The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Iowa State game quotes
09.23.2006 | Football
TEXAS
HEAD COACH MACK BROWN
Opening statements: This was a fun week. It was a fun week to coach because guys get excited about the conference race. This week, they had a pep in their step a lot like they did for the Ohio State game. I also enjoyed the way they played. We need to learn how to overcome adversity.
Bret Meyer is a really good player. He made plays and continued to make them even when he was getting hit and he never quit. It was a big offensive line. Todd Blythe and Austin Flynn made a lot of big plays for them.
I am proud of our defense because with all of the injuries they have had, they kept playing. All of the sudden they take the wind in the third quarter and we take the ball then we fumble down at the two and give them a chance to hang in there a little bit longer. We come back out and the wind changes, so they have the wind for the third and fourth quarter, but it was exactly what our kids needed. They need to overcome adversity and keep playing and not worry about the score as much as the problems that came up in the game and try to answer when something happens poorly.
A couple of things of note to look at: our offensive line continues to dominate, 439 total yards. Our protection was really good. I didn't realize how accurate Colt [McCoy] was until I came back in and looked at it. Colt is really accurate and Limas [Sweed] is continuing to grow as a receiver. The plays that he made tonight were game-changing plays and we will continue to see that. I'm really proud of him. I'm also proud that against a top rushing defense we were able to rush for 193 yards, they are giving up 85 yards a game. Conversely, our defense stopped Stevie Hicks and Bret Meyer with only 21 yards rushing. The kicking game continues to be good. I thought all of the backs played well. When Selvin [Young] came out, Jamaal [Charles] made big runs in the first half. It might not look that good in his rushing yards, but he got cramps, and then Henry Melton and Chris Ogbonnaya came in and kept the ball moving for us. I'm proud of our runners. We got a lot of things done. I told the guys I thought it was a really important win for us.
On the rain delay: We had one in the second quarter at North Carolina, I think when we played Army in the early 90s, but that is different. For this one, the kids were exhausted, the coaches are whipped, you come off the field at a third down and seven so you are sitting there talking about what they will try to do and how to get them to go to four downs and get back into the ball game. You are trying to keep your offense loose and you wonder if you put Jevan [Snead] in because he is not loose, and he hasn't played any or do you keep Colt in? You wonder what is going to happen to momentum at that time. We had the guys take their shoulder pads off and change the wet tops as much as they could underneath to try and buy some time for them and to keep them busy. We had the coaches sit down and meet with them. It was a learning experience because we lost a lot of advantages that didn't end up mattering, but we told the guys to go back out and make sure we play hard in the fourth quarter. As coaches we got together and talked about what we might do. Obviously the fourth quarter goes by a lot faster when you are up 35-14 with this clock than it used to.
On the lightning: I was seeing lightning like you all were. I knew that they were probably trying to wait until the end of the quarter because the wind gusts were really picking up and I could see the lightning. We were told before the game that it would be close. We didn't know if we would get through or not. We were hoping we would get through, but obviously whoever makes that decision made the right one because you cant keep people on the field or on metal seats. There were a lot of lightning strikes going on when we were getting reports. They told us that we would go back out first in 45 minutes and then they told us we could go out at 6:15, so we started stretching and stretched from about 6:05-6:15 and then we had about 10 minutes for them to get loose when we got back on the field. Normally, it is 20 minutes but Iowa State asked that it only be 10. I am sure some of that was because of plane issues and being delayed an hour or two can mess up travel plans.
On if this game was as physical as the Ohio State game: I thought it was probably as physical and we thought it would be. That offensive line is just older and they are really good. I would think this game was very similar to the Ohio State game. We just made more big plays and didn't turn it over where it would kill us.
On Colt McCoy: He just seems to be getting better and better. His accuracy is what impresses us the most. Tonight, he made a couple of plays with his feet. I saw on the replay that the ball on the goal line was stripped. He was running more. When the game started we were told that the heat index was 102, it was extremely hot. He made some passes and some plays with his feet, which we are hoping that he will continue to do more. He is very, very accurate.
