Post-Game Quotes: Rutgers

Michigan State Football Head Coach Mel Tucker

Opening statement…
Thanks for coming out. Just a really good team win for us. Just really proud of our players, the coaches and all the staff. We remained focused. We had really good intentional focus throughout the week. Very good preparation. I give credit to Rutgers. That's a really tough, hard-nosed football team. [Rutgers head coach] Greg [Schiano] does a really good job with those guys on special teams, offense, defense. They have some really good players. They play hard and it's physical out there. It was November Big Ten football. We had good football weather and we celebrate our veterans this weekend. Just happy to get the job done. Get the win. We have a 24-hour rule, so we'll come back tomorrow ready to keep chopping. We did some good things today. It's important to finish strong. Play our best football in November. It's a sign of high character and a good football team to play their best down the stretch, and that's what we're aiming to do.

On what was going through his mind during the final four minutes of the game…
We want to start fast and finish strong. We want to play the full 60 minutes. We were pleased we were able to make some field goals. That was positive. We were able to recover an onside kick. That was very positive. Obviously, we don't want to let them score at the end and obviously, we let them go down and score a touchdown. So that gives us something to work on this week.

On the offensive line's impact on the team's run game over the last three to four weeks…
I just think Coach Kap [Michigan State Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line Coach/Run Game Coordinator Chris Kapilovic] does a really good job with technique and fundamentals. Coaching guys to play with toughness and play hard and finish. The run game, it really starts with the offensive line. Also, it's more than offensive line. The runners have to understand the design of the play and hit the hole the way the play is designed. And we're doing more of that. And we need really high-level production in the run game from our tight ends because they're a big part of what we do in the running game. And also on the receivers. Like today, you can see Payton [Thorne] did a really good job ID'ing some of the looks their defense was giving us, and he was able to get us out of certain plays and into more favorable plays for the running game. So, we're getting better. We still have a lot of football left to play, so we're looking to play our best football this week coming up.

On slowing down Rutgers' running game…
Initially, we didn't do a great job. We were making contact, we weren't wrapping up. And they were doing a really good job running hard and we were doing a bad job tackling. Then it became a perimeter support game, so they kind of got us on our edges a little bit. There's a lot there. All of that stuff is fixable. We need to get more guys ready to play. We started to get thin up there.

On playing the team's tight ends more today than in recent weeks…
We knew that the tight ends would be a factor in the passing game based on some of the things that they were trying to do. And obviously, they're trying to take away some of our receivers. But obviously, backs and tight ends can be very effective in the passing game. We have good tight ends. The staff put together a really good game plan to take advantage of what we thought we could get in the passing game. We made sure that we moved the ball around and we took what the defense was able to give us. Payton [Thorne] did a good job of finding those guys. We have a lot of flexibility in our offense to get the ball to our backs, tight ends, our receivers, and also the quarterback run game as well. Really good game plan and good execution, and we still have room for improvement.

On benefiting from opponent turnovers…
Every 100 yards of penalties is like a touchdown. When they are behind the sticks, it's obviously better for us. It got them in some obvious passing situations, so we could get into more of our schemes and take advantage of some one-on-ones in the pass rush. They had some long runs that hurt us, so that will be something that we need to address. When we get some tackles for loss, and get them up behind the sticks, it's harder for them. Penalties on offense are drive killers. We know that, so that's what happened.

On the running backs…
They are just running hard. We have room in the running game. Elijah (Collins) has been able to get in there, and he was effective in the screen game today. Guys are just playing hard and executing the game plan. There's no real significant difference between these guys physically; what they were today as opposed to what they were last week or the week before.

On the importance of Jacob Slade's blocked field goal…
That was huge. We talked about that all week, about being able to get some push inside on their guards. We have been close in some other games this year, even recently. We have been close on blocking some field goals and extra points, we just didn't get them, so it didn't really show up. We were able to show the guys that we were really, really this close to getting a hand on it up the middle. We saw some opportunities inside. We knew that if we got in those situations, and if we were able to get some push, we would have a chance to get a block. We knew that was going to make a difference in the game. We knew that it would be a close game. We prepared for a close game, so we knew that extra points or a blocked field goal would be huge. That one right there was a huge, huge play in the game. That was just playing with effort and toughness. Six seconds a play, not taking anything for granted and really getting after it. It was really good execution, and really good toughness.

On his reaction to Cal Haladay's performance…
Twenty tackles (officially finished with 19 tackles). That's a lot of tackles. So, he's going to have to get his feet up tonight, rest up and hydrate. That's a lot of tackles. He had a really good game last week, and he's all over the field. He really doesn't leave the field. He also plays on special teams. He is obviously one of our best players, and he's really, really productive. He is having fun playing the game. He is a leader in his own right. He has been a stabilizing force for us, because he has been very consistent throughout the year. He has always been out there, which has really helped. I'm really happy for him because he puts a lot of effort into the way he practices. He works hard, he studies the game and he's a very unselfish guy. Obviously, he is a playmaker. He made plays a year ago, and he continues to do that.

