Nov. 8, 2005
ORLANDO - UCF head coach George O'Leary met the Orlando media Tuesday to discuss the Golden Knights' win vs. Houston and this week's Conference USA game at UAB.
On the toughness of practice the last few days:
I think if you go back to preseason, we set a goal of becoming bowl eligible and getting to a bowl. Obviously once you meet your goal you have to set a new goal. I addressed the team and told them that the new goal is to make sure we are bowl eligible, six doesn't guarantee anything, it just makes you eligible.
Now I think we have to take care of our business as far as the rest of the games are concerned. We have a shot now to possibly get a league divisional championship and that has to be the new goal. All we can do is take care of our own business as far as each of the games coming up and let the chips fall as they may after the season is over.
I think when you change goals and have loftier goals things get a little more intense. Practice has been a little tougher, but so be it. That is the nature of the game. I don't know that the practices are tougher, but you go into the 10th game and people are a little more beat up, so it may appear that way.
On UAB:
The big thing I spoke to them (UCF's players) about was not to get wrapped up in last week's game. I think the most important thing is this week and going to Birmingham and playing as well as we can play against a very good football team. I think they (UAB) are a very talented football team that had some tough losses in some very close games. Anytime you have a quarterback like Darrell (Hackney) that can throw it around and command the offense like he does, a returning offense line with good size and stout, and a defense that run around pretty good, we will have our work cut out for us.
On going into this road contest with a three-game winning streak, like the Southern Miss game:
I think with Southern Miss we sort of gave the game away with the six turnovers. We gave them six possessions inside the 25-yard line. You can't do that and expect to win against a team like that. I think we grew up from that. We realized that every practice needs to be a great practice. If you practice well you give yourself a chance to go out and win on Saturday. If you don't practice well, you have no chance.
On the players buying into the success they could have:
I thought they bought into it during preseason. They just didn't react to it. I never thought that this team just all of the sudden put the hot water on and shut the cold water off. I think both sides were running we just didn't react to things. Our closing speed to reaction wasn't there and I think we have improved in that area both offensively and defensively. They have started playing at faster tempo. When they got more reps, they started to understand the whole picture, which comes with youth and experience.
On where the program is going:
Anytime you go from last year to this year you would say you are ahead. I have been there. It is a short drop from the penthouse to the outhouse and a long climb from the outhouse to the penthouse. I think you have to understand that when you are looking at your football team.
Sunday is always a reality day for me. You realize you never played as bad as you thought and you never played as well as you thought. We have to improve in a lot of areas. We have to have a good recruiting class come in. If the kids are on the field, my job is to bring in kids to try and beat them out ... their job is to keep their job.
On the big play capability of Darrell Hackney:
He is a very good football player. He has a lot of experience and a great arm, probably one of the strongest arms in the conference. He has receivers that can go get it, a big offensive line, a big time running back. We are going to have our work cut out for us. I keep selling the concept of team. I think the chemistry of the team has been the key to our success.
On Steven Moffett's biggest asset to the team:
I think maturity and his fieldmanship. I would say Steven has a good grasp of what is in front of him now from a defensive standpoint. He is playing with a lot more vision and knows where to throw it. He took off running a few times Saturday night and I think they were good decisions on his part. He is still keeping his vision downfield.
Every quarterback is going to make mistakes, but you don't want to see big mistakes, turnovers. That is where he has really helped us out. He is not turning it over, he is not doing things he shouldn't be doing. He is commanding the offense and is the leader in the huddle. You can talk to him on the sideline and he hears what you are giving him.