Sept. 8, 2003

MISSOURI HEAD COACH Gary Pinkel
On expectations for winning at Missouri:
"We're not there yet. We haven't seen our best football game. I think we're a lot better of a team than what we've seen, potentially. We have to continue to raise the bar on our expectations, because complacency will kill you. We can't just sit around and act all excited because we won a couple of football games. To just keep working hard doesn't work here at Missouri. We have to work to get better in practice."

On opening up the offense:
"We would like to spread the ball around more than we have in the first two games. We'd like to get the ball to our Tight Ends more. I think we have to throw the football better than we've been throwing it. We need to get a lot of players involved with the entire passing game. That's one of many areas we need to get better at."

On the progression of running back Zack Abron:
"He's worked real hard, and he's become a complete player. Brian Jones is as good of a running backs coach as there is in the country. His guys have performed at a high level. Zack has turned into a very good total back - he's improved his blocking, his catching, all of his game. I think there's no question that the competition we have at that position this year has made him better."

On the Eastern Illinois Panthers:
"Their program has been to the NCAA I-AA postseason for the past three years, they won their conference championship a year ago. They do a very good job and know how to win. It's obviously a huge game for them, but also for the same reasons as a week ago, it's a very important game for us as well."

On Brad Smith's mild concussion:
"I think what happened is he saw himself (slide) a couple times in the Illinois game, and probably thought to himself, 'Hmm, if I would have stayed up, I could have done this, this or this.' I know he understands his responsibility to the team, but he also knows that he can make plays. There's a fine line there between picking your moments to make the big play and when you should take the big hit. It's all a very positive thing because he's a great competitor. But we'll obviously talk to him more about it."

On making Faurot Field an intimidating place to play:
"I would like Faurot Field to be one of the toughest places to play in the country. We have the fan base to do it. It's all here. If we want to turn that place into one of the toughest stadiums in the country, the football team will have to do it with how we play. We have all the ingredients - a great stadium and great fans, now we have to produce for them. If we do, that place will become a zoo."

MISSOURI QUARTERBACK Brad Smith
On protecting himself:
"I'm not sure I'll ever think that way, but I'll do some things to protect myself more. I think I can do that. At times, it's a split-second decision you have to make, but other times you can see the play developing and what you have a chance to do. Sometimes I'll just have to let a few extra yards go and cut the run short."

On the depth at wide receiver: "Right now we have guys that we can spread the ball around to, and each one of them has a chance to contribute a different part to the game. Justin Gage was a great receiver, but I think right now we're at an advantage because the defense can't just key in on one receiver. It opens our offense up more."

MISSOURI TAILBACK Zack Abron
On depth at running back:
"We have a lot of young players that have gotten a chance to get in the game and contribute. I think it's made us a better team overall."

MISSOURI ROVER Dedrick Harrington
On looking forward to his first home game:
"I think I'll be relaxed, at least as far as coming out onto the field and being in front of the crowd. The game I might be nervous for, I don't know. I just have to go out and play as hard as I always do, whether the game is at Faurot or wherever. I need to go out and help us get a win.

MISSOURI QUARTERBACK Santino Riccio
on the team's confidence in him:
"They had confidence in me. We were out there having fun in the huddle. We picked up the tempo out there and some of their guys got tired. The coaches really didn't worry, they didn't just have me out there handing off the ball, they let me throw it as well.

on Brad Smith
"I didn't really know what happened to Brad. I didn't see the end of the play he got hurt on. With about 50 seconds left in the half the coaches told me to get ready, so I started throwing the ball around and loosening up. I had the whole halftime to get ready, so I was pretty excited."

MISSOURI DEFENSIVE END Brian Smith
on the importance of beating Ball State
"It was really important, because we didn't want to be 1-1. We don't want any 1's on our (loss) record before we get to conference games."

on personal goals
"One of my goals since I've been here is to break Missouri's record for sacks in a season." (Smith has 3 unassisted sacks in Missouri's first two games. The record for a season is 11, set by former Tiger Justin Smith in 2000.)