Photo by: Maria Lysaker
Mike Bloomgren Press Conference Quotes
8/28/2018 3:40:00 PM | Football
Bloomgren held his weekly press conference prior to Saturday's game against Houston.
Opening statement:
"It is exciting times as you all know. Talking about last weekend, I'm so proud of how our guys fought. That is exactly what I look back on. What I take away is how gritty it was. We look at it and we say it is a cultural win for this program. You look at all the ways that game could have went and for us to keep fighting, I just think it revealed all the things that we trained these guys to do. That's what's exciting.
I think back to the opening four drives for the offense and going down and getting points. But also the missed opportunities on the third and fourth drives with a chance to probably have the game (at) 28-0 with the way that the defense was playing. So starting fast was a point of emphasis for us. I'm glad we did that. The second half of the second quarter we kind of hit a wall and that kind of continued into the third quarter. It was not our best performance. But, you look at what happened in the fourth quarter and you saw this team rise up. They stuck together and rose up. It really started with Jack Fox's career-long 63-yard point that was downed at the seven-yard line. Then our defense stood up when we needed it. Anthony Ekpe had the strip-sack fumble and few plays later Austin Walter is in the end zone and we're right back rolling. Of course, a couple of more stops from the defense and a good drive to get down there and as time expires Jack Fox is the hero again, kicking the game-winning field goal. Again, I'm really pleased with how we finished. We need to be able to be focused for four quarters was my message to the guys yesterday.
I think (Prairie View head coach) Eric Dooley did a phenomenal job getting his team ready to play and my hat is off to him. I think he's got some really good players on that team and I wish him the best of luck the rest of the year.
Our players of the game this week are, on offense, (running back) Emmanuel Esupka, on defense (defensive linemen) Roe Wilkins, and not surprising, on special teams was Jack Fox. We had three scout team Players of the Week last week that did a phenomenal job getting us ready and that's Kebreyun Page, Wiley Green at the quarterback position and on special teams Ja'Quez Battley. They did a great job getting us ready and those guys are really stepping into their roles and they'll be really hard to keep off the field going forward.
As we transition into another game week, it's another chance for us to play one of the 13 games that are promised and we are so excited about that. I know that there are big things surrounding this game. I understand the Bayou Bucket. I understand what it means to our football program, to our university and the city of Houston. So that's exciting. I do know the history of this game. I've read up on it. I understand how close the rivalry is in terms of proximity and those are always fun. It's fun when your (players) know people on the other sideline. We have coaches that coached other players on that sideline and as a staff; we know their staff pretty well. I think that you look at what they've done over at (Houston), Major (Applewhite) has done a great job going into his second year. It should be a really fun football game.
What I told our team after the game, as well as again yesterday, is the best team's I've been a part of had their biggest jumps from Game One to Game Two. That's exactly what we're trying to do. I love the focus that our team had yesterday in these meetings. They came in and had a couple of celebratory things because I think you need to celebrate any time you win in college football. We corrected some mistakes, we talked about how things will be going forward and then we transitioned right into the UH plan and went to work on them. That's exactly where we're going to be for the next six days.
I want to make sure that I hit on at this week's game; we're going to get the opportunity to honor Trevor Cobb and the fact that he's being inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as one of the best players to play this game. The 1991 Doak Walker Award winner. That's really exciting stuff for our program. I've gotten to know Trevor a little bit. He's really exciting about what's going on in our program so it will be great to have him back on campus. I also think honoring the 2008 championship team is awesome. To have those guys around our kids and back on campus is something that I've stressed since I've been here. The importance of the lettermen in our program, getting them around us, getting them back here and especially those guys that won championships. I want them to know that this place is theirs. They get to come around here and celebrate that together. That's outstanding.
I'm really looking forward to the game this weekend. I think it's going to be a great college football atmosphere right out here at Rice Stadium and we can't wait.
