Miami 59, Syracuse 0 Post-Game Quotes
Recap|Final Stats|Notes|Photo Gallery
Nov. 17, 2001
MIAMI HURRICANES FOOTBALL
MIAMI V. SYRACUSE
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 3, 2001
MIAMI POST-GAME QUOTES
HEAD COACH LARRY COKER:
“This team is scary when they are clicking on all cylinders. Offense, defense and special teams all did a tremendous job.”
“I think the team was challenged and they wanted to make a statement. I also think the offense was a little embarrassed last week and we’re a better offensive team than that. We didn’t play badly last week, but turnovers killed us.”
“Ken is just a tremendous competitor. You don’t understand it until you know what he is all about. If you know him as a person he is just a very nice young man, but he is a tremendous competitor and perhaps his toughest critic on himself.”
“I think this was the best overall effort. Syracuse came in as a highly-ranked team, won eight games in a row. I think winning the game and winning convincingly as we did, there weren’t many letdowns. One of the things this team wanted to do was finish, and I think we did that tonight.”
“I knew if we got reasonably ahead, they’d have a tough time playing catch up. That’s not their style. They (Syracuse) usually win their games with defense and special teams.”
“There are a lot of doubters around the country and I think we quieted them a little bit tonight. We are a good football team and we are for real.”
QUARTERBACK KEN DORSEY:
“I think the worse day was Monday because that was our off day.”
“I thought Bryant did a great job. I wasn’t really concerned with their blitz guy.”
“It means a lot. Not only because of last year, but they are also standing in the way of the National Championship, so this game is going to mean a lot -not only from last year but for this year too.”
“I definitely wanted to come out and have a good game. I looked at positions where I threw those interceptions and they had the potential of really hurting our team and I didn’t want that to happen. I learned that from last week. In the first quarter when I saw I couldn’t throw the ball into a tight gap, I just threw it away.”
“We want to go out and be perfect. That’s our goal. That’s the capability of this team, and we are going to have to play a complete game against the teams down the stretch.”
SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY
POST -GAME QUOTES
HEAD COACH PAUL PASQUALONI:
“They had us going, mixing up the run and the pass. They had us off balance all night and you can’t play like that. We couldn’t settle in defensively and they had us completely out of whack. That’s the sign of a really good team.”
“This was a game Miami clearly won, I’m sure they were focused on playing well tonight so they could go into the next few games (on a positive note.)”
“We’ve played a lot of good teams, but this is clearly the best team we’ve played, no doubt about it. We’ve played against a lot of real good Miami teams over the years, based on the experience we’ve had they are as experienced and explosive as ever. That team, the way they played tonight, is the best of any we’ve faced.”
ON WHAT MAKES MIAMI SO GOOD:
“First, it’s the timing and the backs. The running game is very dynamic, the offensive line, tight end and running game is key, they are outstanding in the run game. Second, the quarterback and his timing is outstanding. The thing to me that is most impressive is the young wide receivers. We had as difficult time against them as any group of Miami receivers. We found out tonight that these kids are just that good.”
DWIGHT FREENEY:
ON BRYANT MCKINNIE
“He’s a very good pass blocker. When you run as much play action as they do, you have to honor that. That’s the problem. The best thing they do is run. His size and their pass protection makes it real tough to get in on them.”
ON SYRACUSE PLAY
“We prepared well. Give credit to Miami, they played great. When things happen bad, they get real bad. They’re very good. Very deserving of No. 1 in the country.”
R.J. ANDERSON
ON MIAMI BEING NO. 1
“I definitely think so. I said that last year but unfortunately they got left out. They are even better at home.
ON OFFENSE”It’s like a snowball effect. Bad things start to happen and it just gets worse. The same thing happened to them at Syracuse in 1998. There is nothing you can do when that happens.”
JAMES MUNGRO
“We knew what they would do defensively, they were in a 4-3 the whole game. We just didn’t execute offensively.”
“They’re a great team and hopefully they will win the National Championship. I hope they do. We let things get out of hand tonight and we let it get out of control.”
