RE: ***Official ECU Pirates @ UC Bearcats Game Thread***
WHAT ECU COACH MIKE HOUSTON SAID ABOUT CINCINNATI
"It's good to be back at it off the bye week. Had a good, focused day yesterday, meeting and practice. We'll be back out there this afternoon with a fully padded practice in preparation for Friday night. Obviously, a huge challenge going on the road to Cincinnati on Friday night. I thought the kids were very focused yesterday and they're excited for the fourth quarter of our season and we talked about it in those terms. It's an opportunity here at Cincinnati to take on one of the better teams in our league and one of the top teams in the country. They're strong once again this year so just a tremendous challenge for us but one that everyone's really excited about. It should be a good one Friday night."
ON CINCINNATI STILL BEING STRONG DESPITE LOSING NINE PLAYERS TO THE NFL
"I think that you look at the team they had last year, and we all know who was drafted and also not only who got drafted, but just how well they're doing. You've got several guys that are having outstanding rookie seasons in the NFL. I think when you look at the team that we're going to face, we're facing a veteran football team. I think it just says that Coach Fickell has done a great job building that program from a depth perspective. We're going to face a lot of guys that have played a lot of football, guys that have been a part of their tradition and culture. They understand what it means to play at a high level and win at a high level. I think it's a sign of the outstanding job he's done."
ON PLAYING IN A TOUGH ENVIRONMENT ON FRIDAY NIGHT WHERE CINCINNATI HAS WON 31-STRAIGHT GAMES
"I think it's just another indicator of the program they've had over the last five years. We all know that they played at a very high level here in the American Conference for quite some time. I do think the experience at BYU helps our players. I thought that we didn't flinch and that's a very hostile environment there. I would say we're going to see something similar Friday night. I do think it's something that's good for our kids to have that experience going into this."
ON THE CHALLENGES THAT CINCINNATI PRESENTS
"Well, I think it depends on which phase you're looking at. I think they're a very complete football team. You look at them defensively and they rank at the top or near the top in sacks, tackles for loss and negative plays. It's a defense that really puts a lot of pressure on you and you're going to end up in some situations you'd like to avoid, but traditionally they've been able to put some people in some situations where they're behind the chains. I think that's just the benefit of having experienced players. I think you flip over to the other side and with Desmond (Ridder) and company graduating, they really have not dropped off. I think that Ben (Bryant) who spent a year at Eastern Michigan after backing up at Cincinnati for several years, has been very solid and is having an outstanding year. They have a list of playmakers whether it's Tyler (Scott) or Tre (Tucker). They play three different running backs. I think have done a good job in the run game. This is just a complete physical and talented football team. I think the challenge is for us is to continue to play and execute at a high level the way we have been for the last month plus."
WHAT CINCINNATI COACH LUKE FICKELL SAID ABOUT ECU
ON IF PREPARING FOR HOLTON AHLERS SO MUCH OVER THE YEARS HELP WITH THE SHORT WEEK:
“No, I don’t know that it makes any difference. For us and for me, and maybe some of the coaches, yeah, you have maybe a decent grasp. But it’s not what we know. It’s what guys in those seats know and can understand. We’ve got a lot of guys that haven’t played on both sides of the ball. Short weeks are always different and difficult I think sometimes for us because you get in such a routine. You have to change some things up. It is what it is. You’ve got to move forward.”
ON IF THE SHORT WEEK AND DIFFERING STYLES FROM NAVY TO ECU MAKES IT MORE DIFFICULT:
“I just think it’s one of those things, you used to study the games after playing a triple option team and they were always difficult for a defense. I hope the way we do things, preparing in camp and preparing in spring ball, and the way we do it, it was a little more of a seamless transition. Not saying we’re perfect. Obviously each and every year you play Navy, as many times as we’ve played them with the triple option, you get so many different things just because they play you and they know a little bit what you do as well. That sometimes makes it more difficult. I hope that preparation and the flopping back and forth we’ve done for a good four years now helps us moving forward.”
ON HOLTON AHLERS STILL BEING AT ECU:
“He has (been there a long time). Obviously that’s the uniqueness of college football and where we are right now. He’s taking advantage of that. It’s a great thing. We’ve got a guy in his sixth year and some guys that have taken incredible advantage of some extra opportunities to continue to play the game, maybe even get a couple extra degrees.”
ON ECU WINNING THE LAST THREE AND COMING OFF A BYE:
“They won the close games. They’ve won in overtime. Game one with NC State, that could have gone either direction at any point in time. That’s a really good football team as well. What you’re seeing now is they’re winning those games at the end. Look at the two (last-second) wins. Momentum is a big deal. They’ve done a really good job. They’ve played really well, especially at the end of the year the last few years. We know we’re going to get a great shot. We know we’re going to get what we’ve seen on film and something a little bit better. Regardless of if they’re coming off a bye week or not, this has been a unique one for both sides for a few years now.”
ON THE CHALLENGE OF FACING KEATON MITCHELL:
“He’s a difference-maker. It’s why he’s leading the league in rushing. I think the uniqueness is yes you can see the big long runs where he can circle the defense because of his electric speed and quickness to be honest with you, but there’s plenty of shots he hits it right up through the middle. He had one long one against BYU right though the A gap. So they have a really good one-two punch with him, meaning he can take it outside and make things happen, but he’s not afraid to stick that thing up the middle.
Not saying injuries are a good thing, but with the other guy (Rahjai Harris) getting hurt, it’s put a little more onus on him. I think for them it might even be a better thing, get the hot hand going a little bit more and giving him some more opportunities. Everybody would say they’re the team that slings the football, but they also have the leading rusher in the league. That’s what makes them who they are offensively and what makes them so good.”
ON THE CONFERENCE RACE COMING DOWN TO THESE GAMES AGAINST ECU AND TULANE:
“That’s what you love and what you want our kids to love. You don’t want them to have anxiety over it, but this is what you prepare for, the ability to be in a race. It’s much better when it’s a race. When there’s a lot of twists and turns, I think it’s better for everybody, it’s better for college football and better for the league. More than anything, you see who can handle those things down the stretch. Our guys all understand and know what’s at stake. I don’t want them to overthink about that. That’s not the end-all, be-all. That’s each and every day, each and every week, doing the job you need to do and put ourselves in a position in November to be able to play for something.”
ON ECU’S DEFENSE:
“I think they’re very aggressive. You get a lot of crossover games watching them a ton. We have actually tried to pull some of the things they do defensively, because we have always tried to develop what we do defensively. I think it’s really critical how aggressive they are. They don’t want to let you run the football, I know that. They will be ultra-aggressive at attacking downhill. I’m not saying they take some chances, but they’ll change it up on you as well. But I’ve been very impressed over the last couple of years with what they’ve done defensively. You can see them continue to grow. They haven’t changed in the last 2.5-3 years in the big picture of what they do defensively and you see how that growth has really taken place. They apply a lot of pressure to everybody, whether it’s the wide outs, too. Yeah, they might be in some man to man situations, but it’s not going to be free access and easy throws. If you’re going to do that, then they’re going to be people heating down your throat because they’re going to be aggressive up front as well.”
(This post was last modified: 11-11-2022 12:52 PM by ECUGrad07.)
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***Official ECU Pirates @ UC Bearcats Game Thread***
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