On the open competition at the kicker position…
We had an open competition this week in practice for field goal kicking. Normally, at the end of practice when we kick field goals, we have offense over doing ball security, and other things like that. This week, we just had everyone up. We got after it. We added a lot of noise, and put a lot of pressure on those guys. We had an open competition, which was good. It was really good. It is important; all of our guys know how important the kicking game is. I don't know if you could hear it, but the guys really celebrated when we made those field goals. We've had a little bit of a tough time with that, and those field goals were big for us. We had confidence that we could make them as well. Good snap. Good hold. Good kick. Good protection. Good operation.

On how the team has responded to its success in the past two weeks…
I think it's important not to get too high, and not to get too low, because it's all about consistency and performance. So, like I said, guys are gaining a lot of experience this season. They are remaining focused and blocking out the noise. The guys understand that it's about how we play. It's about how we focus and how we prepare. It's how we execute. It's about having discipline and toughness, and being unselfish. And then, staying neutral in our thinking, in the sense that, 'here's a situation, and here's what we need to do next.' To do that, it takes a lot of mental toughness and a lot of intensity. Our guys are very, very focused. They are very intense in everything that they do and work with a sense of urgency. So, we just have more time on-task, and more understanding of what it takes on a day-to-day basis to prepare and be in a position to win games. What you see is what you get from our guys. We aren't surprised by what we see from our guys. We just kind of see them every day. They go to work, and keep their head down. We have become a tighter group; tighter organization. Everyone is coaching for each other and playing for each other. We're blocking out the noise and are moving forward. What you are seeing is guys who keep chopping and keep taking the next step. Not getting too high, and not getting too low, understanding that it's all about execution. It's standard over feelings. We have to perform to a standard. It doesn't matter how we feel at a particular time. It's just what needs to be done, and 'let's get after it to get it done.

It seems like it's cliché, but there's not that much of a difference between winning and losing. In sports, and in football especially, it is literally a game of inches. One play here or there can make a difference in the outcome of the game. Momentum plays: you can go back and look at certain plays in games that make a huge difference. If you make those plays and you execute, you'll win the game. You don't do it, you can lose and lose badly. We've talked about it, we have talked all year about whether or not it was scheme, or if it was coaching, or if it was players. I keep going back to execution, execution, execution. How do you get better execution? Practice, preparation and teaching. Evaluation and owning what happens on the field, being accountable. The coaches have done a really good job throughout the season, slowing it down for the players. Not taking anything for granted, they've blocked out the noise and focused on teaching, developing the guys and making sure they understand what they need to do and how to do it, also remembering why it's important to do things a certain way. They take something that's complicated and make it simple for the guys so they can understand it and they can get better. When they understand what they are doing, they can repeat things, and then they can become more consistent. We're finding more consistency, and we're starting to play complimentary football because guys do understand what it takes and how to do it. They can do it consistently throughout a game for the most part. It's not like we re-invented the wheel or anything. We just trusted the process and stayed with it, being resilient. We have had some bumps in the road. It's been painful at times, but if it was easy, then everyone would be doing it.

Rutgers Head Coach Greg Schiano

About overcoming the 14 penalties...
It is really tough to overcome. Three of them on special teams which is one of the things we particularly talked about is getting penalties on your return teams on the road. It is just a bad formula, and you end up backed up and you get the crowd into it. Something you cannot do, and we got three of them. We played well enough in areas to win today, but that is certainly was not one of them.

About his thought process on the final drive of the first half...
Yeah, I can explain it. Tell me where the ball started? No, not in our own territory, deep in our own territory. If you have been around this game long enough, then you know we are getting the ball to start the second half. And it is a one-score game we cannot let it become a two-score game going into the half. So, we run the ball on third down a Kyle (Monangai) gets a big run. So now we are in kind of the area where if we get it near midfield, then we go into what we call T2. We got close, and then at the end we said we will take a shot. Into the wind that was about the max. We had a penalty again, and we were not going to mess around with it. The risk reward is always what you deal with. And I would do the end of that half exactly the way we did it because we made sure that we were not going to go make it a two-score game.

About what played a part in Rutgers' successful run game today...
I think the players. I think Kyle (Monangai) showed up in a big way. I think the offensive line, some of the combination changes. I thought Gus (Zilinskas) got in there in the second half. We are going to keep playing as many guys as we believe can help us on the offensive line. We got a great challenge next week because they (Penn State) have a great run defense. Look, we are getting better. I know it is not fast enough, it is not fast enough for me either. It is very frustrating to go look at those kids. I pain for them. Because they are giving us everything they got and to have to have that result. But, we understand, I think they are a mature group, we keep talking to them about how we just got to keep doing what we do and eventually as long as you do not turn around, it is going to turn. And I believe that, I do. I think we are getting closer. Unfortunately, we have not put it together on all three phases yet. And I thought maybe today would be that day. But a side that was not really getting the job done, they got it done. And the side that was kind of did not play up to their standard. And then in special teams, I do not think we played up to our standard as well.

