Quotes following Tulane's loss to UCF
Nov 20, 2010 | Football
Nov. 20, 2010
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TULANE QUOTES
HEAD COACH Bob Toledo
Opening Statement
"First of all let me say that we had to overcome an insurmountable lead. We dug ourselves into a horrible hole. I thought we may have had our kick-off situation solved but after we kicked off the first time I saw that we obviously haven't had that corrected. We just spotted them way too many points. One thing I thought is that our kids tried to battle back, and scored a couple touchdowns, had a 99 yard drive, we came out the second part of that drive. We tried to compete but we played against a very good football team. There's a reason they were ranked in the top 25. They're very physical. We had a couple guys knocked out of the game and the reason was because they out hit us. I feel bad for our football team, I feel bad for the seniors having to lose their last game at home, but they're a great group of kids, they work extremely hard, they've done everything we've asked. Like I told them in the locker room just now "Let's enjoy this last week together, it's like a family. Let's go and beat Marshall, try and win 5 games." That's be the best record we'll have since we've been here. I look at the statistics here and it seems that Orleans Darkwa rushed for over 100 yards again, that's really a bright spot. He did a great job. Obviously we missed some guys: Ryan Griffin definitely a little bit, Robottom had to leave the game, Sparks had to leave the game, Wacka had to leave the game, and Darryl Farley didn't even play - we had Zach Davis playing at linebacker. We lost a bunch of guys during the game and it's just one of those deals. We played against a very good football team and they outplayed us."
On the Effect Of Not Having Ryan Griffin At Quarterback On The Offense
"We tried to do a lot of the same things but we didn't execute them quite as well. We didn't complete 50% of our passes and part of that had to do with the pass rush. I thought Kevin Moore tried hard and did alright. The one interception he threw was on first down and he should have just thrown it away. He tried to make a play, I guess, and threw the pick. They're a good football team - I'm not sure the quarterback would have made a difference in this game. We had our receivers banged up pretty good too."
On Things Piling Up In The First Quarter
"It was an insurmountable lead that we gave them. It was just like boom, boom, boom. I couldn't believe it, that they scored that many points that fast. The kickoff return really set the tone, I thought. It's hard, you know, you're at your last home football game, you're introducing all the seniors, and you're trying to focus on the game. It's difficult. And UCF was coming off of a difficult loss and they had to win this football game to have a chance at the championship. We got them at a bad time, let's put it that way. And I bet if you watched, they're a pretty good football team."
On Having Enough Players To Make Tulane Competitive In This Game
"We were banged up pretty good, let's put it that way. But I will say that UCF is the best team in Conference USA, I've said that from the beginning. They've got outstanding players, and they've got a lot of them. They're very physical, very athletic and in my opinion they are the best team."
On Tulane Playing Like They Did Last Year
"Well, actually, it was worse that first quarter because last year with seven minutes to go in the half, we dropped a punt and then it went downhill from there. That's what was so shocking to me, I never expected this kind of a performance, to be honest with you. I thought we'd be very competitive against them and I'm very disappointed that we weren't."
On What Was To Blame For Things Getting Out Of Hand In The First Quarter
"They pounded us pretty good. We missed tackles and they scored touchdowns. They had two big touchdown passes and they kind of had their way with us. Again, they're better than we are at this point."
On Having Ryan Griffin For The Next Game
"We have to wait and see where Ryan Griffin is. We had said that he was definitely out for this game and then we'll look and see where he is. I'd say that it's probably very slim that that would happen. And this game wasn't Kevin Moore's fault. There were a lot of things that took place, it wasn't the quarterback's fault."
On How The Defense Played
"They were man-handled pretty good. Again, we didn't have Darryl Farley. They knocked us around pretty well, we didn't play very good. They are a very physical football team. The games they lost, they barely lost, They're a very good football team. Let's not take anything away from them. I'm disappointed that we didn't respond better, let's put it that way."
On The Defensive Rotation
"I'm not sure if it's the rotation that's the problem. They've played a lot of football. We are beat up right now but that' no excuse because I'm sure they're beat up too. But they beat us up more."
QB Kevin Moore On today's game...
"We got into a hole and it felt like quick sand. The harder we fought the worse it got. It is always a privilege to play college football, but today was a tough one. I felt like we battled well in the second quarter and then we started off the third quarter with a good drive. If we score there that would have made it 38-21 and who knows from there, but they stopped us. They are a good team, they deserve the top 25 ranking that they had and they will be tough to beat the rest of the year."
