Quotes from Kansas State's Weekly Football Press Conference
Oct 14, 2003 | Football
KANSAS STATE HEAD COACH BILL SNYDER On the team after three straight losses: "There are some things that have taken place that are on a positive note and it is important for us to maintain the positives as well as improve on the negatives. In some cases we have made improvements. We have to keep addressing problem areas and we have talked about how we are a fortunate team. We have been given a second chance and now we have been given a third chance. We control our own destiny, so to speak. We are addressing what needs to be done to take the next step forward." On quarterback Ell Roberson's performance since returning from injury: "He is a guy who has a lot of responsibility and he is very willing to take on the responsibility. I can appreciate that. Is he a guy that tries to do more than he needs to on the field? In the last game (Oklahoma State), he may have. Since guys like Ell (Roberson) and Darren (Sproles) are extremely talented, there are going to be opportunities where they can make a play when it seems like it is not possible. Does this lead to more mistakes? Quite possibly. However, with each mistake he makes, there is an opportunity to learn from it and correct the mistake."
On Darren Sproles production since his arrival to Kansas State: "It did not take long to see that he was a tremendous running back. There are some things about his game right now that were not evident when he arrived. His ability to block has improved as well as becoming an effective receiver. He is a complete player right now as opposed to when he arrived. It became apparent very quickly; however, that he was going to be very effective. He is an extremely durable guy who is tough. Off the top of my head, I cannot think of a running back who has performed better during my time at Kansas State."
On Colorado's offense: "They throw the ball around well and Joel Klatt (quarterback) has obviously left his mark on the football team. He has some good young guys to throw it to. The guys who get a majority of the balls are extremely talented. They have good balance on the offensive side of the ball. The tight ends, running backs and fullbacks all get their share of the receptions. Their running game has not been what they want it to be; but, they have not been healthy. They run a number of formations and a number of plays we had trouble with in the past week."
On Colorado kick returner Jeremy Bloom: "He runs about as fast as he skis. He is an extremely versatile player who can make a number of plays. You are already worried about his returns; now, you have to worry about his capabilities as a receiver. The team has to make sure he does not turn a 5-yard pass into a long completion and a touchdown."
On tackling problems: "I have not seen any more problems than in the past. That does not mean it has not become a bigger problem, it just has not been apparent to me. It is just a problem that has been around since the invention of football."
On how he feels about the season to date: "I have been disappointed; however, I cannot say that I am disappointed about the season. We are still in the process of meeting our goals. We are disappointed with three straight losses and are disappointed about some of the mistakes we have made that led to losing ball games. Turnovers are the one issue week in and week out that has led to some of the problems. The last two years we have lost five games, and when you go back and look, turnovers have been a common thread."
On the progress of wide receiver Antoine Polite: "I was pleased with the effort he has put forward. He has been a guy who is throwing his body around and making some excellent blocks. He did some good things in the last game. His focus and how he practices has always been good. When Moreira was named a starter, he continued to work hard and continued to be a leader among the receivers."
On working tight end Thomas Hill back into the lineup: "Right now he will continue to be our number two tight end. We use a number of two tight end formations so he will be in there. He will also play in some situations where we use one tight end. We want Hill and Brian Casey to be complete players; therefore, we will not use them for specific situations. Casey continues to play well so he will remain in the number one spot."
KANSAS STATE CENTER NICK LECKEY
On the team rebounding this weekend against Colorado: "We know that we have to work hard to get back on track. People aren't just going to feel sorry for us and give in because of who we are. Other teams may not respect us as much right now, but we have a lot to prove as a football team. We need to put in the necessary work day in and day out in practice, and then some."
On the team's recent turnovers: "Turnovers always hurt you. We gave up numerous points over the last few games and that really hurt our defense. Our job is to hold on to the ball and put points on the board and not to give the ball away and give away points. That is an area we are working extremely hard at in practice to correct."
KANSAS STATE WIDE RECEIVER ANTOINE POLITE
On Saturday's game: "I don't think we have any added pressure this weekend. We know that we have a job to do and we are working hard every day to get better and I think that will show on Saturday."
On the parity in the Big 12 this season: "It's been a crazy year in the Big 12 so far and it shows how better the conference as a whole has gotten. We are still in the race in the North division and now we just have to go out and take care of our business and not worry about anyone else."
KANSAS STATE RUNNING BACK DARREN SPROLES
On the chemistry of the offense: "As a group, we have some areas that we need to improve. We just need to go out and play a complete game, with the offensive line, receivers, backs and quarterbacks all on the same page and clicking. We need to be more successful in the red zone and eliminate the turnovers."
On playing Colorado: "Speaking for myself, I get fired up for every game, so this one is no different. But, at the same time, we know we need to come out Saturday and play well. We know we are a better team that what we have shown over the last few games."
On him and Ell Roberson closing in on KSU records: "It is always nice to be mentioned and put yourself in the school record books, and it would especially be nice for Ell and me to do that in a win. Winning the game is first on our minds and if we happen to break a record during a win, then that's great. But, honestly, we do not think about stats and records, especially during a game."
KANSAS STATE LINEBACKER TED SIMS
On causing turnovers: "We work on causing turnovers every day in practice. On defense, it is part of our job to strip the ball and try to make something happen on defense. We still concentrate on fundamentals and tackling but we also spend time on causing turnovers. Right now, we need to work on everyone being in the right gaps and putting pressure on the quarterback. Pressuring the quarterback can disrupt an offense and lead to turnovers.
On the team's attitude: We want to win every remaining game and get back to the Big 12 Championship. We control our own destiny, so our goals are still intact. It all starts with practice and we need to go out every day and work as hard as we can."
