Jack Bicknell Quotations

We're basically back to where we were last year. Matt Kubik will start based on the fact he played the most last year. Donald Allen will play early on and we'll leave it at that and see where we go from there.

We've tried to stress to our players that they shouldn't think the worst. No one is having any success calling people in these areas. Our No. 1 priority is the well-being both physically and emotionally of these young men. This just wouldn't have been a good day to practice.

Last year, we really just put it all on his shoulders. This year, we're not going to do that. We've got to be more balanced with the quarterbacks, the receivers, and of course, the running backs. They all have to kind of pick up the slack.

Seneca did a wonderful job (against Kansas). They don't know, but they say he's very doubtful for New Mexico State. We're discussing (all our options) now and will go through it the next couple of weeks.

NFL Europe is a whole new world for college quarterbacks. This is a step down from the NFL, but it's a big step up from college. When you get to the pros, it's hard to get used to how well everyone at every position can run. Quarterbacks make throws into the seam that used to get there in college and now they're getting picked. You get an education over here you can't get holding a clipboard.

NFL Europe is a whole new world for college quarterbacks, ... This is a step down from the NFL, but it's a big step up from college. When you get to the pros, it's hard to get used to how well everyone at every position can run. Quarterbacks make throws into the seam that used to get there in college and now they're getting picked. You get an education over here you can't get holding a clipboard.

I would prefer to throw the ball and then set up the run. If you can't throw the ball, you're absolutely dead.

I'd love to tell you there's a whole bunch of difference, but it seems to be just a whole bunch of back and forth right now. We're done with our two weeks. We're trying to make some decisions. We'd love for one guy to rise up above the other, but right now they're both kind of going back and forth. If that's the case then they're both going to play. If not, then we'll name a starter. But right now we're not prepared to do that.

I don't know what to say to someone who doesn't know what's going on with his mom and dad.

Freddie has done a great job. He's had a great camp and spring and he's a guy we look to provide a spark for us. I think he's going to have a good year.

He made a great catch, ... He's going to be a very good player.

He's a got a good arm, he's mobile, but more important, he's a leader, and that's what you need to win in this league.

I think it's been great. They are doing it the right way. It really helped us against Florida. If we can, I'd like to have it.

I think it's been great. It's impossible to ask anybody to go out there and make the correct call every single time. It gives them an opportunity to get it right.

I thought he did a great job. He missed a couple (of passes) and he forced one that was a bonehead play. Other than that, he did a great job running the offense.

I thought he did a great job, ... He missed a couple (of passes) and he forced one that was a bonehead play. Other than that, he did a great job running the offense.

I though the defense did all right, but they got fatigued pretty early, ... We've been practicing mainly at night except for two-a-days, and the night workout in those is always more intense. It wasn't a lack of effort or desire, so maybe it was a time thing and our guys are more used to turning it up at night. But with this hot, muggy morning, they got tired in a hurry.

I think we're smarter than that. I know this: We better have a great effort and handle ourselves. If not, we'll get beat.

I watched the USC game and said, 'Oh my god. To come out here to this place and do this is unbelievable.

Last week was just a mess; it was just terrible,

Overall we saw some good things and some bad things, just like you do every scrimmage, ... The good thing is that I feel like we're farther along at this point than we've been in the past, mainly because we have a better understanding of our base offense and defense. The players are comfortable with what we're trying to do, so now we just have to try to make sure everyone is healthy and ready to go against Florida.

I still think that we're in good shape physically and mentally. We've just been practicing a lot at night, because that's when we'll play most of our games.

That was two turnovers down in our own end that put the game out of reach. And both of those, nine out of 10 times aren't going to happen.

That was a great catch, ... He's going to be a good player and is another freshman who we have to try and get on the field. We have some true freshmen like Wheeler, Harrison, Jackson, Brown, and maybe even Chad Beverage and Brian White who can help us this year. We have more true freshman ready to go than I ever remember, and that's a sign of good recruiting.

That was big. That last sack (by Cooks) and not getting at least a field goal. It was a great opportunity, we just didn't get it done.

We need to regroup and get back in the hunt. We felt like we beat a good Hawaii team last week and I still feel like we have a good team. We didn't play particularly well today, but it's far from over.

Without a doubt. Maybe one freshman (would start or play a lot).

