AD explains decision, and the latest from Spurrier, Joker, and Bielema
Minnesota AD Joel Maturi talks about Brewster’s dismissal, apologizes for leak: “There are a lot of good things about our football program because of Coach Brewster. Not the least of which are the improvements academically, the improvements of our student athletes in the community, the tremendous passion and energy and visibility that I think that he has brought. We're thankful for all of those things.”
“But we're also aware in this business today of big time college football. It's about wins and losses. I also apologized for the unfortunate leak of this decision. I don't think it was fair to coach, don't think it was fair to his staff, certainly not fair to his athletes, and I sincerely apologize."
Minnesota quarterback Adam Webber says Brewster “will always be special person to me” : "I haven't had a chance to speak privately with Coach Brewster, but I will. Unfortunately, this is my second time going through something like this. But the relationship you create with your head coach is life long. And he'll always be my head coach. You know, it's just too bad that as Joel Maturi said and Coach Horton, we haven't won enough games. But, ultimately, the relationships you create are life long, and he'll always be a special person to me."
Spurrier says Gamecocks “just can’t do it” : “We just can’t, as they say, put the nail in the coffin. We can’t put a team away, just can’t do it. I don’t know why. We just can’t do it. There were chances there to put them away, take over the game defensively or offensively, and we just can’t do it.”
Bret Bielema received pre-game advice from Barry Alvarez: "He's been speaking to me a long time about winning this game. We always have a little handshake before the game. The last thing he said to me was `(It's) a field-position game.' "
"It's justification for me that we are doing the right things. I'm around these guys every day of the year. I've said it several times this week, what we do 365 days a year, you saw (Saturday). I know it can be successful."
"As we build within our program and (continue) recruiting -- a constant belief in what we're all about -- it solidifies you that much more."
Bret Bielema says his father figured it out: "People walk by you at the (team) hotel, `Coach, get after (Terrelle) Pryor.' My dad's message on Friday night -- he always calls me when he gets in town -- was, `Really bring a lot of pressure and rattle Pryor and the second half will be yours.'
Nick Saban not satisfied, says young players have to mature: “We've got some young guys out there on defense that have been playing for six games now. We quite frankly expect them to start maturing, play with confidence, not make mental errors and be able to make adjustments that we practiced. That's our expectation."
"All of the young players on defense need to play with more toughness, aggressiveness, competitive spirit, confidence -- it's about being able to overcome adversity in the game. We need more responsibility and accountability on the defense because a lot of the young players on defense that we have need to show maturity."
Joker Phillips says Kentucky is hitting stride: "This team is starting to grow right before our eyes. They've done great in responding to everything that has happened. I have nothing but respect for them, and I know they will respond to the success that they just had this week."
"We challenged our guys at halftime, that we were in a street fight. We're in a street fight. I'm in a street fight. I want to see who has my back."
June Jones compliments Navy defensive staff: "Navy does a great job of halftime adjustments. They played a little bit more coverage and didn't zone blitz us as much (in the second half)."
Navy defensive coordinator explains how Midshipmen slowed down SMU: "We stayed in two-deep the whole second half and did some different things with our front. We showed them odd and brought even, showed them even and brought odd. We just felt we needed to change up where we were bringing pressure from."
"We were able to get the quarterback to throw the ball quicker. We weren't getting there, but we were pressuring him to get rid of the ball and that was key.”
Rich Rod says, "That stuff is so overrated." Zook compliments coordinators
Rich Rodriguez reaction upon hearing Denard Robinson gave a fiery post-game locker room talk to team after loss to Michigan State: "That stuff is so overrated. What are they going to do? Try harder? I wasn't in the locker room, but it doesn't surprise me because Denard is a competitor and he's taking more ownership of the team."
"We've got to have a couple really good recruiting classes to address our needs. We're in a situation where we're playing those guys now - ready or not.”
Ron Zook compliments Paul Petrino and Vic Koenning: “Our players have really bought into our coaches. Both are doing the things that our players do best.”
“Paul (Petrino) is about winning, period. I talked about how our coaches are doing the things that our players do best. Right now, we are running the football pretty well. That’s what we are doing.”
