Post-Game Quotes: Maryland

Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio

Opening Statement:
"Big win for us, huge win for us. We came to Maryland, I know there were a lot of distractions this week over here but same for us over there not knowing what's going on as well. We stayed focused on the task at hand which was to win number six which would make us bowl eligible. We're a 6-3 football team right now, we need to march through November which is critical for every team's success in the Big Ten. I'm really excited about how our defense played, that's a really good offense that's averaging 220 or 240 yards rushing the ball and they came away with 22 (26), so we played outstanding. I don't think they had a big play against us, a big 20-yard play which, they have been having huge explosive plays as well, so to limit them to 100 yards of total defense is outstanding. Then we got big runs from Connor Heyward. We ran the ball I'm not sure how many times, probably over 40. Big plays with Brian Lewerke working in the run game specifically early in the game to get us down there. I'm really happy for our football team but we have to continue to get better in certain areas, we've got some guys still out, got to get them back, maybe some other guys out, who knows but we'll just keep playing forward."

On his reasoning to go with QB Brian Lewerke:
"Well I just thought that Brian Lewerke is our quarterback. He's built a foundation here of 20 touchdowns passing, five touchdowns running, 2,800 yards of offense last year and he's played pretty well early and throughout the season. He's got an injured arm, I felt like he practiced and deserved that opportunity so I have faith in our starting quarterback and that's the underlying reason. I also think it's a good problem as I said earlier in the week with Rocky (Lombardi) playing as well as he did that, we would use him given the opportunity."

On how much Lewerke's legs played into today's success:
"I think that played into effect. Rocky was able to run the ball last week some too. I thought Lewerke had some big plays running the football on the inside zone pulling the huge play and ultimately led to a touchdown I believe."

On the Maryland Athletics situation:
"I think that first of all, what's going on down here doesn't impact us. I'm not qualified to speak on those things. I'm sure there were a lot of distractions, I can't say. They faced a very emotional tragedy earlier in the year and for that we are all very sorry. With everything else that's going on its difficult for us to comprehend being on the outside looking in but our thoughts and prayers go with the McNair family and then also our thoughts are with the entire Maryland football program as they move through challenging times too because there were some distractions. I think Coach Canada has done an outstanding job so far."

On defense setting the tone of the game:
"Big, big. We worked really hard prepping for that offense because its different, it's a little bit like playing an option football team to some respects so you have to make sure your gap is sound and your perimeter is sound and you can't mess up because they'll go the distance, they've shown that. I thought it was an outstanding job by Coach Tressel and the defensive staff to play pretty well on the defensive side of the ball."

On CB Josiah Scott:
"He's been working out since last week, he practiced the whole week so didn't know if he could, but Tre Person was out so we didn't dress him so it was Shakur Brown and Josiah, but I think Josiah played well."

On planning plays at the beginning of halftime and how wind factored into play calling:
"Well the wind factors into it but we have to plan it opening the game and then we format a plan for second half at halftime as well. Coach Warner was involved with that as well and the offensive coaches but that's his baby there so I thought he did a good job."

On takeaways from today's performance:
"Well I've been saying it all week long, it's a big payday game. Everybody got payday candy bars and maybe they'll get to eat them now. In an opportunity to get Bowl eligible which is the 11th time in 12 years, and any way you cut it, as you go through November you continue to drive forward and the more games you win, the better bowl you go to or the more you are into whatever situation is afforded to you. I think were 4-2 right now in the conference which is big and we have a big game next week and that'll be another great challenge."

On if today's game being a season high rushing total since Senior RB LJ Scott in the holiday bowl is a relief:
"Yeah, that's big. We've been sort of been pushing towards that and have been saying we're going to get 100 yard rusher."

On if there was anything in particular that led to it:
"We had a push. There were creases. We said at halftime, "The backs have got to find the creases." They're there, they're there but they've got to open up their vision a little bit. They're two true freshman backs, a redshirt freshman and also Connor is a sophomore - two converted quarterbacks - so there are different things that they have to go through in terms of the learning process as well."

