Postgame Quotes
October 13, 2007 | Football
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Texas Tech Postgame Quotes
Head Coach Mike Leach
On the defense
"They played really well. There was never a lack of effort. If anything, they were trying to do too much. They were trying to make things happen and they played a little out of control early. They played together and not as individuals and were able to control the game."
On change since Coach Ruffin McNeil took over defense
"I think the energy has really picked up. The defense looks excited to play and they are flying around. They are really doing a good job of playing together. Our team is starting to realize that it takes all the components working together to be a good team."
On the Offensive Line
"They played really well. That last drive they were really dominant."
On the balance on offense
"It is a little disturbing, we will have to throw the ball a little more next time, but it was good to see other people stepping up and making plays when they have to opportunity."
On A&M focusing on WR Michael Crabtree
"Graham did a good job of getting the ball to other people, and they did a good job of stepping up and getting the job done."
On QB Graham Harrell changing plays to runs
"I think he was just taking what they were giving him. Woods ran hard, and Kobey (Lewis) had some key runs throughout the game."
On the upcoming schedule
"I don't like to think about the future to much. I am more focused on the next practice. I want to see how much better we can get next week.
Interim Defensive Coordinator Ruffin McNeil
On preparation for the running game of A&M
"They did not show us anything that we had not worked on. I think early in the game the kids were excited, and tried to make too many plays. During the group period at practice we worked on their favorite runs and their favorite passes and went from there."
On what he said to the defense after the first drive
"I just asked them to not let that happen any more. They were doing their job, but I think they were trying too hard. I yelled at them a little, but they know me and know that I love them."
On the change in personality in the defense
"I am old school and believe that the players respect me, but we love each other. I ask them to do a lot of things during the week and when they work hard, I love them for it."
Junior Quarterback Graham Harrell
On the wind
"I don't think it affected much at all. We throw in it everyday, so when we play a windy game, we know what it's like. We play in the wind everyday out here in Lubbock, the wind blows a lot, so I don't think it really affected the game a lot."
On the running game
"We knew they would come out and try to play soft, and Iowa State last week tried to do a similar thing by dropping the linebackers so deep. All week in practice we kind of expected them to do the same thing, and they acted like they were going to make us prove we could run the ball, and we came out and did it. I thought we did a good job. I'm not sure on how many yards we had, but I felt at key times we ran the ball well. We can get better in the running game, and when we do, our offense will get that much better. I thought we did a really good job running the ball today."
On the Jones AT&T Stadium crowd
"I thought it was great. I knew we would have a great atmosphere. I knew we would have tons of good fans, and we definitely do. They fans came out. There were a lot of people here, and they were excited. I think they got loud at times and did a good job supporting us. We appreciate all the support they're giving us."
Freshman Receiver Michael Crabtree
On the bracket defense by A&M
"No, not at all. If they bracket me, then somebody else is going to be open. You see we score."
On not scoring any touchdowns today
"It wasn't even frustrating not getting into the endzone. I was just doing my job. If they would have called me for the endzone, I would have probably scored. Everybody else got their share, we just played good."
Sophomore Linebacker Marlon Williams
On defensive play
"We just do what we've been practiced to do ever since coach Ruff (Ruffin McNeilll) took on, which is running the ball, mainly getting off blocks, and attacking the people that we are playing. When all of us got on the same page and all 11 of us were running to the ball trying to get turnovers, we kept building on that through the rest of the game and that's what makes us so good."
On holding A&M to field goal attempt on second drive
"We knew we could do it. It was one of those things where we had to go out and go ahead and buckle down and look each other in the eye and say `get off blocks, do your assignment, do what you got to do.' That's what we did, and we just got that family thing going."
Texas A&M Postgame Quotes
Head Coach Dennis Franchione
Opening Comments
"Well, we had our opportunities early and we got there and missed field goals, and when you don't get points when you get your opportunities it hurts. I think every time after we missed a field goal, I think they may have driven and gotten a touchdown. I think the one that really hurt was when we missed the second field goal with 1:20 [remaining] and they go about 80 [yards] there in about a minute and scored a touchdown. When you move the ball, you've got to get points, especially when you play this team and we didn't do that. The guys kept battling I thought and I'm proud of them for that."
