he catches it. He is on special team, he is our personal protector on punts and he is a guy who knows his role. Our team is kind of developing an identity and our players are too.
Josh Bell stepped in and played pretty well. He got better as he went along, stepping in for SirVincent Rogers. We've had guys that have come in and filled in some roles and spots that probably even three weeks ago were not even people you have heard of. Our goals and standards have not changed. We have people that are capable and the injuries are unfortunate. One guy's misfortune is another guy's opportunity and we have some guys that are taking advantage of that. We saw that in our running back position. Bryce (Beall) has had his opportunity and he is making the best of it. Competition makes us all stronger.
Chase (Turner) continues to kick well. We have to develop and find a punt returner. We have had too many balls on the ground. Us losing Jackie Hinton, Jr. for the season is probably bigger for us now than anyone knows since he was our punt returner as a true freshman. The reason why a freshman plays is because you don't have anyone or he is the best person at it and he was doing it. We are going to find someone and we are working on it. We will get that fixed by next Tuesday."
On the team's improvements this season
"The biggest improvement is that we are even in the turnover ratio for the season and we are plus two in league play and that is with the muffed punts. If we don't have those we are probably plus five and some of these games wouldn't have been as close have they have been. We have a bunch of things that we can correct but the positives out-weight the negatives being tied for the lead in the West (division) and having our goals out in front of us."
On the upcoming game against Marshall
"In the game coming up, Mark Snyder and I have known each other for a long time. We worked together on the staff at Minnesota. Offensively, they have a good running back, a quick guy that can do a lot of things. They have one of the best receivers in the league and the country. (Darius) Passmore is in the top 10 in the country and has over 100-yards a game. He is one of the top 10 kick returners in the nation. We have our hands full there trying to contain him. They are going to try and give him the ball in space and screens. They are going to try and run it, play action and get some big plays over the top. He is very capable of doing that."
Defensively, I have a lot of respect for Mark, he was the defensive coordinator at Ohio State. He has had a couple extra days and when you are faced with these off days and these different games, these guys get a couple extra days of practice and in the first quarter you start to see new blitzes. We are taking advantage of those extra days and I expect them to do the same thing. We are going to get their best shot. They are where we were a couple weeks ago. They have lost three games in a row, but they are still in the lead in the East (division). They have a home game and their backs against the wall on national TV. I expect to see everything come out. We have to go up there with the same kind of mindset, expecting anything and playing a program that has a bunch of tradition."
On getting out early and not playing from behind
"You try to play better at the beginning of the game and, if you don't, you play the way we have played. You try and win the game from the beginning. It's not like we aren't trying to win the game when we kick the ball off. There are a lot of things that if you look at the game last week, we kicked the ball off and got two facemask penalties, which is uncharacteristic of us. So they run one play and they are at the 35-yard line so there is seven points. Then we turn around and muff a punt and there is seven more. That's 14 points right there. You talk about slow starts and it has to do more with errors. It's a football game and you are on the road. They (SMU) are getting better and I said the same thing about UAB."
For whatever reason, people thought we were going to go up there and run up and down the field but Tulsa didn't the week before either. So either we both played poorly or SMU is getting better."
On this week's game being on a Tuesday
"The game has been on the schedule for a long time. You weigh them both. National TV exposure is good for the program and University. When you have bye weeks where it doesn't cost you preparation for your next game its fine (playing on a Tuesday). You can't pass up that opportunity. It is a great recruiting tool for us, it's great exposure for the University and that's part of it. We deal with it. We have had a different schedule all year and I don't think it's going to effect us that much."
OFFENSIVE LINEMAN Michael Bloesch
On the offensive line getting hurt
"We still have Sebastian (Vollmer) and Carl (Barnett). We are trying to hold our own and play better. I was talking to them yesterday and telling them that we really need to bring it up to help out the young guys who are stepping in with us."
On the communication on the offensive line unit
"We communicate on every play. We are always talking to the guy next to us making sure we are on the same page. It was a change for me last week talking to Josh (Bell). I had been so use to SirVincent (Rogers) that sometimes we didn't even have to talk because we knew what each of us were doing, but I realize I am back to square one with Josh, having to communicate each play, which is fine. I am confident in the way he plays, and I think he will continue to get better every week as he gains confidence and more playing time. His only choice is to play well and work hard because we need him."
On who will replace Chris Thompson
"We haven't had a practice yet since Chris (Thompson) has gone down. Whoever (the coaches) put in, whether it is (Jordan) Shoemaker or (Isaiah) Agson, they will do a great job. They are both good players. It just comes back to communication because I think we will have the talent level out there, but we just need to all be on the same page and working as one unit."
On how long it takes to develop a communication with the new players
"It is not about developing it. It is just about talking and communicating. We have been using the same terms and calls all through spring training and two-a-days. Everyone knows them. It is just about talking to each other and knowing exactly what to do."
On who is the leader on the offensive line
"Sebastian and I are the two seniors, so it is on our shoulders. We are just going to try and pick it up and play the best that we can play and hopefully that raises everyone else's ability and we won't miss a beat."
On how tough he is as a leader
"When we are on the field, I am serious. I am very competitive and I like to win, so I want to bring the younger guys along with us and make sure everyone is on the same page. I don't feel like I need to necessarily get after them. Everyone wants to get better and play hard."
DEFENSIVE END Phillip Hunt
On what motivates him on the defensive line
"Coach (Jim) Jeffcoat taught us how to create surges, which means the defensive line plays two yards from the other team's back pedaling. That way when I rush around the edge, the quarterback has no room to step-up and make the pass. Then there are opportunities when the game is on the line, and somebody has to make a play. And I feel like I'm that guy for my team. I've got to step-up and do whatever it takes to make the sack."
On the guys standing behind Phillip Hunt
"The linebackers and cornerbacks have been doing excellent this year. (Marcus) McGraw knows all the plays and he is at the right spot every time. (Cody) Lubojasky sets the tone. He sets our defense up every play. Without him we would just be out there playing. Then we have (Matt) Nicholson who goes out there and makes plays all the time. So our linebacker core has been big-time this year."
