Post-Game Quotes: Rutgers
11/22/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football
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Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio
Opening statement...
First off, I would like to congratulate our women's cross country team on winning the national championship. Outstanding job any time you do anything of that nature, it is truly a spectacular. So congratulations to Walt Drenth and his team.
Secondly, I thought it was a great crowd out there. I know our crowd was a little bit down from what it usually is, but with the ice in Detroit and the road conditions from coming from out of town, I appreciate everyone that stayed to be a part of senior day and it was a special day.
As far as how we played, I thought it was important that we tried to put together a complete game. Really, if we don't fumble going in and don't fumble on the one yard line, that is probably as complete of a game as we have had. We had a few unforced penalties and punted on the last series and that one other series right before the half. The defense played very well, forcing them to 4-14 on third down, held them to less than 100 yards rushing, and I thought we contained the quarterback who has the ability to run the football a little bit. Great job by our defense.
Offense was outstanding. Big game by Tony Lippett again. He played both offense and defense and was supposed to start, but for whatever reason he did not find his way to the field as a starter. I thought he played very well on defense and obviously very well at the wide receiver position. Big game by Jeremy Langford. He had a few big runs and an outstanding job by our senior class. 40 wins now and two more wins ties the all-time record for a class, and that is 51 wins in five years for our football team. Great job by everyone and great focus.
On what senior day means to Mark Dantonio...
Well you know it's the last time in Spartan Stadium. It is chapter one for me. It is the last game in Spartan stadium, which means the end is near. A lot of guys have had a lot of different things go on in their lives. You have seen guys come in at 18 years old and go from a redshirt freshman, which a lot of guys here have done, all but Taiwan Jones, to the disappointment, sacrifice, determination, celebrations, starting and doing all of the different things. If you have guys with you for five years, I think you can get every element of human development. So we see our guys leave five years later with their degrees in hand. A lot of our guys have graduate or will graduate in January, and are walking out as men. That is chapter one. Chapter two will be next week and chapter three will be the bowl game. So there is three different times where you have to step back and say, `this is the last time I will be doing this.' It is very emotional because you are attached to guys like Travis Jackson, Tony Lippett, and Jeremy Langford. You could just name them all. You get very attached to them and their families. It was great to have them and their families here today to be apart of it.
On Tony Lippet playing defense as a tribute or to help the defense...
It is not a tribute. You have got to earn your way into that. We are not just playing him to play him. I think first of all that he helps, has great ball skills, and is a big tall guy. He has got length on him, which helps with bigger receivers. He has started at corner for us before, so that adds to his draft status or whatever it is. It gives people to look at him in that area. He could start for us on either side and I have always maintained that it is possible to do that. When I say to a guy that he has a chance to start on both sides of the ball, I mean that. He is a guy that we have said that about and we are going to do that. Quite frankly, we just needed to do that. I felt that we could do it this game and we will probably do it next game.
On the feelings towards the senior class...
Last year, they were two of the main cogs in our success. Tony Lippett and Jeremy Langford had huge years last year and continued to develop and carry themselves. I think that message to our football team right now, is last year's team is last year's team. The thing this year is how are we going to handle success? Were we going to be able to handle it and take care of it? Were we going to be able to move this program forward? We had a disappointing game out in Oregon and a disappointing game here where we didn't get it done. 9-2 with a chance to go 10-2 and a chance to be ranked in the top-10 is a pretty significant follow-up to what we accomplished last year. It speaks to the development of our players. Those two guys in general, again, all of our redshirt freshman, you know, Nick Hill, Langford, I could just name them all. They have all had to step back and watch someone play and then role up their sleeves and get back to work. They came out as stars. They truly are stars of our programs.
On how much today was about being enjoyable...
You didn't see me smiling out there? They never pick up on that. It was about that. That little run for Connor Kruse was supposed to be for Travis Jackson and we did that with Joel Foreman a few years back. I don't mean to throw it as an insult towards anybody, but there is nothing like letting an offensive lineman run the football. You know what it means to those guys. If you have every been an offensive linemen, you know that touching the football is like finding gold out there. We wanted to give him that opportunity, so I think he performed admirably with a high gear.
