Tuesday Press Conference Quotes
November 07, 2017 | Football
Head Coach Mike MacIntyre
Opening Statement
"I'm glad we have that new indoor facility. I wasn't expecting snow when I woke up early this morning at 5 a.m. and saw it out there. We had a good practice. Tim Lynott, he gets operated on tomorrow on his Achilles. Hopefully that goes well."
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On How USC Looks On Film
"They're very athletic. There's a lot of athletic guys in the Pac-12 too. Every team has guys that pop (on film) and do things. The quarterback pops out with his athleticism. We have a lot of great quarterbacks in this league and a lot of guys that have played in the NFL at the quarterback position, but he's extremely athletic. He made a throw in the Arizona game that I was amazed. He sprinted out to his left, threw it back over here, over a guy's head right to a running back running down the sidelines 40 yards. Not many people can do that. His athleticism pops out, but they are a very athletic team there's no doubt about it. There are a lot of athletes in our league that pop out quite often."
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On The Role The Seniors Had In The Rise Of The Football Program
"They've done a tremendous amount for the university, for our program, for the guys in our program. I can't really put a value mark on it, because of what all they've done. When they came here it was a very hard time and a very, very low point in the program and they've made us extremely competitive all the time. Hopefully we'll win these last two games and be able to go to a bowl. I've calculated it today and I think it's like 1,400 players have gone through here and haven't had a chance to go to back-to-back bowls since they did it last. Close to 1,400 kids don't get a chance to do what these guys are on the brink of being able to do. That puts a really high value on what they have done. People were telling them, 'Don't come here.' They've brought the pride back. We lost a couple heartbreakers this year and could have won them, but didn't. What they've done is made us extremely competitive and be able to keep moving on from there and be a competitive program."
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On The Career Of Wide Receiver Shay Fields
"Shay's done a great job. Shay's always played well for us and been able to a lot of plays for us; they were teasing him 'Big Play Shay.' He's done an excellent job. He has a great family; his mom and dad are just tremendous. I've really enjoyed coaching Shay. I've enjoyed watching Shay grow up. He's right on the brink of graduating. I'm going to be sad watching him play his last game on Folsom Field. Also, at the same time, I remember so many joyous moments in there, but also on the practice fields, in the meeting rooms, on the trips and his sense of humor. I'll miss Shay in a lot of different ways just besides the football player."
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On If Offensive Lineman Jonathan Huckins Was The Emergency Center In The ASU Game
"He was healthy, or we wouldn't have been able to play him. He wasn't able to practice full speed all week until late in the week. He was completely cleared on Thursday, so he went in a blue jersey and didn't have a lot of contact. He was more of an emergency situation center like it happened. He came in and did a good job."
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On If He Envisioned George Frazier As A Two-Way Player When He Recruited Him
"Watching George Frazier on high school film, he played quarterback, he played defense, linebacker, tight end, defensive line and defensive end. So, we didn't really know what he would play when he came. We just worked with him. He fit in at the tight end spot, because of his ability to catch and do some things. He wasn't quite as big as he is now. At that time I think he was about 250 and he's 285 now. He's been able to have that same athleticism and be able to help us on both sides of the ball. In his sophomore year, we were hurting defensive linemen-wise and got him to play both ways. He did a good job there. Last year, we didn't have any injuries in that area and he could just focus on offense. This year coming into the season I knew we were going to be a bit little younger, so we worked with him during spring practice doing both. With some of the things that we've had happened, he's helped us in a lot of different ways and have been a huge part. I think he's had an excellent senior year."
On Tight End/Defensive End George Frazier Being Able To Get His Masters
"When they're here five years, you want them to be able to do that or a lot of them get a second major or minor that they want to emphasize in. In college, you want to do this and this, but about three-fourths of the way into it you realize that's not really what you want to do. In college football, you can't switch, because if you switch then you're ineligible. They say they're normal students, but they're not. It seems like if you have all your units and you're in good standing they'd let you switch. With the fifth year, a lot of times we advise those guys. A lot of people understand all the demands on them. A lot of people looking at them for jobs realize this will be a good fit. They know what they want to do, they've had a lot of experience and they've really worked a job playing football and going to school. They've worked two jobs. That's something that he's doing and I'm very proud of what George has done working on that masters, there's no doubt."
