Tuesday Football Press Conference Quotes

Colorado Head Coach Mike MacIntyre

On The Team's Preparation
"We've had good practices. They've been energetic. The guys have been excited about playing in this game, because there's a lot on the line. Some of the guys that were banged up during the game are doing well, so that's good. Hopefully we'll have everybody back, but we're not sure on everybody yet. We've got a lot of guys back and they're healthy and excited about playing. This is always a big game, close game, exciting game. It's always fun to play at Utah, because the crowd's always into it. Our guys will be ready to go."

On Jared Poplawski's Injury And How It Will Change Any Offensive Packages
"No, not really. We've used in our heavy packages Beau Bisharat at the fullback, H-Back position. We've got Eddy Lopez, who's played in those heavy packages. Then, we've got of course Chris Bounds and George Frazier, so we're okay. If we got anybody else hurt, we'd be in trouble. We've used before in the past – and we've practiced it – a tackle at one of those spots."

On Whether Utah Is A Real Rival
"I've been asked that almost every single year. I think last year when we actually won and it was exciting game, so there was a lot riding on the line. This year, there's a lot riding on the line. I think the first year the rivalry when they created it in the Pac-12, CU went down there and beat them and they would have won the Pac-12 South. I think that it has now over the years turned into something that there's things at stake. One time, we had it at stake and another they had a Pac-12 Championship at stake. Now, both of us are playing for a bowl game. People keep asking the question over and over and over and that even creates it. They have their big rival with BYU and we have our big rival with CSU, but I definitely think that this is something that has turned into a rivalry now."

On Whether It's Tough To Make The Players Feel Like Utah Is A Rival
"I don't think you're forcing it on them at all. I just think when things are at stake – six of the years there's been something at stake for both teams, this year with the opportunity to go to a bowl. I know they both want to. I think that adds a little bit more to it."

On If He's Prepared The Team For An Intense Atmosphere
"I'm expecting an intense atmosphere for sure. When you play there it's always intense, it's tight like our stands are. It's right on top of you and it's loud. Their fans do a great job there. It's their senior night, so there'll be even more intensity added to that. It definitely should be an exciting evening."

On Year By Wide Receiver Bryce Bobo
"Bryce has definitely grown a lot throughout his career like most guys have. He's kept working at it. Last year he had a really good year, because that was the first fall camp he went through completely healthy. Then, he got hurt at the end of the year with his ankle. This year he went through fall camp completely healthy and he's gone through the entire season healthy. That's why he's had his best year ever, because he's stayed healthy. He's always been a good player. I think that his fortitude and work ethic has propelled him to keep getting better. Now he's had a full, complete year with spring practice, fall and the whole season healthy. You can see what he can do when he has all those opportunities."

On If He's Ever Banned His Team From Wearing Another Team's Colors
"They're still not allowed to wear red around the complex, because of Coach 'Mac' (McCartney). You'll see one of the new guys wear red and one of the older guys will tell them, 'You're not wearing that again.' They even make them take it off sometimes. They don't wear red still. That's still a tradition here. It's probably not on everybody's mind as much, because they don't play them (Nebraska) anymore for the last game of the season. When I played at Georgia Tech, I didn't wear Georgia red around the Tech campus. I think that's something in the back of people's minds. We don't have anything like that for Utah or CSU."
On If He Expected Tailback Phillip Lindsay To Lead The Nation In Carries
"Number one, he's been in the best condition that he's ever been. He stayed healthy. He's been hot, so we kept giving it to him. In the past, he had a couple nicks here and there that we felt like we couldn't overuse him. He wants it. He'll bring himself out if he's tired, but he goes right back in. I think it's his ability to stay durable and compete and play at a high level. He doesn't slow down, he seems like he picks up steam. That's why he's been getting it so much. We wanted to run him, too. That's something we felt like we could do this year."