On today's game control and staying in the hunt for a major bowl...
I think it is important that you try to move forward in the rankings. If you win, good things happen. It doesn't matter how much you win by necessarily, although some people will point to that. Just win. If you do that, things will take care of themselves. We have a great challenge going to State College to play Penn State. It is a tough place to play. Enjoyable place to play with a good crowd. We will take it there and try to get to win number 10. I think we always try to keep it fresh here. That is the key to success. You have to do things differently and keep your emotions and energy high. Just that little move of moving Lippett over to the defense brought a little spark for senior day of looking forward to being a two-way player. It also helps other people. Just putting in that little reverse or faking the field goal and saying we're going to do it this week. Those type of things are what keep people on edge a little bit and look forward to those things and make it fun.
On why he didn't challenge the fake field goal...
It would have been a good challenge. Usually, they are right. I figured the guy up top was making the decision, but it would have been a good decision.
On perception of fake field goal on the other sideline...
That would have been a long field goal. It was go for it on fourth down or fake it. That would have been a long field goal and we were just trying to play the game at that point. We had not scored at that point in the second half.
Michigan State Defensive Coordinator Dave Warner
On the ups and downs of the careers of senior running back Nick Hill and senior wide receiver Tony Lippett...
They have obviously had some ups and downs and a lot of players have. Both guys have jumped back and forth from offense to defense and changed positions. More than anything though, those guys are very deserving of any accolades they receive. They hung in there and persevered and had faith in Coach D and this football program. They turned it around and I'm happy that it did work out for them.
On whether it makes him nervous that Tony Lippett was playing cornerback...
No, I'm just happy that Coach D didn't move him to defense a couple weeks back. He's capable, and I think we have depth at wide receiver. Obviously we don't want anybody getting hurt on defense but we had some guys on offense that could fill in for him.
On the fact that five out of the six touchdowns came from seniors...
We're trying to get our playmakers the ball. When their names are called they need to make a play. Langford obviously played well and broke a lot of tackles and Nick Hill did also on his last touchdown run. In a way it wasn't planned; except for Connor Kruse.
Michigan State Defensive Coordinator Pat Narduzzi
On whether there is a plan to continue to play Tony Lippett at corner the rest of the year...
I think so. We have complete confidence in Darian Hicks and Demetrious Cox but Tony [Lippett] is such a good player and we got a chance to showcase him a little bit. It was good for him because he's got some great stuff that can be used at the next level too.
On whether there is a lack of confidence in sophomore corner Darian Hicks...
No, there is no lack of confidence in Darian. I think Darian Hicks is going to be a great player and will be an all-conference corner here at Michigan State. I have complete faith in that, and we're all happy on where he is. Like I said before, we have a few corners and Tony [Lippett] was the guy today and we gave him a chance and he went out and made some plays.
On how important it was to bounce back these last few weeks after coming off the loss to Ohio State two weeks ago...
Any time you take a loss it doesn't matter who it is, it's good to rebound. You have to give those guys credit [Ohio State], they played good that day, and we didn't. That's life though; you can't win them all.
On the performance of redshirt freshman defensive end Demetrius Cooper...
Demetrius was the third guy in after [Marcus] Rush got banged up a little bit. He did a great job and played a little bit when Marcus came back. He's going to be a great football player for us in the future. I still have to see the tape, I know he had a bust at the end but he's going to make those mistakes because he's still a baby.
On the young players stepping up on defense...
Riley [Bullough] got a lot of reps today, and so did Malik [McDowell]. When you look at our defense overall, there aren't a lot of seniors. We're not going to lose much next year. We've been a good football team all year and will continue to be next year. It was nice to see Mylan Hicks come in after missing some time with that injury. Linebackers played well and Malik did as well. He's practiced better the last few weeks and will continue to get better as he gets more time out there on the football field.
Senior wide receiver Tony Lippett
On when he knew he'd be on defense today...
Coach D came to me on Tuesday and let me know I was going to play corner out there. I just tried to embrace the situation and I had fun out there. I played confidently.
On why he missed the first play starting...