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On If Tailback Phillip Lindsay Holds A Special Place In His Heart
"Yes he does. I love all the guys the exact same and care about them all. The reason with him is that the first time I ever met him he couldn't even bend his knee and weighed about 150 pounds. I just saw his energy you see inside of him that you see now and I said, 'I'm going to take this guy no matter what. I don't know if he'll ever play for us,' because at the time I wasn't sure and he wasn't either. My inner-gut told me you better take a chance on this guy, because he's something special just as a person. Sure enough he's been special as a person, as a player and someone that I'll stay in close contact with throughout the years. Whatever he ends up doing, he'll be extremely successful at it."
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On What Phillip Lindsay Will Do After Football
"I don't know. I believe he definitely wants to be a police officer back in Denver in the inner-city area. He wants to make a difference. His mission is to mend all the things that we see going on in our country. If there's anybody that can do it, it can be Phillip Lindsay. I definitely hope that he'll still follow his heart and do that. I know there'll be a lot of police forces out there that will be begging to have him for sure. He'd be great for our country, state and for the city of Denver."
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On What Graduate Assistant Coach Chidera Uzo-Diribe Has Meant To The Team
"It's been awesome. He's helping us a tremendous amount as a graduate assistant. When I came here, he played really, really well for us. I still have the picture in my house of the play he made against Colorado State when he rushed the quarterback and then he sprinted after the guy – we've been talking about that and we work a strip drill every day – and he strips it just like he's supposed to and the running back fumbles it and [former cornerback Greg] Henderson picks it up and runs with it. That was the game-changing play. I see it every single day. It epitomized someone coming in and embracing us. What was great was him wanting to come back and be a coach here and get into coaching and be a part of who we are and what we do. I admire his work ethic and the person he is and his love for CU. I also am very honored that he thinks that much of me that he wanted to come back and be a part of the program and the way he bought in. He started that whole ability to believe in what we're doing and his attitude was passed on down to guys who were freshmen that year and guys that are seniors now too were a part of that. He was a big part of that."
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On If Beating USC Helps Recruiting Student-Athletes From California Or Are All Wins Equal
"All wins are important, but getting a win against USC in that recruiting mecca – it's a fertile, fertile recruiting ground—I definitely think would carry more weight. There's no doubt about it, it would in that area. That's one of our big recruiting areas. Within USC and, counting out traffic, a two-hour radius, there's 100 or more Pac-12, big-time football players within driving distance of their campus and it might even be more than that. It would make a big difference for us."
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On How The Early Signing Day Changes The Coaches' Schedules During The Season
"It's changed the season for the coaching staff. We have a lot more official visits during the season. It's definitely sped it up a lot more. There are a lot of things that are sped up, but it definitely has made it a little more frantic and a bit more pressing during the season than it has in the past. I think we've adapted well to it and had a good plan. Our recruiting department has done a great job with preparing for that. The one good thing I'm looking forward to is when we sign them on December 20th, it's basically over then. Now, you're starting for the next year. Maybe after the Christmas holiday it won't be as frantic in January as it was."
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On Not Having Offensive Lineman Jeromy Irwin Next Year
"Jeromy is the only guy that was here before I came and is still here. What all he's been through, his work ethic, his fight and tenacity, he's really what you would epitomize if you said a tough football player. He's a tough football player. He's going to have a chance to play at the next level and I wish him the best there. He'll leave here with a degree and he's working on a minor and doing all that. He's just been a rock-solid guy for us and it's been a lot of fun coaching him and getting to see him grow up. Of course, when we had his brother, Sean, here it was really neat. I saw Sean at church on Sunday and we were talking about the games. It's been a lot of fun with Jeromy and I'm definitely going to miss him and the toughness that he brings to our football team."
"I'm glad we have that new indoor facility. I wasn't expecting snow when I woke up early this morning at 5 a.m. and saw it out there. We had a good practice. Tim Lynott, he gets operated on tomorrow on his Achilles. Hopefully that goes well."
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On How USC Looks On Film
"They're very athletic. There's a lot of athletic guys in the Pac-12 too. Every team has guys that pop (on film) and do things. The quarterback pops out with his athleticism. We have a lot of great quarterbacks in this league and a lot of guys that have played in the NFL at the quarterback position, but he's extremely athletic. He made a throw in the Arizona game that I was amazed. He sprinted out to his left, threw it back over here, over a guy's head right to a running back running down the sidelines 40 yards. Not many people can do that. His athleticism pops out, but they are a very athletic team there's no doubt about it. There are a lot of athletes in our league that pop out quite often."
