Post-Practice Quotes (Dec. 29)

Dec. 29, 2007

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

Saturday, Dec. 29

Mark Mangino, Head Coach

On second practice…

We went full contact here for two days roughly for two hours a session. We’re very good. The kids had a three-day layoff. They all went home for Christmas and we had no effects of them going home. They got to be with their families and they understood the task at hand here to be ready to practice and get ready.

On first two workouts…

I’m pleased with our first two workouts. They’ve been heavy workouts but that’s the way we do it and our players responded very well.

On Aqib making the switch to offense…

He’s settling in with that corner position and he’s learning. We felt this year that he had a good grasp on that position and that he was capable of taking on more responsibility.

On decision to make Kerry Meier a receiver after he was beat out by Todd Reesing for QB position…

When Todd won the quarterback position I sat down with our Offensive Coordinator Ed Warinner and I said `we’ve got one of the most talented guys on the team who’s going to be standing next to me every day and I’m not comfortable with that.’ We’re talking about a young man who’s got good size, speed, strength, good hands, very intelligent It would be a waste to just have him sit in one place all year so I had Ed present the idea [to make him a receiver] to him and he was all for it. Kerry Meier is what our eam is all about: unselfishness, play together, let’s do what we have to do to help the team. He could be the starting quarterback at a lot of schools but he unselfishly took on this role and he has the respect of his teammates and our fan base because of it.

On Aqib Talib’s leadership and how much he has grown since his one-game suspension last year…

He has grown a lot. Sometimes it takes a couple years really to get a grasp on what it’s all about. He was a young kid, a little bit immature when he got here but I can’t say enough things about the way he handled his suspension and how he learned from it, how he’s grown. He’s become really one of our best players and one of our most respected kids.

He’s about winning. He doesn’t care about all these accolades that he’s received. He deserves them and we’re proud of him but he wants to win and I think that’s what all the kids see in him.

On recruiting Todd Reesing…

He sent us a tape. In his tape he looked phenomenal. He not only made plays throwing the ball. He made them running. His decision making was very good for a high school quarterback. I really like the tape but he looked kind of small so I wanted to see him. He came through with his dad the summer before senior year. In his case, he knew he had to sell himself. He knew he was being turned down by a lot of D-1 school because of his size. I liked him. He was confident; not cocky, but confident. He looked me in the eye. We knew that a lot of schools were jumping off of him. We knew if he played for us he could be a good player. We took him.

CB Aqib Talib

On the past two practices in <?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>Miami …

This is wonderful. We’re in Miami. We are out here working hard. It’s hot. We’re out here working hard; it’s going to pay off.

On Virginia Tech’s QB rotation …

It kind of helps us out a little bit. Each quarterback is going to have his tendencies. It’s like game planning for two different offenses. It’s kind of difficult, but it will give us a heads up on what to expect.

On whether Kansas has faced another team that rotates quarterbacks …

I don’t think so.

On the heat in south Florida and staying hydrated …

We’ve been getting a lot of Gatorade and drinking a lot of water. We know it’s going to be hot. The game is at night, but it’s probably going to still be hot. For practice we’ve been staying real hydrated.

On the effects of layoff between practices in Kansas and Miami …

I don’t think so. We came out here and the first day we had one of the best practices we’ve ever had. I didn’t any rustiness. We had two days off. It wasn’t bad.

On how hard they have worked the past couple of practices …

We’ve just had regular practices, game preparations, just like it was any other game. We’ve been preparing for this game like it’s any other game.

On the difference between the two Virginia Tech QBs …

They have one that likes to run and one that likes to throw it. They’ve got a runner and a thrower.

On Kansas QB Todd Reesing and his leadership …

Todd’s smart and he makes good decisions. He doesn’t really force a lot of stuff. He makes a whole lot of good decisions and he reads the defenses. He prepares himself well for the game.

On Reesing’s locker room presence …

His locker is right next to mine. There’s a lot going on in that corner. We get it poppin. We joke and laugh. We keep it poppin in the locker room.

On also playing on the offensive side of the ball …

We did some little thing in practice my freshman year and then I would just be out there playing around. It was coach’s decision actually. Coach put me on the other side of the ball and said he wanted to see me over there.

On using bowl game to show off his skills to pro scouts …

I use these extra games for my team. That’s what we’re here for. I could care less about pro scouts right now. I’m worried about the Orange Bowl. That’s what we’re here for.

