University of Louisville Football Post-Game Quotes
October 06, 2007 | Football
Oct. 6, 2007
Recap | Final Stats | Notes | Action Photos 
Louisville Head Coach Steve Kragthorpe
(On the early struggles of the offense) "We didn't do a good job of getting off of the press man-to-man early in the game. We did a better job the rest of the game. We didn't run the ball. You've got to run the ball better and you've got to get off of the press man-to-man."
"No excuses. We never make excuses. We had some guys who stepped up and made plays like Patrick Carter and Trent Guy. All of our guys have to be ready to play. No excuses."
(On Mario Urrutia and Harry Douglas not playing) "It's the same situation. We were hopeful both of them would play, though we knew Mario was more of a long shot. Harry warmed up, but he said he couldn't go."
(On whether the team has lost confidence) "I don't know. I'll know better when get back out on the practice field. I've told these guys that nobody cares about what we did last week or last year. We know we have to make plays now."
(On the play of the defense) "Obviously, we can't give up 582 yards and expect to win and we have to get off the field on third down. We didn't play well in any phase tonight, including our offense which played terrible."
(On the offense) "We were trying to get the ball down the field, but they were dropping eight. They know the down and distance too. And again, we didn't do a good job of getting off of the press coverage early in the game. We've got to get off the press coverage and make plays."
(On whether this week's suspensions are a distraction for the team) "I don't so. I think our guys did a good job of blocking that out. As I said, the guys who are available and the guys that are able to play are the guys who play."
(On the team's practices this week) "I thought we had a good week of practice. It was a bit of shorter week, but we did what we needed to do. We had a good walk-through, but we didn't execute in the three phases. In the third quarter, we had good offense, good defense and good special teams and that's how we should play every quarter."
(On the secondary) "We've got to cover guys. We have to get in position and once we're in position, we have to make plays. We were in the right calls a couple of times on deep balls and we didn't make plays."
Louisville Senior WR Patrick Carter
(About his performance) "To be honest with you I feel good but I just want to win. I was trying my best to get the other receivers open. When Harry and Mario went down, we all had to step up as a receiving corps. That was my goal: to step up and play my hardest to come out with a victory no matter if we run for 300 yards or pass for 300 yards."
(Lack of depth) "It was a big thing because, the depth really isn't there. We have a lot of players that can make plays but their experience is limited. Nowadays, experience is key and you have to be eyes on the field for the quarterback. Experience counts when you are out there."
(Offense in the first half) "To be honest with you I am not sure. I know we came out and started slow."
(On Utah's defense) "Utah seemed to play a bend but not break defense. Their secondary wasn't very aggressive on our underneath route. They had eight people in block box to prevent us from running early. After we came back from halftime we made adjustments and the running game was stepped up a lot."
(Finding out he was a starter) "To be honest, we knew all week Coach told us to prepare as if we were starters. Mario (Urrutia) and Harry (Douglas) came in and helped us out while we were watching film to help pick up on their tendencies. They talked to us constantly during the game about being patient and working on our releases."
(On practice) "In the past two weeks, in my opinion we have had good practices. We came out and have been focused. I know we came in a few days and saw the offensive line watching films. The receiving corps came n and watched film together. We all contributed."
"Yes and no, this game has to be played. No matter what it looks like on paper you have to show up on game day."
(On two home losses) "It hurts, to be honest it really hurts. I can't say it any other way."
Louisville Junior CB Bobby Buchanan
(On Utah being open) "They were getting lined up as fast and we weren't executing like we should."
(Defensive problems scheme or execution?) "I think it is execution. Same play are being called we just need to execute as a defense. I say get out of the huddle lining up and taking advantage of spots we had in the defense."
(Is team down) "Of course we are down a little bit. We are facing adversity. We look forward to overcoming it and coming out harder next week against Cincinnati."
(Emotional issue?) "It is not an emotional thing it is about getting more mentally tough and overcoming adversity like I said. We just need to go out and execute the calls it is the same plays being called we just have to do what we have to do."
(About practice) "We saw everything. They didn't do anything different than they did to any other team. We need to go out and to execute and play ball."
(Injuries and suspensions) "We don't pay attention to that . All the things that everyone thought were negative coming into the game we weren't focused on that. We focused on playing as a team and getting out their and playing. None of the extra things worried us."
"The thing we felt was that we knew we played good but also we had a long way to go. That is how we felt after that game (NC State)."
(How to improve?) "Execute the plays called. Playing our technique and beating our man to his technique and things like that and doing it every play."
"Get ourselves their and long. Positive yardage . Third downs manageable. We weren't producing on third down."
"I thought the guys that came in and played in their spot did a good job stepping up and did their job. I wasn't sure about Mario early on. Harry tired to go in practice and he tried and couldn't go. We worked with the other receivers. They got on the ball fast. That up-tempo not successful in first and second downs."
Louisville Senior QB Brian Brohm
(First half) "We didn't get any production the first half on first down. We kept getting ourselves third and long and it was hard to convert. We need to do a better job on first down and getting positive yardage and making second and short manageable and making third downs manageable. We weren't producing on first down as you saw. When I hit Pat Carter on that first down and got rolling on that one drive in the first half. We just have to do better on first down."
