University of Houston Athletics
Houston vs. USF: Press Conference
10/22/2018 12:26:00 PM | Football
HOUSTON FOOTBALL
Monday, Oct. 22, 2018 • Houston
Carl Lewis Auditorium • Athletics/Alumni Center
HEAD COACH MAJOR APPLEWHITE
Opening Statement on playing Navy
"I'm very proud of our football team. It was a great team win at a very difficult place to play. I'm very proud of their focus and their mental toughness for four quarters. It took us about a quarter and a half to kind of get adjusted to the flow of the game, but once we did we played some of our best football. I'm very proud of them, and now we're on to the next tough challenger in our conference. It is a very difficult league and we're looking forward to the challenge though. We're getting ready to play an undefeated football team at home at 2:30, and I'm really excited to be back at TDECU in front of our home crowd again. It's been 23 days since we've last played here, our guys are chomping at the bit to get back on the field and get back in front of their home crowd. I'm ust excited to go."
On Austin Robinson during the game
"Austin did a tremendous job of making tackles that were there to make. I'm not trying to take anything away from Austin, because he has worked so hard. He played quarterback coming out of high school, goes to UTSA and doesn't have an opportunity to play quarterback. He transfers over, starts off as a safety, and gets moved down to linebacker. He had injuries last year and Matthew Adams has to come in and play, probably before he is fully developed. He finishes the season for us, has a great off-season, and graduates with an engineering degree. Now he takes on a leadership role, and did an outstanding job on Saturday. That's him, that's who his parents have raised, he's just an outstanding young man. Great representative for our football team. Not trying to take anything away from him, but with triple option he should have a lot of tackles. But not everybody makes them, not everybody makes the tackles. So for him to play the way he did, he was mentally prepared, and physically prepared for four quarters and did a great job. Now what we have to do as a defense is forget everything triple option and reprogram ourselves back into more traditional offenses that you see now, in terms of spread offenses. That's what everybody on our defense has to do and I'm proud of Austin and how he played. Now we're onto the next challenge."
On senior linebacker Austin Robinson's six-year player status, and the current statuses of injured players
"That was a big part of what we needed to do, especially with losing D'Juan Hines and Matt Adams after last year. We lost some experience on the inside at linebacker, so we needed Austin to get his six-year back and we appreciate the NCAA for that. Also, we needed to sign Darrion Owens to give us some experience in there.
Darrion will be back this week, and we're glad to have him back to give us some rotation and depth. Terence Williams is healthier. He was feeling good yesterday, so we're happy to have him closer to feeling 100 percent. Raelon Singleton did a great job; he caught a couple of great balls, but on Courtney Lark's touchdown, you could see him busting his tail to go down and create a block to make an explosive play.
Raelon is back, Terrance is back, and Darrion will be back at corner. We'll continue to monitor Isaiah Johnson, but we anticipate him being back. Ed Oliver is questionable right now for Saturday with a knee contusion, so we'll have to continue to monitor him day-to-day.
Right now, it's what you would imagine in terms of the ninth week of the season. Everyone has bumps and bruises, and there are things that some guys are going to have to play through. As coaches, we've got to get creative with our depth charts to figure out what we've got to do in some of these guys' absences."
On the opportunity to play a ranked team at home
"We know we're playing a great football team that's well coached with great athletes. It has some notoriety in terms of the national coverage it will get, but this is a conference game. That is our job, and that is our goal, to win the west and put ourselves in the position to play for a conference championship. It is a day to day, drill to drill, practice mentality, in terms of going one and zero every week."
On if USF's talent and style of play has changed or if it is similar to last year
"They have had a different quarterback, the run game is going to come from different places. Both of the backs, Cronkrite and Ford, are exceptional. They're both great players, and they run the ball really well. They can make people miss. They can run with power. They have a host of wideouts that are explosive, and all of them can do it. McCants, because of his size and his power, can be a mismatch. We have got to have a plan for McCants because he is a great player who loves to play the game.
They have a lot of skill, a lot of speed and power between the tackles. When I look at them this year, the two backs are playing at a very high level. The quarterback is comfortable. You can tell it's not his first time. He has made some tremendous throws. The team in general; offense, defense and special teams, has found a way to win. That's a sign of a championship team. No matter how you're playing, it's finding a way to win."
On what to do defensively in the second half
"It's a conference game and as you play conference opponents, I know they're on the other side of the league but playing for the second year in a row, they know more about you. You're seeing that as you get into conference play and you're going to see tighter games, you have to be prepared mentally, physically to play four quarters. Keep fine focus on what you need to focus on and the discipline, regardless if you're ahead, behind, tired or injured and go finish the game."
