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INSIGHT BOWLDecember 31, 2007Mike GundyZac RobinsonDonovan WoodsTEMPE, ARIZONA COACH GUNDY: Obviously we were got off to a -- obviously we got off to a fast start. We felt like that we would be faster than them in space and it would be difficult for them to tackle us if we just got our guys out in space so that was our game plan. Players executed it early in the game. Obviously we ran the ball effectively and threw the ball down the field. We were able to get big plays from Dez Bryant and Bowman. In the second half we talked about staying on course, but I think everybody relaxed a little bit and we had a couple penalties that took us out of some scoring drives. But for the most part, the team played well. I was proud of the way they competed. They made their minds up two weeks ago. They wanted to practice hard. They wanted to go out winners, and the senior class wanted to find a way to get it done. They did. They played with great enthusiasm early in the game. I was proud of the way our defense played in the first half. They ended up scoring 33. The key for us defensively were the stops in the first half which allowed our offense to get ahead by three scores. At that time, it became difficult for them to catch up, so I was proud of the way our defense competed. I thought they would play well because they had practiced well. Fortunately, it worked out that way. Q. Mike, we talked yesterday, this offense ranks with some of the best in school history as far as stats. Go through calling plays tonight, first five positions, what it is like no matter what play you call seems to work a lot of the times. COACH GUNDY: This is a simple game that at sometimes us, as coaches, can make very complicated. We have good skilled players and linemen that are smart and get all the right players. Our coaches that were in the box did a great job of changing plays at the line and put us in a situation to have success. It was a lot of fun being involved with the offense the last three weeks. But you have to give the credit to the players. They're the ones that make the plays and the staff rallied offensively. Obviously, we haven't had Coach Fedora for the last three weeks, month, whatever it has been. The offensive staff just spread it out and they did a nice job of picking up the slack and put together a good game plan and the players went out and executed. Q. Coach Gundy, Mike, you guys were physical and dominated the line of scrimmage. Do you feel that the Big 12 schedule and that type of play week after week after week helps you in a game like this? COACH GUNDY: At times it's difficult to evaluate teams when you play out of conference because you don't know how physical the Big Ten is or how fast the Big Ten is -- I'm using them as an example since we played them -- because you don't see them every week. What you are saying is exactly right. We try to evaluate speed and strength on tape. It is easy to do in our league because, for example, if we played a Texas or an Oklahoma or Nebraska, we know how fast they are. When we see somebody else play them, it is easy to evaluate what we need to do on either side of the ball. So we weren't really sure. We did feel like we were faster than Indiana, if we got our skilled players some space. We did have some concerns about their quarterback, which held to be true. He is very active and he is very elusive. So for the most part, I would say that the division and the league that we play in probably helped us in that game. Q. Mike, the passing game seemed to be quick and great. Zac was really on. Looked like if you wanted to keep it up, you could have passed for 600 yards and scored 70 points. COACH GUNDY: We got somewhat conservative late in the third quarter and the fourth quarter. When we scored 42, I think it became more than a three-score game. We just wanted to run the ball and be smart, not take a chance. We also didn't want to take a chance on them bringing pressure and hitting our quarterback. And, defensively, we were still playing pretty good. We gave up a couple of good plays, but for the most part we were playing pretty good. At that point, we just tried to play smart football. Q. Zac, they talk about athletes being in the zone. Your offense was in the zone those first five possessions. In the second, was there any difference in the way the plays were coming in while addressing changes with Fedora? ZAC ROBINSON: We knew we wanted to get off to a good start. We knew they would come out fired up early, and so we just wanted -- they came out with exactly what we thought they would do. And so when they -- we had to check, Coach Gundy and the rest of the coaches got us to the check that we needed, we executed it and turned the ball over. And that's really what had us clicking so early on. The second part, I mean, it was really just by committee and everything was running smooth. It was really just nothing different, just by committee, those guys calling plays on the sideline and upstairs. It really wasn't much different. Q. Coach, you've had a long line of great receivers come through this program. Did Dez's performance not set the foundation for him to be the next guy? COACH GUNDY: Dez certainly has a lot of talent. He has a long way to go. When the ball is in the air, Dez is competitive as probably most people in our league. He has to learn to make adjustments. He has to become a better player when he doesn't have the ball in his hands or the ball is coming to him. One thing I'll say about our offense and brag on our offense is that the ten guys that don't have the football play extremely hard. They block down field. They take a lot of pride in it, guys like Pettigrew and Bowman and Seth and the linemen, obviously, and even Zac. You know, Zac tried to block tonight and got a clip. But our offense takes a lot of pride in that. So, yes, when Dez knows the ball is coming to him, he is a pretty good player. He needs to learn to play when the ball is not coming to him. Q. Donovan, all the things you have been through, just sum up your careers the way it ended tonight. DONOVAN WOODS: It is a good way to end it. Obviously in my career, I have been through quite a bit. Kind of compare it to life. You never know what you are going to go through or what you are going to have to deal with, and my career has been a lot like that and it is good to end on this kind of note. End of FastScripts |
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