Tuesday Press Conference Quotes
September 22, 2015 | Football
Colorado Head Coach Mike MacIntyre
General
"Nicholls coming up this week is a team that lost a heartbreaker last week and had an opportunity to win it. They're a team that has an athletic quarterback [Tuskani Figaro], a little bit of an option-type look to him. Also, defensively they are more of an eight man front type of defense. So, our kids have to get ready to play them and make sure we accomplish what we need to accomplish and keep moving forward like we are. Going back to our last game, what was exciting to us, that was our second week in a row we went without a turnover and without a sack. That has only been done 18 times in history in the school so now we've done it twice in a row. If we keep not turning the ball over and being able to not have sacks, now of course a couple of them are because [QB] Sefo [Liufau] has become a better athlete. It's not because he's a better athlete it's just because he's in better shape, and his back is well and he is moving well and he sees things and is able to get out of trouble so that has helped us; and he has taken care of the ball doing a great job there and are running backs are too. So, it's exciting. We are causing turnovers on defense, you always hear it but last year we were minus-10 in turnover ratio. This year we are doing really well on that side of it. So, if we come out of a game and cause more takeaways and have less turnovers than the opponent then we have great opportunities to win football games because our talent level is to a point now where we can stay with all these people and be able to finish games. We have only played three games, and we've only won two. But compared to last year, we actually put away a team (vs. Umass) and then we actually came from behind and really had two opportunities to win the game and finished it off and did it. Those were two things we did not do last year that we have done this year already. I think that shows that those young men are starting to completely believe in themselves and be able to play under pressure and finish under pressure, so now we have to keep doing that as we go throughout the season."
On what lessons you learn from a victory instead of a loss
"I think as you go over corrections now, Sunday we go over the corrections, and you correct them just as hard as you would if you lost or if you win, and they have to be mature on that side of it. But, when you're doing that, at the same time, you won the game. So there is that confidence factor that keeps building. For what we went through last year, to be able to do that these last two games I think validates to them what we're doing with them as coaches and then the work ethic they are putting in and it does pay off. It's a great life lesson to learn. You just keep putting one foot in front of the other and you keep moving along. Eventually, if you keep doing that and stay positive you have some good things happen. Like I said, it's only two (wins) right now, but I believe for sure we will win a lot more football games. They see that and they feel it. The surge they had when we stopped them with about 1:05 (left in the game), and then we took it and went down and put ourselves in a chance to win it. And then, the surge we had in overtime. Our defense had played 94 snaps when we started overtime and the four snaps they put together after the penalty when the ball got on the 12 yard line, was probably the most physical, the hardest four snaps they played including the field goal. The energy they had on the field goal block, I don't know where they got it from. To me, that showed that they were going to go take the victory; they weren't just going to have it handed to them. That's a whole new mentality, and I saw them grow up right before our eyes and do it. Watching them on tape, it was really exciting to watch. It really was. Then when the offense went out there and everybody in the country knew we were going to run the ball, and we were able to run it and pound it and go down and set up a field goal and execute everything perfectly under that type of pressure. And to see [K] Diego [Gonzalez] come out there and do that after he had missed the other one, it just showed the resilience of our team through all the adversity they had been through. So, that was exciting for us to see and for them to watch and feel good about themselves."
On not overlooking Nicholls State and how to motivate his team
"I think it's true in anything you do in life: You have to take care of yourself, you have to take care of us. What that means is you can't worry about if you are playing someone everyone thinks is a great opponent or everyone thinks is a poor opponent. You have to take care of yourself, number one: individually. Number two: as a team. You have to focus on what you need to do to execute. That goes with any business, that goes with anything that anybody says about you. If somebody has a good opinion about you or a bad opinion about you, you can't let it bother you. You have to go do what you need to do in order to be successful. That's one thing we're teaching them. And then I threw the same question out to the leadership council yesterday, I meet with them every Monday at 11:00. They said, 'Coach, show the [Sacramento] State game (from 2012), show highlights of the Sac State game.' I don't believe Sac State had a winning record that year, I don't believe they had before that. So, I went and showed about a minute clip of the Sac State game of them beating us (three) years ago. You know they say, "A picture is worth a thousand words," I think that might have been worth a million words. That's all I needed to say. They, the young men who had played in that game were the ones that brought it up, for me to play it, and they thought I should. So, that's one of the things we did."
