Bobby Bowden Ballgame Quotations

Our quarterbacks had performed so well the week previous to this game in practice. Then you go in that ballgame and you look like a freshman, you know? So there's no doubt about it, now we've got to get them playing to their ability. ... And, of course, we'll try to blend our running game with it more.

We just haven't gotten control of a doggone ballgame early enough to get him the work that I'd like to give him,

We've come out trying to run the ball. The second ballgame (against I-AA the Citadel), we came out throwing because we thought we were superior and we could do what we wanted to. Now, when you're playing Syracuse and you're playing Miami and you're playing Boston College, you better do what's best. I felt like sooner or later, we're going to have to come out throwing the darn ball, and that's what our offensive staff wanted to do.

We've come out trying to run the ball, ... The second ballgame (against I-AA the Citadel), we came out throwing because we thought we were superior and we could do what we wanted to. Now, when you're playing Syracuse and you're playing Miami and you're playing Boston College, you better do what's best. I felt like sooner or later, we're going to have to come out throwing the darn ball, and that's what our offensive staff wanted to do.

After winning a ballgame over a team that was a two-touchdown favorite, you can imagine how much confidence you gain. As you lose, you begin to lose confidence. You can win 15 games in a row and then lose one, and then you start to wonder. It was a big boost for us as far as confidence is concerned.

You sure would like to (get Lee in the game), ... We haven't gotten control of a ballgame enough to get him the work that I would like to get him. We might force ourselves to do it earlier this week.

I didn't think that our other tailbacks were running very well. I felt like they were dancing too much and trying to pick their way through the line too much. We were determined to get him in the ballgame more, and we felt like we would be able to. He responded.

All I know is they have done what they've had to do to win. The first week was very grueling because you played two games in one week, and we came out there. Then this ballgame here, you go away from home with a rookie quarterback, and you wonder how is he going to respond to the crowd, and how is the team going to respond to the crowd. You win that ballgame and, of course, that is the main stat you want, that win. So you just say, up to this point, so far, so good. We know we've got to get better because the people we are playing are going to get better.

A.J. will be sent home and suspended from this ballgame for violating a team rule and policy. That's about all I will say about it.