I forgot. I literally forgot I was starting. I didn't know how he was going to do it. I didn't know if he was going to put me out there or call me. I was just chilling and then he told me I was supposed to be out there.
On whether he filled in as a senior or because of a lack of support at the position...
I probably think it was a little bit of both. I mean, we have talented guys on the defensive side and we have a ton of guys on the offensive side that can step up and play wide receiver when I'm not there. I played corner here before, so he wanted to ask me about the situation first and I just tried to embrace it, like I said, to go out there, have fun, play loose and try to compete.
On playing with Zeke the Wonder Dog postgame...
I had never done it before. I was just going to relax a little bit and see if the dog could catch.
Senior running back Jeremy Langford
On having another 100-yard game today...
It meant a lot to me, especially with the way my career started, finishing strong. I want to say the offensive line did a great job... I think we went out well in Spartan Stadium.
On his legacy...
It's how you persevere with everything not going your way and the path not being the way you want it to be. As someone who fought through that adversity, I want younger players to look at me and do the same thing. I want to be a role model for players coming up in State and other schools.
On Connor Kruse's carry...
We just told him to hold onto the ball, that's the most important part. Get ahead of them, hold onto the ball and run. Make a memory that lasts and have fun with it.
Senior linebacker Taiwan Jones
On being a four-year senior and leaving some of his classmates behind...
It's different. I see the guys that I grew with and they still have another year. Unfortunately, I have to be gone. I wish them the best and I know they'll be great. I'm going to get ready for the next part of my life.
Senior safety Kurtis Drummond
On the defensive performance...
It means a lot for us to be on top like this and see a performance like that. It really means a lot. We put a lot of emphasis on finishing plays, playing with effort and just having fun. When I was out there, I definitely felt it. I don't know how it looked to you guys, but you definitely felt the enthusiasm and guys having fun. You see younger guys growing. That's one thing you want to be able to do, is bring guys along with you. That's something we've done on defense, is pull guys along.
On growing as a person in his career...
I've definitely come a long way. That's just a credit to the people around me, the older people that took me in and learned from, guys like Coach Barnett and Coach Dantonio. The other guys around you help mold you into a man. Being able to grow with everyone in your class, it really means a lot. The relationships you make here are life-long. It's truly a family. You see it; we feel it. You not only see yourself grow, but guys like (Jeremy) Lang(ford), Tony (Lippett), and even Taiwan (Jones). It really means a lot to see.
On Tony Lippett's performance at cornerback...
He fit right in with the no-fly zone. I've seen it a couple times that he threw it out there. He's done it before. I had a lot of confidence in him. I've been on the field with him before at Iowa and Northwestern. He's an athlete. It was anything nerve-racking for me. Tony made some great plays, great tackles. He brought insight for us too. It was fun being able to play with him again.
On Michael Geiger's speed...
We see him practice all the time running that fake. We knew he had some speed. It was unfortunate that they marked him off the line. It would have been nice for him to get a touchdown, but Geiger can move. It's something about the Mikes because Sadler's not slow either as you guys have seen.
Sophomore offensive tackle Jack Conklin
On motivation to get a carry in his senior day...
Oh yeah. I keep telling them to write plays up for me, but they're not going for it yet.
On games after the loss to Ohio State...
It's great to come back after the Ohio State game. We're getting everything going again like we were before and I think that's a great way to end out the season. We've got one more game to keep playing like this heading into a bowl game and into next year.
On Langford's streak...
That was exciting. I don't think he'd tell you that because he's such a stand up guy, but I think it's definitely important for us to keep it going for him.
Junior defensive tackle Joel Heath
On defense against Rutgers...
Honestly, I think we played on full cylinders. Everyone was really clicking and registering what we needed to do. We needed to come off with a perfect game, if you will. We contributed and did a good job.
On Rutgers pressure...
I think it really came down to the zone pressures that Coach [Pat] Narduzzi has put on us. I think that was a big thing for us, to make sure we got to the quarterback and kind of scared him a little bit to make the passes more difficult for him and get interceptions.
On chances for Kruse and Geiger to get a touch on the ball..
