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University of Minnesota Athletics
Illinois Postgame Quotes
11/7/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
POSTGAME QUOTES
Illinois (3-6, 2-5) 35, Minnesota (5-5, 3-4) 32
Nov. 7, 2009 – TCF Bank Stadium – Minneapolis, Minn.
Attendance: 50,805 (sellout) - Kickoff: 11:01 a.m. (CT)
Illinois Head Coach Ron Zook quotes
Opening statement:
“Obviously everybody had their heart rates probably beating as fast as we did. As I told the football team, that was something we needed. I told them at half time this is a football team that four of their five wins were come from behind wins and they were going to keep playing. We had some things happen to us that they caused and they got a little momentum going, but the thing I’m proud of is our guys didn’t quit. Our guys hung in there and I think that’s something we’ll be able to use here down the road.”
On Jacob Charest:
“He was 10-of-19 with 185 yards. I think he managed the offense extremely well. At the end, a lot of people may take it for granted, but I thought his clock management was good. Usually for a young quarterback the clock management issue is the last thing that comes. I thought that for him to be able to go into that kind of environment with that kind of situation of the momentum shifting a little bit, for him to be able to manage the clock the way he did was excellent.”
On the win:
“It’s real important that we keep going now. I told them all we are going to enjoy this one tonight and tomorrow, but we are going back to work Monday. Obviously, this was a big game for us and it’s going to be a big game coming up for us. We’re going to take them one at a time like I said last week.”
On the team being relaxed:
“I think they’re more relaxed. When something bad happens they’re not panicking. We had a couple of drops. When was the last time you saw Arrelious drop the ball? Jeff [Cumberland] dropped two and Jeff’s drop them before, but not two. Those are some things we have to stay focused and some of us are going to have to make up for the others like Jacob [Charest] did.”
DL Clay Nurse
On the win:
"It's kind of surreal. You've got to give yourself some time to let it soak in. I'm excited. We needed this one. We needed it badly. It's amazing. I don't know how else to explain it. It's just amazing. Throughout the entire game I just wanted to stay in the zone. I don't want to get too high; I don't want to get too low. I just want to stay right in the groove. I felt like something special was happening today, and I didn't want to mess it up. I didn't want to jinx it. Coming onto the field when those clocks were at double zero, I was ecstatic. I was excited. I'm just happy for my teammates, happy for the Illini nation, for my mom. I was just excited."
On his four sacks:
"If you look back on a lot of those plays the DB's kind of made him hold the ball, and the other guys were getting pressure on him. I don't think I was the one who was actually putting the pressure on, I think the other guys were doing a great job out there. I think we worked great today on all three levels. It just so happened that I was the one making the play. It could have been the other way around."
Redshirt Freshman Quarterback Jacob Charest
On his game:
"I try to keep my eyes down the field as much as possible, looking for receivers. I figure they can run a little bit better than I can, so I want to get them the ball. I just wanted a touchdown pass. I wanted a touchdown pass just so I could say I have one. Finally the opportunity came, and I got it."
On the pressure of taking over a game as a freshman:
As a quarterback I guess you've got to be able to play and prepare in pressure. You just can't let it get to you. I try to block it out and ignore it."
Illinois Running Back Jason Ford
On the Alignment of the Minnesota Defense
"No I think that offensive line did a great job in picking up everybody. The holes open and I just ran through that."
On the game plan against Minnesota this week
"It was just like last week we wanted to get the run game going and carry it into this week"
On the injury to Juice Williams
"Everybody is always ready to step up no matter if it is Juice (Williams) or Arrelious (Benn) or whoever, because I know that we have confidence in Jacob (Charest), in his ability when he comes in.
Illinois Offensive Lineman Eric Block
On winning two games in a row
'Yes absolutely, it feels good to win two in a row. It has not happen since last year so this year it feels good. Obviously we do what we have to do to win and now we have to focus on the rest of the season."
On the offensive line play
"I think the offensive line did well. I know Minnesota has a tough defensive line, their tackles are tough and defensive guys. We will see what happens after we get out but overall I think we did a good job.
