Louisville-UCF Postgame Quotes
October 19, 2013 | Football
Oct. 19, 2013
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Louisville Head Coach Charlie Strong
(Opening statement)
“We had our opportunities and we just didn't finish it. That was the first time we played bad on defense. You have a team that has a veteran quarterback that can move the ball and not put them in a bad place. We allowed that to happen this evening. He made some really good throws and we never got any pressure on him at all. On offense we were able to drive the ball and had opportunities there. We started the second half up 28-7 and we go down and give up a big throw on third down then turn the ball over on offense. Then we came back and allowed them to move the ball again. We took the lead there late in the game with three minutes to go and had a chance to win it and we just didn't go out there and finish it on defense. You learn from this and the adversity there so now we've just got to be able to bounce back. We are 6-1 but we'd had loved to get this game this evening.”
(What were they doing so well against your defense?)
“The thing we didn't do is tackle well. If you look at it we'd be right there to hold the guy, he'd break the tackle and make one guy miss and then he's down the boundary. The tackling was very poor. He would sit there and read the zone play and if we were in man he'd throw the ball. They'd run the football when we were in zone and they threw the ball back outside. We came free on a lot of opportunities we just couldn't get the guy on the ground. “
(What does this loss do to the team's goals?)
“Our goals are still there and we still have a chance to win the conference. Now we're one behind them (UCF). We've got to continue to play well and get better. We can improve. We've still got some ways to improve and this game was a good measuring stick for us because that was a very good football team.”
(Do you think the team relaxed with the 20 point lead?)
“I didn't get that. If you remember we went out and stopped them on the first two and then on third down we made the throw the ball down the field and their guy makes a big catch. Then we were up 28-14 and we turned it over. Then they had a short field and they scored so the score was 28-21. I didn't think we were relaxed because when it was 28-14 our guys realized we still have to go play. We gave up a 20 point lead and that should never happen.”
(Is Dominique Brown the guy moving forward?)
“If you watch the drive that got us ahead he ran the ball very well. We were able to come back and he scored late to get us back in the lead. He did a really good job. We kind of decided since he had the hot hand we'd just let him keep getting the ball and let him keep pounding it.”
(Did you feel helpless on the sideline in the second half?)
“No I didn't. I just felt like we needed to get them in the right defense. Sometimes when you get your back against the wall you've just got to be able to stand up and make some plays and we didn't. We weren't able to get any pressure. We got no sacks. We got one turnover early in the game. You've got to create disruption. You've got to be able to create pressure and we didn't do that on defense.”
(Were blitzes being called and they just picked it up?)
“One time we blitzed and our guy missed the tackle and he goes down the boundary. Another time we blitzed and they sealed us inside the ball and he bounced in the crease. What it was was the back was able to make some cuts. He made a jump cut one time and was able to get behind the blitz. We had our blitzes called we just didn't execute.”
(Do you talk to the team about all the outside pressure of going undefeated?)
“No. They've heard enough negative talk already. I just have to continue to keep them built up and we have to continue to move forward. They've heard enough already. We were undefeated and we still hear it, that's why I keep telling them we're the best team in college football.”
(How do you make sure it doesn't affect the next game?)
“It won't affect the next game because we've been down this road before. We have a veteran group here and they've seen this happen before so I don't think it will affect them for the next game. We've just got to go get ready to play the next one. We're on the road at South Florida so we have to go play.”
(Did you consider keeping Dominique Brown in the game in the third quarter - instead of Senorise Perry)
“We rotate backs. It was Senorise's series so when he came into the game it was very unfortunate because he competes so hard. I know that fumble hurts him because that's the type of team player he is... he fumbled and then we came back with Dominique.
(On when did you know you'd have DeVante Parker back)
“It was a game time decision so we put him out there at practice and he played well. He made some catches and he looked like he was back to his old self.”
(Did you see anything to give you the sense that this loss was coming)
“No. Our guys knew what type of team they were facing. It was nothing as far as preparation, with them not being prepared or not being focused. That wasn't the case.”
(Your message to the team right after the game)
“I said the thing you really can't do against a good football team is give them opportunities like we did this evening. From offense where we had opportunities to go score and defensively we never stopped them and then the kicking game... but we're 6-1 so what we need to do is get ourselves back together. We've been down this road before. Let's see what type of team we really have now.”
(Last year's team lost twice, does this year's team have what it takes to go 11-1?)
“I don't know. We're going to find out. We've got some more games to go play so we'll see if we have what it takes.”
(On Central Florida)
“I think they're pretty good - they just beat us. We had our opportunities too and we gave them a lot. I just don't know how good they are but they beat us, so I guess they're pretty good.”
Louisville QB Teddy Bridgewater
(Teddy how does this game damage all the dreams you had for this season?)
“It doesn't damage them at all. We are still 6-1 this is college football and anything can happen, and anything is possible. We are going to keep our faith, keep our heads up and continue to finish the season as the way we want to.”
(Did you sense any relaxation on your guy's part or did central Florida just turn it up?)
“No not at all. There were some momentum swings, we had all of our momentum going early. We stalled and then they picked up their tempo, and got everything going on their side. That's just how the game goes.”
(Was there anything different they did that you haven't seen all year?)
“Not at all. They tried to do some things different, but at the end of the day it's all the same. When the ball is snapped it's all the same. Before the snap, you can move some things around, but once the ball is snapped, it's all the same.”
(What did they do defensively to give you problems?)
