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University of Minnesota Athletics
Postgame Quotes
9/2/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
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Sept. 1, 2016
TCF Bank Stadium
Oregon State at Minnesota
Tracy Claeys, Minnesota Head Coach
Overall thoughts...
"It's one of those things where we shot ourselves in the foot on some plays. But I'll tell you first games are a problem. We didn't know what they were going to do. They did a good job changing things and slowed us down in the beginning on offense. But I thought that coach (Jay) Johnson and our guys made some good play calls down at the end and got points on the board. They had us scrambling on defense. We lost those kids to the penalties and then an injury. But I'll tell you, I'm all for that penalty. They are reviewing it and for making the game safer. We've got to go back to practicing. Sometimes you get so hyped up that you forget about going for the lower target. But on the quarterback scrambling, we went for the lower target and he went down and we hit him. That's a tough play but it's all for the safety of the game. We just can't shoot ourselves in the foot with the bad snaps. We lost a punt. We gave up a couple big plays on defense. But in the end, we didn't quit and the kids hung in there together and played hard. Most of the time when you do that you're going to win the ball game."
On the targeting penalties...
"The rule hasn't changed any and we haven't had a targeting penalty in the last four years. It's something that we will go back and emphasize that you got to stay low on the hits. It's a fast game and a full speed break sometimes you can't control some of those but I am for the rule. We will look at it and go back to work on it."
On the offense after Oregon State took the lead...
"I think they had a good plan and knew what they could get. I thought they did a good job of mixing it up there. We had a really good night, I think if it weren't for the two really bad snaps on offense. I never like the first two or three drives for them go out and there not be many plays. But also we weren't ready for something that they showed us there and they changed their defense. That's the hard part about the opening game. I'm glad it's over. You get a chance to get some video and know what you're going to work on. We can't have those penalties and we can't shoot ourselves in the foot."
Mitch Leidner, Minnesota Quarterback
On the new offense…
"Yeah definitely, it was a process, but we got the W overall. Those aren't easy to come by, by any means, so you know, that's the most important part right there. But it was good to stretch the ball downfield a little bit. We weren't able to come up with a couple plays, we got a pass interference on one, so that was good. But overall, I had a lot of fun playing out there tonight."
On being too amped early on in the game…
"Yeah, you could definitely say that. I think it's a mixture of both being a little too amped and a little bit nervous. We've got a couple guys on the offensive line there that hadn't played in this type of setting before. And we got some young receivers as well that haven't played before so to get those guys acclimated to the game, unfortunately we don't get those preseason games like the NFL does where you are able to get adjusted to things like that, but to be able to win a game against Oregon State and have some of that sloppiness there, I think that will definitely help us moving forward."
Rodney Smith, Minnesota Running Back
On starting as running back with Shannon Brooks injured...
"I was prepared for it. …I knew heading in that Shannon was banged up and he was going to be out, so I just had to do my best and keep the team on my back as much as I could and I think I did an okay job with it."
On Shannon giving him grief…
"Yeah, I tripped up on a couple of runs that should've been longer runs but it's good that he's on me about that, making me better. I'm on him, when he gets back I'm going to be on him, and it makes us better. I feel like we work well together."
On overall performance…
"Yeah, it was definitely a bang. A good way to start the season. But like I said, I'm somewhat disappointed in myself. I feel like I should've had some longer runs which would've equaled more yards and then on the one I tripped would've been a touchdown. So, moving forward I'm definitely going to work on those things."
Damarius Travis, Minnesota Defensive Back
On the three targeting ejections…
"It was heartbreaking just seeing all our starting guys go out like that, but I guess it's just a part of the game now. They got the rules changed now so we just have to follow them."
On team being to "amped" causing costly penalties early on in the game…
"Yeah, for sure. We've been practicing against the offense all camp and were really just ready to compete against another team. It just showed we are very competitive."
On small margins of victory during the non-conference schedule last year and now carrying into tonight…
"I mean we felt like we just needed to come out and win. That's really what it came down to. It really doesn't matter who we play. We just want to dominate our opponent."
Jack Lynn, Minnesota Linebacker
On defending against a multitude of different offensive plays/sets…
"They called a pretty good game, with the screen passes. They knew our weaknesses and they kind of exploited them a little bit, but we are just gonna have to go back to the film room and capitalize on what we need to do next week."
Gary Andersen, Oregon State Head Coach
"It was a obviously hard fought football game. We knew what we were getting in Minnesota. Well, at least I did, and many people on our staff that played this team before knew exactly what they were going to get and they are a tough-nose, hard, physical football team. Second half they were going to come out and try to impose their will on you and they did. We handled those situations pretty well, which was a good thing to see. The two turnovers were huge. The negatives I would say to you right out of the gate that are glaring is our ability to the rush the passer on our base defense and the ability to protect the passer and those things when all said and done, you know with the turnovers basically getting evened up then with the safety and dropped punt, we were able to score, so points given on both sides…The quarterback for them for the most part was able to make plays with his feet, but he was sitting back there taking the time he needed to throw the football and even when Darrell (Garretson) was completing it most of the time, he was crawling back off the ground, so I see that as a huge factor in this football game and it's something that will have to be improved. There are some very talented weapons on the outside with this football team I believe. Not a lot of plays you can draw up on the board and put on the play book when you have to throw in half of a second……Those are the kids that are talented and we have to give those kids some time and give those kids the ball. I am proud of the fight and I am proud of the hurt it showed in their faces after this football game, which is important."
On Darrell Garretson's ability to handle the pass rush and make quick decisions….
"I thought Darrell did a very good job and I know he did have to go get the ball out quicker and he knew that and he understood that. You aren't going to find a tougher kid than that, so he will stay in there and he will fight like crazy and he didn't just get hit, he got drilled numerous times, and to take those shots on two turnovers and then come in there and hang in there to stick those balls the way he did. The one to Victor (Bolden Jr.) was a great pass and the one to Seth (Collins) to get the first down and to get us moving down the field. Those were big-time plays and he took some shots and completed the other one in the end zone, when he got wacked. There is definitely some toughness in the kid that I already know about and also a lot of us on the staff know about that. He will keep fighting and lay it all out on the field."
Oregon State Linebacker Manase Hungalu
On end of the game play calls…
"You know, the coaches made the right calls, put us in the right positions. Everybody on the defense, we just have to play our role and do our job. If we do that we would have made the plays and it would have been a different ball game."
On communication on defense…
"It was good. Everybody was communicating. I think it was just executing the plays and finishing. Everybody was in the right place. It was just finishing and making the tackle."
Oregon State Safety Devon Chappell
On emotions at the end of the game…
"I think everybody was excited that we came back after the safety. Defense stepped up and got the punt return back. Just being that close, I think everybody was excited to be in the ball game. You know, just finishing was the problem."
"You know, at the end of the day, a loss is a loss. We are not satisfied with being close to winning. A loss is a loss whether you lose by an inch or a mile. We do not care. At the end of the day we need to win and that is what we are going to do."
On communication…
"Communication was fine. Once again, just like Manase said, we just got to execute. We got to do what our coaches teach us to do and we got to perform."
On whether or not there were any encouraging aspects to the outcome of the game…
"Well, we know we could have won that game and we know we should have won that game. Whether that is encouraging or not… like I said, a loss is a loss. We are going to take that L and we need to move forward. Like I said, we need to get better as a defense and we need to get better as a team and we need to move forward."
