The Gophers are coming off their season opening win over Eastern Illinois and face Middle Tennessee State on Saturday at 2:30. Below is a recap of quotes from today’s media session.
Steven Richardson
(On his size)
I was not really recruited highly, basically with my size I didn’t look good on paper, but if you think about it, that’s what gives me the edge on everybody else. Just staying low, I can’t help that.
(Being from same high school as Jordan Lynch)
It made me feel safe that I’m not getting the looks I’m supposed to be getting, but if I just keep working at it, something will come.
(Bond with Stelter, Lingen, Elmore, all roommates)
We just hold each other accountable, in college everybody wants to party and all that, but if we got a game or a practice or something we’ll just sit and relax and maybe just play some Call of Duty.
Coach Kill
(Special teams performance on Thursday)
First game and everything, I thought we played well. Our coverage teams on kickoffs didn’t have to play much. Punt wise, I thought we did a good job, a good job covering, punt blocks spoke for itself. But I think we could do some things better on kickoff return. I think we have more speed, and that helps me in those things, and we like being on the attack. If we’re good like that every week, then it’ll certainly help our opportunities to be successful and win.
(Concern on defensive line)
I think we’re all concerned, but not just that position, you know, that’s the whole thing people don’t understand. You know, you got quarterback situations, everybody. That can change the scope of things, you get a couple key players anywhere, linebacker, then all of a sudden you’re going to play younger kids. So think that everything we do in college football or pro football right now again, is that you gotta be careful on the injury thing. It changes the way you practice and so forth. Every day I go to practice I worry about it, because you gotta have your good players.
(Middle Tennessee St. running game)
They run the ball very very well. Athletic quarterback, they have three or four running backs that they can play, and they wanna run the ball. But then you get in the box, and he’s good enough to throw it, so we will have to stop the run, there’s no doubt about that.
Coach Zebrowski
(On EIU taking away middle options)
There were some things outside that we just missed them. I told him it’s open, but something moved really fast, something moved that we didn’t think was gonna move, but it was open. We had some outside throws that were good, but we just didn’t hit them early. So we just kind of said “hey forget this,” and just spread them out and move the pocket around, and let those blitzers go blitz.
(Maxx Williams becoming more of an option for mitch, taking more attention from d)
When you watch our tape, and you watch the games, everybody knows that a lot of the big plays come through him. I think it becomes a security blanket for you. I think sooner or later we have to be able to go other places once they do take him away, and get some second options.
(Gauging Mitch’s success as a quarterback)
Victories. Victories honestly.
(Ball security?)
Part of the concept is you win. The other part is ball security, I agree with that. We fumbled it once in the pocket, but we didn’t have any interceptions. I think great quarterbacks always have great ball security. Just keep the ball in their hands. We may not have played as well as we maybe wanted to, but we didn’t turn the ball over a lot either.
(Focusing more on the pass game than last year)
If you can run the ball, everything’s really good. It’s those moments where you can’t run it, where they’re putting ten in the box, we have to be able to pass it. We can’t just have no answer.