University of Louisville Football Post-Game Quotes
September 27, 2008 | Football
Sept. 26, 2008
Recap | Final Stats | Notes
Louisville Head Coach Steve Kragthorpe
"Obviously it's a disappointing loss, one that we felt like we pretty much had control of the game and then let it slip away. There were a couple of key points in the game when we were up 21-10. We created the turnover there, we've got to score points to make it 28-10 at that point in time. Not just from a scoring standpoint but from a momentum standpoint. I thought our guys played hard and battled, we moved the ball up and down the field, but we turned it over too many times. When they did turn it over, we've got to capitalize in points. We're got 500 yards of total offense and 21 points, you should score more points than that with those kind of yardage totals. I thought our guys played hard and battled they really stepped up there and made a stand there and when they had it first and goal inside the 10 yard line and held them to a field goal. We just didn't come up with the plays late in the game to win."
(On the interception) "They played a little bit of man and three coverage there, they draw the same linebacker underneath it. He was freed up because they were in a position to rush four guys with a man and three and he was freed up for a little robber coverage. He just didn't see the guys, he was trying to get it in there."
(On the adjustments UConn offense made in the second half) "They went to more quick passes. They went to some maximum protection passes off of play action running where they could block up seven or eight guys and throw the ball down the field a little bit. They went to more quick passes to try to get the ball out of their hands a little bit. The guy caught a string down there in the red zone. It was a good job on their part. They got away from some of the passes they'd thrown earlier in the game where we could get pressure on them."
(What were the drive killers?) "It was penalties. Obviously we got to third and one or two and half in two situation and we jump offsides. The turnovers, you've got to keep control of the football when you have it. Then you've got to convert some third down situations - some of those fourth down situations you've got to convert those. To me the biggest thing was we had a couple of penalties there that were third and short situations that got us back in third and mediums. We've still got to convert those. And then turnovers."
(On whether Hunter Cantwell should have gone back in the game) "Absolutely, he was ready to play and he was wanting to play. He was our best option to go in and win the football game."
Louisville QB Hunter Cantwell
(On injury) "I got hit two different ways, the ankle gave and the knee didn't. I hurt my ankle pretty good but I'm not here to make excuses for myself, that throw or the interception. It was my decision to come back in the game. With the time off, I should be fine to play against Memphis."
(on the lost) "I feel like we let the game get away. UCONN played well, they are a very good football team, but we still feel like we are a pretty good football team as well. We just had some breakdowns. We had to win that game, we should have won that game. UCONN came out and we gave them opportunities and they took advantage of them. We have to bounce back and get refocused."
(UCONN's play in second half) "They put a big emphasis on stopping the run, we started off running the ball successfully, we kind of beat ourselves at times but I felt like there was something here or there that stopped the drive and they played their game, came out and were steady for all four quarters of the game. We hurt ourselves tonight."
(On interception) "I got a little antsy obviously, because once I dropped back that's where I was, and I didn't see that linebacker. There was a crossing pattern and I didn't get a clear shot. It looked like Doug Beaumont was breaking in uncontested and the linebacker was right there. I was too quick on that decision. I should have taken a better survey of the field. But I threw it. It was bad decision."
Louisville WR Josh Chichester
(Feeling after game) "I think everyone knows no one likes to lose and we just have to come back and get ready for Memphis next week."
(Louisville's control of the game) "Yes I do feel that way, but mistakes happen and we need to figure them out now, to not make those mistakes and to bounce back when we do."
(What lead to defeat) "I wouldn't just point out one mistake. There were a couple of offsides and other things that we did wrong that we need to execute on. But I'm not going to sum it down to just one mistake."
(on Hunter's return) "I wasn't worried about it I was concentrating on where I needed to be and hoping the ball would be there, which it was. So no I didn't notice anything different from my standpoint."
Louisville DE Maurice Mitchell
(on Louisville's defensive pressure) "On the first and second down we tried to stop the run, and tried to force them to stop the ball. So we knew they were going to run with the quarterback or pass it. So we needed to get off the ball and have pressure."
(On UCONN's offense) "It seemed like they were going to little three step drops, just to get the ball out. Hitches and slants to get six or seven yards at a time, instead of dropping back and passing, giving us time to get there."
(Motivating younger players after loss) "We just take it one game at a time like Coach K says you have 24 hours after a loss or a win. We have to put this behind us. We've got Memphis. We have to take care of business and have a great practice."
UConn Head Coach Randy Edsall
"It was a great team victory tonight. We needed everybody to contribute tonight. They did that. I couldn't be more proud with the football team and coaches and everybody involved. We stunk in the first half. And we got things straight and shut them out in the second half. We scored on defense and made a couple of big stops at the end. Zach Frazier came in and did a tremendous job and kept us poised. Donald was outstanding and we had just enough gas in the tank, were banged and beat up we just have to live with it."
On the character of this team) "I think it says they have a lot of belief in each other. They love each other, they care about each other. They will do whatever they have to do for each other to make us successful. They are willing to do whatever it takes, its just a great group to be around. I don't know where we are going from here, whatever we ask them to do they will do. Again you go on the road in the BIG EAST down in this environment to be put in that situation it's just a great great team victory. It is a great message about who these guys are and what they stand for."
(About Zach Hurd) "You saw a lot of good things out of him this week. He made the decision to go back to that competitive spirit and that feistiness that I saw early in camp. He was a leader on the sideline, he's a guy that really wants it. I am just very proud of him. He did the job he was supposed to do and he's going to have to start for us now. Tyler is out Steve Rouse is out."
(How did you keep your team poised) "I told them at halftime it's a nothing nothing game. That's what I told them I wasn't really nice to the defense or to the coaches but I just told them it was a nothing nothing game and to just go and play one play at a time."
UConn RB Donald Brown
(On his ability to run through the defense) "My offensive line did a great job blocking as well as wide receivers and running backs. Everybody did a great job."
(On UConn's preparation for the game) "Just practice. We knew coming in that they did a great job stopping the run. We knew our strength was running the ball, so we just kept working hard on that."
(On the rest of the season) "We can't worry about the rest of the season, we are just worried about North Carolina and going down there. They are a good team."
UConn LB Lawrence Wilson
(On the interception) "It was man coverage, the back sat back and I usually have to go get the back aggressively. This time I didn't and he stayed back and blocked. I read the quarterback and they had been throwing the slant all night, so I just jumped the slant route and took it. When you go up like that on a play, when it's unexpected, we're the defense and we have to stop them. If they score, it's on us and that's hard on our offense."
(On the preparation in practice) "We ran the slant route a lot. With Chichester they have a big, tall receiver. They ran it out of a different formation tonight, but we finally caught on to it. And when we really needed to, we did."
UConn QB Zach Frazer
(On entering the game for the first time this season) "It happened in flash. One second I'm standing there listening to the headphones. Next thing, I'm putting my helmet on and going in. My team had my back the whole way and I appreciate that."