On the offense's struggles in the second half
"They played good in the third quarter and we should've moved the ball better than we did. I don't think we had very many yards in that third quarter; we had the wind at our back and we don't get anything out of that in the third quarter, that doesn't bode well for us."
On his defense getting close but being unable to create turnovers
"I told the guys, you're going to touch some balls; whether it's a fumble or a chance to intercept a pass, and I can think of three of them that we touched. I know two of them could have very easily been made interceptions, we didn't and when you don't do that, it hurts you. Those are opportunities and should be game changers, especially on the road."
On whether this loss kills Texas A&M's momentum in conference play
"I would be disappointed if it did. This was a tough loss and it should be, but I think at the end of the day, we'll still be 2-1 in league play, 5-2 overall. We've just got to keep playing; we know what we've got ahead of us."
On his team's inability to score despite moving the ball well this afternoon
"We moved the ball other than the third quarter, we just didn't convert in the redzone which we've been pretty good at doing that. First off, it's not good to have to go for field goals; you need to get touchdowns when you play these guys. Secondly, it's really not good when you're missing field goals. Matt's [Szymanski] been pretty reliable, that was a tricky wind out there today, to defend him a little bit, and we didn't get them."
On the performance of the Texas Tech defense this afternoon
"They played pretty well today and whatever changes they've made since then I think have worked for them. I just think their defense is getting better on a weekly basis and I think that shown in the last month of play or three weeks of play."
On running back Jorvorskie Lane's guarantee of victory earlier this week
"That's just a confident young man, confident in his team, and you can never fault a guy that is confident. You want guys that are confident on your team--especially when you come here [Lubbock]."
On Texas A&M's difficult schedule the rest of the season
"The last half of the season is that way and this is a pretty challenging last half. Four out of the six are in the Top 25 and the ones that aren't are [Texas] Tech and Nebraska. We've known this, but we just want to get ready one week at a time and do the best we can."
On his team's strong start to the game
"It was a good script and a good start. We had a chance to go up 10-0 and if we make the field goal and can get off the field 14-13, that's a pretty good first half right here. We just didn't convert those two and you always have to keep in mind that the kicker goes in to replace what the offense didn't get done. So it's not all Matt's fault that we didn't get points there, there are 11 other guys out there that had chances to make plays, and we could've called better plays."
Stephen McGee, Jr. Quarterback
Stunned about scoring
"Pretty shocked to be honest with you, just got down there a bunch of time and couldn't get the drive off, stupid penalties and that killed us, and we can't do that if you play a team like that who likes to score a lot of points. Just unfortunate couple of plays that we had that kind of got us off to a bad foot in the first half, we were rolling good and were moving the ball well we just couldn't finish the drives."
About Tech Defense
"They didn't really surprise us they have always been pretty basic, they just really are technically sound and do a good job at what they do. They played a great game and you have to give them credit, a lot of times I felt like we just beat ourselves, we got down there and had stupid penalties we had opportunities to score points but didn't make it happen."
Missed field goals and the emotional
"We were just one play away all day, we never quit and just kept fighting and I thought what we were doing was great we just couldn't quite finish it off, it was really frustrating we were so close to putting the ball in the end zone."
Jorvorskie Lane, Jr. Runningback
On the guarantee
"No I don't regret anything it was a guarantee, it was a motivational thing for my team. We lost what can I say, we start practice back tomorrow and we get ready for Nebraska. We win together and lose together."
Disappointment in Running game
"We came out and ran the ball well, but we got behind and had to throw the ball. "
Final margin
"We made a lot of mistakes Tech's offense does a real good job at what they do, the mistakes we gave away, the fumbles we could have had and lost, the final score was devastating."
Devin Gregg Defensive back
"Surprised at running game- "I think some of the looks we gave them I think they audibled out to run the ball and it kind of surprised us but we expected it also."
On Crabtree
"We wanted to give him some different looks we didn't want to give him the same looks, we knew based on some of his alignments sometimes what he would try to do and we wanted to shift our coverage's over and just play back and forth with our corners alignments, they did a good job of getting him the ball and he made some plays. "
Difference in 1st and 2nd quarters
"First quarter we came out and played good, we had momentum and we were playing well and a couple of plays changed it and their offense started clicking. I think they found a rhythm and we were off balance in our coverage's."