On Lindsay's Recovery Routine
"Our building here is phenomenal. We have the recovery pools that they can be in all the time. We have ice pools, we have massage therapists, so he uses all of that. In practice, we don't rep him a whole lot when you carry the ball that many times. We just get him ready. He knows everything we're doing, he's run it a million times and doesn't make very many mistakes at all. So, we keep him healthy during the week."

On The Early Signing Period Conflicting With The Bowl Schedule
"Going to a bowl game will advertise for yourself, because there'll be commercials and different things out there. I think they'll see all that stuff. That helps you I believe. The negative side of it is you'll be practicing and you won't be able to get quite out as much. You hardly have enough time to get everywhere. The head coach can only go one time, so it's hard to get everywhere in that small of time when signing is on the 20^th. That makes it a little bit tougher. You might have to visit some kids after they sign that hopefully have already been to your campus on an official visit and been here unofficially. They don't mind you coming and visiting them later. That will be tough with some of the bowl situations for sure. I still think being in a bowl helps recruiting itself. There's pros and cons for it."

On What He's Seen From Freshman Tailback Alex Fontenot
"What he's shown this fall so far is he's explosive, he's gotten bigger and stronger lifting four days a week with Drew Wilson. I think that's really helped. This spring will be really big for him. Hopefully he can do what we think he can."

On Coaching His 100^th Career College Game
"I didn't know that. I think the first thing that comes to my mind is that I can remember my first game. I was at San Jose State going to play Alabama at Alabama. They were ranked No. 1 in America and just won the National Championship. Then, all the other players and coaches I've worked with through the years is what I think about. That's pretty interesting."

On What Going To A Bowl Would Mean For The Program
"Number one, this university has a great history. For years, you didn't even think about them not going to a bowl game. I think from '87 to 2004, they missed two in that time period, and there wasn't as many bowls at that time. That tradition is here, which it should be. Last year, the guys got it started and this year they want to keep it going. I know some of the guys that were here last year have been calling and saying, 'Don't let it end.' That would be extremely important for us to keep it going. At the same time, does that affect next year's team and how many games we'll win? I don't know if it does or not, but I think it affects the overall view of the program. Momentum-wise on recruiting and things like that I think it makes a bigger deal. As far as you line up next year to play, it's a whole new team again. I think you have to start back over and go from there. The tradition of it and keeping that going propels the program so the next guys feel that. That's important. We definitely would like to do it, just like Utah would."

On If The Extra Bowl Practices Help The Team
"The extra practices do help to an extent, but also at the same time it depends on when are bowl game falls. If it's later or earlier, you're practices are a little bit different. If it's later, you'll have more opportunities to be a little more physical, especially with the young guys. If it's earlier, you have exams and it's a little bit tighter. It depends on which one you go to."

On If He's Reflected Over The Past Year
"No I haven't. I've been focused on the next game and next situation and situations with our kids on our team. You just take it day by day, wake up and thank god you're alive and you have an opportunity to trying to affect people and affect a situation. Then, you move on from there. All I've been thinking about is how do we get these guys to play well against Utah and that I'm flying out the next day recruiting. You just keep moving. Life is a roller coaster and you need to stay steady. My faith and my belief in Jesus Christ as my lord and savior and my family are my rock. You keep doing that, keep moving on and hopefully you can keep making the right steps and influence the men that you coach and the coaches you work with. I'm not perfect everyday by any stretch, but I think they know that I'm real."

On Comparing The 2015 Season To This Season
"I haven't reflected back on it. I just try to figure out how to the team ready for the next week, next game. A lot of this team wasn't there in 2015. The guys who were there can think about it. That's probably a good comparison on some of the situations. I haven't really reflected on 2015. When this season's over and we get through the bowl game and get through signing day, then we'll come back and reflect on things, positively and negatively and things we can improve on and how we can get our players better and the overall program better. You can always improve. I always tell the players all the time, 'You're either getting better or you're getting worse, nothing stays the same.' Everything changes weekly and especially yearly."

