Post-Game Quotes: Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl vs. Pittsburgh
12/31/2021 12:55:00 AM | Football
Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker
COACH TUCKER: It was a great victory for us. I want to thank the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl for just an incredible experience for our football team, our entire organization. We're forever grateful for the opportunity. Our guys played extremely hard, like they always do. They never flinched. They continued to just keep chopping wood and keep believing. And we were able to hit our stride there in the second half and play complementary football -- offense, defense, special teams working together. And we were able to take it deep down into the fourth quarter and we got stronger and stronger as the game went. And we went down into the deep water and were able to find a way to get it done. And really proud of our guys and our seniors. Our fans were incredible. They traveled. They were deep. And they really helped pull us through. And so I know there's going to be a lot of partying in Spartan Nation tonight and it was just a great experience. And to get to 11 wins in a New Year's Six bowl is quite an accomplishment for this group.
Q. Wanted to talk about that fourth quarter in particular, the job that Payton did. It didn't seem like a lot of panic or impatience there on those final two drives. What did you see from him and really what was the difference maybe between those middle couple quarters where he was missing some targets and when he started to find that rhythm?
COACH TUCKER: He showed tremendous poise. He showed a level of maturity. We talked throughout the entire game, and we just talked about what do we need to do to get better; what do we need to do to get on track? We kept communicating. And he said that he was missing some throws and he wasn't accurate. And I asked him why. I said, why is that? And he told me it was his footwork and that he was really just not delivering the ball the way he normally does. I told him, well, get your feet right. Fix your footwork and cut it loose. Just start slinging it. And he said okay. And he went out and he did that. And he's got good players around him, a good offensive line, receivers, backs. And the defense stood up for us there and got stops. We kept getting them the ball back. We were solid on special teams. We were able to play field-position football. And we were able to get it done. But Payton showed a level of maturity and just resiliency that -- and I told him after the game, I said, you know, what you did was really hard to do. And I told him I was proud of him and it was a great experience and the best is ahead for him.
Q. I wanted to ask you about the defense. Obviously they lost a quarterback so they're down to the third guy, also a running back at some point. It's a unit that's caught a lot of grief this year, hasn't played its best at times. But tonight seemed to really kind of step up, forced a lot of punts there, a lot of three-and-outs. Talk about that unit's performance overall tonight.
COACH TUCKER: I'll tell you what, the preparation leading up to this game was outstanding. Scottie and the entire defensive staff put together a great plan. Never wasted a minute in preparation. And our guys were fresh and they were ready to go and they understood what we needed to do. And so it was all about execution. Guys played extremely hard. They believe in what we're doing. And we had rush and coverage working together. And so it was just a relentless effort for the defense. And we were able to get some three-and-outs. And we were able to affect the quarterback and get the ball back to our offense, make some big plays. And that's what defenses do. And you know, the past is not necessarily predictive of the future unless you don't change the behavior. And we played better. We executed better, played with better fundamentals. We got better from the end of the Penn State game until tonight. And so it showed on the field. And because of that we got better results.
Q. I was just curious, you talked all season about how this was such a fun group to coach. After the final game, what is your assessment of the team overall and your relationship with them?
COACH TUCKER: Well, I told them in the locker room that -- first I told them before the game that we have a tremendous amount of gratitude for this group, our coaching staff. And we appreciate them and everything that they've done this season, all the hard work that they put in. And after the game, again, just proud of their performance. Really happy for our seniors that have given us so much, given this university so much. And I told them that this performance was very indicative of how we played all season and our culture. And we're relentless. We don't flinch. We believe in the process. We keep chopping. We're in great condition. We know that we can go deep into the fourth quarter and wear teams down, take them to the deep water. And that's where we want to be. And we were able to get them to that point and were able to finish. And so it was a tremendous victory to get to 11 wins. It was quite an accomplishment. And doing it as a team, playing complementary football, it was just tremendous. The best is ahead for us.
Q. I know, Coach, you just said that the best is yet to come. Just kind of -- like you just won your first bowl game. Let's start there. And now that you're moving forward with the team, you're locked in with a great contract and everything to move forward. Talk about what you're looking forward to doing in the next season.
COACH TUCKER: Well, it's going to be a 24-hour rule for me. And we're going to enjoy this victory and then we're going to get back to work. Recruiting is extremely important. And the contact period is going to open up here pretty soon. We're going to hit the ground running. And then we're going to have great out-of-season conditioning program leading up to spring ball. And we're going to train like crazy and work to improve our football team. And our goal is to win every game on our schedule. So there's a lot of hard work that needs to be done between now and when we kick off again next season. But we're going to remain focused and determined to get where we need to go. And we play in a tough conference. It's very rugged. It's very competitive. But we're in it. We're in it to win it. And, so, I do believe that our best is ahead. But it's going to be about our actions. It's going to be about our behavior as to what's going to create the outcome. So we're going to get back to work. We're going to chop hard to get this football team better so we can go after our goals next season.
Q. Question about the fans. I know it was so exciting to see so many Spartan fans there in Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Just express your gratitude, I guess, in the sense of support of the fans, the alumni, the students that traveled to the city of Atlanta in the midst of COVID and everything, just kind of share your thoughts on that, please.
COACH TUCKER: Well, our fans have been great all season. And Spartan nation is strong, has always been strong. Football is extremely important here at Michigan State. And we have a tremendous fan base across the country and throughout the world. 500,000 living alumni. And they traveled well all season, and the watch parties and all the different cities and all the alumni clubs. And it's just -- everyone's very excited about the direction of our program and they support us in many, many ways. So I want to thank our fans for believing in us and supporting our program. And they will continue to do that. And our fans deserve a winning football team. Our fans deserve a championship football team. Our fans deserve to see a brand of football that they can be proud of. And that's what we're here to do. It means something to us to make our fans proud, and that's something that we talk about all the time and we're going to continue to do that. We're going to do it as a team. Our team on the field and our fans, together we're going to accomplish some great things here.
Q. You talk about the future and everything, but you've talked also this season about maximizing your potential, reaching your potential. Do you feel like this team did that? Is that one of the things, in terms of foundation, in terms of culture and moving forward on things to build off as a program, what this team did is that?
