Opening statement:
"First of all, welcome everybody. It's been a good bye week for us. An opportunity to get some rest and get some guys back 100 percent hopefully and now refreshed as well. It was a tough 10 weeks for us, six games on the road, back-to-back each time we had road games. We're fresh, we're focused and ready to now come home and play against a pretty good ECU team that we've had some pretty good contests against in the past."
On the bye week schedule:
"The guys had off Monday through Wednesday. Basically, they were off. We got back at it on Thursday. Did some UCF-UCF, some competitive stuff out there in practice. Then we got into our regular routine starting on Friday. We've been on the practice field every day since then. Saturday through today, working on each phase thoroughly, making sure we have a good football game."
On whether the bye week was better for them physically or mentally:
"I think it was both. First of all, mentally, because we were beat down. Not being able to win football games, but just with the travel and everything. It was tough on us. Mentally, we're fresh now. Physically, we got some guys back who will be 100 percent as opposed to being close to 100 percent."
On Tristan Payton, Tre'Quan Smith and Jamiyus Pittman's status:
"They're 100 percent. They've been looking good at practice this week. Just a few days off helped them off. Tre'Quan Smith, another guy that got a little banged up as well. He's ready to go 100 percent also."
On the season of Tre'Quan Smith:
"He's stepped up and made some plays for us throughout the year. Obviously when you can tie a freshman record going into your last two games, it says a lot. A guy that if we can keep healthy is going to have a very good career here at UCF. He stepped up and made plays for us. We look for him to continue to do that through these last two games."
On "trusting the process:"
"You look at the tradition which we've had here, more than anything else. We built our program on hard work and being able to play for a full 60 minutes. I think that's the key for us, playing for a full 60 minutes. This was not a year that we looked at would be a rebuilding year, a year that we could build on what we did last year. Unfortunately the numbers haven't gone our way. It's really come down to a matter of, 'Guys, let's play for 60 minutes and not just in spurts.' If we can do that, we can finish in the right fashion."
On the ECU game last year and the Hail Mary:
"You never think you're going to get a chance to get the ball back, but we saw how they were managing the clock. So we knew we'd have a chance, but how much time left? We talked about our final two plays. We talk about it every week anyway. It worked itself out. We were able to get the ball out of bounds around the 45-yard line. Justin's arm was strong enough to make it to the end zone. He reared back, had great protection and the guys had an opportunity to get down field. He gave it enough hang time and distance where Perriman didn't have to leap, it just fell into his arms. It's one of those things that as long as you're on the winning side, it's great memories. To be on the opposite side of that, it's not fun."
On his reaction to that play:
"We won. It's funny. It's funny. I had talked to Justin, last year working with the quarterbacks as far as signaling throughout the game and being the communicator. I told him he's going to have two plays. The first one is the biggest one. The second one, if we get to the second play, just let it happen. You practice those situations, never with the idea you're going to use them. In that case, we practiced them and it worked to our advantage. We won. We were conference champs. Back-to-back conference champs. That was the excitement for all of us in that locker room after that."
On Justin Holman's health:
"I think right now he's probably the best as he's been all year from a physical standpoint, mentally and physically. He's been battling the hand injury, wear the glove, without the glove. Last week he was sharp as far as physically. Mentally, he needs to continue to do the things we're asking him to do. Be a leader. Let the young guys, let the game plan work itself out. Not try to do too much. I feel confident where he's at going into this football game."
On East Carolina:
"Strength of the team is their offense. They're usually a pretty good offense. They lost their starting two quarterbacks early in the year, so they've had to rely on their three and four guys and they both do a good job. They've always had good skill players, receiver corps, running game is still intact. Defensively, they're a 3-4 team. When you play a 3-4 team you don't face week in and week out, it causes you to do some different things offensively. They've been in a little bit of a rut the last three games. Tough ballgames. Last game they played South Florida, it was really a weather factor more than anything else. South Florida found a way to win the game. They're doing a good job. At the same time, these games that we play with these guys, you never know what's going to happen until the final play sometimes, or even throughout the game. We had some big plays here in 2012 and our special teams, Quincy McDuffie, gave us some momentum in that game. We have to be prepared to play in all three phases against a good team. More importantly, we're back at home. I think our guys are looking forward to that."