About what led the defense to giving up a lot of yards...
I am going to have to study the tape a bit to give you the technical answer. But when I watch a game, I watch the beginning of the game as the head coach and if the running back is falling forward at the beginning of the game more than he is falling backward that is not a good thing, and I felt that way. I did not feel like that we were getting after the line of scrimmage. And then some balls that got thrown into the secondary, and I do not know, I have to look at everything because we did not look as fast as we normally looked. Maybe it is because we are playing on grass, I do not know. I have questioned that myself during the game, I just said we do not look like ourselves back there. Look, we got to learn to put three phases together. I talked to you guys earlier in the year about complementary football, we really did not do that and at times we did. We did some good things on third down and at the beginning we had given up three third downs in a row or two. Then the rest of the game, I think we only gave up two third downs. So, the guys, they battled. There was never any lack of fight, our guys are incredible with that, it was just some of our knockback. And again, part of it also could be, it is game 10 in the Big Ten, and people are hurting. And that is a fact. Guys were playing in pain, all of that adds up, we got to figure out what to do though because in six days we have got a huge challenge with Penn State.

Michigan State Redshirt Junior QB Payton Thorne

On how the success of the running game makes his job easier…
Yeah, it helps us tremendously, our whole offense, when we are running the ball well. It opens everything up for us. Our playbook is at its 100 percent capacity when we are running the ball well, we can do whatever we want. So, yeah it's been good to see. The offensive line has been playing really well. We had a couple new guys in there in newer roles and they've been doing a really good job.

On if this is the healthiest he's felt since the beginning of the year…
Yeah for sure, last week on the first play of the game, I got a little something bothering me the rest of the game, but it wasn't anything major. So, throughout the week, I was able to get it back to where it's normal. But yeah, I would say probably today is the healthiest I've been, which feels good. I feel like I've been able to run decently well. Again, I'm probably not as fast as I was in the summer. But you know, it feels a lot better.

On how important it was to get the running game going early in an order to maintain control of the game…
We ran the ball well from the jump. You know, I don't know if we had really a slow start, we just didn't put points on the board. Like, we were moving the ball, so it wasn't like we went three and out, three and out, three and out…or anything like that. But yeah, it was good to see us running the ball well, guys running the ball hard, the o-line is opening up creases, receivers doing a good job blocking on the edge. And then you know, just executing. So, that helped us a lot, and we were able to get some other things going throughout the game too as well.

Michigan State Redshirt Senior WR Jayden Reed

On what was going through his head during his touchdown grab late in the third quarter…
I kind of just watched the safety all game, he was biting on a lot of stuff going out. And like you said, I just came back to the huddle and noticed that and said it to coach (Jay) Johnson. Came right down, I got rerouted a little bit, and then I was able to get a vertical push on him. Staying a little bit outside then inside, and it was just great ball placement by him (Payton Thorne). He just put the ball where I could make a play.

On what has allowed the offense to execute so well the last few games…
I just think over the time of the season, we've just been building chemistry. You know, the run game is starting to grow a little more, so that opens a lot more up for the offense. And a lot of guys are just learning the playbook and everything. Everybody is sound on what plays we're running. So, that just makes it a lot easier when everybody knows what they're doing.

Michigan State Redshirt Senior DT Jacob Slade

On his blocked field goal…
You don't know if you got it until it hits your hand. I was just in there, and we spoke it into existence. I didn't see anything after that. I was just rolling around on the ground after I hit it thinking the play was over when we were running it back. Luckily it hit my good hand because I had the issue with my thumb last year so lucky it hit my good hand or that would have hurt a lot.

On the play of the defensive line the last couple weeks…
I think we have been really resilient as a unit with all of the stuff that has come our way. We had nothing left to lose and I think we showed that in the last two games we played. Effort hasn't been an issue this whole season, I think we've had execution errors but the effort from everyone on this team is something I wouldn't question at all.

On the play of Cal Haladay…
It's always nice that he is someone to rely on back there. I know he always has my back, and we try to do the best we can for him.

Michigan Staste Redshirt Sophomore LB Cal Haladay

On the play of the defense…
I think we're getting more confident, and we trust everyone that is going out there. We put a lot of trust in our younger guys and different guys to do different jobs all over the field. It allows us to be more versatile by putting people in different spots and using everyone to their strengths. A lot of that is clicking too, we're doing our jobs at a high level.

On the confidence of the team…
This is a big win for sure, every win is big, there's no easy ones and you have to treat every game like the national championship. We have some momentum now over the past two weeks, and hopefully that will translate and keep us rolling. There are always things that we can get better at, we have to keep making sure that we are doing the little things right.

On the Rutgers running attack…
He's a very good running back (Kyle Monangai). He is a hard runner that will attack you downhill. He was getting gaps and hitting creases, there's things we need to tighten up on with tackles, wrapping up and squeezing, those are things we do every day that we need to focus on next week. We need to focus on that because that is something we can't let happen again, we can't let them get leaky yards from missing tackles.

Related News

Related Videos