COACH TUCKER: I felt like our team gave us everything that they had every game and emptied the bucket with extreme effort, played with toughness, was resilient, played to win. And that's all you can ask. And when the fourth quarter starts, most teams put up a 4. We put up a 1. And that 1 basically signifies one minute after the game, what will we be able to say to each other – coaches, players – will we be able to say, win, lose or draw, that we gave everything that we had on the field for each other? If we can say that, then we can live with that. And I felt like this football team just really laid it on the line and gave us everything that they had. And so we really have laid the foundation for how we need to play football here and our culture has really shifted. And we're cementing it and we're building upon it every single day. And the brand of football that we play here at Michigan State is very important. And everyone should be able to look on that field when they see us play and say those guys play hard. Those guys are tough, they're physical. They won't quit. They don't flinch. And that's what Michigan State football has always been about and that's what we see on the field.
Q. With Jalen coming back, seemed to make a big difference in your passing attack. And Jayden Reed in what could have been his final performance. What did you see from those two guys together and how them being on the field at the same time changes your passing attack?
COACH TUCKER: They're both tremendous players, as we all know. They compete. They can win one-on-one. They're dynamic players. And they're team guys. They block hard in the run game. And in the pass game those guys are hard to cover. And it's not just deep balls but it could be short game, intermediate and also in the deep passing game. They're very, very productive. They're dangerous and they're absolute difference makers.
Q. You guys have won many games sort of like this this year where you've had some late things -- Miami, Nebraska, you know what I'm talking about, I'm sure. How many times does that have to happen, do you think, until it just becomes part of that identity and part of that culture? And can that carry over into next year when you guys have done it as many times as you have? Or does it just always have to sort of be a constantly renewed things? How do you sustain that and make that long term, you know?
COACH TUCKER: It's part of our mental conditioning. It's part of our culture. It's the way we train. It's the way we practice. It's our mindset. And that's the way you have to play the game of football. It's a four-quarter game. You have to continue to always play the next play. Just keep chopping, just keep going. Every play has a history and a life of its own. So you don't look at a scoreboard. You just keep playing the next play with extreme effort and extreme toughness. And coaching 10 years in the National Football League, I mean, almost all those games go down -- a lot of those games go down to the last drive, two minutes to win the game. And when you're competing at a very high level, against very good competition, you have to be prepared to win games late in the fourth quarter with conditioning; mental and physical toughness; and a never-stop, never-flinch attitude. That's how we train and that's how we need to play, because at the top, where the best compete, success is measured in inches. And you have to be at your best when your best is needed. And oftentimes that's down the stretch late in the fourth. You've got to make plays and you've got to find a way to get it done and find a way to get in the left-hand column, because this is a binary situation. You get a 1 or you get a 0. And our guys understand that. And we're playing to win.
Q. With the struggles this year and past events, what does it mean to you as a career-long secondary coach that you've won or saved five games with late interceptions, key interceptions? And what does it say that you're the only team in the country that's beaten two Power Five champions in 2021?
COACH TUCKER: It's something to build upon. It means that our guys, our coaches and our players believe in what we're doing. And that when we execute, when we have our rush and our coverage working together, and we play our techniques, we play with great technique and fundamentals, everyone does their job, that we can be efficient in pass defense and we can be stout in the run game. And when we have success, we need to continue to understand why we have success and build on those things. We're going to keep adding players to our roster, keep adding depth and build on the positives and own the negatives and figure out how we can get better. But the effort was there tonight and there was an element of competitive greatness and that's being at your best when your best is needed. And that's what we've seen this season, just like you talked about, the several games guys have made plays down the stretch to ice games, because there's something to be said for that. We do have pride in our program. We do have pride in our defense. We're not where we need to be. But we're going to get there.
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Michigan State redshirt freshman linebacker Cal Haladay
Q. On that last interception, it looked a lot like the one at Indiana. Did it feel the same? Was it similar at all to that play? What's going through your mind when you're running down the sideline there with that?
CAL HALADAY: In my mind I was just thinking I'm probably going to get yelled at a little bit because I'm supposed to go down in that situation. But I couldn't do it. I couldn't pass up the opportunity in my head. But it was really similar to Indiana. Now I just -- there was nothing in front of me and I just had to keep going. And I was nervous someone was going to catch me from behind.
Q. The defensive approach you guys had in the second half, how much of that was trying to maybe adjust to a new quarterback in the first half and then kind of settled in, and how much adjustment did you guys have to make?
CAL HALADAY: I didn't think we had to make any adjustments. We just had to clean up how we were playing. Our adjustments just were tackle better, drive on the ball better, break, just doing the little things better. That's what we did at the end of the day. We just needed to go out, get the ball back to our offense as quick as we could and give ourselves an opportunity to win the game.
Q. This is a lot like other games you guys had this year, maybe not the Indiana game, but Nebraska and Miami, you guys have had late plays to seal or win a game. I know that obviously speaks to the keep chopping, relentless sort of mantra thing. When did you notice or feel that was taking root in the program and it wasn't just a saying; it was actually a thing? It wasn't just a hashtag or sign on the wall, but it was something that this team actually had?
CAL HALADAY: I think it started in fall camp. I think we believed it from day one. Coach Tucker's culture is keep chopping, keep grinding, be relentless. That's the way we've been since fall camp. It got us through these tight games, to be honest. When they talk about 15 rounds and taking it to the deep water, that's what we did. Coach Tuck believes in this conditioned and physical, technical, fundamentals, things like that. And I think that's what this game came down to.
Q. You're a guy who either was limited to special teams last year; no one anticipated you being a starter this season. What's it like to end the year not only with the team's success, but winning the MVP of the New Year's Six bowl game?
CAL HALADAY: I just am thankful for the opportunity I got. I've got to thank my parents, the team around me -- those guys worked their butts off every single day -- the coaches always pushing me to get better never letting me settle. And always constantly grinding every single day. I just need to thank everyone around me because without them I wouldn't be able to be where I am today.
Q. How does it feel to go out on a high note in dramatic fashion like this for the seniors? I know you're a younger guy, but to send them off like that, and to see guys like Connor Heyward making big plays, and it's perhaps their final game as a Spartan?
CAL HALADAY: That was the goal at the end of the day. We wanted to send our seniors out on a good note. We came down here for the 11th win and that's what our goal was after Penn State. I'm glad it all worked out. I'm proud of the guys. They have great careers here. And I'm just proud of what we did this year.
Q. The fans are starting to call you Pick-6 Haladay. Do you and Quavaris Crouch (#6) have to change numbers?
CAL HALADAY: Maybe. I don't know about that. But I think I'm going to stick with 27 for now. But that's funny. I'm glad everyone's enjoying it.
Michigan State redshirt sophomore quarterback Payton Thorne
Q. Coach talked about the conversation you guys had on the sideline, that you felt like you were missing some things and your footwork was off. First, how do you correct that in game? And, secondly, what started to go right particularly on that long drive you finished with the Connor touchdown?