On if he is eager to see what the defense can be like against an Ohio State offense:
"Am I eager? That might be an overstatement. I'm curious. But you know last year they had their way so we're gong to have to play very, very well, have to know what they do and be on top of our A-game."

On if he has decided what he will do next week at the quarterback position:
"No, Brian Lewerke is our quarterback. We'll work it from there, but just like any Major League Baseball team, if your starter gets into problems and you have an ace receiver, you use him. That's the way we'll look at things right now. If things aren't going quite well and we want to change it up or want to allow a guy to sit and watch for a minute and get back involved. He's done too much around here not to be considered the starting quarterback."

On the wild interception in the fourth quarter
"A big play in the game because that's a touchdown probably easy on the one-yard line. That's about a fourteen to twenty-one-point swing. They pick the pass off [Brian] Lewerke, they fumble right before they get a first-down—we get it. They pick our pass off on Rocky [Lombardi] and run it down to the one we get the ball off of them and recover it and get the ball back. And I think the next play we creased for 80 yards. Big swing in the game because the score was 17-3 and it was relatively still a ball game."

On when he made the starting quarterback decision:
"I made the decision last night based on what he had told me and his feelings. I trust our players, the guys who know best are our football players. They are in the arena. They are the people that are experiencing the things first hand. Everything that I see is second hand or watching film. They have to feel healthy enough to play—he felt healthy enough at practice all week, he threw the ball all week. The decision was going in that direction, but I also felt like he needed to hear it from him first hand on game day which is what we did last night. Then I checked with him on game day and we went from there."

On wide receiver Cody White:
"Getting him back was a big thing as well as you know getting some of our other receivers back. We didn't play Justin [Layne] as much on offense. Guys have been making plays. Cam Chambers has been making plays. [Brandon] Sowards been making plays. Another play maker back Darrell Stewart [Jr] has been making plays. Getting them back and getting them healthy—they have to play them well a played themselves back into it a little bit, He's a good player. We want all of our guys back."

On fullback Max Rosenthal:
"I probably have to watch the film, but he probably wouldn't have been in there if he wasn't capable. I thought we ran more with a fullback than we normally have—I thought to win this football game we had to keep their offense off the field. Especially with the wind as it was so we had to be able to run the ball effectively. We ended up with 87 yards passing, I think and 280 on the ground. You wouldn't think that coming into the football game but that was the situation that was thrusted upon us with the wind and other things. It was a good deal—we needed that. We needed a game like that where we were able to run the football."

Maryland Interim Head Coach Matt Canada

Opening Statement:
"Obviously we didn't play well enough today. I didn't coach well enough. Great credit to Michigan State, we all know what a great football program they have. Tremendous class with Coach Dantonio and what they do. I thought our kids played very hard. I don't think there's any question about how hard they played. On offense we continue to shoot ourselves in the foot at times, which is disappointing. But it's not because they're not trying or because they don't care about each other. We just have to find a way to make critical plays at critical times.

In the first half I think we had a false start that set us back. Then we had a drop and a fourth-and-one where we had a false start and we ended up having to punt the football. When you're playing a team like Michigan State, every drive matters. Especially when you get field position. On offense we didn't execute well enough. I thought our defense – we had one third down and long in the first half, we weren't quite where we wanted to be and we allowed them to get that touchdown. Other than that I thought we played really well in the first half. They played well all game. But that next touchdown drive there in the second half -- it was 17-3 we go out there and make a tremendous play on the turnover. Byron Cowart – we had a deflected pass – makes the play. Great credit to Michigan State. They did exactly what we all talked about. They came up and knocked the football out and then recovered it in the end zone. If you think about that play right there, it would have been 17-10. We're talking about this far away. Obviously the next play they go in and we don't quite fill our gaps as we should and they go score a touchdown and it's 24-3. So we're right there playing one of the top programs in the nation and one of the top programs in our league and we're that far away from being 17-10. So our players played very hard. They played together. We have to coach better. I have to coach better. It falls on me. But I'm so proud of our players for the way they played today. We just didn't play well enough to win the football game and that's why we play. That's why we play football. So we'll be excited to come back and play next week."