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On The Role The Seniors Had In The Rise Of The Football Program
"They've done a tremendous amount for the university, for our program, for the guys in our program. I can't really put a value mark on it, because of what all they've done. When they came here it was a very hard time and a very, very low point in the program and they've made us extremely competitive all the time. Hopefully we'll win these last two games and be able to go to a bowl. I've calculated it today and I think it's like 1,400 players have gone through here and haven't had a chance to go to back-to-back bowls since they did it last. Close to 1,400 kids don't get a chance to do what these guys are on the brink of being able to do. That puts a really high value on what they have done. People were telling them, 'Don't come here.' They've brought the pride back. We lost a couple heartbreakers this year and could have won them, but didn't. What they've done is made us extremely competitive and be able to keep moving on from there and be a competitive program."
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On The Career Of Wide Receiver Shay Fields
"Shay's done a great job. Shay's always played well for us and been able to a lot of plays for us; they were teasing him 'Big Play Shay.' He's done an excellent job. He has a great family; his mom and dad are just tremendous. I've really enjoyed coaching Shay. I've enjoyed watching Shay grow up. He's right on the brink of graduating. I'm going to be sad watching him play his last game on Folsom Field. Also, at the same time, I remember so many joyous moments in there, but also on the practice fields, in the meeting rooms, on the trips and his sense of humor. I'll miss Shay in a lot of different ways just besides the football player."
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On If Offensive Lineman Jonathan Huckins Was The Emergency Center In The ASU Game
"He was healthy, or we wouldn't have been able to play him. He wasn't able to practice full speed all week until late in the week. He was completely cleared on Thursday, so he went in a blue jersey and didn't have a lot of contact. He was more of an emergency situation center like it happened. He came in and did a good job."
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On If He Envisioned George Frazier As A Two-Way Player When He Recruited Him
"Watching George Frazier on high school film, he played quarterback, he played defense, linebacker, tight end, defensive line and defensive end. So, we didn't really know what he would play when he came. We just worked with him. He fit in at the tight end spot, because of his ability to catch and do some things. He wasn't quite as big as he is now. At that time I think he was about 250 and he's 285 now. He's been able to have that same athleticism and be able to help us on both sides of the ball. In his sophomore year, we were hurting defensive linemen-wise and got him to play both ways. He did a good job there. Last year, we didn't have any injuries in that area and he could just focus on offense. This year coming into the season I knew we were going to be a bit little younger, so we worked with him during spring practice doing both. With some of the things that we've had happened, he's helped us in a lot of different ways and have been a huge part. I think he's had an excellent senior year."
On Tight End/Defensive End George Frazier Being Able To Get His Masters
"When they're here five years, you want them to be able to do that or a lot of them get a second major or minor that they want to emphasize in. In college, you want to do this and this, but about three-fourths of the way into it you realize that's not really what you want to do. In college football, you can't switch, because if you switch then you're ineligible. They say they're normal students, but they're not. It seems like if you have all your units and you're in good standing they'd let you switch. With the fifth year, a lot of times we advise those guys. A lot of people understand all the demands on them. A lot of people looking at them for jobs realize this will be a good fit. They know what they want to do, they've had a lot of experience and they've really worked a job playing football and going to school. They've worked two jobs. That's something that he's doing and I'm very proud of what George has done working on that masters, there's no doubt."
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On If Tailback Phillip Lindsay Holds A Special Place In His Heart
"Yes he does. I love all the guys the exact same and care about them all. The reason with him is that the first time I ever met him he couldn't even bend his knee and weighed about 150 pounds. I just saw his energy you see inside of him that you see now and I said, 'I'm going to take this guy no matter what. I don't know if he'll ever play for us,' because at the time I wasn't sure and he wasn't either. My inner-gut told me you better take a chance on this guy, because he's something special just as a person. Sure enough he's been special as a person, as a player and someone that I'll stay in close contact with throughout the years. Whatever he ends up doing, he'll be extremely successful at it."
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On What Phillip Lindsay Will Do After Football
"I don't know. I believe he definitely wants to be a police officer back in Denver in the inner-city area. He wants to make a difference. His mission is to mend all the things that we see going on in our country. If there's anybody that can do it, it can be Phillip Lindsay. I definitely hope that he'll still follow his heart and do that. I know there'll be a lot of police forces out there that will be begging to have him for sure. He'd be great for our country, state and for the city of Denver."
