Missouri Media Day Quotes
11/5/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 5, 2007
Head Coach Gary Pinkel
Injury update:
"From the injury standpoint, we all know Pig Brown is out and he'll be out for the remainder of the season. Right now we're okay. We certainly have bumps and bruises, but I think everyone will be practicing tomorrow and everybody will be practicing in full gear without any red pullovers. For the most part, we are in pretty good shape. Obviously like any team, when you get two-thirds of the way or past that in a season, you're going to have your bumps and bruises but we'll work through that with our strength and conditioning staff and our training staff."
On Chase Daniel winning Offensive Big 12 Player of the Week:
"He played an outstanding game (against Colorado). I think he also would be the first one to tell you that his offensive line did an excellent job. We had a lot of guys make a lot of plays, a lot of perimeter players making a lot of plays. He'd be the first one to point that out. They weren't just making average catches, but there were some really great efforts by a lot of people out there. We're certainly proud of Chase and his accomplishments and we think he is very deserving of that honor."
On Texas A&M:
"We're playing Texas A&M right now, that's Coach Fran, I have tremendous respect for him and his football team. Certainly when you look at Texas A&M, you think of their running game, they're one of the top running teams in the country and the challenge that we have with good running backs and a good offensive line. [Stephen] McGee's a very good quarterback and he does a lot of different things. As you well know, they run the option and they run several different options which creates even more problems for defenses in terms of you always have to have somebody on the quarterback and a guy on the pitch with every set they're in. We will certainly have our challenges there. Defensively, they're big up front. [Chris] Harrington, they're defensive end, is an All-Big 12 returning player, a high-level player and they're a very physical defense and it will certainly be a great challenge for us."
On last year's conference season and changing things in the offseason:
"The four games we won last year, we forced six turnovers. The four games we lost we had negative six in the conference. It's not real complex. It's just vivid. I told it like it was. I told them the things they had to do. I talked about winning on the road and I knew the Colorado game would be coming up and everybody in America was saying, `You can't win there for 25 years, you can't do this, you can't do that and everything else. This was discussed a long time ago. So when we got to this point, our players understand. Also our record is not very good in November. All these things have been discussed and almost a plan has been made up to deal with these things. This is the same stuff we've talked about for six or seven months and I think our players have handled it well."
On leading the league in third-down conversions and committing the fewest penalties:
"The third-down conversions are really good. I'd like to take that every year if we could. That's hard to do. I think our coaches do a great job of game-planning and certainly we have Chase [Daniel]. Most of them are probably throwing, we have Chase and good receivers and protection and everything else. I think we're a throwing football team and fortunately we're good at it this year. I think the fewest penalties (are due to) discipline and focus, that's what that is. You can be a real disciplined football team but if you don't come, you don't prepare and you don't focus, you won't see that discipline. I tell our football team, I analyze our penalties, we're a disciplined team in terms of being focused, which allows your discipline to take over."
Missouri Player Quotes
Tommy Chavis
On what to expect from Texas A&M...
"I feel pretty good about what I see. I'm pumped and excited to play them because I have a little cousin [Billy Chavis] that plays down there. I'm just really pumped up to play them this weekend. I also know a couple of other guys on their team; some guys I went to high school with, so this one's really personal for me."
On stopping Colorado on three downs, eight consecutive times:
"I kept on going on and off the field finally realizing that I wasn't that tired. This was huge because the last couple weeks, the third down [defense] has not been that good. I usually get about eighty plays a game, and this one was about forty-five. I felt fresh the whole night like I had been in a scrimmage."
On who has the better speed and power combination this weekend:
"In the Big 12, everybody has that combo of speed and power. It's just basically how you execute. Texas A&M has great athletes just like we have right now. It's what you put into the game, and how much you want it. That's all it comes down to."
Tyler Luellen
On how long it has been since being a freshman with center Adam Spieker:
"Wow...it's been a long ride. When I first got here, it was the slowest thing ever. But now that the time has come, and there's just one game left at Faurot [Field], it just seems like time has flown by. Adam and I came here in 2003, and got thrown into the mix in 2004. Adam and I have come along real well. We've developed in trying to lead the younger guys that are somewhat following our footsteps."
On an understanding of how much has gone into making this season:
"When Adam and I came here, we came in on a hunch with the players that [Mizzou] was beginning to blossom. We basically thought that the whole things was going to explode, and it has. As well as we have been doing [this season], I think what guys like Adam and I want to go out on is to make sure the program is going in the right direction."
On if the success took longer that he thought:
"It did, but things are great right now, so we just want to keep that going as long as possible."
Chase Daniel
On the seniors:
"They are something special. They set the ground that works for the foundation that we have been going on. It's going to be huge for me personally to send [the seniors] out in a good way on Saturday with a win because they have done so much for Mizzou."
On thinking about the Heisman Trophy:
"No, but you hear it float around, and I read the Internet stuff. I always have and I'm not going to change my ways. It's great for the program, it's great for the team, but we have whole lot of football left to play. I'm a college football fan. I like to know what's going on around the nation. I like to keep up with people that I know. Anyone can get mentioned if they have a couple good games back-to-back in the season when you're on a good team."
On the offense reaching its potential:
"Yeah, but we started off slow. That's not what we're like. I think that was one of the first games that we did not score on one of the first two drives in either half. So that's a big thing for us, and that's why we like to get the ball [first]. We just need to go out there [Saturday] with the focus that we had last week because I loved our focus. When we play focused out there, I love the enthusiasm out there on the road in a hostile environment."
On the play of senior center Adam Spieker:
"Unbelievable. I can't really say that he's had one bad snap. He's playing at an unbelievable level right now and should be mentioned for a Rimington Trophy (College's Best Center). I would like to see someone debate me if they can find a better center."
Sean Weatherspoon
On this being the seniors' last game:
"You definitely just want to go out there and give everything you got to the seniors with this being their last home game. Got to end it with a bang! All those guys have been so influential."
On if he knew the last time Mizzou Football won nine games:
"1969. Last year, we should have won more than nine games. That's a long time ago. We can't think about that too much. We just need to go out there and bring our `A' game, and maybe we'll get more than nine."
On if he likes it when the quarterback runs the ball consistently:
"Oh yeah I like it when the quarterback runs the ball because you want to make him pay every time he runs the ball. You probably wouldn't think that [Stephen McGee] is fast, but I played against him in high school, so I knew he's fast. You got a quarterback like him, he shows his toughness every play."
