You take those little rascals, talk to them good, pat them on the back, let them think they are good, and they will go out and beat the biguns.

I have always tried to teach my players to be fighters. When I say that, I don't mean put up your dukes and get in a fistfight over something. I'm talking about facing adversity in your life. There is not a person alive who isn't going to have some awfully bad days in their lives. I tell my players that what I mean by fighting is when your house burns down, and your wife runs off with the drummer, and you've lost your job and all the odds are against you. What are you going to do? Most people just lay down and quit. Well, I want my people to fight back.

Recruiting is the one thing I hate. I won't do it unless my coaches tell me I've just got to. The whole process is kind of undignified for me and the young man.

Lee Roy was the best college linebacker - bar none. He would have made every tackle on every play if they had stayed in bounds.

Don't talk too much or too soon.

Everybody's got pretty good players now, more players than there've ever been. If you play poorly, you're going to get beat.

You have to be willing to out-condition your opponents.