Postgame Quotes: Michigan State 35, Michigan 21
10/25/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
Michigan Head Coach Rich Rodriguez
On the loss ... "We were in it but in the end we didn't make the plays. They made the plays in the end and they deserve to win. The guys played hard, but playing hard and playing well has got to be the same. You need to play hard and play well, we are not doing that. We have to go back to work and we got to get the next one."
On the touchdown before halftime ... "I was disappointed. They scored late, but I was proud we came back. We were playing with a long field and the new offense is not good enough to drive 85 yards. They were playing with a shorter field and we gave up to many big plays on defense. We missed some things that were there and we are not good enough to overcome those things."
On the field position battle ... "We can't get those first downs when we are backed up. Being cautious because of the inexperience, we shouldn't have as many inexperience problems. That is the frustrating part of it, but you know the guys are playing hard and we have just got to get back to work and get better."
On signs of hope and improvement ... "Its close at moments, but it isn't good enough until you put it together all the time. In particular, it is frustrating when we have some veteran players that are trying hard but for whatever reason, one play here, one play there (it doesn't work). They have nothing to hang their heads about."
U-M Junior Defensive End Brandon Graham
On the game ... "Everyone's going to go out there and keep fighting. We hit some big plays on some third downs. I knew we were going to go out and keep fighting and play like we were down. They made some big plays on the third down and if we get them back it's a different game. We put a lot of pressure on (MSU Quarterback Brian) Hoyer today, but the pressure didn't get to him and he made some big plays."
On his victory guarantee ... "I feel confident that my team had my back when I guaranteed the win. I am not going to take it back. I still believe we should have won the game."
On the play of Javon Ringer ... "He just hit some holes when we got out of our gaps. He has got good vision and we already knew that. He's real small -- like Mike Hart. He found some holes and got it done."
On the future ... "That's the excitement of it. We know the ball is going to bounce our way. We are going to learn from this and keep fighting. We are just going to follow the seniors (example). The seniors aren't quitting, so we aren't quitting. We're just going to keep going. We want to win and we're going to keep fighting to win."
U-M Junior/Sophomore Linebacker Obi Ezeh
On the game ... "This one stings a little deeper than usual. This is a game where we come out every year looking to get a win. You really want to win this game, especially this year with the way the season has been going. We wanted this win and it stings deep."
On the second half ... "When we went up by seven, I got on the guys and told them to not get comfortable. We wanted to play like we were losing, so that we would play with intensity so as to not let something big slip, but it happened. They had some big plays and got the momentum going in their direction. When we were up 21-14, we wanted to get after them. But you cannot take anything away from Michigan State. They played a great game."
On third-down conversions ... "Mentally, I thought that was one of our focus points coming into the game. We wanted to be better on third down. It seems like the last couple of weeks we haven't been able to get off the field on third down. I thought we were good early. We came out on the second half and were still kind of pumped up, but again, third-down situations kind of have been haunting us in the last couple of weeks."
U-M Senior Nose Tackle Terrance Taylor (From the Locker Room)
On what went wrong on the big plays ... "We missed too many tackles and gave up too many big plays for touchdowns. We need to correct them and come out fighting next week."
How difficult is this for you right now ... "This is extremely difficult for me right now. We need to finish out the season playing our best and fight each and every play. It's difficult as a senior to lose Paul (Bunyan) Trophy, lose to Penn State, but I know that we will bounce back."
U-M Sophomore/Freshman Quarterback Steven Threet
About the offense today ... "We had a few missed assignments and we made a few mistakes. We couldn't move the ball and made a few mistakes."
Is this a tougher loss because it's Michigan State ... "Yes, definitely. It's a rivalry game, so this one will hurt more. You prepare hard during the week. You prepare hard in every game, but Michigan-Michigan State is hard to take (losing). We just need to keep working hard and be ready to go next week."
Did you put more pressure on yourself in this game because it's a rivalry ... "The pressure of the game is great but those were mistakes that I made. Sometimes trying to force it too much and it's just a matter of making better decisions and getting guys the ball."
Did they do something differently to you that caused the interceptions ... "No, not really. It's stuff that we prepared for all week. They played hard and you have to give them credit. In the second half, we just kept battling, but it still goes back to too many mistakes."
Michigan State Head Coach Mark Dantonio
On the game ... "It's a great win for our football team and for our program. I am so happy for our players, especially our seniors. We came out and handled adversity. We played very well, I thought, early. Every football game has some times when you're going to go up and down and handle some adverse moments, and we just kept playing one play at a time. We saw so many different players have a part in this win. It is big for this program. I can tell you this, when we first came here as a staff, we pointed to this football game as a rivalry game. I have always believed that. I am so proud of our football team."
On senior/junior wide receiver Blair White ... "You don't know who is going to be the stars in this game. Blair came in and had a huge play on the first third down, and then he goes 60-plus yards on a slant. It was a big play. He had a couple of other big plays on third down for first downs, and one on that next to last drive when it was probably too far to kick. Blair is a gamer and a tremendous competitor."
On fifth-year senior quarterback Brian Hoyer's ability to handle pressure ... "I thought that Brian, every time I looked into his eyes on the sideline, he was a very determined, confident football player, and we were going to play. That's the way I have always seen Brian Hoyer. You play the cards that are dealt and different things can happen. This is a game of football and there are a lot of things that can happen on the football field. I thought he played tremendous."
MSU Senior Quarterback Brian Hoyer
On the win over Michigan ... "I think collectively, as a program, we got a monkey off our back. Eighteen years of coming down here -- this is my first time, and it's my last time. That's pretty special. It's a great accomplishment to do this in my last chance. I think it's a statement. Coach [Don] Treadwell talked before the game about making a change. We need to make a change in this rivalry and make a change in this state. I think the state is probably more green today than it was yesterday."
On MSU's confidence entering and throughout the game ... "From the moment we walked into this stadium, we didn't have a lack of confidence. We knew we were going to win this game. I think with that mentality, we were able to keep ourselves us. Coach [Mark] Dantonio talks about handling adversity -- whether it's in life or in a football game -- whenever we do that, we're able to right the ship and come back."
On Michigan's defensive line ... "They were rushing wide and hard, so especially when it's loud out there, sometimes passers don't get a great jump off the ball so you have to step up, and I was able to step up and make some plays when guys are rushing that hard. I think our guys in the middle kept it solid. So there were definitely opportunities to make some plays."
MSU Senior Running Back Javon Ringer
On the Michigan defense ... "I'm not going to say that they were getting tired. I think their defense continued to play hard the entire game. They kept pounding and they kept hitting; they never let up. They kept going to the ball really well. Their defense never gave up. It's a credit to our offensive line; they were really dominant today."
On the play of wide receiver Blair White ... "Seeing the performance of Whitey today didn't surprise me at all. Whitey is definitely one of the only athletes that I've looked at and said, Man, I wish I could do some of the things that he does.' I've watched Whitey time after time make play after play after play ever since my freshman year. Seeing his performance today -- I knew he was capable of doing it. I feel so honored to be able to be on the same team as Whitey and play on the same field as someone who works as hard as he does."
On the victory over Michigan ... "It's always good to beat Michigan and to win here -- something we haven't done in so many years, back to 1990 -- that's a bonus. Being able to go out our senior year with a victory over Michigan to, lord willing, help a tradition of us beating those guys is great."