On remembering D'Eriq King coming into the USF game last year
"The feel of the locker room at halftime, he had been put in right there at the end of the second quarter. The confidence, the competitive confidence our team felt by him taking snaps, and obviously his play making ability and everything you see on the field is what we thought he could do. He had the opportunity to capture the team and he did. He did it with a tremendous effort, leadership skills, willing his team to win in the fourth quarter, and showed everything you want your quarterback to have. What he's done from that point on is where all the credit goes. How hard he's worked, the time he's put in with Coach Briles and his teammates, and continuing to strengthen his leadership role and strengthen the competitive muscle of our football team. He is a tough, fierce competitor and you have to have that at quarterback and he's done a great job."
On Marquez Stevenson, Courtney Lark and Keith Corbin playing execution
"They have done everything that we knew that they were capable of. There is still more out there for them and this football team in general. They are every bit as explosive as we thought they would be. The thing that I am proud of from those three guys the most, is obviously the catches and the touchdowns and the explosive plays, but this is brand new success for all three of these guys. They are continuing to go out there on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and work as though it is their first day, and their first opportunity to make a play. That is going to serve them well for the long haul on them, and I am just proud of the way they continue to go at it, each and every day. A lot of credit to those guys and their coaches, Coach (Kenny) Guiton and Coach (Kendal) Briles, just to continue to stay humble, hungry and ready for the next opportunity."
On Keith Corbin recognizing his mistakes
"It's just belief. It's belief in people, and we believe in every one of the players in our meeting room, every single one of them. We are all going to make mistakes, myself included. We are all going to make huge mistakes, but as long as you have the heart and the desire to come back for your team and come back for your coworkers.
We are all a part of this team, so for Keith (Corbin) to be able to recognize that in halftime and come out and make the plays, play with that kind of heart and passion in the second half, and want to do better, that's part of football. You are not going to play a perfect game for four quarters. You are going to make some mistakes in there. How you bounce back from them, how hard you fight and how hard you fight for your teammates, it is really what it is all about."
Monday, Oct. 22, 2018 • Houston
Carl Lewis Auditorium • Athletics/Alumni Center
HEAD COACH MAJOR APPLEWHITE
Opening Statement on playing Navy
"I'm very proud of our football team. It was a great team win at a very difficult place to play. I'm very proud of their focus and their mental toughness for four quarters. It took us about a quarter and a half to kind of get adjusted to the flow of the game, but once we did we played some of our best football. I'm very proud of them, and now we're on to the next tough challenger in our conference. It is a very difficult league and we're looking forward to the challenge though. We're getting ready to play an undefeated football team at home at 2:30, and I'm really excited to be back at TDECU in front of our home crowd again. It's been 23 days since we've last played here, our guys are chomping at the bit to get back on the field and get back in front of their home crowd. I'm ust excited to go."
On Austin Robinson during the game
"Austin did a tremendous job of making tackles that were there to make. I'm not trying to take anything away from Austin, because he has worked so hard. He played quarterback coming out of high school, goes to UTSA and doesn't have an opportunity to play quarterback. He transfers over, starts off as a safety, and gets moved down to linebacker. He had injuries last year and Matthew Adams has to come in and play, probably before he is fully developed. He finishes the season for us, has a great off-season, and graduates with an engineering degree. Now he takes on a leadership role, and did an outstanding job on Saturday. That's him, that's who his parents have raised, he's just an outstanding young man. Great representative for our football team. Not trying to take anything away from him, but with triple option he should have a lot of tackles. But not everybody makes them, not everybody makes the tackles. So for him to play the way he did, he was mentally prepared, and physically prepared for four quarters and did a great job. Now what we have to do as a defense is forget everything triple option and reprogram ourselves back into more traditional offenses that you see now, in terms of spread offenses. That's what everybody on our defense has to do and I'm proud of Austin and how he played. Now we're onto the next challenge."
On senior linebacker Austin Robinson's six-year player status, and the current statuses of injured players
"That was a big part of what we needed to do, especially with losing D'Juan Hines and Matt Adams after last year. We lost some experience on the inside at linebacker, so we needed Austin to get his six-year back and we appreciate the NCAA for that. Also, we needed to sign Darrion Owens to give us some experience in there.
