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UNIVERSITY OF TULSA FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

November 21, 2016

Philip Montgomery

Tulsa, Oklahoma

COACH MONTGOMERY: Talking about the game, very, very proud of our football team, coming off of a really tough week physically and emotionally. To be able to get back up and play as well as we did, I thought defense really played a phenomenal game from start to finish. Really carried our football team, especially early in the game, and kept us in it and gave us a chance offensively to make some adjustments and get some things going.

I thought overall our special teams played really well. We had one little blimp on the screen are there, but I thought the play by Cristian Williams on the punt there and the fumble recover was kind of the turning point of the second half. We got momentum going and gave us a chance to go down, we scored right after that.

Defense goes out and ^ shuts them down, we go down, score again, hit a big play, and I think momentum kind of switched sides right there. So big key play there by Cristian, one of our young guys, that really stepped up.

Obviously tough going back-to-back road games, especially long like that, now this week, we have a really tough opponent in Cincinnati coming in here on a short week. They have got an extra day on us on top of that. I think really offensive and defensive lines, they are probably one of the strongest teams we faced all year from that standpoint, and they are also leading the conference in interceptions.

So we know we have got to play well offensively. Defensively we've got to continue to keep doing the things we're doing. They have got two really talented quarterbacks, and they have got two really talented running backs and they did pretty good about spreading the ball around to all of their receivers. They are all about that 47-52 as far as catches go. So they do a good job of mixing that up and not just relying on one guy so you have to be sure that you have your eyes on the right spot.

Excited about our senior night and these seniors have had an unbelievable season. Our football team has fed off of their leadership, and we really -- we've got to have a great crowd. I know Thanksgiving and everything is going on, but these guys, they deserve a great crowd. Come out and watch them, and I promise you, you'll fall in love with them. I know it's the last game of the season, but they deserve that, and really, really need you out there.

Q. You mentioned how proud you are of the team and the win. Don't want you to necessarily say this is your favorite or to rank a win, but judging by what they have had to overcome over the last couple of weeks, is it one of the more satisfying performances?
COACH MONTGOMERY: I think it's satisfying just from the standpoint of the hard work and everything that they have put into this season. With all of the bumps in the roads that we've had up to this stage, those guys continually show up to practice with a great attitude, ready to work, and haven't let things just sit on them.

They bounce back well every time and we are putting a lot of energy into each one of these football games; and guys have gone down and we've had injuries, and other guys have stepped up and been able to really play well and get us through ballgames. It's been a total team effort all the way through.

Q. Obviously every senior class is going to be special to you, but what is unique about this group?
COACH MONTGOMERY: Well, you know, I think they are really close as a group, and I think as we've come in here, they have really embraced us and they have bought into what we're doing and how we're doing it.

But these guys, just their willingness to sacrifice so many things to really get this football program back up and rolling, and to get this team kind of unified in the way that it is right now. I mean, we've got a group of guys that are as tight as any team I've ever been around, and it's really special to be on the practice field and the locker room with those guys.

Q. I didn't know this until I heard the stat on TV, but you guys are on the verge of having a 3,000-yard passer, two 1,000-yard rushers and two 1,000-yard receivers, and that's never been done before. Did you know that, and what's that say about the balance of your offensive system?
COACH MONTGOMERY: Yeah, it's just -- I've been places we've been close before and never been able to do it, and you know, you don't know how it's going to play out. But to have the opportunity to do it, that would be special.

And you know, these guys have really laid it on the line for each other. They have played well. You know, there's some games in there that we actually were able to kind of get off the field earlier, and that's been good. But right now, it's about keeping our foot on the gas and those guys are not worried about the stats or any of that.

Even the other night, especially in the second half, we started running the ball pretty effectively, and those guys want to win more than they want records. And so I've been really, really pleased with the unselfish character of our football team.

Q. The reaction, is that something you would try to get them --
COACH MONTGOMERY: I don't know that I'll try to get it, but I'd like to get it. Just for them, and again, the biggest thing that I want to do is win the football game. It's more important for us to finish up with nine wins right there and have an opportunity to have a ten-win season.

