University of Houston Athletics
Houston Football Weekly Press Conference
11/1/2011 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 1, 2011
HOUSTON HEAD COACH Kevin Sumlin
On the chemistry between Case Keenum, Tyron Carrier and Patrick Edwards...
"They have played a lot of football since they've been here and have been involved. People may or may not realize that football has become a year-round sport. What you see on Saturday is not necessarily a product of just the fall. Quarterbacks and receivers have the ability to really work year-round on their own and that is how that chemistry has developed. They have been together for the better part of four years and when we got here they were all new so they all got started at the same time and are finishing at the same time. It's an advantage for chemistry, our team and for an overall understanding of what each other is doing."
On Patrick Edwards...
"He is pretty good for a walk on. He plays really, really fast, but what people don't see is how he plays without the football. Patrick is a leader by example at practice. What you see at the game is a by-product of his work ethic off the field and it's contagious. It's been particularly contagious with a team that has so many guys that can do things with the ball."
On dealing with all of the success...
"We look at those things as team awards. If you watch the game ball presentations after the games closely you will see that all of our guys are as happy as the guy receiving that ball. All of these things are by-products of winning. It's not a batting award; it's not just one guy trying to hit a ball. There are ten guys that have to get things done. A lot of those yards are after the catch. We all recognize that."
On Marcus McGraw...
"Marcus has been a guy that has started every game since he has been here. You almost take him for granted. He is a tough guy and his background is well documented. One of the hardest things I've had to do was to let Marcus know before a game that his mother had passed. I gave him some time and he said, `I need to play and do this right now.' Marcus is a guy that has basically grown up here. I'm very happy for what he has accomplished. You can't take away from his productivity, his leadership and how he has played consistently over his four years."
On what it means to Derrick Mathews, a true freshman, to play next to Marcus McGraw...
"It takes a lot of pressure off of him. Marcus has seen all kinds of football since he has been here. His experience is great. Marcus can make all of those calls and get a freshman lined up until he is ready and understands. He allows Derrick to get lined up and just play while he takes care of everything else. There is great chemistry there."
On Tyron Carrier...
"The bye week really helped Tyron. He has struggled and got down on himself but he was back last game. Coach Levine said that was the cleanest, well-blocked return he has seen in 10 years. Tyron is back to 100 percent and he is a new guy. He is full speed now, making plays and full of energy. Our kick off return team feels that energy."
SENIOR QUARTERBACK Case Keenum
On playing at home versus playing on the road...
"It has been forever since we played on the road. We haven't played great on the road when you look at the past few games but I think we're at a different point in the season. Teams grow and change as you grow. Even from my time in high school we always started the year as a relatively inexperienced team, but by the time you got to playoffs you're a new team. A lot of guys on the team pretty much have a whole season of experience under their belt now. We've grown and matured as a team. We've gotten better at dealing with changeups as far as having to deal with playing on Saturdays and Thursdays. It's all about adapting to change and new environments."
On how they handle playing on Thursdays...
"There's not anything to watch on TV during the day. On Saturdays, you can usually watch all those games and College GameDay with Lee Corso putting on the heads. On Thursday, it's like reruns of Friends and all sorts of random stuff. It's good for us to play when there aren't a lot of other games on. It's fun. Especially when the crowd shows up like they do. The students showed up early and that was probably one of the more electric crowds I've seen since I've been here at Robertson, and there have been some pretty big games here. I was pumped to see that. It's been fun playing Thursday games, but it's been hard getting your mind around what day it is."
On if he got more phone calls after Thursday's performance...
"I got a few more. A lot of the same stuff. It's nice having a lot of people that I've been really good friends with keep up with me, especially with us not playing on the same nights. It's nice that there are people out there who are always there for me no matter what happens."
On wide receivers Patrick Edwards, Justin Johnson and Tyron Carrier...
"They mean a lot. On three different touchdown passes last Thursday, I was going to check a play based on what I saw on the defense and those three guys already knew the check I wanted. That's pretty cool that those three guys knew what they wanted and knew what they saw and we were on the same page. That's what you want between receivers and quarterbacks and your skill guys. That's pretty priceless when you get things going."
On what they've accomplished and what is in front of them...
