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CHICK-FIL-A PEACH BOWL: HOUSTON VS FLORIDA STATEDecember 31, 2015Tom HermanTrevon StewartGreg Ward, Jr.Atlanta, Georgia Houston - 38, Florida State - 24. THE MODERATOR: We're joined by Coach Herman. We'll start with an opening statement. COACH HERMAN: I certainly want to say thank you to the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl and Gary for an unbelievable week here. What a first-class operation. And our kids, our players got to experience something that they've never experienced before. And the great city of Atlanta was such a great host to us and Chick-fil-A and the Peach Bowl, this is a big-time bowl game. And our players certainly do appreciate it. Hats off to Florida State and Coach Fisher. What an unbelievable run they've had these last few years. And they're two years removed from a National Championship. And I believe their senior class, the four-year run at 49 victories and a really, really challenging opponent. But to finish off, so appreciative of these players. This is a players-first program. And they deserve all the credit in the world. I think this staff deserves a lot of credit as well. I think we've got the finest assistant coaching staff and strength staff in America, and I'm not afraid to say that. But these players have -- they've given us their hearts and they trusted us with their hearts. And for a young man to do that, to open himself up and be exposed a little bit, to open yourself up, really from the word jump, from day one, and without knowing really where we were going, without knowing exactly what the plan was, but just saying, Coach, I want to be great. I want to be great, and I trust that you and your staff and your strength staff and support staff, that you guys know the path to get there. And they believed in us. They believed in the program and the plan. And it's so very gratifying to see all of their hard work and investment and literally blood, sweat and tears pay off in this great win. So, thank you. THE MODERATOR: Trevon, a couple of comments about your experience this week in the game. TREVON STEWART: It was a great experience just watching bowl games like this on TV and finally being able to be here and having the opportunity. I couldn't have asked for a better coaching staff, better team to be with or better support staff and organization. You know, just being with my brothers and my family, especially my last game, senior year, I couldn't ask for more. And Coach Herman, I truly appreciate you. I love you. THE MODERATOR: Questions. Q. Coach Herman, Florida State's always a very well prepared team, but today your offense caught them three times out of position, especially that last touchdown. What did you see, and what was the mindset going into today? COACH HERMAN: Well, I felt like we're not going to match up player for player. We're just not with them. So we felt like we had to use tempo to our advantage and go fast. And our kids bought into that plan and we practiced, had a great couple of weeks of practicing that way. And then we had to use some misdirection, when we weren't going fast, we had to make them, conflict them a little bit with their eyes, because they've got some fantastic players -- first-round draft picks on that team, on defense. So we knew we weren't going to be able to match up. So credit to the offensive staff for deciding very early in our game planning that we were going to have to use tempo to our advantage. We were going to have to use some nontraditional formations, some unbalanced formations. Then when we were somewhat traditional, we were going to have to use motion and some shifts to our advantage, just to have a chance to move the ball. Q. Tom, at the start of this year it was a struggle maybe even to get people into the stadium. You were trying to get home fans there. By the end of the year the place is packed, you win the conference championship. Not many people probably thought you'd win this game. And now you're probably in the top 10 and 13-1. Can you put this whole season, this year -- the whole year into words or is it impossible? COACH HERMAN: I think just the opening statement, really. Putting the season into words, it goes to the players. The players and the love that they have for each other and the trust and the love that they have in the staff. They have truly reenergized not just a program, they haven't just rejuvenated this program, but really reenergized an entire university and to a certain degree an entire city. And they should be extremely, extremely proud of that fact. And I'm just happy to be along for the ride and see the smiles on their faces, because they did it. They're the ones that bled and sweat and cried for 12 months to make that happen. And we are truly appreciative, though, that the city of Houston and Coog Nation and the alumni and fans and students have seen their sacrifice and have certainly increased their support. Q. Talk a little bit about how you guys were the intimidators in this game, you guys asserted your will all game long in all facets of the game? COACH HERMAN: Well, I told each guy last night, when I tucked them into bed, I said it doesn't matter -- they don't put recruiting stars on playing, on being the most physically tough team, or mentally tough team -- and the team that is the most purpose-driven, meaning the team that loves each other the most. And that can overcome a lot. That can overcome a lot by having the passion and purpose that this team has to go out and, again, play a team loaded with NFL talent and say we're not going to back down, we're going to be the aggressor. And we've done that all year. So it wasn't really much of a surprise to me. But I just