Q. That's outlined on page six of your notes.
COACH MONTGOMERY: (Laughter).

Q. Just piggybacking on the question about the seniors, I was going to ask you about Trent Martin. All those guys have gone through a lot here in a lot of different ways, but considering what Trent has had to deal with physically and to spend six years to grind it out, I take it. ^
COACH MONTGOMERY: Trent is like a coach on the field. Trent is a warrior. Trent is one of those guys that Sunday and Monday, you look at him and you're thinking, can he put it back together. And then he's done a good job of really being dedicated to trying to take care of his body, with all of the injuries that he's had, all of the ups and downs that he's had throughout his career from that standpoint.

You know, really, this spring, we just wanted to try to get his body back and try to get him back mentally. Really came back in the summer and just, you could see the fire was burning and his body was feeling better and he had been our heart and soul throughout my stint here for sure. Just a great, great man.

Q. You have not lost so far here this year, here, can you talk the success -- (laughter).
COACH MONTGOMERY: Really --

Q. It's on the stats sheet. Just talk about what it would mean to complete a perfect season at home.
COACH MONTGOMERY: You know what, you have to defend your home place, and our guys are always excited about being home. The comfort of our own stage and our fans, and again, I've said this throughout, and I'm not going to change: This football team, we want to represent this university. We want to protect this university and we want to represent this city and we tried to do that all year long.

And that's why it's so special here at home and that's why those guys are playing so hard at home to get those wins for these fans and these guys that have been around here, and been through some ups and downs.

But right now, it's a special season that's trying to happen. So please come out and support.

Q. How tired are you guys? Two road trips and then a quick turnaround for a Friday game. How tired is the team and how tired are you?
COACH MONTGOMERY: You know, Sunday we changed our schedule up. You know, we changed our whole week because of the Friday game, which you have to do. But Sunday, we were a little different, and I tried to let them sleep a lot longer and really, we just tried to work the soreness out and then we ate and that was it for them.

Then today, we'll have practice. We'll get on the field and our practice will be a little bit different than what our normal Tuesday, Monday practice, if you will, is. And then we'll be back kind of more regular schedule for Tuesday, be more like our normal Wednesday practice. We've adjusted that.

At this stage, schematically, you've got to get in what you need to get in. But if you don't know how to tackle by this point, if you don't know how to scoop block by this point, if you don't know how to run a post at this point, those things are there. We just need to try to get back mentally and physically in time for a Friday night game.

Q. Dane made some really good throws and bounced back after the Pick-Six to start the game. Is that just another sign -- but in a game against a defense that's flying around like they were early; to be able to put that aside and have the game he had after that, what's that say about him?
COACH MONTGOMERY: You know how I feel about Dane, and you think back to a year ago, there was a game in there where we had something similar happen and we really didn't recover until much, much later in the game.

Even after the play, nobody panicked on our football team. Everybody knew there was a lot of time left. It was just a matter of time for us to continue to keep figuring out what they are doing and gaining some momentum with it. Dane never lost confidence obviously, and he's playing at a high level right now.

So really, really pleased with his maturity and the way he's handling situations and reading defenses and distributing the football.

Q. Talking about Dane, he's seen some lows and highs in a college career, pretty unique. You've mentioned him being hard on himself and kind of a perfectionist, I think, but he also seems really laid back in some ways. Like there's kind of a balance there. Just talk, is he uniquely suited for the kind of career he's had to deal with it the way he has.
COACH MONTGOMERY: Yeah, I think so, and I think more than anything right now, is through his maturity, he's handling his emotions so much better. So many times as things happen in the course of a game, if you're not using your emotions correctly, they can really control you.

Right now, he's being inspiring and level-headed at the same time; if you can put those two things together. And again, I think it's just his knowledge of what we're doing, his maturity, and understanding how he fits in that system and what he's got to do to make us click offensively. And so got him a big win on his birthday, which he's never had, and that was a special game for him.

Q. You mentioned the military stuff going on Friday night. How important is that for you, and just for your program, and the team to be able to give back?
COACH MONTGOMERY: Yeah, they sacrifice so much for us, the military and their families, and so much, so much of the emphasis a lot of the times are the people that are actually serving, which it should be.

