Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
HOUSTON, TX — BYU's game at Houston on Saturday marks the first time since Week 1 that the Cougars will play a game outside the state of Utah.
BYU, winners of three in a row, will face the 5-0 Houston Cougars at Reliant Stadium. Here's what the Cougars in red are saying about the Cougars in blue:
Houston Head Coach Tony Levine on playing BYU:
"They are a very, very talented football program. When you look at this team, the first thing that stands out is how physical they are in their play and in their presence. They are big across the board, big at skill positions, at receivers, running backs, defensive backs, they are extremely physical. It will be a great challenge for us. They've got tremendous athletes, they've got great players, certainly their coaching staff we have a lot of respect for, they've been there a long time and they do a great job with that program. We will continue to focus first and foremost on what we've been doing to get to this point and what we have to do, we feel like, to be successful Saturday."
Coach Levine on whether the BYU game is the biggest challenge or just the next challenge:
"It's both. It's the biggest because it is the next challenge. I've talked to our staff, our coaches, our student athletes about not looking back and not looking past anyone. We are putting all of our focus on our next opponent, which certainly this week is a very formidable one in BYU. For that reason it is the biggest because it is the next. The things that have gotten us to this point in terms of winning our first five games is what we have to continue to do: take care of the football on offense, creating turnovers on defense and we've got to tackle. They're going to be bigger and more physical in terms of guys we've been tackling. Those are the things we have to do though, we have to cut down on penalties, put a game plan together and execute on all three sides of the ball."
Coach Levine on BYU linebacker Kyle Van Noy:
"Kyle Van Noy is as good as an outside linebacker, rush-type guy as I've ever seen. For his size, he is so athletic and he can change his direction. There is a reason as a junior he was an All American. He has made some plays not only this season but in years past that are just highlight reels. He's going to be a first round draft pick. Up front, we certainly will know where number 3 is lined up Saturday."
Sophomore running back Kenneth Farrow on what he has seen from BYU so far:
"We looked at it, and it's kind of a similar defense (to Memphis). We need to be able to go out and execute. If they give us the pass, we need to be able to pass the ball and if they give us run, we need to be able to run the ball. Everybody just has to do their job and we have to play a good game. It will be fun to go out there and play against good competition in BYU."
Junior offensive lineman Bryce Redman on what they are focusing on with BYU's defense:
"I was impressed with how hard they play. They play very hard. I respect that. They do a lot of things on defense. It's going to be a challenge mentally even to get all of their different alignments down, and how we're going to block each front. We'll have a lot of film study this week."
Junior wide receiver Daniel Spencer on BYU:
"They're a great defense and a great team from the offensive side. We still have to go out there and prepare the same way as if we're playing any other team this week."