“A lot of things are different, but probably the biggest (change) is everyone is playing together.”
(on facing Michigan State) “We told our team to expect a big bar fight. They are a physical team.”
Bobby Petrino talks about his brother Paul Petrino: “I really miss Paul. Always has a tremendous amount of energy and enthusiasm, and the amount of discipline he brings to the players is really special.”
“He interviewed for a number of head coaching jobs the last few years and it always came down to, ‘Well, your brother is the one that calls the plays,” so he decided he needed to go call plays.”
(on concern against Auburn) “We need to do a better job of scoring points. We done a nice job with yards, but we do need to go score a lot more points.”
Quoting Houston Nutt: “I’ve seen team that play Coach Saban and Alabama, and it’s over before it starts, if you know what I mean.”
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Chizik: Our best defense is going to be our offense staying on the field
Gene Chizik explains Malzahn hire, talks Arkansas during Tim Brando Radio Show: (on why he hired Gus Malzahn)”You have to look at yourself and ask, 'Is that something I would hate to defend?' To me, that was an emphatic, 'Yes.' He’s one of the best coordinators in the country. It (his system) has worked at every level.”
“We’ve had a lot of teams try to throw it 35-50 times against us. Our thing is we don’t want to give up the big plays. Defensively, we’ve made some strides. We need to get more pass rush.”
"Our best defense is going to be our offense staying out on the field. We really have to manage the clock."
“We have to get better with our tailback running game. We are committed to it, but there’s no question we have to get better there.”
Arizona coach Mike Stoops hypes up Wazzu: "This is far and away his best team. One through 22, with his starters, (this is) the best group of players he's had, the most skill he's had, the most physical presence on the offensive line he's had. You can see them start to turn the corner."
UGA defensive coordinator Todd Grantham says 3-4 allows you to play younger players: “I think, actually I know the 3-4 allows you to play with younger guys because in a 3-4 your outside backers are going to be very athletic guys, but they may not have the strength of a 4-3 defensive end. I think the 3-4 allows you to play younger players and athletic players earlier in their careers. Sometimes it takes a year or two in the weight room to play a 4-3 defensive end.”
Quoting Bret Bielema: “We actually own the best home record in Big Ten over the last 5 years. We are 40-4.”
CNBC’s Darren Rovell tweets: “Only beers up in sales in last year? Busch Light (6.65%), Natty Light (4.18%) & Miller High Life (2%)"
Richt admits mistake, Edsall hot about player's "sense of entitlement"
Mark Richt slams UGA’s toughness: "We've had some seasons recently where we've had 30 guys injured going into a season, going into a camp, and I'm thinking, 'Well, maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I shouldn't be practicing the way we've been practicing. So I tried to change up a philosophy, and I think it backfired. I'm a big enough guy to say it. I made a mistake in that regard."
"We just weren't tough enough (early this season). I felt like we weren't physical enough."
Bobby Petrino calls Auburn game a “15 round title fight” : "I think that's the biggest thing is mentally approach it like a fifteen round title fight where we're going to get some shots in. We're going to hit them hard. We're also going to get hit back so we're going to have to be able to take a shot, concentrate, focus on the next play and play it that way one play at a time."
Chizik’s interesting response during Thursday night radio show when comparing Cam Netwon and Ryan Mallet: "They know how to go from their first-choice to the second-choice (receiver)," Chizik said. "That's what makes great quarterbacks -- not the ones who can hit the guy who is open now, but what happens when your first guy is not open, and the second choice is not open. Then, what do you do with the ball third? You either pull it down and run it, or throw it.”
"In the case of the two, Cam would probably pull it down and run it and Mallett would probably throw it."
Randy Edsall doesn’t like player’s “sense of entitlement” : “Some of these guys, they think they have a sense of entitlement. We’ve done some pretty good things here the last few years, and maybe some of these guys haven’t paid enough of the price that the people in front of them did. And instead of going out and doing it that way, they think they know a little bit more than what they do when they don’t.”
“(Auriemma) said ‘yeah, I had to deal with that for three years.’ All of a sudden, you go to the bowl games and they think I’m just entitled to this. I’m just going to show up and go. Bullcrap. There is no entitlement. You have to work for it and earn it every time.”
