Mike Bloomgren Press Conference Quotes
8/30/2022 2:01:00 PM | Football
Opening Statement
"I'm really pleased and I'm really excited. I'm pleased about the training camp that we had. I'm pleased about the way the guys continue to work day in and day out. There's a lot to be happy about. I'm excited for the season that's in front of us and I'm excited for this first game in the historic Coliseum against the USC Trojans. We've talked about a lot of things that have changed in our program this offseason. We've talked about a lot of the additions to our program. But we're in game week and it's about time."
How is everybody feeling physically and mentally as the season is about to start?
"I think (the team) is as excited as I am. I think everybody is in a great place mentally. I think everybody is fired up and everybody is excited about the opportunity to play this game with each other. To go back to the reason that I'm pleased, I'm pleased with the level that we're playing at. I'm pleased with the intensity that we're practicing at. I'm pleased with the knowledge and expertise that our players have for our systems. Again, everything is a lot of fun right now. If you ask them where they are mentally, I think they would tell you that they are in a really good place. Training camp is not quite training camp anymore. It's more like training camp lite. But we make the most of it and have worked our butts off. It's 25 days with a lot of different restrictions and I think we made the most of those this year."
On the defensive line:
"The d-line is right where you would have expected them to be. Obviously, losing Elijah Garcia to the NFL is a big loss. But you bring back guys like Trey Schuman, Iknenna Enechukwu, Izeya Floyd is playing at the highest level that he ever has. Blake Boenisch is a name that I think people will know by the end of the year. And, oh yea, we bring back De'Braylon Carroll. That's really exciting. On top of that, at the rush position, you've got (Kenneth) Orji and Josh Pearcy, who have taken another step. You see how much his teammates respect him by the fact he was named our special teams captain."
What does he think the key matchups are going to be?
"I think both lines are going to be really interesting. I think our offensive line is the best that it's ever been. I'm not surprised by where the (defensive) line is. You see what we've been able to do on the offensive line and the experience factor there. Shea Baker's about to break 2,800 snaps in this game. That's a lot of football. I'm really glad to have the experience of guys like Shea, guys like Issac Klarkowski coming back at really full speed right now, and Clay Servin. As well as Braedon (Nutter) who played a good bit for us last year. Then the inexperience, which is a fun thing that we're learning through with Ethan Onianwa as well as John Hughes coming in from West Virginia. John has played well whether he's been at guard or at tackle. It's a solid group there. So with the matchups, up front is going to be really fun to see on both sides of the football. Our defense secondary is going to be challenged. It's Lincoln Riley and the Air Raid. It's all of these great receivers and Caleb Williams. So there's going to be these challenges up the field. One thing you can never sleep on with a Lincoln Riley offense is how well they run the counter play. You look up at the end of games and they have 200-250 yards rushing. So it's a great challenge for our defense.
Offensively, Coach Tuiasosopopo has put together an unbelievable plan with the staff. I think we're prepared to put people in great positions. I think Wiley (Green) knows exactly where they are going to be and when they are going to be there. I think it's going to be a fun college football game."
"I'm really pleased and I'm really excited. I'm pleased about the training camp that we had. I'm pleased about the way the guys continue to work day in and day out. There's a lot to be happy about. I'm excited for the season that's in front of us and I'm excited for this first game in the historic Coliseum against the USC Trojans. We've talked about a lot of things that have changed in our program this offseason. We've talked about a lot of the additions to our program. But we're in game week and it's about time."
How is everybody feeling physically and mentally as the season is about to start?
"I think (the team) is as excited as I am. I think everybody is in a great place mentally. I think everybody is fired up and everybody is excited about the opportunity to play this game with each other. To go back to the reason that I'm pleased, I'm pleased with the level that we're playing at. I'm pleased with the intensity that we're practicing at. I'm pleased with the knowledge and expertise that our players have for our systems. Again, everything is a lot of fun right now. If you ask them where they are mentally, I think they would tell you that they are in a really good place. Training camp is not quite training camp anymore. It's more like training camp lite. But we make the most of it and have worked our butts off. It's 25 days with a lot of different restrictions and I think we made the most of those this year."
On the defensive line:
"The d-line is right where you would have expected them to be. Obviously, losing Elijah Garcia to the NFL is a big loss. But you bring back guys like Trey Schuman, Iknenna Enechukwu, Izeya Floyd is playing at the highest level that he ever has. Blake Boenisch is a name that I think people will know by the end of the year. And, oh yea, we bring back De'Braylon Carroll. That's really exciting. On top of that, at the rush position, you've got (Kenneth) Orji and Josh Pearcy, who have taken another step. You see how much his teammates respect him by the fact he was named our special teams captain."
What does he think the key matchups are going to be?
"I think both lines are going to be really interesting. I think our offensive line is the best that it's ever been. I'm not surprised by where the (defensive) line is. You see what we've been able to do on the offensive line and the experience factor there. Shea Baker's about to break 2,800 snaps in this game. That's a lot of football. I'm really glad to have the experience of guys like Shea, guys like Issac Klarkowski coming back at really full speed right now, and Clay Servin. As well as Braedon (Nutter) who played a good bit for us last year. Then the inexperience, which is a fun thing that we're learning through with Ethan Onianwa as well as John Hughes coming in from West Virginia. John has played well whether he's been at guard or at tackle. It's a solid group there. So with the matchups, up front is going to be really fun to see on both sides of the football. Our defense secondary is going to be challenged. It's Lincoln Riley and the Air Raid. It's all of these great receivers and Caleb Williams. So there's going to be these challenges up the field. One thing you can never sleep on with a Lincoln Riley offense is how well they run the counter play. You look up at the end of games and they have 200-250 yards rushing. So it's a great challenge for our defense.
Offensively, Coach Tuiasosopopo has put together an unbelievable plan with the staff. I think we're prepared to put people in great positions. I think Wiley (Green) knows exactly where they are going to be and when they are going to be there. I think it's going to be a fun college football game."
Players Mentioned
OL
/ Football
DT
/ Football
OL
/ Football
DL
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OL
/ Football
OLB/DE
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DE
/ Football
OL
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