News From The Locker Room
10/19/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 19, 2002
Recap?|? Final Stats?|? Notes
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
Michigan State Head Coach Bobby Williams:
On the players' effort on the field: "I wouldn't say that guys are quitting. We have absolutely no production with our offense. The defense hung in there for a while, but we have absolutely nothing from our offensive unit. I mean we had one drive."
On the difference in the game: "I would say that the difference in the game was the line of scrimmage on both sides. Their offensive line handled our defensive line in the second half, and their defensive line really took it to our offensive line."
On changes to be made offensively: "Well, we have to do something. I may have to get more involved hands on myself."
On his reaction to the fake punt in the fourth quarter: "It was like everything else that happened in the whole game. I wasn't happy about anything that happened today. We had him tackled. Two guys missed him in the backfield."
Michigan State Player Quotes
LB Seth Mitchell: "I felt we were physical, we just didn't fit our gaps. We didn't execute."
On the performance of Minnesota RB Terry Jackson II: "I have to take my hat off to him. He did a good job, but we also allowed him to do that by not getting up in our gaps.
"The coaches in the press box said that we weren't fitting our gaps. We had to fit out gaps quicker. We are over pursuing and not fitting our gaps, that is what it boiled down to."
WR Charles Rogers: "I feel the frustration of the fans because they know we have a good team out there, but we are not playing Spartan football."
WR Ziehl Kavanaght: "I have no answers right now. We are disappointed. We started out of the gate well with a good drive. Today we were running good plays, but penalties put us in bad situations."
On getting back on the winning track: We got to come back and work hard on Monday, that's how I see it."
DT Kevin Vickerson: "If we would have done everything it took, we would have come out with a win. There are some areas where we need to make adjustments and look at on Monday."
On the adjustments: "We needed to fit our gaps better, and work on gap containment and other things such as chasing the ball and gang tackling. We didn't get it done today."
FS Jason Harmon: "We knew they had a good running game coming in. The secondary had to make a lot of tackles. When they got past our line, it means they already have a big gain, so we have to come up do the job."
"Thomas Wright and I had to come up and make a lot of tackles today."
Minnesota Head Coach Glen Mason:
"I'll state the obvious, we're very pleased to come away with a victory here at Spartan Stadium against Michigan State."
"I thought we missed way too many scoring opportunities in the first half. Those are the type of things that come back and haunt you."
"I thought out defense played extremely well. Offensively, we continue to run the ball effectively. I'm amazed by that group."
About the performance of Terry Jackson: "Every guy on our team really respects Terry Jackson. It's not because of the number of yards that he's gained, but it's because it's the same old Terry, great attitude and, 'Coach, I'll give you everything I got,' and that's good enough for me."
"Is it a surprise? Yes and no. Yes from the standpoint that he wasn't on our radar screen and no from the standpoint that this is what college football is all about. You keep telling your kids to keep working hard and to hang in there long enough with a good enough attitude, and sooner or later you're going to get your day."
