MAC Football Coach Speak

COACHES QUOTES FOLLOWING WEEK TEN:

Here's a quick look at quotes from head coaches around the Mid-American Conference following six games last week.

     Akron head coach J.D. Brookhart

"I'll just tell you what I told the team, I don't think I've been as happy for a group of players as I've ever been for this group today to get what they've deserved for awhile," said Brookhart, following a 28-20 win over Kent State.  "They've been through so much, to do what they're doing with the resilience they've shown. It's emotional football, this is a big game for our program and it always is. We've continued to improve in a number of areas. Defensively again, we gave a very solid performance. Patrick Nicely (quarterback) continues to get better. He's got a long way to go to become the great quarterback he can be but a great performance today (Saturday). It was a little frustrating in the first half. It seemed like a lot of what we've been doing by keeping the defense out there too long and not running the ball well enough. Eventually we came out and were able to mix it up better in the second half and get those things done. It's a fantastic win and it means a lot to me, these kids and to this program."  

     Ball State head coach Stan Parrish

"We had nine penalties for 91 yards and I don't think you need to say much more than that," Ball State head coach Stan Parrish said, following a 20-17 loss to Ohio University (Oct. 31).  "We are playing hard and we are anxious for where we will be in the future.  These are championship teams we are playing and it is not like we are getting beat 47-0, we are competing."

     Bowling Green head coach Dave Clawson

"We were very fortunate to pull out a win.  I thought Buffalo played a great game," said Clawson, following a 30-29 win at Buffalo (Nov. 3).  "They really moved the ball well on us in the first half.  We were missing tackles and really played poor on defense.  The special teams block got us back in it and it's a real credit to our kids.  They never quit."

     Buffalo head coach Turner Gill

"Special teams hurt us," said Gill, following a 30-29 loss at Buffalo (Nov. 3).  "Just some simple things where we didn't execute, what we were told to do on the football field, that cost us to have two blocked punts. Offensively, you have to get some points in the second half. With an explosive offense like they have you cannot settle with not getting points in the second half. And defensively, you've got to be able to stop them. We stopped them for a little while, but you've got to be able to do it the whole game."

     Central Michigan head coach Butch Jones

"I thought it was a very disappointing performance overall, but we played a very talented football team," said Jones, following a 31-10 loss at Boston College (Oct. 31).  "Our goal coming in was to start fast. I thought we did that, but we had the ball on four different occasions with great field position and we came away with zero points. Defensively, minus the one possession, I thought we played extremely well in the first half. In the second half, I thought Boston College came out and established the line of scrimmage and made some plays, and we never really got into any kind of rhythm on offense. I thought we put our defense in some adverse situations with ball control, but hat's off to Boston College. They're a very, very good football team, and deserving to contend for the ACC championship."


     Eastern Michigan head coach Ron English

"We are building right now. I feel bad for the university and the players because they want to do well, and we just have to do better as a program," said English, following a 50-6 loss at Northern Illinois (Nov. 5).  "Jerry (Kill) has done a great job (at Northern Illinois) and he is a great guy and I am happy for him. I know our day will come, we just have to keep working on it."

     Kent State head coach Doug Martin

"This was a really well played game on both sides the difference in the game was up front," said Martin, following a 28-20 loss at Akron.  "I thought Akron won the game in the trenches all night.  Their ability to run the ball was a huge key for them, and our inability to run the ball hurt us; making us a one dimensional team.  Akron played very well.  They are a good football team with a lot of talent.  Our guys played hard down to the end and I love the heart of our team.  We have two games left and have a real good shot at being a 7-5 football team."

     Miami head coach Mike Haywood

"You never let your emotions take over because it's a sixty minute game, thirty-six hundred seconds and it's not over until the last second ticks off the clock," said Haywood, following a 34-32 loss at Temple (Nov. 5).  "I think our guys really played hard and physical, the key things that we talked about were stopping the run and the play-action pass and those two things came back to haunt us in the fourth quarter."

     Northern Illinois head coach Jerry Kill

"We were very excited about the way the youngsters played. They played hard for four quarters, that's what I asked them to do and I thought we played fast," said Kill, following a 50-6 win over Eastern Michigan (Nov. 5).  "Coming off a short week sometimes you don't know how to handle kids out of practice. We looked like a good, fast football team. I am proud of them and we will enjoy it and get ready for the next one.  I thought it was really important [to get off to a quick start. You want to get momentum. In pre-game, our kids try to listen and I've seen a good focus in pre-game. I liked our energy before the game, the sideline was very into the game, and with that energy good things happen."

     Ohio head coach Frank Solich

"It's clear that Buffalo is a very good football team.  They're a physical football team with big running backs and a quarterback that's very mobile," said Solich, in preparation for a Tuesday, Nov. 10th game at Buffalo.  "Defensively, they're an aggressive bunch that plays a fair amount of man coverage and work on beating you one on one.  There's certainly a challenge there and we think it will be a very physical football game."

     Temple head coach Al Golden

"The look on everybody's face is okay, let's get the ball. Let's get the ball, and let's go. It took us two-and-a-half years to get to that point. They are competitive now. They understand, and they try to go make plays at the end," said Golden, following a 34-32 win over Miami (Nov. 5).  I have complete faith in Brandon McManus. That kid's a freshman. He doesn't get phased."

      Toledo head coach Tim Beckman

"We got to give credit to Miami, they came out and they've done it the last couple of weeks and played teams like Northern Illinois and everybody and been in football games. But you have to give credit to them because they're the ones that beat us. I just don't think it was anything you can stick a finger on what it was," said Beckman, following a 31-24 loss to Miami (Oct. 31).  "You've got to hold onto the football first and foremost. It wouldn't have been a problem if you just hold onto the football and score."

     Western Michigan head coach Bill Cubit

"I'm going to put it simply, they are better than us," said Cubit. following a 49-14 loss at Michigan State.  "Michigan State is more physical and the two roughing the passer calls against use didn't help either. I think we played a fantastic game, but our young players just didn't handle the venue very well. The game got away from us early and we never got into a good rhythm. I give our kids a lot of credit at half time, because they came back out there and played hard."