Tuesday Football Press Conference Quotes
11/7/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 7, 2006
Head Coach Jim Grobe
On the excitement of beating Boston College:"It is a big win for us, and it is fun to talk about it after you have won. A lot of people wanted to talk about it last week, and that was certainly not the time to talk about it. After we got the win it was fun to think about all the things we had accomplished. But, it is time to move onto Florida State."
On being the underdog against FSU:
"It has been pretty good motivation for us. Typically, we are the underdogs. I think Florida State has played pretty well in the past couple of games. I think they played great against Virginia this past week, and any time you play in Tallahassee and come away with a win, you are very fortunate. I don't think anyone on our football team thought we would go down there as favorites. Regardless, we have to go down and play really well.
On his care for each player:
"I want them to know that I care about them off the field. On the field, I have to be pretty cold-hearted. The best players play. That is the way it has to be on a football team. But, I want them to know that when things aren't going well for them that I am there for them and I understand. We don't want to make it just football because it is not just football. We have 100 guys on our team who are all good guys. You have to be careful to not put everything in a football context. I feel for the guys who understand that we are there for them but when it comes time for football, it is time to compete."
On how proud he is to see his players work hard:
"The guys that I feel the most for are the guys that walk on to our football team and are paying the full tuition to go here and play football here because they love it. Those guys and the guys that don't get to play the most. Those are the ones you admire the most. There is a certain sense of satisfaction for the starters, but there are still a great number of guys who are still paying dues. They are the ones who are going out and butting heads every day in practice. They are the ones you feel for."
On the source of his philosophy:
"It comes from everybody. Coaches are like sponges. They pick and choose from all the coaches and players that they have been around. That is kind of how you formulate your coaching model."
On the condition of FSU: "These guys are after us now. No question about that. I told our players, it is great to be in the top 25, but the downside of that is there is a bigger target on our chest. Everybody wants a piece of us, which means we are not sneaking up on anybody. We have to go play our best football now to go win these last three games."
On not getting national respect:
"I think eventually, if we continue to win, we will get respect. But, that is what it is going to take. I think our players know that. The only good things that will happen to us are to win. People aren't going to just pat us on the back for being a football team. We have to win to be a good football team."
On the distraction and pressure of exposure:
"I don't think it's hurting us. We went out last night and had a good practice. That is how I gauge it. If we don't practice well then I worry. I think we have a lot of confidence right now because we have won a bunch of games. I think our guys are happy that they are getting recognition and a lot of pats on the back. But, our guys know that the only reason we are here is because we work hard and win on Saturday. That is the key. That we all understand what got us here."
On giving up sacks:
"Well, if we ran the ball every snap we would take care of that and wouldn't have to worry about it. But we are certainly going to have to throw the ball a little bit. We don't have to say anything to our guys. They know how talented Florida Sate is and what they have to do to win. They typically get at least 40-50 of the top players out of Florida. We know they are very talented and that they are injured and playing young guys. But, this is still Florida State."
On examining what it takes to win:
"You kind of have to sink your teeth into it a little bit. We are the number one red-zone offense in the conference, the number one red-zone defense, we have scored more points then our opponents and we are second or third in turnover margin. Those are kinds of things that end up deciding wins and losses. So when you look at some of the stats that may not look as good, seeing these positive ones is comforting."
On playing on National TV:
"We certainly let our recruits know that we are on television and we want people to watch us play. But, it is a little scary, especially, when you go down to Tallahassee and take on the `Noles. There is a certain responsibility. We want our recruits to watch us play but we hope we play well. We like being on TV but we hope to play well, otherwise it is a little embarrassing."
Steve Justice, Center, R-Junior
On being 8-1:
"It's absolutely amazing. I didn't think we'd get this far into the season. Every week has just been getting better and better. We had hopes and goals but we really didn't think they'd be tangible looking at our schedule in the beginning. Our team has really pulled together to do some great things."
On Coach Grobe and his reputation:
"We've all known that he's not only been a great coach, but a great man as well. That's the main reason why I came here, the coaches and the football. I knew from the beginning that he was a very respectable coach. He really cares about each individual player on the team."
On Florida State's recent struggles and being underdogs:
"Their talent is still top notch. Each player is the best player out of their high school, some of the best athletes in the nation. We're not favored to win, but I think we're confident, and not overly confident. We like the fight and showing people that we deserve respect. We like being the underdogs. It's a lot of fun going out like that and surprising people."
On the atmosphere of the Boston College game:
"Just the game was amazing with the fans, fireworks. It was a great atmosphere for us to play in. After the game, people running down on the field. It was awesome. The town has really supported us."
Stanley Arnoux, R-So, Linebacker
On being a top-20 team after Saturday's win:
"Nobody outside thought we could be in this situation, but we did. We all had a feeling about this season. Being a top-20 team is great, but at the same time that wasn't our goal at the beginning of the season. We just have to take everything in stride and keep rolling."
On being underdogs against Florida State:
"It's just motivation. You almost have to expect it against Florida State. They have All-American athletes and some of the best players in the country. We just have to prepare this week and come out ready to fire. I think everybody is preparing hard for this upcoming game."
On Coach Grobe:
"Coach Grobe isn't all about winning. He shows that he truly loves and cares about all of us. He's like a father to all of us, and that plays a large role in the way we play."
