Posted December 23, 2019 | lasvegasbowl
“Number one, congratulations to Washington, that’s a good football team, we know that, and Coach Peterson. Obviously, coaching against that staff, overall tonight, we just flat out needed to coach better in this game, prepare our guys better. Our guys played hard, they did a good job in practice, they were ready to go out there and play and as coaches we didn’t do a good enough job to make the adjustments that we needed to and we didn’t call plays at the right time, whatever it might be, but our guys were out there trying to execute and do what they’ve done all season long, but this is a good football team that we played against – we also have a good football team and it certainly didn’t show up tonight. To me, that was what happened. When you look at the turnovers, we lost the turnover battle, I believe we lost the field position battle as well, so really those become the key factors in the game. As far as our plan and everything we had in place, that’s what been working, it hasn’t changed, whatever has worked up to this point, we really operated a lot of the same way. At the end of the day, we just didn’t do enough to win the game and Washington played well. When you get the turnovers like that and you get it at midfield and you are able to execute and put points on the board, that’s really what it comes down to. More than anything, it’s simple that way, that’s where the game changed. We needed to make a few plays here and there, but we certainly could have helped our guys as coaches to be able to go out there and keep this closer. I’m proud of our guys, I told them that. Disappointed for our seniors – to go out and play extremely well this season and not finish the way you want to, that’s always part of the goal, so I feel for those guys. Those guys that have been here four or five years have contributed to the success of the program and left it better than they found it and for the guys coming back, this should sting. This should be something that drives and motivates us as we go into the offseason.”
“It had nothing to do with the sickness, it was about giving Hank an opportunity to go out and play too. I think we forget Hank won seven games earlier in the season and it’s been so long, but he’s also been a part of this, so it really had nothing to do with other than both guys had done well this season, but Hank was deserving of playing as well and that’s what we rolled with. Jaylon came in and moved the ball, Jaylon is always exciting, he can do things, he made good decisions out there and at that point the game had changed and we weren’t able to do all of the things we wanted to.”
“It’s hard cause I’m thinking about our team at the end of the game, thinking about our seniors and the season and what we were able to accomplish this year, and obviously we didn’t finish the way we wanted to, but when I got to midfield I think about Coach Peterson and what he’s meant to a lot of us on both staffs, to college football and he’s certainly the reason why a lot of us are in the position we are in today. I have tremendous respect for him, great appreciation for the opportunities I’ve had because of him. We are all very proud to have been part of his staffs and we wish him the very best. And he is one of the best in this profession when it comes down to it, not just wins and losses, but the type of character that he’s put on display for the last 15 years as a head coach, not just on our staffs but for everybody in college football.”
This is never about any one person, it’s never about any one player. It’s a team game. I should bring all the coaches up. I think the bowl game, we’ve talked about for a long time, I’ve always felt so strongly that this bowl game needs to catavolt. Send the seniors out the right way and catavolt the program forward. Every time that it seems that we’ve won a bowl game good things have happened that next year.
A lot of good people. We were excited to come to the ball game but when we saw the opponent, I was lukewarm on the opponent, just because of all the people and the connections and all those things, it is what it is. I’m just proud of these guys, I really am. I just thought it would make it more about me, and it’s never about one person, it’s just not. It’s about these guys playing really, really well.
When we go to practice it’s all good. When I talk to the team sometimes I can get a little bit emotional. But in terms of being on the field and practicing and all that, that’s just what we do.
I actually thought as much as you guys kept talking about that, that they’d play not as hard because they’re so sick of hearing about it. I’m just glad we got through it.
It’s gonna be awesome. And the next day after that. Maybe in a month it might not be so awesome, figuring out what to do next. But it’s gonna be good for a while.
I kind of was, and then we got then they got me when the fumble, or the interception happened. I was trying to stay on the field, but I got distracted.
Not really that good.
I thought they practiced well, the last couple weeks and then we came over here yesterday to do our final practice, and I could tell they’d play really hard and I felt they’d play really well, and they did. Boise is a heck of a team, and for us to finish on this note, I just feel really good for the guys that are leaving this program and the guys that are coming back. Because you just want to keep building and feeling like you’re on an upward trend.
Those guys practiced their tail off and we have a lot of young talent there, I really think that. There’s some really good young players. We recruited well to that position. There’s good depth and good talent there.
Our D-line, when they want to go, that’s another group I think that’s been getting better all season long. Those guys have been coming on strong. We’ve got some young guys in there, that’s gonna be a good line next year.
We’ve got some weapons. There’s a lot of firepower sitting there, and it’ll get better.
I just think they’ve been getting better and better and better. We lost a lot of guys last year – 10 guys, nine guys – so it’s gonna take a while for those guys to build skill and you gotta do it in the games and they’ve done that. When we get turnovers on defense it changes everything, when we’ve gotten turnovers it’s changed our team.
I thought he threw some really good balls out there, gave his receivers a chance to make plays, put it on them, even kind of moved around a bit. This guy could run, he’s got athleticism to him. He hadn’t played for a long time, until this year, and I think he learned a lot of things and I think he’s growing and whatever his future holds I know it’s gonna be bright.
I was really happy, they got one trick play for a first down, we got one for a touchdown.
It was awesome, just the way this whole team played. I play well and this team plays well, and I thought starting up front, the guys did an outstanding job in protection, our running backs ran the ball really well and our receivers went out and made plays. On the other side of things, our defense got the ball back for us, and got some stops in a lot of huge situations, so the momentum was on our side for the most part. Overall we just played a really well and efficiently and got the result we wanted.
There’s several factors, there’s a lot of things going on here and there’s a lot of different things going on there. I’m not really into discussing it right now. I gotta have a lot of conversations with my family and these coaches and this team and figure it out. Right now I’m super proud to be a part of this team and really happy with the way we finished this season.
I think they can be tremendous. I know coach Lake is going to do an outstanding job and we’ve got a lot of guys coming back. We’re losing a few guys, but I know these young guys have started to make their mark this season and they’re going to continue to do that next season. There’s a lot to look forward to at the University of Washington and it could be fun.
It’s a pretty good incentive, with him and the seniors too. Every game is important, but some games are a little more important. We had a lot of weeks to kind of let this simmer and we went out there and we played well.
I was clapping my hands going off the field, just cause they really earned that. They were scratching and clawing the whole time. We all looked at each other and was like ‘good, we’re glad this happened, we’re gonna respond.’
I was just a hook player, and so I’m just reading the quarterback and it was a slow developing play. I kind of read his eyes and then saw the running back flare out and then took it. After that play it went to the offense, and I was like ‘okay it’s your turn to go.’ And they did their thing.
I feel probably the best out of everyone, just cause I’ve seen what he’s done for DBs in my class and the class before me. He’s a learned a lot from coach Pete so many times, we’re gonna carry on a good tradition.
