The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Quotes [Men]: Big 12 Cross Country Championships
10.27.2012 | Track & Field / Cross Country m, Track & Field / Cross Country
Oct. 27, 2012
Recap |
TEXAS
Coach John Hayes
On his team's performance today: I think it was a solid performance. I don't think it was a great performance. I think the guys fought really hard. It wasn't for lack of effort, for sure. But we just didn't seem to have it today.
On running in Austin: It was a good atmosphere out here on a loop course. We had our track team and some fans out there that we really enjoyed. It got loud. It was fun environment.
On favorites Oklahoma State: I think the target was on Oklahoma State's back and they showed why. They are the No. 1 team in the country. They made a hard move in today's race and we were not able to respond.
On the competitiveness of the Big 12 Conference: The competition is unbelievable. We had [No.] 1, 6 and 7 out there, and Iowa State and Kansas are both very good teams, as well. I would say it is the best conference in the country and it was a great race with a great atmosphere.
On how today's race may prepare his team for the National Championships: We know where we stand and we know what we need to do to be the best. It was right there today. It's great to run against Oklahoma State and see what the No. 1 team is like. We just have to go and execute now.
Junior Ryan Dohner
On how it feels to finish sixth today: It was pretty good. I was really happy with the way I went out. It was relaxed. This course is deceivingly hard, [especially with] the wind today. It was good that everyone was packed up. I usually run better when I start off a little more conservative, so I was really happy with the way it gradually picked up. I was able to hold on to the pack until the very end.
On advantages of running as a pack: They wind is blocked a lot more, so you're not having to kill yourself fighting the wind the whole race. You have your teammates close to you so you can relax knowing that you have those guys around you and you don't have to fight everyone around your for position as much.
On disadvantages of running as a pack: There is more fighting for spots with the other guys because the turns are tight, so with a big pack, it makes it a little hectic at some points.
On his team's strategy today: We tried to get out hard at first because we were on the very inside and we didn't want to get cut off. The rest of the strategy, we pretty much followed it perfectly. Relax, stay in the pack. We didn't make any hard moves. We let everyone else make the hard moves and just try to counter them.
On competing in the post season: There's a lot more expectation. We have the whole University of Texas staff and the athletic department out here supporting us. That means a lot more to us. We need to give it back to them as best as we can.
On having his track and field teammates in the audience: It's awesome. It helps so much. That's what kept me going. I might have given up earlier if they hadn't been here.
Sophomore Craig Lutz
On his race today: It wasn't my best. Oklahoma State ran a pretty strong front race. When they put their pack in front of me, it affected me. It took me until the last 2K to pull it all together and bring it back a little bit. Still, nothing that I really wanted.
On his team running as a pack in the first half of the race: It helped. That was definitely the kind of thing that we needed to keep going the whole entire race. When the Oklahoma State guys took it, we kind of broke up a little bit and fell apart. That energy was lost and they were able to keep a team atmosphere. We broke up energy.