University of Richmond Athletics
FCS Selection Show Press Conference Quotes
Nov. 23, 2008
Head Coach Mike London:
(Initial reaction to the draw)
"We're extremely happy. I'm not going to do cartwheels or anything like that. I'll probably head-butt a couple of players and show my joy to them. It's more about them. This program has become a winning program, that is used to winning and used to going to playoffs. We want to keep that tradition especially alive, but we want to have an opportunity to play."
(On getting to the playoffs in his first year as a head coach)
"This isn't the first rodeo I've been to. It was a gratifying experience to see the culmination of all our hard work pay off for a home game and for an opportunity for our guys to keep playing."
(On playing Eastern Kentucky)
"We'll be going on the internet, exchanging film, putting a scouting report and game plan together. They're a good football team. They won the Ohio Valley Conference and have great playoff tradition. I don't know a whole lot about them. There are some of the coaches on our staff that were here last year and can attest to some athletic abilities and some schemes. The biggest thing is taking the film with what they're doing this year and trying to piece together what is similar and different from last year's team. I think we're mostly going to have to rely on their body of work this year and that'll be the extent of my knowledge on this team."
(On playing close games this year)
"Unfortunately, we lost to James Madison the way we did. I knew there was going to be another time during the season or a point in the game where we'd have to draw upon that experience and come out on the other side of it. The William & Mary game was indicative of that. They came back, tied it and went into overtime. The players did an admiral job on falling back on that and pulling one out on the road against a very good William & Mary team."
(On the CAA getting five teams for the second-straight year)
"I've always said I thought the best FCS Conference was the CAA. You could've made an argument for one or two more teams from our league that were left out. We're in a very strong conference with good coaches and players and we're just happy to represent the CAA."
(On the advantage of playing at home)
"When you're at home, you get to keep the routine the same. You wake up and practice at the same times -- little things like that add up. You can rely on some of the things you've been used to doing."
Senior TB Josh Vaughan:
"We really don't really know too much about them. We played them last year, but this is a whole new year. We can't take last year's win for granted. We're just going to come out and prepare for them like any other team. This is the playoffs so it's a must-win situation. We're just going to come out Saturday and play to the best of our ability."
(On reaching the playoffs)
"I don't believe it's any different. We've had this mentality the whole year. The past six weeks have been do-or-die and we're going to take the same approach we've been taking. We're going to play every game like a playoff game and we're going to make this one count."
Senior DE Lawrence Sidbury, Jr.
"You always want to play at home. Your routine doesn't change. It always makes it easier on you. But as coach always says, all that matters is what happens between the white lines. Whether we would've gone to Kentucky or stay in Richmond, it wouldn't have made a difference. It's not going to change what we do or how we prepare."
(On the must-win games late in the season)
"Obviously, the position we put ourselves in after the loss to JMU was we had to win out. We must approach every game as a must-win situation, and hopefully we come out on the winning end."