That's huge. We've been talking about it all week saying `let's do something special for our seniors, let's do something special for those guys who want those opportunities to make those special plays.'
On seniors on this team...
I think every year you come in with the mindset that those guys are the core leaders and they're special and they mean so much to us. In that sense, we know that everyone had their different personalities and they brought it to the table. They'll be missed greatly, we know that. We wanted to come out with a win and make sure they felt good about it.
On Penn State...
That's going to be a big game, a tough game. I know we'll have to come out with every expectation to win the game and we'll be ready to go.
Senior running back Nick Hill
On the legacy of the senior class...
The legacy we want to leave behind is that this is a class of hard workers, and that we tied the most all-time wins for a senior class.
On what today meant to him...
Today meant a lot. I wanted to score going out of Spartan Stadium; and I got two touchdowns on the day. I just wanted to be able to compete and rush for some yards, and I think I did that. So it meant a lot to me being able to get into the end zone twice and being able to get some yards.
On if he got emotional coming out of the tunnel before the game...
It (happened), but not in a crying way. It got emotional just seeing my parents out there at midfield, waiting for me to come out there, along with my little siblings. That was emotional for me, and it was more emotional coming off the field. I remember the first time I stepped on the field in pads was in the Spring Game in 2010. I was just soaking it all up because it was the last time I was going to be on the field in pads.
Sophomore linebacker Riley Bullough
On how big it is to have two good performances on defense after the Ohio State game...
We've been preaching in practice that we need to get back to our identity, which is hard-nosed defense and stop the run. I thought we've done that pretty well the last couple of weeks. Obviously (the Ohio State game) was a let down, but that happens and you have got to bounce back. That's what college football is, and I think we've done a great job and I think we're in a great place going into our last game.
On if the defense had a chip on their shoulder after the Ohio State game...
We felt we were a great defense going into the Ohio State game, and then after that game we felt we took a step back. So the coaches said `we've got to get back to our identity', and us as players wanted that too. We want to be known as a defense that can stop the run, just like they always talk about last year's defense could do. I think we've gotten back to that; we've bounced back pretty well. I think we're sitting pretty right now.
Junior defensive end Shilique Calhoun
On winning on senior day...
It was nice to send the seniors out with a win. The last home game for them and its always great competing in front of Spartan nation and getting another win under our belt.
On facing home state Rutgers...
I grew up in New Jersey and Rutgers was always big growing up. They have always had a special program, you could see that they are always developing, and are always on the up and up. So it was nice to compete against some of the guys I competed against in high school. Coming into the Big Ten, we didn't compete against many people initially. When Rutgers and Maryland joined the Big Ten, it gave me an opportunity to go against guys I have seen throughout high school. It was nice; it's never a bad time to have a win.
Thoughts on playing defense with Tony Lippett...
He is always competitive. It was definitely fun; he is a competitor, and he is just an all-around athlete. It shows from going from defensive back to receiver, to defensive back to receiver. Being able to play on both sides of the ball shows he is a special talent. His talent is going to take him really far.
Sophomore safety Demetrious Cox
On the first play of the game...
I was running off the kickoff and I didn't see any corner in there. I was working with the ones all week, so I just jumped in.
On switching his position in the defensive back field...
I think that the fact that I had the safety position down first and that the defense helps me know my responsibilities at corner. The coaches gave me an opportunity; I was playing over there for a couple of weeks. They said I was ready and I took advantage of it.
On switching from corner back to safety...
I don't think we are trying to find answers, I just think they are opportunities. We hold a high standard; Coach D and Coach Barnett are serious when they say that the best our guys are going to play. Whoever they think is going to go out there and get the job done, then that is who they are going to put out on the field.
Senior right guard Connor Kruse
On getting a yard on his run...
I didn't know that, a little bit ago they told me they gave me a yard, that was definitely generous. I appreciate them doing that. I didn't think I got any yards, but it was still fun.
On playing during Joel Foreman's run...
I did get into that game I believe. That is what everybody refers to as the Foreman carry. It was a different play, but similar. He got more yards than be, but that is fine. I feel like we started a legacy here of guys being able to do that on their senior day. Hopefully I will get to see it later.