On what this week was like for the players and if that led to any form of exhaustion today:
"I really can't speak to how the players feel about the week. I think they played really hard and I don't feel like we had any trouble playing hard today."

On if players would be available after the game:
"They're going to be available to talk on Tuesday. That's when we're going to come back. This was a tough loss. We have a lot and I want to answer your questions. There's a lot going on, but right now for us, we just lost a football game. Any questions we have, I'll answer them. Our players are more capable of speaking and they will. They've had a big week – a challenging week. That's the great thing about this game. We went out there and played football today. And our guys were ready to play and they played very hard. Anybody wants to question that, we'll talk to you. We didn't win the football game, so that's where they are right now. They're disappointed they didn't win a football game."

On how he felt about the events during the past week:
"I think we've done a really good job as a program of taking it day by day. That's what we've said the whole time. This week was a challenging week. That's a fact and you guys all know that. We came in, we worked every day. Our kids played hard every day. Tuesday, things happen. Wednesday, things happen. Thursday morning at 7:45 we were in here meeting. We're going to work. I'm so proud of our players. We focused on each other and again we lost today because we just didn't play well enough and we played a really good football team. I didn't coach well enough."

On how he will improve the offense:
"I have to coach better. That's the answer. They're leading the Big Ten in rushing defense. They're really good and they play really good up front. We tried to throw the ball at times and the wind affected us a bit. It affected them, too. We had some opportunities. Again, like I said, we had a dropped pass, a deep ball down the field that we missed. When you play a team like that it comes down to those few plays. I know everybody doesn't see that. Everybody's going to see the score which is great. But, when you look at it, really key plays in there like one where we jumped on their side – we're moving -- that's a big play. That's a big play. The third down that we dropped is a big play. The post that we ran down the field, we didn't make a play on. That's a big play. I have to coach better. That's where we start. They are very good. They're a really good football team but we didn't play our best. We have to figure out how to coach better and play our best football. If we don't win and play our best football then we have to live with that. We have to live with it either way but our kids are disappointed they didn't play their best football and we were still right there, right? We make that score and it's 17-10 with 11 minutes to go and we're right in the game."

On if Matt Barber is still on the team:
"Matt Barber... he has not been around. Whenever I see Matt Barber, we'll see where he wants to be as far as being on the team."

On what was frustrating about Michigan State's defense:
"It was frustrating that there were some opportunities...we didn't come in here thinking we were going to run the ball down the field on them. I'm not positive on this, but at halftime we had maybe 16 passes called and 10 runs or something like that. I'm not positive, that might be wrong. Something like that. We were trying to take advantage of what they let you do, don't let you do and you have to make plays. The wind in the first quarter affected those down-the-field throws. They are a very, very aggressive defense, that's why they've been so good for so long. They've been in the top five or 10 or so in rushing defense every year for however long Coach [Mark] Dantonio has been doing it. We knew that. They took some things away, there were some opportunities to make plays that you have to make it when it presents itself. That's the hard thing about our game. Every play is the play. Maybe the eighth play of the game that was the touchdown. When you lose 17-10 or whatever, that was the play. I realize it was 24-3, I understand what happened, but we were right there. I've got to call better plays, we have to play better."

On if he feels more comfortable with the interim head coach label now that there's been a decision with DJ Durkin:
"That's what my title is. We're not going to change. You'd be the same guy every day. I'm going to be the same guy every day. We're sitting here not where we wanted to be but we also could be a lot different too. We've won some football games, we've played well against teams, so we're not going to make any changes now in how we approach things. I'm still going to be the offensive coordinator, I'm going to be the cheerleader for the defense, and we're going to keep doing exactly what we've been doing. We're not going to panic, we just have to play better. I have to coach better."

