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INSIGHT BOWLDecember 31, 2007Kellen LewisBill LynchAustin StarrTEMPE, ARIZONA COACH LYNCH: Well, we got beat by a good football team. Oklahoma State is everything we thought they were. Their offense is outstanding and they -- you know, we just didn't get our feet underneath us early in the game. We didn't get any stops. But, you know, they do a lot -- they got such great balance in their offense. Savage is awfully good, the quarterback is pretty good, they had big receivers in the offensive line. They controlled the early part of the game. And offensively, we just didn't get any kind of flow. I thought the second half, our kids came out and battled pretty hard. I really did. We got some stops on defense. Offense made some plays and scored some points. I was proud of our guys the way they came back the second half and kept battling and battled all the way to the end. We came here to win and play it to the end, and so we did. I was proud of our kids about that. I would say the story of it was Oklahoma State was awfully good and in particular the first half they really played well. Q. Bill, what will this experience mean for this program going forward? COACH LYNCH: I think it's -- it is a great experience. We're going to learn from it. You know, the thing about a Bowl game, it is the beginning and an end. You know, it is a sad thing because it is the end of careers of some great guys. These seniors, I couldn't be more proud of them because of all they have been through and I mean that sincerely. They have been through a whole lot. Each one of them, their story is a little bit different. We have said over and over again, we're going to look back at it and this -- this group of seniors got this thing going. That's the sad part because it is the end of those guys' career, but it is the beginning of something I think that's going to be very, very good. We got a lot of good, young football players that learned for the first time a Bowl experience and coming and what it takes to be a Bowl champion. So I think it is a great experience for our guys. Q. Kellen, describe the difference in intensity between this game versus the Purdue game that happened a couple months ago. KELLEN LEWIS: They were pretty much almost on the same level. Obviously, Purdue game was a big rivalry, but this was another game. Their season, obviously they thought they were going to get to a better Bowl game and they came out and played really hard. I don't think -- we came out played like that. We came out a little flat, and before we knew it, the score was what it was. Obviously we came back and played in the second half. That was one of the key points we had in the locker room, was win, lose, or draw, don't go out there and not represent the University. So I was happy with the way the offense came out and played in the second half. Q. For Kellen and Austin, what do you guys take out of this Bowl experience and what do you hope to carry over into next year? AUSTIN STARR: I would say -- I mean, it is a big step for the program. We set our goal to Play 13 and we played 13. Didn't come out the way we wanted, but, I mean, every single guy on our team battled and they never quit and that's what Coach Hoepp taught us, never quit. I am proud of this football team. I am proud of the seniors. It is like I told everyone in the middle of the season and even after the Purdue game, this team has unbelievable chemistry, and I have never been on a team who was accomplishing one goal together and we were all in it for each other through positives, negatives, ups and downs. I am proud to be on this football team and I'm happy to have another year. KELLEN LEWIS: I think we probably learned two things. One of the biggest things, something that Coach Lynch and Coach Canada reiterated, we got to learn how to play the whole game. During the season we played a couple teams, Indiana State, Western Michigan, where we got away with only playing one half or playing three quarters. It hurt us tonight. We were used to being able to come back. We weren't able to compensate for that first half that we didn't play that well. It came back to bite us. And the second is, one of the biggest steps in every program is getting to that Bowl game and having that winning season. Now that we know that it's possible and we've done it, there is obviously no excuses coming into the next season. AUSTIN STARR: I would also say that, speaking on behalf of the team, that we're very happy that Coach Lynch is coming back to lead us in the future. Q. For Coach Lynch, can you talk about Oklahoma State's passing combination of Zac Robinson and Dez Bryant and the impact they had on the game tonight. COACH LYNCH: Well, you know, what I am so impressed with with their offense is because they're so balanced. You really have to -- everything starts with you got to account for the run. As you account for the run, you get yourself in so many one-on-one situations on the outside. And Robinson is a very good passer, and really all their receivers are really impressive. Bryant, for a young kid, he is really a physical kid. There is a kid at Illinois who is a freshman that's very similar. They're pretty impressive guys. Q. Austin, talk about the fake field goal and, Coach Lynch, the call on that as well. AUSTIN STARR: Well, I want to say that it wasn't -- when we did it in practice, it was supposed to go a lot easier than that. I wasn't juking three guys. First off, I want to thank Kellen for giving me an opportunity to show that I'm not just a kicker. COACH LYNCH: All right, let me finish that question. The play went nothing the way it was designed. We got a first down and eventually a touchdown. That's about the best we can say. AUSTIN STARR: I have never been hit that hard in my entire life and I have new appreciation -- COACH LYNCH: Next question, please. End of FastScripts |
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