Quotes From Monday's Football Press Conference
September 13, 2004 | Football
Sept. 13, 2004
Audio Clips
Louisville, Ky. - Head Coach Bobby Petrino and selected players made themselves available to the media for the weekly football press conference on Monday at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. They discussed U of L's 52-21 win at Army last Saturday and previewed this Saturday's Conference USA game at Tulane. Kick-off is set for 7 p.m. ET at the Superdome in New Orleans, La.
After the game at Tulane, the Cardinals travel to face North Carolina on Saturday, Sept. 25 at 1:35 p.m. ET in Chapel Hill, N.C.
On having tremendous depth and how it helps the team :
"I think it helps us a lot, because some of those guys got in there for the first time. We had some true freshmen play, like Brandon Cox, I think he took 16 or 17 snaps. All the tight ends got in there. And what they find out is that there's so much anxiety and emotion when they first get in that they get very fatigued early and there's going to be a time this year when they're going to have to come into the game and play, because of injury or maybe because they're ready to play. That won't happen to them again because they're used to it and learn how to deal with it so I think it's a great thing to be able to play that many guys."
On breaking into the Top 25 rankings :
"It's nice to be ranked. I think that's something we want to have happen. We want to try to continue to move up, win games, but you got to keep it all in perspective to. Its real early in the season. We got to just make sure that we focus in on this week's game and getting prepared for Tulane and let all that take care of itself."
On the challenge a big win presents in getting better :
"Actually I thought last week was a big challenge for us because it was so emotional and it was a Sunday game. We lost a day of preparation or a day of mental rest and we didn't practice with as much emotion and with as much excitement all weeks as we had for the Kentucky game. But I think we got a lot accomplished. The players were working hard on their technique and on our scheme. I would anticipate our guys would do a good job this week in preparation. Tulane has always been a tough place to go play and they have a lot of good players returning on their defense and they lost a couple of real good players but they also have a couple of real good receivers so if can turn on the video and show that we've got to a great job in preparation and a great job in practice and continue to get better."
On having 3 straight road games this early in the season :
"We would prefer not to but it will be good for us when we go on the road three times in a row. We traveled well. I was happy with the way they traveled. They were very serious and we didn't have any obstacles really come us so that was good for us, but preferably you would like to be home a little bit but I think that once we get to the 12 game schedule, that that will help a lot."
On what he (Petrino) is most pleased about :
"I'd still say our defense. I'm please with the energy and the speed their showing. Our assignment errors are down and our missed tackles are down. I think the fundamentals that our players are playing with are much better. They are all a year more experienced and I think that helps a tremendous amount. I think they truly believe in what we're doing and they are playing real hard and they haven't been challenged a great deal yet so we'll still have to see when things aren't going our way how we'll react to it. And when a team takes the ball and drives 80 yards in 12 plays and scores how we'll do the next series. So we still have some questions to answer."
On the running backs (to this point) :
"I think they've done a really nice job. I think it's going to kind of work how it has in the first 2 games in the fact that Lionel had a really good first game and Michael did his thing and then the other day I didn't think Lionel was as sharp as he has been and Michael was running the ball real well. I need to get Eric more work and more carries. He's kind of been the one that when he's in there he's doing a little bit more of the blocking. The other day on a couple of the series when he was in there we actually threw the ball a little bit and had to make a couple of checks. I don't think he's had enough attempts yet to really get as many as he needs I guess you'd say. He needs to get more carries."
On how Eric Shelton is handling his lack of carries :
"It's been different for him and it hasn't been easy but he's handled well. He's handled it in a very mature fashion and I need to give him the ball a little more and make sure he's running with it. He'll wear them down. I thought against Army that when he was carrying the ball he was really running well. He was sharp on his cut. He ran through some tackles and did a nice job."
On Michael Bush playing a few plays on defense every game :
"Yeah I think it will probably increase. I think what's happening the first couple games is that the Kentucky game our defense was doing what it wanted to do. We were real sharp. We didn't do a whole lot of our package so Mike was like `let keep doing what we're doing.' In the Army game, they wanted to get him in there a little bit more, but once we got to a point where we're quit a bit ahead, then I shut it down and said no. I don't want to get him in on defense. I don't want to get him injured while we're ahead."
On Okoye's first start :
"He's playing really well. The more and more he understands that if I play full speed and go hard every single play. He has really looked good. In the Kentucky game I thought he did an excellent job. He had some plays where he really pressured the quarterback. He's quick and he's playing fast. There's one play where he jumped over guy, went to the ground, rolled over, got up, ran and got in on the tackle. The other day he did a great job on a couple of their screens. I'm really excited about him. I thought he was one of our real bright spot in the Army game as well as the Kentucky game."
On Okoye's age and how he is still able to do so well :
You know I don't know. I wasn't sure how he was able to be in college last year. Its just something that's amazing and a credit to his maturity and I'm not sure how he does it, but he's certainly doing a great job of it.
On keeping the team focused and not looking ahead to the Miami game :
"Well we've started off the season and we've put up a big sign in the locker room that says one play, one game, one team, a championship. That's kind of our motto I guess that we want to try and follow. We play one play at a time and we're going to play with a tremendous amount of effort and whether you do a good job or a bad job, you put it behind you and move on to the next play. We're going to concentrate on one game at a time, and everything we do each week, try to get tighter and closer and really be a stronger team. And that's what we're working at; now how easy that will be, I don't know. Thursday's practice I was concerned last week, I didn't think we had the same emotion and intensity. I was very happy on Friday that when we went to travel, the players were very serious, very good in the meetings, had a real good walk through Saturday morning and I thought they showed some maturity so I hope we can continue to do that."
