Postgame Quotes

Oct. 10, 2009

Recap | Box Score | Notes |

Postgame Quotes

Kansas 41, Iowa State 36

Oct. 10, 2009 – Lawrence, Kan.

Kansas Head Coach Mark Mangino

On the final play of the game:

“I was glad that the quarterback didn’t have it on target because they would have won the game.”

On the play of the offense, specifically the offense line:

“Certainly, our offense was fantastic tonight. Todd Reesing was phenomenal. The offensive line controlled the line the scrimmage all night. It was one of the finest jobs of pass protection that I think I’ve ever been associated with in a single game. You can put Toben Opurum in there, who was picking up blitzes as a true freshman.”

On giving up 36 points at home to Iowa State:

“On the defensive side of the ball, it was not a pretty picture. I want to give credit to Iowa State. (Austin) Arnaud is one of the most improved quarterbacks in the league. They have done a fantastic job with him. They have a fine running back who was really good. They have a huge offensive line that’s got to be one of the biggest in the league. Having said all that, we did not play well on defense, and we have to get better. We know what the issues are, and we have to get them corrected on the practice field. I think our defense as a unit really has to toughen up a little bit. We really just got to toughen up and get a little bit of a mental edge and mental toughness to us.”

On the offensive line gelling as a unit:

“I think they are talented. Our offense is playing to their strengths, and I think John Reagan is doing an outstanding job with them as is Brandon Blaney. I think those kids are coming along. They certainly have a lot of work to do. They can’t hang their hat on tonight’s game and think it will come automatically. But I really like the way the offensive line is coming together.”

On the play of freshman running back Toben Opurum, who rushed for 98 yards:

“I really want to point out Toben Opurum again because he played every down that we had a running back in the game. He ran the ball hard and he was tired in the fourth quarter but he continued to run. He pass protected nearly flawlessly.”

On the offense being the key to Kansas’ victory:

“As a football team, sometimes one side of the ball or the other carries you. Today the offense carried us, but I don’t think we are as bad on defense as we played today.”

Kansas senior quarterback Todd Reesing

On how the game became a shootout
You never know what to except. People said we were supposed to beat this team by more and they came out ready to play. Their offense was moving and it came down to a shoot out. Luckily, we had things going well on offense, but that’s how football goes you never know how football is going to work out for you.”

On who has the best receiving corps in the country:
I think those two guys working together in addition to Tim, John and Bradley who get overshadowed a little by how good Briscoe and Meir are. I don’t think you can find a duo as good as them, but if you say they do, I would challenge that and say they’re not.”

His opinion on the offensive line
“That was the best pass protection I have had in my three years here for an entire game. We threw the ball 49 times and had zero sacks. If you can do that than you have a pretty good chance to win. All the numbers that I put up today can be attributed to how well that the offensive line blocked.”

Kansas junior wide receiver Kerry Meier

On his record-setting 16 receptions:

“I think a lot of things went into it. It all started off with a good week of preparation. All week we were executing offensively with the schemes that Coach (Ed) Warner put in and when it came around today, it was just like going out and practicing. The offensive line did a great job of giving Todd (Reesing) some time and he got through his reads and put the ball where it needed to be and it just so happened that I caught 16 of them.”

On Briscoe’s two touchdown receptions:

“That’s just Dez going and making a big play. Todd put those balls up in the air and kind of let’s Dez do his thing. That’s what he did on that deep post late in the game. He went up and made a big play and at that point in the game it was a big time play. If we come out of that drive with no points, who knows what happens the rest of the game.”

On Iowa State’s last pass attempt on fourth down:

“It was a bang-bang play. I figured, knowing our defense, we were going to bring some pressure and play some cover zero, and sure enough that’s what we did. We brought the pressure and their quarterback (Austen Armaud) bought some time and threw the ball up and it seemed like that ball was in the air for a little while just floating. It just seemed like it was going to stay in the air until he got right underneath it. Thankfully, it came down and not in their hands and we found ourselves with another victory.”

Kansas junior defensive end Jake Laptad:

On the defensive performance:

“The defense did not play well at all today. We weren’t mentally there. I feel like we didn’t have our head in the game. We need to really pick it up this week, it was a bad start to Big 12 play right there.”

On how to start preparing for more Big 12 teams:

“It starts tomorrow in practice. We need to get better every play. It’ll be a big week of practice for us.”

Kansas junior cornerback Chris Harris:

On how the defense feels after this game:

“We know that games like this are going to happen, everyone is going to bring their best game against us. We need to re-focus and watch the film tomorrow and try to get better.”

Where the breakdown was defensively in the fourth quarter, fourth down play:

“I didn’t see it, I was on my receiver on the right side. I didn’t see what happened, but apparently someone let their man go.”

On seeing the ball, and his reaction to the pass:

“Yes, my man ran a post. I didn’t know anyone was behind me, so I looked and just hoped he wouldn’t catch it.”

Kansas junior guard Brad Thorson:

Why the offensive line was so good today:

“I don’t know, I think it’s a culmination of a lot of things, we’ve been working really hard. We continued to work on fundamentals and communication. I think our line as a whole really understands each other – and it was really easy for us to talk on the field, figure out what Iowa State was trying to do to trick us up. Commitment to fundamentals the whole game helped us.”

Iowa State head coach Paul Rhoads

On quarterback Austin Arnaud’s performance:

“He was stellar. Sooner or later, when you keep practicing as well as he has, it will show up on game day. But you have to do it on game day, and he certainly did today. He threw the ball as well into the wind as he did with the wind. I’m proud of him.”

On the close score:

“I have a football team that continues to prepare well. Each week, they are doing more and more of what it takes to win football games. We still haven’t gotten over the hump to make more plays than our opponents in a game like this. Kansas is a very good football team with some outstanding players on offense and one hell of a quarterback. In the end, overall, they made more plays than us. But we’re growing.”

On the play of Kansas’ offense:

“They do a nice job schematically of doing route combinations. Any time you’ve got that many receivers down the field that are that skilled, you can’t favor one over the other. Our pass rush continues to allow the quarterback to sit back and have enough time to allow those routes to come open. They did a nice job of balancing out inside-and-out routes and outside-and-in routes. So you start as a defensive player favoring one direction, and then they come back the other. I thought their play-calling was very good.”

Iowa State wide receiver Jake Williams

On how close Iowa State is to getting over the hump:

“We’re really close. We have to come back next week, like we did after last week’s loss and be ready to play against Baylor.”

On whether quarterback Austen Amaud was as sharp as in previous games:

“I think so – definitely. It was a fairly stiff wind and we put together some good drives going into the wind.”

On the offense’s performance:

“Overall, I think we did pretty good. We had a three-and-out where I think they scored and then we went three-and-out. We made strides as an offense.”

Iowa State place kicker Grant Mahoney

On the missed field goals:

“I think it was a bad hold. There were only about two seconds left on the play clock and so he snapped it real quick and I don’t think I was ready for that.”

On how close the team is to a victory:

“I think we’re right there.”

On what he tells himself to bounce back after a missed kick:

“Focus on the next kick. If I make it – I make it, just focus on the next kick.”