Postgame Quotes vs. Central Michigan

Sept. 1, 2007

Recap | Box Score | Notes |

Postgame Quotes<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>

<?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>Kansas 52, Central Michigan 7

Sept. 1, 2007 – Lawrence, Kan.

Kansas Quotes

Head Coach Mark Mangino

On the win:

“When you beat a good football team by that score, obviously you feel real good for your players. It’s a good way to start the season. There was some very difficult preparation for this game. We had to prepare for just about everything because they have a new head coach. The game plan, especially on the defensive side, was kind of cumbersome. We made some decisions on what we were going to do and how we were going to do it, and our defensive staff had a great plan.”

On Kansas’ pass defense:

“I’m really pleased with our pass defense, not only from a coverage standpoint, but also that we were able to get some pressure with a four man rush. To be able to do that against a good quarterback is quite an effort by our kids on defense. My opinion of (Central Michigan quarterback) Dan LeFevour has not changed since this game. I think he is an awfully talented guy, and our players have good respect for him. After the game some of our kids were saying when he threw the ball, he put it on the money. They had a couple drops, but he is talented guy.”

On quarterback Todd Reesing committing no turnovers:

“That’s good. That’s progress. We’ve worked really hard since we got off the field last season on protecting the football and being smart with the football. Not just the quarterback but everybody who touches the ball. We did a really good job and we need to keep that going. I was really pleased with Todd. Starting his first game in Division I, you would have thought he was doing this for 10 years. Courage is a good thing to have, and he has it.”

On Kansas’ running game:

“Brandon McAnderson did a great job early in the game. We ran him hard and ran him a lot. He’s a guy that’s not going to run away from you, but he will make you miss. He knows how to set up blocks. He knows how to pick his way. He is a versatile player. I am really excited about Jake Sharp. He’s a guy that works hard and puts a lot into this. He really showed up tonight and did a great job, and we really feel comfortable with those two guys. We also got Carmon Boyd-Anderson some work at the end, and he will be in the mix down the road also. We feel pretty good at that position.”

On Kansas’ offensive line:

“There’s no question, I am pleased with our offensive line. They did a nice job. Those inside guys had never really started a game here. I would say that without watching the tape, they did a pretty good job. There are some things we saw from the sideline that we need to improve on, but I like the way we played, all five guys.”

Junior Cornerback Aqib Talib

On the improved pass defense:

“We are just practicing harder this year. We are a more competitive team overall. Being more competitive is making us practice better. Practice makes perfect.”

On playing both on offense and defense:

“I tried to finish out the game on both sides, but they took me out today. It was good to get the young guys some playing time, so I wasn’t that upset.”

On his confidence:

“I am confident, no matter who I am playing. I thought that they were throwing a lot to the other side early in the game. They were running a lot of short stuff.”

On the win:

“It was a great game for the defense, but I gave up the touchdown, so I can’t say it was a great day for me. Overall, I think out defense had a good game.”

Sophomore Running Back Jake Sharp

On Todd Reesing:

“I think he did a really good job tonight, and I think he is going to be our man at quarterback. Todd and I are really good friends. We goof around a lot together. Last night, I noticed he was really preparing himself mentally for the game. He did very well, I thought.”

On the new offensive scheme:

“I think the offense was great. Coach (Ed) Warinner had us in the right formations, and he made good calls tonight. I think this is the way our offense can play all year. I think when we run the ball well, we are going to throw the ball well. We had six guys score tonight, and that shows how wide open our offense is.”

Senior Linebacker Joe Mortensen

On the game:

“I thought our secondary played really well tonight. In the second half, we were rushing the quarterback a lot. We were all just staying in our zones and running to the ball. We were having fun. We are disappointed that we didn’t get the shutout, but it was still a good game.”

Sophomore Quarterback Todd Reesing

On the game:

“After the first series, I got a few throws under my belt and I just calmed down a little bit. We were just doing what we prepared to do in practice all week. The offensive line did a great job of pass protection and run blocking. The receivers did a great job catching a lot of balls that weren’t where they were supposed to be. It was really good to get out there and execute the way we did. It was a good way to start the season off.”

