Texas A&M vs. Nebraska Post Game Quotes
Nov 20, 2010 | Football
Nov. 20, 2010
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On his emotions on the final defensive drive... "I was pretty pumped up. When we kicked that field goal to go up 9-6, I have so much faith in the defense I just knew they would go out and get the stop. I couldn't do much else but cheer on the sideline. I cheered my heart out for them. They stood up like I expected them to and they stopped them."
On the running effort and Cyrus Gray... "It was frustrating at times but the offensive line figured out what they needed to do up front and started moving guys. Cyrus ran hard all game. He's huge on our team. He does it every day and every play. If you give the guy a six-inch-wide gap he will somehow fit up in there and get three yards out of it. I'm glad he's on our team."
On his thoughts after the game... "I love our team and the passion they played with. I was overcome with happiness and joy. That's why you come to A&M, to win those big games. We have faith in each other and we were determined to win this game."
On the run game and Cyrus' night... "They are a great man-coverage team. They have great cover guys that are hard to get open against. We knew we had to run the ball. There were so many tough yards he got tonight. Those are huge plays for us on offense, especially when times are tough and every yard is tough. I'm so happy for him and what he did tonight."
On what Cyrus Gray means to him... "He's huge. He takes the pressure off me when he's able to run the ball. There was one time they brought a safety blitz, and Cyrus stepped up and took him on right in the hole. I was able to get the pass off and get a first down. I looked at him after the play and he said, `I've got your back'. That speaks to him right there. Not a lot of backs will do that. That just adds another dimension to his game. I'm glad he's on my team."
On what the win means to him... "This is huge. I've been here three years and it's been a long, long journey. To be a part of this is just an awesome experience."
On the pressure on the game-winning field goal... "I do it day in and day out at practice so I'm used to it."
HEAD COACH Mike Sherman
"I just can't say enough about our students and the 12th Man and the former students. To get us over 90,000...and the noise they made and generated was phenomenal. I can't thank them enough. It was a very emotional win and a very hard-fought battle. Nebraska is a great football team and we were able to come out on the winning end and we are excited about that. They beat a Nebraska team that was highly-ranked and just a very well-coached team with a lot of talent. We jumped over another hurdle and took another step. We still have another step to take."
On Cyrus Gray's effort... "We knew going in to the game that it would be a battle throwing the football. They are a heck of a defense. A heck of a defense. We knew that would be a challenge for us, but we wanted to stay true to the run. We started the game with two runs that I don't think got a yard. I think the telling point in the game was the third quarter. Cyrus Gray was a big part of that. He's had five straight games where he's rushed for over 100 yards, and against that defense that doesn't happen often. We were able to take drives where we were backed up and go down and kick a field goal."
On penalties helping his team get fired up... "Whenever you can pick up yards without stopping the football it definitely gives you hope. We definitely had some hope in those drives. We showed penalty tapes all week long to our guys and we told them we had to cut them out. We wouldn't win this type of game with penalties. To their credit, we were able to clean up penalties and not be on the receiving end of those."
On playing a turnover-free game... "That was huge. Trent Hunter had three picks in practice on Thursday. He hasn't done that all year. It was just an omen that he'd get a pick. He did a great job keeping his feet in bounds. In a game like this and next week you have to win that turnover battle. You can get away with it sometimes but not very often. We've walked very dangerously this year with turnovers. Some we've won and some we've lost."
On how he'd describe Cyrus Gray's effort... "I'd say extraordinary. With all the catches and the runs and picking holes. I thought he played extraordinary. But nothing he does ever surprises me. I'm not shocked looking at his stats. He practices the same way."
On Randy Bullock's play... "No question he was great tonight. Even on his kickoffs, they were in the end zone and created big field position. Particularly the last one, giving them the ball on the 20 on the final drive. Randy probably had his best game as an Aggie tonight. He had a squib kick too, the wind was hard and we didn't want the ball to get high. That squib kick was probably one of his best of the night."
On the upcoming matchup against Texas... "I know our kids are very confident about themselves, and very happy about today. I told them don't act surprised when you win a game like this. When you go to A&M, you're expected to win games like this, particularly at home with a crowd like this. Last night at yell practice, then today to break the record and get over 90,000 and 30,000 students. I think you create your own momentum, so I look at things a little differently."
Excitement through the week... "Sunday night I went over there, they were pitching tents and everything. I took some pictures, talked to them, they were great. I was walking to chapel on Thursday, everyone was geeked up about the game, and it was kind of neat. It was uplifting for me to feel that excitement. The difference between college and the NFL is how connected to the fans you are. You don't want to disappoint them. Fortunately, tonight, we don't have to live with that."
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR Tim DeRuyter
On the defensive effort... "I'm just really, really proud of them. We knew Nebraska had a great defense. They are very well-coached with great athletes. We talked all week to our guys that we had to be a better defense today. Maybe statistically they had better stats coming in, but we had to be the better defense today. And we had to win the takeaway battle. The overall effort of all our guys was just great."
On Martinez' injury changing the defense... "When 17 came in we'd thought they'd go more throwing-game stuff. And they did. But we didn't have a total game plan for him. It really didn't change our game plan. 3 is a special competitor and can really burst. With him being out it probably made them struggle a little bit."