On Houston Defensive Tackle Ed Oliver:
"Ed Oliver is a very talented football player. He's a guy that plays with a really high motor. He does things from sideline to sideline. My hat's off to him. He's on every preseason watch list for every award in college football. I would tell you that he has our attention. We're going to know where he is and we're going to try to put the best plan together to attack him."
On what challenges D'Eriq King presents:
"He's a dual-threat quarterback. A guy who has the athleticism to play receiver at a high-level in Division I football. Then you move him to quarterback as a wildcat initially and then he becomes a regular quarterback. A guy that can throw it well. But, if he gets loose in the open field with the ball in his hand, it's a scary movie as well. The definition of a dual-threat quarterback is what I see him as."
On how much Prairie View A&M's offense helped them prepare for Houston:
"(Houston) is going to be tempo just the same way and they're going to use receivers in just the same way. So I think it was a great way for us to start in terms of a team to prepare us for that. We've got to continue to see tempo. We've got to continue to cover things a little bit better on the back end so we can give our rush some time to get there. We know that coverage and rush works together and when those things are both humming, life's good."
If it helps to know what their tendencies are when calling a game:
"Absolutely it helps to know what somebody's core is. I think that we feel like we understand what their defense wants to be about. They want to be a 3-4 defense that wants to build a wall, set edges and play a physical style. That's great. We know who they are and they did a good job with that, especially as last year continued. You look at the offense and it's a little different. We all know what that system has been in the past at different institutions. You go back to FAU and it's a little bit different last year. It kind of evolved from the Baylor stuff. You don't know how involved Coach Applewhite will be with the offense at this point. So, there's still some question marks if you will. But, we have a pretty good idea that the ball is going to be snapped as fast as they can and they're going to run some schemes and give some really good receivers on the outside a chance to go make plays down the field."
On how much confidence it gives the team winning the way it did:
"It's what we stress. It's what we believe. It's how we train them. So, I think it means the world. We went into halftime (and) talked about 'Nobody's panicking. We're going to stay the course and we're going to take this team into deep water, which I hope to do many, many times throughout our time here and find a way to win and finish in the fourth quarter."
On if there's a challenge to the fan base to make sure they come out:
"Yea. Come one, come all. Come be loud. It should be an awesome time to have this game in our stadium. 11 o'clock on Saturday. Let's go. What else do we want? Rice has won the last two at home so let's keep that thing going. We need all of their help. We need everybody. Everybody around this program and everybody that loves this program to come out and support us."
On playing two local teams back-to-back to start the season:
"It's always good every time you have these rivalry games. These guys know a lot of those (players). There will be recruiting battles that come down to these two schools so it's always a good thing."
On the quarterback situation:
"Both will play this Saturday. Shawn (Stankavage) will start."
On any takeaways from the Prairie View A&M game:
"They have a dominant receiver. (Tristen Wallace) was one of the highest ranked recruits in the country. He ended up picking Oregon over Ohio State and then ended up at Prairie View. It's not a surprise that he was going to be able to make some plays. He made some plays when we were in good coverage and there were a couple where we can give them some more help schematically and a couple where we just have to play a little better on the back end. But, I want to point to the adjustments our coaching staff made at halftime. I want to look at how our guys played in the fourth quarter. I want to look at holding that explosive offense to minus-four yards in the fourth quarter and having a takeaway and almost a second takeaway. That's what I'm pointing to is how much we improved during the game."
On the special teams play:
"I think it's a testament to what we do, how we run special teams in this program and how Coach (Pete) Lembo coaches them like his hair is on fire every day. I think it's not a surprise to me that we were in midseason form. I think it's awesome that we were plus-174 yards in the kicking game, which is a big deal. That's a bid swing."
On how important takeaways are going to be:
"I think turnover margin in particular. The fact that the offense protected the ball and the defense took it away. That's what we have to do. Turnover margin is the single most important stat that we can point to in wins and losses. If we're doing the other things that we're talking about (like) pounding the rock, controlling the clock and playing great defense, the turnover margin, the difference between one and zero, ultimately is what won the game the other day."
