Syracuse Student-Athlete Quotes vs. West Virginia
Syracuse vs. West Virginia
October 22, 2011
Carrier Dome, Syracuse, N.Y.
Senior TE Nick Provo
On becoming a bigger part of the offense:
“Coach said I need to become a bigger part, so when they call my name I just have to make plays.”
On if the game plan intended to heavily involve the tight ends:
“Yeah and at first I thought they were going to kind of adjust to it. They didn’t and it worked out in our favor.”
On if the running game was a focus coming into the game:
“The tight ends, we worked with Coach Marrone all week to try and get a couple of blocks. Those plays that we ran — they were some big gains for us.”
On how this win impacts the team moving forward:
“It is just a great win for the program. We are just going to build off that and prepare for the next game, Louisville.”
Senior QB Ryan Nassib
On how the bye week impacted the result:
“We faced a defense that we are not really used to seeing in a 3-4 look. There was extra time for us to prepare and it helped us out.”
On what he was able to do against the West Virginia defense:
“We did a good job of mixing up pass and run. Our running game was doing well and usually when that happens in this system, is when we are at our best. That is really how we were able to keep up under the pressure.”
On beating West Virginia in back-to-back years:
“As far as the victory, it is a big win. We were able to keep the trophy, which we used as extra inspiration this week. It is something that now we know what we can do, something that can bring us forward. We did a good job this week focusing on the little things. After the last couple weeks, we have to stay focused and keep moving forward.”
On the Syracuse’s high efficiency on third downs:
“Really (it was) just patience. Good play calling. We got a good feeling what they were doing on third down early in the game so it really helped us out. I made some throws and we ended up making some big plays.”
Junior DE Chandler Jones:
On getting back out on the field after being injured:
“It felt great. I feel good and I feel like it would be a little selfish for me to sit up here and talk about all the big plays I had. Our team as a whole (played well). Coach Shafer did a great job of knowing when to call a blitz and when to sit back. Congratulations to Coach Shafer, he put a great game plan together.”
On getting to a QB who is as renowned as West Virginia’s Geno Smith:
“Geno Smith is a good quarterback. Actually, since I was out with my lower body injury I knew I was going to make the West Virginia game. So I have been scouting him since then. At the end of the game, I walked up to Geno Smith and told him he was a (great) player and I have a lot of respect for him. He is a great player and his passion for the game is off the charts. We just game planned and got a lot of pressure on Geno, so I am psyched for that. ”
On if having to hear about West Virginia’s offense prior to the game was a motivation factor:
“Definitely. I feel like it was just stats. You have a team like Syracuse who is not ranked and you are going up against the 11th-ranked team in the nation. They came in here with swagger and it was our job to keep up with them and come out of here with a win.”
Senior WR Dorian Graham
On returning a kickoff for a touchdown:
“First off, I want to give credit to all my teammates on the kickoff/return team. They did a good job executing blocks and opening up a hole. When I saw that hole I just trucked through. Like coach told me to do, I just took it straight up.”
On the timing of the touchdown return:
“It was a momentum booster. I am happy to get my team up and get the morale up. Keep pushing forward. Get the defense out there to give us a chance to stop them. Then the offense can come out and take it down for another score.”
On his role in the offense:
“(My role) has expanded a lot. The coaches put a lot of trust in me to line up when I’m called. Just have to make the plays and that is what I did.
Junior LB Siriki Diabate
On how the defense contained Geno Smith:
“I guess it was game planning so a lot of credit to our coaches for putting us in the right places to execute every play. We have a passion for our defense and how we run it. All week long during practice, we worked on getting pressure on the quarterback. I think that is what we went out there and did today.”
On the team being healthy coming into the game:
“I believe that helped a lot. Everybody out on defense, everyone is accountable for their play. (The injured players) coming back, that added a little bit to our defense and we welcomed them back pretty well with a win this week.”
On the environment the Carrier Dome presented during the second half:
“Our coaches always preach about not being a front-running team and never letting up even when you’re up. When you have the momentum going, you have to just keep it going. Once you let down that is when the other team starts coming up.”
