Nov. 5, 2001

LOGAN, Utah - Head Football Coach Mick Dennehy Press Conference Quotes November 5, 2001

On the University of Central Florida "Our last game seems like it was played two months ago. But I think that the University of Central Florida win is a very good win for us. They were a very good football team, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. We felt like we would really have to work hard for the yardage and the points that we got. We got a couple of quick ones early that ended up really helping us a ton. We felt like they were the kind of team that was going to be very difficult to jump on and keep down for long, and that's how the ball game ended up unfolding. They are too good not to get some points on the board. I thought they did a great job of battling back, but I thought our guys did a pretty good job of playing with the lead and for the most part keeping the lead. I think it was really big when Emmett White got hurt that David Fiefia came in and, really under the circumstances, played an outstanding last portion of the ball game. He got a touchdown that gave us the lead for good and a couple of first downs to keep the ball away from them. Obviously, defensively a couple of turnovers were key in the game. So, I think really for the first time all year we put four quarters together in which we played very well as a team and that is always so critical in the game of football.

On the University of Connecticut "I think UConn is a team in a lot of ways that is much like we are. They are playing a lot of young kids, at times they are playing with some very talented young kids. They are playing with up to 10 to 12 freshmen and redshirt freshmen. They have been beat up a little bit and have been forced to become younger as the season has gone along. You can tell they are very talented. At times they play very well and at times they just do not seem to stand in there and hold up, as is typical sometimes with young players. I would expect that they will be as ready to play us and as well as anybody has. It is going to be very important that we are as ready to go and as ready as we can.

On the injuries "I think Emmett White has improved significantly since last Thursday and I would guess that he will be ready to go. He probably will not practice until Wednesday (Nov. 7). He has come along very nicely. I have not seen Ryan Duncan or Tony Newson. They are still up in the air. We will not know anymore about them until probably later today or tomorrow about their status for this weekend."