Northwestern University Athletics
#20 Northwestern 13, #25 Wisconsin 7 • Postgame Quotes
#20 Northwestern at #25 Wisconsin
Camp Randall Stadium • Madison, Wis.
November 21, 2015
Postgame Quotes
Northwestern Head Coach Pat Fitzgerald
Opening statement...
"Thanks to everybody for being here today. One heck of a defensive battle. I thought both defensive teams played outstanding football today. We found a way to get one more stop, and that was key. I was incredibly proud of our kids. They persevered, they've been through a lot. To watch the way that our young men have battled over the past few years, and to come out and find a way to get it done today was absolutely outstanding. My hat is off to coach Paul Chryst. That was a heck of a battle and then their young guys go out there and make some plays there in the two-minute drill. It got down to the 1-yardline and our backs were against the wall. To see the way our defense rose up and got the stop on fourth down. We did it all the way to the last play and that's what it took and that's what they did. Terrific effort by our defense."
"I thought our offense at times were able to do some things, especially in the running game. Some of the times, we were a block away from making a big play. That's one of the top if not the top defenses in the conference and in the country. Credit them for that. Obviously, the turnovers were huge in the game and not to be able to score as many points as you'd like off of turnovers, you again have to credit Wisconsin. They rose to the occasion and put the fire out."
"I'm still kind of speechless - I'm not sure what I just said. I don't know how that just unfolded, but it did. I've been on the other side of those games and I feel for those kids from Wisconsin because that's a tough way to end up on the short end. I'm incredibly happy for our guys, and we have a lot to be thankful for here on Thanksgiving week."
On the emotional rollercoaster in the last few minutes...
"We were just talking about what we had to do on the next play. If it was going to be the extra point block if the game's tied, then what are we going to do. Unfortunately, we had already talked about that prior to the two-minute drill and what we wanted to do in that scenario. We talked about that twice and we actually didn't have to do it which was obviously the difference in the game. That last defensive play… that call was by our young men. They made the defensive call. We asked them what they wanted to run and they made the call. Good call by them and a great game by (defensive coordinator) Mike (Hankwitz). I know this game is special to him and to find a way to get the win, especially with the defense on the field, was just spectacular."
On if they were ever in a position to concede the score so they would have time to come back...
"Not at all. The way our defense was playing all game, I was really disappointed in them during the two-minute drive. We study that, we teach it, and they executed it, so tip your hat to Wisconsin for perfecting that. We have to look at some of the things we did in that drive, because frankly defensively, until then, I thought we had a pretty good defensive day. I thought we gave up the most yards of any drive of the day in that two-minute drive. It's disappointing to see that, but our backs were against the wall and the kids rose up."
On if he assumed the calls were there at the end until he heard the reversal from the radio...
"Yeah, you do, and then you're talking about the scenarios. If it's upheld, here's what we're doing. But if it gets overturned, what are we thinking and where do we want to go? Typically, you have the guys there so you're talking to them about the thought process in that scenario."
On the Northwestern line play today...
"I think from the standpoint of our defensive line, I thought we were pretty effective all day. Offensively, we were able to get some things moving, but that's a great Wisconsin defense. They firmed things up there as we got into the red zone and we just couldn't get the same plays executed and finished the way we did earlier in drives. You've got to give a lot of credit to them."
On the Wisconsin turnovers...
"Six points off the board in the kicking game. Then one of the turnovers where we were kind of in no man's land. It was one of those where it's probably fourth-and-too long. If you're playing lights out on offense and their defense isn't very good, you'd probably go for that. Their defense is lights out and our defense was playing outstanding. I just felt like at that time, let's go pin them deep and see if we can switch the field position back again. Obviously, the punter goes out and gets a perfect punt and Matthew Harris downs it inside the five. It maybe looked like the right decision. You're just going with the flow of the game and talking through those scenarios. If it was shorter, I would've maybe had a different thought process. You've got to credit Wisconsin. They rose up. We talk to our guys all the time about sudden change and putting the fire out. The bell rings as a defense, go put the fire out. They did a great job of that today. I'm not surprised. That's an outstanding defensive football team."
On the team's goals for the rest of the season...
"Yeah, we do. We talked about making November something to remember, and I don't think anybody in the purple and white will forget this game for a long time. It's one of those situations where there have been crazy games up here in the past, but I'm just so happy for our guys that they found a way to win."
On the team's reaction to Jump Around and if it was planned...
"I just thought about it right before we did it. I said instead of jumping around, let's just lock arms and finish this thing together. Earth shattering. Just trying to have some fun with the guys. I don't think we've been in that scenario in a long time going into Jump Around. I just wanted to focus on what we were doing and not what was going on around us. Just focus on what we were doing and go play our game."