Junior OT Justin Pugh
On maintaining a pocket for Ryan Nassib:
“We took a look at the LSU film and they kind of punched them in the mouth. They had the kind of mentality we had last year. We just wanted to go out there and make sure we were physical up front. We just focused on getting one first down at a time, moving the ball up the field. We were able to accomplish that tonight.”
On if things got easier as the game went on:
“When the offense gets rolling it is hard to stop. All of our backs were really running hard out there. You could see that look in their eyes that said ‘Here they go again.’ It kind of helps you as an offense and motivates you even more. It was a good thing to go out there and just play hardnosed football tonight.”
Senior Guard Andrew Tiller
On tonight’s tenacity and physical play:
“We talked about being physical and everything in practice and carried it over to the game.”
On the pregame talk between the two teams:
“Yes, we noticed it. I was there on the front line and could hear all the talking, but we kept that out of our minds. That was it and it served as motivation.”
Freshman Running Back Adonis Ameen-Moore
On the running back rotation:
“I think that we help keep fresh legs. Jerome Smith and I give Antwon Bailey a couple of breaks, a couple of breathers here and there.”
On how he sees himself being used:
“That is what the coaches are for. I do what the coaches tell me and that is how I see my role.”
On what Coach Nathaniel Hackett has taught him:
“Run first, that is what they are preaching. Run first then pass and that is what we did today.”
Senior TE David Stevens
On the atmosphere in the Carrier Dome:
“Going into the game we knew that was going to be a big crowd, but I don’t think some of the young guys haven seen a crowd like this or heard a crowd like this. They were really loud.”
On the difference between playing on Friday rather than Saturday:
“We have another day off. We have to report for med check, but basically that’s about it. We get Saturday and then we get back Sunday for lifting and watching the film.”
Senior WR Van Chew
On Dorian Graham’s play:
“When he caught it, he blitzed the two defenders and I saw him running across the field, I knew he was going to score. Coach Moore, before the kickoff said‘If Dorian runs it deep, be ready to go in.’ I’m real happy for him.”
Senior DT Deon Goggins
On how it feels to go against top offense and come away with a win:
“We just work hard. Every week we work hard to get better and better and better. During that bye week we took ourselves back and refocused, recommitted ourselves and paid attention to the little things. Sometimes when you are going through the season, going through your ups and downs, you lose that. So the bye week helped us get back on the right track and we are going to continue to work on that.”
Sophomore RB Jerome Smith
On Syracuse’s play in all phases of the game, including kick returns:
“Yeah we got a big kick return from Dorian. The defense played lights out. On offense, our goal was to help the defense out and everybody was good on all three sides of the ball.”
Defensive Coordinator Scott Shafer
On Chandler Jones’ presence and the defensive presence:
“No question, it was good to have Olando Fischer back, It was good to have a healthier Shamarko Thomas. Those kids missed a lot of football so far this year and it’s great to have them back. I’m proud of how they played tonight.”
On the offense’s time of possession:
“I saw that and told (offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett) Hack, ‘Keep doing what you’re doing, man, because that time of possession is helping us.’ WVU has a very explosive offense, one of the top five offenses in the country.”
Offensive Coordinator Nathaniel Hackett
On whether he could have asked for a better start:
“That was awesome, We usually go over the plays, the coaches, and when they handed me the sheet, I thought there were so many and I though we are probably not going to make it through these, go to these three and go to the next thing. It was great! They executed all the way down the field and understood we are just looking for four yards a play. We’re not looking for anything more. We want to give them all realistic goals. Say, ‘Hey, look guys, we need to get four yards a play. The big ones are going to show up.’ They bought into that. It was awesome we ran the ball right at them. We need to prove to ourselves as much as anybody we can run the ball right at them.”
On Dorian Graham:
“Wide receiver is a very unique position. You’re out on an island; it takes a lot of people to get that guy the ball. You might get open, you might have opportunities, but something else might breakdown. It’s hard to build that confidence. A guy like Dorian, inching his way slowly into playing time and now all of a sudden, you get him a couple (of passes), his confidence goes up. And so now when you get that real big swag, you’re like ‘Wow’! And that’s when it starts to roll. I think that’s what happened to him, he got those opportunities and started going with them.”
