Postgame Quotes
Nov. 17, 2007
Recap | Final Stats | 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 45, Iowa State 7
Nov. 17, 2007 – Lawrence, Kan.
Kansas Quotes
Head Coach Mark Mangino
On being 11-0:
“It means a lot to the people who work with our players every game, the players themselves, and the team as a whole. It means a lot to them that they have been able to do something that hasn’t been done in the past. I think it comes as a byproduct of just playing hard, winning and keeping your eye on the target, and these things seem to come about.”
On personal achievements:
“If you work hard, if you prepare to play every week and you execute your responsibilities, then anything is possible, and that is what’s taking place. There are no kids who want to break this record or that record. What they are doing is doing their jobs, and that is a byproduct.”
On Todd Reesing:
“He had another great night out. He had good protection. The receivers, tight ends and backs ran good routes, which gave him the chance to put some balls into coverage. Todd had another really good night.”
On Brandon McAnderson:
“Brandon has been a key guy for us. He started his career as a special teams guy, earned his way to the No. 1 fullback, and is now the No. 1 single back. Our kids are more interested in winning than the personal goals. That’s why they put all this hard work into the program.”
On KU’s defense:
“I thought we played well. I thought the drive they scored on we had a bunch of penalties, which is uncharacteristic of our team. But overall, we played very, very well. We had the opportunity to play some young kids in the fourth quarter, and they did a good job, too. I was very pleased.”
On the Kansas-Missouri game:
“We had planned to have a good season, and one of the things that the kids wanted to accomplish this year was to have an opportunity to win the Big 12 North, and next week they will get an opportunity to try and do that. That is something that our players wanted, and I’m sure – I’m not sure, I am absolutely positive that they are looking forward to the game.”
Sophomore Quarterback/Wide Receiver Kerry Meier
On being 11-0:
“We set high, high personal goals and we keep working to get there. We aren’t done yet, but we’ve accomplished a lot of great things so far. I congratulate the team and the fan support and everything, but we still have a lot of work ahead of us to do.”
On possibly playing for the national championship:
“I think Oregon lost the other night and it’s unfolding the way we want, but like I said, we have to take care of business and take it one week and one step at a time and let it come to us. If we take care of our business, things will fall into place for us.”
On getting over the fact that Reesing is the starting quarterback:
“It took a day. I realized that Todd (Reesing) is the man for the job this year and that’s how it’s going to be. I took it as some motivation to work and if that’s Todd’s (Reesing) job, then I need to find another place and another way to get on the field, and I think I found a way and I’m enjoying what I’m doing right now and I think it’s an effective role on the team.”
Sophomore Quarterback Todd Reesing
On Missouri quarterback Chase Daniel:
“Chase is a great player, from the times I’ve seen him play, he finds a way to make plays. He’s a great quarterback, but that’s not what I’m really worried about right now, that’s not really my concern because I play against the defense and he plays offense.”
On his completion percentage:
“When the offensive line does a good job blocking and the play calling is great, the receivers get open, it makes my job really easy and when guys are getting open and being where they’re supposed to be and we’re executing well, the completions take care of themselves. Tonight we were executing our plays very well and we weren’t trying to force anything and take what the defense would give us. Because of that we were able to complete a lot of passes and have productivity.”
On being associated with the Heisman:
“I’m not going to worry about any postseason awards or anything like that. That’s amazing that my name is even being considered on such a short list of great players and I’m really just speechless when someone mentions that, but really that’s just a reflection of my teammates, because without them, I wouldn’t have accomplished anything. So I’m not going to worry about awards, I’m worried about next week’s game and enjoying the victory tonight.”
Senior Brandon McAnderson
On possibly overlooking IowaState:
“It never really entered our minds because that is not the way we operate. We are just a focused team that is focused every week. IowaState is an improving football team. This week our focus was IowaState and last week our focus was on OklahomaState. It sounds like a cliché and it sounds like something that everybody says, but it is just the way we are. We just don’t look ahead, it is not important to us.”
On the game:
“Senior day is a big event and I was fired up for this game. This was probably the biggest game of my life so far, but we still have a long ways to go. We have 13 seniors on this team and we have come a long way. I have been here for five years and Derek Fine has been here for six years. We have gone through a lot of really hard times and tough losses. 11-0 means nothing to me right now but it will probably mean a lot in a few months. It does mean a lot considering where we have came from. We have come a long way and our attitudes and players have changed. We have become a different program.”
Junior Linebacker Joe Mortenson
On the improved Jayhawks:
“We have learned a lot from players from the past and we knew that in camp this year that we had a chance to be a good team if we just played together.”
On the Missouri game:
“It feels good to have all the other games out of the way and the atmosphere is going to be great and I am looking forward to it.”
Iowa State Quotes
Head Coach Gene Chizik
On his message to the team following the game:
“I told them I appreciated their efforts. It has been a hard year. There has been a lot of ups and downs all year. I wished the seniors well and told them that we really appreciated what they brought to the university. We just have to go back to work with all the guys that are returning and put a lot better product out there than this year.”
On the positives on a 3-9 season:
“We got two quality Big 12 wins. We beat Iowa. Obviously three (wins) is not the goal. We’re going to try to pull out some positives from it. I’m going to go back and review the season really hard.”
On Kansas;
“They are a very good football team. They are deservedly No. 2 in the country. He’s (Mangino) built it right. He’s built it with speed and with great players. It showed tonight. There were times when we were in the right spots and couldn’t tackle or come down with the ball. They’ve got a very good football team.”
On Todd Reesing:
“He’s one of the tops in the league. He manages the game great. He’s does all the things that has gotten them to this spot. He’s played well all year.”
Sophomore Linebacker Jesse Smith
On Todd Reesing:
“He’s a very good quarterback. He hurt us both running the ball, scrambling and obviously throwing the ball down field. That’s what he did–he hurt us today. He’s definitely one of the top quarterbacks (that I have faced).”
On Kansas:
“They did what we expected them to do and we just didn’t execute our game plan. They are a very good football team and I wish them the best.”
On comparing Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas:
“All of them are really good. We played against Oklahoma really well and we thought we were going to come out here and play against Kansas really well.”
On which is better–KU offense or defense:
“They were both impressive. We couldn’t stop them and we couldn’t get anything going on offense. Both of them kind of contradict each other. They played really well like we expected they would, and we just didn’t do our job.”
Senior Quarterback Bret Meyer
On playing his last game:
“We wanted to play better today.”
On Todd Reesing:
“I don’t see why he’s not up there (Heisman consideration). As far as all that I have seen he is one of the best. Kansas’ offense might be the best that we’ve seen.”
On the IowaState offense:
“We kind of killed ourselves. We’ve played against good defensive schools all year. They (KU) have a good defense and a good secondary. We had too many penalties. We’ve got to give ourselves a chance to score a lot.”
