Texas Bowl

Texas Bowl Quotes
Navy Practice
Saturday, December 26, 2009

Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo
(on flying in from all over the country) “We had 100 guys coming from across the country, and we only had a few guys come on the chartered flight. We’re a national team, so guys come from all over but having said that, all but three guys made it here on time. To have 100 guys flying from across the country, to me, that’s pretty amazing.”

(on shifting from the relaxed holidays to practice) “Practice started off a little slow, some guys had to run off some turkey and sugar cookies. You come from Christmas which is such a pleasant time, and now we got to get ready to go, because we’ve got a very good football team that we’re getting ready to play. We just have to make sure that our minds are right and that we have good practices, because Missouri is going to be a tough challenge for us.”

(on participating in the Texas Bowl) “We just came from a blizzard last week on the East Coast with over two feet of snow, and it’s just now melting, so to be able come down south and come here to Houston, we’re ecstatic to be here. Everything that we’ve been a part of with this bowl so far has been first class. I showed my wife the bowl manual, and all the wives and our families are ecstatic to be here.”

Navy QB Ricky Dobbs
(on returning to practice after the holiday) “Everybody’s got the same goal in mind. Our officer representative for the football team told us we’re going to do it like the fleet. When you leave your families at home, you come back and report for business, and that’s what we’re doing. We get to go back (to our families) after the game, so we have to put that on hold, and be here with this family, and we’ve got business to take care of.”

(on being in Houston) “This is my first time in Houston outside of AAU basketball and playing Rice, so this will be my first time to actually go out and see what Houston has to offer.”

(on what a victory means) “It would mean a lot for us. It would be the first time we’ve won a bowl since I’ve been here at the Academy. A lot of guys are hungry for that, and it gives us something to build off of for the offseason. We would be the third team in school history to win 10 games, and it would mean a lot for us to go down as one of the best teams to ever play for the school. That’s definitely something in the back of our minds that we want to achieve. We made a team goal at the beginning to be the best team that we could be and right now with a victory, that would be the best that we could be.”

(on Missouri) “Watching them on tape, they’re pretty big and very physical on defense. We’re going to have to come out here and prepare and be ready for a dogfight. I’m sure they aren’t coming here ready to lay down, and neither are we. It’s a bowl game, and it’s supposed to be postseason fun, but everybody knows that we’re about business. Both teams have four losses, we’ve got a little bit to prove, and both teams are hungry so I’m prepared for a fight.”

Texas Bowl Transcripts

Missouri Practice
Sunday, December 27, 2009

Missouri QB Blaine Gabbert
(on meeting his goals) “My goals were to win football games and get us to a bowl game. We’ve been to five straight bowl games. Some of the senior class has been to four or five straight bowl games.”

(on the team’s motivation) “There are multiple reasons why this game is important. We’ve got to send the seniors out with a win, it’s a stepping stone to next year, and getting that win for the seniors makes them the most winning class in Mizzou history.”

(on next season starting with this game) “You get the young guys going, get some experience and have fun with it.”

Missouri DB Kevin Rutland
(on playing in front of friends and family) “It definitely heightens the game for me. It’s not often that my family gets to come up and see a game in Missouri. But now that I’m home I’ve got aunts, uncles, friends and family from back home so it’s a big game for me. I’ll probably have a section just for me with them cheering me on. I’ll be a little nervous because I haven’t played in front of them in a long time. I’ll get use to it and start having a good game.”

(on playing Navy) “They’re a very physical team. That’s what they do, they pound the ball, pound the ball, then they might catch you sleeping, throw it up top, and beat you deep. They’re consistent in what they do, they’re steadfast, and with a solid team like that, you have to be on your p’s and q’s or they’re going to get you.”

(on Missouri having a size advantage) “There’s maybe a slight athletic advantage, because of the scholarships, but that doesn’t stop their heart, and I’ve watched their film, and seen them play on the national stage, and they’ve always come to play and bring their A game. So we’re definitely not going to sleep on them.”