USF-UTEP Quotes
September 25, 2011 | Football
USF Football
September 24, 2011
Raymond James Stadium - Tampa, Fla.
USF 52, UTEP 24
September 24, 2011
Raymond James Stadium - Tampa, Fla.
USF 52, UTEP 24
USF Head Coach Skip Holtz:
Opening Statement
“Never take one for granted. I mean you're excited about the win, your excited about a lot of the positive things that happened on the field, but at the same time you've got a pit in your stomach because there's so many things that we've got to do better."
"I think UTEP is a very good football team, there's a reason they're a 2-1 football team. We talked about Mike Price and the football coach he is. He's the eighth winningest coach, he's been around a long time and he does a great job with the talent that he has. I think he's made the most of an injury situation that he's had moving some people around. I though they did an awfully nice job tonight, the UTEP offense. At the same point and time we're really proud of the way this team went out and battled, the way they competed, the things that they're doing."
"I think offensively it was a really solid performance, I could nitpick and grab a thing here or there, but I thought it was a really solid performance. This is a football team in UTEP that wasn't giving up many yards and wasn't giving up many points, especially in the second half and for this football team to go out and do what they did, really proud of some of the big plays. Obviously B.J. Daniels running the ball was excellent. I thought Darrell Scott ran it really well. It was nice to see a guy like Victor Marc show up and Lindsey Lamar show up. Really proud of just the way that they went out and they competed. Defensively I thought our run defense was good, they were stout. Our front seven played well. I thought our pass defense was poor. I thought it was very poor tonight. I think you know all of a sudden we were down a starter in Q (Quentin Washington) and I say it all the time, you're only as strong as your weakest link. I don't think we played with confidence, I've talked all along about how the two's need to get more work, how were not there yet and it showed up tonight. They really took advantage of a lot of opportunities into the boundary. What bother with it was that we didn't play with any confidence, we played almost scared in the back end which was disappointing to me. But again I thought there were some great individual plays. I think Sam Barrington scoring and making the touchdown, the way the front seven played and things like that. Special teams, I talked about my concerns this week were big on special teams and they were warranted, they were merited."
"I got to take apart and look at some of the things we're doing and some of the people that were playing with. We're giving a lot of guys an opportunity to turn and step up and get on the field with our dirty dozen, but if we're not going to be productive then we have an obligation to give the starters a chance to not only play defense but have to play special teams as well. Those guys want to win, a lot of them are in the locker room saying, “coach you got to put me of kickoff, coach you got to put me on punt, coach you got to put me on punt return.” They want to play and they want to be good and they want to win. So, I'm proud of the team, proud of the way they competed. The good news on Terrence Mitchell, they told us in the locker room that he is communicating, he is verbal, he is moving everything. It is not his neck, they are worried about a concussion. There is obviously a lot of preventative tests they need to do, but we're just very grateful the injury is not as severe as it appeared it was on the field and that he's responding real positive right now. We'll keep him in our thoughts and prayers as we g through this that'll he'll continue to make a fast recovery. Like I said I'm excited about the win and there is a lot of positive things to build on. I want to get to the film. I want to watch it, I want to get I corrected, I want to get it in the filing cabinet so we can get onto Pitt. We've got to improve. I know Pitt is a 2-2 football team and they lost a tough game today, but they are a good football team and they're a very talented football team and a team that beat us down here last year, so it will be a great challenge for us."
USF Head Coach Skip Holtz Quotes:
On the success of the ground game…
“I think Coach Fitch has done a great job of really challenging a lot of the skill players to turn and make something happen with it. We have been very content to catch the ball and fall down. We have not been trying to catch the ball, break two tackles and turn and go the distance. That has been a statistic that we've kept the first part of the season. Those big long runs come because you break tackles, you don't just run untouched until you run into the goal line. You got to earn it and I think the offensive line did a great job of getting a lot of the skill guys to the second level and I think they did a nice job of raising the standard and expectation in order for us to be a good offense. We've got to make some things happen, I mean just catching the ball because you're open in a zone and falling down is not a plus to me. I mean I expect a receiver to receive it and catch the ball, if you can't catch it you play DB. So that's where we just have to raise our standard and are our expectations for what's expected when we get the ball in open space and I think these players really accepted the challenge.”
On Terrence Mitchell's injury…
“Well right away they told me on the sideline that it was his head that they were concerned about, not his neck. It was as much precautionary that they were going to turn and take a lot of precautions anytime you have a head trauma and somebody goes to the ground the way that Terrence did on that play.”
On comfort level of B.J. Daniels…
“I think B.J. is very comfortable. Everybody asked what the difference from year one to two was and I keep talking about poise, confidence, where he is in the offense right now, the way he's seeing the field, the way he's managing the game, the way he's protected the ball, not putting it in danger. I think B.J. has done an outstanding job in the first four games of the year. I think he has made huge strides and I think he deserves that credit.”
On if the reserves are ready for Big East play…
“No, no. And I feel comfortable saying that because most of our reserves are on special teams. We tried to take most of our backups and put them there. I worry about our depth right now, I worry about injuries. Like I said we had one corner go out today and we're not the same defense and that's something that we've got to do a better job as a staff, as a team. Everybody has got to take that responsibility. I think some guys are coming along and some guys are emerging, but we're not where we need to be right now. We are a work in progress and we got to get better than what we are right now."
USF Player Quotes:
Sam Barrington, LB
What did you see in the field tonight..
