Post-Game Quotes From Louisville-Connecticut Football Game
September 30, 2000 | Football
Sept. 30, 2000
Louisville Head Coach John L. Smith
"I wish I could say I was proud of our effort. We just have to get better. As a team, we were not prepared to play the football game, and we played like we didn't prepare well. Right now we're not a very good football team. We've got a long way to go."
"Early in the week, I thought we were going to prepare well, get ready to go and make some progress. It was evident that we, as coaches, were not able to get them ready to play, because they weren't. They could have cared less and it showed."
(on the abundance of penalties) "We showed no discipline, and that's what happens when you have no discipline."
(on starting conference play next week) "It's worrisome. There are a lot of difficult teams out there waiting. And now, coming out of this game, how can you have a good feeling? You want to erase the bad feeling from Florida State and get a good taste in your mouth. We definitely don't have that."
Connecticut Head Coach Randy Edsall
"Well, we came down here to win a football game and we didn't win the football game, and that's the bottom line. There's disappointment in the locker room. We did not come down here for a moral victory. We did not come down here to represent or to look good. We came down here to win a football game. The kids wanted to win the football game, but we came up short. One of the reasons we came up short was that we had too many penalties, and that's my responsibility to make sure that doesn't happen. I think what happened was their speed and quickness got to us in the second half towards the end of the game."
(on U of L's difference between the first and second half) "I think they came out in the second half with maybe a little bit more intensity because of what happened in the first half. We held them to the field goal to start the second half, but then we have the fumble and they get the touchdown. Our kids fought back and scored two touchdowns in the second half, and that is something that we can build on."
(on the affect of the 29 penalties) "It is very hard for a play caller to make those kind of calls. It is tough when you get first or second and 18. Those are tough calls. You don't have too many calls in your game plan to take care of those situations."
Louisville Player Quotes
Redshirt Freshman kicker Wade Tydlacka
(on 51-yard field goal) "I knew I could make the distance. When I kicked it, I heard a good pop and when I looked up, it went through."
(on the drive setting up the field goal) "We needed some kind of positive note going into halftime. We drove it down the field really well and it was up to me to do my job well and I did."
(on if the team took UConn lightly) "I think the whole might have taken them for granted and we can't afford to do that. At halftime, we knew we had to get it straight and we played better in the second half."
Sophomore quarterback Dave Ragone
(on conference play) "We are not going to win any conference games making a lot of mistakes. You just have to take it one play at a time. It wasn't a pretty game but we definitely need to play smarter next week"
(on the second half) "We knew if we took care of business in the second half, we could pull out the win. We moved the ball a lot better in the second half and it showed."
Senior defensive tackle Donovan Arp
(on upcoming conference play) "We are kind of concerned about getting our attitude set right. We are going to have to strap it on, have a good week of practice and have a good showing on Saturday. They are (UAB) a good club."
(on slow start) "We had a slow start at practice this week and that kind of reflected in the game. We came in at halftime and decided we needed to start playing the game like we had to play. We needed to step up to our level."
(on adjustments made at halftime) "We came in at halftime and coach Smith was a little irritated at the way we were playing and he let us know. After halftime, we came out and played the way we should have been playing the whole game."
Senior linebacker Rashad Harris
(on halftime) "We were concerned at halftime. The locker room was silent. You could probably hear a pin drop until coach came in there raving at us. He got us pretty fired up."
(on the first half) "We got penalties that hurt us on a couple of three and outs when the offense should have been on the field. The bottom line is that we didn't come out ready to play."
