Coaches press conference

Dec. 28, 2007

Mississippi State’s Sylvester Croom

On visiting St. Jude on Friday: “It make you realize how blessed we are compared to what those kids and their families go through. As important as games are to us, it’s not the most important thing in the world.”

On Saturday’s game: “We’re ready. Our younger players have gotten better. We developed our second and third-line guys. That’s the benefit of having bowl practice.

“Our execution offensively seems to be better than before the Ole Miss game. We’ve got to get in the flow early. Have some jitters early, some extra enthusiasm might transfer into errors before we settle into the normal flow of football.”

On State being a target as a BCS conference team: “We get that every time we play a non-conference. I believe we play in the toughest conference in the country and everybody tries to make their reputation of us when we play out of conference. That’s a challenge we like. We make no bones about it. We think we’re a tough conference. We’ve played one of the toughest schedules in the country. We don’t fear anybody we play. We respect UCF. We’ve played the best. At this point of the game with the schedule we’ve played, we’re not afraid of anybody.”

On being a 3-point underdog: “Maybe it’s because we’re not one of those high scoring teams with a lot of stats. That’s not the way we play games. We still don’t get the respect that our schedule, and we won seven games, that I think it deserves. We’re an underdog, because we’re not as pretty as some other teams are. Pretty doesn’t bother me. As long as we’re celebrating in our locker room when the game is over, that’s all that’s important to me. Style points don’t mean anything to me. As long as we have one more point than the other team at the end of the day and we’ve played as good as we can play, that’s all that matters to me.”

Central Florida’s George O’Leary
On being in Memphis: “The whole city is into this game. The hospitality for all of us has been appreciated.”

On this game: “Two teams, similar styles, it’s a great matchup. We’re healthy. I look at the game as far as field position and special teams.

“I think who can control the line of scrimmage will be a key. That will dictate who wins and who doesn’t. It will be a chess match during the game, how quick you can make adjustments. Good teams don’t wait until halftime to make adjustments.”

Playing in the cold: “Actually, the weather has been a nice (relief) from the heat. It’s a great setting and the weather is supposed to be ideal (at kickoff).”

On if State is similar to any team that UCF has played this year: “Probably North Carolina State, with the way they run the ball. The thing that concerns me in this game is the unknown. The team in this game that will hold the trump card is the one that doesn’t have to put that many guys up there to stop the run that the line takes over. If you do that, you can play a lot of different coverages and help your squad out.”

On if this bowl game is like playing an SEC road game: “I think it will be like a home game for Mississippi State considering the distance factor. They’ve gotten behind their team and I respect the fact how they arrived here.

“I said that to try put laughter at the banquet, but it probably way. That’s what you expect when you play away in SEC country. Because of location, it will be like an SEC game. We’ll have our fans to chance to be here ourselves. I consider any bowl an away game.”

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