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The University of Utah Athletics
Quotes from Kyle Whittingham's Weekly Press Conference
9/2/2008 12:00 AM | Football
Sept. 2, 2008
Opening statement:
Getting a win at Michigan is a good start to the season. We had a bunch of fans there, which was a great demonstration of the support for our team. Players and coaches appreciated that very much.
In the game itself, there were a lot of positives. We came away with a win. The defense was consistent from start to finish and they really controlled the game. Our offense was extremely efficient in the first half. They did a great job moving the football. In the second half, Michigan turned up the pressure and we didn't respond very well. We have begun addressing that. Louie Sakoda did a great job. We had some protection issues in the kicking game, but when he could get the kicks off, he was lights out as usual. It was just another day at the office for Louie.
Overall it was a positive win and a great experience. You can't put it into words what it's like to come out of that tunnel and have 108,000 people on top of you. It was an electric atmosphere and something we will never forget, but we have shifted our focus entirely to UNLV, and that's where we are.
This week is our home and conference opener. Every conference game is important and it's important to get started on the right foot. We need to stoop the run more effectively than last year. If you can't stop the run, everything else is difficult.
Health-wise, our only significant loss was Kenape Eliapo. He is out 6-8 weeks. Several players are questionable: Corbin Louks, Zane Beadles and Robert Johnson. They are day-to-day and we will make a final decision on that later this week.
On learning the team moved into the rankings:
It is still early in the season. I am pleased for our players because they deserve the recognition. I am focused on UNLV - but the accolades are nice for our guys.
On the offense against Michigan:
Michigan had as much to do with it as anything. Their defense is a very good defense. We were on pace to put up outlandish numbers. The pace we set in first half was blistering. In the second half, it was a combination of them making adjustments and our level of execution dropping off. That all led to a dismal second half. We turned the ball over a few times - that disappointed me the most. Ball security and taking care of the football are important. We turned it over twice, once in red zone and another time in critical point in game. It was not good - we have got to take care of the ball.
On UNLV:
Frank Summers is the majority of their run game. He had a good weekend against Utah State. They have two good receivers, Ryan Wolfe and Casey Flair. There are a lot of new faces on defense, but beyond a new quarterback, most of their offense is the same cast of characters as last year. Frank did a lot of damage last year.
On Frank Summers:
Last year we missed tackles and didn't tackle the guy. He is a powerful runner. We just did not tackle well.
On how a win would affect recruiting in Nevada:
Jay Hill does a great job recruiting in Nevada for us. We have had the last few Gatorade players of the year from that state. Winning that game head-to-head is a positive for us.
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