October 22, 2011
Carrier Dome, Syracuse, N.Y.
Senior TE Nick Provo
On becoming a bigger part of the offense:
“Coach said I need to become a bigger part, so when they call my name I just have to make plays.”
On if the game plan intended to heavily involve the tight ends:
“Yeah and at first I thought they were going to kind of adjust to it. They didn’t and it worked out in our favor.”
On if the running game was a focus coming into the game:
“The tight ends, we worked with Coach Marrone all week to try and get a couple of blocks. Those plays that we ran — they were some big gains for us.”
On how this win impacts the team moving forward:
“It is just a great win for the program. We are just going to build off that and prepare for the next game, Louisville.”
Senior QB Ryan Nassib
On how the bye week impacted the result:
“We faced a defense that we are not really used to seeing in a 3-4 look. There was extra time for us to prepare and it helped us out.”
On what he was able to do against the West Virginia defense:
“We did a good job of mixing up pass and run. Our running game was doing well and usually when that happens in this system, is when we are at our best. That is really how we were able to keep up under the pressure.”
On beating West Virginia in back-to-back years:
“As far as the victory, it is a big win. We were able to keep the trophy, which we used as extra inspiration this week. It is something that now we know what we can do, something that can bring us forward. We did a good job this week focusing on the little things. After the last couple weeks, we have to stay focused and keep moving forward.”
On the Syracuse’s high efficiency on third downs:
“Really (it was) just patience. Good play calling. We got a good feeling what they were doing on third down early in the game so it really helped us out. I made some throws and we ended up making some big plays.”
Junior DE Chandler Jones:
On getting back out on the field after being injured:
“It felt great. I feel good and I feel like it would be a little selfish for me to sit up here and talk about all the big plays I had. Our team as a whole (played well). Coach Shafer did a great job of knowing when to call a blitz and when to sit back. Congratulations to Coach Shafer, he put a great game plan together.”
On getting to a QB who is as renowned as West Virginia’s Geno Smith:
“Geno Smith is a good quarterback. Actually, since I was out with my lower body injury I knew I was going to make the West Virginia game. So I have been scouting him since then. At the end of the game, I walked up to Geno Smith and told him he was a (great) player and I have a lot of respect for him. He is a great player and his passion for the game is off the charts. We just game planned and got a lot of pressure on Geno, so I am psyched for that. ”
On if having to hear about West Virginia’s offense prior to the game was a motivation factor:
“Definitely. I feel like it was just stats. You have a team like Syracuse who is not ranked and you are going up against the 11th-ranked team in the nation. They came in here with swagger and it was our job to keep up with them and come out of here with a win.”
Senior WR Dorian Graham
On returning a kickoff for a touchdown:
“First off, I want to give credit to all my teammates on the kickoff/return team. They did a good job executing blocks and opening up a hole. When I saw that hole I just trucked through. Like coach told me to do, I just took it straight up.”
On the timing of the touchdown return:
“It was a momentum booster. I am happy to get my team up and get the morale up. Keep pushing forward. Get the defense out there to give us a chance to stop them. Then the offense can come out and take it down for another score.”
On his role in the offense:
“(My role) has expanded a lot. The coaches put a lot of trust in me to line up when I’m called. Just have to make the plays and that is what I did.
Junior LB Siriki Diabate
On how the defense contained Geno Smith:
“I guess it was game planning so a lot of credit to our coaches for putting us in the right places to execute every play. We have a passion for our defense and how we run it. All week long during practice, we worked on getting pressure on the quarterback. I think that is what we went out there and did today.”
On the team being healthy coming into the game:
“I believe that helped a lot. Everybody out on defense, everyone is accountable for their play. (The injured players) coming back, that added a little bit to our defense and we welcomed them back pretty well with a win this week.”
On the environment the Carrier Dome presented during the second half:
“Our coaches always preach about not being a front-running team and never letting up even when you’re up. When you have the momentum going, you have to just keep it going. Once you let down that is when the other team starts coming up.”