“They stuck to their base defense, but like I said we just stalled. We are going to learn from our mistakes and move forward.”
(On how difficult it was being up 21 with seven minutes left in the 3rd quarter and to lose the game)
“Any loss is difficult to take. We are going to put this game behind us and focus on South Florida.”
(On defense carrying the team last week and if he felt helpless being on the sideline watching the defense to end the game)
“I don't feel helpless at all. Like you said about last week, the defense carried us. We were struggling on offense and I have faith in all those guys on the defensive side of the ball. There is never any bad feelings towards those guys on the field because at any given moment they can get the ball for us. They can sack the quarterback or force negative plays, so we are behind our defense 100 percent.”
(On how you stay so positive with little time left in the game)
“You can't live in misery or live in a loss. We are the type of team that has mature guys and I am pretty sure our guys are switching their focus to South Florida. One loss doesn't determine the whole season.”
(On what was said to Senorise Perry after the fumble)
“I just told him to flush it. Don't carry that into the next play. Take it one play at a time. The play happened and now it is in the past, so I told him to focus on the next play.”
(On what needs to be done with the team this week to have the same mentality)
“We are going to come back and watch the film, grade it, and learn from our mistakes and move forward. That is pretty much how we are going to go about everything.”
(On last drive to score with the shovel pass to Dominique Brown, and what he saw)
“I was just trying to make a play and I was going to scramble but once the defender reacted to me scrambling, I flipped it to Dominique. That is part of our offense and we practice oddball throws and things like that. Dominique understood the scramble procedure and we executed it.”
UCF Head Coach George O'Leary
(Opening Statement)
“What can you say? Heck of a ballgame. Both teams played their hearts out. We are really proud of our football program, our football team. It was a great drive on that last drive. It's just a great win in a tough environment. Homecoming, packed house, the No.8 team in the country, a great win for our program and we just need to grow on that.”
(What does this victory mean?)
“Obviously it's a big win, there's no question about that. It's the biggest win of the year, because it's a conference win. I'm just happy for the kids. We went in the game with one motto- great effort, great effort, and great effort and compete. And that's what I thought they did. We got down 28-7, they could have just hung their heads, but they didn't. They got after it. We took some breaks, we got some things done, and we scored 24 unanswered points there. I tell you, I give Louisville credit, they came down and scored.”
(After being down 28-7)
“Never ever, ever give up. That's what we live on, and they knew that was coming, and they basically understood that. I can tell by the jumping. When they started jumping to their music, I knew we were in good shape. They don't play the Zombie Nation, they play something else, but I thought that's pretty cool.”
(On Storm Johnson's performance)
“I thought all the backs played really well. They got some key yards in the running game against a very good defense. We had some good runs, made some nice passes. Especially that last series down, it was some really good throws and got some good plays as far as going after the catch.”
(On the quarterback stepping up to another level against a Top 10 opponent)
“He's right where he needs to be which is making playing plays when he can make them because I can always call a bad play. I thought he did a heck of a job of doing things well. Teddy Bridgewater is everything they talk about. He sees things, he takes hits, and he finds the right people. I'm very impressed with him.”
(On the game winning touchdown catch and hit on the QB)
“They all take hits it's football. That was one big throw in that situation. That was a great environment. Good for the American Conference and national TV, it must've been great to watch it. I appreciate that football game. “
(On the third down sack that turned the momentum)
“They blew a protection obviously because he came clean and hustled. Teddy almost got away from him but he was grabbed by his shirt but the play worked out well for us. That was huge because it put them back farther.”
(On J.J. Worton's status)
“He was hit in the head earlier in the game. He was taken out with a concussion. That is the answer I was given. It was a hell of a hit. He got the first down and did the right thing. A lot of the kids played their hearts out and I'm really proud of them.”
(On the guts to comeback)
“A lot of resilience was showed. We're not a roll over team. We want to compete and sit around babies. I think they responded. They continued to gut it out. It's not always pretty at times but they got fight and they fight until they couldn't give any more. I'm just proud of the team and what they accomplished and their hard work and the effort they showed with the competition on the field. We practice and preach it but we don't get it all the time. Kids are getting better we're a young club with only seven seniors. A lot of young kids have grown up.”
#55 - Joey Grant - OL
(On the turning point of the game)
“We're a team that never gives up, our practice is hard and everything we do is for those moments so we keep pushing and we did keep pushing. We had faith in the defense to make stops and they had faith in us that we put some points on the board and we made that happen.”
(On what was going through is mind in the final seconds on the clock)
“It's all about the hard work that you put in through the weeks coming up and hard work in the game and staying strong and it will be all worth it and it was all worth it.”
(What was said in the huddle to Blake Bortles?)
“I said, 'do what you do you've been doing it since you took over, we believe in you. We're behind you and we're going to protect you. And we did protect him, I believe we gave him zero sacks .We went out and executed and got the W.”
(On upsetting Louisville)
“ It just shows that were a hard working program and a lot of people don't recognize us as being a team that can compete on this level and I believe we just proved to everyone that we can.”
(Was this Storm and Stanback's best performance of the season?)
“Definitely, we had a game plan for the run and he executed it to the 'T' he did everything we asked him to do.”
#2 - Jeff Godfrey -WR
(What was the feeling like when the clock hit zero and you guys won the game?)
“It felt good. It's a great win for the program, a great win for UCF nation.”
(What kind of confidence does this give you guys going into the rest of the season?)
“Great confidence. We've just got to come out every day and practice hard. Just go out there and grind every day. That's the momentum.”
