University of Connecticut Athletics
Tostitos Fiesta Bowl Media Blitz
12/14/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 14, 2010
STORRS, Conn. - University of Connecticut head football coach Randy Edsall held a press briefing on Monday in conjunction with representatives of the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl in town for a "Media Blitz". Among the outlets that the representatives appeared on were WTIC-AM Radio in Hartford, WILI-AM Radio in Willimantic, WXLM-FM Radio in Groton, ESPN Radio Hartford and to a number of media outlets that attended the press conference.
Edsall also announced that senior linebacker Lawrence Wilson (Birmingham, Ala.) and senior linebacker Scott Lutrus (Brookfield, Conn.) will be playing in the 2011 East-West Shrine All-Star game on January 22, 20011 while senior offensive guard Zach Hurd (Waterford, Conn.) and senior fullback Anthony Sherman (North Attleboro, Mass.) will play in the NFL Players Association Texas Vs. The Nation All-Star game on February 5, 2011 in San Antonio.
Here are quotes from Edsall's press conference on Monday:
Opening Statement:
"I am very proud of Jordan for being the BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year, also with Mike Ryan, Zach Hurd, Jordan Todman, Dave Teggart, Kendall Reyes and Lawrence Wilson being named to the first team All-BIG EAST and then of course Moe Petrus and Nick Williams being named to the second team All-BIG EAST. I have always said that with team success comes individual honors. As you can see having six first team individual selections, which I think that is the most we have ever had, says a lot about those guys and what our team did this year."
"We practiced four days this past week, on fundamentals and techniques mostly, working a lot with the younger guys. We are off now until Saturday because of finals, and we will get back to practicing on the 18th then practice until the 22nd so that they can all go home for the holiday and then we will all fly out to Phoenix. When we get out there we will be able to get into a routine and have a normal practice schedule up until the game. The kids are enjoying the day, and enjoying the great people from the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl and this is all part of the bowl experience."
"Everyone is excited about the opportunity to go out and play in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. It is a great bowl, I know the people that work with the bowl are great and they take really good care of you. They have events planned for the team but they also allow the kids to have some time for themselves to just enjoy the time there. We are really looking forward the opportunity and the experience that the Fiesta bowl brings."
"You look back and you set goals and all of the things that I thought were attainable we have attained. We still haven't won a BCS game or a National Championship, but other than those two things I don't know what else is on the list that hasn't been accomplished. Sometimes as a coach you don't get to appreciate some of those things as much as you would like to because you are always going, going, going. When you take a look at it though it has been an incredible journey and we aren't at our destination yet, the journey continues. There were only a few that believed and thought that what has been accomplished could be accomplished and you just keep on moving forward."
On team injuries:
"I think everyone will be available for the game, Moe had surgery on his hand and some haven't practiced the last few days but that isn't a worry to me because everyone will be ready to go when we start back up on the 18th. Other than Leon Kinnard, Marcus Campbell, Yawin Smallwood, Geremy Davis and Kelmetrus everybody should be ready to go for the game. The trainers and doctors are telling me that everyone will be cleared to go by game time."
Are you confident in Zach Frazer's abilities to control the game?
"I think during the USF game he had to make one or two throws to get us into field goal territory and he did the things necessary to get us into that position to kick field goals. I think Zach understands who he is and understands the things he needs to do. We remind him to just take what the defense gives him and don't try to force things, don't try to be the hero, just take what they give you. Also the thing that has helped us down the stretch is he has been able to make some first downs with his feet which has kept drives alive and has been huge for us."
What did Lew Perkins tell you was part of the building process when you applied for this job?
"Well he kind of said here are the keys, go drive the car there isn't an owners manual, just go figure it out. But I had a plan, and I shared that plan with him in terms of what we were going to do and he wanted to make sure that we did it the right way and that we didn't cut corners."
"I had a chance to reflect a little bit with that, but if you go back and take a look in terms of the first three years we were a I-AA team in 1999 and then we were a transition team in 2000 and 2001 and we were 4-7, 3-8 and 2-9. Those years that we were a transition team we weren't part of I-AA or I-A, but then the thing that really sticks out to me is in 2002 when we became an FBS team. From 2002 to 2010, in those nine years we have been a .500 team or better seven of those nine years."
