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WKU Football vs. Rice Quotes
Sept. 1, 2016
FINAL SCORE: WKU 46, Louisiana Tech 14
WKU FB HC Jeff Brohm Post Game Rice 9-1-16
WKU FB QB Mike White and WR Nicholas Norris Post Game Rice 9-1-16
WKU FB LB T.J. McCollum Post Game Rice 9-1-16
WKU Head Coach Jeff Brohm Quotes
Opening statement:
I'm very proud of our football team, I thought they were ready to play. We were locked in and we were focused. That's really the thing we challenged our guys with today, to make sure we do the small things right and make sure we go out and earn a victory. A lot of times, people talk about deserving this and deserving that. But we understood this is a new football team and some people aren't expecting as much, but we wanted to go out and prove what this team is about. And I like the way we played as far as our effort, the toughness we had and the ability to really play for four full quarters.
On Mike White's performance:
I thought [White] played outstanding. Any time you can make that many big plays and throw the ball down the field that accurately, that's a testament to the hard work he's put in. We had a tough competition between quarterbacks and made him earn it. He definitely put in the time and to see him come out and play like this, it was great. It was rewarding to see that performance by him and I'm happy for him. ... Our O-line did a great job. [White] didn't have to take too many hits, but he did stand in there a few times. He'll tell you if you ask him, the number one thing I challenged him on from the get-go was toughness. I told him when you play the quarterback position at a high level, you have to stand in there and make throws. But for him to come out and throw the ball vertically as well as he did, it's a testament to the work he put in.
On facing Rice in the opener:
I knew Rice was a good football team, and they're a perennial bowl contender every year. Last year they didn't perform the way they wanted, and I think this year we earned the victory. The game could have been close but we hit some big plays, and when you hit some big plays on a team it really demoralizes them. I think the fact we didn't give up big plays and we hit so many, you're going to have a chance to win. And we didn't turn the ball over, which is good to see, and if you do those things you're going to have a chance to win.
WKU Quarterback Mike White
On the play of the offense:
I think it's just a testament to the guys that we have around me. I think it all starts up front with the big brothers of this offense; we go how they go and they played well tonight. Our receiving corps and running backs, if you just get them the ball in space then they take care of the rest.
On taking a hit on his 87-yard touchdown pass:
I wouldn't say it woke me up, but I got settled into the game. It shook me a little bit, but not in a bad way; it was like that first hit back to welcome me back to the game.
On starting the season with a win:
It's obviously a good feeling. This is what we all come here for, to compete and go out on the field to play with our brothers next to us. We're glad to have the opportunity to go out there and play to compete for the win.
WKU Wide Receiver Nicholas Norris
On getting a win in the first game of the season:
This is the kind of start that we wanted to have last year. We put a little more pressure on ourselves overall as an offense to correct the things that we did wrong from last year. We expected to come out like this, but we had a great game.
On playing with a chip on their shoulder:
All summer we've been hearing that we won't be the same team after losing a couple of guys. We had a little chip on our shoulder to show them that we can still do the same things that we did last year.
On looking ahead to Alabama:
We're trying to come out the same way, it's the same type of game. I don't look at it as a different game, it's just another game for us. We don't want to make things bigger than what they are.
WKU Linebacker T.J. McCollum
On stepping up as a defense:
We definitely wanted to step up and show people that we're not just an offensive team. You can't win a game with just offense. You have to have all three segments with offense, defense and special teams. For us to come out here and have the kind of game that we did, it's phenomenal.
On the safety to open the scoring:
It set the tone. We went crazy; our guys got fired up after that. Some things don't happen, and that just fell our way, so we were good for that.
On getting to play Alabama:
We go game-by-game and we're looking at them as just another team for us. It's definitely going to be a different atmosphere. Getting to play back in my home state, it's going to be like a family reunion for me, it's going to be fun.