Dave Wannstedt calls Syracuse game a must win: "We have to find a way to win this game. Every coach says that the game they are playing is the most important game, but in this case, it really is. We have to go up there and win a conference game and we have a chance to win on the road.”
"We just have to win, period, and build some confidence. I think that is where we are at right now as a team. You give yourself the best chance to win on how you prepare and our guys have prepared good. Our guys are excited about playing, but we've got to transfer practice to the game."
Michigan State defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi compliments Illinois offense: "They've got a great offense. They've got two big tailbacks that can carry the ball. The quarterback's a great athlete that can run and throw. Their offensive line is physical. They rushed for 280 yards on Penn State. It'll be a challenge to stop the run. It's a combination of a Wisconsin and a Michigan offense."
Gary Patterson concerned about BYU: "They haven't been this way for a long time. Now they're starting to get a spark back, getting guys healthy. Their quarterback [freshman Jake Heaps] is growing up. They're dangerous because they have the personnel that can beat you.They only have one loss [in conference]," Patterson continued. "If they only have one loss at the end of the year they have a chance to win the conference."
Lane Kiffin thinks fast-tempo offense would really hurt USC defense: "People say that. It’s not like we call plays that we think aren’t going to work. We’re always trying to score on offense. As far as up-tempo, as far as no-huddle… Yeah that sounds good and everything, but then you’re putting your defense out there for more plays every game.”
“If you’re not in the huddle, like Oregon does… I think Oregon has maybe run 90 more plays than us in the same amount games. That puts your defense on the field a lot more. With the numbers over there, I don’t know that that would be the best thing to do."
Cignetti encouraged, Jerry Kill compliments QB coach, and 1 amazing video
Pitt offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti says Panthers are getting better: "I think we played better. Right off the bat, you could see we had timing and rhythm and tempo to the offense. And, yeah, I think the passing game took a positive step.”
"We are making progress, but, what I would like to see, which I think everyone would like to see, is more points on the board. When you get in the red zone, you have to score touchdowns, you can't be settling for field goals."
"[Doug Marrone] has that defense playing hard and playing well. You see a defense that gets lined up, they are in good stances, they have good gap control, the linebackers play downhill, they run to the ball, they hit you; you can see they have it going the right way."
Quoting Cal defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast: “I want things done in a certain way. I have a vision for where I want this defense to be. The players have to have that same vision because they're the ones that are actually out there doing it. My expectations are high every week for this defense. Hopefully, we can continue to get better as the season moves forward."
Northern Illinois head coach Jerry Kill compliments quarterbacks coach Jim Zebrowski: "I think his relationship with Coach Zebrowski has helped him (Harnish). He's a tremendous coach and I think they work well together as well as the other quarterbacks. I think [Harnish] has a great understanding of what we're trying to do because he's older. I think being injured and stepping back and seeing things from a coach's perspective a little bit helped him. I think something people don't talk about is that good receivers make you a pretty good quarterback. Right now, our receivers are playing very well.”
(on playing Buffalo) "I know they're very aggressive on both sides of the football. I know that's (Quinn's) personality, very similar to what ours is. Their speed on defense is a big concern, and they snap the ball on offense 85-90 times. We're going to have a lot of players ready to play."
(on Buffalo coming off a BYE week) "It's a big edge. You come off a bye week, they've had two weeks to prepare. I'm telling you, coaches always going to pull out a wrinkle. You don't know what they're going to do. All we can prepare is the film we watch. They've had 14 days to get ready for this game. That's a huge, huge advantage. That's an equalizer. There's no question about that so it's something of concern. We can't prepare for ghosts, we have to prepare with what we know they do, do the best we can and make adjustments throughout the game. The first quarter there could be some adjusting, there's no question about that."
Bill Snyder talks about Kansas coaches: "I don't really know Turner's style. I know he's a very fine and talented football coach, and he was a very talented player as well. From all I know, he's trying to do things the right way."
"I have great respect for Carl, who has been a very successful defensive coordinator. I feel the same way about Chuck on the offensive side of the ball. I coached Chuck a long time ago, and he's a good football guy. They're good people."
