Northwestern University Athletics
Postgame Quotes
9/26/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 26, 2009
Northwestern Head Coach Pat Fitzgerald
Opening Statement:
"I've got to give Minnesota credit. We had the lead going into the fourth quarter, you've got the game at home, and you've got to put it away, obviously we didn't do that and there'll be a lot we look back on in that fourth quarter where we had a chance to get the job done. It's to Minnesota's credit they did, and we've got to find a way to finish games, and that's on us as coaches. When we do then we'll give ourselves an opportunity to win, and the hardest thing to do is to win a Big Ten football game. When you lose the turnover battle and you don't get off the field in time when you have opportunities to win the game, it can lead to a long day. That's what I saw today."
On the game's tackling and whether it has been a characteristic during practice...
"Awful, awful, completely out of our character. I give credit to Minnesota, I guess they either put grease on their shoulder pads and their jerseys or we just decided not to tackle with our chests on our feet and play Big Ten football. It is something we will address and fix immediately."
On B. Mitchell making the catch in the corner, and his decision to go for the play...
"(We were) trying to win and I thought that we had momentum at that time. We had driven the ball a long way down the field and I wanted to finish with a touchdown. I just felt like at that time in the game we needed to get the touchdown and it was a good call by Mick (McCall), a great play by (Brendan) Mitch(ell), nice throw by Mike (Kafka)."
On Brendan Mitchell being a guy who has not been used much this year and why he came into this game...
"He's been doing a great job in practice and Bob (Heffner) and I visited after last week's game and we felt like we needed to get him a little bit more involved. It'll help Josh (Rooks), it'll help Drake (Dunsmore), it'll help him and he just stepped up and I thought he played well today"
On putting an emphasis on finishing and how he teaches it...
"It's everything you do, I mean we start from the way we do our dynamic warm-up to the way we finish practice and everything in between. Finishing is a way of life and when you don't accomplish that and that's something that you value, obviously our message, the way we're working, more than anything we just keep course and keep pounding at it. I feel great about our conditioning level, that's not the issue, the issue is making plays in the fourth quarter. I mean, there's an interception, make the play, we've got a zip route, a guy wide open, catch the ball. We get the ball back with two minutes, make the play. And that's how you win Big Ten football games, you make plays."
Northwestern Players
Senior Wide Receiver Zeke Markshausen
On the ability of the team to finish games...
"We look at it as a problem. We're still the Northwestern Wildcats and that's what we pride our program on, so it's still there. It's a different team this year, but we still know how to do it, and it's just a matter of going out there and performing like we know we can. We're not worried one bit about it. We know we still have it in us and we know we can do it in the future."
On making sure it doesn't happen next week...
"We look at ourselves. We come back tomorrow and we look at the film and we see where we can improve. Everything wasn't perfect out there, it never is and everyone on the offensive side and everyone on the defensive side needs to take a look at the film and realize there are some places we can improve on and those are probably the places where the finish would come in."
Senior Quarterback Mike Kafka
On the first fumble in the fourth quarter...
"It's just one of those things, running outside, got to get rid of the ball quicker."
On Minnesota's pressure...
"In the beginning there was a lot of zone and toward the end of the game they started pressuring more. I thought we handled it well, we just have to go out there and make more plays."
On what he attributes this loss to...
"I think for myself, I need to go out there and pick up my game a little more. Obviously we're not getting the job done. We need to get some more points, we're leaving some out there. You know that one early in the first quarter we had to settle with a field goal. We got set up behind the chains a little bit. We need to really find that killer instinct and start getting those points, knowing when it's there and grasping it."
On the long pass overthrown to Sidney Stewart...
"Sid did a great job. It's one of those things you just have to complete. They were in the zone and Sid beat them off the ball. We've got to make those plays."
Senior Defensive End Corey Wootton
On the post-game locker room atmosphere...
"We were a little down, but we're just looking forward to the opportunity next week. You can't think too much about the loss and you have to move on. Flush it and move on to Purdue."
On the status of his knee...
"I definitely feel like I'm improving every week. I'm still not quite where I want to be. I've got to keep working hard in practice and keep working hard to improve."
On tackling...
"The past few weeks tackling has been a big issue. We've been fitting in the right gaps, and mis-tackling here and there and that's how they've been gaining those big yard plays."
Senior Superback Brendan Mitchell
On getting so much playing time today...
"No, I'm not necessarily the forgotten man. Sometimes you're put in a position where you just have to pick up the flag and go. Fortunately I had the opportunity to do that today."
On his favorite moment of his college career...
