Sept. 25, 2007
Head coach Guy Morriss
On the 11:30 a.m. start time:
"The thing I am tickled about is the 11:30 start time. At some point you're going to have to line up and play. The early kickoffs, you wake up and go play. For evening games, you have to wait around the hotel and can lose your focus. When it's early, you just get up go play and get it over with."
On Texas A&M:
"The first year we got here, they beat us pretty good, and then we came back the next year and upset them. Ever since then, our kids have been really confident when we play them. We have made it a very competitive series, and our guys always seem ready to play. It's a great venue to play in, it's 90 miles down the road and all the kids know each other."
"They traditionally have a good program, and they are one of the big guys on the block and you get excited to play those kinds of teams."
On outlook for season:
"Right now we are sitting at 3-1 with eight to play and we have to find a minimum of three games to qualify for a bowl. We need to stress that it's a minimum of three games because we don't want them to stop there. We are trying to find a way to get ourselves into a bowl and that will be our goal until we are mathematically eliminated."
On conference opener:
"They're obviously aware that it's the conference opener, but they've got confidence of four games under their belt and I just don't think they feel the same pressure as an opening day game. I know that it's the conference opener but it's not quite as big of a deal as the season opener."
Defensive Coordinator Larry Hoefer
ON THE WIN AGAINST BUFFALO:
"A road win is really good, there were some great plays from last weekend. Each week as the season goes on, your trying to get better and improve your football team no matter who you're playing. There were a lot of good things that came out of the game last week."
ON THE BAYLOR DEFENSE:
"Defensively we didn't tackle as well, that was the area we have to keep working on, but we made a lot of progress in certain areas such as turnovers. We were pleased with the five turnovers...that was a very positive note."
ON THE UPCOMING A&M GAME:
"We need to continue to get better because we are fixing to get into Big 12 play...and competition is going to go up. A&M has a very good football team. They have one of the better offensives in the country. They've got three good running backs, and that includes the quarterback. They are one of the option football teams we will have to face, we need to defend all phases of that and certainly Steven McGee runs that offense really well."
ON A&M:
"They do a good job of making first downs and keeping your offense off the field. They are first in the Big 12 for 3rd down conversions. I think they are first in the Big 12 in red zone offense, I don't think anyone has stopped them once they have been in side the twenty. Their offensive line is solid and we are looking for a good challenge this week."
Offensive Coordinator Lee Hayes
On last weeks game
"The one disappointing thing was the penalties.. a couple of them were close but you can't sustain a drive with those penalties and the drops don't help either."
On injuries
"Hopefully we'll have Brad Taylor back and we'll get Jason back this week so that'll be good to give us a little more depth up front."
On the A&M game
"They run that 4-2-5 which is good we've seen that a couple times this year, but their's is a little different they play a little more zone behind it. They've added a little more too it this year... which has lead to a lot of their success.. We just got to get out their and ready to play on Saturday, with no penalties or drops, and I'd like to sustain a few more drives to help our defense out."
On the Bulls' scheme which helped the rushing attack
"Their objective was to take away the pass which was a good plan, kind of caught us by surprise initially. Blake just made some good checks based on what they were showing... which allowed us to get the run game going."
"If you're waiting till half-time to make adjustments you're giving away half the game, so we're really making adjustments after between series."
On Jay Finley
"I think he had a fantastic game, the thing is when you're looking at the tape he's got two hands on the ball and he's squeezing it. That's the main thing. He also has that vertical speed, I mean three steps and he's gone.... It think when he puts on a little more weight and gets a little more mature and learns the little things of the game...he's going to be pretty good down the road."
Nick Moore
On A&M game
"It's a huge game, I'm really excited and I know everyone else is. Anytime you go into a big stadium like that it's the best atmosphere in the big 12. We want to get dow there and shut those fans up."
On have four wins
"It'd be huge we have all the momentum. After this we'd only need two more and be 1-0 in the Big12. It'd give us a great start. It's a big rivalry and we want to get this win and start in the Big 12 right."
On A&M's option attack
"They have a good game plan and their scheme is really hard to defend. They have a lot of good athletes but we're just going to have to attack and play our responsibility and trust the guy next to you will do his job." [Can you tackle Lane?] "I did it last year so I can do it this year. I'd say Goodson is harder to tackle because of his speed but Lane, you just wrap up and you know your team is going to come.
Jordan Lake Quotes Week 5
On defensive honors this week
"That was the best game of my life. Hopefully that will stick around and keep happening. I've never had multy turnover game. The coaches had a good call on the first interception and the other was a good play by me with the coach's call."
On loose screw]
"I don't know people say I'm weird. I don't think I'm a weird guy, I love to play and when the wislte's snaps I go after it. But defensive players need to be different. I sow a film about the most tough football players of all time with like Dick Butcus and more, and that really shaped my mentality. I actually still have the tape." [Jack Tatum and Lynch are the safeties he looks up to]
On Mohawk
"I had long hair before the season and I was thinking of doing the Pat Tillman mullet thing but the reat of the team was doing it and I like to do something fun with my hair before I cut it all off and I've just kept it."
On Justin Akers
"He's really stepped up. We had Terrance Parks there for a while last year and after he left there was a void and Justin has filled it pretty well this year. He's leading the team in touchdowns, so he's doing well for himself."
On A&M
"I'm really excited. If there is one thing I've looked forward to is playing in Kyle Field. Just to play in that environment is one of the best places to play. I went to the game as a redshirt when we almost beat them and to see all the boosters going crazy was a good feeling and to go down there and do that would be great."
Big Hits or Interception?
"Well, it depends on the situation of the game. If it's close the Interception is better but if we winning I'd like the big hit. Either way it's good but I'm sort of partial to the big hit.
It picks up the defense. I try not to big hit in practice on our own players but I try to let them know I'm there."
Blake Szymanski
On A&M rivalry
"It means a lot. Coach Morris is talking about how this rivalry is growing this past 4 or 5 years. It's been close these past couple years and it's going to be a dog fight out on that field."
Do you get more pumped in these games?
"Ya, the atmosphere is going to be big, it's there place but as the visiting team we kind of feed of the energy. It's going to be a good experience for this team as a whole."
What about this rivalry makes it so exciting
"I don't know it started before I got here. Maybe there's a little hatred and the schools being so close. Another big 12 school and we both come to play."
How much does the win mean?
"A win would be huge. Coach Morris keeps talking about how we only need 3 more wins and to be honest that is the minimum of our goal. TO start off in conference play with a win would be huge and would start like a `snow ball' going into the rest of the season"