On UCF's improvement in the running game in the last two games:
"That's a good question. I think a lot of it is continuity up front. We talked about that, having the right combination up front and being able to put more of an emphasis on controlling the football. Our defense is going to do what they do. We created some turnovers too which gave us more opportunities. Going into the Cincinnati, we knew we could run the football. Going into this last game against Tulsa, we wanted to keep the ball away from them. Time of possession was in our favor. When you do that, you have to capatlize and put the ball in the end zone, not just kick field goals. We're putting more of an emphasis on controlling the football, emphasis on the run game and then staying on the field on third down. I think that's the key for our success down the stretch. Stay on the field on third downs to give us more opportunities."
On the team captains making a comment that things have been a little bit more loose and more "fun" since Barrett took over:
"I'm just being me. I believe in enjoying the game. We're not doing anything different per se. You're always to make a mistake, but let's get it right the next time. I think the guys are more relaxed more than anything else. We've got nothing to lose right now. We're not in a bowl game. Our season is coming to an end in two weeks. We all know that. Let's enjoy the process. Let's get better. I thought we got better last time we were on the football field. Now the next time out, let's make that into a positive for us. There's no moral victories. We want to win these last two football games, starting Thursday night in front of a national audience on ESPN. We're be ready to play. That's the bottom line."
On Joey Puopolo:
"He leads by example. He fought through a quad injury earlier this year in the weight room. He's given us 100 percent. To be voted a captain in your senior year, when you started this program as a walk-on, that says a lot. That speaks for itself. Just his overall mentality and his attitude about the game itself. His desire to want to excel and win. Not only on the football field, but in the classroom as well. He's been a great example for us."
On playing weekday games:
"The thing about the conference, to give us that national spotlight, we have to move our schedules to the Thursday, Friday games. We're prepared for that. The schedule doesn't change because of the game day. What day it's on, we're going to prepare the right way. We're going to have three or four days of preparation in and our guys will respond accordingly. It helps that we practice in the morning so there's more flexibility there as opposed to having guys miss class in the afternoon."
On how much the coaches needed the bye week:
"We gave the guys off time as well. Normally this time of year you'd be out recruiting, but with the uncertainty in the program right now, gave those guys some time off. And it's shown. Everybody has come back refreshed and ready to go. It's been positive energy flowing this week on the practice field and the meeting rooms and everything. I think it benefitted us all. The timing. I wish it could have been earlier, but we take it as it comes."
On helping the players to "clear their minds:"
"You still have to stay in the moment. We got in the weight room, our emphasis was more let's get physically and mentally ready to go, but let's stay into it. They watched games. They studied film on their own. Maybe do more on their own. Our guys are good about that, they took ownership, watching film on their own without the coaches having to tell them to do that. I can't say enough about the players and how they've responded with all the uncertainty of our program. They've responded quite well. That's why I feel confident on Thursday night they'll respond accordingly for the football game."
On a player watching film on their own:
"A lot of times you have to tell them to come back over, but this week the guys were around for the right reasons. You can't say enough about that. Those are the kind of guys you want in your program. We've got some good football players on our football team as far as good character people. I think that's showing through right now, through this adverse situation."
On the defense:
"The key for us will be on third down. Get third down stops. That's been the toughest thing for us this year. Staying onside. We hurt ourselves a couple times in the Tulsa game. Then being able to get off the football field on third down. Once they get into the red zone, not allow the easy touchdowns. If they've got to earn it, make them earn it. If we can force them to field goals and get off the field on third downs, we'll be in great shape."
On the Missouri protests:
"It's whatever the situation is. It has to be decided at that time. You look at the Missouri situation and not being there, from afar, you look at how drastic things had become. So something had to be done, whether it's from the football team or somebody there. More importantly, Coach Pinkel stepped in as well. If the head coaches steps in the situation, obviously it's not a good situation. They did what they felt was necessary at that time. I would feel the same way if I was running a program as well. You have to be in the moment at that time. If it's something that can make a difference that's positive, in the lives of not only student-athletes, but the community as a whole, I think you have to take a stance for that."