Darrion will be back this week, and we're glad to have him back to give us some rotation and depth. Terence Williams is healthier. He was feeling good yesterday, so we're happy to have him closer to feeling 100 percent. Raelon Singleton did a great job; he caught a couple of great balls, but on Courtney Lark's touchdown, you could see him busting his tail to go down and create a block to make an explosive play.
Raelon is back, Terrance is back, and Darrion will be back at corner. We'll continue to monitor Isaiah Johnson, but we anticipate him being back. Ed Oliver is questionable right now for Saturday with a knee contusion, so we'll have to continue to monitor him day-to-day.
Right now, it's what you would imagine in terms of the ninth week of the season. Everyone has bumps and bruises, and there are things that some guys are going to have to play through. As coaches, we've got to get creative with our depth charts to figure out what we've got to do in some of these guys' absences."
On the opportunity to play a ranked team at home
"We know we're playing a great football team that's well coached with great athletes. It has some notoriety in terms of the national coverage it will get, but this is a conference game. That is our job, and that is our goal, to win the west and put ourselves in the position to play for a conference championship. It is a day to day, drill to drill, practice mentality, in terms of going one and zero every week."
On if USF's talent and style of play has changed or if it is similar to last year
"They have had a different quarterback, the run game is going to come from different places. Both of the backs, Cronkrite and Ford, are exceptional. They're both great players, and they run the ball really well. They can make people miss. They can run with power. They have a host of wideouts that are explosive, and all of them can do it. McCants, because of his size and his power, can be a mismatch. We have got to have a plan for McCants because he is a great player who loves to play the game.
They have a lot of skill, a lot of speed and power between the tackles. When I look at them this year, the two backs are playing at a very high level. The quarterback is comfortable. You can tell it's not his first time. He has made some tremendous throws. The team in general; offense, defense and special teams, has found a way to win. That's a sign of a championship team. No matter how you're playing, it's finding a way to win."
On what to do defensively in the second half
"It's a conference game and as you play conference opponents, I know they're on the other side of the league but playing for the second year in a row, they know more about you. You're seeing that as you get into conference play and you're going to see tighter games, you have to be prepared mentally, physically to play four quarters. Keep fine focus on what you need to focus on and the discipline, regardless if you're ahead, behind, tired or injured and go finish the game."
On remembering D'Eriq King coming into the USF game last year
"The feel of the locker room at halftime, he had been put in right there at the end of the second quarter. The confidence, the competitive confidence our team felt by him taking snaps, and obviously his play making ability and everything you see on the field is what we thought he could do. He had the opportunity to capture the team and he did. He did it with a tremendous effort, leadership skills, willing his team to win in the fourth quarter, and showed everything you want your quarterback to have. What he's done from that point on is where all the credit goes. How hard he's worked, the time he's put in with Coach Briles and his teammates, and continuing to strengthen his leadership role and strengthen the competitive muscle of our football team. He is a tough, fierce competitor and you have to have that at quarterback and he's done a great job."
On Marquez Stevenson, Courtney Lark and Keith Corbin playing execution
"They have done everything that we knew that they were capable of. There is still more out there for them and this football team in general. They are every bit as explosive as we thought they would be. The thing that I am proud of from those three guys the most, is obviously the catches and the touchdowns and the explosive plays, but this is brand new success for all three of these guys. They are continuing to go out there on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and work as though it is their first day, and their first opportunity to make a play. That is going to serve them well for the long haul on them, and I am just proud of the way they continue to go at it, each and every day. A lot of credit to those guys and their coaches, Coach (Kenny) Guiton and Coach (Kendal) Briles, just to continue to stay humble, hungry and ready for the next opportunity."
On Keith Corbin recognizing his mistakes
"It's just belief. It's belief in people, and we believe in every one of the players in our meeting room, every single one of them. We are all going to make mistakes, myself included. We are all going to make huge mistakes, but as long as you have the heart and the desire to come back for your team and come back for your coworkers.
We are all a part of this team, so for Keith (Corbin) to be able to recognize that in halftime and come out and make the plays, play with that kind of heart and passion in the second half, and want to do better, that's part of football. You are not going to play a perfect game for four quarters. You are going to make some mistakes in there. How you bounce back from them, how hard you fight and how hard you fight for your teammates, it is really what it is all about."
Players Mentioned
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/ FootballMedia Availability: Ashton Porter
Monday, April 20
Media Availability: Kentrell Webb
Monday, April 20
Media Availability: Keisean Henderson
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Media Availability: Conner Weigman
Sunday, April 19