On the early fourth-down conversion:

“I think that was a really big play because we got the momentum on our side. We were pumped up knowing we could execute in any situation. It led to a score and lead to the offense getting going in the first half.”

Senior Running back Brandon McAnderson

On the game:

“I thought we played very well on offense. The offensive line was tremendous. They were moving guys. It is a display of improvement we made on the offensive line. This game did a lot for the confidence for our team, our quarterback, our offensive line and our defense.”

On the mindset of this year’s team:

“We aren’t dwelling on last year. I feel this is our team and this is the year for our team. For me there won’t be another year on this team. I think our mindset is better this year because we don’t focus on negative things”

On the running backs:

“I don’t think today was a one hit wonder. If our offensive line plays the way they did today there is no reason we can’t (have two 100-yard rushers). The offensive line was out there moving guys off the ball. Anthony Collins was making plays, pushing people around and Derek Fine did an excellent job of blocking.”

Senior Wide Receiver Marcus Henry

On the game:

“We have B-Mac (Brandon McAnderson) and (Jake) Sharp who can run the ball as well as anyone in the country. They both proved that tonight, gaining over 100 yards. We are not trying to be like other teams in our passing game. The running game just makes our offense that much better.

On Todd Reesing:

“He played really well tonight–making checks, reading defenses and getting the ball to open receivers.”

Sophomore Free Safety Darrell Stuckey

On the first game of the season:

“We are pretty close to being great, but we can’t settle for this because we made a lot of mistakes. We capitalized on a lot of mistakes. We will see how great we are when we are in a close game or against a team that keeps us on our toes. There is still a lot of room for improvement.

On where the team will go from here:

“I feel like we will improve from here. I feel like this will be the foundation for what we do the rest of the year. This is where we start from and we will strive to play this well every game.”

Central Michigan Quotes

Head Coach Butch Jones

On the game:

“When you play a team the caliber of Kansas, you cannot beat yourself. Obviously, giving up the 70-yard punt return, dropping too many balls and too many missed assignments on both sides of the ball, especially on the defensive side of the ball hurt us. I thought we fought to the end, but obviously way too many mistakes to come in here and beat a talented team like Kansas.”

On Kansas:

“We were expecting exactly what we saw. We knew they were a good football team. Anytime you go 6-6 in the Big 12 and you lose as many close games as they did, they could have very easily been a nine or 10-win team last year.”

On Kansas’ pass defense:

“We didn’t execute. We had way too many dropped balls when we had guys open and we didn’t get them the ball when they were open. They were pretty quick up front, but we have to worry about ourselves.”

On Todd Reesing:

“He’s very active. I thought he managed the game very well from a quarterback position. They did a good job not asking him to do too much in this first game. He managed the game and made plays when he had to.”

On Central Michigan:

“I have concerns about a lot of things right now, but that’s why you practice. We’ll have a sharp practice on Tuesday. There are some things we have to get addressed and the big thing is the missed assignments. That can’t happen. It’s­ inexcusable.”

Sophomore Quarterback Dan LaFevour

On the game:

“They managed the ball well. They made plays and we didn’t. It was a combination of different things. They played a great game defensively. At the same time there are things we need to correct too.”

On the Kansas secondary:

“They did a good job all night and they didn’t give up the deep ball. I felt like they really knew what they were doing out there.”

Junior Left Tackle Andrew Hartline

On the Kansas defense:

“(James McClinton) was really elusive. He had really good speed. They had really good change of direction. Their linebackers stepped in the holes really well. It was pretty physical, but it still came down to a lack of execution.”

Senior Defensive Tackle Steven Friend

On the game:

“Coming off the Motor City Bowl and the MAC Championship we were thinking we were going to come in here and be great. It was our mind set. It wasn’t that they were any better or that we were worse. It was when adversity came we didn’t capitalize. We just fell over and we folded. This time I guess we just folded over, and it was pretty disappointing.”