LSU kicker Josh Jasper is quite talented. You won't believe this video:
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Chip Kelly wary of complacency, Malzahn not emotional, Randy Edsall "could care a less"
Chip Kelly wary of complacency: "We can improve on blocking, we can improve our tackling, our kickoff-return team needs a lot of work. We've got to clean up ball security in terms of fumbles lost. We've got a few holding penalties, because fundamentally our hands are getting outside the framework. So we need to get them back inside the framework.”
"We don't look at this as a bye week, we look at this as an improvement week."
Randy Edsall frustrated at 3-3, but “could care a less what the outside world thinks” : "On defense, it's guys that blank out, lose focus, lose their concentration. Offensively, it's sustaining blocks and getting onto people — and not converting on third down and being able to possess the ball.”
"I don't know if anybody is criticizing me or not because I don't read anything. I could care less. I could care less what the outside world thinks. I really could."
"Those people don't know my job. They don't do my job. They're fans. It's great that they're excited and they want us to win every game. That's great, but it's like anything else, I'm not going to sit and criticize anybody else because I don't exactly know what it entails. I'll criticize myself more than anybody else will criticize me."
No extra emotion anymore for Gus Malzahn going against Arkansas: "This year it is different. It’s just a game we’re playing here at home. I still know a lot of the [Razorback] seniors and recruited some of those guys. It’s a football game and all the extra emotion that first year is not there anymore. It’s just a football game right now."
Jeff Tedford had Lane Kiffin as a player: "He was always very interested in the coaching part of it. Schematics and so on, so forth. I recruited him and then brought him in before his senior year. It was evident he wasn't going to play, so it was just, 'Why don't you start as a GA (graduate assistant) right now?'"
Bowling Green head coach Dave Clawson say game against Ohio was most disappointing in BGSU career: "That was a really bad day for our football program. It was a really uninspired effort. My staff and I have been here for 19 games, and that was our most disappointing effort. We played with little emotion; our energy level was terrible. You have to play with emotion, with energy, to be able to compete in a game like that, much less win a game like that."
Purdue rushed 3 and dropped 8 against Northwestern, Pat Fitzgerald reacts: "Yeah, they played a fence technique. Yeah, I hope they (future opponents) drop eight people. I really do. Because we will pick people apart. Danny still is able to scramble. If he can't outrun a nose guard, then we have problems."
Paul Rhoads say his Iowa State team is fragile: “We still are fragile. You get shellacked by a 41 point spread, there’s doubt in your mind.”
“Just being aligned right isn’t the easiest thing to do against Oklahoma. We could see 12 different formations from the same personnel.”
Dave Wannstedt ready to make it physical at Syracuse: "This is going to be tough sledding this week, and we know it. It's going to be as physical a game, without a doubt, as we've had all year. You start getting ready for a game like that yesterday. Every week is a new test for you in some fashion from a game-plan standpoint. This is going to be from a physical standpoint, we'll find out how tough we are this week."
San Diego State DC Rocky Long calls Air Force triple-option the “best offense in football”: "The biggest problem with triple-option teams is you only see them once a year. And you usually can't get a good look in practice and you can't get the speed in practice. And the execution by the (scout) offense isn't close to what you see in the game."
"I think it's the best offense is football. If they read (the coverage) correctly, there is no way to stop it."
Mark Dantonio reflects: "When you get into those situations, you think about two things: You think about your faith, and you think about your family. Your work becomes a little more secondary. What you do doesn't define you. I don't care what you do for a living. When you're out, whether it's a broken leg or something else, you're sort of renewed when you've got another opportunity, and you gain even more appreciation for what you do. I don't care what you do."
Ault explains name "The Pistol" and Skip looking for better QB play
Texas offensive coordinator Greg Davis says Nebraska hardly ever blitzes: "You won't believe me when I tell you. Sixteen percent."
Nevada head coach Chris Ault reveals why the name “The Pistol” : “I came up with the name because a pistol fires straight ahead; it’s one bullet straight ahead. We still want to run the ball north-south.”
Skips Holtz puzzled by his quarterback last weekend against Syracuse: "They brought their secondary in and that's why there were four or five times with guys running wide-open down the field.Unfortunately, you don't have to cover them if you don't throw to them and you don't catch it.”