On The Intangibles That Will Make The Difference In This Game
"I think how each team comes into the game. The attitude and desire that each team walks in with, and I believe both of them will come with that. It's going to be execution. I think both teams are pretty evenly matched. The turnover situation will make a big difference in the football game."

On Utah
"They're very talented. Their quarterback, [Tyler] Huntley, can run around, sit in the pocket and make throws, run on the run and make throws and he can beat you with his legs. Their offensive line is big and powerful. Their receivers are long and athletic. Defensively, they've got good pass-rushers. Their secondary will strike you. Their linebackers who we played against last year are really good players. They've got an excellent kicker and excellent punter. They're a good football team, but they've just kind of been snake-bit here or there, kind of like we have in a few close games. If you flip a couple close games and we're both going into this game like 8-3 or 9-2. It's a whole different story. But, we didn't and that's something that both of us are probably going, 'Why?' We'd like to finish off strong. They are very talented."

Colorado Tailback Phillip Lindsay

On Playing For a Bowl Game
"At the end of the day that's what we're playing the game for, to go to a bowl game. That's what we're looking forward to, executing Saturday, getting the win and having fun at our bowl game."

On The Bye Week
"We got to sit back and enjoy college football, got to watch it and see some of our friends that play on other teams. But it also makes you hungry, makes you want to be out there too there too competing and makes you want to show out too. It's good to see that, it's good to heal our bodies and get refocused."

On The Utah Rivalry
"Utah, we've gone back and forth with them for a while now. They're a tough team. They're disciplined and well-coached and we know each year that we're going to get their best. We're going to give them our best too. It might end up being Utah here."

On Bryce Bobo's Blocking Ability
"[Bryce] Bobo can block too. Bobo is one of the best blocking receivers at this school and I know that every time you run his way, you're going to get a good block from him. He's strong."

On Leading The Country In Carries
"For me, I'm up for any challenge so I would have believed it because that's the type of person I am, I'm a soldier, period. I take what I have to do. I'm going to continue to do that. That's it. I just want to win for the program, for my teammates and my family. That's what it's all about. I've learned that when you play hard, good things come your way. So I'm just going to go out there and play hard and at the end of the day, if it's God's plan for me to finish out my college career in a bowl game, then that's what it comes down to. I leave it in God's hands."

On Former Teammates Who Have Reached Out
"I've heard from many of our former teammates. They just want to see us do well and they want to see the program continue to flourish. They know how hard it is to go to a bowl game, they know how hard it is from the beginning to now. So it's always good to look back and talk to people on the team who you know and have them say that we have to keep it going. It's motivation."

On Playing In Every Game During College
"That was my first goal when I stepped foot on campus. I wrote on a piece of paper that I wanted to make sure that I played in every single game in my college career. If I can get past the rest of these practices and the game in Utah and the bowl game [it will be great.] It just shows that I'm durable. People always have their doubt about small running backs but there's nothing else you can tell me, nothing else you can say."

On Seeing Sefo Liufau On Senior Day
"We exchanged a couple of words, he told me to enjoy the moment. It was nice to see Sefo. He looked like he was in a good place. He was smiling, enjoying life and that's all you can do."

On The Utah Game Staying Close
"We have a lot of respect for each other and we know that we're in a situation that's like a playoff, its win or go home. We know that we have to go out there and it comes down to having each other's backs. It's whoever is going to stay close the longest and who is going to continue to take the punches and keep rolling with it and who is going to dish the punches out. It's going to come down to the fourth quarter and everyone being on the same page. It may been come down to the kickers. So I know that we've been preparing our kicker like crazy his week because you never know. It's a rival game. The Pac-12 has been exciting this year because you don't; know who's going to win. Every Saturday is someone different. So we all just have to be ready."

Colorado Quarterback Steven Montez

On Playing For A Bowl Game
"It's definitely important. Who doesn't want to make a bowl game, who doesn't want to get those extra practices and get that extra time and those gifts? There's so much good stuff that comes with bowl games so of course we want to make it. We're excited about it. We've been working really hard so that's what we're playing for right now."