PAYTON THORNE: Coach Tuck was talking to me on the sidelines. Kind of asked me what I needed or what I wanted to run or anything like that. And I just told him, I like the plays that were being called. They're my favorite plays that we had in. And I just wasn't being accurate. He asked why. I said probably my feet are messed up because it always starts with your feet. But, like you say, you can't really focus on that during the game because you're looking at the defense the whole time. So you can't really be thinking about your feet the whole time. For me, we talked about it on the sideline, just treat it like it's practice. And treat it like you're just playing one play at a time. Coach Johnson talks about that a lot. I feel like in the fourth quarter I was just playing one play at a time, just reading the defense and taking what they give us.
Q. You play for a head coach who often says he wants his team to be at its best when its best is needed. What's the mindset of the team in the fourth quarter to ultimately get the job done there?
PAYTON THORNE: Going into the fourth quarter, I think we were down 11, and the whole game my teammates just kept telling me to stay up and really just keep chopping. That's what we talk about. And we really say that on the sideline. And coaches, same thing. I even heard fans saying that from the sideline. And I was telling the guys on the radio that sometimes when you're playing like I was playing, fans are going to start to boo you. And that's warranted. I'm not saying that fans shouldn't do that. But they didn't. They really didn't. And they kept saying we believe in you, stuff like that, I heard that from the crowd. But going into the fourth quarter, like I said before, it was just play one play at a time, try to put a good drive together. And our guys made great plays, great catches all around. And the offensive line played well, picking up all the blitzes.
Q. Having Jalen Nailor back and not having thrown to him other than in practice for a couple of months, how difficult was it to try to get back in a rhythm with somebody you used to have as one of your go-to targets?
PAYTON THORNE: I look back to our bowl preparation. I feel I was in great rhythm with him. Hitting him on the deep balls. The timing was right. And tonight he played well and I wasn't putting it on him for second, third quarter. I can't really remember everything that happened the first, but I felt we were playing decent. But he did his thing and I was telling him on the sideline I'd figure it out here at some point. In fourth quarter, he made a couple of key catches and he's a guy that you can rely on and it was great for him.
Q. Obviously no Kenneth tonight, one of the best in the nation. Going in did you feel there would be, I don't know if "pressure" is the right word, but more emphasis on throwing the ball and the need to step up for your team?
PAYTON THORNE: Yeah, I did. I trust our running backs. And we have good running backs. So that's not why. But we knew they were a good run defense. We knew that they were second in the country in sacks. And a lot of different reasons for that. But they were a good defense. And, obviously, like you said, we were missing Ken, but we felt we could get some stuff in the pass game. And we weren't really hitting them for a lot of the game. But in the fourth quarter we were able to string some stuff together and take advantage of the areas that we thought we were going to be able to.
Q. What was it like tonight when you had a defense that had its struggles this year but even when you guys were having trouble moving the ball they kept getting it back for you, getting it back for you, giving you guys a chance to kind of come back like they did? What did it mean to have the defense playing that way for you guys tonight?
PAYTON THORNE: It was amazing. Our defense played their tails off. 21 was on the scoreboard, but they had a scoop and score that I fumbled. So that's seven. And then they went down on the field and scored a touchdown after my interception. That's seven off of turnovers. So they played great. And they did the same thing. They just kept chopping. They came out today and played their tails off. Coach (Hazelton) had a great plan going into this one, and they did a great job.
Q. I was just curious about Connor's performance tonight, what you thought of it. And how important it was to have him as a reliable guy on that first touchdown drive in the fourth quarter.
PAYTON THORNE: Connor's been a guy that has been around here for a long time. He's a guy you can rely on. He does the right stuff. He works his butt off. And he makes plays. And (indiscernible) was on that play to get a little width, because we ran that play earlier in the day to get width from the backside safety, because that's what I was reading. And he did that. Went up, made the catch, really nice catch. Got smoked in the back. And came down with it. So it was a clutch catch, and it was awesome.
Q. What does it mean if this is the last time you're throwing to Jayden that the game-winning touchdown was to him after all the times you two have done that?
PAYTON THORNE: He was excellent tonight all night. And he was keeping me up the whole game. And he was open all night. And he did a great job. Obviously two great contested catches in the end zone. And he had a pretty amazing game. Obviously he won offensive MVP, as he should. And it was special. It was cool. It was a cool moment. But I'm hoping I can throw him a few more next year.
Q. Can you tell me, Pittsburgh called time out. There's three minutes to go, third-and-10, came out of the timeout. You threw it and completed a comeback, I think, to Jalen Nailor. Could you talk about what you guys were saying on the sidelines and what your approach was to that particular play? And then right after that going to Reed for that touchdown, that key third and 10, what was the process going into that?
PAYTON THORNE: They called timeout. We had a play called. We switched up. And we went with a different play. And O line did their job. I'm not sure if they brought pressure or not, but they picked it up. So I had plenty of time to throw. And Speedy ran a great route. He stopped, went, threw the guy by. And he was open. I kind of threw the ball to a spot, because I think I might have let go of it before he was out of his break. And sure enough there he was right where he was supposed to be. And it was a pretty great route and a great catch. And it was great awareness to get the first round. And he set up the touchdown, and it was pretty good.
Q. The first touchdown drive of the quarter, you're down 21-10, cut it to 16, in that drive it looked like you were starting to hit some comebacks along the sideline against bailing coverage, press, bail. Was that a thought in your mindset to take some of those underneath? Was that part of it also or is that just what came open at that time?
PAYTON THORNE: No, I was just kind of reading what they were doing. We ran that play earlier in the game in the flat, defender really buzzed hard against the stop route, is what we called it. And so I just kind of kept my eyes down the pipe in the second, or the fourth quarter to kind of use my peripheral to feel which flat defender was kind of inside the box or just tucked in. And just kind of went to that side. And it was the boundary I think every time. So, again, guys were running the right routes. They secured the catch and they went and got first downs, and it was great.
Michigan State redshirt junior wide receiver Jayden Reed
Q. Could you walk us through that last touchdown drive you guys had? What did you see from Payton, and going into that final play, the touchdown catch, was the call, kind of your mindset going after that ball?
JAYDEN REED: I love 50/50 balls because I believe they're 100 percent balls coming towards my way. And Payton Thorne threw a great ball. He gave me opportunity to put it somewhere where I could make a play. And that's how it happened.
Q. The other day you said you wouldn't talk about whether you would come back next year until after the game. It's after the game. I wanted to ask you if you had made up your mind yet?
