Takeo Spikes quotes:

I'm so very happy to be here, ... My lifelong dream is to win, and I was accustomed to winning before I got to Cincinnati. From Bantam League, to middle school, high school and at Auburn, I was always on winning teams. I just want to win again.

I always say we got 700 pounds of pork up front. They're going to hold guys down and allow us linebackers to make a lot of plays. Even in practice. I'm loving it, man.

It's all about how bad you want to come back. (The Achilles' is) not tight anymore. I'm like a wild dog about getting back on the field. I'm hungrier than I've ever been.

Just to be mentioned in the same sentence with those guys feels good, but I want to take it to another level. I respect those guys because they did it. I'm trying to get where they're at, where people talk about me bringing a championship here.

We don't care about going 2-0, 3-0, or 4-0. Our first main objective is to go 1-0. That's the only thing we care about. That's the main focus.

And the most important thing at the end of the day is that we stay together as one in relaying the information to the rest of the guys.

You have to be more disciplined in what you do. You have to make the plays when you're supposed to make them. When the play is presented to you, you have to make it. We have to have guys flying around the ball. It will definitely be a good game to watch this weekend.