This was Fritz in a zoom call with reporters from New Orleans and out West from Monday before Tulane flew to Boise:
"I asked all our guys when we got selected to play in the bowl game, how many of you have been to Boise. A couple of my coaches who had coached in other places and Tom Symonds, our assistant athletic director in charge of media relations, he's been out there before, but not very many of us have, but we've all watched games. That will be need for us to go out there. I've got a lot of respect for what Boise's accomplished in their program over the years and then also what coach (Jay) Norvell has done there at Nevada has been awesome. I've never met Coach before, but I've heard a lot of great things about him."
On last time played in the 30s in windy conditions:
"Last year at Temple was really cold. My first year here we went out and played at UConn and it was extremely cold, so really it's going to be a nice day I think. It's going to be high 30s. I think their temperature is similar to ours today. They are in the 50s today and we're right in the low 50s as well. I don't sit there and dwell on things like that. It's let go out there and play our tails off no matter what the elements are."
On his interest in seeing how Chip Long calls the game:
"Yeah, I'm very interested. Chip's done this a lot, so it's not like we're bringing in a novice to call plays, and he's been here long enough here. He's been with every practice that we've had in preparation for this game. There are a lot of similarities but there are a lot of differences. For him it was more terminology, but also some of the things he's added to the play calling. There are going to be some wrinkles we haven't done before, and that's neat. The players also want to impress the offensive coordinator. There are some obvious differences. Chip and Will Hall are best friends, but they are totally different people, so the kids have had to adapt from one style to the other style, so that's also been good to get that done now rather than waiting for spring football."
On how Long and Hall are different:
"I guess night and day. Their accent. Chip's a little more stoic I would say than Will. Chip is very, very direct. Will is highly enthusiastic, but I've been doing this a long time and there's a lot of different ways to skin a cat, so I enjoy that. And I tell the players that. The next guy is not going to be exactly like the last guy, and they understand that. They've done a super job. They've had very spirited practices. They are excited about going out there and playing this game, so that's one of the things that I've treasured this year is just the attitude that our guys have had in this very different year."
On talk about blue field:
"I don't think so. You know, I told our coaches to make sure they showed a lot of Boise tape from years gone by when they played Nevada just so our guys could see it. When I was at Sam Houston, we'd go up to Central Arkansas and play and they had a purple field. We went out and played Eastern Washington a couple of times and they had a red field. This will be my first blue one."
On momentum carrying over:
"I do think when this all gets back to normal, everything's going to be totally different. It's going to be a boost to morale for everyone in our nation, but certainly going into Christmas break with a win leaves a good taste in your mouth, there's no question about that."
On Nevada:
"They have a great quarterback, the Mountain West (offensive) player of the year. They have a great group of receivers. They are a little more pass heavy, but they run the ball well enough that you've got to respect it Defensively they are an even front 90-something percent of the time. They'll play a lot of man like we do and mix it up and play some zone. They are really solid in the kicking game as well. Their special teams coordinator (Thomas Sheffield) was an assistant of mine at one time. He started off in the equipment room as a student. I'm really proud of Thomas and the things he's done, so they do an excellent job in all three phases, are very disciplined and play hard."
On big-play ability a concern:
"They are going to throw it up, and we have to do a great job on those 50-50 balls, ones when they are trying to put the defensive back at a disadvantage with his back turned and the receiver, you have to do a super job of not only making the quarterback throw off rhythm but in defending the ball. Those are the tough ones. I'm sure they'll throw five to 10 of those up tomorrow."
On winning in trenches:
"We always want to be tough up front. Every week we feel like we've got good depth on the defensive line. We've got a lot of guys that didn't get a chance to play for us that last game that are ready to play this game, so we certainly hope that's an advantage for us. We'll find out tomorrow."
"I asked all our guys when we got selected to play in the bowl game, how many of you have been to Boise. A couple of my coaches who had coached in other places and Tom Symonds, our assistant athletic director in charge of media relations, he's been out there before, but not very many of us have, but we've all watched games. That will be need for us to go out there. I've got a lot of respect for what Boise's accomplished in their program over the years and then also what coach (Jay) Norvell has done there at Nevada has been awesome. I've never met Coach before, but I've heard a lot of great things about him."
On last time played in the 30s in windy conditions:
"Last year at Temple was really cold. My first year here we went out and played at UConn and it was extremely cold, so really it's going to be a nice day I think. It's going to be high 30s. I think their temperature is similar to ours today. They are in the 50s today and we're right in the low 50s as well. I don't sit there and dwell on things like that. It's let go out there and play our tails off no matter what the elements are."
On his interest in seeing how Chip Long calls the game:
"Yeah, I'm very interested. Chip's done this a lot, so it's not like we're bringing in a novice to call plays, and he's been here long enough here. He's been with every practice that we've had in preparation for this game. There are a lot of similarities but there are a lot of differences. For him it was more terminology, but also some of the things he's added to the play calling. There are going to be some wrinkles we haven't done before, and that's neat. The players also want to impress the offensive coordinator. There are some obvious differences. Chip and Will Hall are best friends, but they are totally different people, so the kids have had to adapt from one style to the other style, so that's also been good to get that done now rather than waiting for spring football."
On how Long and Hall are different:
"I guess night and day. Their accent. Chip's a little more stoic I would say than Will. Chip is very, very direct. Will is highly enthusiastic, but I've been doing this a long time and there's a lot of different ways to skin a cat, so I enjoy that. And I tell the players that. The next guy is not going to be exactly like the last guy, and they understand that. They've done a super job. They've had very spirited practices. They are excited about going out there and playing this game, so that's one of the things that I've treasured this year is just the attitude that our guys have had in this very different year."
On talk about blue field:
"I don't think so. You know, I told our coaches to make sure they showed a lot of Boise tape from years gone by when they played Nevada just so our guys could see it. When I was at Sam Houston, we'd go up to Central Arkansas and play and they had a purple field. We went out and played Eastern Washington a couple of times and they had a red field. This will be my first blue one."
On momentum carrying over:
"I do think when this all gets back to normal, everything's going to be totally different. It's going to be a boost to morale for everyone in our nation, but certainly going into Christmas break with a win leaves a good taste in your mouth, there's no question about that."
On Nevada:
"They have a great quarterback, the Mountain West (offensive) player of the year. They have a great group of receivers. They are a little more pass heavy, but they run the ball well enough that you've got to respect it Defensively they are an even front 90-something percent of the time. They'll play a lot of man like we do and mix it up and play some zone. They are really solid in the kicking game as well. Their special teams coordinator (Thomas Sheffield) was an assistant of mine at one time. He started off in the equipment room as a student. I'm really proud of Thomas and the things he's done, so they do an excellent job in all three phases, are very disciplined and play hard."
On big-play ability a concern:
"They are going to throw it up, and we have to do a great job on those 50-50 balls, ones when they are trying to put the defensive back at a disadvantage with his back turned and the receiver, you have to do a super job of not only making the quarterback throw off rhythm but in defending the ball. Those are the tough ones. I'm sure they'll throw five to 10 of those up tomorrow."
On winning in trenches:
"We always want to be tough up front. Every week we feel like we've got good depth on the defensive line. We've got a lot of guys that didn't get a chance to play for us that last game that are ready to play this game, so we certainly hope that's an advantage for us. We'll find out tomorrow."