On the game plan: Our game plan each week is to play to a standard and you have to continue to improve. We haven't watched film on Sam Houston yet, it is something we will do this week. It is not a game that we normally play, but we told the guys that they are on our schedule and we play them. What we have to do is improve as a football team and as good as we were tonight there are a whole lot of things we can fix. We will work next week to fix all of those things.
QB COLT MCCOY
On being 18-for-23 passing: Coach Davis said going into the game that it would be a high percentage game. I don't know the numbers, no one has told me yet, but [the completion percentage] felt pretty high.
On coming back after the weather delay: It was weird; I'd never been through a delay like that. You try to stay loose and go back out there with the same intensity. I feel like our defense did a great job of holding them out and offensively, we were just trying to run [the clock out].
On Limas Sweed: He's definitely a great receiver, and a lot of the time, when they single cover him, we're going to do our best to get him the ball. He had a great game tonight, I'm not sure of the numbers, but I know he played a great game. He made a lot of guys miss - I was giving him a hard time earlier, "Get away from that first tackle."
On the touchdown to Jermichael Finley: I didn't know I was going to him - I went through my progression. Honestly, I think I may have been lucky. Jermichael has done a great job on that route all season, so I knew that if I got that ball up a little he would get a good jump on it. The corner took away my flat route and the safety bit down on the route and it looked like Jermichael was one-on-one, then that safety stepped back up. He just made a great catch.
On being more comfortable with his progression: It's time to play now - all the getting comfortable - this is the first Big 12 game, we're just trying to get into a rhythm and play to a standard. When Sam Houston comes here next week, we're just going to have to play to our standard and play to win. The offensive line is doing a wonderful job of creating a pocket for me to look downfield and go through my progression. That's all on them. They did a great job of giving me time.
On Finley being more involved in the passing game: He's really athletic and he's coming along as far as finding ways to get open. We have a lot of pass routes built around him, but he's doing a much better job, now in the fourth game of the season, finding ways to get open. Instead of just running his prescribed route, if they throw something different at him, he changes things up, but he's doing a good job [of adapting].
WR LIMAS SWEED
On working with the quarterbacks: The summer was really important, especially 7-on-7. We knew we were going to have to work hard to make sure there was chemistry between the receivers and the quarterbacks. We still continue to put time in with both Colt (McCoy) and Jevan (Snead).
On the team and the win: I think this team is very consistent and this was a big win for us. Wins are so hard to come by and every one we get we definitely appreciate it.
DE TIM CROWDER
On the win: Whether it's Big 10 or Big 12 we have to really get out there and focus and key in on the task, and that's to win the Big 12. We always have to play hard and keep focus.
On the team's depth helping: Coach did a great job keeping us fresh and we knew we had to keep them on the grind. Iowa State has a great offensive line, they were pushing us, we were pushing them and eventually something has to give. They're big; we're big.
CB AARON ROSS
On the defense: I think we executed well, our defense as a whole executed all of our plays against a great offense. Their quarterback is a great athlete; their receiving corp. is great and I think we just executed all of our plays.
On possibly the best defensive outing of the year: I feel like we were physical out there and we were smart. Our defensive front is doing an excellent job; it's hard for teams to run against us. The secondary, we have to step up and make the plays, and they'll go away from the run.
On Iowa State's offense: We knew they weren't going to give up, they're one of the big teams of the north and one of the best. Like I said before they have a great team, their quarterback, their offensive line, their receivers, and their running back. I knew they weren't going to give up.
TE JERMICHAEL FINLEY
On his touchdown: I feel great about it, but there is more to come, that was just a little sample. The ball was thrown right, but I just had to jump up to catch it. It could have been an interception, but I just grabbed it out of his hands. When we left the huddle, Colt and I made eye contact, so I knew I was going to get the ball.
On the delay: That was my first delay ever in football; it was little weird. I got all stiff, so we had to make sure we loosened up again.
OG KASEY STUDDARD
On the running game: You know we're the offensive line, and we're the ones that determine if they're going to be able to run the ball or not. When backups come in, they know they're going to have to do as good of job as the starters. I think they did tremendous.
On the 16-game winning streak in the Big 12: It's hard, there is nothing easy about it, but you have to go out every week and play hard. You can't take any team lightly and that is what our coaches preach to us.