Junior OT Justin Pugh
On maintaining a pocket for Ryan Nassib:
“We took a look at the LSU film and they kind of punched them in the mouth. They had the kind of mentality we had last year. We just wanted to go out there and make sure we were physical up front. We just focused on getting one first down at a time, moving the ball up the field. We were able to accomplish that tonight.”
On if things got easier as the game went on:
“When the offense gets rolling it is hard to stop. All of our backs were really running hard out there. You could see that look in their eyes that said ‘Here they go again.’ It kind of helps you as an offense and motivates you even more. It was a good thing to go out there and just play hardnosed football tonight.”
Senior Guard Andrew Tiller
On tonight’s tenacity and physical play:
“We talked about being physical and everything in practice and carried it over to the game.”
On the pregame talk between the two teams:
“Yes, we noticed it. I was there on the front line and could hear all the talking, but we kept that out of our minds. That was it and it served as motivation.”
Freshman Running Back Adonis Ameen-Moore
On the running back rotation:
“I think that we help keep fresh legs. Jerome Smith and I give Antwon Bailey a couple of breaks, a couple of breathers here and there.”
On how he sees himself being used:
“That is what the coaches are for. I do what the coaches tell me and that is how I see my role.”
On what Coach Nathaniel Hackett has taught him:
“Run first, that is what they are preaching. Run first then pass and that is what we did today.”
Senior TE David Stevens
On the atmosphere in the Carrier Dome:
“Going into the game we knew that was going to be a big crowd, but I don’t think some of the young guys haven seen a crowd like this or heard a crowd like this. They were really loud.”
On the difference between playing on Friday rather than Saturday:
“We have another day off. We have to report for med check, but basically that’s about it. We get Saturday and then we get back Sunday for lifting and watching the film.”
Senior WR Van Chew
On Dorian Graham’s play:
“When he caught it, he blitzed the two defenders and I saw him running across the field, I knew he was going to score. Coach Moore, before the kickoff said‘If Dorian runs it deep, be ready to go in.’ I’m real happy for him.”
Senior DT Deon Goggins
On how it feels to go against top offense and come away with a win:
“We just work hard. Every week we work hard to get better and better and better. During that bye week we took ourselves back and refocused, recommitted ourselves and paid attention to the little things. Sometimes when you are going through the season, going through your ups and downs, you lose that. So the bye week helped us get back on the right track and we are going to continue to work on that.”
Sophomore RB Jerome Smith
On Syracuse’s play in all phases of the game, including kick returns:
“Yeah we got a big kick return from Dorian. The defense played lights out. On offense, our goal was to help the defense out and everybody was good on all three sides of the ball.”
Defensive Coordinator Scott Shafer
On Chandler Jones’ presence and the defensive presence:
“No question, it was good to have Olando Fischer back, It was good to have a healthier Shamarko Thomas. Those kids missed a lot of football so far this year and it’s great to have them back. I’m proud of how they played tonight.”
On the offense’s time of possession:
“I saw that and told (offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett) Hack, ‘Keep doing what you’re doing, man, because that time of possession is helping us.’ WVU has a very explosive offense, one of the top five offenses in the country.”
Offensive Coordinator Nathaniel Hackett
On whether he could have asked for a better start:
“That was awesome, We usually go over the plays, the coaches, and when they handed me the sheet, I thought there were so many and I though we are probably not going to make it through these, go to these three and go to the next thing. It was great! They executed all the way down the field and understood we are just looking for four yards a play. We’re not looking for anything more. We want to give them all realistic goals. Say, ‘Hey, look guys, we need to get four yards a play. The big ones are going to show up.’ They bought into that. It was awesome we ran the ball right at them. We need to prove to ourselves as much as anybody we can run the ball right at them.”
On Dorian Graham:
“Wide receiver is a very unique position. You’re out on an island; it takes a lot of people to get that guy the ball. You might get open, you might have opportunities, but something else might breakdown. It’s hard to build that confidence. A guy like Dorian, inching his way slowly into playing time and now all of a sudden, you get him a couple (of passes), his confidence goes up. And so now when you get that real big swag, you’re like ‘Wow’! And that’s when it starts to roll. I think that’s what happened to him, he got those opportunities and started going with them.”
