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PACIFIC-12 CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: OREGON v UCLADecember 2, 2011Patrick LarimoreRick NeuheiselKevin PrinceEUGENE, OREGON Oregon – 49 THE MODERATOR: We'll go ahead and start the press conference this evening with Coach Rick Neuheisel, quarterback Kevin Prince, and linebacker Patrick Larimore. COACH NEUHEISEL: Let me first say congratulations to the University of Oregon and their great football program, Coach Kelly, his great staff. It was a fantastic showing tonight, as it's been over the last several years. It's a dynamic program, one that is tough to keep up with. We found that out firsthand tonight. But want to wish them well in representing our conference in the Rose Bowl. Hopefully they bring home a Rose Bowl championship to honor the PAC‑12. Let me also say to those involved in hosting this game and putting this together, it was a first‑class event. Inaugural things, I'm sure, have all sorts of kinks to get out and so forth, but we didn't notice a thing. It was first class. Our guys had big eyes as we looked at the stadium, all the different things you had put together to honor these two programs. So a heartfelt thank you to those of you who did that. Lastly, I want to thank my football team, who I thought fought valiantly. It wasn't as clean as it needs to be when you're playing a caliber of team like we did in Oregon, but there was a lot of heart and there was a lot of work. We made it a game, at least for a time. I was thrilled that we got that kind of effort, given the events of the last week. I just am excited for these guys. They get one more game. They'll find out where here soon. We'll be forever appreciative of not only the two guys sitting here, but all of the rest of the guys in the locker room for letting me have a dream job for the last four years. THE MODERATOR: Kevin. KEVIN PRINCE: Yeah, just touching on some of the things Coach Neuheisel said, I want to give credit to Oregon. They played a great game. First‑class program. It was a great experience to play in the first PAC‑12 Championship ever. Just speaking strictly offensively, unfortunately we couldn't get enough done. Turned the ball over too many times. When you do that, you put our defense in some bad spots. I was proud of the way we played. Just has to be cleaner. Just want to thank Coach Neuheisel for giving it his best effort these past four years, and I'm going to miss him. THE MODERATOR: Patrick. PATRICK LARIMORE: I'm very proud of how the team came out and played. I think we easily could have laid down and given in to everybody's predictions. But I feel like the team, as a whole, played with a lot of energy, a lot of effort. On defense, we were able to stop their passing in the beginning. Unfortunately, they ran a little bit more than we would have liked. They started to break some plays. Their backs are very talented; their quarterback is very good. But I'm really proud of the team. I think this game, even though we lost, is a very positive thing for UCLA. I think we can really build on it in the future. I'd like to thank Coach Neuheisel. Being able to play under him has been truly a blessing for me, and I know it has been for the rest of the team. THE MODERATOR: We'll go ahead and take questions. Q. Rick, I know you're focused on the game. Did you ever allow yourself to soak in the moment and realize it was your last time coaching? COACH NEUHEISEL: A little bit before the game. Dan had let me bring my family to the game, which I thought was a classy move, so I had my boys out on the field in the pregame.  I was playing catch with both Jack and Joe, my two youngest sons, kind of looking at all the surroundings. You know, say what you will about how we got here, so on and so forth, but looking up at those banners and seeing Oregon and UCLA on that deal was a treat for me, something that I'll have for a long time. We didn't get to where we needed to be, but, you know, they can't take this away from us. Everybody knew the rules at the start of the season, and here's where we earned, so... It's one of those things where I didn't really want it to end. But end it did, and we'll move on. Q. Rick, you seemed to get emotional walking off the field. What was going through your mind? COACH NEUHEISEL: Because you're just not sure if you're going to get to do this again. You know, our business is one that's hard to predict that stuff. The relationships you forge with young people who first say yes to you when you recruit them and then you try to correct them when they do wrong, you try to keep channeling their efforts so they can improve as players, all that kind of stuff. Those relationships are what make the glue for coaches and why no one leaves this field voluntarily. I mean, the work, the hours are long, but no one ever looks at the clock because you're doing what you love. So walking off the field knowing that I don't know when I'm doing this again is an emotional thing. I try hard to harness it, but not always successful. Q. Rick, I know a game like this doesn't come down to one or two plays. I'm curious what your feeling was? In the first quarter, you were driving down, had a fourth and one, and didn't make it, didn't help the momentum for you any. They had a similar situation on fourth and one where LaMichael went through the line and went untouched into the end zone. Wondering how much of an impact you think those plays had. COACH NEUHEISEL: Those are huge plays because they're giant momentum changers. I knew I was going to be in some fourth‑down situations, and some we made. But, you know, Oregon is a very talented team. Sometimes because of the enormous success that their offense has their defense doesn't get enough credit. They become sometimes the nameless because we talk so much about the guys that are scoring the touchdowns. They are stout up front. We felt like we had good plans as to how to go about getting fourth and ones, and unfortunately ended up on the short end of the stick a couple of times. Q. Kevin, that last drive, how badly did you want to score a touchdown there and send Rick out with a positive note? KEVIN PRINCE: Definitely. We wanted it more than anything. I mean, obviously at that point in the game we knew we weren't going to win it. But, you know, we just want to make sure that people see that we never give up. We're never going to be quitters. We never want to be called that or considered that. We showed we wanted to continue to compete till the very end. Definitely we know Coach Neuheisel wants it; that's the mindset he instilled in us. It would be special to score one last time. Q. Rick, when you were hired four years ago, that day you talked about that being the dream job. Tonight you're talking about a dream job. How long will you take before you decide, Am I going to be an offensive coordinator, I'm going to take a year off? What is your game plan right now? COACH NEUHEISEL: You know, I'll have time now to think about that. I really haven't had time. I'm thankful, again, to Dan Guerrero for giving me the chance to coach in this game. It would have been easy to say, It's time to move on, and go on. I'm very appreciative he did that. Not only did it give me a chance to be with these guys one more week, but it also kept me from having to think about what's next. We'll evaluate. I have a great wife. I have three good boys. We'll evaluate what's next. You know, obviously I've got some decisions to make as to stay or move, all that kind of stuff. But a lot of that hopefully will get cleared up here in short order. Thank you. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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