Â
On What Graduate Assistant Coach Chidera Uzo-Diribe Has Meant To The Team
"It's been awesome. He's helping us a tremendous amount as a graduate assistant. When I came here, he played really, really well for us. I still have the picture in my house of the play he made against Colorado State when he rushed the quarterback and then he sprinted after the guy – we've been talking about that and we work a strip drill every day – and he strips it just like he's supposed to and the running back fumbles it and [former cornerback Greg] Henderson picks it up and runs with it. That was the game-changing play. I see it every single day. It epitomized someone coming in and embracing us. What was great was him wanting to come back and be a coach here and get into coaching and be a part of who we are and what we do. I admire his work ethic and the person he is and his love for CU. I also am very honored that he thinks that much of me that he wanted to come back and be a part of the program and the way he bought in. He started that whole ability to believe in what we're doing and his attitude was passed on down to guys who were freshmen that year and guys that are seniors now too were a part of that. He was a big part of that."
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On If Beating USC Helps Recruiting Student-Athletes From California Or Are All Wins Equal
"All wins are important, but getting a win against USC in that recruiting mecca – it's a fertile, fertile recruiting ground—I definitely think would carry more weight. There's no doubt about it, it would in that area. That's one of our big recruiting areas. Within USC and, counting out traffic, a two-hour radius, there's 100 or more Pac-12, big-time football players within driving distance of their campus and it might even be more than that. It would make a big difference for us."
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On How The Early Signing Day Changes The Coaches' Schedules During The Season
"It's changed the season for the coaching staff. We have a lot more official visits during the season. It's definitely sped it up a lot more. There are a lot of things that are sped up, but it definitely has made it a little more frantic and a bit more pressing during the season than it has in the past. I think we've adapted well to it and had a good plan. Our recruiting department has done a great job with preparing for that. The one good thing I'm looking forward to is when we sign them on December 20th, it's basically over then. Now, you're starting for the next year. Maybe after the Christmas holiday it won't be as frantic in January as it was."
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On Not Having Offensive Lineman Jeromy Irwin Next Year
"Jeromy is the only guy that was here before I came and is still here. What all he's been through, his work ethic, his fight and tenacity, he's really what you would epitomize if you said a tough football player. He's a tough football player. He's going to have a chance to play at the next level and I wish him the best there. He'll leave here with a degree and he's working on a minor and doing all that. He's just been a rock-solid guy for us and it's been a lot of fun coaching him and getting to see him grow up. Of course, when we had his brother, Sean, here it was really neat. I saw Sean at church on Sunday and we were talking about the games. It's been a lot of fun with Jeromy and I'm definitely going to miss him and the toughness that he brings to our football team."
Offensive Lineman Jonathan Huckins
ÂOn Senior Night
"It's weird to think about that it's going to be the last time running out on Folsom, the last time running out behind Ralphie. I've definitely thought about that during this week, especially running out behind Ralphie because that's just such an awesome feeling. You just have to remember to take advantage of it and remember these kind of moments. I'm pretty excited about running out there the last time."
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On Tim Lynott's Injury
"Tim is a great offensive lineman. It was a great loss but what Coach Mac always says is that it's the next guy who has to step up and make it feel like we never even lost anybody. People just have to know the game plan and be ready for whatever happens. For practice, it means us taking more reps but more practice means we'll be more prepared either way. It's a big loss but we'll just have to prepare like it never happened."
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On The Overview Of The Season
"Coming in five years ago the program wasn't at its best. Throughout the years since we've been here, we've slowly built. That's a testament to how this team has evolved and built. Going from boys to men was a really big thing Coach Mac stressed. I'm proud about how we've moved this program in the right direction."
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On Bowl Eligibility As A Necessity To Complement Last Season's Success
"I don't feel like we need to legitimize our team at all. Obviously, we want to win these games to get to a bowl game, that's the goal we've been striving for since the beginning of this season. Getting to a bowl game would be a great accomplishment for this team and for our class, but I think focusing on this game and trying to get this win is important. Everyone always talks about how we've never beat USC, we're just trying to focus on our game plan and trying to do the rights things this week."
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On Phillip Lindsay
"Having a running back like him, a selfless guy makes it easier for us to block for him. He makes a big run and comes up to us and thanks us. In the Arizona State game last year he brought us in here for the press conference, it just makes the difference. His attitude towards us and towards the game is unwavering. It's really a good thing to have, especially for us looking to him to get those yards after we block."
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On What It Would Mean To Beat USC
"Playing against SC, you understand who SC is, their tradition, their history, their dominance. But it comes down to playing that game and playing as hard as you can. I don't think we really think about that too much unless someone brings it up. As Coach Adams says, don't worry about the logo on their helmet. Just worry about your assignment and your technique."
"It's weird to think about that it's going to be the last time running out on Folsom, the last time running out behind Ralphie. I've definitely thought about that during this week, especially running out behind Ralphie because that's just such an awesome feeling. You just have to remember to take advantage of it and remember these kind of moments. I'm pretty excited about running out there the last time."
