Meet The Press
11/11/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 11, 2008
Head Coach Art Briles
Opening Statement...
"We have a big game this weekend for a lot of reasons; Big 12 opponent, 80 miles down the road and they've got Texas in their name. If they have Texas in their name it is certainly a team that we need to get after and on level playing ground with. Our guys will be ready to play and we will have great senior leadership. It will be the seniors' last game to play here at Floyd Casey Stadium. It's a big deal to them, it's a big deal to us and it's a big deal to our Baylor football family, so we will be focused and ready. I have complete confidence of how the game will be approached by our players and our coaching staff and our fans."
On not knowing who will be playing QB for A&M...
"We have to plan for both right now. They have played Jerrod Johnson most of the season, and played Stephen McGee some early on. We know Johnson is going to play. Both of those guys are great football players. Jerrod has had just great games this year; McGee has had some great games through his career. So when it comes down to it we have to stop whoever is on the field and when we have the ball on offense, we have to put points on the board. Whoever is out there we have to be prepared for them and ready to play good ball."
On seniors last home game this Saturday...
"Anytime you spend as much time as you do with people and build special player-coach relationships there are going to be special fillings. Those special fillings will take place in the dressing room, practices and on the field Saturday. They will take place throughout this week and the Texas Tech week. These seniors have done a tremendous job of leading with a great attitude, great effort, hope and belief. Those are pretty good characteristics to be hanging around with. I feel very honored and privileged, as I know my staff is, to be able to go through this journey with them. We aren't ready to close the book, we still have a couple of things we need to do."
How important it is that the fans are beginning to believe...
"You would always hope that your fans would believe in your team. That is what fans do. We have Baylor fans that should believe in Baylor and you always want to have that out there. As far as it having an impact on our players; it helps tremendously. It helped in the Missouri game, it made a big difference in the football game because we felt our crowd supporting us and not like we were out there on our own. We felt like everyone was fighting for the same thing, a victory over Missouri. We need that same feeling Saturday and I have plenty of confidence that our players will give a reason for our fans to feel that way for us. We will be out on that field with passion."
On the Baylor vs. A&M rivalry...
"I have picked up on that since being here, that it is one of the rival games. Whenever you line up against an opponent, that is who you're determined to beat. It just so happens that this opponent is 80 miles away and has Texas in their name; and that probably adds some determination. I'm not going to sit up here and down play it when it's not true. We will be very determined when we come out onto the field Saturday for a variety of reasons: Big 12 South opponent, 80 miles down the road, Texas in their name."
On A&M's "weapons"...
"They have two or three really good receivers. Taylor Randle is good. Ryan Tannehill, who played quarterback in high school has done a nice job for them this year as a receiver. Freshman receiver, Jeff Fuller, was injured last week but is expected to be back and he has done a nice job for them this season. And Terrence McCoy has also jumped in there and made some plays for them. (Mike) Goodson, their running back, he has been good for a long time. He was a great high school back and has done a great job for A&M. He got a little banged up a few weeks ago but I think he is back this week. They have lots of people they can throw on the field but I feel good about our guys on defense combating them."
Senior Defensive Tackle Vincent Rhodes
On Baylor-Texas A&M Rivalry...
"It's one of the greatest atmospheres I've played in since I've been here. Baylor alumni and former football players will be back and of course Texas A&M is going to bring its fans. It's going to be a loud environment and it's just one of the best to play in."
On intensity of Saturday's game...
"This is going to be one of the best games to play in, I think. Like I said, it's going to be a packed house and that doesn't happen here often at Floyd Casey Stadium. The last time I played in front of packed house at home was when we opened up the south end of the stadium. That is the kind of environment you live to play for."
How much it means to go out with a win on Senior Day...
"It means everything. We haven't beaten them since my true freshman season in 2004. To go out in my last home game victorious against Texas A&M that would mean everything to me."
Freshman Quarterback Robert Griffin
On Baylor-Texas A&M Rivalry...
"From what I've heard, this is our rival. The hype you feel on campus about the game is definitely big. Hopefully they will fill the stands and we will go out there and have a great experience and beat A&M."
On Sending Seniors Out with Victory Senior Day...
"It would be great. I feel strongly about things like that. As a senior in high school, you want to win your last home game. Especially in college, not everyone has a chance to play at the Division I level. So these seniors deserve that win and to go out on top."
Junior Free Safety Jordan Lake
On Baylor-Texas A&M Rivalry...
"The rivalry means a lot. I hear old-timers like my dad talk about how much he loves to beat A&M so when you talk to people like that, it gets you fired up to play the Aggies."
The Atmosphere on Campus...
"People say `you didn't make a bowl this year and we would have loved to have seen that, but at the same time, you have to beat A&M this year.' We're ready to come out Saturday and finish the season strong."
On intensity of rivalry...
"It's more of an electric feel. The crowd is more in to the game than usual. As a player, you feed off of that. It does make things faster and more passionate. I think the biggest impact is the crowd. We're looking for a great one this weekend and get the Casey rocking."
Junior Linebacker Joe Pawelek
On Baylor-Texas A&M Rivalry...
"It's nice to have the extra buzz on campus. When Saturday comes around, the stadium is a little more packed than it usually is. It's nice to have some extra fan support throughout the week."
On the Rivalry's Atmosphere...
"Seeing extra fans here for a game like this makes the atmosphere more electric. Although, sometimes there is a little more maroon in the stands that we don't want to see, but having that atmosphere here is nice to see."
Senior Offensive Tackle Jason Smith
On Playing A&M...
"Our take on A&M is, first of all, they are on the schedule. Over the years, it has been built up as a rivalry game by the Baylor greats before us. We are not going to forget what they've started. We don't want to forget history or tradition."
On Being a Competitor...
"For all the people focusing on bowl games, I'm sorry we didn't make one. As far as reality goes, we have a football game to play Saturday. If you don't go out there and give it everything you've got, somebody will take it from you. We want to be the one taking it away from someone else. We don't want to be at the bottom of the Big 12."
