Luke Fickell: Both QBs Know 'we Have Confidence in Them'

The Bearcats take on Navy this Saturday with another AAC winning streak on their minds.

© Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Bearcats are trying to push their home winning streak to 31 games this weekend, and head coach Luke Fickell spoke on the Navy matchup, along with how the program is picking up the pieces from its first AAC loss since 2019.

Check out some of his best quotes below.

On Realities of Recent Struggles Setting In With A Loss:

“I think it does. It stings a little bit more and makes me self-evaluate a little bit more. There's still things like I told them on Sunday, there's still things whether you are a guy that didn't play a snap; there is still something that's pulling at you and making it tougher and harder to get better and move forward. You can be a guy like Tre Tucker, who had 10 catches and played really well, but in some ways, it can be masked of what really happened. I think that is the thing that's different about when you lose is all those things pull guys in different ways, whether you played well, didn't play well, didn't play at all, or played a ton, but with a win, everybody still feels good and you don’t self-evaluate quite as much. I don't mean in how you played but in the big picture. In some ways, there's a lot of things that will help us grow and we will learn about each other.”

On The Defense Against UCF:

“You try to pick the things that you evaluate every week and nobody wants to give up 500 yards, but it comes down to points it comes down to stops. For us, we had opportunities, and we made some stops. I think in the big picture things, it comes down to big plays for us and that's where we haven't done as good a job. That's where the yards kind of rack up. When you look at it, whether it's 600 yards, 500 yards, or 200 yards, the reality is it comes down to points. It comes down to, what I always say, is outplaying the other team's defense or outplaying the other team's offense. I think down the stretch is where it hurt the most; our ability to, finish our ability to maybe be a little bit of our own game get wore down a little bit. That is something that hasn't happened to us. That is one of those things that becomes a reality for you. There are those areas where we know we got to do better, we got to be able to play more guys; I think that's what it really comes down to.”

On The Running Game And Corey Kiner's Absence:

“You have plans and you go into a game with a plan and obviously he is in the game plan. He's a big part of it. Sometimes plans change and we weren't running the ball very well, obviously. There were situations where we were throwing it a little bit more with our older guys that feel probably a little bit more comfortable with the protections of things. It is not a great situation. You would love to give him more opportunities. He's a guy that has been very, very good for us obviously running the football and he's still young in the development and understanding of the system. I think that we got into a situation where we felt a little bit more comfortable with the older guys, the two senior backs. Those are one of the things we talked about on Sunday. There's all different ways that pull at you, whether you're a guy that like that had 10 catches or a guy that a bunch of tackles, or a guy for some reason that didn't get an opportunity. No matter what you have to find a way to make sure you understand the big picture of things and continue to move forward.”

On Injuries To Veterans Like Jabari Taylor:

“That's where some of the depth of things has been a little bit of a challenge. You’ve got two guys who have played a lot of football for you. Obviously, Malik (Vann) going out in game two, and Jabari (Taylor) is obviously out for the last two games basically. It does it puts a little strain but that's where we’ve talked about those younger guys, like Noah Potters and Justin Wodtly A lot of those guys have to really step up and fill a bigger role. That's what they have to do. That's what they're expected to do. They're growing, but I think that's where last week some of the wearing down probably hurt us a bit.”

On The Outside Noise And If It Gets To Ben Bryant:

“It's hard for me because I don't hear. If I thought it was something that he needed, I would sit down with him not that all guys don't like reassurance, but he's mature beyond his years. To be honest with you, I think he does a really good job. I think sometimes it's a little bit harder on the other side with Evan (Prater), and don't want him to get frustrated. I don't want him to lose confidence in what it is that he's doing. In that room, coach Gino (Guidugli) does a great job; those guys know we've got confidence in them, whether we have to reassure them. We can and do at times, but I hope that they don't pay too much attention to the outside noise. I'm not saying they don't hear it because you got to live under a rock not to hear it right? I don't think most of those guys live under a rock. I think it's a part of being able to grow up and mature and understand that what really matters is the guys in this room.”

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