S Alex Wacha One today's game...
"We dug ourselves too big of a hole too early. We let them return the opening kickoff for a touchdown, which was unacceptable considering how much work we put in all week trying to fix our kickoff team. The next drive, defensively, they ran it down our throats. It was not what we wanted to do. UCF is a good team, but that is not how we play. That is not how we have played all year. To perform like that is not like us."
On finishing the season at Marshall...
"All we have is one game left, we have nothing to leave behind, and we have to give it all we have got. Marshall is a hostile, so we are going to have to show up ready to play."
DE Dezman Moses On today's game...
"It was just one of those games. They are a good team and we needed to bring our A game and we didn't do some things right, and they did a lot of things right, so they outscored us. We didn't bring our A game today."
On finishing the season at Marshall...
"It is another game. We are going to go into the week just like any other. Practice hard and go up there and try and get a win. We are never going to quit, we are not quitters, so every game is important to us."
RB Orleans Darkwa On having another 100 yard performance...
"Once again, the offensive line and tight ends paved the way. The whole second half of the season they have stepped up big time and opened up holes for me and I have been able to hit them. We definitely have gelled more as the season has progressed. But stats don't mean anything if we don't get the win. It is still something nice to look forward to though."
On finishing the season at Marshall...
"We are going to try and go in there and get a win. We want our seniors to leave this program on a good note, they deserve a win."
UCF QUOTES
HEAD COACH GEORGE O'LEARY
On playing a "complete" game
"Well, you know, it was. I just talked to them about the penalties. We had way too many offensive line penalties. It was a good game. It was a good, productive game offensively and defensively, we made some plays. Good win in conference play. One more now, and we have to go out and it gives us the opportunity to come home on December 4th and host the conference championship."
On scoring 31 points in the first quarter and moving on from last week's loss to Southern Miss
"I thought, basically, that we moved the ball left and right much better. We didn't stay tackle to tackle in the run game. I think the defense had some three and outs which is critical to field position."
On winning today's game
"It was a productive day today on offense, defense, and special teams. We got a lot of punt return yards, kick return yards, and we covered very well with kickoff coverage. I am very pleased with the team. I thought they went out and executed very well."
On returning the first kickoff for a touchdown
"Well, I think we did a great job blocking. There were some key blocks in there. We got a seam. If you can get him into an opening, he has a chance to break each and every one of them. I thought he was going to crack the next one, but someone tackled him at the ankles. It was a good game. A productive game. I thought we executed well. We changed it up pretty good with the play selection. Defensively, we gave up a couple of scores. Overall, we got our hands on more balls. We got a couple of turnovers and fumble recoveries."
On having multiple one play drives and the play of Latavius Murray
"He did a good job. I think he runs the outside game very well. I think Ronnie (Weaver) had his day. I think Jonathan Davis got out there too. I had a chance to give Nico Flores a bunch of work today. We got everybody on the field, which is important this time of year. Hopefully we came out of the game without any injuries."
On stopping Tulane on the first drive of the second half
"Momentum. The halftime discussion was focus, and don't lose focus. As I tell them, its 0-0. Let's go out and play the second half like its 0-0. Some of them believed me. We played fairly well the second half. We made way too many penalties on the offensive line. You can't have that. Too many holding calls. I just want to see them on tape, see what they are doing. Overall, good win. Like I told the team, we have one more. It's a big game next weekend and hopefully we will secure a conference championship at Bright House (Networks Stadium)."
On the performance of Place Kicker Nick Cattoi
"I think that field goal at the end was really important. I would normally go for it, but I wanted to see him kick a 47 yarder. It was good for him because we are going to need a field goal coming up in one of these games. It gave him some confidence. It was done for him, and he came through, and I was happy for him."
WIDE RECEIVER #14 QUNCY MCDUFFIE
On the opening kickoff return for touchdown
"It was a great feeling. It created a great start. The right play was called. I had great blocking from my teammates, and I just took it to the house."
On scoring on a long screen play
"That was a great feeling. It was a great play call at the time. It was great blocking down field, so I just took it in to the endzone."
On the impact this win has on the team's locker room morale
"It's a pretty good feeling because we were able to bounce back from last week. Now we just have to keep the momentum going that way and move forward to next week."