We have some guys that may not have been recruited as heavily because of the location of their high school or whatever, but these players are just as good. And some of them have already gotten bigger and better since we recruited them.

We didn't run the ball as well as we have. Offensively we didn't do a great job today.

We definitely need to find ways to get Patrick and Weldon on the field, ... We've been working on different things to try and get the ball in their hands.

The fact that the team really pitched in, I think the people up here appreciate that. One thing I know for sure, you appreciate what you have. A simple dorm room became everything. Just being able to have a bed and three hot meals and four walls and a roof, that's something to really be thankful for.

We have got to get back to work and get better. To me, we've got to be able to throw the ball and make plays with the pass.

To me, the key (for us) is the secondary, only because it's a scary position, ... If a lineman gets beat, it usually isn't a touchdown, but if a safety doesn't get deep enough, it is. That's what makes it scary ... but I believe we have excellent players there and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens.

Turnovers. That's always my No. 1 answer. We also have to contain their special teams because they do a good job with that. Obviously, we also have to make plays on offense.

We've really got to look at it and see what gives us the best opportunity to make plays.

We are going to give Donald the start and let Matt come off the bench. Offensively, we didn't play well last week and that wasn't Matt's fault or any one person's fault. It was a combination of a great Florida defense and us not executing across the board offensively.

And they have some wide receivers who can really fly, so we have our hands full, ... They pretty much dominated Wyoming and their offense is really dangerous.

There was a foot of snow on the ground when we got here. It's hard to get families to come out and have fun when they're freezing.

The whole recruiting process is always a stressful deal. You start getting paranoid, but the beautiful thing is we got all of them in.

Thank goodness his mom was OK. He couldn't just call down there, and he couldn't go down there (for several days).

Offense is such a game of execution and that's what we need to improve. It's a matter of executing in all areas. We have to bring it all together and I think we can do that.

As far as their character, you can't beat either of those two guys, ... Both of them bring something and having two starters is a positive. You don't have to worry about the first guy going down.

The bottom line is both of those guys are going to be playing like we did last year. They're both going to get an opportunity.

A lot of our players have lost everything. It really hits home.

They have an innovative offensive scheme that is tough to defend, ... Defensively, they have some tough blitzes for us to pick up.

They have some good outside rushers. We have a tackle that has a bad ankle and just couldn't block them. But it was everyone, and I'm not using the bad ankle as an excuse.

They have some good outside rushers, ... We have a tackle that has a bad ankle and just couldn't block them. But it was everyone, and I'm not using the bad ankle as an excuse.

It's a combination of things. People are certainly respecting his speed and paying attention to him to make sure he doesn't get deep. They're trying to not let us get the ball to him. Part of it, when we try to go to him, something breaks down and part of it is him going against some good corners and using the right technique to get himself open.

It's not like it's over. There's so many ramifications to it, it's just overwhelming.

It's been a life-changing experience for a lot of people,

It'll be a good diversion for everyone. Each day gets better. Just the mere fact that everybody knows about everybody now is a huge thing and a big relief.

I've got to figure out who is the best guy to give us an opportunity to win,

They basically had the clothes on their back, and that was it. It's been a real tough week. ... It's not like it just goes away. It's not like it's over. It's not over at all; it continues to go on. The people are still here. They still need to be taken care of. There are just so many ramifications to it. It's just overwhelming.

I'm going to let him play. He's going to start and we'll go from there.

I'm proud of our town, our country for everything they've done.

I know those people are looking forward to coming over, watching the game and seeing their sons. I think it'll be a nice diversion for everyone.

I don't think that Kansas is susceptible to anything on defense and we've got to improve offensively. Florida is a good team and they did a good job against us, but we can't continue to play like we did on Saturday night.

He said, 'Coach, the weight of the world has been lifted off my shoulders.

I am very happy with the defense. They did an excellent job Saturday. People haven't been able to sustain the run. I'm real happy with the defense. That's why I'm so disappointed with that game.

You can't put a price tag on something like this. This is probably the most significant gift of this kind to any program in America, and by probably the best quarterback to ever play the game. It's one thing to say Terry Bradshaw played here, but the fact that you can see that tangibly now will mean so much for years to come.

These kids certainly deserve to go. I don't know how the whole thing works.

And if they both give us an opportunity (to win), they'll both play all year long.