Sept. 25, 2006
September 25, 2006 Head Coach Gary Pinkel
Opening statement:
"Our staff is up there working hard on Colorado. Colorado has had a very difficult schedule that they've played, probably one of the toughest in the country. We're very aware of their game against Georgia, who I think is one of the top-10 teams in the nation. They came very close to winning that game. They're playing excellent defense, 17 points a game, that's as good as a defense as most teams in our league. Offensively, they had an exceptional game against Georgia which is again a top-10, top-15 defense in the country. They're getting better each and every week, coming off of a difficult schedule, and they present a lot of challenges to us. We're going to work real hard to improve and become a better football team this week, and try to play our best game on Saturday."
On Missouri's No. 25 ranking in the AP poll:
"I mentioned it to our players yesterday in our team meeting. I asked them, is that going to help us get ready to play this football game and to help us prepare, because that's all we're doing now. They said no, so let's move on. The key is being there at the end of the year, not in the fifth week of the season."
On Colorado quarterback Bernard Jackson:
"Jackson certainly has got great quickness. He's very impressive. He really played an outstanding game last week. We have to be ready for everything. Our players have a lot of respect for him."
On spreading the ball out on offense:
"I think we want to spread the ball out a lot. They [tight ends] caught a lot of balls a year ago. If you look at Will Franklin, he's a better football player, and that allows us to be a better football team because we can spread the ball out to more people. Our players are very unselfish, so I don't know if in four games if that will reflect what will happen as we go. Brad Ekwerekwu is doing a good job too, and so is Saunders and some of our running backs, so there are going to be a lot of touches out there. The good news is these guys are unselfish, and what happens when other players' games go to a higher level, then it allows us to be a better offensive football team because you can't put a circle around two tights ends and say `these are the two guys they throw to.'"
On guard Ryan Madison:
"He's really improved. He's a very good athlete. He's a guy that's become a much more physical football player. We've been very pleased with him at guard."
On quarterback Chase Daniel taking hits:
"I had a pretty good talk with him about that. He's a competitor, but you've got to do what's best for the football team. If it's third and one, fourth and one, and you want to make a play, it's on the goal line, we understand you're a competitor, but you choose your moments. When it's first and 10, second and 10, and the down in this instance is not as critical, you've just got to use better judgment, and that's just controlling a competitor. He's just got to understand that that's what he needs to do."
On wide receiver Will Franklin:
"He's doing a lot of good things. He made that big catch in the corner of the end zone, he went up higher than everybody else. He's making some plays across the middle. So I'm real excited about him. But it's predictable, he's a lot different player than he was. It's his third year here. He's worked tremendously hard, he's perfected his fundamentals, but he can get a lot better. I tell him that all the time. He can get a lot better than what he is right now, he just has to keep working and that's what he's doing."
Ziggy Hood
On if he's recovering faster than anticipated:
"Oh yeah. It's (his foot) alright, but it's still going to need a couple more days. I'm pretty sure that I will be back for Texas A&M (October 14)."
On what he has seen on film from Colorado:
"That is the first time that I have seen them. They do have a mobile quarterback (Bernard Jackson) and he has a nice arm, so it will be almost like (Brent) Schaeffer (Ole Miss)."
On if you assume anything from Colorado's 0-4 start:
"You don't look at the records; you look at the games. The records have nothing to do with it. It's just all about preparation and getting ready. I don't really pay attention to their numbers. I just focus on us. We have to be ready to go out there and play."
On being ranked in the Top 25:
"It doesn't really matter at all; not at all. Being ranked is good, I guess, for the school and what it's accomplished, but nothing for us."
On being the No. 1 ranked defense in the nation:
"That just means we've put in a lot of hard work and that everybody's doing their job and it's paying off."
On opening up the offense:
"It's opening stuff up for other players. That way teams just will not be focusing on us (Coffman and Martin Rucker) because we really do have a lot of playmakers on our team. If we're not doing well, then there will be someone else to always go to. Obviously you want to be the playmaker and catch all the balls, but as long as we're winning and continuing what we've been doing, then I'm happy with what we are doing now."