On if he's had any funny interactions with fans after beating CSUÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
"I went for a run yesterday right after practice, and so I'm running right down the Boulder creek and a really athletic guy, older than me in his late-50's and he's running like crazy and of course I'm just huffing along. He stopped and said, 'Are you coach Mac?' and I said, 'Yeah.' So he ran with me for like a half mile. And he ran cross country here, and he was talking about the game and he was so excited and he was thanking me and said, 'Make sure you thank the players.' It was really, I thought it was a neat experience. It was really a cool little deal, his name was Ted and we just ran along there. I'm glad he didn't keep running with me because I wasn't going to be able to keep up with him. I think after a while he said, 'I got to turn and run faster than this.'"
On if he notices a change in how physical the defense has been in the first three games   Â
"We didn't play as well as we would have liked in the CSU game, and they had some things to do with that of course. We had a few things to do with that, that we didn't execute as well. But we are more physical, we're more stout. You know, the fourth down play where CSU went for it there when they were up 14-0, to me, that was a turning point in the game. [DT] Justin Solis, who has had good days and bad days here, but that was the best game he has ever played here. He's been working hard in the weight room, he's gotten stronger, more powerful. He just took there center on that play and knocked him into the running back. That's how we stopped them. That type of physicality, and our other d-linemen have done that. We just have more guys that are stronger, bigger, faster. It just kind of shows up on little plays like that. Another big play in the game of course was [LB] Kenneth Olugbode's pick. But probably the biggest block of the night was [DB] Chidobe [Awuzie] turning around and knocking down a 320-pound guy and knocking him into two other guys and they fall down and he (Olugbode) is able to run into the end zone. 'Chido' has gotten bigger and stronger. You just don't think about those things, but those are two huge plays of what [director of sports performance] Dave Forman and then our guys have bought into in the weight room."
On injury status of running backs
"I'm not trying to dodge the question completely; we don't know yet. I know Christian Powell will be there [practice], and we'll find out about the other guys as the week goes along. We will move Donovan Lee to running back; we had him ready to go in the other night. He played running back in high school; he knows it. He played some running back for us in practice at different times, so he'll be playing running back for us. We'll just have to see at the end of the week how the other guys feel. It wouldn't be a permanent move right now, unless we keep having some injuries at running back. He can easily go at receive or running back; he's built well enough to do it. He did some of our kickoff returns the other night, so that'll be a move we'll make not. It might fluctuate for different games."
On team's passing attackÂ
"We weren't as precise as we liked to be early on, like in the Hawaii game. We had a little bit of issues with Sefo [Liufau] being able to set his feet as well in that game. The last few games we've been able to set our feet and make some plays. The UMass game we were able to run the ball, so we never had to just go ahead and open it up, like we did last year against them, which is a good thing. We were able to put the game away in that way. I thought in the CSU game we made some plays where we needed to make it. We hit a long one, we dropped a long one, and we missed a long one. If you're two out of three on those, that's 50 or 60 more yards and another touchdown. We had a touchdown called back that was another great passing play. You catch that one and not have the other one called back, that's 110 yards of passing. We're just not having to throw it as much, which to me is a good thing. If we can be balanced, then we'll be better at offense and be able to put games away. I think that if we have to go throw it 50 times to win a game, I definitely think we can do that."
On challenges the team will face this week
"I think, number one, offensively with the attack that they do with a little bit of option-type stuff in it, we got to be sound defensively. We really hadn't had a team that's done that yet. Defensively, they're going to load the box on us; that's what they showed. I think we're going to need to be able to throw the football and take some shots down field. Those are the areas that we need to do well. We need to do well in our special teams. We've had some big plays in our special teams, and have had some bad plays. We haven't put a consistent, full game together on special teams, so I think that'll make a big difference in the game."
On challenging DB Ken Crawley
"I thought he played really well on Saturday. He had that one play where there was a double-move, and had interference called. I thought he made a lot of good plays. He's improving daily. To me on Saturday night, he played with an ultimate confidence that I haven't seen him always play with; it was really good to see. He rose to the talent that he was playing against. [Rashard] Higgins and [Joe] Hansley are good. He was pretty much all over them. I was impressed with what he did."
On CU players being called for targeting penalties
"You can't slow down their aggression; you just have to work on their aiming points. It's tough; it's a bang-bang play; you can't be hesitant. It's good to protect the players, there's no doubt about that. It's a tough call at times and it's the right call at times. It's a debatable subject right now, and I think it's going to be debatable all year. They'll review, maybe, other ways to implement it in the future."
On DB Ken Crawley bouncing back after Hawai'i performance   Â
"He's coming to practice every day. There's not a day that he's taking off. His work ethic has taken off to another level. Out there at that spot, I think he's starting to get comfortable. I'd like to see him get some more picks, which I think he will, because he had a big one the other night. It's his work ethic; he's stronger. He's gained nine pounds of muscle from last year. He's more powerful, so he stays fresher throughout the game and practices. He's able to bounce back quicker. I think that's a big part of it."
