University of Houston Athletics
Houston Football Weekly Press Conference
9/27/2011 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 27, 2011
HOUSTON HEAD COACH Kevin Sumlin
On if there are any adjustments since it's a short week...
"Since I've been here we've played every day except Sunday and Monday. It's more than just a one-day difference. Instead of traveling Friday, we are on Wednesday so we are actually missing a couple days of preparation. You want your guys to be fresh and you see that the team that is the most excited has a better chance of winning right off the bat. There is a fine line; we have some veteran players that understand that and some new guys and junior college guys that have not been through that.
"We were back at it on Sunday. We usually give our guys Sunday off, but we practiced Sunday night. We are one day ahead, so to me today is Wednesday and it's a Wednesday practice, even though it's Tuesday. You have to balance the preparation time with the amount of time you are actually on the field moving around."
On how tough the Sun Bowl Stadium is for a visiting team...
"It's a great environment but we've been to other places too. Whenever you go on the road, there are different ways to look at things environment wise; people or how they do things. The North Texas fans were extremely excited for their team to play. We've been through a bunch of different things.
"It's how you handle it. They are going to have a great crowd like they always do. I doubt the game being in the middle of the week will change things. Mike [Price] does a great job reaching out to the community and their fans support their team. With it being a televised game, we expect it to be loud and use their crowd to their advantage."
On what he expects from UTEP...
"Mike [Price] has done everything it takes to win. We've seen some different attacks and some different quarterbacks in the past three weeks that might help us prepare for this week's game. Just knowing Mike, I expect all the guys that didn't play last week to play in this week's game. The guys that are listed as injured, we are preparing for them to play too. Mike will do anything and that's how he has always been."
On the advantage of not playing the starters the entire game Saturday...
"They had a number of guys that didn't play last game but are starting this game. It is what it is. If you are playing your guys all the way through, some people will tell you there is some benefit to that. In a short week it could be a factor if they have some players injured. Nobody is going to talk about all the people that are injured on a short week. There are advantages to both, playing the starters all the way through or making substitutions."
On what Case Keenum means to the program...
"We've had a lot of great players here at the University of Houston. I've coached a lot of different places that have tradition but they don't have a Heisman Trophy winner and we do here. We have a number of guys who are All-Americans and some that have played and currently play in the NFL. As far as right now, Case has done a lot statistically and obviously he is going to go down as one of the great quarterbacks in college football.
"Each week he plays, he is passing someone in the top five of college football. From an individual standpoint, he is one of the best that as ever played. As far as the University, he is a great spokesperson and a great face for the program. He has done everything right and has put our University in a great light. I can't say enough on how he has been able to handle the national media and some adverse times. I've watched him grow and he's been able to handle some things and to get to a peak and to a valley when he was injured. He kind of mirrors our football team. We are just humming along and nobody is really talking about him or our team. Because we've seen some highs and lows, it's an advantage to us that we are not being talked about a lot. At the end of the day he will go down as one of the best quarterbacks to ever play in the game of college football."
SENIOR QUARTERBACK Case Keenum
On conference play...
"It's extremely competitive. I've played a lot of games in this league, and I've seen how teams can come out and play really well and hard. I know we've got to go in every week during conference and play our absolute best."
On being refreshed for the game Thursday...
"Towards the end of the last game with Cotton (Turner) and Crawford (Jones) getting to play, I thought that was great for them both. Saturday night I was already thinking about and getting ready for UTEP. It's definitely a huge plus to be able to do that, and not have to take the normal amount of shots that I would in a game."
On special attention for Thursday's game...
"It's different teams. You could say it's a similar situation but I think we're two totally different teams. I know they are going to come out and play hard, but with that being said I do know that a lot of our guys that are going to be going down there this time remember the last time, remember that stadium, remember what it felt like. That will be in the back of our minds but it won't be the most important thing. There are more important things, and we know that there are two totally different teams now and totally different situations. We are going into the first conference game ready to go."
On younger guys and if they know the differences and challenges in conference games...
"I like to talk to the guys and let them know that you never know which week in conference is going to be a huge week. You can look back and say, `Oh that was a huge win,' or look back in years past and we could say that week was really important. At the time we didn't really know how important it was as far as this one field goal here or one point there. It could be the first game of the year, like in 2006 when we beat Rice 31-30 and it wound up being the reason we went to the conference championship and were able to play at our place. You have to realize that you have to take every team and every game seriously. Treat everything like it's the conference championship because in college football every week is a playoff."
On whether UTEP has a special meaning for him...
"I always enjoy playing UTEP. We've had back and forth games ever since I can remember, and that's going back to even when I was a recruit. Jordan Palmer was the quarterback there and Kevin (Kolb) was the quarterback here. I don't know if I'd call it a rivalry, but it's always a good game. It's really important on the west side of the conference. It's always fun playing UTEP and I always have a great respect for those guys and the coaches and players that they have. I know it's going to be a good game and both teams are going to come out and play well. When teams play well its always fun to watch and fun to play in."
On what it would mean for him and the entire program if he becomes the all-time NCAA passing leader...
"It's hard to say. We'll cross that bridge when we get there. That's something that would be pretty cool. Hopefully you'll be able to ask me that afterwards, but that's not something anybody in our locker room is thinking about and especially not me. That's something that I've always said is secondary when it comes. If you win football games and take care of the ball all that stuff comes with it. That's hopefully something I can look back on one day and think about a little bit more."
On the significance of the second half of the Louisiana Tech game...
"You look back at games and how important they are and hopefully we'll look back and know that it was a huge turning point. It was a good moment; the second half of that game. It was a time when we were able to put things in gear and really face adversity. I think the team is closer because of that and trusts each other more, offense and defense and special teams, really the whole way around. You've got to give it to Louisiana Tech too because they've played some tough games here over the past few weeks and have played really well. I think that's another thing we'll look back and think about down the road."
SENIOR DEFENSIVE LINEMAN David Hunter
On being able to see many looks in Saturday's game...
"It's always good to see different looks. Then we are able to go out against different teams and know we saw that before."
On having rest in Saturday's game...
"I feel good. We came out yesterday and practiced really hard. I feel good and I know the team feels good. We are just ready to get out there and play."
On going into a hostile environment at UTEP...
"It is always tough going to UTEP. They are a very tough team. We have a very good defense. Everyone has been focused at practice and we know what we need to do to get it done. If we read our keys and play good technique we will be fine."
On Thursday games...
"I like Thursday games. You get a little rest on Friday. It's tough when you come off a Saturday game and have to play on Thursday, but after Thursday's game it feels good."
On the attitude for conference play...
"When conference play gets started you have to change your whole attitude because now we are talking about a conference championship. There is no room for losses or mental errors. We have to turn the intensity up and change our mindset."
On the loss against UTEP two years ago...
"I remember when they rushed the field. That always sticks in my head."
SENIOR RUNNING BACK Bryce Beall
On his early success running the ball...
"It will be a hostile environment. Last time we played down there they were excited about us coming in. They're looking to lead their team to a victory so hopefully we can just go out and play well."
On what is leading to the success of running the ball...
"Just being patient and doing what the coaches ask me to do. When they ask me to block, I block and when they ask me to catch, I catch, so when it comes time for me to run the ball I've been pretty successful so far."
On how different the short week is...
"By having Mike (Hayes) and Charles (Sims) it's not so bad. Coaches have done a good job of rotating us and keeping us fresh. It's been different practice wise, but we're just excited for Thursday and opportunity number five."