JAYDEN REED: I still don't have an answer at this moment.
Q. For you overall, how is the season, what is it like to cap this year with the performance you had tonight. Your injury late, and just the overall effort you put in this year offensively?
JAYDEN REED: It's been a great season. It's always a great season to get 11 wins. I feel like I've heard that we made history or something, the sixth team or something like that to get 11 wins in the season at Michigan State. So that's a huge accomplishment to make as a program.
Q. Payton was in here saying you were in his ear in the sideline all throughout the night, especially early on when he may not have been playing as well. What were you saying to him and what were you seeing from him when he wasn't playing as well early?
JAYDEN REED: Something I do as always. I want to be a big brother to him as I always do when things aren't going his way. Because I know he's a really good player. I was trying my best to make sure he wasn't getting discouraged or anything like that. I was picking his head up when it was down. Obviously things changed. He got his head straight. And he made plays when we needed him.
Q. Is tonight the kind of night that you had kind of envisioned when you transferred from Western? And what does it feel for you to be named offensive MVP of a New Year's Six bowl?
JAYDEN REED: It's a blessing. Who would have thought I would be in this position today? I give all glory to God, my family that supported everything. And I trusted all my decisions I made coming up to this point. I want to thank the coaches, everybody, the whole program, support staff, the university for allowing me to go to school there and earn my degree. I'm just accomplishing all my dreams. And I can only thank God for that.
Q. When you're making this decision, because it's obviously a big one, how much do you put a factor into what you've done on the field, what more you can accomplish, and as well having maybe one more year with Payton with the connection you guys have shown this year?
JAYDEN REED: No doubt. What I do, what I always do when I make decisions, I make a pros and cons list. Everything that is going to come down to, you know what I'm saying? And I really go with my gut for the most part. I look at the facts, what's really out there for me, you know what I'm saying? And I just go with the flow. To be honest, I haven't missed yet. So trusting God and everything like that, I know I'll make the right decision.
Q. How fitting do you think it is, the performance you guys had tonight, down by 11 in the fourth quarter, given the season overall when most people weren't expecting you guys to accomplish much, and you go on to win 11 games and a New Year's Six?
JAYDEN REED: Yeah, that's what always happens when odds are against you. We had a chip on our shoulder since last season, the last game, when we played Penn State, with the COVID year and everything like that. That was a tough year. So new coaching staff and everything. We never really had a full year to get under our belt to actually develop as a whole unit. So we had a chip on our shoulder from winter conditioning. Everybody worked their tails off. I knew from that point that we were going to have a really good team because everybody was bought into the coaches that Coach Tuck was bringing in. I felt the family more on the team, you know what I'm saying? I looked at them more as family. I was closer to many more teammates than I've ever been on any team. So from that standpoint that's when I knew that this team was going to be really good.
Michigan State redshirt senior tight end Connor Heyward
Q. I'm wondering if you can kind of walk us through that touchdown, and particularly you come down with the ball and you're kind of looking up into the stands, pointing into the stands. How special was that moment for you, particularly against your dad's old team?
CONNOR HEYWARD: Yeah, it was real special. This game meant a lot to me not just because it was a New Year's Six bowl but playing my dad and mom's alma mater. My mom grew up in Pittsburgh. My brother, playing for the Steelers, has a big impact on Pittsburgh community. And the whole family being born in Pittsburgh except for me. I was born and raised in Atlanta. Live in the same house my whole life, about 25 minutes outside of Atlanta. So this game just meant a lot to me. And I just wanted to come out victorious.
Q. Kind of going off that, what did it mean to you to be able to finish your career on such a high note with that touchdown, that drive in the fourth quarter, in front of your friends and family in your hometown?
CONNOR HEYWARD: It meant a lot. I had like 50 people here at least, 50, 60 people, friends and family, coaches from high school, coaches from little league. My friends I grew up with and old teammates. It was just amazing to finish, and to it with a group of guys in the locker room and all the coaches that have pushed us to extreme limits, but they know how to love on us as well. So just being able to get this dub means so much and more. Words don't describe it. And to be at home, that's just icing on the cake.
Q. What do you think that this team -- do you think this team's legacy is or will be in time being Coach Tucker's second team? And what do you think this season can do for maybe the next few seasons, and how quickly maybe things can turn around here based on what happened this year?
CONNOR HEYWARD: This win is going to do a lot. I think it's going to attract even more recruits. Obviously you guys see Coach Tucker and the whole staff recruiting very well at a high level, nonstop and getting the best guys up to East Lansing and letting them see the campus for the first time. And they're always blown away. I think it will attract more recruits and just more attraction to Michigan State football. I think a lot of people knows that it's a gritty, physical team and by-any-means team, but once they get up there they'll like it even more. Once you're around the coaches and the whole culture, it just kind of rubs off on everybody. So I think this win can do a lot. But obviously for the team, for next year, they need to put the work in as well. I know Coach Tuck isn't going to take a back seat to that and continue to push guys, and I think the team will also be remembered as a team that never quit; a legendary team, where only six times this has happened now where teams at Michigan State history have 11 wins or more. And so to do that in Coach Tuck's second year just shows how much work the players and coaches have put into it.
Q. Do you think it will take you a while for your career and what you did here to really sink in, from coming here as an athlete, starting at running back, entering the portal, to returning and then switching to tight end and to have it happen against Pitt, do you think that will be something that might take you a while to really adjust to?
CONNOR HEYWARD: It kind of hit me after the game, honestly. Just like everything that I've been through, the good and the bad. And sometimes you just have to go through the bad to -- sometimes it has to rain to see the sunny days, as I kind of see it. And I think everything just came full circle. It's a blessing to play the game of football and to finish it off this way against all the connections I have with Pitt. It just all came full circle.
Q. From where you were two years ago, I don't know if anyone has chopped more than you have for Mel Tucker, if the final chapter of this story is a 21-0 fourth quarter, what does that mean?
CONNOR HEYWARD: Keep chopping. Back's against the wall. You've got to be able to make a play. As an offensive skill player, you want to either have the big block or the big catch when the game's on the line. You saw a number of guys step up, not just me. Tre Mosley had a lot of tough catches in traffic. Obviously Jayden, the one to start the game and the one to win the game. And then Speedy catching the one-handed one behind him. And just Payton putting the ball in the air and believing in everybody, not a lot of quarterbacks are like him and spread the wealth.
