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00:00 Hello all and welcome to our post game press conference.
00:14 Coach will start with an opening statement and then we'll take questions from in the
00:17 room and on Zoom.
00:18 Yeah, yeah, incredible football team.
00:22 Very well coached, great talent, impressive team.
00:25 Obviously we didn't play as well as we'd like, but we got to give them credit.
00:30 They played a huge part of that.
00:31 So didn't get off to a great start and never really, but our guys did compete in the second
00:37 half and I was proud of that.
00:40 We will learn from this game, we will get better and then I promise you we'll be ready
00:44 to play next week.
00:45 Ashton Dangles, what's the update there?
00:46 Yeah, I think he's going to be okay.
00:49 He just got banged up a little bit.
00:51 Just felt like it was a good opportunity to give Justin a chance to play.
00:56 He's a really, Justin's a really good player.
00:57 He's worked really hard and he's had a great camp.
00:59 So he did some good things when he came in.
01:02 With Ashton in the first half, is that a play that he's just got to learn?
01:07 Yeah, we were hoping they'd be in a little different coverage.
01:11 So it's not all on him.
01:12 And then the timing was thrown off and he kind of hurried a little bit, but it's not
01:17 all on him.
01:18 It's definitely on me, the concept and the timing of the game.
01:23 It felt like Jesse was kind of seeing gold and kind of frustrating because that's where
01:29 the game feels out of hand before you even have a chance to play.
01:33 Yeah, well, you know, going into the game, they're really good.
01:36 They're talented.
01:37 So, you know, you got to play well early and try and hang around.
01:41 And obviously we didn't do that.
01:44 So the expectation was to come in here and play really well and win the football game.
01:47 And that didn't happen.
01:48 And they outplayed us.
01:50 And obviously it's very frustrating, but I still love this team.
01:54 I love our guys.
01:55 I love how they compete.
01:57 And we got a long season ahead of us for those to continue to get better.
02:01 And we will improve each week.
02:03 You know, I got to watch the tape.
02:06 I mean, it wasn't perfect, but, you know, he came in a tough, tough situation, tough
02:11 circumstances.
02:12 And I thought he competed really well.
02:15 And we'll watch the tape, but I thought he did a good job.
02:17 First of all, when you evaluate this team, what are the strengths right now, but what
02:22 else are you excited about?
02:25 Yeah, you know, we've obviously, you know, had a good start in the first game and
02:29 played a really, really good football team, one of the best in the country.
02:33 So, you know, we're still learning about our team.
02:35 What I do know, though, is they're going to compete.
02:38 They're not going to stop.
02:39 And they're going to continue to get better.
02:41 And we'll be the same as the coaching staff.
02:43 We need to move forward.
02:44 Who we are in the season is early on.
02:46 It hasn't been defined.
02:47 It's just one day.
02:49 Obviously, we're not at their level right now.
02:51 But we will shoot to be there, and we will continue to work at it.
02:55 There's a lot of success with the running game on your guys' side.
02:58 I mean, when you look at the U.S. team, what were they like the most like listening to
03:01 you, their edges or how were you going to really pull them apart?
03:05 Yeah, I don't know that they're undisciplined.
03:07 I mean, part of it is pace of the game and how they adjust with the lead.
03:10 So I wouldn't read too much into that.
03:12 But they got a lead, and they played with the lead really well.
03:16 So they're a good team.
03:18 They're well-rounded in all areas.
03:21 But this being the last conference game, the last game, who knows how long it's
03:27 disappointing that this is the score that's going to stick in the page?
03:33 No, I mean, no added element to it.
03:35 It's just as a competitor, you want to win every game.
03:38 And all those things, we move on to the next game.
03:41 So disappointing, obviously, wanted a different and a better result.
03:47 But no, nothing added to it, I'm going to say.
03:51 [inaudible]
03:58 Well, I think two incredible institutions.
04:00 They played football for a really long time, both proud traditions.
04:04 It's been a good rivalry.
04:06 I think both sides have been challenged.
04:10 But it is what it is, and maybe we'll play them someday again.
04:14 We're going to take a question over Zoom, Ben.
04:18 Hey, Coach, just wanted to get your thoughts on Colum Wright's performance,
04:22 10 total tackles, had a pass break up.
04:25 Just talk about what you kind of saw from him tonight in this one,
04:28 and seeing him play what he did do against a top team like this.
04:31 Yeah, Colum is a really good player, and he's young too.
04:34 He's going to continue to improve.
04:37 He's really competitive.
04:38 I thought his demeanor was good the entire game.
04:41 He was in it, he was locked in, and he was competing.
04:44 So we're really excited about a lot of our young guys.
04:48 Any other questions on Zoom or in the room?
04:51 [inaudible]
04:59 They've got amazing talent, there's no doubt.
05:01 They've got a great scheme and a great coach.
05:04 So they can definitely challenge winning the conference
05:09 and going beyond that.
05:10 From my vantage point, they're very good.
05:13 Any early thoughts on second-double-stakes
05:15 or is it just good or they got a bigger problem?
05:17 Yeah, they're a good team.
05:19 They've got really good coaches, I know.
05:21 And it will be a challenge, but we'll be better next week
05:25 and we'll be ready to play.
05:26 [inaudible]
05:37 Yeah, I think he's pretty unique that way.
05:40 He's good in the pocket.
05:41 It's not that he's not, but I think what really separates him
05:44 is he's hard to get on the ground.
05:46 And when he extends the play, he keeps his eyes up,
05:48 and he's very accurate on the move.
05:50 So, again, keeping him in the pocket is not a great thing either
05:55 because they've done a good job of protecting it.
05:57 He's got great weapons.
05:58 But what really makes him special, I think,
06:00 is his ability to extend plays.
06:02 He's fast and he's strong.
06:05 Ben Parker?
06:09 Yeah, obviously, you're going to have to kind of reflect
06:12 on this game a little bit,
06:13 and you might have a better answer for us on Tuesday.
06:15 But just kind of in general, how do you kind of get a team
06:18 to kind of bounce back from a group after a night like this?
06:21 Well, you know, they're competitors,
06:24 and these guys work really hard.
06:26 They're not going to go in the tank over one game.
06:29 It's disappointing.
06:30 They should be disappointed.
06:31 They'll hold their caroons, and we'll wake up tomorrow,
06:34 and we will get ready for the next week.
06:37 We're early in the season.
06:39 We're a young team.
06:40 We knew that.
06:41 But that doesn't mean we can't be a really good team.
06:43 So, we'll continue to work, and I can promise you
06:47 that those guys will not go in the tank.
06:49 They'll be ready to roll.
06:52 Anyone else?
06:55 All right, thank you, Coach.
06:56 Okay, thank you.
06:57 Appreciate it.
06:58 Thanks.