Meet the Press:
10/10/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 9, 2007
Head Coach Guy Morriss
AGAINST COLORADO
"We just got stuck beating ourselves"
ON THE OFFESIVE LINE
"Are kids are working hard and playing hard its kind of a prideful thing for them to protect their Quarterback...they are getting better each week so we will just have to see."
"It is helpful that you can shuffle them around in disasters but you really don't want to have to do that. That is one thing we do in practice though, move them around a bunch so they can get used to different positions."
ON David Gettis
"Well he is becoming better each week; he is getting more power in his routes. I think the difference we are seeing in Gettis is his sense of direction with the football; he is up in the air trying to get it. I think the thing we are seeing in him as a kick returner is his vision is getting better. I have seen a lot of good returners and the sign of one is when they have great vision of the field. I think that he is developing that sense and getting better."
ON COLORADO'S IMPROVEMENT FROM LAST SEASON
"Statistically they are a heck of a lot better. You can see that they have a lot of talent and they are playing together and not beating themselves with penalties."
ON THE GAME
"Something we are trying to overcome right now is beating ourselves; we are not playing very smart."
THIS WEEK'S GAME
"I think were in good shape now, I think they will be ready to play. I mean I've just got to believe that at some point they are going to wake up and put one together. And man I hope it is this week. We just need to go up there and win this game."
THINGS TO IMPROVE ON
"We have got to tackle better. And we need to get our offense to move the ball. We just need to get back on track and calm down. Overall our kick-off return has gotten better."
Offensive Coordinator Lee Hays
ON COLORADO
"We knew that we were going to have our hands full going into this deal. Colorado was ranked 16th nationally in total defense and just got done with playing Oklahoma and Florida State, and they did a pretty good job on those guys. We wanted to try to get out in front and try and help our defense a little bit, and unfortunately that didn't happen."
ON TURNOVERS
"Our biggest concern is the turnovers. The interception off of the tipped pass and the other one that was counted as an interception was actually was kind of a catch and the receiver got hit, and then my young pup (Jay Finley) had a fumble. Those are the little things we have to get figured out."
ON THE SPREAD OFFENSE
"When you run this type of offense, when you're running the football for 4-5 yards or throwing for 4-5 yards, you can't get penalties, especially when you are playing a team that has the caliber of defense that Colorado has. And that's kind of why we disappointed."
ON KANSAS
"They are ranked number one in defense in the Big XII. They have a good solid defense. They play good as a unit. We need to come out and be sound and eliminate the drops and penalties. There strength is their offense, and I think we need to step up as an offense and try to help out our defense this week."
ON THE OFFESNIVE SLOW STARTS
"Sometimes you go in spurts depending on what you they are doing defensively. You can't really tell how a defense is going to play you from looking at opponent film based on the nature of the different styles of offense.... I am a little bit concerned with the last three games and the slow starts, which means I have to do a better job scripting the open and having a better idea of what we think they are going to do."
ON THE OFFENSIVE LINE
"Those kids are at a point where they don't have to think as much and they are reacting and playing hard. I think the last two weeks especially they have played as a unit and not so much as individuals."
ON David Gettis
"He is at a point now where he is going to get the ball. Initially, I think he was having trouble adjusting to the ball in flight, but he is at the point where he has some confidence and wants the football, and that's good. He is doing the things now that we thought he could do."
Defensive Coordinator Larry Hoefer
ON COLORADO GAME
"I thought we had a good plan against
ON KANSAS GAME
"If you look at the stats Kansas is now nationally ranked and, let's see, they are fourth in the nation scoring with about 49 points a game and fifth in total offence. They're very balanced about half is running and half is passing. Those type teams are more difficult to defend because they can do both... We look forward to going to
ON WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO IMPROVE
"Well we need to tackle better, and get off blocks, and work on fundamentals this week. We can't control what they do; we can control what we do."
ON THE TWO KANSAS QB'S
"Well our whole defense, we are going to be aware of when jersey No. 3 or jersey No. 10 is in."
ON MISSED TACKLES
"It was mostly across the board. Our front four probably played their best game. In the open space with the linebackers and Defensive backs is where we missed most of the tackles"
ON KANSAS RUNNING BACKS
"Jack Sharp, number one, he's compact and faster than what you think, he's really strong and he breaks tackles, but he has good speed so they try to get him on the perimeter a little more. The other, McAnderson, he's 235, but let's hope it's not 260. He's very physical. K-State after the game they commented on how physical Kansas played."
ON DAVID GETTIS' IMPROVEMENT
"He is a heck of a player; he has getting to where he just has a feel for the offense and what his role is and he's playing fast like he knows how to play. And his strength and his size make him a huge player for us."
GETTIS' TRACK ABILITY
"Anytime you have speed out there it is going to help this offense including me and he is getting open on of man he is getting open in zone finding holes he is just really coming together as a stud receiver for us right now. A go to guy. I believed he could do this he has just finally broken out of his shell."
"He has come along mentally this past year or so and now that he has grasped that he isn't thinking anymore he is just reacting making plays he knows he can make and it has really boosted his confidence."
HOW HE PLAYED
I had some opportunities to do some things this week but it just wasn't enough so you know that is all that matters
"I am just following my block...and I just did what I was supposed to do."
DISAPPOINTED WHEN YOU DIDN'T GET IT?
"Yeah I was a little disappointed when I didn't get in but we got down there and ended up getting the touchdown."
NOT DROPPING THE BALL
"It is a good thing, but it is a part of my job. I'm not supposed to fumble the ball. Coach Jackson emphasizes hanging on to the ball and that the ball is the most important thing. We running backs just take that to heart and it is something we work on everyday in practice."
WERE YOU UPSET ABOUT BEING RED-SHIRTED YOUR FRESHMAN YEAR?
"I was planning on playing but God works and mysterious ways and I was a little down at first but I feel like that was His plan for me."
DO YOU FEEL LIKE THIS IS YOUR YEAR
"Being the senior and being the captain you just take the pressure and go with it."
"We know we have been shooting ourselves in the foot these last two games. That just can't happen because we can't win games playing like that, so no we aren't down at all our spirits aren't down as a team and we know as long as we fix those mistakes and fine tune all the details we will fit right into the Big 12."
"It comes down to the small things. The penalties and such because when we didn't have all the penalties we were moving the ball fine"
"They are a pretty tough defense they have some great corners and defense as a whole. They played really tough coming off of a big win over Kansas State last week."
"The coaches have done a great job in preparing me for the game, not just me, but the whole receiving core as a whole. Getting into game situations and getting to make plays in practice, so when it comes to game time, we are making those plays. It all comes down to preparation."
"It was extremely frustrating because we know that we have the talent we know we can move the ball on any team we go against, but we need to stop shooting ourselves in the foot. As long as we play fundamental, mistake free football, we will be ok."
"We need to get on the right track, and this game could be that game. We are trying to upgrade this program; we are not playing our best football right now, so this is definitely a game that if we do play our best football, it can boost the season for us."