On talking with Travis Jackson...
We didn't talk before the play; we didn't exactly know when we were going to run it. But after the play, when I got to the sideline he gave me a big old hug. He was pumped for me, it still hurts me to see the kid go down, but I love the kid and he loves me.
Rutgers head coach Kyle Flood
Opening statement...
We were disappointed in the outcome, but proud of the effort. The players came out in the second half with energy. We couldn't really find a rhythm offensively in the first half. Michigan State certainly got into a rhythm on offense and were able to get up on us. Not a lot of things went right for us in that first half, but I am pleased with the effort level that we came out with second half.
On lack of competitiveness against Big Ten competition...
We play the games and coach the games to win. That's the standard that we use every week when we do the game plan. (Every game) is an individual season. I don't know that any of these teams are identical, so, for us, we're going to start over again this week. We've got an opportunity one more time in the regular season to be 1-0 and we're going to do everything we can in terms of preparation that we put ourselves in the best position to do it. We coach the games to win, we don't close the games to be close. Every week when we do the game plan, it's to try to put the players in the best positions to win one-on-ones and use the match-ups to be 1-0. We'll do the same thing this week.
On effort being an issue...
No, I didn't think effort was an issue. Unfortunately when you get down like that, weaker minded teams and less mature teams may not come out and give that kind of effort, so I was pleased with the effort they came out with in the second half. It gives us something we can build on.
On senior quarterback Gary Nova...
If you're asking me if he's 100 percent, then no he's not 100 percent. I don't know how many football players at this point in the season are at 100 percent. Gary is a competitor and if we didn't feel like he gave us the best chance to win to start the game, then we wouldn't have put him out there.
On concern of not making a bowl game...
When was the last time that a six-win Big Ten football team didn't make a bowl game? I'm not that concerned.
On message to the team after the game...
We need to play better. Everybody has to look at their performance and speak to their own performance. That's what I think is important in these situations. Next week it'll be a new team, different match-ups, different schemes, different personnel, and the challenge again of going on the road and trying to be 1-0 in someone else's stadium.
On playing on the road against Big Ten competition...
I think the challenge is always going on the road into an environment that's going to be hostile and playing against good football teams that have good players and good coaches.
On frustration with tackling...
I don't live in a world of frustration. I don't ever allow that to enter who I am. For me, we'll look at the film. We've got players that want to play better. They're playing with tremendous effort. I'm really excited about that when it comes to this football team. This result today does not change how I feel about this football team. I've said all along that I thought this was a special football team. The way they play for each other as a program is really exciting for me. Do we need to tackle better? Sure. We need to tackle better and we're going to work all week to try to do that.
On Michigan State's trick plays...
I don't concern myself above and beyond defending the plays. It's their (MSU's) job to call the plays that they want to call.
On play calling...
Every play that gets called is designed to be executed. We'll look at the film and if we feel like there's a better way to do it next time, then we will certainly do it a better way next time. In the first half, execution overall wasn't very good.
Rutgers senior defensive end David Milewski
On the result of the game...
It's definitely discouraging. I thought we played better in the second half. Obviously giving up that many yards and that many points isn't something we wanted to do.
On losing to the top four teams in the conference...
At this point you try to look at the film and get better. I felt like we finished strong. Barring a penalty in the second half, I thought we did a good job. We just need to get better from the film, come ready on Sunday and get ready for our last game of the (regular) season.
On missing the sack on Connor Cook...
He showed me the ball a little bit, so I thought it was an opportunity to sack-fumble. I just made the mistake of not securing the sack first and going for the ball. That's on me, and I apologize for the guys. I try to make sure I always play with a high level of effort; sometimes when you make high-speed decisions they don't always go your way.
Rutgers senior quarterback Gary Nova
On if any positives can be taken from the game today...
We gotta see when we look at the film. But right now, I didn't play well enough today. I take responsibility for how we performed on offense.
On the MSU secondary...
They're good, but every team is vulnerable. They had some vulnerable areas, and I missed a lot of throws to take advantage of it. I think we made them look a lot better than they were, but credit to them; they did a good job.
