University of Tennessee Athletics
2004 SEC Championship Game - Friday Press Conference Quotes
December 03, 2004 | Football
Dec. 3, 2004
TENNESSEE HEAD COACH Phillip Fulmer
Opening Statement
"We are excited about the chance to be here and nobody expected us to be here. This has been a fun team to be around this season. We have had a couple of tough injuries and a couple of tough losses to go through this season. At the beginning of the season the offense carried the load and now at the end the defense has had to step up and make big plays. Rick Clausen has done extremely well stepping up and taking on a much bigger role than at the beginning. Our guys are excited to be here."
"Tommy and his team has been exceptional throughout the season. They have been able to stay injury free for the most part of the season except for some minor injuries. They have continued to grow and get better with every game. It should be a great game and I am hoping to come away with a win."
On the emotion of the team...
"I have talked to the guys twice this week and talked to them about this incredible opportunity to play in the Georgia Dome and everything it has to offer. To me there is no better atmosphere that playing here in this championship. I have told them that we are basically playing a one game tournament and being the underdogs, we have to make the most of this game.
On the last meeting with Auburn...
"Auburn has been a multiple football team and after playing us they have become more multiple. Jason Campbell has became a better leader throughout the season. He has matured and taken off. Hopefully we can adjust to their level and make big plays. They have has two weeks to prepare for us and shake off some previous injuries. Of course they have two great running backs and a defensive line that has been incredible. Even after losing five key guys from last year they have stepped up and play hard. Hopefully we can go in there and not make the mistakes like we did last time and let them get to us."
On being the labeled the underdogs for the game...
"I am sure Auburn's second open date could not have been at a better time. With time to heal up and everything, they have had time to prepare and watch us. Like every other team in the conference you have to play really well in every game because you never know who will come out on top. I don't know if we can play well enough to beat this good Auburn football team, but we have to go in there and play our best football of the season."
On quarterback Rick Clausen...
"Rick is a great story. After transferring from LSU and having to sit out a year and then having to compete with C.J. Leak for a job. This could have been a distraction for both C.J. and him. I met with each of them before the season started and talked with them about their job. C.J. said that he would do whatever it took to get on the field into the action and Rick said he would continue to work hard and focus on his tasks. They both were incredibly team oriented and wanting to help out the best way possible. Rick is the type of person that is another coach in the locker room. His dad was a coach and his brother was a great football player. He did not get a lot of attention for having to play behind his brother in high school, but now he wants to stand out and he has done that. Hopefully he can work things out in this game and make a name for himself."
AUBURN HEAD COACH TOMMY TUBERVILLE
Opening Statement
"It's good to be here. It has been a long two weeks since our last game. We have some very ancy players on a bus on their way up here and we are ready to play. Our goal since the beginning of the season was to get here and we have accomplished that goal. We are all very excited. As far as the team goes we are playing consistent on both sides, as consistent as any team could be playing. We are fortunate in the fact that our players are healthy. We want to go out there and win. Tennessee has a good team and their staff has done an excellent job this year. Although they are battling injuries they have still been playing well and are dangerous because they are confident and ready to pay us back for the last game. I expect this to be a good ball game."
Comparing this game to the last game and what is to be expected...
"We have changed a lot since the last time we met and they have too. There will be different attacks and game plans and all together it will be a different game. We played well the first time, but we expect that they are going to come out and play better."
On keeping the players focused on the game not the polls...
"It really hasn't been that hard. The fans and everyone else get caught up in that, but we try not to. The only thing is that I am a little disappointed that as a team we have accomplished so much and come so far, but the focus has been on the rankings. But our seniors have done an excellent job focusing and keeping the rest of the team focused. They know that they cannot control anything but how they play and they are ready to play."
Concerns about players trying to hard to impress media...
"We know that they read the articles and we know that they know we need to win and win big, but we tell them that they just have to focus on playing this game and not worry about the point spread. We have to play well and give ourselves the opportunity to win. The players know that this is going to be a good game. They are not worried about anything but having more points than Tennessee. We realize that this weeks games will be detimining factors for all three teams, but we will be focusing on our game, no the other two teams."
On the bowl system and polls...
"This is the system we have accepted. We wanted the number one team and the number two team to have the opportunity to play each other. It may present some problems this year, but we will discuss that in our mettings in January to see if modifications need to be made."
On Tennessee's Brent Schaffer and Rick Claussen...
"Rick (Claussen) is much improved. He gives the team a sense of confidence because he is an older player. He has had a tough time and made a few mistakes, but he hasn't backed off. He has helped them score and I take my hat off to him, he has played above everybody's expectations. We are preparing for Brent Schaffer too. We are preparing for everyone on their team. We know he is an active quaterback and he can give us problems with containment, so we have worked on that. We basically prepared for both of them to play."
