2005 SEC Football Coaches Press Conference

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Quotes from today's SEC Coaches Press Conference

TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS
TENNESSEE
HEAD COACH
PHILLIP FULMER

11:00 a.m. ET
(10:00 a.m. CT)

(On facing Ole Miss) "We are very happy with a win against LSU on Monday night. We have a short week to deal with it and it is important that we go about our business and show the maturity in a short week. Ole Miss looks good on both sides of the ball."

(On the win against LSU) "It certainly has to rank as one of the best ones. From being 21 down in the environment that we were in and how limited we were, the fight these kids showed this has to go near the top. We are trying to build on this win. Offensively, we haven't made much happen and hopefully we can keep the mindset that we need to improve."

(On halftime adjustments) "At halftime, there was a lot of good conversation about what we could do. We just played better. I think Rick (Clausen) brought a real calmness to the guys, and with the defense getting the interception and the score helped us from a points total and helped us as we were playing against the clock."

LSU TIGERS
LSU HEAD COACH
LES MILES

11:07 a.m. ET
(10:07 a.m. CT)

(On facing Mississippi State) "I felt like the team played extremely hard and with good emotion, but me made what appeared to be some first game mistakes and played sloppy. The Bulldogs are a very much improved football team and they are solid in special teams. Their quarterback makes plays and they have a good running back."

(On preparation in a short week) "Anybody in their right mind would have concern. I think our football team understands that these are extraordinary times. I think we have made some adjustments to our own schedule that will enable them to play and enjoy being in Mississippi on Saturday. Is there concern? Absolutely. They understand how to redirect and rally."

(On punt spread formation) "I think it is a good formation and obviously something that a lot of people are going to at this time. You put three guys back there and they zone off the area, and you get good coverage because you have a lot of people releasing early. It doesn't work for us, but that doesn't mean it isn't a good weapon for others."

AUBURN TIGERS
AUBURN HEAD COACH
TOMMY TUBERVILLE

11:14 a.m. ET
(10:14 a.m. CT)

(On facing South Carolina) "It's been a fun week preparing for another SEC game. We are excited about our next seven games in the conference. Our team is in good shape physically and mentally and we are excited about the month of October. Looks like we could be close to 100 percent."

(On adjustments from early in the season) "The biggest thing we have done is kept our intensity and work ethic. We understood our problems after Georgia Tech. We lost our focus as the game went on in coaching. We learned that as coaches. We have learned a lot more about our talent, and what our players can and can't do. We have been able to work a lot of the small things that it takes to be successful in this conference."

(On preparing in a short week) "I played USC two weeks ago on a Monday night and then we had to turnaround and play on Saturday. Players are humans and they can only do so much. We found out that cutting back practice and making meetings shorter was beneficial."

FLORIDA GATORS
FLORIDA
HEAD COACH
URBAN MEYER

11:21 a.m. ET
(10:21 a.m. CT)

(On facing Alabama) "We were pleased with our teams play last week. This is going to be a tough stretch over the next couple of weeks. This will be our biggest challenge to date. We have had a good week of practice."

(On comparisons between Tennessee and Alabama) "I think very similar. The X factor is that we will be in their stadium instead of our own. That's a significant advantage for them, just like we had over Tennessee. We are looking forward to it. Alabama is one of the best teams in the SEC."

(On Chad Jackson) "He started way back in February. He still has a long way to go. He has to become more consistent and pay more attention to detail and he can be one of the best receivers in the country. That position he plays that is the focal point of the offense."

SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS
SOUTH CAROLINA
HEAD COACH
STEVE SPURRIER

11:28 a.m. ET
(10:28 a.m. CT)

(On facing Auburn) "I compare them with Alabama and Georgia as another top SEC team. They have outstanding athletes and all positions and well coached. It will be another tough challenge for our team, but we will go in there and see what happens."

(On improvement last week against Troy) "I thought we played a little bit harder, but Troy still ran the ball for about 170 yards or so and made lots of first downs. At times, we did some good things, but overall it wasn't all that impressive. Troy did fumble the ball to us four times. We are struggling a little bit stopping the run and running the ball ourselves. If that continues, every game will be a struggle for us."

GEORGIA BULLDOGS
GEORGIA
HEAD COACH
MARK RICHT

11:35 a.m. ET
(10:35 a.m. CT)

(On off week) "Open date of course, we practiced yesterday in full pads and we did some live scrimmages. We really haven't stopped anyone on defense in the redzone. We are not getting the touchdown production down there we want either. We had a good physical practice."

(On Dennis Roland) "He's just done great. It's been more than progress this year. We he did to get here; the progress is unbelievable. We knew he would be a project at the best. He struggled mightily in the beginning. He has grown into a man on and off the field."

