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Nebraska Football Weekly Press Conference
Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009
Memorial Stadium - Lincoln, Neb.
Pre-Iowa State
On if he feels any added pressure after Saturday's game against Texas Tech<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>
“Like Coach Bo (Pelini) said, we compete every week in practice. I know you guys honestly probably don’t believe that at all, but we really do. That is how it is. Going into practice every week you strive for perfection and to practice as well as you can every day. Maybe subconsciously there is a little bit, but I am approaching it like any other week.”
On what was holding him back on Saturday
“That is your opinion; I don’t necessarily feel like that. There were some decisions that looking back were probably not the best decisions, but a couple of those are in every game. That is how I’ve looked at it and analyzed it. For whatever reason we didn’t have breakout plays. That’s the black and white of it. We didn’t have plays that we needed to make. I’m the guy up front and that’s just how it is.”
On if he’s started to feel the real pressure that comes with the quarterback job
“Really when I’ve first got here I kind of looked at it like you’re in a fish bowl. You have to just put everything on the backburner, even the positives. If you look at the positives and start reading your own stuff, you get caught up in it. You have to keep yourself focused on what is going on around here. No one knows what is going on in our meeting room and practices, only we know. That is how it is. I’ve just tried to keep myself focused on what I can control and stay focused and just go from there. It’s tough, but you have to do it for your own mental sanity really.”
On if he was surprised to hear the starting quarterback would be a game-time decision
“We compete every week. Nothing is taken for granted on this team. You compete against each other and yourselves, what you did the previous week. It is what it is.”
On if practice is set up the same in terms for the number of snaps they are getting
“Yeah, I think Coach Bo answered that question.”
On if he thinks they overanalyzed the defense
“I think that maybe there were a couple instances of that. But really, things just didn’t happen for us, that is the black and white of it.”
On if he thinks he held the ball too long against Texas Tech
“Maybe twice, but it was all three-step passes really. Most of the time the ball was out of my hand pretty quick. There were a couple of times where we did some deeper drop-backs where I may have held onto it for a split second too long.”
On what is was like to watch part of the game on the sideline
“It wasn’t great, but as a quarterback you have a responsibility to stay in it and support whoever is in there. In the end, these are my guys. These are the guys I’ve worked with for however long now. You have to support them in any way you can.”
On how you balance being competitive with Cody Green and supporting him
“You just do it. That is all I really have on that. You just do it, you have to.”
On how this team will respond
“I think it can help. Like (Ndamukong) Suh just said, there is not going to be any divide on this team. We’re too mature of a team. Guys have too much character. We’ll handle it well.”
On how you move on
“Just keep working and trying to improve like any other day or week.”
On if it is really that easy
“Yeah, it has to be. “
On if he tries to help Green with the mistakes he makes
“I was just trying to do the same thing that he and Latravis (Washington) do when I’m out there. We have a pretty close room and we support each other, whatever that may be.”
On how the communication on the sideline is from when he’s playing to when he’s watching
“You see from different angles, you see it from the sideline. It’s a whole different view of seeing the field. You maybe see leverage a little different with certain situations. We just help each other out as much as possible. There have always been open lines of communication.”
On if the receivers were getting open on Saturday
“The receivers are doing a good job. Coach (Ted) Gilmore is a pretty outstanding receiver coach. I am not worried about the receivers.”
On how Coach Pelini thinks Lee may be putting too much pressure on himself
“I like to think I am pretty relaxed most of the time. Maybe subconsciously, but I don’t think so. It’s just been a matter that we need to execute better.”
On if he feels added pressure when Roy Helu Jr. can’t carry a major load
“Everybody wants to be the guy where the game is put on their shoulders. That is a pressure I think I am more than willing to accept.”
On if he’s taking the same attitude toward the media and fans as Coach Pelini
“That is kind of my mentality regardless of what the situation is. Obviously, having to go through junior college and that stuff, I feel like there is something to prove every week. That is my mentality and that won’t change because of this.”
On if it bothers him when he starts hearing boos during the game
“Honestly, I doubt you guys believe this, but I honestly didn’t hear them. I am pretty focused in on what is going on.”
On how this rates in the struggles he’s encountered in his life so far
“You know, I’m sure looking back on it in a few years I’ll think that. Right now I am just kind of dealing with it. That is all you can do, just deal with it and go about it and do your thing.
On always saying the right things and not showing too much emotion
“I can’t tell you what you guys are looking for. I am just going to be me and if I happen to say the right thing, so be it.”
On how crazy it is that the emotion can change so quickly
“Yeah, that’s what college football is especially here in Nebraska.”
On if he’s surprised at the development of where the offense is at
“I think there have been times where we have really shined offensively and there have been times where we haven’t. It’s been pretty up and down. That is just having inexperience at places and not executing at times. That is something we’ll just continue to grow with and continue to improve.”
On if he feels the state of Nebraska against him
“That may be how Coach Pelini is viewing it. It’s not easy being in this state and being in the situation I am in. I’ll be honest with you guys, but it is what it is. There is nothing I can really do about it besides go in Saturday and do my thing.”