Post Game Quotes
Oct. 11, 2008
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Head Coach Randy Shannon
“This was an exciting game for us. It was a good win to get us back on the road, coming off of two tough losses at home. I think the defense came out and responded. I think they did a great job of controlling the game for us because we didn’t get much going on offense, and they did a tremendous job on third down. Offensively we have some things we have to correct. We could not get the passing game going tonight so we had to ride with our running game giving [Graig] Cooper, Derron [Thomas], and Lee Chambers the opportunity to move the football and to try to win it on field position, which we did because our defense was playing so great. When you get into tough games like that, if your offense is not going you have to hold on and have defense get field position and try to win it with special teams. I think special teams did a great job until that long kick-off return, but they closed it out.”
On third down conversions…
“The last couple of weeks haven’t been good. Offensively we just couldn’t get anything going. There was a stretch in the secondary where they had four seniors playing against our young guys , and like I said to them all week, you guys are going to have to step up to the challenge. It’s not going to be that we are going to feel sorry for you we are not going to baby you. We want you guys to go out there and make plays because you are a part of this team and we are giving you that opportunity to do it.”
On assessment of Robert Marve and Jacory Harris…
“We just have to keep going with those young guys. They are young, one is a true freshman and the other is a redshirt freshman. So we are just going to keep going and keep pounding away. Jacory [Harris] played a lot more tonight because we thought that Robert [Marve] got a little stagnant. We did not lose confidence in him, but maybe Jacory could come in a give us that lift. That’s all. Sometimes you do that with quarterbacks.”
On Robert Marve’s interceptions…
“Those tonight were big time mistakes. They did a good job of taking away our passing game. They did a good job of confusing Robert [Marve] tonight and we have to go back to the board and as offensive coaches and reconstruct what we are doing on offense, and see the thing that they were trying to take away and do the opposite.”
On Darryl Shaprton…
“He is starting to come around. [Darryl] Sharpton and I have been talking a lot the past couple of weeks because I care a lot about all of the guys on this team and Darryl is one of the guys has been here for a time and you want him to make more plays, be more involved, and be more assertive. He did a great job tonight of responding and doing the things we were going to do. Now by me saying that I am not going to let him off of the hook for next week. I am going to stay on top of him. He needs that, that kind of support, that tough love.”
UCF Head Coach George O’Leary
On game…
“Well, you can’t give up points on mistakes, that’s what I thought we did. There was the penalty on the field goal, a blocked punt and there was a personal foul out of bounds and we can’t misjudge a punt return. I thought our defense really for the amount of times they were on the field played a very solid game. They competed the whole game. Offensively, I’m somewhat disappointed in their performance, with the field positions that they had in the first half. It was a tough loss, give Miami credit, they made plays when they had to and we came up short.”
On Burnett’s fumble…
“I think what happened was that we didn’t do a good job on the double on the gunner coming down field and Joe took his eye off it. He was trying to run before he caught the ball. It grazed his chest and went underneath. He played such an outstanding game to have that one thing, it’s a shame. He’s a great competitor. I wish I had about 30 of those guys. That was a mistake there that cost us a touchdown, but he also got a touchdown back and got numerous yards on the punt return.”
On quarterback play…
“Mike Greco said he was about 60%, so that’s why he wasn’t out there earlier and when we had him in there he just couldn’t plant on the foot, so we just took him right back out and put Rob [Calabrese] back in. It think what Rob did today was typical freshman stuff. We had some open receivers and he either under threw them or overthrew them. That’s part of growing up with a freshman that we have to go through sometimes.”
On creating turnovers…
“That’s a good thing, because that’s how we are scoring touchdowns. I’m real proud of our defense. We put them in some awful tough situations and too often out there. I feel like I’m always apologizing to the defense.
On containing Miami’s offense…
“We are a solid defense. We are very stingy when we don’t give up the big play ourselves. I thought [Graig] Cooper was a good running back. He made us miss a couple times and got some things done there. We played a solid game and probably gave the ball to our offense in good field position that we didn’t make hay on. We will continue to work on that, I promised these players that I will get this right for them on offense.”
Miami Player Quotes
Miami Quarterback Robert Marve
On his struggles in the game today…
“I think that’s the case every day. You just have to go there and try and win the game. It great to learn. It was a very weird day, on both sides a little bit. But a win’s a win, we’ll take it. We love it. It feels good right now to win.”
On tonight’s win…
“Every time we win, it’s a step forward. I think it’s a huge step forward. It’s kind of the one that gets you started to keep you winning. So of course, it was a big win for us. We’re going to work harder this week and get ready for our next opponent.”
On being taken out of the game…
“I was cool with it. I was having a rough day, it’s football though. It was great to have a rough day and know you can still win the game. The guys were great, they all came up to me saying things like ‘Marve keep your head up’, ‘Marve don’t get mad’. They encouraged me the whole time, so that kept me out of the hot seat. It was good for me. So either way you look at it, I trust the coach’s decision and just live with it.”
On throwing seven interceptions the past three games…
“Yeah, it’s rough. We’re trying to make plays. That’s it. I don’t know whether it’s one of these dumb freshman things; I don’t know what it is. Sometimes I see it there and I’m trying to force it or it’s just those little ones too. I want to keep seeing the ball. The thing I want to focus on is the ball handling mistakes and my throws. I need to work on that a little more. I have to keep being aggressive, I’m still learning the offense. Our defense this week showed a whole different defense than we thought that they were going to show.”
On his confidence level tonight…
“I’m starting to work. I don’t know how else to say it. I need to step up on this team. I’m going to step up on this team. Throwing three interceptions is not acceptable by any means. I will not let it happen here at the University of Miami. I’m going to get back in there. All I can do is watch film and get right back into workouts. I’m going to work hard and not let this happen again. It’s not going to be about the freshman year jitters. I know I’m going to go through ups and downs. But I just have to know that when I’m down, I got to get back up. So that’s what I’m going to do.”
Miami Wide Receiver Travis Benjamin
On making a name for himself…
“Every time I do something, I hear somebody calling my name. Tonight I saw somebody with a big poster of me, so I know I have to do big things. I have to live up to my potential. I can’t let my team down.
Miami Defensive Lineman Allen Bailey
On expectations of him…not being able to play 100%…
“Yeah, at times it’s hard. At camp, I was trying to get back in my rhythm, get my feet back right. I felt pretty good tonight, but it probably wasn’t the best I’ve felt. I think I did pretty good though.”
UCF Player Quotes
UCF Punter Blake Clingan
On number of punts…
“The offense wasn’t moving the ball that well, so field position was a big aspect of the game for both teams. We made a couple bad snaps, but Coach [O’Leary] always says don’t dwell on the last play go for the next one.”
On blocked punt…
“It was a low snap and the guy came through the ‘A’ gap and blocked the punt.”
UCF WR Brian Watters
On quarterback play…
“Rob [Calabrese] is young and he has a lot more experience to gain out there. I’m not faulting him in anyway because he is so young. As a receiver, I think we need to lock in a little more and make tougher catches for him to build his confidence. My hat is still off to him, win or loss.”
On last incomplete pass on fourth down…
“We had run that play a few times and they had finally picked up on it, but I should have made the catch. I put it all on me. I should have made the catch.”
DB/KR/PR Joe Burnett
On muffed punt…
“It was a good call. I should have caught the ball. It didn’t hit my hands, it hit my body. I had my eyes down on the coverage and looked for the ball at the last second. The ball went straight through. It was a good call by the refs.”
On Miami continuing to kick to him…
“I expect them to kick to me. There is no hype on my shoulders. When they did, I just had to make the best of it.”
