Michigan State - Fresno State Postgame Quotes
12/31/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 31, 2001
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Spartan head coach Bobby Williams
"It was a very, very solid performance by this football team. I was really proud of the way we competed today, proud of the way the coaches had the players prepared in all three phases of the game. And I was proud of the way the seniors provided leadership that we needed today."
"We are talking about taking this program to the next level and I challenged this team today and it started today by finishing the season off on the right note and setting the stage for next season."
On the Spartans running game:
"It was one of the things we were really looking forward to going into this game was being able to run the football, because we felt it was an opportunity for us to wear them down a bit that previous teams had given them some problems running the football."
On Fresno State's quick start:
"It started with the short kick, we just gave them great field position right off the bat and they had a short field. A team as talented as Fresno State you really can't play them all the time on a short field."
On the Michigan State defense:
"Our defense settled in and we got them to punt the football the second time they had it. We saw we could create the matchups outside with our receivers. We hit a big play to tie the game up and we got a little bit of momentum. The defense really, really did an outstanding job of keeping them off balance and got them in some long-yardage situations which really gave us an opportunity."
"Our defense played well when it had to."
On quarterback Jeff Smoker:
"Each week since Ryan (Van Dyke) went down, we saw Jeff really improve each and every week. He has just gotten better and better as a quarterback and really settled into the offense and he has a real good feel for what we are trying to do. He is playing over and beyond our expectations. We didn't think he would come on as fast as he has and for him to be where he is now, he has a chance for an outstanding career at Michigan State."
On the high scoring game:
"It's tough because you are playing a team with as much talent as FSU has on offense we knew we were going to have to score some points because they rely on the big play a lot. We knew we were going to have to control the clock, take some time off, run the football and put the ball in the end zone. We saw a lot of good things out there.
On the big plays of WRs Rogers and Wright:
"I like to see them when we make them but I don't like to see them when the other team makes them. We had some breakdowns a couple of different times, which caused them to have their big plays, which makes it tough, but this is the first time I've been a part of a program where a receiver has had as much production as Charles (Rogers) did today."
On the play of the MSU offensive line:
"The offensive line did a fantastic job. They are a young group...that has been improving every week throughout the season. It's a pleasure for me as a coach to know that we are going to have all these guys back for another couple of years. I'm really proud of the way they have developed."
Sophomore wide receiver Charles Rogers
Were you aware of Fresno State's Rodney Wright production?
"I just heard his name a lot over the loud speaker so I knew he was making a lot of plays for them. I really didn't see it as a duel. I was just trying to make plays for the team and get this win."
How much did you benefit from the attention Fresno State's defense had to give T.J. Duckett?
"It has been that way the whole year. A lot of teams have had to play eight, nine men in the box and that gives me an opportunity to showcase my talent. I give big credit to our running back T.J. (Duckett) for helping me have the year that I have had."
Talk about the production you had in your first full season:
"When you have a good quarterback like Jeff Smoker, then things (records) like that come. Jeff and I have become real close, both on and off the field. We kind of read each other's minds. The tandem we have will only get better next year."
On the future of the MSU football program:
"The future is going to be bright for us. We've got a young team and we're only getting better and better. We also have good recruits coming. The future of this team is in good hands with Bobby Williams around."
Junior tailback T.J. Duckett
How were you able to exploit Fresno State's defense?
"The coaches had a lot to do with that because we had three weeks to prepare for them. They watched a lot of film and had us in the right places at the right times. They had us prepared to make the right checks and prepared to make the right calls. They put us in a position to make plays. As a player, you can't ask for anything more than that. Give them the credit for putting us in position to make the plays."
Talk about the two big fourth-down plays you were involved in - one you went all the way and the other time you got stopped short.
"We tried to get it and didn't make it. On fourth-and-1, you've just to do what you can. If there's nothing there, you've just got to put your head down and run. One time, I didn't make it. The other time, the whole defense jammed inside, trying to stop the ball up the middle so I just tried to bounce the play outside and run (for the end zone)."
Talk about the improvement of the offensive line:
"We grew as an offensive unit all year. I feel the offensive line is the heart and backbone of our offense. If they don't open up holes, we aren't able to run. If they don't pass protect, Smoke (Jeff Smoker) isn't able to get the ball off. We started the year off with a lot of penalties but really cut that down during the second half of the season. They pretty much brought the offense along as the year went. All the credit really goes to them."
Sophomore quarterback Jeff Smoker
How were you able to exploit Fresno State's defense?
"We had a great game plan going into the game. We had the time to work with it, try different things and we executed really well today. We were able to get T.J. (Duckett) going on the ground and that opened up things to throw up top to Charles (Rogers). And when the big plays were there to be made, we made them and that's what you have to do in big games."
On playing against Fresno State QB David Carr:
"David Carr is a tremendous quarterback and I definitely watched some of the different things he did today. Right now, he seems to be the standard in college football. He's one of the best quarterbacks in college football and probably a first-rounder. I looked at today as an opportunity to go up against one of the best quarterbacks in the country and see how I stacked up against him."
On the future of the MSU football program:
"We've got some great talent coming back next year. Right now, it's up to us. We need to have a great off-season. We have to work hard and improve as much as we can during the spring and summer. We need to come together as a team and pick up where we left off here at the end of the 2001 season."
Senior defensive end Nick Myers
Talk about Fresno State's offense. It had a lot of yards but you stopped it when you had to.
"Fresno State has a great offense but we have great players on defense too. All week, all we heard was David Carr is this and that, how the offense had two 1,000-yard receivers and a 1,000-yard rusher. But that's the sign of a great defense when it can give up a lot of yards and still get the win. We didn't allow Fresno State to score (touchdowns) and kick a lot of field goals so we came up with stops when we had to today and that was good enough to get the job done. We were lucky to get the job done today and win the game."
Fresno State passed almost every down so how tired was the defense at the end of the game.
"It was tough but we worked on that for three weeks in practice. We knew that they weren't going to run the ball that much so we expected them to go ahead and throw it. Coach (Bobby) Williams had us doing extra conditioning work for the defensive line. It was rough, especially in the fourth quarter, so we kept substituting on that last drive. We were a little winded but it worked out."
On all of the pregame attention focused on Fresno State's David Carr:
"I was getting tired of hearing about David Carr and Fresno State. I was like we weren't even down here for the bowl game. All week, we heard was Fresno State is going to do this and that against us. Look at the scoreboard. Now, we can walk around tonight wearing the Green and be tough with it."
Senior linebacker Josh Thornhill
Talk about how the defense responded after Fresno State pulled to within two points in the fourth quarter.
"Give credit to the defense as a whole. We know Fresno State is a good football team and we knew that we weren't going to get out of here without a fight. We faced a lot of challenges like that this season. We won some of those and we lost some but that situation wasn't new to us. We've been there before - team's coming from behind. We knew how to handle it this time and we got the job done."
On all of the pregame attention focused on Fresno State's David Carr:
"I wanted to throw up before the game."