Michigan State University Athletics
Post-Game Quotes: Penn State
12/12/2020 5:10:00 PM | Football
Michigan State Head Coach Mel Tucker
Opening Statement
I want to continue to thank our medical personnel and operation staff who continue to work to give us the chance to go out and play and practice, and give us opportunity to compete each week. Like I've said before, we're building a football team and it's a process, and it's a process driven culture, and as I mentioned earlier this week, we need to play complimentary football and we have to do it for four quarters and it was crystal clear today with what we've been talking about and what we strive for. In the first half we played complimentary football, we did offense, defense and special teams, and guys are playing hard and we had execution and we were able to have success. In the second half, we did not do that. We weren't able to really do anything on offense, defensively, we gave up plays, and then on special teams, we gave up a touchdown which was a huge momentum play, and was a huge play in the game.
Like I told our players, when we went into this week, and at the hotel before the game, and in a locker room before the game and I told them, I said, 'listen, all we're asking you to do all I want you to do is go out there and play as hard as you possibly can, be as physical as you possibly can and trust you're training and execute and do it for 60 minutes, four quarters of the game, and play the next play and don't look at the scoreboard because what we're asking you to do, and I felt like they played hard, but I told them that's not a moral victory, but it just goes to show you that you know what we're capable of doing. Going into the game I felt like we had a team they can win this game. At halftime, I felt like we had a team that could win the game and felt good about our football team and about what we could do. And after the game, I felt the same way about this football team. I feel that we can do some good things and that we can win some games and that we have a bright future, and then we continue to hammer the process that we're going to get there, and we're going to continue to recruit like maniacs, to be able to improve and help our team.
But it's a very disappointed locker room, very disappointing coaching staff, but there is no lack of motivation right now for us. We just need to figure out, hopefully pretty soon, but who we play next so we can get ready. Give Penn State credit, they're well-coached and they got some they have some good players, and they did what they needed to do in the second half to come back and close the game out, so my hat goes off to Coach Franklin, his staff and their team. They beat us today.
Opening Statement
I want to continue to thank our medical personnel and operation staff who continue to work to give us the chance to go out and play and practice, and give us opportunity to compete each week. Like I've said before, we're building a football team and it's a process, and it's a process driven culture, and as I mentioned earlier this week, we need to play complimentary football and we have to do it for four quarters and it was crystal clear today with what we've been talking about and what we strive for. In the first half we played complimentary football, we did offense, defense and special teams, and guys are playing hard and we had execution and we were able to have success. In the second half, we did not do that. We weren't able to really do anything on offense, defensively, we gave up plays, and then on special teams, we gave up a touchdown which was a huge momentum play, and was a huge play in the game.
Like I told our players, when we went into this week, and at the hotel before the game, and in a locker room before the game and I told them, I said, 'listen, all we're asking you to do all I want you to do is go out there and play as hard as you possibly can, be as physical as you possibly can and trust you're training and execute and do it for 60 minutes, four quarters of the game, and play the next play and don't look at the scoreboard because what we're asking you to do, and I felt like they played hard, but I told them that's not a moral victory, but it just goes to show you that you know what we're capable of doing. Going into the game I felt like we had a team they can win this game. At halftime, I felt like we had a team that could win the game and felt good about our football team and about what we could do. And after the game, I felt the same way about this football team. I feel that we can do some good things and that we can win some games and that we have a bright future, and then we continue to hammer the process that we're going to get there, and we're going to continue to recruit like maniacs, to be able to improve and help our team.
But it's a very disappointed locker room, very disappointing coaching staff, but there is no lack of motivation right now for us. We just need to figure out, hopefully pretty soon, but who we play next so we can get ready. Give Penn State credit, they're well-coached and they got some they have some good players, and they did what they needed to do in the second half to come back and close the game out, so my hat goes off to Coach Franklin, his staff and their team. They beat us today.
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