University of Connecticut Athletics
Meet The Press: Football Holds Hofstra Press Conference
8/24/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
STORRS, Conn. (August 24, 2008) – The University of Connecticut held its weekly football media luncheon on Sunday for Thursday night’s opening game against Hofstra. Here are selected quotes from the event.
UConn Head Coach Randy Edsall
Opening Statement
“Here we are again, starting a new season. Hofstra is a very solid team from one of the best conferences in the Football Championship Subdivision. Offensively and defensively, they are a very solid team and they are well coached, one that can move the ball offensively and is very stingy on defense.”
Are you, as a team going to go out and try to make more big plays this year?
“We're just going to go out and play to the whistle and make plays and the big plays will happen if we just go out there and play our game. But that's something that we're looking forward to this year, the ability to make some more big plays offensively than we've had previously and last year especially.”
Do you feel like you're ready for the opener on Thursday night?
“I don't think, as a coach, you ever feel like you're ready. We've got to go and play it, that's the thing. I think the kids are ready to go play and they're anxious to go play. There are some more things that we have to do that we want to continue to work on these next few days to prepare and to get ourselves the most prepared that we can going into Thursday. But I'm ready to start playing.”
How did you think preseason camp went?
“I thought preseason camp pretty much went the same as all preseason camps go. You install your offense and defense. I thought our guys came back in pretty good shape. I thought they worked hard and I liked their approach during training camp, I thought it was very business-like. This is a group that to me, I don't think is real flamboyant but I think they have confidence, they understand the mission that we're on, and I think they just want to go out and give their best effort each and every time that we play. I think that happens when you have 14 seniors, 12 fifth-year seniors, I think when you have that kind of leadership, that kind of focus, it leads to having the kind of preseason that we did. We came through preseason in pretty good shape with minimal injuries.”
Does this team have a specific identity?
“I think that's going to play out as we play our 12 games and guys are going to step up but we're not sure who they're going to be yet. I think we have an identity, we're going to play sound, fundamental, get after you football. That's our identity as a program and again I think if you want to talk in terms of this particular team, the way I've seen them, is that they are a very business-like team. It's a team that has a mission for this season and I see them very focused on what they want to do and they've had fun while they've done it but they're very business-like in what they want to accomplish.”
What's the goal of this team?
“I think the goal is the same as it is every year, we want to win a BIG EAST Championship and then just win one game at a time, if we can win one game at a time and really focus on that, last week doesn't matter, this week is the same kind of feeling that we had a year ago. We just want to take it one game at a time and at least we'll be giving ourselves that opportunity to be the best that we can be week in and week out.”
Have you brought up the Appalachian State-Michigan game from last year to the team?
“I haven't but the team knows that this game is just like any other and we only have 12 games and this week is just as important as any of the other eleven that we play because Week 1 counts as much as any other week. What we're trying to do is get as many wins as we can in those 12 opportunities and this one doesn't count any more that any of the other 12 that we will be playing. For us not to goo out and play our best and give our best effort, that would not be the mission, that would not be the frame of mind
that we had for our program.”
Senior Quarterback Tyler Lorenzen
After the way the season ended last year, it left a bitter taste in your mouth, how did this drive you and the other guys?
“It's tough to see seniors go out like that. They put everything they have into the program while they are here and when we got to the bowl game we went in and we were expecting to win and we lost but that's football, you win some and you lose some. But like you said it's a bitter taste, you don't want to see your seniors go out that way with a loss in their last game ever when they put on the uniform for the last time.”
What are the team goals for this upcoming season?
“Our goals are to win a BIG EAST Championship, go to a bowl game and win the bowl game. Not only do we expect it but I think our fans expect us to win too.”
How did it (losing in the Meineke Car Care Bowl) drive you?
“There was a lot of stuff we did as players other than what the coaches required us to do. We have a lot of guys with experience and a lot of younger guys that need to learn what it takes to win. It's important for
us to keep doing what we've done and make this an every year type of thing and people need to carry on the leadership. We have to pass on the work ethic we learned last year that got us to where we were.”
Are you going to try to make this year extra special for Ellis (Gaulden) and are you going to be allowed to open it up more on offense this year?
“No, I play offense straight up and I'm going to do my job. I'm not going to sit here and say I'm going to force the ball to Ellis, that's just dumb on my part. I'm going to do whatever it takes to win, whether that means running the ball 100 times or throwing it 100 times, I don't care as long as we get the win.”
Senior Defensive Tackle Rob Lunn
You've gone through camp, practice and finally your first game is here on Thursday, do you think you guys are ready to go?
“Yes, you've got to get sick of banging with your team mates and the offensive line, it's about time for us to be hitting someone with different color jerseys, I think we're excited about that. You drag on through camp, watch all the film, and we got an early jump on Hofstra. Now I think we're ready to just go out there and set the tone for the season.”
On being aware of a possible upset.
“Of course Appalachian State is still fresh in everyone's minds from last year so coach is always reminding us that they beat Michigan. Hofstra has a lot of I-A (Football Bowl Subdivision) transfers so the fact that it's I-AA football or Football Championship Subdivision doesn't factor in as much with Hofstra because the truth is the get a lot of transfers from programs that are at our level, Mississippi State transfers and transfers
like that.”
Tyler (Lorenzen) mentioned that this team still has a chip on their shoulder even after all that you accomplished last year, do you feel the same way?
“We feel like we are the only team in the country who thinks, hey we know we can do it because we did it last year but also we want to do it because no one is believing in us and we do have a chip on our shoulder because we won a BIG EAST Championship and we went to a bowl game but we're still being picked sixth and seventh in the BIG EAST, but that really doesn't matter to us because we just need to go out there and play our game.”