On Von Miller... "He's special. When he gets in that environment and the 12th Man gets behind him I haven't seen anything like that. He goes to another level. He's got a knack and a sense to make big plays at big times. I'm just glad he's on our team."
On his thoughts of the scene after the game... "It was awesome. I was a little nervous, I was trying to find my daughter and son and I couldn't get through the crowd. It was crazy. Just being in that scene was exactly what I pictured last January when I decided to take the job. These are the moments why I chose to come here. That moment was great for me personally and even more so for the kids. To see the defense have the success they've had for just playing as hard as they play and to just come out on the good end was really, really gratifying for me."
On his thoughts of the night... "So many memories. So many guys and just a collective effort and a win. I've never experienced anything like it. I'm glad I was part of this team."
On his effort... "Coach Sherman told me at the beginning of the week we'd have to pound it out. This team was so great in man coverage. Each guy had to do their part and just play hard."
SENIOR LINEBACKER Michael Hodges
On not being able to hear on the field... "I couldn't hear what they were saying, it's a great problem to have, and I love it. This one goes to the 12th Man for sure."
On whether he expected the defensive game... "I realized it would be a defensive battle, but I thought for sure one of these high powered offenses would get in there. Coach DeRuyter said the best defense was going to win today, luckily we came out on top."
On the fans rushing the field... "You couldn't ask or pay for a better way to leave. I was bombarded down there, the whole team was. It was truly special. It was a close call between the OU game and this game which one was better."
On what made the defense better today... "Last week they made some big plays on us because of our hitting, and we talked about it a lot. Fortunately, we were able to come together as a team and hit correctly and we shut them down."
SENIOR DEFENSIVE LINEMAN Lucas Patterson
On Nebraska's O-line being frustrated... "The 12th Man played a huge part in tonight's win, I can't thank them enough. I can't appreciate them enough for what they do, it was chaos out there definitely."
On the defense taking the lead... "I was talking to the guys on the sideline before we went out there, I said there's one time for everything. I'm really proud of our guys tonight, everyone played their hardest and we came out with the win."
On the best part of the night... "The locker room afterwards. Going in there with all your buddies and teammates, it was something I'll never forget. Seeing all the joy on everyone's faces, the joy on my face. My face is going to hurt from all the smiling I've done tonight. Everyone smiling and hugging each other, and we broke it down `family on 3!' It means the world to me."
On Von Miller play... "He's a freak, that's what he does. He rushes the passer. For his last game on Kyle Field, you couldn't end it better."
JUNIOR DEFENSIVE BACK Trent Hunter
On this week's practicing... "Actually, I had three picks on Thursday, in one day. Every football player in the world wants to believe `I'm a gamer, it doesn't matter how I practice.' But now I'm a firm believer in the `practice makes perfect' mentality."
On the run-defense... "I think we did a really good job on most of the plays, no game is going to be perfect against a very good offense like Nebraska's. We had to step up and make the plays that we needed to make."
On the night for the seniors... "Most of them were all teary eyed. They're all big guys, but they're emotional. It was their last game on Kyle Field. Maybe they'll play in the NFL for years, but this is the last game on Kyle Field no matter what. I'm happy to give them this win, I really am."
10 years later, what he'll think about playing with Von... "He's a character in many ways. You can joke with him but at the same time, when you have to work, he'll work. Anytime down the road, I know I can call on him and he'll be there. I don't know if y'all know, but he is the last one to get out of the locker room every single day. He jokes around sits in there and has fun in the locker room. To know I played with a guy like that, it's special."
On the 12th Man's presence... "The 12th Man was three quarters of the victory. The defense is playing well, the offense is playing well, on every point of the game, we were playing well, but what set us over the edge was that we had the 12th Man. Getting on the screen, raising our arms, it's one of the special things I'll never forget for the rest of my life."
On Randy Bullock's winning kicks... "A lot of the games come down to the kicker, you either win or lose the game. Right now he's our hero. He's a funny guy, I'm happy to have him be the hero today."
On what recruits could be thinking... " `Where do I commit?' I didn't go to many recruiting trips, but the ones I went to, it wasn't anything like it was out there tonight. Everyone was screaming, and if you like college football and a big atmosphere, that's what it was like out there tonight."
NEBRASKA POSTGAME QUOTES
HEAD COACH BO PELINI
On the game: "It didn't happen for us tonight. We've moving on to Colorado. At the end we still could have controlled what we wanted to do."
On penalties: "No Comment. I'm not talking about penalties. You all watched the game."
On Taylor Martinez's return to game: "I'll have to look at the film. I don't think he played well. He did some things ok, but he missed some wide open receivers. It was good that he came back out there and sucked it up for us."
On sideline exchange with Martinez: "I can't talk about that. It had nothing to do with his injury."
On what he told his team after the game: "The game's irrelevant. At the end we still control our destiny. If we take care of business next Friday we'll give ourselves a chance at the league championship. That's our main focus anyway."
On defense: "I thought our defense played well. We made some mistakes, but held them to 9 points."
On Martinez's health: "I don't know. It's too early to tell. He finished the game fine, so I figure he'll be fine for next Friday."