There are a lot of things we got to fix on defense. Offense played outstanding, an extraordinary game. We are happy for those guys. They are doing exactly what we need as a defense, for them to do and now we got to do what they need us to do. I'm just happy. We got to get back to the drawing board and fix our mistakes.
What were you seeing out there in D…
Some simple mistakes that we got to fix--nothing in particular that I don't feel like we can't get fixed. Like I said I am very fortunate that our offense went out there and play the way they did.
Feel a second half difference…
I feel like we came out with a little more energy and emotion, hence the fact that they only scored 7 points in the second half.
On interception…
With my interception, I was just fortunate enough that the defensive line got pressure on the quarterback and he had to come off with a hot pass and like I said, I was fortunate enough to get my hands in the air and make a play. Guys out there made some plays, I'm real happy for Lindsay Lamar. We are just preying for T-Rex.
On making play and breaking ice…
It felt good, like an icebreaker. I made that play more importantly for the defense as a whole and not just for myself.
Give you something to build off, the TD at the end…
I think the biggest motivation coming out of this game is the flaws we had as the defense today. My interception, personally, is just going to go in the books like everybody else's.
Coach Snyder on missed assignments…
I agree with coach Snyder, we just got to tighten up polish those things before we go to Pitt.
Ryne Giddins, DE
Offense not giving much time…
That's how the defense likes it though. We like to be on and off real fast--3-and-outs.
Tough gameplan on who is under center…
Not really, we just had a game plan ourselves so it wasn't really too difficult for us. Even though they had their changes, we stick to our plans.
Team in your mind…
USF is a great team and I feel like we can improve on defense, our misassignments we had. We need more sacks and more pressure. Just polish up on a couple missed assignments we had.
Short turnaround for Pitt on Thursday…
We just got to be mature and treat our bodies right and stay focused.
Victor Marc, WR
On feeding off each other…
We learned that from Vero. Come out and unite as one. We just love supporting each other, helping each other get a block down here--little things that make the play work.
On high expectations, early hits in season…
It started in off-season workouts. Just pushing each other as unit. Our strength coaches really did a good job on helping us out and we just followed along with the plan.
B.J. Daniels, QB
On offensive performance tonight…
We did all right. There's a lot of things we can correct to be more consistent and move the ball more but I feel like we did a really good job.
On rushing…
We just had opportunities from the offensive line to move the ball. Our ground game was pretty solid today.
On personal rushing yards…
I mean I feel like I ran a lot, I got some bumps and bruises, a little sore. But taking advantage of what the defense was giving us.
On 71-yarder…
I tried to handle the snap a little bit, decided to just keep it down and protected and it just so happened everybody crashed in the middle and I had an opportunity to go outside.
On touchdown run on Marc…
Cover 0, they were bringing pressure and everybody was up in the face of the offensive line and turning a bad thing into a good one.
Comfort with offensive play…
Just seeing things and having the freedom to check to something from the left to the right, something that could be a loss to a gain. Not necessarily checking it for a big play, just try to go from good to better.
On comfort running offensive…
I'm pretty comfortable. There are still some things I can correct, I can get better with. I'm going to continue to watch film and hopefully eliminate those mistakes.
Getting confident for Big East play...
Yeah, definitely. We were able to move the ball up and down the field and put the ball in the endzone and that is the most important thing.
Does your rushing performance make other teams more challenged…
It could. Most of are guys can do different things.
Importance to starting off on the right foot…
It's very important to go in and be able to be 4-0, we still got a ways to go, alot of the season left. We are 1/3 of the way done but we still have a lot of work to do and can definitely continue to get better.
Is this a wakeup call…
It just shows that we are not perfect. We were able to put up numbers and hold guys out of the endzone. But we have to continue to get better and not get complacent and continue to improve.
Darrell Scott, RB
Feel offensively…
We came out, 2nd play of game, BJ ran for a 71-yard run and that started everything really.
Hand off mix-up last week…
Yea, it was a little to the right so everybody crashed in and BJ took advantage of it and went outside.
On importance of on starting right foot against Pitt…
We got a lot of corrections to do special-teams wise but coaches will nip that in the butt really quick and hopefully we will start off fast next week.
On 373 yards rushing…
I was looking up and I was like “Okay, we are at 300”, but we finished what?! That's amazing. O-line did their job, did a great job.
On giving credit to offensive line…
Oh yeah, they open the holes up for all of us. I mean with our play-actions and stuff and they just suck in a BJ goes outside. It's nice to have a dual threat quarterback too.
On team play going into Big East…
It gives us an edge going in, 4-0. We got a target on our back and we got to come in each and every week.
On passing game opening up rushing…
It will, we just got to practice. We got a short week and got to start practice tomorrow. So no time for a break.
UTEP Player Quotes:
Carson Meger, QB
On the experience of playing in an NFL stadium against a ranked team...
“I mean, it was an experience. That's exactly what it was. It was fun to come down here; come to Florida. It's a far trip. Obviously we came down here to play a game and win a game and we didn't get that done. But again, they're a heck of a team. They're not ranked 18th in the nation for nothing. I thought we did some good things and some bad things. As a quarterback you always feel like you can do things a little bit better. It just didn't happen for us. And they're a great team. So we came out here and we played hard and fought until the end and sometimes you just don't get the win.”
On feeling encouraged after this game...
“Yeah you can take good things out of every game whether you win or lose. And that's what we're going to try to do going into conference next week. We got a short week ahead of us, so we gotta forget about this game and refocus and get focused on next week. And that's what we're going to do tomorrow is we're going to forget about it and start preparing for next week.”
Players Mentioned
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