Colorado Players
QB Sefo Liufau
On the condition of the running backs
"I do have running backs this week; that is not a concern right now. We have some guys that are stepping up just in case they have to be counted on."
On fan response to the CSU game
"I've kind of been hiding in my house. I have had some school work to catch up on so I've been doing that. A lot of people are happy just like the team is. It's great to see. I really appreciate all of the support that we got from the fans at the game an even after the game. It truly means a lot. I think a lot of people are excited right now, as are we, and hopefully we can keep this train going."
On improvements that need to be made
"[We can learn] a lot of things, especially from the game this past weekend. We did not play a perfect game by any stretch. There are a lot of things that we could have done better to make the game easier on ourselves. I missed a deep ball, we had a couple of dropped passes, blocking up front just speaking from an offensive perspective. It could have been better all-around in all phases of the game. You go back on film and see the mistakes that you made and what you can do to correct them so that teams can't go back and pick on that when you play them. I think we want to keep going. We aren't satisfied with where we are right now. We're still a little frustrated with how we've been playing. I know we've played better but I think we expect more from ourselves. We expect ourselves to keep going and be prepared for the tough games coming up."
On treating Nichols like another competitive game
"I think it tests the maturity of the team in any sport, especially for this team. I think that they [Nichols State] is still a good team despite their record. They're going to be really fired up to come up here and play us. We have to come out and perform just like it's any other team. You can't take Nichols State lightly. From what I've seen on film, they're a good team and we'll have to come out ready to play."
On team morale
"Morale is pretty high. I think a lot of guys are still pretty happy with finally getting into a close game and being able to pull it out. That's great to see. Everybody is excited to get back to work and excited to get ready to play Nichols State this week."
On scout team players getting a chance to play
"Yes in the fact that you expect to execute to the point where you're moving as an offense up and down the field. We believe that we're a really good offense and that we shouldn't be stopped and we shouldn't stop ourselves. We just want to be able to execute and I think against UMass we did a really good job of executing and moving the ball up and down the field which allowed other guys to get in. That's obviously the goal every week but it's not always going to happen due to many circumstances. But you always want to try and get teammates in."
On whether the team is behind the curve or not
"I think it's up and down. I think that there's been peaks when we've been really good but there's also been other times where we missed something here and there which hurts the offense. I think that once we do a first down, we do a really good job and get into a rhythm which really helps us and helps the tempo of our offense. I think that really hurts teams, especially when they come up here to Colorado and play in the altitude. I don't want to say we're behind the curve. Maybe we're on the curve or going forward. I just think we need to be more consistent as an offense as the whole. It's never just one position that continually messes up. It's a pass here or a dropped ball there or a block here. We just have to hone down on all of our fundamentals and be ready to go every play."
On Nicholls' strengthsÂ
"I think their DBs play really well. They play a lot of single high which is kind of crowding the box. I definitely think their secondary is a strong point. They rotate a lot of guys back there and so we have to be ready for a couple of different things that they'll throw at us."
On K Diego Gonzalez's game winning FG
"I was very excited. I think specially for him to get a redemption shot. He messed up on the end of regulation field goal. I was happy for him to get a redemption shot and happy for him to make it, especially with his parents here. It's a great moment for him and them. I'm ecstatic for him. Diego is really quiet. He's opened up to us. He's really witty. He's very camera shy so it's hard to get him out there. He's a great guy. Everyone loves him and we call him Rico Suave…he's the man."
On his not throwing an interception in the past two games
"I think it's combination of everything. Having a strong running game opens up those passing lanes a little bit more. I haven't been sacked I think in the last two games so that's a testament to the o-line doing very well up front for me. I think I'm being smarter with the ball. There have been a couple of times where the play just wasn't there and I end up throwing it away which is frustrating because you want to make a play but sometimes it's the smartest play to make."
On staying focused each week
"I don't think it's hard [to not look too far ahead]. Coming from this team where each week last year was a dog fight no matter who we played, you have to respect each opponent that you come up against each week. Nichols State is a great team. People will say that this is an easy game but I Think that they['re a good team but we have to come ready to play. They'll be jacked up and pretty excited to come out here and ready to play. Especially on offense we have to use our tempo and push it against these guys. They don't have a lot of rotation up front in their front seven so I think that if we push the tempo and try to put them away early, it will be very beneficial to us. We're focusing on this week and this week alone."