"We try not to look at the big picture too much. We obviously know that there is something special out there, but a lot of these guys were around in 2009 when we got up pretty high in the rankings and fell off towards the end of the year. We know that was fun, but we also know there is a lot more out there. We've been to this point and fell off so we know the importance of taking it one week at a time and we know the importance of winning. That's what's important to us. In August, we felt like we were going to be a good football team and we still feel that way. Our goal of winning the conference championship is still in front of us and that's what we wanted at the beginning of the year."
On having a target on their back...
"We've obviously played ourselves into a situation where we're going to play some teams and get their best shot. That's them having respect for us. We know we're going to have to go out and play our absolute best because we know we're going to get everybody's best shot. Everybody knows that they're going to come out and play well against us, so we know we've got to go out and play well against them."
SENIOR DEFENSIVE BACK Nick Saenz
On the Rice game...
"It was a great game. Case and Patrick put up some big numbers. The defense had a few problems playing sound with our gap assignments, but we got those fixed and now we're moving onto UAB."
On what gave the defense problems...
"They changed up their blocking schemes. They switched up their linemen and they were wrapping guards around which is something that we haven't seen on film from their previous games."
On being ranked...
"It's a big deal. It's hard to ignore, but we just try to stay focused and play game by game. The rankings will come with the wins, so we just try to stay focused on each game."
SOPHOMORE PUNTER Richie Leone
On playing former teammate Ty Long and having the same coaches...
"It is really neat. Not often do teammates get to play each other and we also had the same kicking coach. We keep in touch and talk often, so it's exciting we to get to play each other."
On perfect record this season so far...
"This is what I came here for. I knew that with this program it was a possibility. We are working really hard every day for it."
On the buzz around the University...
"It's awesome. Not only social media, but also the way the social media is responding. The teachers are too. It's really exciting."
On expectations of the team...
"Our expectations are for a conference championship. We haven't accomplished that yet, but we are working towards it."
SENIOR RECEIVER Tyron Carrier
On records...
"Records are a good thing, but we've got bigger things on our mind right now. Records will come with winning games and trying to continue our championship season."
On looking long term this season...
"We are kind of blind to that fact right now. We are just taking it one game at a time. We've been in this predicament before where we try to look too far ahead and hurt ourselves."
On if the team has looked too far ahead before...
"Yes, I know we did. We had our games picked out; who we were going to play down the line. This year is completely different. We are worrying about UAB right now. We have matured."
On chemistry with Case Keenum...
"I remember a couple of times over the past few years he would call us up on a Sunday and say, `What are you doing? Let's throw some balls around'. In this past game against Rice, I looked at him and gave him a signal and he shook his head yes, and it just so happened to be a touchdown pass. We know each other very well. I can't even explain it, we just look at each other and know what's going to happen."
On preparing in the offseason with Case...
"It's not so much throwing balls around and practicing, but putting together barbecues where everybody comes. It's that type of bonding time that actuals makes a team a lot closer. You actually gain a lot of trust with the guys you're playing with that way. Obviously the practice field helps too."
On when Carrier and Keenum hit their stride together...
"My freshman year when Patrick Edwards went down, the next game he was scrambling around. It just so happened that every time he scrambled, the ball was thrown to me. Whenever he was in trouble, I was the get out plan."
On how long they have been able to communicate non-verbally...
"The SMU game my freshman year. We were in a hurry up offense and he looked my way and I looked at him and just took off and he let it go. I believe it was the game winning play."
On how they achieved that chemistry...
"It comes through the heat of battle. I think that's probably where most of the big decisions are made. During those opportunities you learn a lot about a person. I know that he is poised and whenever we are in a bind I know he'll be looking for me and I'll be looking for him."
On Case's legacy...
"He let's us know that it's not just him out there, and that makes the offensive line and us receivers feel great. Just letting everyone know that it's not just him out there and that he can't do it by himself."
On pride with being linked to Case's records...
"I think we are just as happy as he is when he gets those records. We know we've put in the work with him and whenever he needed help we would make that play for him."
On looking back in the future at all the offensive records set...
"None of that really matters unless you win. We are just trying to keep on winning. It's great because we can go back one day and tell our kids what we accomplished, but if you don't win what can you tell them, `Hey we did a lot but we didn't win a championship?' It's pointless without the wins."