wanted to remind them last night that none of that, none of the rankings -- whether it be recruiting or national rankings or anything like that -- matter when it comes to being the most physical team on the field and the most purpose-driven team on the field. Q. Coach, I know it's early. You guys just won, but what kind of -- what does a victory like this do as far as a springboard for next season with the guys you have coming back? COACH HERMAN: I think anytime you win your last game you carry momentum into the next season and into the offseason. I think what we're certainly going to have to combat is that awful dreaded word "complacency," and thinking that because we're all humans, we're all flawed creatures. And it's really, really easy -- the human nature thing the easy thing to do is to pat yourself on the back and rest on your laurels. And we're certainly going to enjoy this win and this season for a good couple of weeks. When classes start in January, we're going to get back to everything and more that got us to this point. Q. What were your emotions here on the stage and the confetti was coming down, it was over and you knew you had the win? COACH HERMAN: The emotions, again, I was just so proud of the senior class. It is the most important senior class in the history of this program. And I say that without hyperbole, without exaggeration. They changed our university, one singular class that decided way back in January to hand their coaching staff their hearts and say, coach us and lead us, and we'll take care of the rest in the locker room. We'll drag those young guys that are on the fence with us. And really that was the only thing going through my mind was just the unbelievable gratitude and appreciation that I have for that senior class. GREG WARD, JR.: It really doesn't seem real. Coach always talks about confetti falling and being with your brothers and just celebrating a win. I'm really numb to the fact that we won right now. I'm honestly still in game mode. And a shout out to these things. Those guards bought in and led the young guys and we just came out and did it. TREVON STEWART: I mean after the game seeing the confetti fall, honestly, I thought about my high school baseball coach. My freshman year I remember we went 5 and 7 and I tweeted him. I said before I graduate I'm going to play in a BCS bowl game. And he tweeted back and he said, you must be transferring, like I couldn't play in a bowl game there. So last night, last night I posted and tagged him in it, so I know he was watching. He told me he was watching. But besides that just going all the way going back to when Coach Herman locked the locker room doors -- we had to be on the field at 4:30 in the morning, hard work -- blood sweat and tears with my brothers sacrificing a lot. To see it all pay off, man, it's the best feeling ever. Q. Coach, can you talk a little bit about your defense's performance in the first half? You held FSU to 1 for 4 on third down in the first quarter and 0 for 4 in the second quarter and held them to six yards rushing in the first half? COACH HERMAN: We held them to 16 total yards rushing in the entire game, so I think they did a pretty good job in the run game in the second half too. But to be great on third down, you've got to be really good on first and second down, and I think the one thing that Coach Orlando and the entire defensive staff do is they're aggressive on first and second down. And we want to get offenses behind the chains so that we can force them into predictable third downs and then get really exotic and really fun with a lot of things that we do. So it was a great game plan. It was tremendously executed by the players out there. And that's a physical outfit that's used to running the ball really, really well. And our guys rose to the occasion, and we certainly wouldn't be sitting here enjoying this win had they not. Q. Trevon, the two interceptions and the fumble recovery, when you guys generated those turnovers, did you sense -- at that point you had the lead -- but just things swinging your way in a decisive manner that what you all were doing defensively was going to be enough today to really just shut them down? TREVON STEWART: Really, no matter how many turnovers we get during a game, we just gotta finish off the game like that. So I got those two, Willo got two. And really we kept telling each other, man, keep fighting, the game ain't over yet. We were trying to get more, we felt it was not enough. Coach Orlando said keep bringing the pressure. Coach Naivar said keep trying to get turnovers. That's just what we do, we're hungry players and we're just trying to make it happen. Everybody was trying to make the play. Q. Coach, did you wear the grill? COACH HERMAN: I did, in the locker room. You're not going to see it. (Laughter). Q. Coach Herman, can you comment about the defense, what you guys did to slow down their running game so effectively? COACH HERMAN: Again, I think it was pressure. Again, much like our offensive game plan. We knew we can't just sit there in base defense and go man for man with these guys matchup-wise. We had to be creative. We had to be unconventional a little bit and we had to confuse the offensive line and allow some penetration, allow some guys to get free either to the quarterback or to the running back. And I think that was kind of the crux of the game plan was not to just sit there and try to go matchup for matchup. We had to be very creative in the ways that we stopped the run game. Q. Coach, is it safe to say that this trip to Atlanta has been a little bit more enjoyable than, say, recruiting trips in 2014, in February? COACH HERMAN: Yeah, the good thing is there's no ice on the road. Yeah, my