Skip Holtz Press Conference Quotes
November 28, 2006 | Football
Nov. 28, 2006
GREENVILLE, N.C. - East Carolina University Head Football Coach Skip Holtz addressed members of the media Tuesday afternoon to discuss the Pirates invitation to the inaugural PapaJohns.com Bowl at historic Legion Field in Birmingham, Ala., on Saturday, Dec. 23. The following are selected comments:
On The Bowl Game:
"The official announcement came out of the Conference USA office this morning about 11 a.m. that East Carolina has the opportunity to go bowling at the PapaJohns.com Bowl in Birmingham, Ala. We are really excited about the opportunity."
On Last Week's Win Against N.C. State:
"There were so many positive things that happened in that game. The defense made a huge effort with the way they played. Although the offense was a little bit inconsistent, I thought the young guys really played well on the offensive line. We were able to run the ball to put the game away, which is something that we couldn't do against Rice.
"I thought that Markeith McQueen, Pierre Parker, Zach Slate, and those guys on the kick-off and punt team we absolutely incredible. The punt team might have won that football game for us the way they changed field position late in the game.
"The thing that was probably the most encouraging about last Saturday was the Pirate Nation. We went out for pre-game and the fans started the Purple-Gold chant out of the two end zones and one of the players looked at me and said, "That's pretty awesome." To have that excitement, energy and enthusiasm in that environment was incredible.
"Getting that seventh win guaranteed us the opportunity to have this bowl slot. I can't tell you how encouraged and excited I am for the program, for the seniors and for the future. This bowl game gives us the opportunity to reward our seniors for the tremendous effort that they have put into this season. It also gives our younger players the opportunity to have the extra spring practice as we start getting ready for next year. As much as this is a sendoff for our senior class for a job well done, it is also a kickoff to what is about to come for next season.
"The last couple of days have created a lot of questions and there has been a lot of buzz in the air about where we are going. It has been great for the Pirate Nation to keep that buzz and that electricity in the air about football. Now with the announcement that came out today, I encourage the Pirate Nation to flock to Birmingham and let's support this program. I would like to show the Big East and the rest of the country what I am learning and already know about the Pirate Nation, which is their unbelievable support and following. That is one of the things that makes East Carolina so different than so many other schools."
On ECU'S Bowl Opponent:
"We don't know who our opponent is going to be at this point. There are still a number of different scenarios and the Big East will make those decisions and let us know. As a coach I am excited that we now know where we are going and I will be really excited when we know exactly who we are playing."
On The Importance of Playing a Big East Team:
"We have great respect for the Big East and to have the opportunity to play another game against a BCS Conference is what we want to do. Coach Holland has made it loud and clear with the schedule, that playing BCS bowls is where we want to be and what we are striving for. I know that the opponent is going to be worthy and there are some good teams in the conference and it will be a challenge. I also think that it will grab some of these players attention. It is huge from a program standpoint. It shows the growth in this program and how far we have come in two years. We are definitely not where we want to be, but we are moving in the right direction. This is a very positive reward for a team that has worked extremely hard."
On The Team's Practice Schedule:
"From a student-athlete standpoint we are trying to finish up the semester. The last day of class is on Dec. 6 with exams starting on that Friday, Dec. 8 and going through Dec. 15. From a coaching standpoint we are working around the last couple of weeks of academics. We will not practice at all from Monday to Thursday for the next three weeks, so the players can finish up their classes strong. We will practice this weekend, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I will excuse the seniors from this weekend's practice, it will be all underclassmen."
On Eric Graham's Availability:
"It is still up in the air. We are just going to have to wait and see if he continues to tighten down and heal the way that he has been healing up to this point. I certainly hope so for him that he will have the opportunity to play in a game like this."
