Mizzou/McNeese State Quotes
9/11/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 11, 2010
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Head Coach Gary Pinkel:
Thoughts on how Mizzou played:
"You know, I thought it was a focused effort. That's kind of what I was looking for. We just go out and play, you know, the continuities are the ones kicking. I thought we were very focused and I thought we played hard and we were playing our 'A' game. That's really what our goal was - to play our best. We had a lot of players in and it was good. McNeese State had their plane problems getting here and all those kind of problems. I talked to their coach before the game and I've certainly been there before a few years ago. He's a great coach and his record speaks for itself."
Players sent in later in game, including Marcus Murphy:
"Yeah he's got some speed, some quickness. He can accelerate. He'll get better. We need him to run a little bit tougher. He'll learn at this level you have to do that and he'll get nothing but better and better. Marcus Murphy got some good work also so that was a plus."
The decision on Kendial Lawrence and added competition at running back:
"Well all week we thought he'd come around faster than he did on the shoulder and you know I am very hesitant to play a (banged up) running back. I don't do it if he doesn't take hits in practice just because protecting the football and you know he really pushed himself and tried to get ready. It didn't happen and fortunately he'll be back one-hundred percent and the competition's awesome. We love competition. It makes everybody get better.
How rewarding is it to see someone like Henry Josey break out?
"The competition will hopefully continue there. There's no question about that. But it's kind of funny we signed a lot of running back last year and you'd say we signed too many and you know how (those) things go. Before you know it we've got two freshmen that are playing the second game so I think that it's (all about) Henry. That's how he practices and really both those young guys are very, very mature that's why they're continuing to improve. I think the most important thing is, and I say this a number of times, redundant, but the kids keep getting better and better. I think we're a better football team today than we were last week and that's what we want to do.
Was it useful to bring up the upsets of BCS Conference schools by FCS schools?
"Well last week a couple of the games that happened and if you're watching TV today – I mean I'm watching and I'm scared to death. I'm scared to death every year. I've been coaching for 34 years and to me we're playing a national championship tonight. That's the way I am. You might say well you're playing a lesser opponent in all respect to them but I wake up and it doesn't matter who we're playing. I think our players were aware of that throughout the day and last week but it's still also you want to be mature enough that although we're wise to mention it to them and they're aware of it but you want to be mature enough that you're focusing on just becoming a great player and a good offensive and defensive football team. A good team that it doesn't really matter who they're playing - whether it's some of the Big 12 teams that we're playing or we're playing non-conference. It just doesn't matter. It's about playing your best. And that's ultimately what we're trying to get to. We're not there yet but we're definitely going to get there.
On what Henry Josey brings to the game:
"He's really fast. I looked up at the scoreboard and saw four carries for 108 yards and three touchdowns, so that's a pretty good stat line there. He's going to be a weapon for years to come."
On what he can take out of a win like this:
"Coach always talks about pedaling downhill, so we got up and had a good lead at halftime but we have to still play like we are down. That's a good football team, ranked around number 13 in the FCS. It wasn't a blowout for sure, we still had to come out and play well, and we did that."
On whether or not they were worried coming into the game tonight:
"You're always worried no matter who you're playing. You have confidence but you're worried. You have respect for them because every team is a threat. We definitely had to come out and play well.
On the safety:
"I just went out there and had to make a big play. I didn't make one last week so I had to make one this week."
On getting a safety this week:
"It felt awesome. I had to watch it and learn from it but not let it get to my head. I have to keep making big plays throughout the year."
On playing quarterback when your coaches told the OC to not score:
"All the coaches are looking for is positive yards. It's hard to try to keep getting positive yards and not score."
On what he thought of his performance tonight:
"Overall I thought I get a C+ because of the two fumbles. I did some things that I did like, but I also did some things that I didn't like."
On getting the chance to play QB tonight:
"They told me ahead of time so I had time to warm up on the sidelines. I had to prepare and get into the right mindset. And then I just went out there and tried to execute and get positive yards."
On the two fumbles tonight:
"The second one was close to the end zone and it just wasn't a good handoff. On the first one, I was running and all of a sudden the ball just came out."
Henry Josey
Thoughts on running the jet sweep:
"I like it. The offensive line open up holes and I just take advantage of whatever they do for me."
On showing the coaches that he has talent tonight:
"I guess I was just feeling it tonight. I was reading what the offensive line was doing in practice and just went from there tonight."
On the 62-yard TD run:
"I scanned my front and I knew the blocking scheme that my offensive line was doing. I knew there would be a cutback lane. I saw the hole open and I just hit it, I took off running."
Head Coach Matt Viator
On his team's performance...
"We got beat by a better team. We didn't do much right but Missouri obviously had a lot to do with that too. We just got off to a bad start and we couldn't get them off the field and we just couldn't keep the ball long enough. We couldn't do anything positive. Before we knew it we were down 28-0. "
On Missouri's defense...
"I think they are doing a lot of really good things on defense, especially for teams we see and for any league. I mean their defensive ends are as good as anybody's I think. We play FBS schools every year. I think they have really experienced guys out there who know what they're doing. I think they are really solid in secondary."
On Missouri's offense...
"Their offense is tough to defend. Gabbert has such a quick release and if he is as hot as he was tonight they will be hard to beat. They didn't throw many bad balls - at least I didn't see any. He was pretty much on the money. Give him credit, they did good."
Quarterback Cody Stroud
Feelings on today's game:
"I feel we turned the ball over way too much. We did things that we're not accustomed to doing. But Missouri, they're a great team; they did a lot of things that we weren't ready for. I think we were ready for them, we just weren't expecting it like that. They surprised us a little bit. We've just got to learn from this and get better next week and the week after that; just keep getting better. I think that this is a good experience for us though. I think it'll help us near conference."
Tight End Corday Clark
About the game:
"I felt like we came out and played pretty good. We had five turnovers and you just can't win with five turnovers, playing anybody, especially Big 12 schools. We've got an off week this week. We're just going to try and come back, work on the mistakes, and be better for next week."
