University of Connecticut Athletics
UConn Hosts Media Luncheon
8/27/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
August 27, 2002
STORRS, CONN. - The University of Connecticut football team held its first weekly media luncheon of the year on Tuesday at the Putnam Dining Hall on the Storrs campus as the Huskies prepare for their season opener on Saturday, Aug. 31 at Boston College. The following are some excerpts from the event.
Senior TE Tommy Collins
On the offense as the season opener nears:
"Everything’s real crisp. Guys have their assignments down. You can’t know what will come Saturday in terms of speed, bit every thing is coming together. Guys are on the same page. The ball’s being delivered to the right people and the backs are hitting all the holes. It’s been pretty good."
On going back to BC two years after losing badly (55-3 on Oct. 7, 2000):
"A lot of people will look at it that way, as a gauge of how our program has progressed. The fans and the media are going to look at it that way. But, I’ve really put two years ago in the back of my mind. We’re going into this game with a whole new attitude. We’re not trying to survive. We’re trying to win."
Senior DT Greg Smoot
On the defense as the season opener nears:
"We look well. We’re excited. We want to get out there and run around a little bit and see what happens."
Head Coach Randy Edsall
On opening the season at BC:
"We’re excited about the opportunity this weekend, opening up the season after having a pretty good camp behind us. To open up our schedule in Boston this weekend is a great opportunity and one that we’re looking forward to partaking in."
On BC coach Tom O’Brien’s comments that he would welcome an annual rivalry game with UConn:
"I agree 100% with him in that regard. We’re the school that has further to go to make that happen. We’re the ones that have to make that rivalry happen. They’re established and they’re where we hope to get our program - where we’re going to bowl games year in and year out and challenging for conference championships. I think it would be great for college football here in the north east...I think having BC-UConn on Thanksgiving weekend ultimately would be the best thing for our program and would be very good for college football here in the north east. I don’t think that’s too far away from happening."
On how losing TB William Green to the NFL might hurt BC:
"I’m not so sure that’s going to be the case. When you look at Boston College, the strength of their offensive football team is in their offensive line and in their quarterback. Horace Dodd is a very good running back, but Derrick Knight can also run the ball and they have [Brandon] Brokaw too. I don’t think Boston College’s philosophy is going to change a whole lot because they lost William Green. When you watch the tapes from a year ago, they ran the ball on everybody. Now, William Green had something to do with that, but also the offensive line had a big part in what they do. I don’t think that they’re going to deviate from what got them to the dance so far under Tom O’Brien and that’s running the football and not trying to make many mistakes on offense with the ball throwing it around - but St. Pierre’s a guy who can throw it and move around. They have a multidimensional attack offensively but I still think the strength of their offense is in the offensive line in terms of running the football."
