Tommy Bowden Quotes (100 Quotes)

If the team's playing that hard, I've got to do a better job winning it late.

Dad is 76. He takes naps during the game, so he might miss something.

This team has developed an identity and I think that demeanor has been good over the open date. As the head coach, I have to make sure that I don't flinch and sit here and try to change a lot of things because obviously we are pretty close. We have to find a way to make one more play.

One of the keys to this game was the fact that when Tennessee scored and we answered, and then we scored and it was not answered. That gave us confidence.

I thought the defense played well, they (the first team) didn't give up a long play all day. I thought the young defensive linemen continued to show improvement. They got some good work in this week.

As far as the way we played, when our defense gives that kind of effort, we're a pretty good football team. It's been indicative of the way we have played all season.

It was a time where you worry about having your team buckle, but giving it to James made it easy.

We did not throw and catch as good as we have in the past. I'm sure Boston College (next week's opponent), they might be similar and we might have a hard time running if we can't throw.

I was very impressed with Billy Napier when he worked on our staff in 2003 and 2004. He will be among the youngest full-time coaches in Division I next year, and I look at that as a strong asset. He was a big reason South Carolina State had a very successful season, especially on the offensive side of the ball. He will also be an asset to us in recruiting.

He's now put three games together that have been really, really impressive. He's putting himself in position right now to do some things Leroy Hill was doing.

I wouldn't be too worried. He's done too many good things and has shown too much improvement to be worried about half a day with split teams.

You'd like to see one side control the day -- I'd prefer defense -- control the whole tempo and the whole success of the offense.

When he gets to the second level, there is no catching him from behind, at least not on this team. If you don't turn those guys and let them catch it in stride, they have a better chance to make big plays. The safety wasn't used to seeing that kind of speed and took the wrong angle on it, and (Ford) was gone.

Antonio has closed the separation. He is the one that had made the move, which is good.

James will probably want to push it. I seriously doubt it ... depends on how many times he's been to church.

All three could play some.

Bear Bryant made the statement that it's better to be lucky than good, and I think you have to be lucky. We weren't lucky. That's one thing about this year's team - we never, ever gave up.

His hands have gotten better this year. You can lose confidence so quickly in that area because catching is such a mental thing. If you lose confidence, you will start thinking about dropping balls.

You'd like to see the offensive line kind of take control of the scrimmage to be honest with you. You like to see them come out there and establish some sort of running superiority.

My wife asked me that.

All of my comments since he has been here is he has had tremendous potential, and his performance had not matched his potential to this point. But I think, potentially, you can see what he is capable of doing. Now consistency is his next step.

Sure, there is some pressure. But I don't know at that age, first time being around if the pressure is as great as the homesick. I think the homesick would be the number one issue.

Watch when the Tigers face rival South Carolina or two weeks back when Miami took on Florida State, Bowden says. There's a little more fire. There's a little more fast feet, ... I'm trying to get that every week.

He's looked good for a while in practice. I don't think his problem is going to be inconsistency in practice. That's one of the things that jumped out last year. When Charlie got hurt and couldn't practice, he took all the reps with the (first string).

Bring 'em on about five or six more times. Let's play two for one two down there, one up here.

I liked the competitive atmosphere we had today and as long as we have the depth, I would like to continue to divide the teams for the spring game in the future.

We had a couple of third and longs, and they hit the short guy and the short guy ran for the first down. Last year they didn't make that decision as often as they should have.

We are really going to miss Cole Downer, ... He has good hands, is an outstanding blocker and really fits what we are doing with this offense. He has been working very hard. This is a blow to our team.

He's had a very good spring. He's stayed healthy. He's hungry to learn the position. His enthusiasm is good. He's been a really good leader, and that's something the jury was kind of out on his ability to lead a team.

The biggest thing now is how he's going to perform in a game.

You win games with strong offensive line play, but you win championships with strong play on the defensive line. The play of the freshmen defensive linemen will be important for us. They made great improvement over the course of the season and they will have to keep improving.

He is not a track guy. He is not a straight line guy. He has some wiggle to him. He isn't a track guy were you say just go deep. He can run reverses, make guys miss, accelerate and change direction.

First time away from home, practice gets a little tough. You get a little homesick. I want the parents to feel comfortable.

The determining factor's going to be amount of practice time, ... If he practices a lot, I would think his shoulder's not going to be really sore. If it's sore, then he won't practice. That's kind of the way it's been.

He looked good, but he's looked good for a while in practice and everything. I don't think his problem is going to be inconsistency in practice. He's always practiced good as far as work ethic and workout habits.

They ran a lot of pursuit drills. If you noticed they ran a whole bunch. They ran their tails off pretty good. That's while they're dragging.

I decided to cover all angles. ... I sent him chocolate-covered prunes and a box of Depends.

It's a little different (than past years).

Defensively, we play like that and we have a chance to win a lot of football games. Offensively, you can get hot and cold. But as long as our defense played like it did, it can keep you close.

He's a pretty smart guy to jump around and play several positions. He might be taking a lot of guys' balls other than (injured receiver Kelvin Grant's).

I think we broke a record for concession sales buying more drinks and popcorn and hot dogs. It's great for those people. We make more money.

I want to see some big plays (offensively) and how Will manages the team. This will be the first time we will get to see him do that.

We've beaten Florida State two of the last three times we've played them and we beat Miami down there in overtime and lost in triple overtime at home. I like the direction that we're going.

It always helps to win that last one. It boosts morale and gives you a lift going into the off-season.

My confidence is really gonna be high in about two years -- if I'm still here.

He's not a normal guy. The fact that he's a professional athlete in one sport means he has some pretty refined skills.

I didn't anticipate having that much difficulty running it. They put more guys in the box (at the line of scrimmage).

He's as talented a tight end as we've had here in a while, but doesn't understand the tempo.

For the underclassmen, you get to live for six or eight months in the Top 20. And for the seniors, you get to live it for the rest of your life. It's pretty significant.

He's got tremendous potential. His performance has not matched his potential. Potentially, you can see what he's capable of doing. Consistency is his next step. Talent he has.