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On Tim Lynott's Injury
"Tim is a great offensive lineman. It was a great loss but what Coach Mac always says is that it's the next guy who has to step up and make it feel like we never even lost anybody. People just have to know the game plan and be ready for whatever happens. For practice, it means us taking more reps but more practice means we'll be more prepared either way. It's a big loss but we'll just have to prepare like it never happened."
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On The Overview Of The Season
"Coming in five years ago the program wasn't at its best. Throughout the years since we've been here, we've slowly built. That's a testament to how this team has evolved and built. Going from boys to men was a really big thing Coach Mac stressed. I'm proud about how we've moved this program in the right direction."
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On Bowl Eligibility As A Necessity To Complement Last Season's Success
"I don't feel like we need to legitimize our team at all. Obviously, we want to win these games to get to a bowl game, that's the goal we've been striving for since the beginning of this season. Getting to a bowl game would be a great accomplishment for this team and for our class, but I think focusing on this game and trying to get this win is important. Everyone always talks about how we've never beat USC, we're just trying to focus on our game plan and trying to do the rights things this week."
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On Phillip Lindsay
"Having a running back like him, a selfless guy makes it easier for us to block for him. He makes a big run and comes up to us and thanks us. In the Arizona State game last year he brought us in here for the press conference, it just makes the difference. His attitude towards us and towards the game is unwavering. It's really a good thing to have, especially for us looking to him to get those yards after we block."
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On What It Would Mean To Beat USC
"Playing against SC, you understand who SC is, their tradition, their history, their dominance. But it comes down to playing that game and playing as hard as you can. I don't think we really think about that too much unless someone brings it up. As Coach Adams says, don't worry about the logo on their helmet. Just worry about your assignment and your technique."
Offensive Lineman Jeromy IrwinÂ
On Senior Night
"To be honest, it hasn't really hit me yet. I've been here for a long time and I've still been trying to avoid leaving here. I'm sure it'll hit me senior night when my parents are out there and I'm running out with the bouquet in my hand. But right now we're just focused on winning. It's going to be my last game at Folsom so I expect to play well and give it our last best effort."
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On The Overview Of The Season
"When [former head coach Jon] Embree recruited me, that's what I bought into. In high school my team was 0-10 and then we ended up going 12-1. I like a challenge, so coming to this university and knowing about the history of it, that was one of the things I wanted to do. I wanted to bring this program back to what it was remembered to be. That's what we've done, I can sit here and be proud of it but we've still got work to do. We're proud of what we've done but we're still not satisfied by it. We need to put in some work so we can get this post-season going."
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On Bowl Eligibility As A Necessity To Complement Last Season's Success
"Last year is last year and this year is a new year. We're just trying to win this game. That's what we're really focused on.
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On USC's Film
"Like always, they're a good team. They're very talented. They play hard. That's something, whether in Los Angeles or here that we always see. They've got good players, they play hard. It's going to be a four-quarter war. That's what we're preparing for. In this conference, it's every given Saturday. It's all over the place this year. Teams will show up on Saturdays and some Saturdays they won't. It's kind of been scattered. It's the Pac-12, there's a lot of good players in this conference and USC especially has a good team so we're going to prepare like it's our last game."
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On Phillip Lindsay
"If you watch Phillip, he talks on the field like he's as big as us. He's always barking up a big tree but we love him and he loves us. We go out there and we work hard for him and he works hard for us. At the end of the day, if he doesn't get the yardage he wants it's okay because we know he giving us his best and we're giving him our best."
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On His 'Welcome To College' Moment
"I was starting as a sophomore and I had just come off of an ankle injury. I had a high ankle sprain and I was playing Nate Orchard (former Utah DE) and his brother in back-to-back games. One was leading the nation in sacks. I had my work cut out for me both weeks in a row. I had to really try to block them. It was like every time if you lined up, if you didn't focus on your technique and gave them every drop of what you had it was going to be a sack. You don't like being embarrassed in front of your home crowd on national television. That was my wake up moment. They're both in the NFL now so it just goes to show how the Pac-12 is."
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On What It Would Mean To Beat USC
"I'm not trying to shoot down the question, but I don't really care what's on their helmets. They put their pants on one leg at a time just like us. All I need to know is what the film says, and they're a good team. So are we, so we're going to come out and play like it."
