Quotes from TCU’s arrival at the Hyatt Regency:
Head Coach Gary Patterson
(How excited are y’all to be in San Antonio?)
Oh yeah, it’s great. You know, great opponent, great city. A lot of our kids haven’t been to the Riverwalk, haven’t done all this. They get a chance to play an Oregon team, [they] get a chance to be in San Antonio and play in the Alamo Bowl is just awesome.
(What do you hope to accomplish in the week leading up to this bowl game?)
Well everything we’ve done, we’ve done most of our work. We’re down here; we’ll be in shells one day and shorts the rest of the time. We had our “Tuesday” practice yesterday, our two hardest practices before we came. So, the biggest thing is to finish up, to get our legs back under us and get a chance to enjoy the city – work when we’re supposed to work and get a chance for them to enjoy the bowl game. It is a reward, but no bowl game is a good game unless you win. We came here to try to win a ball game and that’s the way we’ve always approached it.
(A lot of TCU fans have been here today, what’s the support been like leading up to the Alamo Bowl?)
Totally, they sold all the tickets out in the first day and I think you’ll see a lot more here especially the way TCU travels. I think they set a record as far as boxes, buying out and doing those kinds of things. When we travel, we travel. We may be a private school [but] what you’ll find out is there are 27,000 of us that go a little bit everywhere. I think it’ll be a great showing and I think you’ll even see more show and decide at the last moment they’ll come back and drive and be down here at the end. There will be a lot of purple.
(Gary, throughout the season you have dealt with a lot of injuries, how close are you guys…)
Oh, no. All those guys that got hurt are all enormous. They won’t come back until next year. The only guy who got hurt and could possibly come back is Doctson. Trevone [Boykin] is back and everyone else is definitely out.
(On not having Josh Doctson in the lineup…)
It’s a negative in some sense, but the other part is you don’t know what you’re going to do on offense because you don’t have a Josh Doctson. So we’re going to have to score some points if we want to beat Oregon.
(On his roster rotation minus Josh Doctson…)
It’ll be the same guys at the end. There will be a 3 or 4 man rotation, just like we do always.
(How good was KaVontae Turpin’s development for you late in the year especially when Josh Doctson went down?)
Well, I mean, they play a different position but obviously he [Turpin] was someone to go to and make plays and obviously not just on offense but on special teams. Turpin is going to have to be a guy that’s an inside receiver.
(On his players from the San Antonio area…)
Well, you know, it’s amazing how sometimes kids like to go away from home and its one of the things that once they realize they are coming back its kind of exciting for them to come back. You know, I haven’t asked about the importance of it. For us it’s about what we do as a team. We have a lot of San Antonio players through the years along with Ty Summers, both Derrick Kindred and Ty and our punter is also from just down around here. We’ve always had guys from the San Antonio area that have been good players for us. For us to continue to be what we need them to be we’re going to need to continue to have guys from around here. We always take about 2 or 3 every year that can help us play. They are always very athletic and always very tough.
(How does Oregon compare to some of the offenses you’ve seen in the Big 12)
It’s like a Baylor, it’s like an Oklahoma. They’re a top 10 football team. They’re ranked #15 but their quarterback’s been healthy just like we’ve been healthy. You want challenges, you want a bowl game [where] both the teams have a high powered on both sides of the football. For us, guys on defense have a chance to find out what our stock is. And for us, we only lose a couple guys and play our young guys, who have really played their best defense near the end of the year. We have to play against an Oregon that has really good players and if we hold our own we know it’s going work well – for the spring and then for the next season. There is a lot of things you learn out here. We have a saying: “Either you win or you don’t. You don’t lose when you come to a bowl game.” For us we’re looking to see which one that is and hopefully it’s a win. Their coach and their staff I’ve known for a long time at Oregon. They do a great job. A lot of their guys are from Texas.
On dealing with players/coaches thinking about switching jobs/leaving early for the NFL Draft
I do the same thing with my coaches as I do with my players who might leave early for the NFL Draft—I give them the pluses and minuses of both. If it doesn’t work out I don’t want to be blamed. There’s the positives of it and I just tried to be honest with them. And there’s sometimes when I say that this opportunity, based on your personality, fits you or doesn’t fit you. So for me I just try to do the right things and then I leave it to them. A player goes out early, gets hurt and doesn’t make it, or if he stays, gets hurt or doesn’t make it then it’s my fault. So I just try to guide them and give them the best information I can and try to get them in contact. It’s the same thing I did with Sonny (Cumbine) or any my coaches. I just tell them to get in contact because coaches really have to do the right thing. That’s your personality, who you are, your style and the people that are around you. If you do that, a lot of people have the chance of becoming successful. It’s one of the reasons why I’ve stayed at TCU. All of us have our faults, our positives and our negatives. But I know what our positives and negatives are and I can work on them. Anybody who leaves is always taking a risk that it won’t work. There’s a reason why somebody was leaving. So you just really have to make sure. That’s what I tell my coaches all the time—just make sure it’s right because you don’t get a chance to take it back once you change.
When asked if he agreed to have a statue of himself put outside of TCU’s stadium
I don’t know if I agreed. Those silly kind of things are for when people go away. But there was a gentleman who had a lot of money and for five, six or seven years wanted to do something like that. Not just mine, but a couple of others as well. He hasn’t been in great health so I agreed to do something so that he’d get an opportunity to see what it was all about. For me, I don’t need those kinds of things to be successful. As the Chancellor said, if it helps TCU then that’s great. But I’m just trying to win football games.
Running Back Aaron Green
How does it feel to finish your career here in San Antonio?
It feels great. The first time I put on pads was here in this great city and now I get to finish my college career here.
It’s very special. Like I said, this city means so much to me. I was born and raised here. It’s just a special feeling.
