Aug. 29, 2005
Missouri Tiger Football Head Coach Gary Pinkel
Opening Statement....
"Players are having a typical Monday this time a year, they have the day off, which is good for them. They get caught up in academics and also day for personal reasons. I usually meet with the Seniors at 4:30. Tomorrow will be a normal Tuesday practice that we would normally have, and we got a few extra practices in for this game as we typically do for our first game. Our players are very, very excited about playing. We've been working very hard with a lot of things that have been happening and you just see their enthusiasm. I've said it a few times, but I can't tell you how impressed I am with our Seniors going through this difficult time. When they (Seniors) met me with last December, they talked about getting back on track and talked about a lot of different things that we could do to work together and little did they ever realize they would lead in the way that they had to, so my hat's off to them. The Seniors and Captains came up with a list to tribute "A.O." (Aaron O'Neil). When talking to the Seniors, they said I should meet with A.O.'s class. They tweaked a few things and it shows how much the Seniors care about these young guys. There will be a moment of silence before the Arkansas State game, this is their home game, but they suggest that they wanted to do this. Our first home versus New Mexico, we'll have a moment of silence for that game also, and our team wants to come out and line on the twenty-five yard line, which was A.O.'s number. Number twenty-five will be put on the back of the helmets. We dedicated a page in the media guide and will keep him in their for the rest of his eligibility, and honor him on the 2008 Senior Day. They players decided they wanted put both "A.O." and the number "25" on both sides of the stadium on the East and West sides in the grass areas in between the small track and the stands. In the new facility we're breaking ground for on October 1, what we intend to do is name one of those new rooms after A.O. The locker has been preserved and it will continue to be that for the next few years and the number twenty-five will remain unassigned through the 2008 season. This was not my decision at all, but the players came up with all of this. We're obviously looking forward to this game versus Arkansas State at Arrowhead Stadium. It stands to reason that the players from Kansas City our very, very excited."
On Chase Daniels receiving the backup Quarterback job...
"A lot of it will be opportunity, but we intend to use him and that's what we plan on doing. We basically had to make a decision who's going to run the offense if something happens to Brad Smith. I've never seen a freshman like this since I've ever coached, even better than Brad. He was very well coached in high school, but he's a very, very confident young man. This isn't indicative of what's going to happen for the next four years, this is right now."
On some of the freshmen playing...
"Some players we kind of put into positions and kind of see where they're at and see how they develop. These are pretty good. They're pretty good players and no question about it. These guys are pretty high-level players and most of them were heavily and fairly recruited. It's a very good looking class."
On Arkansas State...
"I think they're a very well coached football team. Their quarterback is a very good player, he started last year and does an exceptional job. (Antonio) Warren, their tailback, has exceptional quickness, an experienced player, and he is breaking all kinds of records at Arkansas State. They're very strong on defense; their tackles and linebackers are a bit inexperienced. Their secondary last year were all young and now they're all experienced. I think they're going to be a very good football team. My big thing is getting our team ready to play, regardless of who we're playing, play it's best, playing hard all the time. Respect in preparation who you play and that's about us playing our best every play."
Jason Simpson Missouri Safety
On Arkansas State...
"We know they got more yards on us than almost any other team we played last year. That is something we want to get back from them. We have a better game plan and we need to make plays on their zone routes. As a defensive team we work as a solid unit. Really I believe no offense can beat you if you have a solid defense."
On ASU Quarterback Nick Noce...
"I am sure that he has stepped up to the challenge that they are playing us. I don't "know if they think of that as a challenge. You know he throws pretty well he likes to stretch the pocket a lot, and if we can contain him we can do well."
Brad Smith Missouri Quarterback
On the new offense...
"This is a new spread out offense with a lot of running lanes that about as much as there is to it. It will be different. It will be fun."
On the first game...
"I am very excited, just ready to go out and play. Getting to go against somebody else will be fun. Making plays, the opportunities that will be there for us to make plays. I really have not thought about playing at Arrowhead. I know that they will play really hard and have some interesting schemes. We just have to make the right play calls and execute our offense."