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Rice University Athletics
Football: Hatfield's Monday Quotes
10/23/2000 12:00:00 AM | Football
"The defense played well, and the offense really played well in the first half. Overall, it was probably the best half of football that we've played since we've been here, ever. That was encouraging."
On the TCU game -- "We'll be playing a team that has the second-longest winning streak in America today. They're playing good. This is probably the last time we'll play TCU, so there's a lot going on the game. We've been picked as their homecoming opponent again. We'll try to get ready for that kind of atmosphere. I know it will be a great crowd and a great, exciting day up there. We just hope we can make good improvement this week, and if we do we'll be in a lot better shape.
"We'll need a great effort against TCU, and that's what we're preparing for."
On Rice's recent successes against TCU -- "We've just been ahead when the game was over. Last year, they started out like a house afire, scoring the first two times they had the ball. We did a good job of hanging back and making some things happen. Usually, it takes one key play to turn it around. It was probably Dan Dawson's interception (return for a touchdown). It was a big, big play, both in the score and psychologically. That was probably the play that turned everything around in that game.
"You don't know when that play is going to come this week. We'll go hoping we can make that play, and hope we can make our's first."
On defending the TCU offense -- "We go into every game trying to stop the other people's running game first. It's no big revelation that against TCU you had better stop the running game or they won't throw a single pass. It's a real challenge. They have a good attack and a good scheme in throwing the football, but we have to go in there and play the running game extremely well.
"They are so strong. Their line is extremely strong and, of course, (LaDainian) Tomlinson is just a real powerful back."
