UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT SAN ANTONIO FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

October 19, 2024

Owen McCown

Press Conference

UTSA 38, Florida Atlantic 24

Q. Owen, how was that locker room today's compared to the last few games?

OWEN McCOWN: Yeah it was electric. Guys were dancing. I personally wasn't dancing, but a bunch of guys were dancing. It was great to get a win. Great feeling.

Q. Did it feel like a monkey is off your back after this one?

OWEN McCOWN: For sure. For sure. I think it says a lot about our program. To lose back-to-back conference game and turn around and still have great days of practice and respond like this says a lot about our program.

Q. What was your, I guess, takeaway from the way the Roadrunner defense played today? Looks like they had a monster game.

OWEN McCOWN: Man, they were awesome. I got to play better. I can't turn the ball over. But when I did -- there was one drive I believe I threw the pick and they came around and forced the fumble and they didn't score on that. On a short field, that's big time. They played a heck of a game.

Q. What does it say about your team to be able to overcome the turnovers and injuries that you guys battled through today?

OWEN McCOWN: Yeah, in general, like I said, to lose back-to-back weeks and come back and respond, I think that was one of our keys words, was response, good or bad, like I said. To come back off two losses, and like it was today with two picks, for them to still step up like that says a lot.

Q. Coach just mentioned to us that even after throwing an interception you came right back out there and hit a slant pattern. What does it mean to have the confidence within yourself and know your coordinator has that confidence in you as well?

OWEN McCOWN: Yeah, starts with Coach Burke. Knowing he has confidence in me says a lot. Personally for me and what they've taught me is pick or touchdown, you come back and respond no matter what happens.

Q. What it like for you working through so many injuries at wide receiver? How does that impact your process?

OWEN McCOWN: Yeah, really doesn't. That room is deep no matter who is out there. Just next-man-up mentality. Doesn't affect any process too much.

Q. What do you think the biggest factor was for you today? Was it technique or attitude going into the game?

OWEN McCOWN: A little bit of both. You know, coming in I know we had a lot of penalties and that was one of the forbidden words this week by Coach Traylor. To shut that down or not have as many penalties offensively was big time for us.

But I think also mentally, like I said, to respond off back-to-back weeks like that, back-to-back losses, says a lot about our program.

Q. Can you just run us through those two interception?

OWEN McCOWN: Yeah, so first one it looked like a middle safety, so you have your two outside routes. Then at the snap they went to two safety and already had let the ball go, so they got me on that one.

On the second one, kind of the same play. It was one safety. Once again, go outside lanes, but Chris has to go outside release on that and I can't stare the pattern down. I have to look up the safety a little bit. Those are things we'll get cleaned up.

Q. What happened on that -- I guess the backward pass? Was that a trick play?

OWEN McCOWN: Yeah, yeah, it was supposed to be a trick play. We had some leakage early and so it was a backwards pass. Can't turn the ball over, so we'll try to clean that up. I know they will.

Q. What did you see on the 42-yard touchdown on Patrick Overmyer?

OWEN McCOWN: Yeah, yeah, for sure. Great play call by Coach Burke. That's a play we been working for a while and thought we had a chance to hit it and we did.

Great call by him.

Q. You guys also hit one to Jamel Hardy. What has he brought to the offense this year?

OWEN McCOWN: Yeah, young guy. Stepped up to the plate, especially with the injuries. Ya'll saw the one-handed catch a couple weeks ago that he had. The ability is there for him. He's still learning the offense. Heck of a catch today as well.

Q. Seemed like you worked the middle of the field a little bit more today, especially deep down the middle there.

OWEN McCOWN: Yeah.

Q. Is that something you saw in the matchup? What led to that?

OWEN McCOWN: No, really how the safeties play. Those two deep safeties, most of the time there is nobody in the middle. Like I said, it was a great job by Coach Burke anticipate that two deep look so we can attack the middle.

Q. You mentioned the direction not to say "penalties" this week. What was the story around that or how did that help you guys?

OWEN McCOWN: Yeah, obviously it was a problem last week for us and the following weeks, or previous weeks. So like I said, it was a forbidden word this week. It started with our scout team. They gave us a great look on those move calls that FAU would do and our O-line held strong. I thought we were great from that standpoint.

Q. What does it say about this team that after two rough losses before this game the locker room hasn't splintered and you guys seem to be together?

OWEN McCOWN: Yeah, that says a lot about our culture. I know the old guys, seniors, it's their last year. They want to end it right. For them to respond the way they do -- because obviously starts with the seniors and trickles down. For them to respond, especially like after the two losses and then like today, responding from the two interceptions, then the defense is still playing great.

Obviously still coming back and scoring like that just says a lot about our program.