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Greisen to Start against Omaha

November 3, 2010 - United Football League (UFL 1)
Florida Tuskers News Release


Florida Tuskers Head Coach Jay Gruden announced today that Chris Greisen would get the start at quarterback on Friday night against Jeff Garcia and the Omaha Nighthawks. Here are some quotes by Gruden and Greisen on the situation, as well as some quotes from Gruden and Omaha head coach Jeff Jagodzinski that were made during their teleconference call today.

Jay Gruden on Decision to Start Chris Griesen "We reached the decision to start Chris last night. Brooks (Bollinger) is dinged up right now and he is having trouble with his back, ribs and thumb. It was apparent last week that he was having some trouble making some throws and we could still see that in practice earlier this week. Right now it is our feeling that our best chance to win is to go with Chris. Brooks will be in the bullpen if we need him."

Jay Gruden on Greisen "Although he hasn't started for us, Chris knows our system. He's been with us for the past two years. He's a smart quarterback, he's tough and he has a load of professional experience. At the beginning of this season, our plan was to get him in camp and actually let him compete with Brooks for the starting job this summer but his Arena team made a long playoff run and then he hurt his back in training camp and got another week behind. Still, we have a lot of confidence in him and know he will do a good job for us."

Greisen on his first pro outdoor start "I would not be truthful if I said I wasn't a little nervous. I woke up an hour and half earlier that I normally do and kept having plays and reads running through my head. But it's not nervous in the sense of fear. It's more like excitement. While it's my first outdoor start, I have started professional games in the Arena League for four years. I know as a professional starting quarterback, all eyes are going to be on me. Everyone on the team looks to you to be a leader and to make the right calls and make the right decisions. For me, it's a matter of not wanting to let my teammates down and make those right decisions."

Greisen on Facing His Brother Nick, an Omaha linebacker "It's the first time we faced each other on the playing field. We're both super competitive and if he gets the best of it, I know I will never hear the end of it, so there is some extra incentive on my part."

QUOTES FROM FLORIDA TUSKERS HEAD COACH JAY GRUDEN AND OMAHA NIGHTHAWKS HEAD COACH JEFF JAGODZINSKI

Every game is a playoff game now in the UFL! The Florida Tuskers (2-3) host the Omaha Nighthawks (3-2) on Friday, November 5 at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida at 8pm (live on Versus).

Florida is coming off a bye week while Omaha is looking to bounce back from a 24-10 loss to the Las Vegas Locomotives. Both head coaches know game is a crucial for both teams who are fighting for a spot in the UFL Championship game. Win and the 'playoff' picture looks brighter. Lose and staying home for Thanksgiving will look increasingly likely.

Just to add some spice, Tuskers head coach Jay Gruden revealed in a national conference call that he will start Chris Greisen at quarterback - making him a sibling rivalry target for younger brother Nick Greisen, linebacker with the visiting Nighthawks.

Listen in to Nick, Omaha's third-leading tackler with 22 stops, making plans to upset his brother's first UFL start on the Nighthawks coaches show on ESPN 1620 The Zone, tonight at 7pm CDT / 8pm EDT. Perhaps Chris will call in to respond...

Jay Gruden quotes:

"We're excited about the game. Both of us are in a tough way. They have a one-game lead on us, and we're trying to catch Omaha. It will be a great challenge for us.

"Offensively, we haven't had a lot going right early in the year. We've had trouble completing drives, finishing drives off, staying on the field on third down. Offensively, we have yet to be perfect. The defense has played very well, except for a couple late drives that have beaten us.

"It's tough, because sometimes it's an offensive line issue, sometimes it's a wide receiver issue, sometimes it's a quarterback issue, sometimes it's a bad call by me."

On quarterback play in the UFL and starting a new QB:

"People have high expectations when you sign guys like (Jeff) Garcia, (Daunte) Culpepper, (Josh) McCown, and (Brooks) Bollinger coming off an MVP season, and Tim Rattay. But it takes some time for offenses to gel. We don't have a lot of time.

"Somebody's going to get hot. Hopefully that's us.

"Our offensive struggles go way beyond Brooks. Brooks has taken some hits, and he's not himself. We took him out because he had sore ribs, a sore shoulder and a messed-up finger.

"We've decided to go with Chris (Greisen) this week, and we'll bring Brooks out of the pen if need be.

"He is banged up, and he knows it, and we all can see it."

On Omaha's Defense

"They're sound, and they don't make mistakes. It's hard to figure them out. They don't make many mistakes in the secondary. And they keep you off-balance."

Jeff Jagodzinski quotes:

On the UFL Playoff atmosphere"

"That's the way we're approaching this thing, and our older guys get it. That's the type of environment and game it's going to be.

"We do have a veteran team, so the team gets the gravity of this type of ball game. There's no doubt Ahman Green and Jeff Garcia... they really help out, in the mental preparation more than anything."

On Devard Darling and Robert Ferguson being listed as questionable (50/50 change will not play) on the injury report - "We've got a couple guys nicked up, but they're all going to be playing. We've got those guys prepared."

On QB Jeff Garcia, who threw four interceptions last week in a loss to Las Vegas:

"Jeff didn't have his best game (last week), but he bounced back from it. He's won some ball games for us this year. He bounced back from that very quick. He knows what we did and how we can correct it."

On RB Maurice Clarett, who scored a TD last week:

"One of the things that really excited us was him getting a touchdown last week. He's doing better. He gets better every single day. He's going to be on our kickoff team returning kicks, and he'll be in our backfield carrying the football."



United Football League Stories from November 3, 2010


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