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TOSTITOS FIESTA BOWL: TCU v BOISE STATEJanuary 4, 2010Kyle EfawKellen MooreChris PetersenBrandyn ThompsonKyle WilsonSCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA Boise State 17 TONY ALBA: Coach Petersen will join us momentarily. But we'll get going here with questions for the players. Q. The fake punt is obviously what everyone is going to be talking about coming out of this game. Can you just talk sort of the guts it takes to call that in that situation, 4th and 9 from your own 33 and how it unfolded. Kellen, if you don't mind commenting. You are the football brains, son of a coach. 4th and 9 from 33. What it means to call it from that situation and have it work? KYLE EFAW: Yeah, that's a gutsy call. I'm glad it worked. Everyone did their job and we shifted out and they shifted out with it. So we knew it had a good chance. I looked at him and it was like "We're running it." I slid on the side and ran up the field and put it on the money and I didn't fumble it so it was a good play. KELLEN MOORE: It takes lots of guts, but Kyle Brotzman, he has been working with our QBs all year. A lot of the guys back in Idaho from the media know that he does our quarterback drills with us every Thursday, kind of joking around, and every once in a while it pays off. COACH PETERSEN: Very much joking around. We are, as a staff, so pleased how hard our kids played. We knew they played that hard. TCU, we said it earlier in the week, you know, we think they are as fine of a team that's out there. A lot of credit to those guys. If you look at the stats, a real, real evenly matched game. You know, I think when it comes down to that, you are splitting hairs and fortunate we were able to make a play or two and get the W. Q. Kellen, you guys were going up against one of the toughest defensive fronts in the nation with Jerry Hughes. You guys were able -- you weren't sacked one time today. Talk about the game plan against Jerry Hughes and how big was that, just to contain him in this game? KELLEN MOORE: You know what? A lot of -- you know, we got to recognize those big boys that sometimes get forgotten. They stepped up big time. I think Brenel Myers deserves all the credit in the world to step into a situation like that for, you know, maybe a second start ever. He's going up against the best defensive end in the country and did a great job against him. Q. Coach, could you talk about the fake punt and what you guys saw on that play that made you feel like that would work at that point? COACH PETERSEN: We shift into an awkward formation. If it looks like it is a punt rush situation, then our personal protector who is J.C. Percy will make the call. We got the look we wanted and away we go. As soon as he pointed back to the punter, it was music to our ears because we had the look we wanted. I knew they'd execute it. You know, I think we have about ten times more confidence in Kyle sometimes than he talks about himself, but there was no doubt if Brotz got it in the vicinity he was going to make a play and get something done for us. Q. Brandyn, can you talk about your game tonight, two really big picks and a pass broken up right there at the end. BRANDYN THOMPSON: Yeah, you know, just kind of went out there. We wanted to execute the game plan on defense, fly around. When you get an opportunity to make a play, make it. Q. I know in the wake of the last Fiesta Bowl win, you bristled a little bit about Boise getting a reputation of being all trickery and such because of the way you won that game. I think it's ironic that here you are again and you do so much over the last three years and now coming out of your last BCS win everyone's going to be talking about a trick play? COACH PETERSEN: I think that's what they expect out of us, so we're happy to deliver if it gives us one more point than the other guys. You know, I would like to say again how much we enjoyed our time here. I would like to thank all the people from the Tostitos and the Fiesta Bowl people, how awesome they are. I know people are talking about a play-off and this and that. The thing that I don't want to go away is an experience like our team, our players, their families, our families had down here. I mean, these are life experiences that none of these kids and none of us will forget. Q. Coach Pete, talk about the decision to go to the defense that you guys ran tonight, what appeared to be a 3-2-6. COACH PETERSEN: Yeah, we had been tinkering with a couple of things as the season went on, going more to a three-man front. I think we got just an unbelievable coaching staff on both sides of the ball. But, you know, Justin Wilcox and Pete Kwiatkowski, Jeff Choate, Marcel Yates, all those guys, they are tremendous coaches. They will get the kids in the best possible positions to make plays. So they were giving them different looks and different fronts. I think it showed up in terms of probably giving them some problems running the ball. Q. They talked, especially earlier on, they were confused defensively with what you were doing. Was this completely a new look for you that you guys put in in the last month? COACH PETERSEN: There was definitely a couple new blitzes, and there's some -- you know, the stemming to go with the front was different and we had shown before. Q. You hate to look ahead to August now, three or four days into January, but what do you think the victory could do for you perception-wise next season for a high ranking? The BCS has proven year and year out you have to start high to have a shot at the title. Do you think this victory will propel you into the top echelon? COACH PETERSEN: Go ahead, Kellen. KELLEN MOORE: Big man first, right? (Smiling). We have a lot of