Camp Randall Stadium • Madison, Wis.
November 21, 2015
Postgame Quotes
Northwestern Head Coach Pat Fitzgerald
Opening statement...
"Thanks to everybody for being here today. One heck of a defensive battle. I thought both defensive teams played outstanding football today. We found a way to get one more stop, and that was key. I was incredibly proud of our kids. They persevered, they've been through a lot. To watch the way that our young men have battled over the past few years, and to come out and find a way to get it done today was absolutely outstanding. My hat is off to coach Paul Chryst. That was a heck of a battle and then their young guys go out there and make some plays there in the two-minute drill. It got down to the 1-yardline and our backs were against the wall. To see the way our defense rose up and got the stop on fourth down. We did it all the way to the last play and that's what it took and that's what they did. Terrific effort by our defense."
"I thought our offense at times were able to do some things, especially in the running game. Some of the times, we were a block away from making a big play. That's one of the top if not the top defenses in the conference and in the country. Credit them for that. Obviously, the turnovers were huge in the game and not to be able to score as many points as you'd like off of turnovers, you again have to credit Wisconsin. They rose to the occasion and put the fire out."
"I'm still kind of speechless - I'm not sure what I just said. I don't know how that just unfolded, but it did. I've been on the other side of those games and I feel for those kids from Wisconsin because that's a tough way to end up on the short end. I'm incredibly happy for our guys, and we have a lot to be thankful for here on Thanksgiving week."
On the emotional rollercoaster in the last few minutes...
"We were just talking about what we had to do on the next play. If it was going to be the extra point block if the game's tied, then what are we going to do. Unfortunately, we had already talked about that prior to the two-minute drill and what we wanted to do in that scenario. We talked about that twice and we actually didn't have to do it which was obviously the difference in the game. That last defensive play… that call was by our young men. They made the defensive call. We asked them what they wanted to run and they made the call. Good call by them and a great game by (defensive coordinator) Mike (Hankwitz). I know this game is special to him and to find a way to get the win, especially with the defense on the field, was just spectacular."
On if they were ever in a position to concede the score so they would have time to come back...
"Not at all. The way our defense was playing all game, I was really disappointed in them during the two-minute drive. We study that, we teach it, and they executed it, so tip your hat to Wisconsin for perfecting that. We have to look at some of the things we did in that drive, because frankly defensively, until then, I thought we had a pretty good defensive day. I thought we gave up the most yards of any drive of the day in that two-minute drive. It's disappointing to see that, but our backs were against the wall and the kids rose up."
On if he assumed the calls were there at the end until he heard the reversal from the radio...
"Yeah, you do, and then you're talking about the scenarios. If it's upheld, here's what we're doing. But if it gets overturned, what are we thinking and where do we want to go? Typically, you have the guys there so you're talking to them about the thought process in that scenario."
On the Northwestern line play today...
"I think from the standpoint of our defensive line, I thought we were pretty effective all day. Offensively, we were able to get some things moving, but that's a great Wisconsin defense. They firmed things up there as we got into the red zone and we just couldn't get the same plays executed and finished the way we did earlier in drives. You've got to give a lot of credit to them."
On the Wisconsin turnovers...
"Six points off the board in the kicking game. Then one of the turnovers where we were kind of in no man's land. It was one of those where it's probably fourth-and-too long. If you're playing lights out on offense and their defense isn't very good, you'd probably go for that. Their defense is lights out and our defense was playing outstanding. I just felt like at that time, let's go pin them deep and see if we can switch the field position back again. Obviously, the punter goes out and gets a perfect punt and Matthew Harris downs it inside the five. It maybe looked like the right decision. You're just going with the flow of the game and talking through those scenarios. If it was shorter, I would've maybe had a different thought process. You've got to credit Wisconsin. They rose up. We talk to our guys all the time about sudden change and putting the fire out. The bell rings as a defense, go put the fire out. They did a great job of that today. I'm not surprised. That's an outstanding defensive football team."
On the team's goals for the rest of the season...
"Yeah, we do. We talked about making November something to remember, and I don't think anybody in the purple and white will forget this game for a long time. It's one of those situations where there have been crazy games up here in the past, but I'm just so happy for our guys that they found a way to win."
On the team's reaction to Jump Around and if it was planned...
"I just thought about it right before we did it. I said instead of jumping around, let's just lock arms and finish this thing together. Earth shattering. Just trying to have some fun with the guys. I don't think we've been in that scenario in a long time going into Jump Around. I just wanted to focus on what we were doing and not what was going on around us. Just focus on what we were doing and go play our game."