But I think the forgotten ones are the ones that are at home waiting on them to get back and hoping they are going to. The sacrifices they make and the dedication it takes to our country, we live in the greatest country in the world. And for them to give up what they have to give up to do what they do, that holds a special place in our hearts.

Q. Talk about 300-yard -- offensive line, line doesn't get a whole lot of credit, but I know a goal of theirs, when you started adding 300-yard gains, a goal of theirs was to set the school record of seven happened this last week. Talk about that group and having to be without a few guys for certain games.
COACH MONTGOMERY: I mean, guys have really stepped up. Our offensive line, I mean, the old trench life (ph) has come to life and they have done an outstanding job of it. Guys have gone down. Other guys have stepped up. The backs are running well. The tight ends are doing what they have got to do.

But as they got closer to this record, obviously it was a big goal of theirs, and you know, they have really attacked it in that sense and been really, really proud of this group. Because coming into it, obviously had to replace two guys. Had to kind of figure out what that combination of five guys was going to be. That was a big question mark coming into camp this fall. You know, Belcher sliding into the guard and doing that part.

I think the thing that's most important there is that offensive line room, Coach Bloesch and Cody and Naj (ph), all of those guys, they have really gelled, and they have been kind of the blue-collar that we talk about all the time. I mean, they are not going to get the press. They are not going to get all the love. But those guys have loved playing together, playing for each other. They have worked tremendously hard throughout the year. They have fought injuries and they have been banged up, and they just keep going out there and doing their job.

Well, you've got to love big men. Big men rule the world and they are ruling it for us right now.

Q. When did you know that you had something really special? You talked about the senior class contributing to how tight this team is. Did you know this way back in the spring that this team would be like this? Is it something where you have got to play some games, see how they respond to adversity? When did you know you have what you have?
COACH MONTGOMERY: You know, you started feeling it, because a lot of our -- we lost some really good seniors a year ago. But a lot of these guys right now that are seniors were still big, big roles in that side of it.

So you knew you had that coming back. You know, as soon as the Bowl game was over, we got back to school, really challenged those guys, and who we're going to be. We set a standard of what our program can be, but now it's your turn to raise that standard, raise that bar, and try to push us to another level.

Those guys really accepted that challenge. The way they worked in our winter conditioning part of it and then we come out spring ball -- and I know y'all remember, but after spring ball and us talking, I said our defense has really, really improved and I was excited about that.

And then throughout the summer, those guys were just dedicated to what they were doing. If you look at our players now compared to what they were two years ago, just physically, they don't look the same in my opinion. Jerry-U and those guys are in shape, and they are flying around and they are making plays. Hayden Carman, Jeremy Smith, all those guys, Brubaker.

But you go into fall camp and we're being competitive with each other. It's one of those deals where I think we're okay offensively, but we're working through some things defensively. Man, they are really flying around and making plays, and then you finally start going against different people and you start feeling that.

And I think that first game, our defense played so well. I think it gave them so much confidence that they just built on and grown from each and every week. I think just like the stand the other night; that game could have taken a pretty good twist in there.

But they got four downs to get a touchdown in there inside the ten; I think we were about on the six and they hold them to kind of finish up the game. They score right there, and then all of a sudden you get the on-side and who knows what's going to happen. There's still about two minutes on the clock.

I think that's been the standing point of our defense all year long and so I'm so pleased and thrilled with where we're at on that side.

Q. Where are you on like the emotion of senior night? Is it kind of difficult to deal with for some of those guy, do you think, or once the game starts, is that stuff out the window?
COACH MONTGOMERY: Yeah, once you get through the ceremony part of it at the first and you get actually running around and throw a few hits in there and get banged on a little bit, then you're back to playing football.

But it will be a special night. To have their families all year and to be able to honor them in that way, is always special.

Q. What have you seen from Cincinnati on film? This is a team that's going to finish with a losing record for the first time since 2010, but they still have a lot of talent; that they are capable of putting it together.
COACH MONTGOMERY: They have got a ton of talent. Like I said, they are leading the conference in interceptions. They have two really talented quarterbacks, two really talented running backs. And probably the combination of offensive line, defensive line, may be the best we've gone against all year, especially in our conference.