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COACH TUCKER: It was a great victory for us. I want to thank the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl for just an incredible experience for our football team, our entire organization. We're forever grateful for the opportunity. Our guys played extremely hard, like they always do. They never flinched. They continued to just keep chopping wood and keep believing. And we were able to hit our stride there in the second half and play complementary football -- offense, defense, special teams working together. And we were able to take it deep down into the fourth quarter and we got stronger and stronger as the game went. And we went down into the deep water and were able to find a way to get it done. And really proud of our guys and our seniors. Our fans were incredible. They traveled. They were deep. And they really helped pull us through. And so I know there's going to be a lot of partying in Spartan Nation tonight and it was just a great experience. And to get to 11 wins in a New Year's Six bowl is quite an accomplishment for this group.
Q. Wanted to talk about that fourth quarter in particular, the job that Payton did. It didn't seem like a lot of panic or impatience there on those final two drives. What did you see from him and really what was the difference maybe between those middle couple quarters where he was missing some targets and when he started to find that rhythm?
COACH TUCKER: He showed tremendous poise. He showed a level of maturity. We talked throughout the entire game, and we just talked about what do we need to do to get better; what do we need to do to get on track? We kept communicating. And he said that he was missing some throws and he wasn't accurate. And I asked him why. I said, why is that? And he told me it was his footwork and that he was really just not delivering the ball the way he normally does. I told him, well, get your feet right. Fix your footwork and cut it loose. Just start slinging it. And he said okay. And he went out and he did that. And he's got good players around him, a good offensive line, receivers, backs. And the defense stood up for us there and got stops. We kept getting them the ball back. We were solid on special teams. We were able to play field-position football. And we were able to get it done. But Payton showed a level of maturity and just resiliency that -- and I told him after the game, I said, you know, what you did was really hard to do. And I told him I was proud of him and it was a great experience and the best is ahead for him.
Q. I wanted to ask you about the defense. Obviously they lost a quarterback so they're down to the third guy, also a running back at some point. It's a unit that's caught a lot of grief this year, hasn't played its best at times. But tonight seemed to really kind of step up, forced a lot of punts there, a lot of three-and-outs. Talk about that unit's performance overall tonight.
COACH TUCKER: I'll tell you what, the preparation leading up to this game was outstanding. Scottie and the entire defensive staff put together a great plan. Never wasted a minute in preparation. And our guys were fresh and they were ready to go and they understood what we needed to do. And so it was all about execution. Guys played extremely hard. They believe in what we're doing. And we had rush and coverage working together. And so it was just a relentless effort for the defense. And we were able to get some three-and-outs. And we were able to affect the quarterback and get the ball back to our offense, make some big plays. And that's what defenses do. And you know, the past is not necessarily predictive of the future unless you don't change the behavior. And we played better. We executed better, played with better fundamentals. We got better from the end of the Penn State game until tonight. And so it showed on the field. And because of that we got better results.
Q. I was just curious, you talked all season about how this was such a fun group to coach. After the final game, what is your assessment of the team overall and your relationship with them?
COACH TUCKER: Well, I told them in the locker room that -- first I told them before the game that we have a tremendous amount of gratitude for this group, our coaching staff. And we appreciate them and everything that they've done this season, all the hard work that they put in. And after the game, again, just proud of their performance. Really happy for our seniors that have given us so much, given this university so much. And I told them that this performance was very indicative of how we played all season and our culture. And we're relentless. We don't flinch. We believe in the process. We keep chopping. We're in great condition. We know that we can go deep into the fourth quarter and wear teams down, take them to the deep water. And that's where we want to be. And we were able to get them to that point and were able to finish. And so it was a tremendous victory to get to 11 wins. It was quite an accomplishment. And doing it as a team, playing complementary football, it was just tremendous. The best is ahead for us.
Q. I know, Coach, you just said that the best is yet to come. Just kind of -- like you just won your first bowl game. Let's start there. And now that you're moving forward with the team, you're locked in with a great contract and everything to move forward. Talk about what you're looking forward to doing in the next season.
COACH TUCKER: Well, it's going to be a 24-hour rule for me. And we're going to enjoy this victory and then we're going to get back to work. Recruiting is extremely important. And the contact period is going to open up here pretty soon. We're going to hit the ground running. And then we're going to have great out-of-season conditioning program leading up to spring ball. And we're going to train like crazy and work to improve our football team. And our goal is to win every game on our schedule. So there's a lot of hard work that needs to be done between now and when we kick off again next season. But we're going to remain focused and determined to get where we need to go. And we play in a tough conference. It's very rugged. It's very competitive. But we're in it. We're in it to win it. And, so, I do believe that our best is ahead. But it's going to be about our actions. It's going to be about our behavior as to what's going to create the outcome. So we're going to get back to work. We're going to chop hard to get this football team better so we can go after our goals next season.
Q. Question about the fans. I know it was so exciting to see so many Spartan fans there in Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Just express your gratitude, I guess, in the sense of support of the fans, the alumni, the students that traveled to the city of Atlanta in the midst of COVID and everything, just kind of share your thoughts on that, please.
COACH TUCKER: Well, our fans have been great all season. And Spartan nation is strong, has always been strong. Football is extremely important here at Michigan State. And we have a tremendous fan base across the country and throughout the world. 500,000 living alumni. And they traveled well all season, and the watch parties and all the different cities and all the alumni clubs. And it's just -- everyone's very excited about the direction of our program and they support us in many, many ways. So I want to thank our fans for believing in us and supporting our program. And they will continue to do that. And our fans deserve a winning football team. Our fans deserve a championship football team. Our fans deserve to see a brand of football that they can be proud of. And that's what we're here to do. It means something to us to make our fans proud, and that's something that we talk about all the time and we're going to continue to do that. We're going to do it as a team. Our team on the field and our fans, together we're going to accomplish some great things here.
Q. You talk about the future and everything, but you've talked also this season about maximizing your potential, reaching your potential. Do you feel like this team did that? Is that one of the things, in terms of foundation, in terms of culture and moving forward on things to build off as a program, what this team did is that?
COACH TUCKER: I felt like our team gave us everything that they had every game and emptied the bucket with extreme effort, played with toughness, was resilient, played to win. And that's all you can ask. And when the fourth quarter starts, most teams put up a 4. We put up a 1. And that 1 basically signifies one minute after the game, what will we be able to say to each other – coaches, players – will we be able to say, win, lose or draw, that we gave everything that we had on the field for each other? If we can say that, then we can live with that. And I felt like this football team just really laid it on the line and gave us everything that they had. And so we really have laid the foundation for how we need to play football here and our culture has really shifted. And we're cementing it and we're building upon it every single day. And the brand of football that we play here at Michigan State is very important. And everyone should be able to look on that field when they see us play and say those guys play hard. Those guys are tough, they're physical. They won't quit. They don't flinch. And that's what Michigan State football has always been about and that's what we see on the field.