"It was an exciting moment. Anytime they have to review a play you sit back and wonder just a little bit, but I was pretty sure about it. Last year when Purdue came here I scored a touchdown and I was excited then, but this game was an exciting one for the whole team and for me to be given the opportunity to take the lead going into the fourth quarter was a great feeling for me."
Senior Cornerback Sherrick McManis
On finishing games...
"It is what it is. We've got to finish. We have to work on our mistakes and capitalize and make plays that we are capable of making."
On tackling...
"It was awful. It can be better. It can be a lot better and that's what we're going to work on. It's not like we can't do it. Tackling is a whole 1, 2 and you have to focus. We've just got to make the plays that we're capable of making. We're not doing anything extraordinary or spectacular. Just being consistent."
Minnesota Head Coach Tim Brewster
Opening Statement...
"It was a very satisfying win, a very satisfying victory. I feel really good about our football team and how we did."
On running the ball and defensive stops...
"We do the things that good teams do. We have a good football team and we are committed to running the football and we ran the football very well today. We did a lot of things very well today. I am really, really proud of our defense and the way that they hung in there, fought, competed, and made two huge plays at the end of the ball game. Like I said, a very satisfying victory. I thought that Jedd Fisch just did an outstanding job calling the game today. Did a lot of things offensively, kept them off balance most of the afternoon. The physicality was outstanding. It was very pleasing to watch."
On keeping poise against NU's offense...
"It just takes discipline and focus. They are an awfully good offensive team. They have an outstanding quarterback. Mike Kafka is really good. We knew that we were going to have our hands full today and that it was going to be a 60-minute fight and our football team fought for 60 minutes. And I could not be more proud of their efforts."
On the late turnovers...
"The game was on the line and our defense showed up big. We had some great pass rushes that obviously knocked the ball loose, force two huge turnovers at the end of the ball game. I thought that the really positive thing about us offensively was just capitalizing and monopolizing the ball, moving the ball on the ground, and knocking the ball in the end zone and the red zone. I think we are still perfect in the red zone and we scored touchdowns in the red zone. And that is what good football teams do."
On Brandon Green's play...
"Brandon keeps doing really good things. He is a clutch guy. I am happy for Brandon. He is at home in Chicago, played in front of his fans here. He is a good player."
On MarQueis Gray and Kevin Whaley sparking the game...
"I think that all those running backs ran hard and ran well, but it was the offensive line play that allowed them to do the things that they did. My hat is off to our offensive line. There are a lot of people that said this that and another about our offensive line and you know what, they played damn good today."
On last week's game with Cal preparing them for today...
"I think our schedule is very positive for our football team. We are a very battle-tested football team at this point and I think it certainly helps. We you are in a battle like we were in today and to have been in that fight before is very positive."
Minnesota QB Adam Weber
On the magnitude of opening each half with a touchdown...
"Very, very big. Football is all a game of momentum, especially when you're on the road. Anytime you can quiet the crowd and put up points, it's huge. It was a tough game. We made a lot of mistakes but we made the big plays when it counted. Our defense there at the end made some big plays for us and we were able to close it out."
On the play of WR Brandon Green...
"We've got to find out a way to get him the ball more. He comes up big for us, especially on third downs. That one to keep the ball going on our 30-or so was a big, big catch. Huge. It kept that drive going and he just comes up clutch when we need him. But again, we've go to find ways to get him involved more because he just does the job."
Minnesota WR Eric Decker
On whether the running helped the passing game...
"Definitely. I thought that once we established the running game, obviously it brought the safeties down, put more guys in the box, and just opened up more plays for us in the passing game. We took advantage of it and we did a good job of executing."
On the offense's continued progress this season...
"We're getting a lot better week to week. We're moving the ball. We're able to put drives together in the first half now and finish in the second half. For a football team to win a Big Ten championship, you've got to do that consistently on offense and that's what we're striving for. We're getting there."
Minnesota LB Nate Triplett
On the two forced fumbles at the end of the game...
"The defensive line really came up big in those last two drives and got some turnovers for us. We made some little adjustments and that really helped too. Our coverage got better. We kept the ball in [Mike Kafka]'s hands longer and they were able to get the ball. That's what we practice every day."
On the offense staying on the field...
"The offense staying on the field was great today. They put together some long drives and kept us off the field. [Northwestern] was doing some quick things, as far as their offense goes, and you get tired off that; if you're going 19 plays in the first drive and your offense isn't staying on the field, you get tired. So our offense staying on the field was big in this game."
On the overall performance of the defense...
"As far as our defense, we're doing a pretty good job of staying in our lanes and doing our responsibilities. We didn't tackle extremely well today, but we made plays when we needed to at the end of the game. The defensive line came up big, got some fumble recoveries and made the big plays when we needed it."
