Kent State-Minnesota Post Game Quotes (Aug. 31, 2006)
8/31/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Kent State Head Coach Doug Martin
• The one thing I know about (Kent State) is that we are a much improved football team. Offensively, we can run the football at a much higher rate than we could last year. We are much better at the running back position and our offensive line is much better. That score really should have been 17-10 at halftime. And if it is, then there is a much different mentality going on in that football game in the second half. But we didn't make a key play there, when we should have punched the drive in when we made the big pass, and then make the field goal.
• I was really impressed with what I saw from us offensively until the second half turnovers. I thought Julian (Edelman), in the first half, played as good of football at quarterback that I've had play here, including Josh Cribbs. So we have a lot to build with on that side of the ball.
• Defensively we were outmanned a little bit, we knew that coming in. Minnesota is a topflight BigTen team and they pushed us around up front, but our kids really played hard up front. But, we're going to win a lot of football games because we are a much better football team than we have been in the past.
Kent State Senior DE Daniel Muir
• They have a great offensive line. They're very well disciplined.
• I don't think we're going to have any problem with guys keeping their heads up. We'll think about this game tonight but when we watch film tomorrow it's over.
Kent State Sophomore QB Julian Edleman
• I was happy with my first half performance. When I came into the game and I got hit a couple of times, it really got the butterflies out.
• The turnovers really hurt us but every time our offense went out there we had our hopes up.
Minnesota Head Coach Glen Mason
Overall I was pleased how we performed tonight- open up the season on the road and put up 44 points and pitch a shutout on defense, how could you not be happy? I thought we were able to run the ball effectively. Typically, when we do this and have early success as the game goes on it becomes a very physical contest. I thought we were very fortunate at the beginning of the game. Our defense was shaky at times, not trying to take any credit away form Kent State, they do some nice things. They have a nice little quarterback they have a nice little running back they are deceptive at what they do. We had some problems and they gave us some big plays, but we were able to keep them out of the end zone. I'm most pleased on offense- it's no surprise we don't have the calibure of running back that we have had in the past, but we still like to run the ball. Some guys made some great improvement and overall, I was proud of our teams display tonight.
Minnesota Senior QB Bryan Cupito
• We looked very smooth on offense tonight.
• (On the touchdown pass to Eric Decker) The backside post was open to that side so I hit him- it was just like playing catch.
