Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboy Football Media Luncheon Quotes
September 17, 2001 | Cowboy Football
Sept. 17, 2001
Head Coach Les Miles
On how his team prepared after the events of last week
"We practiced on Tuesday, and it was by far and away the worst practice that we have had. The effort was there, but there was no coordination. It was a complete lack of focus, and that was understandable. We had a lot more fun on Wednesday in our preparation for Northern Arizona. It was a good practice. On Thursday we were told that our next opponent would be Texas A&M and not Northern Arizona, so we started preparing for Texas A&M and did not practice on Thursday. We resumed practice on Friday and had another enthusiastic practice, which was continued throughout the weekend. It appears to me that this has been a diversion and our football team has been sidetracked into sport and the not so important goal of winning a football game. The sadness has taken over the short term goals of winning a football game."
On if not playing this game hurts their preparation for the Big 12
"We would have liked to have played seven games before our first Big 12 game. Playing three games would have been better than the two, but there are some advantages by being able to start preparing for Texas A&M sooner and having longer preparation for them."
On where the focus will be when they take the field against Texas A&M
"I hope the focus will be on the game and the situation. I am sure that there are all thoughts that will be different going into that game had that tragedy not occurred. I am going to take the field as a football coach and do my best to win a game."
On being able to concentrate
"The good teams are able to focus on the task at hand. I am not saying that they can put aside the tragedy so that they can win a meaningless football game. Good teams have the ability to move on regardless of the circumstances. "
On Texas A&M
"They are awfully talented. Everybody is telling me that they are beatable, but they are talented, they are big and strong, they have running backs, and a quarterback that can throw. They have speed at the wide receiver position. They can pound you rushing the football or throwing it in the air. It is going to be a great challenge to our defense. Their defense is the same as it always has been. It is a sound defense that does not yield big plays. We are going in there with the opportunity to move the football and to sustain drives and to win."
Rashaun Woods
On practicing after the terrorist attacks
"Obviously it was a tragedy. I was hurt when I saw it, all I could do was just pray for those people, pray for the US, pray that it doesn't happen here. I felt like we should lay off of football for awhile, but Coach Miles did a good job of keeping our minds on football, and just getting us through a Tuesday practice like he should."
"There was a lot of mourning in the locker room, really feeling sorry for those people. Everybody would tell each other to just pray for them."
On not playing the scheduled game
"Personally, I wanted to play, but it struck a fear in my heart. Who knows where they might strike next, and I know I don't want to be there. It was probably a good decision not to play."
On focusing for next week's game
"We're probably better off, we have more time to prepare for them(Texas A&M)"
On Texas A&M
"They are a good defense. I feel that we should be able to move the ball on them, that we should score."
"They have a good secondary. It's up to the coaches to see the matchups, we just come out and play, and the coaches will find matchups."
On Kyle Field being a difficult place to play
"I hear that, but I've always been a person who says no matter whose fans they are, I'd like to play in front of them. If it's 80,000, then it's 80,000, I can't tell if they're booing or cheering."
Roger Bombach
On not playing Saturday
"I think it was right for everybody, I'm glad they did that. It was a major tragedy and thousands were hurt by it, their lives were affected by it, the victims and their families. To take off one week wasn't a big deal. I think it was necessary."
On the team's feeling about football since the tragedy
"Tuesday it hit everybody real hard, we were in shock. You could tell that day in practice, just how precious life is. It makes you think about your future. Every day now is just so precious to me. It affected me a lot and I know it affected my teammates a lot."
On Texas A&M being next on the schedule
"Last night we had a real good practice, and I think the team is really focused and ready to go to College Station and get a victory."
"Last week I don't think we would have been ready to play, but this week I think the attitudes and everybody's focused."
On Kyle Field
"It was an awesome place to play. It was a really neat thing to play there and I'm looking forward to going back this weekend."
On Texas A&M's offense
"Compared to these last two weeks I don't think its as much of a throwing scheme as Southern Miss or La Tech. We're going in there to stop the run first and then no yards through the air."
"We're working on a lot of stripping, and going up and getting balls, intercepting passes. Turnovers are going to be a major part of the game and we need to win that battle."
On last year's game versus this year's
"We try not to focus too much on last year, but in the back of your mind it does definitely build some confidence going into this week, we know we're a lot better team this year than we were last year, and that sits there in your mind and it's like, wow , we're there, we just need to go out and have a great game in all aspects.
Aso Pogi
On the team after the tragedy
"We had a good practice yesterday offensively and defensively, our tempo was good, everything was good. From a mental point of view I think the weekend was good for everybody, I think the Big 12 canceling the football games is a good deal for us. A lot guys' minds aren't on football. We just have to take some time and really mourn and think about the situation."
On playing a beginning the Big 12 season this weekend
"It would have been nice to get another game under our belt and have the opportunity to play another game, but things happen and this situation was more important than football."
On Texas A&M's defense
"Very good defensively. They're going to do a lot things, they move around a bunch up front and rely as much as they can on their strong safety. Again, it's another very sound defensive football team, and they're going to be in the places they're supposed to be every time.
"We're going to have to get the crowd out of the game early and things like that. We're just going to have to be patient, things are going to happen and you just take them as they come."
On having extra time to prepare for A&M
"Not having to play Northern Arizona, coaches got to break down tape and watch film a lot earlier. It was a big advantage as far as that part's concerned, and I think we did a great job of jumping ahead and getting on that.
On what the offense needs to do
"One, we've got to take care of the football, coach has addressed that, and turnovers can't be an issue anymore. They're going to challenge us in the pass, and we'll be ready for that, I'll be ready for that."