"It is exciting times as you all know. Talking about last weekend, I'm so proud of how our guys fought. That is exactly what I look back on. What I take away is how gritty it was. We look at it and we say it is a cultural win for this program. You look at all the ways that game could have went and for us to keep fighting, I just think it revealed all the things that we trained these guys to do. That's what's exciting.
I think back to the opening four drives for the offense and going down and getting points. But also the missed opportunities on the third and fourth drives with a chance to probably have the game (at) 28-0 with the way that the defense was playing. So starting fast was a point of emphasis for us. I'm glad we did that. The second half of the second quarter we kind of hit a wall and that kind of continued into the third quarter. It was not our best performance. But, you look at what happened in the fourth quarter and you saw this team rise up. They stuck together and rose up. It really started with Jack Fox's career-long 63-yard point that was downed at the seven-yard line. Then our defense stood up when we needed it. Anthony Ekpe had the strip-sack fumble and few plays later Austin Walter is in the end zone and we're right back rolling. Of course, a couple of more stops from the defense and a good drive to get down there and as time expires Jack Fox is the hero again, kicking the game-winning field goal. Again, I'm really pleased with how we finished. We need to be able to be focused for four quarters was my message to the guys yesterday.
I think (Prairie View head coach) Eric Dooley did a phenomenal job getting his team ready to play and my hat is off to him. I think he's got some really good players on that team and I wish him the best of luck the rest of the year.
Our players of the game this week are, on offense, (running back) Emmanuel Esupka, on defense (defensive linemen) Roe Wilkins, and not surprising, on special teams was Jack Fox. We had three scout team Players of the Week last week that did a phenomenal job getting us ready and that's Kebreyun Page, Wiley Green at the quarterback position and on special teams Ja'Quez Battley. They did a great job getting us ready and those guys are really stepping into their roles and they'll be really hard to keep off the field going forward.
As we transition into another game week, it's another chance for us to play one of the 13 games that are promised and we are so excited about that. I know that there are big things surrounding this game. I understand the Bayou Bucket. I understand what it means to our football program, to our university and the city of Houston. So that's exciting. I do know the history of this game. I've read up on it. I understand how close the rivalry is in terms of proximity and those are always fun. It's fun when your (players) know people on the other sideline. We have coaches that coached other players on that sideline and as a staff; we know their staff pretty well. I think that you look at what they've done over at (Houston), Major (Applewhite) has done a great job going into his second year. It should be a really fun football game.
What I told our team after the game, as well as again yesterday, is the best team's I've been a part of had their biggest jumps from Game One to Game Two. That's exactly what we're trying to do. I love the focus that our team had yesterday in these meetings. They came in and had a couple of celebratory things because I think you need to celebrate any time you win in college football. We corrected some mistakes, we talked about how things will be going forward and then we transitioned right into the UH plan and went to work on them. That's exactly where we're going to be for the next six days.
I want to make sure that I hit on at this week's game; we're going to get the opportunity to honor Trevor Cobb and the fact that he's being inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as one of the best players to play this game. The 1991 Doak Walker Award winner. That's really exciting stuff for our program. I've gotten to know Trevor a little bit. He's really exciting about what's going on in our program so it will be great to have him back on campus. I also think honoring the 2008 championship team is awesome. To have those guys around our kids and back on campus is something that I've stressed since I've been here. The importance of the lettermen in our program, getting them around us, getting them back here and especially those guys that won championships. I want them to know that this place is theirs. They get to come around here and celebrate that together. That's outstanding.
I'm really looking forward to the game this weekend. I think it's going to be a great college football atmosphere right out here at Rice Stadium and we can't wait.
On Houston Defensive Tackle Ed Oliver:
"Ed Oliver is a very talented football player. He's a guy that plays with a really high motor. He does things from sideline to sideline. My hat's off to him. He's on every preseason watch list for every award in college football. I would tell you that he has our attention. We're going to know where he is and we're going to try to put the best plan together to attack him."