QB Todd Reesing

On staying hydrated…

Obviously coming down here it’s a lot hotter than it is in Kansas. It’s going to take us a couple of days to get used to the warmer temperature but we went through some hot days and played a lot of games when it was hot so it’s something we’re going to be worried about. We just got to stay hydrated, drink a lot of fluid and we’ll be fine.

On tour when he was a junior…

We probably went to about five or so. I was going to camps just trying to get noticed by colleges.

Did you grow up a Longhorn fan…

Yes

On whether he has a sense of redemption since Texas did not take him because of his size…

No, there’s no redemption or trying to get revenge on someone. Everything happens for a reason. I’m not mad because people didn’t recruit me. It happens, you know. I’m glad I go to Kansas. I love it here. I love the coaches. I love the team. Things worked out the way they should have for me.

On turning point of season where he knew he had control of team…

I thought I had control all season long. I think out first Big 12 game where we played on the road and hadn’t won there in like two decades. To win on the road. In the past few years we haven’t played great on the road. We haven’t had a lot of wins so to get a Big 12 victory on the road against a rival I think at that point everyone on this team knew we had a real great team and we had a shot to have a real great season.

On a teammate’s thought that the Colorado game was when he took over as the leader…

Colorado was another road game…a tough place to play. Oklahoma went in their early in the season and they lost and got upset. We faced a similar situation, going in there hadn’t lost yet and playing a good team on the road. We battled some adversity in that game. We had a few struggles on offense moving the ball. And at the end of the game we scored when we had to and the defense made a stop when we had to. It was another game to help us progress through the season.

On meeting Mangino for the first time in his interview…

I was just being myself. I’ve always had a lot of confidence in myself. You tell me I can’t do something that’s just going to be more reason for me to go do it. I’ve always believed in myself. My parents raised me that way. You tell me I can’t do something that’s just going to be more reason for me to go out and do it. So I guess he just saw that.

On the toughest thing about not going to Texas and other places

It wasn’t really tough or something I regret. You know, you’re born in Austin and you grow up there you’re probably going to be a UT fan. My dad went to UT. I came in expecting not to be recruited by a lot of people so I was just going out hoping someone would give me a shot. Luckily I got my shot and it’s turned out pretty well so far.

On competitiveness of GPA in the locker room…

It’s not really a competitive thing but guys see it. Everyone knows who’s going out there and making good grades. Coaches announce at the end of the season who makes Academic All Big 12 and Academic All-American. I don’t think it’s much of a competition thing.

On past 48 hours in South Florida…

These past two days we’ve had two real good practices. I feel great coming off the field today after the work we’ve had so far. I know guys are getting out here and practicing hard and competing so it’s been real good work and I think it’s the way we need to start this week off.

On Virginia Tech defense…

From watching them on film it may not be that far off to say this is the best defense we’ve faced. They have a lot of great players. They have All Americans All conference guys, guys that are going to be playing at the next level. I give them a lot of credit. I have a lot of respect for them. It’s going to be a challenge. They’re a great team. They have a great defense but at the same time I have confidence in our offense. I know we have a great game plan.

On the VT pass rush…

I’ll do what I have to do. I’m sure I’ll be running around a little bit out there.

That’s kind of what the quarterback’s got to do. Whether it’s running it, passing it, pulling something out of your sleeve. You do whatever you got to do.

On fitting in as quarterback…

I felt that way from day one when I came on campus. That’s just how I handle myself. I carry myself at a high level. I expect a lot of myself. You don’t have to tell me when I’ve messed up, I know. You don’t have to tell me when I didn’t get it. I think the guys on the team know that. That’s why they expect me as a leader and as a quarterback.

On perception of Kansas program growing up…

I didn’t know much about them. In the past few years when I was growing up Kansas never really had a lot of great football teams. Only when I started talking to them in high school.

On possibility earlier in the season of Kansas making Orange Bowl…

If you had asked anybody on our team starting this season if we thought this was possible we all would have said yes. We really thought this was possible. We worked hard all off-season to prepare to have a good team so this success and the season we’ve had is something we’ve earned and we’ve worked for. It didn’t just happen by chance.

On playing in heat…

You gotta love the heat. Growing up in Austin it was always hot. I love playing in the heat. I’m glad to be down here and I wouldn’t have it any other way.