Where was the first field you put pads on in town?
It had to be somewhere around Converse where I grew up.
Did you have dreams of being a college player back then?
Oh. Always. The dream of going to college and playing professional. Playing college football has always been a dream of mine. I’m just blessed to do it.
Have you been talking to the guys about San Antonio and what it means to you?
Not really. Try not to make this about me but about the team. You know, TCU football. All we want to do is win and that’s always been our goal so that’s what we are going to try to do.
Just makes everything that much sweeter. I wouldn’t change my role for anything. It’s taught me patience, it’s taught me adversity. It has humbled me a lot. I ended up with a great career at a great university. Im just happy the way things turned out.
What do you expect out of Treyvon this Saturday?
I expect greatness. He’s a great player. He’s been great all year and I don’t expect anything to change.
Is he back to practicing? Is everything all cool?
Oh yeah. He’s 100% ready to go.
What are your impressions of Oregon so far?
I was very impressed. They are a good team. They’ve always been a good team. I think it’s going to be a really fun game to watch. I think the fans are really excited to watch it… Two high power offenses so – and their defense is playing really well too.
Is that the thing that comes up with Oregon? You think of a high power offense?
I think of both of our teams when it comes to offenses. They put up points and we put up points so I think initially everyone thinks it’s offense but probably the team that plays the best defense is going to win the game.
Did you go to the Alamo Bowl growing up here?
Oh yeah, I went to a bunch of Alamo Bowls. The all-American bowls. I went to it all.
So you love the Alamo Dome?
Oh yeah. I’ve always wanted to play there growing up as a kid. In my high school career, I think I only played there once sophomore year.
Do you think Coach Patterson is a statue kind of guy?
I believe so. He has all-time career wins at TCU. He’s taking us to the BCS games. He’s been very close to winning national championships so he’s really put TCU on the map. I think he deserves it.
Just like he teaches us to be all about the team, he is all about the team and the staff as well. He’s not the type of guy to take all the credit to himself but I definitely think he deserves it.
Who have you seen step up in practice?
We’ve known for a while Josh wasn’t going to play but as far as people stepping up… The whole offense has stepped up. We got a lot of young receivers playing.
How big is this for TCU?
I mean it was big. I know I won’t be here next year but I was happy. I want to see my university do well. We got a lot of people coming back next year. Especially our offense is coming back.
What do you think about Kenny and Foster?
They are all really good. It’s going to be a battle next year. Like I said, whoever plays I know they are going to do great. I think TCU will be back on top next year.
Safety Derrick Kendrick
What was your reaction when you found out you’d be playing in the Alamo Bowl?
I was really hoping we would get a chance to play here because it’s my last season game, so just more intensity, and just being able to get here.
What does it mean to have your family at this game?
It means a lot, I’ve played a lot of different opponents throughout my years here at TCU. When I was a freshman they’d come to games up there, and now my last game they get to see me here. I had a lot of people calling me telling me they’re coming to the game so that makes it more exciting.
How do you feel your game has developed throughout your time at TCU?
I feel like it’s developed a lot.
Do you feel any added pressure going into this bowl game?
No pressure at all. I’m just here to have fun and play my last home game and go out with a bang.
What challenges does Oregon’s offense present to you guys?
They have a lot of great athletes who are very fast. They are physical, smart players, we just got to go out there and read our keys and practice hard and show them a game.
What have you seen from Oregon quarterback Vernon Adams Jr.?
He’s a great player and he leads the team well and it’s just something we have to key on when we go out there and play.
Challenge on playing Oregon and their publicized defense
It’s very hard for our offense, I’ve been wanting to play Oregon since I was younger, so getting to play them in my last home game is very cool for me.
Did you get a chance to play at the Dome when you were in high school?
Yes sir, we made a run in playoffs so I played in the Alamodome a few times.
What does it mean to finish your college career in the Dome?
It’s going to mean a lot. Like I said, just being home and playing in front of friends and family just means a lot to me.
How many ticket requests did you get?
I had a lot of ticket requests but unfortunately I couldn’t get everyone a ticket so a lot of people have to buy their own. It was crazy I had at least thirty-five.
Where are you taking the team to eat tonight? Favorite place?
I like Wing Daddy. It’s somewhere around here. I eat there a lot with my family.
You’re not taking them by the house?
Oh they can come by the house. Everybody’s welcome.
You’ve been banged up this year, what’s it been like?
It’s been a challenge, especially with me being a senior and all. I just have to lead the guys, I let them know that it’s going to be all right and that we’re going to get through this. I’ve been going up to younger guys, because you know we play with a lot of freshman this year, a lot of newcomers, it’s all about making them feel at home on the team and on the field.
You’ve been banged up most of the year, are you 100% now?
Yes of course I’m 100% year. I just want to go out there and have fun and play hard.
Does being 100% make you play differently?
I’ve been playing hard all year so you know I don’t think it makes a difference. It’s something I’ve overcome.
Have you been at practice full?
Yeah I’ve been practicing full throughout the whole season. If I have an injury I’m going to overcome it and fight through it.
After the Baylor game how sore were you the next morning?
It’s not that I was sore, I was kind of sick. Playing the whole game was rough. I was a little banged up, but it was all worth it.
On linebacker Ty Summers made a big a play at the end of that game
Ty Summers has come a long way, as for the rest of our freshman lineup defense. It’s pretty tough to come in and run the defense and he made a lot of great plays for us.
On “He’s one of your top captains even though he doesn’t start.”
I know it, it just shows you how much we practice.
On your TCU career coming to a close.
It’s crazy just knowing that this is our last game, but I’m just looking at playing and having fun.
On statue of Coach Patterson.
That’s great, Coach Patterson’s done a lot for this team. He’s a great guy. He really deserves it.