guys back which obviously creates a lot of opportunity. Losing Kyle and Richie, always tough. Just something we can build on at this point. Hopefully, you know, make some progress for spring ball and all those opportunities. You know, something might happen down the road. COACH PETERSEN: We'll have a decent ranking coming into the season, preseason rankings. I've said this before all along: They just don't mean much to us. Certainly with the schedule we're going to play next year, you know, I think we could be ranked low. If we could beat the teams on our schedule, we would jump dramatically. So, you know, we'll talk about those a long time from right now. (Smiling). Q. Talk about your defense. You guys were really looking to stop the run, and you did that. But the passing defense, it seemed like it really came alive tonight. What went into that? And what did you see from those guys? COACH PETERSEN: Well, you know, we put as much speed on the field as we could get to try to match theirs. I think the guys competed so well. I mean, that was kind of the message and the mission going into this game. We knew we would have a good scheme. I think there are a lot of good schemes. We thought it might throw them a little bit of a curve ball, because some of the things they hadn't seen before. And then just play your heart out. That was it, just keep competing. We knew they would make some plays and how we are going to answer back from that. That's what we are so pleased with, we always say this, you know, they just don't know the heart that these kids have. Q. It just seemed like watching the first half from the field level you guys were dominating. But going into half, just a three-point lead, what was your thought going into halftime? COACH PETERSEN: Well, I didn't feel like we were dominating. You know, I thought we -- red zone, a little bit of issues again there. That's very frustrating. I felt like it was a little bit like it was last year. And I think great defenses swell up in the red zone and make it very, very difficult, and they did that to us. I just -- we were just hoping to get something more going on the offensive side, just to kind of go with our defense. You know, finally -- we told these guys last night that it wasn't going to be any one thing. It wasn't going to be just our defense or just our offense. It was going to need to be special teams as well and we needed plays out of all sides to get this done. I think that's what happened. KELLEN MOORE: I think certainly on our part there were some missed opportunities that we would liked to have had back. I think a lot of credit goes to our defense and special teams. Those guys stepped up. And eventually we were able to get some things rolling in the second half and able to get some points out of it. Q. Kyle, can you talk about this game, what it means to you? You spent so much work at corner for this team and spent your last game pretty much playing safety. KYLE WILSON: Defensive back is defensive back. I just love making plays. To go out like this is really just incredible. Just in this last year, the way these guys have worked, from the winter, just doing everything the coaches asked, doing everything the leaders asked on a day-in, day-out basis, focusing on getting better each day, it has been amazing. I couldn't ask for anything more than this. This is a truly great experience. I'm just so happy. We definitely deserved it. It couldn't go to a better group, a better organization. Q. You guys started the season on national T.V. against a very well-known opponent and ended it as well. In both games you completely shut down their running game. For people around the country who are tuning in, what do you think the impression your defense will make on them? BRANDYN THOMPSON: You know, hopefully, you know, that we play hard. We go out there and we run to the ball and we compete. We just want to show the nation that. KYLE WILSON: We got three turnovers -- did we get that NCAA record? COACH PETERSEN: That's a great question. KYLE WILSON: I think we got 35. The record was 33. Definitely a goal we shot at this year. Really just -- just -- you know, that we can make plays, we can play on a big stage. Our defense is as good as any. We can go out and compete with the best of them. Those guys defensively, I personally have worked hard day in and day out. I couldn't have a better group of guys out there. Thank you, D line. Thank you, linebackers. And thank you, defensive backs. As well as all the coaches for the overall effort and attitude and focus you guys have given all year. And the offense for putting up with us. You know, battling those guys each day in practice is truly amazing. Q. Brandyn, you talked to another reporter earlier this week about wanting to get another shot after missing the interception last year against TCU. Did you think it would come that early? And talk about the feeling when you ran into the end zone there. BRANDYN THOMPSON: You definitely -- last year's dropped pick kind of sits with you and stays with you and constantly reminded about it. It was great to get a chance to kind of get the same type of play. It was a slant route, and luckily this time I was on top of it. I was there. As I was running. I was just thinking "Get to the end zone and don't do anything stupid." (Smiling). Q. Kyle, you grew up as the hometown kid in Boise watching these Broncos. What does it mean for you to be an offensive MVP in the Fiesta Bowl? KYLE EFAW: Well, I don't know if that's quite hit me yet. It is pretty crazy. I just went into the game trying to do my job. It is a dream come true to just even be playing for the Broncos and play in a BCS game. Growing up watching BCS games and watching last time's Fiesta Bowl at my