Joel Maturi Quotations

No one is more bothered by this than she is. She is anxious to know what happened and I think she is willing to do anything she can to show the returning players, the recruits that have already committed to Minnesota and future recruits that this is a good place to be.

Obviously some things will be different some things will be more consistent. Over time, we want to get to the bottom of this.

I don't know about a setback, but (the defections) certainly are not good for the program, not good for our image and it's nothing that anybody wants.

I have been involved with situations where coaches have left, and there has been a transition of coaching staffs, where I've had abandonment of some team players. But I've never been involved in a situation where the fourth-year, successful program has had such defections. So obviously there is something and to be honest with you, I have not found the answer.

I don't want him taking every minute to talk to his agent and talk to me and talk to whoever. After tomorrow, we can talk differently about it.

Glen and I talked a lot, more than people realize.

We're obviously not doing something right. We can't keep pointing fingers at the kids. I have to look at Pam and myself first before we start looking at others. I knew there were some playing time issues, but what does it lead to? Is this the reason (for the departures) or is something else there?

We are extremely happy to have an agreement on the key terms of the contract. I have said all along that we were committed to keeping coach Mason at the University of Minnesota and today is certainly an indication of that desire.

We at Minnesota expect more than a 10th-place finish in the Big Ten ... . We want to get back to the 'Big Dance' and the Final Four, and if I didn't think this coach was capable of doing that, he wouldn't be standing here.

We found that we agreed on more than we disagreed on.

We could be 3-5, 4-4, 5-3 and we end up in the same spot.

This situation warrants a more extensive evaluation of the program. We need to meet with everybody connected, those who are leaving and staying. It bugs me that student-athletes don't feel that the University of Minnesota is the right place for them.

Some sports are more challenged than others, but we're committed to improving the numbers. We don't want any sport below 925. It's not an easy job. We just need to make sure that anybody who is admitted to the university has the ability to graduate, has the right support and is monitored appropriately.

Once we have a new stadium, it will energize the athletes in Minnesota, the coaches in Minnesota, so that it will help recruiting next year. Even though it won't be there next year, that class will play in it.

There never was a thought of going in a different direction.

I want to talk to coach ( Don ) Lucia . The difference is that in Green Bay, the Packers incurred the risk. Here, we would be taking the risk. I've got to weigh the options. I'm not looking to make a lot of money, but I certainly can't afford to lose any money.

I have not, did not and would not.

If there is a communications issue, that's something we'll work to improve. I need to talk to more than just a few people about things before we reach any conclusions.