12/11/2003 - Football
Quotes From The Navy-Texas Tech Press Conference
Jerry Ippoliti, President and CEO, EV1.net Houston Bowl
"I'd like to welcome Texas Tech and the Naval Academy as two of the finest teams that have played in our Bowl game. We're elated to have both of them. Their coaches have done a marvelous job in their very short tenure of coaching there. We have two very unusual offenses, one a great passing team, one a great rushing team and that's about as good a match-up as you can have. I'd like to really commend Coach Johnson and Coach Leach for what they've accomplished as coaches and as leaders of young men."
"We're looking at a very exciting game. I'm glad I'm not going to be the defensive coordinator on either side."
"ESPN says it's going to be one of their top five games."
Roy Marsh, Chairman and Chief Financial Officer, Everyone's Internet (EV1)
"We are excited to be the corporate sponsor for this contest. To have two teams of such caliber is really a privilege."
"I'm a little disappointed that ESPN put us in one of the top five. After looking at what's out there, this has got to be the best game. The best offense-the best pass offense, the best rush offense. Wow, this is going to be fun. I hope we've got extra oxygen on the sidelines for the referees."
Mike Leach, Head Coach, Texas Tech
"I want to thank EV1.net for sponsoring this bowl. We had the opportunity to be in Houston for the Bowl game a couple years back (Tech played in the first game when it was known as the galleryfurniture.com Bowl in 2000) and we had a great experience. On behalf of our team, our players and Texas Tech, we're excited to be here in Houston for this Bowl, especially the opportunity to play a team that I respect in Navy and Coach Johnson. I've followed his work over the years and always been impressed with what he's accomplished."
(How do you set up scout teams?)
"It will present some challenges as far as duplicating it with your scout teams but you have those challenges every time you play somebody and get through it the best you can and I'm sure both teams want to have the best practice times and then go out there and perform on the field. I think both offenses are unique enough that it does present some challenges."
(Why come to/watch the game?)
"You've got some real contrasts. The thing that always impressed me about Navy, watching them on TV, is they all move as one....That morning marching or whatever it is they're up there, they get everybody on the same page. Those guys running out there on the field are on the same page. They just see them go eleven guys in unison wherever they need to go."
Paul Johnson, Head Coach, Navy
"On behalf of our football team, I too would like to thank EV1.net and Jerry for inviting us and giving us an opportunity to play. I think that everybody at Annapolis and the Naval Academy is extremely excited about the opportunity to come to Houston. I've known Mike for a long time and certainly he does a good job. It will be a huge challenge for our football team to play what I consider a great Texas Tech football team."
"We can't wait to get here. We're looking forward to it. It's been a while since the Naval Academy has had a chance to go bowling. Hopefully, you'll see a lot of guys in blue uniforms. I'd don't think you'll mistake them; you'll know who they are."
(Have you faced a team as wide open as Tech this year?)
"Probably not, I don't think there are many teams in the country as wide open and spread out as they are. We were really excited about the opportunity to come play and then we got the films up yesterday and now I'm trying to get our defensive guys on the plane."
"They do a great job, Mike's done a great job and they really present a lot of problems for you. You know, everybody's talking about the offense but we don't want to forget the defense. I think that both defenses have some outstanding players and that's a big part of the football game."
(How do you set up scout teams?)
"We've been doing some of that all year and the problem is you can't do that as well as the people you play. We just have to hope that maybe they can't run the triple as well as we can because we know we're not going to be able to throw it the way they do."
(Why come to/watch the game?)
"I think it's going to be an exciting game just from a pure football aspect. You have the opportunity to see two different philosophies clash and some outstanding players. More than that, it's just going to be a fun football game. You're going to see just about anything that you would want to see in a game. You're going to see a high-powered passing attack that will spread you out, throw it all over the place. We're probably going to try to run the option a time or two. And you're going to have a chance to see some young men from both schools who really represent what's good about our country and what college athletics should be all about."
Gerald Myers, Athletic Director, Texas Tech
"On behalf of Texas Tech, our administration, our president and our chancellor, I want to express our appreciation and our excitement to be in this Bowl. On behalf of the Big 12, I want to express appreciation to EV1.net for sponsoring the Houston Bowl. The Big 12 looks at this Bowl as one of the top bowls that Big 12 teams participate in. Houston's a great destination for all of our teams when we have the opportunity to play here. All of our teams do a lot of recruiting here and it's certainly one of the most important bowls that we have."
"We look forward to a good crowd of Texas Tech supporters coming. As of yesterday, we'd sold something like 4,000 seats. (Tech was named to the Bowl on December 7.)"
Chet Gladchuk, Athletic Director, Naval Academy
"It's great to be back here in Houston (Gladchuk was former AD at the University of Houston), it's great to be home in many respects. There are some wonderful people here, people I've worked with, spent time with in the community. Just the opportunity to come back here and see Jerry. Thank you, Jerry, for the great job you've done....And thanks to the SEC for leaving us a slot is one way to look at it as well."
"Enthusiasm is at an all-time high at the Naval Academy. It's exciting for our guys. The Midshipmen will be down here in full force. Get to know them. That's the key. They're just a different type of student-they're focused, they're obviously committed to our country. There aren't any NFL players on our team yet this man (Johnson) will get them to play like they're NFL prospects across the board. They're going to be commissioned officers when they graduate this spring or down the road."
"The tickets that have been sold to date-we've had a little bit of a head start on Gerald and the Texas Tech'ers (Navy was chosen November 28)-we're up to about 12,000 in tickets sold and still have 20 days to go."