house. I don't think it has quite hit me yet. But it is pretty surreal. Q. Coach Petersen, how does this win compare with the one in 2007? COACH PETERSEN: Well, I think it's just as special, without question. I think that team was much different than this team. I think we played a tremendous opponent like we did last time. But, you know, there's no sneaking up on anybody this time. We just really are proud of how hard those guys played. That's what makes it just as special as the time before, is just to see how hard they competed because, like I said, I think everybody knows what type of team TCU is. Q. Coach Pete, did you have any advice to some of the young players coming into this big game how to remain humbled and focused? COACH PETERSEN: We just told them don't talk, our young guys. I'm kidding there. The guys that have played for us all year, they got it. They had the message. And they have been doing it all year, and they have been practicing hard, you know, staying hungry, staying humble. And then the real young guys, all the guys that did a great job for us, all the kids that red-shirted, they did a tremendous job for us. They have really, really good role models to learn from. They have set the standard. They have set the path on how to get it done. And so we're really proud and pleased with all of our young guys. Q. I just wanted to ask you about your guts on the big stage. You guys seem to get big plays in big moments when you need them using unique plays like you did tonight again. COACH PETERSEN: We just -- they don't seem like they take guts to me. They just seem like it's a play that's going to work and get us what we need. Last time we were here, it was the same thing. It is just the best we had at the time, and that's exactly how it was. Coach Choate was the one that said, Hey, I think we ought to roll. The nice thing about it is the way it is designed. If they don't give us the look that we like, Kyle will kick it away. But they did, and we have tremendous confidence in our guys to execute plays. Q. Here it is, you are undefeated. You come in and win a BCS game against a great team, all that. Is that enough? I mean, everybody is going to be talking BCS, are you the best in the country, all that sort of thing. I know you said you don't think about that. But is this the dream season for you, or is there still one more thing? COACH PETERSEN: Well I mean, it is a dream season because we can only beat the teams on our schedule. And so we don't even think about anything other than that. One of our goals is to go to a BCS game and then win the Bowl game. So both those things happened. And so we couldn't ask for more. Like I said, when you come to a Bowl game like this and you are treated so well and you get to play on a stage like this in a packed house in front of the country, that's why these guys -- I mean, this is what they dream about when they are little kids. This is why now they come to Boise State to play in a situation like this. Q. Coach Petersen, in 2007 I believe you had three former Arizona players -- high school players on your roster. This year you have seven and one junior college transfer. How beneficial have the Fiesta Bowl appearances been to recruiting in general and Arizona in particular? COACH PETERSEN: Recruiting, it has definitely helped us. We are hoping again it will help us down the road. We don't have many scholarships this year, but I think it doesn't always take effect right here at this immediate time. Hopefully for the next class we sign and the class after that, that they paid attention to this game. And certainly being right here in Arizona -- we've had such a really good connection with Arizona for whatever reason. The kids that have come over there have fit in very well. They are good players. I think they're due for a little bit of cooler weather and they like it. Q. Brandyn and Kyle, can you talk about the play of Jerrell Gavins tonight? BRANDYN THOMPSON: Yeah, Jerrell came in and stepped up big time for us. He came in basically as a starter role. I don't think it was too big for him, something that we had practiced for a long time. It wasn't his first start. He started before against Davis and just came in and did a great job for us. KYLE WILSON: Jerrell is a competitor out there. He is a confident guy. He has been confident since the day he stepped in to practice with us. He pays attention to everything. He just wants to make the play all the time. He is a great competitor. This big stage was nothing new to him. He's from Florida. He just loves playing football. With the opportunity he got in this game, he definitely made the most of it. We weren't surprised. We see that in practice. He just loves to compete. Q. Kyle, this marks the end of a remarkable season. All those years ago when you came to Boise, Idaho, did you ever think it would end up like this? What do you have to say to those thinking about coming to Boise State? KYLE WILSON: It surpassed my goals that I set coming to college a long time ago. I have set so many. Just keep setting new ones. To have a career like this, I couldn't imagine it. It's really surreal, like Kyle Efaw said. I'm going to cherish really the memories and the time I had with my teammates along with the success. It has just been amazing. The kids will be fine. They have a good head on their shoulders. They will work twice as hard as we did this last year. To step away from a program, I will always be a Bronco and always know what's going on with Coach Pete and these guys. These guys are running a great program and a great university. Just want to say thank you all, Bronco Nation. Go Broncos! COACH PETERSEN: Go Broncos! End of FastScripts |
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