He's always full of great soundbites, but this was one of his better ones. The part about the confetti in the office is great.
On how much a win in the bowl game has helped catapult the program into the offseason:
“I think it was interesting for me to see, because this new recruiting schedule, we were gone all January, so you didn't get this. We went from the bowl game and then came back and didn't get to be around really our guys until February. The only time I would really get to see them is when I would just try to watch him on Saturdays up top. I guess I was kind of blown away with the work ethic those guys were able to come back with.
“Like I told you guys before, we won 11 games last year and I don't think any of us saw that as a fluke. The expectation here is that we're going to find a way to elevate the standard and win 11 games again win, maybe 12 or 13 games, whatever it takes. The habits have to reflect the mission, and you can't win championships without championship habits.
“As late as the season went for us, I think we were all still upset about how the Big 12 Championship Game went. I picked up confetti off the field and I keep it in my office. I look at it every day. As cool as the Pop-Tart Bowl was, and it was great to end with the win and happy for our seniors to send them off with a win, but I think there's a bad taste in everyone's mouth from just how we showed up and played in the Big 12 Championship Game.
“We can't get to that level and get on that stage and do that again, so I try to remind those guys of that. I don't have to a ton because the seniors do a good job of leading those guys and holding those guys accountable, but it has created some momentum for us. It's raised the standard of what Iowa State football looks like for those guys. They better match the work ethic or you're going to get exposed here.”
