The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Football Turns Focus to UTEP at Monday's Media Luncheon
11/6/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 6, 2006
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - UAB head football coach Watson Brown and four members of his team met with the media at the team's weekly media luncheon to discuss the Blazers' upcoming game with UTEP. The Blazers and the Minors will take to the gridiron for a Friday night Conference USA showdown that will be aired nationally on ESPN2 at 7 p.m.
The Blazers will be playing in their second-straight nationally televised game on Friday and third of the season.
UAB football players in attendance were freshman Rashad Slaughter (WR) and seniors Orlandus King (LB), Mastaki Smith (LB) and Larry McSwain (DE).
UAB HEAD COACH Watson Brown
On the upcoming game against UTEP:
"We are late in the year and both UAB and UTEP still have something to play for. Our backs are against the wall, and I have told the team that we are in a playoff system right now. If we win we still have a chance, if we lose, we are going to be playing the rest of the games for pride."
On the health of the football team:
"This is the healthiest we have been on the offensive side of the ball. It's the first time we will have the same players, on the offensive side, that we did in the Oklahoma game. Defensively, we are a little bit more banged up. The injuries are hitting us more on the defensive side than on the offensive side right now."
On the health of quarterback Sam Hunt:
"Sam will be back. He is probably around 90-95 percent, but he will play this week against UTEP"
On the play of the defense, especially against the pass:
"We have been up and down. Last week, we played the pass very well and had a lot of pressure against the quarterback. The three games prior, we did not play against the pass very well, but against Troy we did. It has kind of been one step forward and one step back. I think that we have learned that if we do not pressure these quarterbacks, it does not matter who is covering them, we will not be able to stop the pass."
On the play of the defense against SMU:
"SMU has a good running quarterback and they run the spread offenses. We did a lot better job of stopping that. We did not play as well on offense, but SMU's defense is very good. I think that SMU has the best defense in Conference USA and I hope our offense can get back to moving the ball again this week.
SENIOR LINEBACKER Mastaki Smith
On UTEP game this Friday:
"Right now we're fighting and we just have to take it one day at a time. We have been out on the practice field trying to get everything right with techniques and game plans. We just have to get some questions answered. UTEP is a great football team, even though they are coming into our place on a bit of a skid. They have a good quarterback, good wide receivers and are just a talented team. We just have to focus hard this week and go into Friday's game ready to play."
On sense of urgency on the team:
"There is still a lot left to play for. We are going to take it one game at a time. I think the seniors are doing a good job of keeping the team upbeat and keeping the focus no matter what the situation is. I think the team has responded well. We know what's still at stake and what we are playing for."
SENIOR DEFENSIVE END Larry McSwain
On his role as a leader: "I just tell them this season is far from being over. If we win our last three games, we will be bowl eligible, so there is still a lot at stake. If we do win out, we still may be in a conference championship, you just never know. This conference is so competitive and teams go back and forth throughout the year. We need to go out and handle the things we control like winning games, and everything else will fall into place. When things get tough, that's when true character comes out. We just have to keep the rest of the guys up and let them know we still have a lot to play for."
On the role of the coaching staff:
"The coaches have been doing their job and letting everyone know things will be alright. We just have to play hard and control what we can and not worry about everything else."
FRESHMAN WIDE RECEIVER RASHAD SLAUGHTER
On the fact his team is still able to contend for a conference championship:
"If we win out the remainder of the season, there is a good chance we will contend for the conference championship, so I try not to pay too much attention to what is being said. With the way the conference is going right now, you never know what will happen. Everything is wide open."
On how the extra time off has helped:
"After the SMU game, we have tried to just put it behind us. The coaches told us we couldn't dwell on the past because it will affect the present and they are right. After that game, we just put it behind us and turned our focus towards UTEP."