Q. With Jalen coming back, seemed to make a big difference in your passing attack. And Jayden Reed in what could have been his final performance. What did you see from those two guys together and how them being on the field at the same time changes your passing attack?
COACH TUCKER: They're both tremendous players, as we all know. They compete. They can win one-on-one. They're dynamic players. And they're team guys. They block hard in the run game. And in the pass game those guys are hard to cover. And it's not just deep balls but it could be short game, intermediate and also in the deep passing game. They're very, very productive. They're dangerous and they're absolute difference makers.
Q. You guys have won many games sort of like this this year where you've had some late things -- Miami, Nebraska, you know what I'm talking about, I'm sure. How many times does that have to happen, do you think, until it just becomes part of that identity and part of that culture? And can that carry over into next year when you guys have done it as many times as you have? Or does it just always have to sort of be a constantly renewed things? How do you sustain that and make that long term, you know?
COACH TUCKER: It's part of our mental conditioning. It's part of our culture. It's the way we train. It's the way we practice. It's our mindset. And that's the way you have to play the game of football. It's a four-quarter game. You have to continue to always play the next play. Just keep chopping, just keep going. Every play has a history and a life of its own. So you don't look at a scoreboard. You just keep playing the next play with extreme effort and extreme toughness. And coaching 10 years in the National Football League, I mean, almost all those games go down -- a lot of those games go down to the last drive, two minutes to win the game. And when you're competing at a very high level, against very good competition, you have to be prepared to win games late in the fourth quarter with conditioning; mental and physical toughness; and a never-stop, never-flinch attitude. That's how we train and that's how we need to play, because at the top, where the best compete, success is measured in inches. And you have to be at your best when your best is needed. And oftentimes that's down the stretch late in the fourth. You've got to make plays and you've got to find a way to get it done and find a way to get in the left-hand column, because this is a binary situation. You get a 1 or you get a 0. And our guys understand that. And we're playing to win.
Q. With the struggles this year and past events, what does it mean to you as a career-long secondary coach that you've won or saved five games with late interceptions, key interceptions? And what does it say that you're the only team in the country that's beaten two Power Five champions in 2021?
COACH TUCKER: It's something to build upon. It means that our guys, our coaches and our players believe in what we're doing. And that when we execute, when we have our rush and our coverage working together, and we play our techniques, we play with great technique and fundamentals, everyone does their job, that we can be efficient in pass defense and we can be stout in the run game. And when we have success, we need to continue to understand why we have success and build on those things. We're going to keep adding players to our roster, keep adding depth and build on the positives and own the negatives and figure out how we can get better. But the effort was there tonight and there was an element of competitive greatness and that's being at your best when your best is needed. And that's what we've seen this season, just like you talked about, the several games guys have made plays down the stretch to ice games, because there's something to be said for that. We do have pride in our program. We do have pride in our defense. We're not where we need to be. But we're going to get there.
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Michigan State redshirt freshman linebacker Cal Haladay
Q. On that last interception, it looked a lot like the one at Indiana. Did it feel the same? Was it similar at all to that play? What's going through your mind when you're running down the sideline there with that?
CAL HALADAY: In my mind I was just thinking I'm probably going to get yelled at a little bit because I'm supposed to go down in that situation. But I couldn't do it. I couldn't pass up the opportunity in my head. But it was really similar to Indiana. Now I just -- there was nothing in front of me and I just had to keep going. And I was nervous someone was going to catch me from behind.
Q. The defensive approach you guys had in the second half, how much of that was trying to maybe adjust to a new quarterback in the first half and then kind of settled in, and how much adjustment did you guys have to make?
CAL HALADAY: I didn't think we had to make any adjustments. We just had to clean up how we were playing. Our adjustments just were tackle better, drive on the ball better, break, just doing the little things better. That's what we did at the end of the day. We just needed to go out, get the ball back to our offense as quick as we could and give ourselves an opportunity to win the game.
Q. This is a lot like other games you guys had this year, maybe not the Indiana game, but Nebraska and Miami, you guys have had late plays to seal or win a game. I know that obviously speaks to the keep chopping, relentless sort of mantra thing. When did you notice or feel that was taking root in the program and it wasn't just a saying; it was actually a thing? It wasn't just a hashtag or sign on the wall, but it was something that this team actually had?
CAL HALADAY: I think it started in fall camp. I think we believed it from day one. Coach Tucker's culture is keep chopping, keep grinding, be relentless. That's the way we've been since fall camp. It got us through these tight games, to be honest. When they talk about 15 rounds and taking it to the deep water, that's what we did. Coach Tuck believes in this conditioned and physical, technical, fundamentals, things like that. And I think that's what this game came down to.
Q. You're a guy who either was limited to special teams last year; no one anticipated you being a starter this season. What's it like to end the year not only with the team's success, but winning the MVP of the New Year's Six bowl game?
CAL HALADAY: I just am thankful for the opportunity I got. I've got to thank my parents, the team around me -- those guys worked their butts off every single day -- the coaches always pushing me to get better never letting me settle. And always constantly grinding every single day. I just need to thank everyone around me because without them I wouldn't be able to be where I am today.
Q. How does it feel to go out on a high note in dramatic fashion like this for the seniors? I know you're a younger guy, but to send them off like that, and to see guys like Connor Heyward making big plays, and it's perhaps their final game as a Spartan?
CAL HALADAY: That was the goal at the end of the day. We wanted to send our seniors out on a good note. We came down here for the 11th win and that's what our goal was after Penn State. I'm glad it all worked out. I'm proud of the guys. They have great careers here. And I'm just proud of what we did this year.
Q. The fans are starting to call you Pick-6 Haladay. Do you and Quavaris Crouch (#6) have to change numbers?
CAL HALADAY: Maybe. I don't know about that. But I think I'm going to stick with 27 for now. But that's funny. I'm glad everyone's enjoying it.
Michigan State redshirt sophomore quarterback Payton Thorne
Q. Coach talked about the conversation you guys had on the sideline, that you felt like you were missing some things and your footwork was off. First, how do you correct that in game? And, secondly, what started to go right particularly on that long drive you finished with the Connor touchdown?
