Nov. 8, 1999
Coach Hal Mumme
On Garry Davis
“We’ve reinstated Garry Davis. Normally, we don’t discuss disciplinarymatters, but I don’t want anyone to think that Garry did anything criminalor anything that might reflect on his character. Garry just got depressedabout his role in the offense and didn’t show up for practice for a coupleof days, so I ‘fired’ him. I just wanted to get his attention. He came bymy office and was very remorseful. He just wants to be a Wildcat again.”
On Vanderbilt’s play in 1999
“I think they’re playing extremely well. I voted for Coach Widenhofer forCoach of the Year on my ballot. He’s done a great job. They’re a greatfootball team.”
On UK’s wide-receiving corps
“Garry (Davis) needs to come back strong and we’ve been very pleased withKendrick Shanklin, but he’s still learning. (Brad) Pyatt played all thesnaps on Thursday and he’ll be better this week. We’ll put him out therewith Edgar Gantt and we hope to get (Quentin) McCord back, but that’s notcertain. Ernest Simms is going to be a great player too, but he’s just afreshman.”
On UK’s injuries
“Willie Gary is out with a high ankle sprain and he’s probably done for theyear, but I think the others will be okay. Eric Kelly will be a game-timedecision.”
On UK’s clock management versus Mississippi State
“I though we did pretty well. When we got the ball at the end of the firsthalf, we were going to go for the score if we could get a first down. Butwhen we got stuffed on first down, we decided to run the clock out. At theend of the game, I intended to run the clock out. If we could have sprung abig play, I might have tried a field goal if it had been a chip shot, but Iwasn’t going to try a long field goal. We came close to using all theclock, but we just didn’t quite get it done. I think we did the best job wecould.”
On Vandy’s defense
“They’re very smart, they don’t get out of position and they play as a team.”
On the Vandy game
“This is the kind of game you think about playing when you’re a player. Idon’t think you could find two more evenly matched teams. Look at ouroffense versus their defense and their offense versus our defense. Thereare great match-ups on both sides of the ball. A lot of people at SEC MediaDays said that these teams would battle it out for their only win of theyear in the SEC and now both teams are playing for a bowl bid on national TV.”
Linebacker Ryan Murphy
On returning to practice following UK’s 23-22 loss to Mississippi State
“I’m kind of anxious to get in and see the mistakes we made and see how wecan improve on the loss. We are all itching to hit and get ready to playagain. The game can’t here fast enough against Vanderbilt. They are areally good team but we’re pumped up and it is going to be a battle outthere.”
On UK and Vanderbilt both seeking its sixth win to become bowl eligible”It will be a battle. It is going to be an incredibly physical game andemotionally draining on both sides of the ball. It should be a showdown.”
On UK and Vanderbilt improving on preseason predictions
“It is amazing how far we’ve come from the preseason polls and from whateveryone was saying before the season. Basically the only people thatbelieved in us were the people on the team and the coaching staff so now itis time to show what we can do and prove everybody wrong that we are aworthy of going to a bowl game.”
On Vanderbilt:
“They’ve played some great games. Last week, they gave Florida a great gameand they played Georgia pretty well, too. Those are two incredible teams.”
Guard Josh Parrish
On forgetting the 23-22 loss to Mississippi State
“I think you put it in the back of your mind but you can’t dwell on it. Youhave to have a short memory and make the loss a motivation for the next week.”
On facing Vanderbilt
“We just have to go out and execute because Vandy is a good team and theyhave a great defense. We just have to go out there and get the job done.”
Tight End James Whalen
On the loss to Mississippi State
“It was definitely tough just because of the way the game ended, but Ithink we will be ready to play. I think the outcome inspired us and fromthe senior standpoint, I know we are really looking forward to get back outthere. With Anthony (White), Sned (Jeff Snedegar) and George (Massey), Ithink we havereally become leaders over this season and we will have to demonstrate thatover the last two weeks of the season.”
On the pressure of needing one more win to become bowl eligible
“That’s what we as athletes play for. You love the pressure and theexcitement and the adversity of a situation like this. We have becomeathletes to be put in this situation where you can make a play to help yourteam and your school go places. Getting that sixth win and going toback-to-back bowls has been ourgoal all season and if we can do that, especially at their place, it isgoing to be a real positive.”
On Personal Records
“I try not to stop and look at the numbers and the things that I’ve donebecause I’m afraid that it will stop. I just keep going, doing what I havebeen doing and hope things continue to go well for our team.”
QB Dusty Bonner
On the injuries to the UK receiving corps
“It has been a little difficult having to get used to different receivers,but that is just part of the game.”
On Vanderbilt
“They are an impressive team and they have been proving it all year long.”
On the differences of playing on Thursday
“I don’t think that it had an impact on the game one way or another, but itdoes give you more time to think about it a little more. You think abouthow close you were, but at the same time, it pumps you up for the next weekthat much more and makes you more excited and more anxious for the nextweek of practice.”
On Vandy’s defense
“Vandy has always had a great defense, there is no doubt about it. Theyhave great athletes and they play hard. I think they are probably one ofthe most impressive defenses that I’ve seen in my college career sincetheir ’97 team. They have a great scheme, they are very disciplined andthey play smart so itis going to be a tough battle for us and we are really going to have to beprepared. They are going to come after us and blitz a good bit so we justhave to be prepared for that. We will be fine as long as we can counterwhat they try to do to us.”
On any sense of urgency to get the sixth win
“Definitely. I sat at home this weekend and thought about that a lot. Weall want to go to a bowl game and that was our goal for this year. It isgetting down to the time where it is going to be decided here shortly so wehave to get ready. If we want it, we are going to have to get out there andget it.”
“Anytime you go on the road, I think the home team has a bit of anadvantage. When you are on the road you have to take an ‘us against theworld’ mentality and I think it fires you up a little bit more. It issomething that we know we have to be prepared for and we all take it asanother challenge. This is thetime for us to step up to that challenge.”
