University of Massachusets Athletics
Post-Game Quotes from UMass-Villanova
October 13, 2007 | Football
Oct. 13, 2007
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Coach Don Brown on coming off a bye week:
Sometimes when you have the bye week, you wonder about your rhythm and what's going to happen. I think part of that may have been the reason for our sluggish beginning, but I have got to give credit to Villanova. I thought they had an excellent game plan on both sides of the ball. Their team came in well prepared and it was a dogfight.
Brown on the game:
It was a great football game. I can't remember being involved in a game with that kind of excitement. Our big-time players made big plays.
Brown on Liam Coen's play during the game: I'm sure Liam will tell you he didn't have the greatest first half, but I've told you guys before - anytime he is under center, we have a chance to win.
Brown on the defense:
I thought our defense competed extremely well all day long. Some of those guys rose up as Jeremy Miles rose up and had a couple of key stops. It was really a well played game on both sides and hard-fought.
Brown on the team:
Last Sunday, I told our guys that I questioned their maturity. I kind of challenged them on their chemistry, and asked them "if we are going to be a great football team, would we stay together under adverse conditions?" As I told them after the game, I will never ask that question again this year, because they answered that question today in a big, big way.
Matt Lawrence on the overtime events:
On that fumble, all I can say is that it was an unfortunate event. It was my fault, but you have to keep going. That's what we teach here, and my teammates picked me up. When that second chance comes you can't hang your head, you have to do what you were taught.
Liam Coen on the team's confidence in overtime:
We knew it was in our favor. We knew that we had been in that situation a few times.
Jason Hatchell on the game:
All great teams face adversity, and that's how you step up. I think the guys showed today that there is not much inexperience on this field anymore.
Coach Andy Talley opening statement:
Obviously this was an outstanding game. Our team played great. I was really happy with our team. As hard as we could play and as good as an effort we could give. True freshmen quarterback--three days to get ready to play for a runner up national champ and did his job. Matt [Whitney] had a great day running the ball and trying to take time off the clock, keep it out of their hands, slow it down. You're playing against a team that gives up 90 yards a game on the ground. It was a tough game to break a freshman quarterback in with UMass. The blitz that they use so much is tough on any quarterback, let alone a guy who hasn't been in the mix before. I thought UMass would be a little sluggish in the first half coming off a layover, which I think had happened. It gave us an opportunity. They came out of the box a little slow, which you need to beat a team that's a little more talented in spots than you are. You try to keep it close in the 4th quarter and hope you can win it in the end and I wasn't counting on three overtimes.
Coach Talley on Freshman Quarterback Chris Whitney:
Chris is phenomenal. In Pennsylvania, they have a big 33 game which is against Ohio and he played in that game and he played in the All-American game in high school and he played in a big time program so he stepped in and acted like he'd been here for a couple years. I'm very proud of him.
Matt Dicken on Quarterback Chris Whitney:
He is a true freshman out there, but he didn't play like it today. I was still jumping around and he's lining me up in the right spots and stuff. He was definitely a leader out there today. He played with a lot of composure.
Quarterback Chris Whitney on the final play of the game:
I think they came with just a second in coverage. As it rolled out I saw Antwon [Young] and I just threw it a little too high. He was wide open.
Quarterback Chris Whitney on preparing for the start:
As soon as I found out that I was going to be playing, I was real excited right away. I just knew I had to get down to business. There was a week to prepare. I'd been ready all year if they need me and I finally got the call.