"I don't think there is anybody that would have ever thought that would be the case. We were 6-6 in 2002 and then we were bowl eligible in 2003, but there weren't any bowl slots available for us. In 2004 we end up going to the Motor City Bowl and then we hit a little slide in 2005 and 2006 but now if you look at the last four years this is the most wins ever in four consecutive years that the program has ever had. We have 31 wins in four years, with one more to get this season. During those years we went 9-4, 8-5, 8-5, and 8-4 with two BIG EAST Championships and four bowl games in a row with three wins. Now we have an opportunity to get another bowl victory this season."
"This is for all of the guys that got here during the 1999 season. It is all about hard work and what you put into it. Those were the guys that believed and trusted in the coaches and in each other to think that this was doable, if you work hard and do the right things anything is attainable. That is what this program is about."
"It's always good when people say that you can't do things and then you turn around and do it. That is what always keeps the fire burning and the wheels churning and it makes it all worth while to make these young men who they are on the field and off the field. This is the reason why you coach. For opportunities like this. Come January 1st it's the last game on that night and everyone will be watching, I'm proud for the coaches and the players."
What keeps you at UConn?
"I have been here 12 years, and we built something here from scratch in my opinion. There is a certain pride that you take in molding and developing a child, and that is what we have done here. When you can mold and shape something like that it makes it a unique experience. The grass isn't always greener on the other side. I have been fortunate enough to be around some great people and understand what life is all about. I like what I'm doing and as long as I like what I'm doing here I'm going to stay here."
You always have to deal with distractions, how have distractions affected the team this season?
"I think distractions are always a part of downfalls and problems in life. We had distractions in the beginning of the year during preseason and then we had a distraction after the first couple games, then we had another distraction before the Louisville game. I had to do some evaluation myself during that time, I started out the season coaching the secondary and the safeties, but after the Louisville game I told the coaches that I couldn't do that anymore because I had to get back to doing the big picture stuff and focus on the team as a whole."
Do you see this as an us against the World type game?
"Well we are a 17 point underdog, but we are still going to go play hard and play how we have always played. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Bob Stoops and Oklahoma and the history and tradition that they have. What we are going to do is we are going to go play hard. That is what we have done for 12 straight games this season, give it everything we have each and every play. We are going to have to play our A+ game in order to give ourselves an opportunity against Oklahoma."
In the early days did you hear that you wouldn't be able to do this?
"I heard that from the very first day we got here. That is why I feel so good for all of the people who believed in this team. All you have to do is look at the results. Now the problem is, eight or nine wins isn't good enough here."
Was there ever a time that you thought those people were right?
"Yes, during 2001. When you go 4-7, 3-8, 2-9 wouldn't you have doubts? Sometimes you just smile and laugh on the outside but inside it is just killing you. When you are sitting in the locker room during the 2001 season, you are scratching your head thinking is this going to happen? Then you really understand what you are about and what you want to accomplish and you put the blinders on and you grind harder. That is the only thing that I have ever known. As bad as things could get in 2001 there was only one way to go and that was up."
Was there a moment that you thought this could really happen?
"I always go back to the Vanderbilt game during 2002. We talked to the kids about getting into the fourth quarter with a chance to win and we were doing that during that year. After that game I remember going into the locker room and telling the kids that enough was enough, we have proven that we can get the game into the fourth quarter with a chance to win, now we have to go win. We then won four straight to end up 6-6 that season and that propelled us to the next year where we went 9-3. Now we have put together four really good years and we are doing it with the toughest academic standards in the BIG EAST conference. There are obstacles that you have to deal with, but you always find a way to get it done."
Are you seeing an immediate impact on recruiting?
"People have certainly noticed, they aren't jumping in the boat necessarily though. You see it though, people see what we have done and the interest is there. But we still have a lot of work to do and the coaches are out there working hard and trying to get those young men to come here and be a part of this. Sometimes they don't fit our profile or we don't fit their profile though."
Do you have anything to say to the fans?
"If you have the opportunity to go to the game you should go to the game. This is a once in a lifetime experience. You never know, this may be the only Fiesta bowl that we go to, we hope its not, but they should definitely spend the money and go. I know all of the people involved with the Fiesta bowl and they do it right, and it's a lot warmer in Phoenix than Connecticut during this time of year."
Is it possible to drastically improve from the USF game to the Oklahoma game?
"I think you can improve, you just try to get better. When you go to a bowl game you have a little more time but you have to be careful about how much more you try to do. What we try to do is work on fundamentals and technique things. We will have one more practice like that then we will get into the game plan before the players head out for the holidays. As we get out to Phoenix we will just go through a normal week schedule of preparation."
Players Mentioned