"To be honest, it hasn't really hit me yet. I've been here for a long time and I've still been trying to avoid leaving here. I'm sure it'll hit me senior night when my parents are out there and I'm running out with the bouquet in my hand. But right now we're just focused on winning. It's going to be my last game at Folsom so I expect to play well and give it our last best effort."
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On The Overview Of The Season
"When [former head coach Jon] Embree recruited me, that's what I bought into. In high school my team was 0-10 and then we ended up going 12-1. I like a challenge, so coming to this university and knowing about the history of it, that was one of the things I wanted to do. I wanted to bring this program back to what it was remembered to be. That's what we've done, I can sit here and be proud of it but we've still got work to do. We're proud of what we've done but we're still not satisfied by it. We need to put in some work so we can get this post-season going."
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On Bowl Eligibility As A Necessity To Complement Last Season's Success
"Last year is last year and this year is a new year. We're just trying to win this game. That's what we're really focused on.
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On USC's Film
"Like always, they're a good team. They're very talented. They play hard. That's something, whether in Los Angeles or here that we always see. They've got good players, they play hard. It's going to be a four-quarter war. That's what we're preparing for. In this conference, it's every given Saturday. It's all over the place this year. Teams will show up on Saturdays and some Saturdays they won't. It's kind of been scattered. It's the Pac-12, there's a lot of good players in this conference and USC especially has a good team so we're going to prepare like it's our last game."
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On Phillip Lindsay
"If you watch Phillip, he talks on the field like he's as big as us. He's always barking up a big tree but we love him and he loves us. We go out there and we work hard for him and he works hard for us. At the end of the day, if he doesn't get the yardage he wants it's okay because we know he giving us his best and we're giving him our best."
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On His 'Welcome To College' Moment
"I was starting as a sophomore and I had just come off of an ankle injury. I had a high ankle sprain and I was playing Nate Orchard (former Utah DE) and his brother in back-to-back games. One was leading the nation in sacks. I had my work cut out for me both weeks in a row. I had to really try to block them. It was like every time if you lined up, if you didn't focus on your technique and gave them every drop of what you had it was going to be a sack. You don't like being embarrassed in front of your home crowd on national television. That was my wake up moment. They're both in the NFL now so it just goes to show how the Pac-12 is."
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On What It Would Mean To Beat USC
"I'm not trying to shoot down the question, but I don't really care what's on their helmets. They put their pants on one leg at a time just like us. All I need to know is what the film says, and they're a good team. So are we, so we're going to come out and play like it."
Offensive Lineman Gerrad Kough
ÂOn Senior Night
"It's kind of emotional. We've all played together the last five years and built so many good relationships with each other. This school has been great to us so it's emotional but we're excited and trying to get it done this week."
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On Tim Lynott's Injury
"We'll miss Tim but like Jonathan [Huckins] said, we're prepared. I think the guys behind him, we're confident with the guys that are going to step up to play in his position. Everyone has to practice well this week and fight hard and get it done."
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On The Overview Of The Season
"We can still do something that this program hasn't done, which is go to back-to-back bowl games. Having that in our future and doing what we did last year, I'm sure it makes everyone proud that we were able to do that."
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On Bowl Eligibility As A Necessity To Complement Last Season's Success
"Our focus has been week by week. This week it's USC. A lot people around us are talking about post season and stuff like that. If we don't focus on this week, we aren't going to be where we want to be. As long as we're focused on this week and we do what we've got to do every day in practice, in meetings and outside of football, then all of that will take care of itself."
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On Phillip Lindsay
"We're going to fight hard for Phillip and all of the seniors. It's all our last game, we've all put a lot of time and a lot of effort into this. We're going to fight hard for him. We're going to fight hard for the seniors on the other side of the ball, the special teams, and all of the guys. It's great to have Phillip as our running back. He's a selfless great guy, funny guy in the locker room. We all love the guy. We're going to fight hard and hopefully get this win."
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On His 'Welcome To College' Moment
Throughout my three-and-a-half years of starting I've played a bunch of first round guys like DeForest Buckner (49ers) and Kenny Clark (Packers) along with other guys like that. By going out there, watching film, preparing for them and actually playing them was a lot different than high school. In high school you play one or two that are going to go division one throughout the whole time. It was a wakeup call. It's always fun to compete. You always want to play the best.
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On What It Would Mean To Beat USC
"We prepare for every team the same because any team can beat us and vice versa, everybody is good in the Pac-12. You hear about it and it's something we really want to accomplish, especially us seniors, especially me being a Southern California guy. I definitely want to get that one."
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"It's kind of emotional. We've all played together the last five years and built so many good relationships with each other. This school has been great to us so it's emotional but we're excited and trying to get it done this week."