PAYTON THORNE: Coach Tuck was talking to me on the sidelines. Kind of asked me what I needed or what I wanted to run or anything like that. And I just told him, I like the plays that were being called. They're my favorite plays that we had in. And I just wasn't being accurate. He asked why. I said probably my feet are messed up because it always starts with your feet. But, like you say, you can't really focus on that during the game because you're looking at the defense the whole time. So you can't really be thinking about your feet the whole time. For me, we talked about it on the sideline, just treat it like it's practice. And treat it like you're just playing one play at a time. Coach Johnson talks about that a lot. I feel like in the fourth quarter I was just playing one play at a time, just reading the defense and taking what they give us.
Q. You play for a head coach who often says he wants his team to be at its best when its best is needed. What's the mindset of the team in the fourth quarter to ultimately get the job done there?
PAYTON THORNE: Going into the fourth quarter, I think we were down 11, and the whole game my teammates just kept telling me to stay up and really just keep chopping. That's what we talk about. And we really say that on the sideline. And coaches, same thing. I even heard fans saying that from the sideline. And I was telling the guys on the radio that sometimes when you're playing like I was playing, fans are going to start to boo you. And that's warranted. I'm not saying that fans shouldn't do that. But they didn't. They really didn't. And they kept saying we believe in you, stuff like that, I heard that from the crowd. But going into the fourth quarter, like I said before, it was just play one play at a time, try to put a good drive together. And our guys made great plays, great catches all around. And the offensive line played well, picking up all the blitzes.
Q. Having Jalen Nailor back and not having thrown to him other than in practice for a couple of months, how difficult was it to try to get back in a rhythm with somebody you used to have as one of your go-to targets?
PAYTON THORNE: I look back to our bowl preparation. I feel I was in great rhythm with him. Hitting him on the deep balls. The timing was right. And tonight he played well and I wasn't putting it on him for second, third quarter. I can't really remember everything that happened the first, but I felt we were playing decent. But he did his thing and I was telling him on the sideline I'd figure it out here at some point. In fourth quarter, he made a couple of key catches and he's a guy that you can rely on and it was great for him.
Q. Obviously no Kenneth tonight, one of the best in the nation. Going in did you feel there would be, I don't know if "pressure" is the right word, but more emphasis on throwing the ball and the need to step up for your team?
PAYTON THORNE: Yeah, I did. I trust our running backs. And we have good running backs. So that's not why. But we knew they were a good run defense. We knew that they were second in the country in sacks. And a lot of different reasons for that. But they were a good defense. And, obviously, like you said, we were missing Ken, but we felt we could get some stuff in the pass game. And we weren't really hitting them for a lot of the game. But in the fourth quarter we were able to string some stuff together and take advantage of the areas that we thought we were going to be able to.
Q. What was it like tonight when you had a defense that had its struggles this year but even when you guys were having trouble moving the ball they kept getting it back for you, getting it back for you, giving you guys a chance to kind of come back like they did? What did it mean to have the defense playing that way for you guys tonight?
PAYTON THORNE: It was amazing. Our defense played their tails off. 21 was on the scoreboard, but they had a scoop and score that I fumbled. So that's seven. And then they went down on the field and scored a touchdown after my interception. That's seven off of turnovers. So they played great. And they did the same thing. They just kept chopping. They came out today and played their tails off. Coach (Hazelton) had a great plan going into this one, and they did a great job.
Q. I was just curious about Connor's performance tonight, what you thought of it. And how important it was to have him as a reliable guy on that first touchdown drive in the fourth quarter.
PAYTON THORNE: Connor's been a guy that has been around here for a long time. He's a guy you can rely on. He does the right stuff. He works his butt off. And he makes plays. And (indiscernible) was on that play to get a little width, because we ran that play earlier in the day to get width from the backside safety, because that's what I was reading. And he did that. Went up, made the catch, really nice catch. Got smoked in the back. And came down with it. So it was a clutch catch, and it was awesome.
Q. What does it mean if this is the last time you're throwing to Jayden that the game-winning touchdown was to him after all the times you two have done that?
PAYTON THORNE: He was excellent tonight all night. And he was keeping me up the whole game. And he was open all night. And he did a great job. Obviously two great contested catches in the end zone. And he had a pretty amazing game. Obviously he won offensive MVP, as he should. And it was special. It was cool. It was a cool moment. But I'm hoping I can throw him a few more next year.
Q. Can you tell me, Pittsburgh called time out. There's three minutes to go, third-and-10, came out of the timeout. You threw it and completed a comeback, I think, to Jalen Nailor. Could you talk about what you guys were saying on the sidelines and what your approach was to that particular play? And then right after that going to Reed for that touchdown, that key third and 10, what was the process going into that?
PAYTON THORNE: They called timeout. We had a play called. We switched up. And we went with a different play. And O line did their job. I'm not sure if they brought pressure or not, but they picked it up. So I had plenty of time to throw. And Speedy ran a great route. He stopped, went, threw the guy by. And he was open. I kind of threw the ball to a spot, because I think I might have let go of it before he was out of his break. And sure enough there he was right where he was supposed to be. And it was a pretty great route and a great catch. And it was great awareness to get the first round. And he set up the touchdown, and it was pretty good.
Q. The first touchdown drive of the quarter, you're down 21-10, cut it to 16, in that drive it looked like you were starting to hit some comebacks along the sideline against bailing coverage, press, bail. Was that a thought in your mindset to take some of those underneath? Was that part of it also or is that just what came open at that time?
PAYTON THORNE: No, I was just kind of reading what they were doing. We ran that play earlier in the game in the flat, defender really buzzed hard against the stop route, is what we called it. And so I just kind of kept my eyes down the pipe in the second, or the fourth quarter to kind of use my peripheral to feel which flat defender was kind of inside the box or just tucked in. And just kind of went to that side. And it was the boundary I think every time. So, again, guys were running the right routes. They secured the catch and they went and got first downs, and it was great.
Michigan State redshirt junior wide receiver Jayden Reed
Q. Could you walk us through that last touchdown drive you guys had? What did you see from Payton, and going into that final play, the touchdown catch, was the call, kind of your mindset going after that ball?
JAYDEN REED: I love 50/50 balls because I believe they're 100 percent balls coming towards my way. And Payton Thorne threw a great ball. He gave me opportunity to put it somewhere where I could make a play. And that's how it happened.
Q. The other day you said you wouldn't talk about whether you would come back next year until after the game. It's after the game. I wanted to ask you if you had made up your mind yet?
JAYDEN REED: I still don't have an answer at this moment.
Q. For you overall, how is the season, what is it like to cap this year with the performance you had tonight. Your injury late, and just the overall effort you put in this year offensively?
