Sept. 4, 2007

Baylor Head Coach Guy Morris:

On the TCU game:

"I think we have got to get a little more focused and we got to play a little faster. We have to go out and play to win, instead of playing to not get beat. I thought we would match up with them speed wise pretty well, we have got some guys that can really run. We just didn't play fast for the entire game, we played in spurts. We just need to be more consistent. Obviously, that has to start today."

"Its frustrating to me that we didn't play wide open, I know we are capable of playing a lot better than that. That's the frustrating part for me."

On the Rice game:

"If I was Coach Bailiff or I was a player at Rice, and I was watching us play, I'd have to believe they feel like they can come up here and get after us. They probably will feel good about schemes, because they are going to line up and play the same defense."

"We have got to get our kids refocused and go out and play harder, play a little faster, and eliminate the turnovers for us to have the chance to win."

On Baylor's kicker:

"I think we are happy with our punter, we have seen him punt better, and hang it longer so I know he is capable of doing it. We are going to have to take a look at that situation. You have to get the ball to the post; those were to close to be missing."

On Baylor QB Blake Szymanski:

"He played okay; we got to get the people around him playing better and he has to step his game up too. Physically, I think he is very capable. For the most part he made good reads, good checks, a couple decisions I think he would like to have do over, but you know, everybody took there turn. That's kind of where we are with everybody right now."

Defensive Coordinator Larry Hoefer

On the TCU game:

"TCU has a good football team as we knew we before the game and defensively the first quarter, they moved the ball on us until we adjusted. They present a lot of problems that other people do not, they mix in the option and the speed of the game, I thought our players did a nice job of adjusting. Even though they had a lot of yards, at the end of the first quarter it was still nothing to nothing."

"The thing I think we have improved on is a year ago we didn't get off the field on third down a lot, and this year, TCU was only 3 out of 15 in third down conversions, we got a couple sacks which was could to see, caused a couple turnovers which is an area that we really emphasize. I think our players played real hard and responded. We didn't finish the game like we wanted to, but I thought it was a great effort, and we had a lot of good men that played well."

On the upcoming Rice game:

"Rice presents similar problems in the fact they are an option team. They run a lot of formations, they have got a lot of players back from a good football team. They went to a bowl game, and beat some good teams last year."

On the Rice Quarterback:

"The quarterback is back, so he can run the option, he is a very solid quarterback."

On the Rice offense:

"They have a good solid offense...I think the second game in their new offense, they will show solid improvement."

On Baylor Cornerback Josh Bell:

"Josh had a great game, I think he lead our team in tackles, he made some plays on screen passes. We thought he played well as far as the coverage part, a lot of times we put our corners in man to man situations and we thought he tackled well, covered well, and defensively had a really great game."

Offensive Coordinator Lee Hays

General Comments on the TCU game:

"Not turning the ball over is key, and that is what we did; that cannot happen. That is one of the biggest mistakes that will cost you the game. For the most part there were some moments in which they were clicking and rolling and then it just takes one mistake and your out, and the punt team is up there or you turn the ball over. It can't happen. It's unacceptable. We will get it corrected."

"I was pleased with the receivers, considering we had new starters at the X, Y, and the Z. I thought they should up and played hard and did some good things. Our offensive line did better. They did good enough to win. It's not always going to be perfect with the offensive line. There not always going to block seven people and push them back five yards every play. It just doesn't happen. "

"I was proud to see some of the young guys execute especially against a team like TCU. We just need to make sure that we are the winning end of the execution."

Offensive Production:

"After the first 13 plays I was fired up, seeing them click, I was fired up. In the back of my head, I thought we would come out and move the football. We just need to be more consistent. I think it has to do with some of the guys out there in their first start. It will get better."

Similarities between Rice and TCU Defense:

"They run the exact blitzes and coverage. There are a few things they do different as far as secondary blitzes, but for the most part it's a carbon copy, and that is good for us with young players. Now we made corrections and we don't have to change gears all of the sudden."

Blake's performance in terms of reading the TCU defense:

"Blake was really sharp early. He had a few poor decisions. There were a couple times he missed a few things in two minute, where there were some vertical routes that came open but he got a blitz strong side and he went to his hot route. It's one of those situations in which you want to pad it just see if that big one comes open. He will only get better. That was probably his first time being in a situation like that. Last year, when Blake started, he didn't go against any of the 4-2-5 defenses. He will learn from it and get better. He is a confident kid and he knows what he can do."

On offense:

"We, as an offense, are better than what we were last year. That's what is disappointing because the productivity from a point wasn't there. There were a couple of things when we got inside their red zone, when you need to be aggressive and come on, that were disappointing, but I don't think those same mistakes will happen."

Blake Syzmanski

Moral of the team:

"I think we're fine. It was a tough loss but we can't dwell on it; we have to come back and prepare for Rice."

State of mind:

"You can only take on one team at a time. You just have to go out and play them like they are the best team out there and try and defeat them."

Brandon Whitaker

Thoughts on the loss:

"It happens; it is the life we live and last week is over with so now we just have to put it behind us and get ready for Rice."

Mindset of the team:

"We know we have things we need to fix and so I think we are just ready to get those things taken care of out on the practice field and get this TCU taste out of our mouths."

Commenting on words from Coach Morris:

"Play by play, day by day, getting better and fix things."