On left tackle Sam Kronsage's performance
"He did very well. I think that from what I saw on film, he didn't let a lot through. Obviously he'll make a mistake here or there but everyone does that. From what I've seen in that game and the game before and even last year when he played against Washington, he's done a very good job. I trust him and I'm not really worried about my back side."
SS Tedric Thompson
On defensive improvement over the three games compared to last year:
"To compare it to last year, last year I feel like we didn't communicate as much as a defense. I feel like this year we are communicating a lot more. Being out there with coach Mac and bringing in coach Leavitt, I think that we just believe what coach Mac is saying, and Leavitt bringing that NFL mentality to us; we believe in what Leavitt is saying. So just us communicating more and us believing in each other more, and that's why our defense is able to create more turnovers and just have a lot more fun this year."
On the blocking the kick in the fourth quarter"We always work on blocked kicks in practice. And that's something that I do in practice a lot. The guys I go against, it's always [Stephane] Nembot and Sean Irwin, so it's kind of hard for me to get over those guys. Because I do it in practice so much, it kind of turned over to the game. Early we called that game, after they tried to go for a P.A.T. and I miss-timed my jump. Right before that play I asked Coach Tumpkin to let me go, and I was just able to time out the jump right."
On what Leavitt brings with his NFL experience
"Just the little things like running in and off the field, getting on your teammates—that's probably one of the biggest things. I think the last two years I was here, some of our teammates just let us get away with certain things, little things like not running off the field, not watching film. And now on the defensive side, a lot of guys are holding each other accountable. KO (LB Kenneth Olugbode) is always on guys; [LB] Addison [Gillam] is always on guys. Our defensive back, Ken Crawley, when we're not running to the ball he's always on us. So that's what I mean by that. Just like watching film more and holding each other accountable."
On winning two games in a row and how it makes them feel:
"We're a lot more confident now, and we believe in ourselves. We got to just keep it going; we can't take a step back. Every game is important, just like this game is important. We got to keep fighting and doing the things that we're doing to go on this two game winning streak. It's definitely a lot more fun when you're winning—guys connect more; guys have more fun in the locker room—it's just way better than losing."
On the targeting rule and how it has affected him
"To be honest during the game I don't even think about it. I think if you think about stuff like that, you're going to like go helmet to helmet. I don't really think about it. It does change the way you approach the game because the referees want to call it obviously to protect the receivers. Like the hit that [DB] Afolabi [Laguda] had, a lot of people think that was a legal hit and we all think that was a legal hit, but it's just sometimes is out of the refs hands, and the game is going so fast. You can't think about it; you just have to go out there and play."
On watching clips from the Sacramento game and not taking the game for granted
"You can't take any game for granted, especially us. Every game is important; this game really too, because they have a lot great receivers. I think people were sleeping on the receivers. They've got some great, fast, athletic receivers. Their quarterback—he can throw, but he can also run the ball really well. He can beat you on the run game and the pass game, so on the defensive side of the ball we can't sleep on their offense. They have a big O-line too, that's another great thing they have. Showing us the Sac [Sacramento] State film was great, because he said that year Sac State only won three games. I think Colorado was favored to win that game and they ended up losing. I talked to CP [Christian Powell], he said that there was no way they should have lost that game; that's the way we got to approach it. We got to approach it like we did last week. We got to have that intense focus in practice and intense focus in the game, and we should be fine."
On starting the year of strong after his injury last year
"It means a lot. I think God puts people through certain situations. When I got hurt last year, I was upset that I couldn't play. It was killing me that I wasn't able to travel with the team. I think God put me through that for a reason. Now I really cherish every game, every play. There are still some times -- of course everybody doesn't want to go to practice- but I always think back to that hit and it kind of gets me going. Football means a lot to me. Just sitting out really hurts, so I think that's why I'm having the type of year I'm having."
On trashing talking and competition between DBs
"Not during the game, but it comes out of nowhere. [Ken] Crawley is my roommate, so he'll say it here and there. I think it's just fun; were competing against each other, but at the end of the day it's all still just fun. We have to create those turnovers to give Sefo [Liufau] and the offense the ball back. At the end of the year, I know it's going to be a competition. When we go to the banquets and stuff, to see who has the most interceptions, especially with the defensive backs."
On not thinking ahead to other games
"Sometimes, but I stop myself quickly. The only time I really think about it is when I'm watching film. I haven't watched Oregon film or anything like that. We're really focused on Nicholls State because that's a really big game for us. Like I said earlier, they got some players that can really change the game for them. To be honest with you, I don't really like looking into the future until it's there, because I feel like once you do that, you're not going to have as much focus on the upcoming game. I don't really focus on it to be honest with you."Â