JAYDEN REED: It's been a great season. It's always a great season to get 11 wins. I feel like I've heard that we made history or something, the sixth team or something like that to get 11 wins in the season at Michigan State. So that's a huge accomplishment to make as a program.
Q. Payton was in here saying you were in his ear in the sideline all throughout the night, especially early on when he may not have been playing as well. What were you saying to him and what were you seeing from him when he wasn't playing as well early?
JAYDEN REED: Something I do as always. I want to be a big brother to him as I always do when things aren't going his way. Because I know he's a really good player. I was trying my best to make sure he wasn't getting discouraged or anything like that. I was picking his head up when it was down. Obviously things changed. He got his head straight. And he made plays when we needed him.
Q. Is tonight the kind of night that you had kind of envisioned when you transferred from Western? And what does it feel for you to be named offensive MVP of a New Year's Six bowl?
JAYDEN REED: It's a blessing. Who would have thought I would be in this position today? I give all glory to God, my family that supported everything. And I trusted all my decisions I made coming up to this point. I want to thank the coaches, everybody, the whole program, support staff, the university for allowing me to go to school there and earn my degree. I'm just accomplishing all my dreams. And I can only thank God for that.
Q. When you're making this decision, because it's obviously a big one, how much do you put a factor into what you've done on the field, what more you can accomplish, and as well having maybe one more year with Payton with the connection you guys have shown this year?
JAYDEN REED: No doubt. What I do, what I always do when I make decisions, I make a pros and cons list. Everything that is going to come down to, you know what I'm saying? And I really go with my gut for the most part. I look at the facts, what's really out there for me, you know what I'm saying? And I just go with the flow. To be honest, I haven't missed yet. So trusting God and everything like that, I know I'll make the right decision.
Q. How fitting do you think it is, the performance you guys had tonight, down by 11 in the fourth quarter, given the season overall when most people weren't expecting you guys to accomplish much, and you go on to win 11 games and a New Year's Six?
JAYDEN REED: Yeah, that's what always happens when odds are against you. We had a chip on our shoulder since last season, the last game, when we played Penn State, with the COVID year and everything like that. That was a tough year. So new coaching staff and everything. We never really had a full year to get under our belt to actually develop as a whole unit. So we had a chip on our shoulder from winter conditioning. Everybody worked their tails off. I knew from that point that we were going to have a really good team because everybody was bought into the coaches that Coach Tuck was bringing in. I felt the family more on the team, you know what I'm saying? I looked at them more as family. I was closer to many more teammates than I've ever been on any team. So from that standpoint that's when I knew that this team was going to be really good.
Michigan State redshirt senior tight end Connor Heyward
Q. I'm wondering if you can kind of walk us through that touchdown, and particularly you come down with the ball and you're kind of looking up into the stands, pointing into the stands. How special was that moment for you, particularly against your dad's old team?
CONNOR HEYWARD: Yeah, it was real special. This game meant a lot to me not just because it was a New Year's Six bowl but playing my dad and mom's alma mater. My mom grew up in Pittsburgh. My brother, playing for the Steelers, has a big impact on Pittsburgh community. And the whole family being born in Pittsburgh except for me. I was born and raised in Atlanta. Live in the same house my whole life, about 25 minutes outside of Atlanta. So this game just meant a lot to me. And I just wanted to come out victorious.
Q. Kind of going off that, what did it mean to you to be able to finish your career on such a high note with that touchdown, that drive in the fourth quarter, in front of your friends and family in your hometown?
CONNOR HEYWARD: It meant a lot. I had like 50 people here at least, 50, 60 people, friends and family, coaches from high school, coaches from little league. My friends I grew up with and old teammates. It was just amazing to finish, and to it with a group of guys in the locker room and all the coaches that have pushed us to extreme limits, but they know how to love on us as well. So just being able to get this dub means so much and more. Words don't describe it. And to be at home, that's just icing on the cake.
Q. What do you think that this team -- do you think this team's legacy is or will be in time being Coach Tucker's second team? And what do you think this season can do for maybe the next few seasons, and how quickly maybe things can turn around here based on what happened this year?
CONNOR HEYWARD: This win is going to do a lot. I think it's going to attract even more recruits. Obviously you guys see Coach Tucker and the whole staff recruiting very well at a high level, nonstop and getting the best guys up to East Lansing and letting them see the campus for the first time. And they're always blown away. I think it will attract more recruits and just more attraction to Michigan State football. I think a lot of people knows that it's a gritty, physical team and by-any-means team, but once they get up there they'll like it even more. Once you're around the coaches and the whole culture, it just kind of rubs off on everybody. So I think this win can do a lot. But obviously for the team, for next year, they need to put the work in as well. I know Coach Tuck isn't going to take a back seat to that and continue to push guys, and I think the team will also be remembered as a team that never quit; a legendary team, where only six times this has happened now where teams at Michigan State history have 11 wins or more. And so to do that in Coach Tuck's second year just shows how much work the players and coaches have put into it.
Q. Do you think it will take you a while for your career and what you did here to really sink in, from coming here as an athlete, starting at running back, entering the portal, to returning and then switching to tight end and to have it happen against Pitt, do you think that will be something that might take you a while to really adjust to?
CONNOR HEYWARD: It kind of hit me after the game, honestly. Just like everything that I've been through, the good and the bad. And sometimes you just have to go through the bad to -- sometimes it has to rain to see the sunny days, as I kind of see it. And I think everything just came full circle. It's a blessing to play the game of football and to finish it off this way against all the connections I have with Pitt. It just all came full circle.
Q. From where you were two years ago, I don't know if anyone has chopped more than you have for Mel Tucker, if the final chapter of this story is a 21-0 fourth quarter, what does that mean?
CONNOR HEYWARD: Keep chopping. Back's against the wall. You've got to be able to make a play. As an offensive skill player, you want to either have the big block or the big catch when the game's on the line. You saw a number of guys step up, not just me. Tre Mosley had a lot of tough catches in traffic. Obviously Jayden, the one to start the game and the one to win the game. And then Speedy catching the one-handed one behind him. And just Payton putting the ball in the air and believing in everybody, not a lot of quarterbacks are like him and spread the wealth.
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/ FootballJonathan Smith | Football Press Conference | Sep. 29 2025
Monday, September 29
Jonathan Smith Postgame Comments | USC
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Jonathan Smith | Football Press Conference | Sep. 15 2025
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Jonathan Smith Post Game Comments | YSU | Sep. 13 2025
Saturday, September 13