On what challenges D'Eriq King presents:
"He's a dual-threat quarterback. A guy who has the athleticism to play receiver at a high-level in Division I football. Then you move him to quarterback as a wildcat initially and then he becomes a regular quarterback. A guy that can throw it well. But, if he gets loose in the open field with the ball in his hand, it's a scary movie as well. The definition of a dual-threat quarterback is what I see him as."
On how much Prairie View A&M's offense helped them prepare for Houston:
"(Houston) is going to be tempo just the same way and they're going to use receivers in just the same way. So I think it was a great way for us to start in terms of a team to prepare us for that. We've got to continue to see tempo. We've got to continue to cover things a little bit better on the back end so we can give our rush some time to get there. We know that coverage and rush works together and when those things are both humming, life's good."
If it helps to know what their tendencies are when calling a game:
"Absolutely it helps to know what somebody's core is. I think that we feel like we understand what their defense wants to be about. They want to be a 3-4 defense that wants to build a wall, set edges and play a physical style. That's great. We know who they are and they did a good job with that, especially as last year continued. You look at the offense and it's a little different. We all know what that system has been in the past at different institutions. You go back to FAU and it's a little bit different last year. It kind of evolved from the Baylor stuff. You don't know how involved Coach Applewhite will be with the offense at this point. So, there's still some question marks if you will. But, we have a pretty good idea that the ball is going to be snapped as fast as they can and they're going to run some schemes and give some really good receivers on the outside a chance to go make plays down the field."
On how much confidence it gives the team winning the way it did:
"It's what we stress. It's what we believe. It's how we train them. So, I think it means the world. We went into halftime (and) talked about 'Nobody's panicking. We're going to stay the course and we're going to take this team into deep water, which I hope to do many, many times throughout our time here and find a way to win and finish in the fourth quarter."
On if there's a challenge to the fan base to make sure they come out:
"Yea. Come one, come all. Come be loud. It should be an awesome time to have this game in our stadium. 11 o'clock on Saturday. Let's go. What else do we want? Rice has won the last two at home so let's keep that thing going. We need all of their help. We need everybody. Everybody around this program and everybody that loves this program to come out and support us."
On playing two local teams back-to-back to start the season:
"It's always good every time you have these rivalry games. These guys know a lot of those (players). There will be recruiting battles that come down to these two schools so it's always a good thing."
On the quarterback situation:
"Both will play this Saturday. Shawn (Stankavage) will start."
On any takeaways from the Prairie View A&M game:
"They have a dominant receiver. (Tristen Wallace) was one of the highest ranked recruits in the country. He ended up picking Oregon over Ohio State and then ended up at Prairie View. It's not a surprise that he was going to be able to make some plays. He made some plays when we were in good coverage and there were a couple where we can give them some more help schematically and a couple where we just have to play a little better on the back end. But, I want to point to the adjustments our coaching staff made at halftime. I want to look at how our guys played in the fourth quarter. I want to look at holding that explosive offense to minus-four yards in the fourth quarter and having a takeaway and almost a second takeaway. That's what I'm pointing to is how much we improved during the game."
On the special teams play:
"I think it's a testament to what we do, how we run special teams in this program and how Coach (Pete) Lembo coaches them like his hair is on fire every day. I think it's not a surprise to me that we were in midseason form. I think it's awesome that we were plus-174 yards in the kicking game, which is a big deal. That's a bid swing."
On how important takeaways are going to be:
"I think turnover margin in particular. The fact that the offense protected the ball and the defense took it away. That's what we have to do. Turnover margin is the single most important stat that we can point to in wins and losses. If we're doing the other things that we're talking about (like) pounding the rock, controlling the clock and playing great defense, the turnover margin, the difference between one and zero, ultimately is what won the game the other day."
Players Mentioned
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