Coach Larry Smith's Press Conference Quotes
11/14/2000 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 14, 2000
Redshirt Freshman Quarterback Darius Outlaw
On playing for coaches to keep their jobs "That really hasn't come up. We haven't even thought about that or anything. This is our last week ... and we're going to go out there and do the best for Coach Smith and do whatever it takes. Everybody on this team is going to give everything they've got to get this upset win."
On K-State defense "We believe this will be the best defense we've faced. They like to play a lot of cover zero and bring a lot of guys, they're real physical. They've got like three all-Americans on defense, and we just got to scheme. We have to limit the turnovers, go out there and play football."
On improvements of the team "We're excited. We just have to go out there as young players and just play football and not worry about being a young player. We've played in enough games... to show experience. We hope little mistakes will stop [Kansas State], and we'll hope they get stopped this week."
Junior Defensive End Justin Smith
On being a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy "It's a real honor. It's kind of bittersweet with this season. I feel our defense has come a long way. We've had some ups and downs but the individual award is something to be proud of. But first and foremost, I'm for this team and what goes on with this team and the individual stuff comes along later."
On if he'll return for his senior year `That's something I have to discuss with my family. I'd like to because I feel like I have some unfinished business here. I want to go out on a good note ... on a winning season. And I think we have all the potential to do that if we get the guys healthy and get some [recruits] ... but, if these coaches aren't here, I'm not coming back."
On the K-State offense "They're definitely good. They've got a good running back. They've got a good quarterback in Beasley. He can throw the ball deep and do that three or four times a game and try to burn you. We've got to play a good game on defense...a solid game and we can't have any errors if we expect to beat them."
Head Coach Larry Smith
On last week's win at Baylor "Our team played well. I was pleased with the defensive effort. The last two quarters of the Colorado game and the first quarter of the Baylor game is the best defense we've played since we've been here. That's the type of defense you'd like to be playing all of the time. I think offensively we were good the first half we got down in there and scored three times. Running game came on ... we made some big plays in the pass game the second half. I think the key thing was the offense answered all the big plays [by Baylor] with a touchdown of their own."
On upcoming game against K-State "I think our team will be very well prepared and ready to play. No question Kansas State is a great football team. They deserve to be in the top 10. They've got the whole package, both offense and defense and special teams. It's going to be quite a challenge. I don't think there's any question we'll have to play our very best game, which I think we're very capable of doing."
On if K-State has the best defense they've played all season "They very well could be. I know Bill Cubit thinks it's very close to being that. They've got 33 sacks, a plus three-turnover margin, they're a pretty dominant defense. They have some depth, very strong in the secondary, and they have seven or eight returners from last year."
On Justin Smith "I feel he's had an outstanding year, and he's very deserving of any honor or post-season award that he's put up for."
On K-State offense "They've got the whole package. They've got a quarterback who can run and throw, two excellent tailbacks who have great speed, two wide receivers, one in Quincy Morgan who perhaps we think is the best receiver in the whole country, and Lockett's not too far behind him. One area that's made them a better football team is they have a fullback who can block and he's an excellent football player."
