Post-Game Quotes
10/15/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 15, 2005
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Coach John L. Smith
On Ohio State: "I congratulate Ohio State. They are a tremendous football team. They won the game. It was a hard football game. Offensively the kids (Ohio State) have special talents and (defensively) we had trouble blocking them."
On the loss: "My guys played their hearts out today. The loss is placed on the coaches for this game and I take full responsibility."
On the blocked kick at the end of the first half: "We were going for the spike (to stop the clock). We practice the fast field goal. We time it out in practice. We have someone count the guys so there are not 12 or 10 players on the field. We have them line up, and before they go out, I tell them if we're going for the kick, the fake or a spike and that didn't happen. When the guys lined up, I heard someone yell, `Field goal' and it wasn't me. So that comes down to me."
Drew Stanton, quarterback
On the game: "It's different in important games. The game will come down to one or two huge plays. It just didn't bounce our way."
On Ohio State's pressure in the second half: "I think they pressured a little bit more in the second half, but we knew they would try to pressure us. We had some young guys in there and that's quite a stage to enter, going into the `Horseshoe.'"
On Coach John L. Smith taking the blame for the loss: "He (Coach Smith) said that (it was his fault), but there is a certain time players have to own up and take responsibility. Unless they had a perfect game, then you can point fingers. I know I wasn't perfect so I have to take responsibility."
Eric Smith, strong safety
On the game: "It is a real disappointment. We played well enough (to win). We just weren't making enough plays to win the game. It's frustrating, but you have to put it behind you and move on."
