The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
09.27.2014 | Football
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TEXAS QUOTES
Head Coach Charlie Strong
On winning a conference road game: It is tough to go in someone's place and beat them, especially when they play in your conference. So it's a big win for us. I tell them anytime you play on the road you've got to pack your defense and your special teams. Those two units played well.
On the atmosphere in Lawrence: It's about juice. I always tell them 'we've got to create our own juice'. Anytime you go on the road, it's just us. If anything is going to happen, it has to happen within this team. We have to be together, we have to be disciplined, and we have to have focus.
On shutting out KU: It's critical for the defense. At the start of the second half they got the ball and we got the defensive stop. The guys came up with big plays at the right time. Any time you defensively get a shutout it's really great for the defense.
On Duke Thomas' two interceptions: The thing about Duke is that he has a lot of confidence; sometimes he plays with too much of it. Duke does a great job of covering. The thing he does is study receivers during the week, so he knows the throws and what is going to happen.
On the Texas offense: The thing you would like to see is just consistency with our offense. We drove the ball the first half and got the field goal blocked, and even right before halftime we tried to get some plays in with Tyrone (Swoopes) getting outside with his feet and make some throws. And in the second half we had to find a way to run the football because if we can establish the run game then the passing game is going to open up for us. On first-and-10 we have to get in front of the chains and get a manageable second down. We've got to get consistency.
Senior CB Quandre Diggs
On holding Kansas scoreless: It gives us confidence, but we can't get too big off of this win. We have to continue to grind and watch film tomorrow on the next guys.
On the defense having nine interceptions already this season: We are attacking the ball and we are catching them and not dropping them. The guys on the defensive line continue to work hard and make our job easier.
On his two interceptions on the season: I'm just going out and playing football. I'm healthy and I just go out and play like myself.
On going up against Baylor and Oklahoma the next two weeks: It's fun. They like to go out there and throw the ball around and we like to go out and cover and make plays. That's what you want.
Senior LB Jordan Hicks
On getting pumped up for a game without a lot of fans: If you can't get yourself pumped up to go play one of 12 guaranteed games, you shouldn't be out there.
On if posting a shutout is big each week: Absolutely. They are division 1 players just like we are. They had the same amount of time to prepare to put that ball in the end zone, as we did to keep them out. It means a lot to this defense and to this team. It was great.
On what it is going to take to win next week: Focus. We have to go out there and compete. It is going to take the same thing it takes every week. We have to execute.
Senior DE Cedric Reed
On his performance in the game: I haven't been playing the best football I'm capable of, like I did last year. Today was a change to come out and show everyone that I can play.
On his preparation in the bye week: I didn't do anything different. The coaches have said we have freedom to go and make plays and that's what I did.
On pitching a shutout: It's a big confidence booster, especially going in to next week playing Baylor. We have a tough opponent offensively, so it's good to go get a shutout against anybody in the conference.
Senior WR Jaxon Shipley
On the offensive production: This week we should have probably scored more points than we did, but the defense played a great game so we are just happy to get a win.
On what it will take to keep up with teams like Oklahoma and Baylor: You have to come out and start fast. You have to show them you can play. I think the most important thing is to come out and score on the first drive. I think our defense has done a really good job so I think they can hold them as well. It's ultimately about the offense right now, we need to match the defense.
