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UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MEDIA CONFERENCE

August 27, 2012

David Ash

THE MODERATOR: Questions for David Ash.

Q. Starting quarterback, how does that sound?
DAVID ASH: That sounds pretty good. I don't mean hearing that.

Q. Inaudible.
DAVID ASH: First of all, you know, I'm just thankful that my teammates and coaches have really pushed me and coached me well. My teammates have stepped their game up and that's really helped me in the end, because when things work, it makes me look good.
Most quarterbacks will tell you, when your teammates are doing well, it makes you look good. And so for sure that's a big part of it, and the improvement of my teammates. I'm thankful just for the opportunity.
Going to do my best, compete as hard as I can and thank God that has given me this opportunity and just try to use it to give Him the glory.

Q. Taking things at face value and taking things as just one game, but having to win the quarterback competition and that sort of thing, how important is it for you to go out especially on Saturday night and make things happen?
DAVID ASH: Well, that would be a dangerous attitude to have going into the game, because if I get emotional and try to force things that are happen, that are good, trying to make the big play, that could really hurt me. So I'm just going to go into this game with the attitude that I'm going to take what they give me and eventually, they will give me the game.

Q. What was your reaction when you first found out you were going to be named the starter?
DAVID ASH: I was just very humbled and thankful because a lot of work went into it and thankful that the coaches believed in me and were willing to give me this opportunity.

Q. Where do you think you've improved the most since the Holiday Bowl?
DAVID ASH: Decision making, no doubt. They say in the NFL, accuracy and decision making are the two most important qualities, and for me, decision making was a thing that I had to improve on a lot, understanding situations, understanding that you don't always have to make the big play. Sometimes you can just get it into the right guys' hands and they can make the play for you.
So for me, decision making is what I really had to improve.

Q. When you look back last year‑‑ the mentality for the first game Saturday night?
DAVID ASH: I see a huge difference. Just then, kind of like‑‑ well, then, the BYU game, I didn't have a clue. So I was just like‑‑ I was just going to get the ball and try to make it go that way, because I didn't know what I was doing out there.
You know, now, I've got a good idea what's going on. A lot more experience; guys around me with a lot more experience, so it should be a lot better.

Q. The defense and the running game that you guys have, do you feel like you're going to win‑‑
DAVID ASH: Absolutely, we don't want to hurt the defense in any way, because we have a great defense.
But at the same time, I think our offense can be as explosive as anybody. I think we can put a lot of points up on the board, and for sure, we are not going to turn the ball over. We are going to keep the ball on our hands and take the shots when they are there, and just play good, solid offense.

Q. Is that a good thing to go out‑‑ six weeks on‑‑
DAVID ASH: Hey, I'm all about that. That will be fun.

Q. Is that a good thing, though, just to go out and play your game‑‑
DAVID ASH: For sure. You never want to go into a game with the attitude of trying not to lose it. We want to go into the game with the attitude, we are going to win this thing. That's what we plan on doing.

Q. How does it feel, the experience, you talked about it, and now that you kind of understand what that means going into a ballgame as a starter?
DAVID ASH: You know, a big thing going into the game, you feel really nervous and anxious whenever you don't have any clue what's going to happen. And whenever you gain a lot of experience and you know what you're doing, a lot of the anxiety goes away because you're prepared. You know what's going to happen. You just go out there and operate.
I guess that's a big difference.

Q. Inaudible.
DAVID ASH: I don't know. It's just‑‑ I don't know. I'm just having fun out there. My teammates are having fun out there. It's just‑‑ football's fun and I feel really blessed to be able to do this. I don't want to waste this opportunity that I have to play this game that God's blessing me with by not having fun and not enjoy it. That would be terrible if I looked back on things and said, you know, I didn't even enjoy doing that.

Q. What was that moment when‑‑
DAVID ASH: Oh, I don't know. I can't really remember. Just started happening.

Q. Did that happen at the Holiday Bowl?
DAVID ASH: Yeah, it happened some, and there was always flashes of it. Last year I can remember plays where it was like, man, this is fun. But then got us to the Holiday Bowl and there was times when it was really fun and there was times when it was really hard. That's always going to be part of football. There's always going to be some adversity that you're going to face in the game whenever things aren't going your way. And you've got to learn to push through that and have a good attitude and have fun even during those times.

Q. Are you comfortable with your tight ends now or are the tight ends still a work‑in‑progress?
DAVID ASH: I feel good about where we're at tight end. I think we have a lot of potential there and I think that we have a lot of playmakers at the position. They have made plays, and I feel confident that they can go out there and execute and do their jobs very well.

Q. Inaudible.
DAVID ASH: He's just a good back. All of the backs are making progress as far as their vision, seeing the running lanes and just doing the little things that will help them get more yards.

Q. How excited are you to go out and start the season with the expectations and whatnot?
DAVID ASH: I'm real excited. It's just going to be fun and we are really going to get to go out there and see all of the hard work we have put in in camp and summer and spring ball and go out there and see what kind of product we have made, show it to the fans, and it's fun. It's payday on Saturday. All of the hard work we have put in, we are going to get our paychecks out of it.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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