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On Tim Lynott's Injury
"We'll miss Tim but like Jonathan [Huckins] said, we're prepared. I think the guys behind him, we're confident with the guys that are going to step up to play in his position. Everyone has to practice well this week and fight hard and get it done."
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On The Overview Of The Season
"We can still do something that this program hasn't done, which is go to back-to-back bowl games. Having that in our future and doing what we did last year, I'm sure it makes everyone proud that we were able to do that."
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On Bowl Eligibility As A Necessity To Complement Last Season's Success
"Our focus has been week by week. This week it's USC. A lot people around us are talking about post season and stuff like that. If we don't focus on this week, we aren't going to be where we want to be. As long as we're focused on this week and we do what we've got to do every day in practice, in meetings and outside of football, then all of that will take care of itself."
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On Phillip Lindsay
"We're going to fight hard for Phillip and all of the seniors. It's all our last game, we've all put a lot of time and a lot of effort into this. We're going to fight hard for him. We're going to fight hard for the seniors on the other side of the ball, the special teams, and all of the guys. It's great to have Phillip as our running back. He's a selfless great guy, funny guy in the locker room. We all love the guy. We're going to fight hard and hopefully get this win."
Â
On His 'Welcome To College' Moment
Throughout my three-and-a-half years of starting I've played a bunch of first round guys like DeForest Buckner (49ers) and Kenny Clark (Packers) along with other guys like that. By going out there, watching film, preparing for them and actually playing them was a lot different than high school. In high school you play one or two that are going to go division one throughout the whole time. It was a wakeup call. It's always fun to compete. You always want to play the best.
Â
On What It Would Mean To Beat USC
"We prepare for every team the same because any team can beat us and vice versa, everybody is good in the Pac-12. You hear about it and it's something we really want to accomplish, especially us seniors, especially me being a Southern California guy. I definitely want to get that one."
Safety Afolabi Laguda
ÂOn If The Underclassmen Wanting To Send The Seniors Out With A Win
"I think they definitely want to send us out the right way. This being my last time at Folsom, it hasn't really hit me yet. I think probably Friday night at the hotel, when I wake up Saturday morning I'll start to feel some type of way, it'll be a little emotional. I'm not going to let it phase me, we still have to play a football game. I'm blessed to be able to get out there and play. I have Ryan Moeller heavy on my heart, I know he would love to be out there for his Senior Day game."
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On Helping Put Colorado Football Back On The Map
"I think we'll be proud. There's still a lot of football left to be played, we can still do something special this year and get to a bowl game. We try not to talk about it or think about it, but it's obvious everybody wants to go to a bowl game. Just to have the type of season we did last year going from worst to first, getting to Santa Clara and the Pac-12 Championship, that was something special. We have a lot to hold our head high about. This season, the chips didn't fall our way, we didn't get a lot of those breaks you hope to get, but either way I'll definitely look back at my time here as a blessing."
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On George Frazier As A Teammate
"When I first got here I knew George very well because I lived with him. He just loves football, he wants to be out there for every snap. I've never met a guy like that, who cares about the team so much. He can do a lot of things, but he's asked to do his job and he takes pride in it, whether he gets 10 snaps or 50 snaps. George is a guy you have to admire, the way he carries himself, he's just a guy you want to be around. I think the team looks up to him. Senior Day will definitely be a special moment for him, he's done a lot for this program and he should be honored for it."
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On The Importance Of Making A Bowl Game This Season
"I don't think Colorado Football making a bowl game in 2017 is going to make or break this program. This program is strong. It's been strong. It's going to continue to grow. I think it more so helps the morale going into the next season. You want to leave those young guys with good faith and that's more so what going to a bowl game means, it's not going to determine the strength of this program. Colorado Football has great history, and that history isn't going to change, it's going to grow."
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On His First Time Running Out Behind Ralphie
"I remember my first game at Folsom, I saw Ralphie and I didn't know what to think. I had never ran out behind something that big before. I ran behind a dog, but never behind something that massive before. I was kind of nervous, I didn't really trust the handlers, I didn't think they could get her around the field and intowhatever they put her in. So I kind of trickled to the back and let other people run out first, but I still remember that. My heart was beating faster for Ralphie than for the game."
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On Whether He Would Ever Run With The Bulls
"No. Not a chance."
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On Whether He Could Ever Be A Ralphie Handler
"No. I'll walk a dog and that's about it."