On QB Kasim Hill's experience and how it affects his play:
"Yeah, it was all over the place. Kasim actually early in the game I thought was playing pretty well. I thought he made some good plays and made some good reads. He had a couple reads later and some opportunities that we missed some plays, which he knows and he was very frustrated with himself on one because we had a guy open and he missed him. It was all over. If it's all over, we've all got to get a little bit better. But he's continuing to get better. The one ball slipped out of his hand, just kind of one of those days."

On if he's hopeful there will be stability within the team moving forward:
"All we can do is take it day by day. I'm hopeful that our kids will come in tomorrow like they have every other day and look at each other and know that we wish we'd have won. We're still here together and we have 20 days left to enjoy being around each other. That's what football is. You enjoy the season you're in, because every year it changes. Players leave, coaches leave, that's true on every football program in the country. So we're going to approach it the same way we always have. We're going to just come in, be excited about grading ourselves tomorrow. That's the one thing we do in this place; we're honest with each other. Pull the thumb. I could've done this better, fair. You could've done that better, fair. Fix it, move on, and get ready to play Indiana."

On not being able to take advantage of good field position twice:
"It was frustrating anywhere we started, but certainly the plays you're discussing are right. I thought we did a nice job creating some pressure. Our punt pressure team did a nice job, they got in there on them. He had a couple punts where we had the ball on their side of the 50, one of those was a fourth-and-one I'm referring to. We were moving the ball and we had a chance that we didn't make the play. So it's very frustrating. As I always say, I don't care if it's 63-60 or 3-0, if we win, we're happy, and if we lose, we're not. I'm frustrated we didn't play well enough to win the game."

On if he prepared to face both Michigan State quarterbacks and what makes their defense tough to play against:
"We prepared for both because we weren't sure who was going to play. That's more the defensive staff, which is doing a great job. You look at what each guy does well. So if he's in the game, he likes to throw this, this and this, he's more of a running threat. That's true any time you have multiple quarterbacks who play. It's all statistical-driven and what they do well, and we try to talk about that. You have to stop every play that they have. And what makes their defense so good? They're 4-3, Cover 4, they're down in there and they stop the run. They dare you to throw the ball outside. They play press. You have to make tough throws in tough spots and you have to execute those throws. We weren't able to do that today so that's part of how it went."

Michigan State Quarterback Brian Lewerke

On what allowed him to feel like he was ready to play again:
"I didn't practice at all last week. I did a little more this week and tried to work back into it. Coach said if you feel like you're ready to go you can go. I don't think I was 100 percent, but I felt good enough to contribute. The wind obviously didn't help, but overall, we ran the ball really well so that was awesome."

On if he felt like he had a good grasp of the game plan even without practicing this week:
"Yes, near the second and third quarter we started getting more rollouts and getting me out of the pocket. I think I did a decent job of scrambling and trying to get as many yards as I can. We wanted to run the ball 40 times and we ended up running 46 times. That's our goal every time."

On if he felt better this week than the week of the Michigan game and how that impacted the game:
"I felt a lot better, arm wise. The main reason I wanted to play that week was to give it my best shot and see what I could do. So, hopefully it'll be better next week."

Michigan State Safety Khari Willis

On the team's effort today:
"I think we did a good job of limiting them from getting big gains and keeping the momentum for the most part. I think we came out really strong and that helped us. Our defensive line did a great job up front and we did a good job with eye-control in the back. For the most part we tackled pretty well, and whenever you can do that, you'll be able to limit their offense and their rushing average."

On if he sensed frustration from the Maryland offense:
"I'm not sure about that. Our defense had a lot of confidence coming into the game and that carried over. We got off to a great start with three straight three and outs and were able to keep them out of the red zone. Whenever we're able to do that early and continue to keep the momentum throughout the rest of the game, that helps us. It worked in our favor today."

Players Mentioned

Shakur Brown

Cam Chambers

Connor Heyward

Brian Lewerke

Tre Person

Max Rosenthal

Josiah Scott

LJ Scott

Cody White

Khari Willis

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