memories of the great city of Atlanta certainly have done a complete 180, that's for sure. THE MODERATOR: Were you in the Snowmageddon? COACH HERMAN: I was in the heart of Snowmageddon, my friend -- 19 hours on 285 in my car. Q. The Memphis game and this game, Greg has carried you guys all year, but Kyle Postma was able to come in and be able to give you guys key snaps. Seems pretty symbolic to the team all year, where it's been the entire roster and the depth you've created. How integral was he to kind of carrying you guys to the finish line today? COACH HERMAN: One of our four pillars of success is what we call competitive focus, and a lot of teams talk about the backups and third-stringers preparing as if your number could be called at any moment. But we truly live it. These guys have bought into that, that real professionals, guys that go about their business every day with the mindset to get better. Because when your number's called, all your teammates -- there's going to be one of two things, one of two reactions happen. It's going to be, oh, my gosh, Kyle Postma is in the game, I've seen how awful he prepares. I've seen how he doesn't pay attention. I've seen how bad he is at practice. Or the reaction is going to be, hey, Postma's going in, we're good, we're good. I've seen how he prepares, how well he prepares, how well he studies and how well he practices. And so he is a bit symbolic. I think the offensive line is a bit symbolic, too, of just that one pillar of success, competitive focus, that when your number's called in this program, you better be ready, because there's a lot of guys that are counting on you to be. Q. Greg and Trevon, Texas is certainly a large state but from the golden triangle to the panhandle, football is a small community. Talk about what it's like to have the best record in the state. TREVON STEWART: It means a lot, you know, having University of Texas, Texas A&M, those guys like that. I feel there's a lot of bragging rights having a lot of friends on those teams, so there's a lot of bragging rights but it feels good, especially to come this far, not just to come to Atlanta, to the Peach Bowl, but also to win the game, it's a good feeling. GREG WARD, JR.: I think it's great for the team. We don't really think about or worry about other teams. It was just a great win for the family and just all the brothers, we all bought in. And the 13-1 just goes to our family, man. COACH HERMAN: Can I add something to that? I think I'd be remiss if I didn't mention or at least implore the recruits out there and the high school football players, that if you want to win championships and you want to win New Year's Six bowl games and win 13 games and kiss trophies and get really big rings, and get a lot of nice things, better be coming with no strings, right -- that you can certainly do it at one of the finest institutions in the country, and in my opinion the greatest city in America. Q. Talk about how you guys were able to respond anytime Florida State was about to take momentum, seemed like you guys either converted on a third down, scored a touchdown, just seemed to always respond? COACH HERMAN: You know, you're so in the middle of it that you can't really see that while it's happening. But now that you mention it, you're right. I remember just, oh, my gosh, it's third-and-8 and we completed a pass to Demarcus Ayers and we get the ball moving, I think we kicked a field goal on that one. Or they're driving a little bit, they've got us on our heels a little bit, and, boom, we get a turnover. So you're very right that, you know, that this team has kind of done that all year. They've found ways to, when their backs are against the wall, to really rise or really what we say, it's, I think, a Navy Seal term -- you don't rise to the occasion, you fall to the level of your training. And the level of these guys' training is a really, really high level. And so when your back's against the wall, you fall to the level of your training. Well, that level of training is really, really high, and these guys continue to go back to the way that they're trained and respond with great decisions and not panic and just have a knack for making a big play when it's needed. Q. Greg, did you feel a lot of pressure knowing how explosive Florida State can be? Did you think you would have to run up 30, 40 points to win this one? GREG WARD, JR.: I know our defense would do a great job, man. We've been preparing very hard. Whenever you prepare like this, you have no fear. So preparation eliminates fear. So Coach Herman put us in the best situation, along with Coach Applewhite. And we just came out here and played hard. Q. Tom, to go back to something earlier, when you got hired, I believe the words were, Houston could be a sleeping giant. And then 12 months later you told the crowd, Coog Nation has arrived. COACH HERMAN: It's back. We were here before. We went a little dormant. Yeah, the sky is the limit. Again, we're in the greatest high school football-playing city, and second only to -- with number two being right up the road in the Metroplex. And we've got a top 25 academic institution that we can afford student-athletes an experience of a lifetime and a degree and training that will carry them well into the future. And so I think the validation of just kind of the way we go about our business has really been neat to feel and it's palpable in the city. It's palpable on our campus that we have a new sense of pride in this great university and this great football program, and it's because of the players that have invested so much in it. THE MODERATOR: Thank you. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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