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On His 'Welcome To College' Moment
"My first year here we played Hawaii at Hawaii, and Coach Mac told (the DBs) to see something all week, and I saw it and I did not react. That reaction (from Coach Mac) was kind of a welcome to college football coaching, as well as giving up that."
On USC's Athleticism
"Any team you play in the Pac-12 has size and speed, but they're a great team. They have a great tradition, they have great athletes. You just have to be technically sound, you have to fit your gaps right, it just comes down to doing your job. If 11 guys do their job, it doesn't matter what type of athletes you have out there. It's a team game."
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On Dante Wigley And Trey Udoffia Stepping Up In Isaiah Oliver's Absence
"They have definitely stepped up. Playing corner in the Pac-12 is not easy. No matter what people say about them, that's not an easy job, and it's not a job many can do. They go out there and compete every snap, so I'm thankful for them. They play their hearts out. Even though they'll be back in the program, it's my last year here and they leave it all out there for (the seniors), and I appreciate them to the fullest for that."
"I think they definitely want to send us out the right way. This being my last time at Folsom, it hasn't really hit me yet. I think probably Friday night at the hotel, when I wake up Saturday morning I'll start to feel some type of way, it'll be a little emotional. I'm not going to let it phase me, we still have to play a football game. I'm blessed to be able to get out there and play. I have Ryan Moeller heavy on my heart, I know he would love to be out there for his Senior Day game."
Â
On Helping Put Colorado Football Back On The Map
"I think we'll be proud. There's still a lot of football left to be played, we can still do something special this year and get to a bowl game. We try not to talk about it or think about it, but it's obvious everybody wants to go to a bowl game. Just to have the type of season we did last year going from worst to first, getting to Santa Clara and the Pac-12 Championship, that was something special. We have a lot to hold our head high about. This season, the chips didn't fall our way, we didn't get a lot of those breaks you hope to get, but either way I'll definitely look back at my time here as a blessing."
Â
On George Frazier As A Teammate
"When I first got here I knew George very well because I lived with him. He just loves football, he wants to be out there for every snap. I've never met a guy like that, who cares about the team so much. He can do a lot of things, but he's asked to do his job and he takes pride in it, whether he gets 10 snaps or 50 snaps. George is a guy you have to admire, the way he carries himself, he's just a guy you want to be around. I think the team looks up to him. Senior Day will definitely be a special moment for him, he's done a lot for this program and he should be honored for it."
Â
On The Importance Of Making A Bowl Game This Season
"I don't think Colorado Football making a bowl game in 2017 is going to make or break this program. This program is strong. It's been strong. It's going to continue to grow. I think it more so helps the morale going into the next season. You want to leave those young guys with good faith and that's more so what going to a bowl game means, it's not going to determine the strength of this program. Colorado Football has great history, and that history isn't going to change, it's going to grow."
Â
On His First Time Running Out Behind Ralphie
"I remember my first game at Folsom, I saw Ralphie and I didn't know what to think. I had never ran out behind something that big before. I ran behind a dog, but never behind something that massive before. I was kind of nervous, I didn't really trust the handlers, I didn't think they could get her around the field and intowhatever they put her in. So I kind of trickled to the back and let other people run out first, but I still remember that. My heart was beating faster for Ralphie than for the game."
Â
On Whether He Would Ever Run With The Bulls
"No. Not a chance."
Â
On Whether He Could Ever Be A Ralphie Handler
"No. I'll walk a dog and that's about it."
Â
On His 'Welcome To College' Moment
"My first year here we played Hawaii at Hawaii, and Coach Mac told (the DBs) to see something all week, and I saw it and I did not react. That reaction (from Coach Mac) was kind of a welcome to college football coaching, as well as giving up that."
On USC's Athleticism
"Any team you play in the Pac-12 has size and speed, but they're a great team. They have a great tradition, they have great athletes. You just have to be technically sound, you have to fit your gaps right, it just comes down to doing your job. If 11 guys do their job, it doesn't matter what type of athletes you have out there. It's a team game."
Â
On Dante Wigley And Trey Udoffia Stepping Up In Isaiah Oliver's Absence
"They have definitely stepped up. Playing corner in the Pac-12 is not easy. No matter what people say about them, that's not an easy job, and it's not a job many can do. They go out there and compete every snap, so I'm thankful for them. They play their hearts out. Even though they'll be back in the program, it's my last year here and they leave it all out there for (the seniors), and I appreciate them to the fullest for that."
Players Mentioned
WR
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TE/DE
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OL
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OL
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OL
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DB
/ Football
TB
/ Football
OL
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DB
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DB
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DB
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DB
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