Aug. 26, 2008

Head Coach Art Briles

Opening Statement: "I am extremely humble and proud to be able to coach at such a great university. We are excited and anxious for the journey to begin. Our players have been extremely loyal, dedicated and trustworthy through these past nine months. It makes me extremely proud to be associated with them. We are excited about our game on Thursday, especially since it's at our home stadium."

On the season opener: "Every game is a big game. Thursday is a big change for us to showcase nationally what we certainly hope to be about as a football program and a university."

On the short week: "Wake Forest hasn't started their classes yet, so they are on a bit of a different schedule that we are. We've had 20-plus workouts to this point. So what it's really about, from a personnel standpoint, is to come along a little bit slower with our development. It's allowed us in certain positions to keep people fresh while they are able to learn through observation. That is the most critical thing about having a good test for the opening game so that we didn't have to tax our guys to the max level."

On determining the starting quarterback: "It's been decided; it just hasn't been announced."

On Wake Forest CB Alfonso Smith and the Demon Deacon defense: "The thing about Wake Forest defensively is that they have a very mature defense. Alfonso returned three picks for touchdowns last season. He plays corner; when they play nickel, he comes in the box a little bit. He's a very intelligent football player. He was a high school quarterback so he understands both sides of the ball. He is a guy that we are certainly aware of on the football field."

On the concern of the cornerback position: "I don't know if concern is the right word. I'm anxious - all we have done since I've been here is play against ourselves. I'm anxious and eager to get these guys on the field against somebody else and we'll see how we stack up. We have a lot of guys we have confidence in - otherwise, we wouldn't be playing them."

On Wake Forest offensively: "Offensively, they started getting really good in 2006. Ever since Riley Skinner has been under center, they have been a really good team. They are proficient offensively - very high production. I think they led the nation in completion percentage and their background is in special teams and defense. That's how they are going to survive as a program. That's what we all want to do - Coach Jim Grobe has been able to build that foundation and get it going for them. They are going to be very proficient offensively and very sound on the defensive side as well as the kicking game. The thing that alerts me a little bit is that they have their kicker back, Sam Swank."

On the importance of playing at home: "It's an unbelievable advantage for us. There's a big difference playing at home than on the road especially in college football. And, the thing we have to do as a university and the city of Waco is to make it a home field advantage. As a football team, we have to use it to our advantage. We have to take advantage of being at home in a comfortable environment. It's a very, very important factor this Thursday without a doubt."

On the `unknown factor': "There are unknowns on both sides. There are unknowns on our side, too. We are going to learn a lot of things Thursday as a football staff and as a football team. As far as Wake Forest, in today's game with internet and video like it is, they got all the video they need from Houston, Penn State or whatever they want. They'll come in with a pretty good idea. They stand at a pretty good advantage as they have a very mature football team - they will be calm, relaxed and they are going to do their assignments. So, we need to execute more on offense and recognize more on defense."

Senior Jason Smith

On looking forward to the first game: "We have been looking forward to it a lot but we are not going to dwell on it, we are just going to line up and play football. I will be happy to get it over with, actually."

On getting the Art Briles era underway: "He is a really exciting guy to be around with his demeanor, the way he carries himself and the things he does that don't even involve football yet. When you start to get around him in football, he is fun to watch. He has a good coaching staff. The guys he surrounded himself with are very intelligent and they respect him a lot."

On his outlook for his senior season: "My outlook is that there are 105 guys that are depending on me to do the right thing on and off the field. The other seniors feel the same way. We have been here for five years and this is our year."

Junior Jason Lamb

On the excitement of the first game: "Everybody on the team is really pumped up about it. It's really exciting to be one of the first college games of the season and I think that excitement has helped us throughout all of fall camp. I feel like we are going to get to show the rest of the Big 12 what we are going to be about this year."

On what the beginning of the season means: "It's the start of a new era. There is a whole new mentality around Baylor football and I think we are going to show what we are capable of doing."

Senior Dwain Crawford

On the excitement of the first game: "We have been waiting a long time to get this on the way and it's finally here now. People around Waco and on our football team are wondering what we are going to do, and I think we are going to be successful."

On his outlook on the season as a senior: "I am looking for the Baylor football team to have a good season. We have put in a lot of work this summer. As a senior class we came in here with the mindset of going to bowl games, and obviously we have not reached that goal yet. On our way out we would love to reach that goal and that pinnacle, and to be known as the class that turned this thing around."

Junior Joe Pawelek

On the excitement of the first game: "We are all fired up and it is a huge stage for us. We are trying to take these exciting circumstances and realize we have to go out there and execute well."

On playing on national TV: "It's something that you really want. If you go somewhere to play college football, you want to be put in those situations, so we are definitely excited about it."

On what a win on Thursday would mean to the Baylor program: "It would be huge for us to start the season off right. It would prove that we have been doing the right things in terms of strength and conditioning and the schemes coaches have been putting in. As far as confidence, it would definitely help us."