Patterson Meets With The Media
8/31/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 31, 2010
FORT WORTH, Texas -- TCU football coach Gary Patterson held the first of his weekly news conferences on Tuesday in the Four Sevens Team Room of the Meyer-Martin Athletic Complex.The No. 6 Horned Frogs face No. 24 Oregon State Saturday at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington in one of only two games on the opening Saturday of the season to include two ranked teams.
Included below are excerpts from Patterson's meeting with the media.
On the season arriving ...
"It's an exciting time. A game like this makes everybody a little more resourceful on what they want to see and what's going to happen. We have to take care of TCU. In first ball games, people usually lose games instead of getting beat."
On facing Oregon State ...
"We know we're playing a great opponent. We understand what they have. They've got a great staff. If you watch them on film, you can tell they get prepared for games in all three phases. I think they led the Pac-10 in kickoff and punt returns last year. They were one of the tops in defense, and they were also the No. 1 passing team in the Pac-10. They have a lot of weapons. We understand that, and you've got to go play the game."
On if Oregon State compares to any teams TCU has faced in the past ...
"Athletically, they're a lot like Clemson. We're approaching the ballgame as one of those where you can find a way to score one more point. Obviously, they're a top-25 football team. They have a lot of their skill guys back. They're going to come after you on defense. They're going to come after you on special teams, and they're going to come after you on offense."
On the similarities between TCU and Oregon State ...
"I think we both play with a chip on our shoulder. In different fashions, we're trying to find a way to gain respect."
On dealing with the emotions of a season opener ...
"I don't think you can treat this game any differently than any other you play. I'm one of those people that, when you're in a league, you root for everybody in your conference. But, when you play them for three hours you've got to find a way to get after them. This game is too hard when you don't find a way to play with emotion."
On if he has a gauge on his team going into the season opener ...
"I don't think any coach knows where his team is going into the first ballgame or how you'll react to the team you're going to play, especially when you play somebody who is equally as talented. The team that makes less mistakes, makes more plays, doesn't commit the penalties and does all the things you need to do will win. In a game like this, there's a team that loses a game quicker than a team that wins it."
On whether his team is thinking about going to another BCS bowl ...
"I don't talk about BCS bids. I don't talk about being 12-0. That's where you make mistakes. That's also how you never get your team to grow up to be the best it can be. You start with attitude, chemistry, family and accountability. That's why that pyramid is there. It starts at the bottom, and it doesn't have anything to do with wins. It has everything to do with you."
On getting the team mentally ready to play Saturday night ...
"The first game is a big game, so I don't really need to talk about it. What I need to do as a head coach is make sure by Saturday night at 6:45 that my team is mostly ready, but not too high and not too low."
On the youth in the secondary ...
"I'm excited because they're very talented and I think they're going to keep getting better. We're not afraid to play young players here. We haven't been. We played five freshmen last year. The way we go through practice, guys grow up."