On Wide Receiver Bryce Bobo
"He's a playmaker. He's got great hands, he makes space. He's been a huge target for me all year. Me and Bobo have a connection personally. I call him 'Pops,' Bobo's been really good to me, he's made a ton of plays for us and he's a great player. I like to see what he's going to do at the next level."

On The Season Thus Far
"No matter what happens in the season, you just have to keep working. Obviously the season hasn't gone how we've wanted it too because we still have the next week and when the season's over, we still have the off season but we just have to keep working."

On Close Losses This Season
"I think we have to forget about the games we've already played. There's nothing we can do about the games that we lost or the games that we won at this point. All that really matters is us going into Utah and getting this win."

Colorado Linebacker Rick Gamboa

On Playing For A Bowl Game
"Last year we were playing for a Pac-12 South title, this year both teams are playing with a bowl game on the line. Since I've been here, the Utah game has always been a close game, it's come down to the very end. They've won most of them but we won last year so the rivalry is starting to build. "

On Utah's Offense
"Tyler Huntley is a real athletic quarterback. He can beat you at running an throwing. If you let him run he's real fast, he'll get to the edge, run down DBs, run by linebackers. The o-line is real big and physical. I think that's one thing Utah prides themselves on, real physical linemen to get the running game going."

On Phil Lindsay's Work Ethic
"I think just the fact that he's in the training room every single day. Phil's one of the people that you'll see in this facility early. He's one of the first people in the morning. If you see him in the training room, he always has his routine of stretches that he does with his music on. Sometimes we joke about it when he's in there because he looks like he's doing aerobics. But he's always in there, he doesn't skip a beat. Playing running back and playing every single game since he's been here, I think that's been really helpful for him.

On Coach MacIntyre
"I'd say coming off the success of last year, he [MacIntyre] was pushing us. We had a lot of young guys and lost a lot of guys defensively. He pushes us because he wants us to be great, he knows what we're capable of. I think he's been really helpful especially in the secondary, being with the cornerbacks and helping them out. He's been there, real focused on the team, especially during the highs and lose of the season, losing games. We just have to keep fighting."

On Defensive Keys To The Utah Game
"I would say defensively, making tackles whether it's an open field in the box, the running backs, receivers, the quarterback rushing, wrapping up and making those tackles. It's going to be a big key for us. They live off of those yards after the catch, the quarterback scrambling, running backs breaking tackles. I think another key is turnovers and the more turnovers we can force, whether it's a fumble, interception, whatever, gives the offense a chance and gives us an edge to win. I think we've been preaching that this year and going after it but there's some games where we'll drop interceptions, not getting the ball out of fumbles. Those are things that hurt us a little bit but the last game of the year, we have to execute, especially on turnovers.

Colorado Cornerback Dante Wigley

On Utah's Offense
"Tyler Huntley likes to make plays. Their receivers make broken plays and get open. They're quick, fast receivers so it's going to be a challenge. They're really good.

On Attending Last Year's Utah Game At Folsom
"The success last year honestly was the reason I came here. When I came to the Utah game, it was a great environment and I loved being here. They had a great secondary and I wanted to be out there. I watched them play and compete and it was just awesome. I said I'd love to be in that secondary next year. I want to keep it going and as a defense, play fast and try to do what they did last year."

On Coach MacIntyre
"Coach MacIntyre, he demands greatness. He's going to push us as hard as he has to. I already respect Coach Mac. He hasn't changed. He's always demanded greatness and wanted to get the best out of us .Coaching corners, he really pushes us really hard. I feel like he's; made my game a lot better since I've gotten here."

Players Mentioned

Beau Bisharat

Bryce Bobo

Chris Bounds

Alex Fontenot

George Frazier

Rick Gamboa

Phillip Lindsay

Eddy Lopez

Steven Montez

Jared Poplawski

Dante Wigley

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