Postgame Presser vs. Montana State - Bronco Mendenhall (8/24/24)

so down the stretch and when plays needed to be made really in any capacity either throwing and catching Rush defense kicking field goals Etc right those plays didn't uh and weren't cons weren't executed well enough and weren't consistent enough for us to put the game away and then giving up a big play defensively a 93 yard run that certainly changed it but then our inability offensively to really um capture a change momentum and answer scores as the finished as well so lots to improve on I saw capability certainly uh two defensive touchdowns some fourth down stops and um some other positive things but not not consistent enough not clean enough and not sound enough really from beginning to end to put the game away so I'll be glad to take questions could you sense the momentum kind of going your way I don't know if there was exact moment um I think I sensed on the sideline um when we didn't capitalize on points with field goals at either end and then uh the big play after that their run game coming out of the six yd line or the the seven yd line I think that combination certainly influenced it still plenty of chances even then to to address and finish the game with opportunities and we didn't it was at 42 y on 47 field goal attempt with uh with Crossman kind of going on Fourth and seven was there ever a thought maybe we will go for it or kind yeah um quickly but fourth and seven I didn't feel good about that and man the way driz has been kicking all Camp even though the crosswind have confidence in him so discussion but not very long SE it yeah a brief message uh and most of the time I found when you're speaking to teams right after rarely are you accurate um and after you watch the film there's a lot of other things so I said basically what I've shared with you uh but execution and consistency when it really matters um and from beginning to end so our my job is to prepare our team and uh in a manner where they can do that so that's my responsibility position coaches and coordinators job is then facilitate that and players job is then to do it but ultimately it's my job to get them ready and they have to be prepared at a higher level to to manage man the critical moments to put a game away start I think so with this being the first game of the season do you feel like there are a few players if not a lot you know out there just trying to work their Jitters out through this game or do you feel like they came out with the right mindset I didn't feel any Jitters I really didn't um and I don't think their the stage or the first game really affected their um their performance or maybe inconsistencies it just showed really with that volume of plays in in a game likee setting it showed me where I had prepared our team the level I prepared our team too and it was enough to hold for a while a long time um but not enough again when the kind of the pressure was mounting there was kind of slippage of the execution and the consistency throughout and I would say throughout the team so regarding the rush defense is the 425 what is going to be going forward and do you think of this scham or just execution oh man it it was mostly execution for sure and we were looking to put the best 11 football players we have on the field um at any time and so we'll we'll assess all of that but mostly assignments from what I saw and yeah and pretty pretty consistently um a gap off here a gap off there um Miss tackle here miss tackle there but enough to where it was really inconsistent other than a few critical fourth down plays here and there right Montana State really uh rushed the ball well we knew that coming in uh that they would or that's what they were known for and uh so we um we didn't do much to to discourage that by how we played for sure so inconsistent so are so close how much how much does that hurt oh they all hurt for sure and lots of time energy and effort has gone in um to get to this point and to again to have had to lead the entire way and know that that was a winnable game certainly It Hurts So coming into the second half you know the offense did end up getting shut out was that just poor execution or did Montana State just play better defense probably both they have Montana State I think played well and and we didn't execute especially on third down uh enough to keep drives moving chains moving and to take control of the game so I would say both coach Devon dampier 13- 19 153 yards in the first half the only attempts eight passes in the second half two of those coming on the final drive was that just part of the game Flow or how how was he not involved in the second half yeah I think it was two separate halfs two different games and man the flow was completely different and so uh our offense we were hoping to run the ball more especially when we had the lead but also get first downs and throw when needed um throw and catch when needed and so we didn't run it effectively enough to pick up third thirdd Downs and we didn't throw it and catch it well enough when we did uh to move the chains either so yeah U I thought we had more momentum offensively in the first half than the second for sure big opponent next week coach what are the most positive things you take from this game obviously you don't like losing the game what positives can build on for yeah we have some good football players we have players that are willing to compete and try hard and we're anxious to play and I think played diligently now it's just refining all that and making it into a quality football team with with again execution physicality consistency determination regardless of context of the game you the uh the Cirby smart quote earlier this week uh you know when you have a quarterback you have a chance what challenges didn't lot kind of because he uh I I think uh just his legs give him a chance um but again the last Drive which is a two-minute Drive throwing and catching right they threw and caught well um and demonstrated that they could throughout the game I wasn't so concerned about the throwing game uh but we did cut a few receivers loose in terms of assignment wise but really he's capable with his legs but um probably the um his most uh impressive part of the game would been the throwing and catching on the last Drive thanks