Defensive Players Press Conference
Dec. 31, 2000
New Orleans, La. (www.hurricanesports.com) — –
NOKIA SUGAR BOWL
NEWS CONFERENCE QUOTES
Saturday, December 30, 2000
MIAMI CORNERBACK MIKE RUMPH
(on mindset now compared to after loss to Washington) “After Washington, it was `we can’t lose’. We thought at the beginning of the season that we weren’t going to lose any games and go to the championship. But once we lost to them, we saw that even though you’ve got all the weapons, sometimes it doesn’t work out for you. So we knew we had to come out and work that much harder. From then on we knew we couldn’t just show up and expect to win.”
(on putting Miami back on the football map) “When I came in the team had just gotten done with a bad season and a lot of guys stuck in there and worked hard. We built up as the years went on. From that point where we were then and where we are now – yeah, we’re back.”
MIAMI LINEBACKER HOWARD CLARK
(on defense and offense counting on each other) “We keep each other up. We don’t point fingers at each other. We’re just a team. Everyone is so close. We (the defense) get in situations where we get in trouble, too. So it goes both ways.”
(on national championship possibility) “It’s in the back of my mind but we’re really not focused on that. We’re focused on going out and playing Florida. Trying to beat Florida. If you worry about other things and stuff that you can’t really control, then that’s why you get beat. Our coaches do a great job of keeping us focused on the game itself.”
MIAMI DEFENSIVE TACKLE DAMIONE LEWIS
(on pressure by the front four) ” It’s a lot of pressure on the front four every game, we have to stop the run and put pressure on the quarterback. This is a team we have to stop the run against so we can play the pass situations. They pose a lot of threats on the ground and they have a great running back and great receivers so we pretty much have our work cut out for us.”
(on the possibility of the game being a shoot-out) “It always exist, if we don’t go out and take care of our business up front then it will be a shoot-out. We have to get to the quarterback and we have to hit him and apply pressure and be in his face and let him feel our pressure or else it will be a shoot out.”
MIAMI DEFENSIVE BACK EDWARD REED
(on the possibility of Florida passing for a lot of yards) “It could happen, but we’ve matured during the year. Since the game against FSU we (the secondary) have stepped up and made more plays. We expect Florida to come out throwing the ball. It’s a challenge to us and we’re willing to step up to it.”
MIAMI LINEBACKER DAN MORGAN
(on playing on the Superdome turf) “this turf has more grip than the turf at Syracuse, so when you have to run up and make a tackle you have to break down carefully. Or otherwise you can find yourself tripping on the turf.”
(on if Florida is able to establish a running game) “We’ll be in a lot of trouble, if they can establish a running game and be able to pass the ball also. That goes with anything, if they are able to run the ball, they will have a better chance of being able to pass the ball too.”
