News From The Lockerroom
9/23/2000 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 23, 2000
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State head coach Bobby Williams
"Well, talk about a sixty-minute football game. I'm very proud of our kids today, they hung in there and fought to the end. I'm very proud of Jeff Smoker. After making a couple of big mistakes, he came back and made a huge play to win the game.
"I think our team really grew up today. We have learned from our first three games how to play a complete game. A lot of people said that our first two weeks were blah, but I tell you what - Marshall is a tough team a lot of people wouldn't play and playing at Missouri was one of the toughest road games we've had in a while. It is definitely nice to be 3-0 heading into the Big Ten season. I honestly think that these three games will prepare us for the conference, and, as you saw up in Madison today, there is no such thing as a cakewalk in the Big Ten.
(On fourth down decision late in fourth quarter)
"There was no doubt in my mind that we were going to go for it on fourth down. The play we ran was just one of our regular plays and it came through. I am so happy for Herb Haygood. It was nice to see him finally break loose and make such a big play.
(On QB situation)
"Ryan Van Dyke threw before the game and said he felt ok. Hopefully, his condition will further improve this week and if he is healthy he will play next week. Ryan is the starting quarterback for this team."
Notre Dame head coach Bob Davie
"Everyone can see it's difficult. I feel bad for our players. But I tell them every time you go and play a team you can either win or lose. But it's especially tough to scratch and claw your way into a game and putting yourself in the position to win."
"For Michigan State I give them credit for making the big play when they had to. We hung in their and put ourselves in a position to win, but we didn't execute."
"We knew we had to generate points with the special team play, but it was really the defense that keep us in the game."
On the Herb Haygood touchdown reception: "I called the defense and I take responsibility on the call, but the kid beat us, I think because they threw in the site adjustment that they had not made on the fumble on the defensive stand before."
MSU Kicker David Schaefer
On his kicking "I wanted to redeem myself after the first kick I missed, I was upset with myself that I pulled it. I was happier to get a shot at redemption."
On the final MSU touchdown "I was just hoping to get another shot, we were down one, and if I had made the first (field goal, we would have been up two. I just wanted another shot, so I was hoping we would get a first down and get down the field."
MSU Safety Lorenzo Guess
"On their last possession we just wanted to keep them in-bounds because we knew they had no timeouts, that's all that was going through our minds. Every game we (the defense) we play we get more and more confidence."
MSU Quarterback Jeff Smoker
"It was great to have them put the ball in my hands on fourth down. I'm just glad I could come through after making those two mistakes. I didn't want to let my teammates down, but at the same time I knew I had to come back and make a big play. It was a regular pattern, and it felt great to see Herb (Haygood) running down the field to win the game."
MSU Running Back T.J. Duckett
"I sensed a big play out of Jeff as soon as he stepped in the huddle on the fourth down. He had that fire in his eyes, and I knew something good was going to happen. I'm glad for him and my teammates, that we came through and played a complete 60-minute game today."