Coach Jim Leavitt's Press Quotes 09/13/05

[Brad]

Courtesy USF SID Office:

Coach Leavitt Luncheon Quotes

Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2005

Opening statement: “Well we went out last night and had a pretty good practice, and the guys worked pretty hard. We go out in shoulder pads and helmets on Monday night’s and we had a pretty good practice. We’re getting ready to go today and try to focus on a good practice, and every day try to get a little more ready to play.”

On UCF having nothing to lose due to their 16-game losing streak: “I don’t hear any of that (UCF having nothing to lose). It’s going to be a heck of a ball game, for both teams. I don’t think that anybody is going to be thinking about anything but playing a good game, and seeing if they can win the game.”

On whether playing a team for the first time allows you to concentrate on your own preparation rather than the opponents: “I don’t know because every year we play a lot of teams for the first time because we haven’t been around that long. Certainly with our schedule this year we haven’t played Penn State, we never played Florida A&M. When you look at our schedule this year, how many teams are we playing for the first time this year? Most of them, so I don’t know if it helps or not.”

On whether this is the program’s first real rivalry: “Well I think it’s natural. I don’t think that there is any question. We haven’t been playing football for that long, and we didn’t play them early because they have been playing football for quite a while longer. We were a I-AA team just trying to see if we could become a football team. With the proximity of it all I would certainly think so. Everybody’s already been writing about it, since the two schools are so close that it would be natural.”

On whether he would like to see this game played in the future: “I’m just focusing on this game. We’ll just have to see what type of crowd we have. I haven’t though about those kinds of things. I’m just trying to focus on this game.”

On what he has learned about his team from the first two games: “Well, our guys have played hard, I’ve noticed that. We’re a young, and they enjoy playing football.”

On whether he is putting any more emphasis on this game than any other because of it being UCF: “Well whether I do or not, the players from both teams will because of the fact that we talked about with the proximity. I put a lot of emphasis on that game every week. Now, is there more to it for this game, with the closeness and all of that, I guess it’s probably natural.”

On what the game means to recruiting: “I think that there is some importance to it, and all. I don’t know about the edge or not the edge. I know that a lot of these guys know each other.”

On UCF quarterback Steven Moffett: “He is a very good football player. We recruited him out of high school and we know what he can do. He’s very talented. He can run and throw. He’s a very talented player.”

On whether UCF having an extra week to prepare for the game is good for them (UCF): “I think it is a good thing when you have some injuries and you can heal up. As a coach I always like playing, but as a team, sometimes it can help you, it just depends. I don’t know, they had an off week and they didn’t.”

On whether the UCF game against South Carolina surprised him: “No, No it don’t. I’ve been following them. Coach (George) O’Leary is a good coach and he has a good staff. They have real good discipline and you can see what they are going for. It doesn’t surprise me one bit. In fact I though it could go either was with that. I mean, this is a very good football team were playing. It’s not about the past for either team. Theses are two decent football teams that are playing against each other. There are some good football players on these football team’s, I’m telling you and both teams will play hard, very hard.”

Audio of entire Press Conference along with comments from Andre Hall and Pat Julmiste an be found at this link:

http://www.southfloridabulls.com/Sports/Football/2005%20Bulls%20Football%20Weekly%20Press%20Conference%20Audio.htm

[79 Bull]

Both these coaches are being so PC in praising the other team.  These conferences don't mean anything anymore.

[MavTechKNIGHT2]

I agree 79.  Wouldn't it be nice to hear one of them say, We are planning to kill the other team"?  That would obviously go a long way in this rivalry.

Anyways, I liked his comments mostly.

[UCFBeach]

I said earlier today they would both be praising each other till we were sick of it.  Glad Leavitt didn't let me down.

[smazza]

leavitt gives a crummy interview and press conference

nothing

he isn't honest