On getting more support from the rest of the offense:
"Well, I expected that to happen. I thought it was going to be the same as last year making all the same kind of plays. Through spring ball and what we have been doing, camp wise, it really is not that big of a shock that we're playing like this."
On how conference games will be more challenging and call for a bigger tight end role:
"Anybody can be an outlet for Chase (Daniel). We have been working on this since camp. Our wide receivers are great. They know what they're doing, and they all have spectacular hands, so Chase has plenty of options."
On facing a running quarterback (Bernard Jackson) this weekend:
"I've seen some tape on him; No. 7 (Jackson). He's a real shifty quarterback. You know there are a lot of those in the Big 12, and we just need to get used to taking on a mobile quarterback. He's a real fast guy, so we're going to have to keep him contained and handle our business."
On being used to taking an elusive quarterback (Brad Smith):
"I don't think you can compare (Brad) with him (Jackson). He is a very mobile quarterback, and he likes to run. We're expecting them to come out and run the ball with the quarterback draw, so I'm sure Coach (Matt) Eberflus will want to take care of that."
On playing 0-4 Colorado:
"Just don't look at the record. We have to compete and play harder than we have ever played. Again, this is the Big 12, so despite what their record is, this is a whole different team we will be seeing next week. They can still accomplish many goals, so we have to make sure they don't make a statement point on us."
Missouri Player Quotes
On if Missouri football is reaching a new level:
"I think it definitely has since we've been here. There has been so much talent that the coaches have brought in; so many good recruits, and now, I guess we're waking up." On if Texas Tech's offense inspired Missouri's way of attack:
"No, whenever we installed this offense we were mostly looking at Bowling Green. Though, before Texas Tech, no one ever spread everyone out and threw the ball 60 times a game to eight different people."
On his reaction to hearing about Missouri's new spread offense for the first time:
"Oh, I didn't know how it was going to be because I'm just a tight end. I thought all the receivers were going to have to catch the ball all the time, and I wondered where I was going to fit in. It all worked out for the best though."
On Texas Tech's defense:
"They're a good football team all around. They don't blitz a lot. They just sit back there and make you beat them. They make you make mistakes and you have to find the holes. We're going to have to go out there and do just that."
On Missouri being very efficient on third down no matter the distance:
"I definitely think you want to be more efficient on first and second downs, but at the same time that is just all playmaking. Like Tommy Saunders catching a ball, and then being able to rumble for twelve more yards on third down. So, it is a little bit of both skill and luck."
On reserves filling in as starters:
"I feel very confident with them stepping in to play because they have showed it, and showed me, during practices and two-a-days. Paul Simpson, a junior college transfer, has good size at about 6-1. I feel very confident that he can cover anybody out there on the field."
On how well conditioned he needs to be defending the Texas Tech pass:
"I think we're in fine condition, as of right now. I would not say better conditioned necessarily, but more prepared because we have not faced an offense as good. Preparation will be the key."
On Texas Tech's offensive attack:
"We bend, not break; we live by the bend not break principles. As long as we have a place to stand in front of that goal line, we're not going to let them in. That's our house; that end zone we defend is our house, and they will not break into our house for free. Giving them a touchdown is free money. They can try anything they want, but we're not letting them in."
On Colorado exposing Missouri's defense:
"We just laugh; we take that and say `okay, yeah we were exposed', but now, we just go out next week and prepare a little harder. Anything we tried last week will not work this time, and anything new will not work for long either."
On how much more important this week's pass rush will be:
"Very important; we have a great coach in Craig Kuligowski that is teaching how to get to the ball, and I would not be surprised by the rush. We need to make our moves a little faster because the quarterback is getting rid of the ball real quick. It's going to be hard, but as long as the defensive backs do their job, we'll do ours."
Ziggy Hood
On how he was running around at practice last week:
"It did kind of surprise me a little bit. I know you're supposed to take your time and heal, but it felt fine to me."
On how he tries to convince Coach Pinkel to clear him for play:
"I was speaking to him as he walked around, but I want him to know that I'm alright, and I will be ready anytime they need me."
On how special it is to play in the home state:
"Oh yes, my hometown Amarillo is only two hours away (from Lubbock), so I am ready and really want to play so I can show all of my family what I can get done."