(on BJ Daniels changing the play on a 4th down earlier in the year) "He came back and I said, 'Don't ever check a fourth-down call again when we make a fourth-down call. Coaches get fired for fourth down calls.' He looked at me and said, 'Coach, I like you. I don't want you to get fired. I won't check any more fourth-down calls.'"
Quoting Notre Dame defensive coordinator Bob Diaco: “I would say that I love the work, I love teaching young men. I love and really own as a mission taking a young man ... from young man to man through football. I take that charge very seriously. It’s a real energizer for me.
“It helps to stay grounded when things are going well, and it helps to stay positive when things are going poorly. I’m probably a type-A guy. I get mad and angry and pretty aggressive, and at the same time try to be tactful and professional in all communications.”
Charlie Strong puzzled by late arrival by Louisville fans: “In order for us to go win this game, we need everybody. Our fans have to perform. We have to perform on offense. We have to perform on defense. We have to perform in the kicking game.”
Interesting note on Louisville attendance from Courier-Journal: Yet U of L fans on Friday will eclipse last year's total attendance in just this season's fourth game. Attendance is up 33 percent from the first three games of 2009 — the largest jump in the nation — to more than 51,000 per game. Let's remember, U of L didn't draw 40,000 to any game a year ago.
Eye-opening stats, Shannon puzzled, Bronco's decision
Eye-opening stats: Nebraska is averaging 8.3 yards per play. That’s unreal. 10 teams are averaging over 7 yards per play (Michigan, Boise State, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Arkansas, Auburn, USC, Alabama, and Utah.) Only Texas and Boise State are allowing less than 4 yards per play on defense. 4 teams are allowing more than 7 yards per play (Wazzu, Minnesota, Indiana, Eastern Michigan).
Randy Shannon says UM has 30 drops in 5 games: "We've had over 30 drops in five games. That's the biggest thing that's going on. It's not just the receivers. It's not the tight ends or running backs. It's all of them."
"Jacory, he's got to be consistent on dropping back 5 yards. Not 7. Not 6 — 5. The consistency will help the timing. The receivers, you've got to run the route at the same depth. Tight ends, running backs, you've got to do it the same way. You can't vary it 1 yard or 2 yards. Then it throws off the timing."
Bronco Mendenhall not ready to commit to being defensive coordinator long-term: "I am going to think very hard about it. I am not ready to commit to that answer yet, but I am going to think very hard about the role that I am currently playing. I am enjoying it. It certainly is a lot of work, and longevity could be an issue that way. But it is more fulfilling currently."
"Probably from the minute I gave up coaching the defense a number of years ago, and the play calling just a year ago, I have struggled to find my place, particularly in how to help our team most, not only on a daily basis, but on a game day. And I finally just reached a point where I thought I could be more effective in helping our program and helping these young men to be involved. So it certainly wasn't just all of a sudden, a random decision."
Kyle Whittingham really pleased with special teams: "Typically on the special teams, it's the young guys. It's your 2's and 3's that are comprising the majority of those units. I think our recruiting efforts the last couple of years are starting to be manifested in the special teams."
Iowa State defensive coordinator Wally Burnham praises Utah speed: “We said Utah had the most speed we’d seen in a while. Oklahoma’s got just as much, if not more.”
Steve Addazio defends Florida offensive line: "I feel great about my guys. I don't think Mike Pouncey has ever played any better than he's playing right now. I don't think Marcus Gilbert has ever played any better than he's playing right now."
Quoting Colorado special teams coach Kent Riddle: "Well, I feel everything can be fixed.Obviously the field goal deal has been something that has hurt us for awhile. We`ve got to straighten that out. We tried another guy in there. I think a true freshman went in there and got a first taste of reality and kind of let his technique get away from him just cause he got caught up in the moment. So we continue to work with that. We`re going to open it up and see who does the best this week and be out there Saturday."
Jeff Tedford says Cal can’t have an offensive weakness to win consistently: "This week, we have to mix it up. There's no way you can live on one phase. To compete week-in and week-out, you've got to be able to do both. I still have a lot of trust in the passing game. In this conference, there's no way you can do one thing and hope to be successful."
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