(Playing without Mario Urrutia and Harry Douglas) "Harry and Mario have done great things around here in the past. I thought they guys that came in their spots did a great job coming in and stepping up. They made some good catches but we obviously would like to have Harry and Mario out there."
When did Broom find out about Urrutia and Douglas.) "We knew about Mario pretty on. Harry tried to go in practice a few times and he warmed up before the game but we knew more than likely he wasn't going to go. He tried but he couldn't go, but we had been working with the other receivers all week."
(Re: fourth quarter) "Our offense is good when they get in a rhythm and getting up-tempo and getting on the ball fast. If you aren't successful on the first and second down then three and out comes real quick. That puts the defense back on the field real quick. We have to stop the three and out and produce on first down."
(His passes being deflected) "Their d-linemen did a good job. When they were picked up and blocked, they stepped back and read my eyes and jump and bat the ball down. We just got to attack those guys and keep them from jumping up and getting their hands up. I have to do a better job of finding windows to throw through."
(Playing and losing at home) "It is difficult. I thought we did a good job of fighting the whole game offensively. We fought and scratched back and got close there and made it a ball game. We just didn't have enough to come up with the win."
(Playing with adversity) "Found out a lot about some people in these situations. I feel faithful that we will keep fighting. Obviously we have a lot of work to do. We need to go out and practice every day and get better. Each game is going to be down to the end, hard-fought games and we need to be ready every week."
(On preparation to play) "I think so. We didn't come out very well in the first half which would make you think that we weren't. But, I can't put a finger on it, we weren't producing on first downs and on offense we were getting ourselves in bad situations. I did feel like we played hard throughout the whole game, we just weren't able to get the job done."
(On Utah defense) "The defense did a good job and disrupted a couple things. They were batting balls down like I said on those first and second downs. If you run the ball and get no yards and on second down you get the ball batted and then you are at third and ten. And if you get sacked on second down and then you are at third and long. They did a good job d-ing us up on first and second down."
(About Cincinnati and rebuilding confidence) "A win against Cincinnati would be huge. Cincinnati is a great ball team. Going up there for the Keg of Nails, it'll be a big game and we know each week will be a dogfight . We just have to be ready. But the big thing is that we have to get better each day and everyday in practice hard and get getter."
Utah Head Coach Kyle Whittingham
"We played pretty decent. The keys tonight were two things - offensively, Brian Johnson, the sharpness in which he played and the level at which he played was outstanding; and Darrell (Mack) to run the football. We credit the offensive line who was holding the line of scrimmage. Darrell came away with 163 yards. We had 260 yards rushing overall and nearly 600 yards of total offense - a breakout game for the offense."
"Now, the key is to sustain that and develop consistency which we have the last couple of weeks. Defensively we had just enough in the tank and that's an offense you can't hold down forever. They came alive in the second half with a couple of different spurts. They had a couple of runs they made at us in the third quarter and late in the fourth quarter. We had just enough to hold them off. Any time you put the ballgame in Louie Sakoda's hands, you're in good shape."
"It was 10 seconds left, we were out of timeouts in that situation, Brian needs to throw it away or take a shot in the end zone. It was a learning experience for Brian Johnson - he was off the charts tonight. We can live with that one. We'll get it fixed, he understood."
(Any hesitation on Louie Sakoda?) "Never hesitated any on Louie Sakoda. We had another fake dialed up in the second half - a punt fake. But it wasn't there so we called it off. Louie Sakoda is a gamer."
(On LB Kyle Brady's injury) "He's done for the year. It's unfortunate, sad for a fifth-year senior. Nobody has given more to this program than Kyle Brady. It breaks your heart to see that happen. He's given his heart and soul to Utah football."
Utah RB Darrell Mack
(On another good performance) ""We had another big game, and we had good practices. I had to show my teammates and everybody in the country we are a good team. I had to step my game up even more and I had another great game. It feels good."
(On how well Utah moved the ball in the first half) "Yes, we watched film, arm tackles is what we saw a lot so, the plan was to run the ball and it worked. We wore them down and that's what helped us. The Offensive line since last week was getting a good push off the ball more than they (Louisville) did, that helped again, they were making a lot of holes. I was able to get a lot of yards after contact, and kept moving the ball. That was warring them out and when it got to that point we were able to execute and scored touchdowns."
(On the importance of a fast start) "It is really important once we do that I think our whole confidence goes up. We believe in ourselves and we knew we were capable of doing it. That's the key to try to start off fast and try to make a better team quite as soon as possible. But once we get our start I think we are unstoppable."
Utah DB Steve Tate
"They are a well balanced team and once they get the ball running then that opens up for Brohm. Our main priority coming into this game was stopping the run and we did a good job of that I think that they had to turn to the passing game and I give credit to our offense for getting me in that situation."
(On playing in the humidity) "It was the exact opposite of that week, this was muggy weather and last week we had to play in snow and this week its humid. But its something you have to face and a football team I don't think it was too much of a factor."
