Tulane Coach Curtis Johnson post UNT game thoughts

[Harry]

I thought our defense played outstanding. The first half was okay. We know this team is very good and very explosive. You can see that by going back and watching the Georgia game. We talked about that all week long. This team (North Texas) is explosive, That No. 3 (Brelan Chancellor) is as a good as anyone in the country, their quarterback (Derek Thompson) is outstanding; for our defense to come out and play like that in the first half was great. Throughout the game, I thought the defense had some great stops, which was good. We knew they were great on special teams. This is the best special teams weve played all year, and I thought that we handled them well. We got into a rhythm on special teams: got that block, played the scoop-and-score just like we talked about, Boutte fielded the ball well all game long, and we covered the kicks well. Offensively, we struggled somewhat, but this was a good defense. Georgia struggled. Everybody they played struggled against them. So, all of a sudden, at the end of the game weve got the big drive. Our backs played outstanding. We picked up the blocks and the blitz, and I thought it was a good day.

On the final drive

Initially, the thing was to get one first down, and then another, and then another. Orleans Darkwa just ran over a couple of guys the first time he got the ball, and that gave us the momentum on the sideline, which gave us a lift. Nick made a play, Grant made a couple of plays on the drive, and the next thing you know we were going in kick the field goal. The trick of the final drive is to: 1. Make them use their timeouts, which they did. 2. Move the ball to get into field goal range, which we did. 3. Do most of it on the ground, which we accomplished. We accomplished those three things, and we ran the clock down to five seconds, which I know that, if we make the kick, that will run out the clock.

On Cairos kick being great moment for the program

Cairos fantastic. We all know his struggles theyve been chronicled and I dont know how this kid can make any field goals with what hes going through right now. I see him in the halls and hes teary-eyed all the time. I just hope that he can get over some of this and get back to being his old self, but it was just fantastic. I told him at halftime that he was going to win this game for us so get up, and he did.

On offensive struggles and what needs to change

I think there just needs to be some direct clarity instruction on exactly what we are doing, because we practice these situations every week. Heres the runs, heres the plays, this is what we are doing, were going to move the ball, were going to make them use their timeouts, and when it begins to go like it should go, I think the players become more and more confident.

On Nick Montana

I thought his running was outstanding, he was a little off throwing the ball, but he put us in a great position to win the game, especially on that last drive. A quarterback to me is mainly judged on wins and losses, and what Nick does is that hes a winner. He tucks it under, he runs, he throws it when it needs to be thrown; hell make the big plays and theyll get more consistent, both the offensive line and Nick, but this was a great defense. This defense played outstanding, they (North Texas) did the same thing to Georgia, my hats off to them.

On NTs defense hitting Montana hard

We do the same thing to their quarterback, we try to put as much pressure on the quarterbacks as we can, and weve hit a couple and knocked a couple of them out this year, but thats the game nowadays. If you dont rattle these quarterbacks, they are just going to pick you apart and they are going to play well.

On tackling well all game

I think the defense has done a fantastic job. Weve done a ton of tackling drills in practice, especially since the second game of the season, and I think weve tackled well pretty much this whole season. I love the way we are bringing players in and out, were alternating the right guys, were bringing in the right players, and I think we are turning the corner now, beginning to get better and better all over.

On the blocked field goal

I thought Barry Lamb broke them down pretty well. We knew that with special teams, we had to get a hold of Brelan Chancellor. We thought we could block a field goal, through that gap, so that worked out. Also, all week we were practicing that scoop and score drill, and that worked out well too. We thought we could get the punter on a block too, and we came close a few times, but theyre a good special teams unit, they killed Georgia with special teams, along with some of the other programs.

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