(On getting better in an off week) "The goal for us was to look at ourselves and where we are and where we can improve the most. You want to see where the chinks in the armor and fortify those. You also want to get ahead in the game-plan."

ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE
ALABAMA
HEAD COACH
MIKE SHULA

11:42 a.m. ET
(10:42 a.m. CT)

(On facing Florida) "I think we had a good practice yesterday. We are going to have our toughest challenge of the year. This Florida team has a lot of size and speed. We are the most healthy we have been in a few weeks, and that should help us."

(On depth) "We've got a few young guys. There are 10 true freshmen that are on the field. The offensive line has two red-shirt freshmen starting right now. We are younger on offense. Defensively we have a bit more experience. It's much better than it has been. Last year, when we got some guys hurt, we had to play guys that we knew weren't ready."

(On morale after win last week) "First of all, hardly anybody has give Arkansas any credit, and we think they are good football team. Regardless of the outcome of last week's game, everyone was going to be watching this football game. We made some corrections, but we did some things that we can build on."

MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOGS
MISSISSIPPI STATE
HEAD COACH
SYLVESTER CROOM

11:49 a.m. ET
(10:49 a.m. CT)

(On facing LSU) "We are coming off a tough loss to Georgia last week and we are hoping our kids can bounce back. We are looking forward to it. We get a big home game against a top notch team. It will be a good day of college football here in Starkville."

(On Georgia's impressive road record) "It says that they are well coached and they have a lot of good football players. A lot of people worry about road games. If you can deal with the crowd noise, that's the biggest thing. A team is a lot more focused on the road. There are a lot less things to worry about on the road. I don't look at road games as a big distraction."

(On preparing for team in a short week) "It gets our coaching out of rhythm as far as game planning. We had to watch the game live the other night then come in early the next day to start and prepare. It threw us behind. I feel like I am at least a half a day behind in game planning. They have to deal with it as well."

VANDERBILT COMMODORES
VANDERBILT
HEAD COACH
BOBBY JOHNSON

11:56 a.m. ET
(10:56 a.m. CT)

(On facing Middle Tennessee State) "We fell like we played pretty well against Richmond. We got a little better in the special teams, and we hope to continue that trend."

(On Georgia's impressive road record) "It's an unbelievable record. Believe me, this league the stadiums are tough to play and there isn't a comfort zone to where your guys feel like they could do it every week."

(On importance of beating an in-state rival) "They are all important. Obviously we feel like we need to play well to win. They beat us the last two times we have played them, including here at our stadium. Our team realizes that if we don't play well every week, we don't have a good chance of winning."

ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS
ARKANSAS
HEAD COACH
HOUSTON NUTT

12:03 p.m. ET
(11:03 a.m. CT)

(On Georgia's impressive road record) "Whenever you go on the road in the SEC, it takes a mindset and focus and attention to detail. That's the thing that sticks out for Georgia. Along with experience, that allows you to execute under pressure. To be able to stay focused and have a belief in your teammates that you will get the job done and quiet that crowd. You do that by executing."

(On rebuilding the season) "We are going one practice at a time and one game at a time. You take this open week to get better. You take it one game at a time and try to win the rest of them."

OLE MISS REBELS
OLE MISS
HEAD COACH
ED ORGERON

12:10 p.m. ET
(11:10 a.m. CT)

(On facing Tennessee) "We are playing a very talented football team. I think they have a great running back and big, physical offensive line. I like the way they play defense up front, they are really physical and big up front. We have a big challenge ahead of us, but we are looking forward to playing a good SEC team."

(On UT's change in quarterback and game planning) "Not really, we are looking at what they do with Claussen and Ainge. It is very similar so the game-plan won't change much."

KENTUCKY WILDCATS
KENTUCKY
HEAD COACH
RICH BROOKS

12:17 p.m. ET
(11:17 a.m. CT)

(On off week) "We have a much needed break since we have been a team that physically has had a lot of injuries. Florida dominated us in the second quarter, they scored 35 straight points and they basically steamrolled us. Chris Leak had a very good day against us and he picked our eyes out throwing the ball."

(On improving during an off week) "You can add a few things and try to get a jump on the next game and we have done a little bit of that. We have to get better at what we have been doing and what we haven't been doing well. We have been outscored 73-7 in the second quarter, and we need to address that and try and find a way to get better."

(On importance of off week) "I can remember some teams at Oregon that got a lot better and also a few times I tried to get too tough with them and we lost a player that we couldn't afford to lose. We will have the JV game, so we will get a chance to see players that haven't played much and see if they are ready to step up and help us."

Format: Following introduction, each coach will issue an opening statement followed by questions from the media for seven minutes.