Aug. 2, 2002
View photos from the press conference.
Head Football Coach Guy Morriss
On the state of the team…
“We have had a good summer. The kids have worked hardand are excited about getting started. We play sevenhome games and we get a chance to compete against fiveof the nation’s top 20 teams. We are really lookingforward to it. I am always the happiest when my teamsare playing the nation’s best and that is what we geta chance to do this season. The key to our season willbe staying healthy. We are thin in some spots, likeoffensive line, and if we have unfortunate luck wecould find ourselves in trouble.”
On the defense…
“Our front seven are going to be tough andexperienced. They will hold our defensive unittogether. I am concerned and about the youth in thesecondary, however. If the secondary can weather thestorm in some of the early games and gain someconfidence we will be alright.”
On the offense…
“We need to stay healthy up front and pick up where weleft off against Tennessee to be a successful offense.We will need our offensive line to stay intact toanchor the entire offense. Artose (Pinner) needs toget on track and we need to keep Jared (Lorenzen) ingood condition.”
On the rivalry…
“This is an intense rivalry, but it is a healthyrivalry. Opening with a game like this, you know thatright off the bat you are battling for your life. Itis also the sort of rivalry that will rejuvenate highschool football in this state. Football in Kentucky onall levels benefits from this rivalry.”
On where U of L has the edge…
“To catch up with Louisville and the good things theyare doing with their program there, we need to dobetter recruiting. We need athleticism and speed inour program. Athleticism translates into goodfootball.”
On the game…
“Most of the kids are self-motivated. If you can’t getready for a game like this than you need to be playingsomewhere else. It is the most important game on theschedule because it is our first game and because itis Louisville. We’ll be ready.”
On this year’s improvements…
“Last year, we couldn’t win those close games, but weknew that we were only a few plays away from pullingout a win. We will build confidence and learn to slamthe door on people. It is a mental approach that wemust learn to take.”
On his practices…
“I am an old-fashioned football guy. I like up-tempopractices with lots of collisions. You play like youpractice, but we will be smart about it and keepeveryone healthy.”