You've got to think two years ago, they were one of those teams that was tied for the conference championship, and last year they were right in the mix of it, as well. You can't look at their record. You've got to look at what you're seeing on tape and you're seeing a really talented, big, long, that-can-really-run football team.

So it will be a great challenge for us and I know our guys will definitely not be overlooking them. They know what's in front of them and obviously we went up there and took an L last year from them. We know how good they are and how talented they are.

Q. Obviously nice progress from year one to year two overall. To this point, what's been most satisfying, would you say?
COACH MONTGOMERY: I think just the way our football team has come together. The way they have stepped up to challenge us throughout the year. We've faced adversity throughout the year already; and those guys, with how resilient they are and how they continue to kind of take that motto that we've always had of fighting for respect and trying to really be a hard-nosed, physical, but excited football team. Those guys I think really hold that banner high.

Q. How much does the previous experience playing in a Friday night game earlier this year help preparation this week as far as adjusting the schedule and things like that?
COACH MONTGOMERY: Yeah, I mean, there's some things that you can carry over to it. The tougher thing here is the back-to-back road games coming off of that. And being right here at the end of the season, you know, your team's been grinding for awhile now, so you're beat up and you're trying to bounce back. And so it's just a recovery standpoint, is what I'm more concerned about than anything.

Q. What was Thanksgiving like growing up? Take us back, way back.
COACH MONTGOMERY: Usually we were at relatives' house, whether that was granny's house, grandma's house. In our family it kind of switches back and forth: One year, you're at this side of the family is Thanksgiving, and then Christmas it flips.

Generally speaking there was always some type of football game that goes on after you eat -- and really I think it's before you ate. And then you went and ate, and then you watched the Cowboys and then you went to sleep. And then after that, you know, it was card games and dominos.

Q. So in the hierarchy of Thanksgiving food, what is at the top of your list?
COACH MONTGOMERY: I'm really more of a ham guy than a turkey. I do like stuffing. Sweet potatoes with the marshmallows on top, that have got just enough brown tint to them, you know, and then I'm always for the cobbler.

Q. You like it all.
COACH MONTGOMERY: Oh, yeah. It's food. I like food.

Q. Listening to you talk, not just today, but throughout the season and watching video after wins and you guys all carrying on in the locker room together and on your football account on Twitter, you come across as a guy who is it awfully attached to a program, having only been here less than two years. Can you give me a sense of that attachment, and is it even more real than you thought it would be in such a short period of time?
COACH MONTGOMERY: Yeah, really, I do probably think it's been more real or special than I could have imagined. From the standpoint of, we talked about family and a lot of places talk about family. I think we take it to another level.

These guys are like my sons, and really attached to them and how hard they have worked and dedicated themselves to really get our program -- we're not there yet by any stretch of the means, but we're trying to climb that hill. And these guys have fought tooth-and-nail all the way through it. It's made it really, really special for me.

Q. If you don't mind me following up, we're at the time of the year where the carousel starts to spin. And coaches' names, whether they like it or not, coaches' names come up for jobs, and you're going to pop up undoubtedly over the next couple weeks. What I want you to know -- and I don't expect you to address that specifically, but do you anticipate that attachment playing a role in how you handle that process?
COACH MONTGOMERY: Well, you know, I don't know if that process is going to pop my name or not. But with that being said, you know, my family and I love being here. This has been a really, really special place for us, and my attachment to those players is as strong as anywhere I've been.

Q. Will you guys get together Thursday and have a team meal?
COACH MONTGOMERY: We're actually going to do it Wednesday after practice. We'll have our family dinner where all of our immediate families will come up plus our football team and whoever they got, wives, kids, because we got the whole plethora of them. We'll have ours Wednesday and that was a special time for us last year when we did that. We'll do that again.

You know, Thursday, we've still got walk through and practice and things going on, so we'll try to give them -- our times have moved up. Those guys that are really close to home, you know, whether they are here in Tulsa or Stroud or wherever, they will have an opportunity to run home and run back.

But we'll keep everybody here on campus and try to enjoy Thanksgiving together and then get ready for another good test and another big one.

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