Wide Receiver Niles Paul

On how big this game is for the team
"It's definitely a big game because Coach Dobson brought it our attention the other day in saying that we haven't won a big out-of-conference game. It's definitely a big game, and we're raising the level of intensity in practice. Just from yesterday, Monday is usually a laid back day, but we definitely went harder than we have all year on a Monday."

On what kind of ball security drills they did
"As soon as we got down there, from the wide receiver standpoint, Coach Gilmore put us in there and made us carry the ball high and tight and run through the ladders. We started our team ball security. It's like some crazy invention where they put something around the ball, and you're holding it. You just stand behind it; somebody stands behind you on the string and just tries to pull the ball out. It's almost impossible to hold on to, but it helps. We did a lot of things yesterday."

On what happened on the first play of the second half against Idaho
"It was a wildcat formation. I was real excited we actually ran it; I didn't think we were going to run it. I got the snap, and I was supposed to carry out the fake. I just rushed it too much because I ended up colliding with Rex (Burkhead) and it came right off of Rex's hip."

On if he had a decision as to whether he was going to give it to Rex or run
"Even if I had the decision, I was going to take it and run with it. You can say I had the decision, but I was going to see it, take it and run with it. I've seen it open up and nothing but green grass. I just tried to rush it instead of being patient."

On if they had worked on that a lot
"We worked on it a few times during the week."

On what Coach Pelini does when there are a lot of turnovers
"There probably will be some discipline, but there hasn't been any discipline yet besides the massive amount of ball security drills before practice. It's terrible; we do a lot of ball security. Coach Brown throws the ball into a tunnel of players, and they all just beat you up. I think I got punched in the ribs a few times yesterday."

On if he will give Taylor Martinez any advice about playing in front of a big crowd
"I'm not worried about Taylor. He's such a laid-back guy, if you tell him, he probably won't listen to you anyway. He is going to handle it in his own way. He has no emotion."

On if he remembers his first big game on the road
"Against Missouri. I don't know if I haven't played in a din Washington yet, but I know Missouri was loud and obnoxious."

On if not having a deep-threat passing game in the offense yet
"We love to block, but we love to catch passes more. We all know, me, Mike (McNeil) and Brandon Kinnie know that Coach Watson is going to call our number one of these days and it's going to be up to us to make the plays. We can't wait because we're waiting on it."

On if he has missed catching the deep ball
"I do miss the deep ball, but I know it will come soon enough. It's a long season ahead of us. We're going to have to start passing eventually."

On if they sense there is a hurdle to be cleared by the program to win a big nonconference game
"Maybe a little bit, but Dobson was just letting us know to make us turn up the intensity in practice a little bit more. Coach Pelini always says we're just taking it day by day and focusing on the process."

On what he's seen from Washington's secondary
"They like to jump around a lot in the sense that they come up and press, or do the bail technique. When they come to press, we can make them pay because we probably have some of the biggest receivers in the country from a weight standpoint and then we're all fast. We're all really aggressive, so when they come up to press us we can make them pay for that. They're a very athletic secondary, they make plays."

On if he is going to return kicks anymore
"I actually get to return kicks this game. They brought me in the office and told me they want me to do kick returns this game. I know Coach Pelini told me he didn't want me doing kick returns the first couple of games because he didn't feel like there was a need for me to do it."