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University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Post Game Quotes
9/13/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
POSTGAME QUOTES
Minnesota 20, Air Force 13
Sept. 12, 2009 - TCF Bank Stadium - Minneapolis, Minn.
Temp: 80 degrees, partly cloudy, wind from Northeast
Attendance: 50,805 (sellout)
Kickoff: 6:07 p.m. (CT)
Minnesota Head Coach Tim Brewster
What he told the team after the game... " Well, Dave, I told them how proud I was of them. They showed tremendous resilience two weeks in a row, found a way to believe in each other; they believe that good things are going to happen and they continue to work hard. Again like I said, this was another great victory against an outstanding opponent. I give Air Force a great deal of credit, that was a tough football game."
Thoughts on the game..."Again I was so proud of our defense, I thought our defense was lights out. I mean to hold those guys like we did, again just really proud of our defensive effort. Guys were flying around, obviously a big play by Brandon Kirksey stripping the ball, and the (Nate) Triplett scoop and score that was just a huge play in the football game and gave us some momentum. Offensively, again, just some penalties and we're hitting and missing. I thought we really got into a rhythm though in the second half a little bit, Adam (Weber) really played well. He really made some throws and we just got to stop shooting ourselves in the foot offensively, self inflicted wounds are really hurting us."
On the play of Nate Triplett..."Nate Triplett is playing outstanding football for us, just really running hard to the football on every snap. A very smart football player, doing a really nice job."
On the poise of the team..."We're working to talk to these kids about not flinching. There is no flinch on our football team. We talk about poise and we knew poise would be a factor in this game tonight with the style of play that we were going against in Air Force, we had to be poised, we had to be disciplined."
On the 25-yard Adam Weber completion to Nick Tow-Arnett on third down..."It was a vertical throw and we had to attack the field vertically in that situation and I tell you that was a great throw and catch, Adam Weber 20-of-29, and 219 yards and he did some nice things, I was pleased with how Adam played."
On TCF Bank Stadium..."It is absolutely incredible, it was incredible, the Gopher Victory Walk - and I've been at Texas and I've been around - I tell you what, the way that our fans responded was absolutely amazing. And I think that emotionally, it gets you too high for the game and coming into the game we had to calm ourselves down a bit, but I was so proud of this place and I want to say thank you. We wanted to give our fans a victory, they deserved one tonight."
Minnesota Senior WR #7 Eric Decker
On realizing it was just another football game:
“I think after the first drive we settled down. I think the emotion was still running the first kick off and the first drive but after that we realized it was just another ball game but a special one, at home with the crowd and everything. And you know, the first half we struggled a little bit but came back the second half and got things rolling and made some plays.”
On the turnaround in the second half:
“I think we just got more confident with ourselves and we started making plays, executing our offense. You know getting the third-and-short, converting first downs. We finally were moving the ball and the first half we kind of shot ourselves in the foot a little bit with some penalties. I know myself, I had three penalties this game. It’s those little things that add up. I think we did a better job of eliminating them.”
On responding to the pressure of the game:
“I think this team has shown that we’re a third- and fourth-quarter team. There’s no quit. We fight all 60 minutes. You know, we came out slow the last two games and that’s something we need to work on. I mean, obviously in practice we will try to work on those things and try to get the ball rolling right away. But it’s good to see that we don’t give up.”
Minnesota Junior QB # 8 Adam Weber
On the walk in:
“You know you try to make it like any other game. But on the bus ride coming down University, all of frat row, and just seeing that it’s a whole different era now for our football program and just for our team. All the excitement that we felt. You know you feel it. Then, obviously, getting off the bus having hundreds and hundreds of people there. We were just excited. This raw emotion of excitement that feeds off. It definitely feeds into you and something truly special kind of shivers down your back.
On not being the first to score a touchdown:
“I guess that’s a little bit of the selfishness that comes into it. Obviously, when opening a stadium it would be great to open with a 97-yard bomb. It’s something like a fairy tale. But it’s all about winning games and I’m just happy that our fans stayed around and cheered us on and helped us.”
On his record-setting passing:
“It’s one of those things that kind of happens when you stay around long enough. No, no it’s a very, it’s a great, great honor but it’s the other things. It’s the winning games and taking this team to the next level is more important. It’s a great honor but there’s a lot more this season that is more important.”
Minnesota Senior LB # 32 Nate Triplett
On coming into tonight’s game:
“Defense was set up right off the bat. We practiced on Tuesday and they [coaches] said linebackers have to make plays. Coach came to up to me and said we need a big game out of you. I said alright. I watched a little extra film and did a little extra this and that. I just went out there and did what I was coached to do all week. If that turns out to be 17 tackles, then perfect.”
On making plays:
“It’s just knowing what to do all the time. Being where the coaches tell you to be and making the plays when they’re there to make. Coaches do a great job of setting up a game plan for us every week. When we’re in the places that we need to be, we need to make those plays.”
On Air Force:
“Watching film, they’re very sound. They know what they’re doing. They run not very many plays, so they have to be really good running those plays. We knew every guy has to do his job and every guy has to be ready to play.”
On his fumble recovery for a touchdown:
“I didn’t feel real fast at the moment. I thought I should be running a little faster. It felt good. It was a beautiful thing, seeing the end zone there with the ball in my hands.”
