POST-GAME QUOTES
Portland State at Washington Post-Game Quotes Husky Stadium
Sept. 10, 2022
Washington Head Coach Kalen DeBoer
Opening Statement
“Good to get a win. We’ve got a good locker room in there. Guys are excited. It’s fun to see the preparation meet the opportunity and take advantage of it. Always things we can clean up and it’s gonna be like that every game. I’m just proud of the way we start fast, especially in the first half. Came back out in the second half and challenged the guys and did that again. We got to put a complete game together, I know we got a lot better than we can be. Looking forward to seeing the energy we have going into next week.”
Are you still surprised by the efficiency considering you scored the first six times you had the ball last week and the first four times this week?
It’s good to see. I guess coming on the sideline that there’s not this like “exhale,” you know. You guys have heard me talk about a 1-0 mindset, right, and it’s usually a response to adversity. But we talk about, also, the response to when things are going well and human nature is to let up and relax. We want to play relaxed but we don’t want to let off the gas. We want to stay focused and have that intensity and that urgency for four quarters. What I like right now is we’re coming off the sideline and there’s an expectation to go do it again and then it’s backed up by focus, effort, and a desire to be great. That’s what’s really cool to see. With that being said, I thought the first quarter, just the first couple drives, I mean we had a few guys in a couple different spots…You guys saw that Rome didn’t play, so we had some guys in a couple different spots and that little bit of difference with personnel…the fact that sometimes how we lined up, one time there was a little bit of question on a motion and because of that it took longer and the offensive line was in their stance longer and then we got a false start. Just that rhythm that I’m talking about, being perfect with our motions and our alignments and our shifts, leading to great execution. The execution still ended up being there because we’ve run some of these plays so many times but just some of the little details we could still be better at.
Have you seen what you needed to see the last two games to feel confident going into next week?
We’re definitely not there yet as a football team. There are some things that we’ve got to get better at. We put things on film and last week the things that we put on film that we needed to improve, we improved on some. I thought our special teams was better, more consistent so that was good to see. We’re getting guys comfortable. Some of these guys are in new spots and all of a sudden you switch it up because it wasn’t as productive as you wanted it to be. You just live and learn and learn and that’s what we do, and that’s why we practice. What I do like and what I
know we’re gonna get is a consistency of effort every time we step on the practice field. Consistency of “want to” and focus and sacrifice that comes with being out on the football field on game day. I’m glad we got a lot of guys the chance to play. It’s hard to make everyone happy but man we’ve got a happy locker room that is excited about other guys making plays. It’s not about me, it’s about the other guy and that’s really cool to see.
#22 Cam Davis
On how the win felt…
We can’t get too satisfied with the numbers right now. We are just focused on the next opponent right now and we are trying to add on top of it.
On the offense…
“I feel like this offense gets a good opportunity to show our abilities. I’m having fun out there as long as everyone else is. It feels great being back out on the field and being healthy.”
#8 Braylen Trice
On next week against Michigan State… We are coming.
#0 Giles Jackson
On Michigan State’s defense…
It is definitely going to be a challenge. I feel like we have to prepare well starting tomorrow. We have to come out tomorrow and get an intro to Michigan State, prepare ourselves to give 110% and be ready to go.
Washington Quarterback Michael Penix, Jr.
What’s it like having so many options on offense?
“I knew that coming in here, that’s the reason I came here. I know we’ve got a lot of weapons and a lot of guys to get the ball to. As long as I continue to trust the preparation, I’m always going to just keep going back to that. Trust in the preparation and the play calling. Coach Grubb
knows how to dice up the defense. He definitely does a great job with that and we trust him. Whoever is open, I’m going to get them the ball. It doesn’t matter who you are.”
Can you talk about the offense’s success early in games the first two weeks?
“It’s just the preparation, going in day in and day out. Going at it each day of practice and just working hard. The coaches push us extremely hard in practice trying to put us in uncomfortable positions so that we can be ready for those times when it becomes game time. We come out here and all we have to do is execute. We look out for each other, we know we’ve got a great brother next to us that’s going to go out and make plays. We go out there, do that and just have fun. Sometimes during the game I don’t even realize stats and stuff like that. We’re just out there having fun and executing.”
What have you learned about the offensive group so far?
“I’ve learned that they’re everything that I saw all offseason. Especially the offensive line. That’s a group that when I first got here I noticed right away putting in the extra work every day after workouts. I’m talking about doing crazy workouts and they’re still pass setting and making sure they get their calls right. They’re just a great group. And also the receivers and all the playmakers. The running backs have been doing a great job. Wayne (Taulapapa) and Will (Nixon) coming in, those two new guys, and having (Cameron Davis) and (Richard Newton) back as well, that running back room is loaded. There are a lot of guys that can make plays. Coach Grubb trusts each and every one of us and we trust him. We go out there and execute the play the best we can and wins happen when you do that.”
Do you feel like you’re ready for the spotlight next week?
“For sure. I’m ready for anything. I don’t really look at the opponent. At the end of the day, it’s about us. We just do our job and execute and we can beat anybody put in front of us. We just have to make sure we go into this week and stay locked into preparation like we do every week. It is just another football game. It’s definitely a statement game and we’re going to make sure we’re going to go out there and play how we’ve been playing. Play free and execute at a high level.”
Washington Wide Receiver Jalin McMillan
Can you tell us a little bit more about your grandfather?
“He was my best friend. He was looking forward to seeing me this season and unfortunately, he passed away a week before the season started. Him being in the sky watching me is something that I have to motivate me.”
Is this what you envisioned from the offense?
“Coach Grubb is an amazing coach. He has a lot of schemes and the way he pushes us is unreal. Having him in my corner is the best.”
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