West Virginia Student-Athlete Quotes
Syracuse Football
Syracuse vs. West Virginia
October 21, 2011
Carrier Dome, Syracuse, N.Y.
Running Back Shawne Alston
On the loss:
“They came out in the first half and played really well, so we came into half time, talked to each other, made a couple adjustments. We were hoping to come out with the victory but came up a little bit short.”
On being out played in all three phases of the game:
“They had a big game on all three sides of the ball including a kickoff return for a touchdown. Their power running game was really working for them. On the offensive side of the ball we just didn’t get the job done. We were able to make a couple good plays but at the end it just wasn’t enough.”
On resorting to the passing game after being down by so much:
“The running game was there, but at the same time that power running game takes up a lot of time so then you have to start putting the ball in the air to try and get quick scores. It was a tough loss.”
Wide Receiver Stedman Baiely
On the loss:
“I’m embarrassed. I think I can speak for my team. That was a very tough loss. I’m embarrassed.”
On QB Geno Smith talking to the offense after their last possession of the game:
“He was basically telling us to keep our heads up. There is a lot more football to be played. This game doesn’t determine our season. We have to learn from the mistakes we made today and move forward from them.”
On no longer controller their own destiny:
“It hurts a lot. I mean we had high expectations, to win the Big East, to be 7-0. We just have to take it one game at a time. This was a tough loss for us, but we have to move forward and learn from our mistakes.”
Defensive Lineman Julian Miller
On how the team will react to the loss:
“As the defense you’re on a high after last game, especially starting BIG EAST play. Coming into a game like this, it’s one of those games that we as a defense and also as a team are going to learn from and bounce back. Or we could let it hurt us the rest of the season. Everyone knows how this league goes. We’re not going to keep our heads down about just one game. We’re just going to have to come out Sunday, prepare, watch film, see what we need to correct and be ready to play our next opponent.”
On how the loss will motivate the other players:
“I think it is going to put more on us seniors and upper classmen who have been around. We know how this league works. You may lose one game, but you are always in the hunt to win the BIG EAST championship. It’s going to be on us seniors and upper classmen to let the young guys know that yeah, we took a step back, but we are definitely going to have to learn from this and be able to come out and execute the rest of the way through. We have to pick it up and fix our corrections. We still have the rest of the season ahead of us.”
Linebacker Najee Goode
On the loss:
“We definitely didn’t play good on defense. That’s not the type of defense we are used to playing, giving up that many points, letting them rush the ball as hard as they did. Even though they may not have run what they wanted to, they were still able to steal passes off of us and they were able to do stuff that we shouldn’t have allowed them to do.”
On the Syracuse offense:
“They have a great offensive coach as far as game plan. He’s one of the best that we’ve played against. I’m not going to take anything from Syracuse because they were able to execute and able to keep us off our toes as far as playing aggressive. They were able to get the ball to their tight ends and Ryan Nassib is a really good quarterback. We couldn’t stop him. He’s a great quarterback. He proved that he could beat us today and he did.”
Quarterback Geno Smith
On the loss:
“First off I just want to tip my hat off to Syracuse. They played a great game. They really hit us in the mouth tonight. We didn’t respond very well. It’s tough. It hurts. I can’t even lie and say it doesn’t hurt. I’m bleeding right now in my soul. I just have to move on and be a leader and help this team move on and get better.”
“I just didn’t want them to hang their heads and let this define our season because we are better than what we showed today and I believe that. I believe that we are going to fight back and come back from this. This is going to definitely be a stepping stone for us and we’re going to show improvement. Everyone has to do this. We all have to buy in and we all have to understand that a loss is a loss and you can’t dwell on it.”
On it being the worst loss of his college career:
“It’s probably my worst loss ever. It’s disappointing because we worked so hard. We prepared hard. We felt like we had a good game plan. We felt like we had everything to prove. It’s just disappointing that we didn’t come out and put our best foot forward.”
Syracuse vs. West Virginia
October 21, 2011
Carrier Dome, Syracuse, N.Y.
Running Back Shawne Alston
On the loss:
“They came out in the first half and played really well, so we came into half time, talked to each other, made a couple adjustments. We were hoping to come out with the victory but came up a little bit short.”
On being out played in all three phases of the game:
“They had a big game on all three sides of the ball including a kickoff return for a touchdown. Their power running game was really working for them. On the offensive side of the ball we just didn’t get the job done. We were able to make a couple good plays but at the end it just wasn’t enough.”
On resorting to the passing game after being down by so much:
“The running game was there, but at the same time that power running game takes up a lot of time so then you have to start putting the ball in the air to try and get quick scores. It was a tough loss.”
Wide Receiver Stedman Baiely
On the loss:
“I’m embarrassed. I think I can speak for my team. That was a very tough loss. I’m embarrassed.”
On QB Geno Smith talking to the offense after their last possession of the game:
“He was basically telling us to keep our heads up. There is a lot more football to be played. This game doesn’t determine our season. We have to learn from the mistakes we made today and move forward from them.”
On no longer controller their own destiny:
“It hurts a lot. I mean we had high expectations, to win the Big East, to be 7-0. We just have to take it one game at a time. This was a tough loss for us, but we have to move forward and learn from our mistakes.”
Defensive Lineman Julian Miller
On how the team will react to the loss:
“As the defense you’re on a high after last game, especially starting BIG EAST play. Coming into a game like this, it’s one of those games that we as a defense and also as a team are going to learn from and bounce back. Or we could let it hurt us the rest of the season. Everyone knows how this league goes. We’re not going to keep our heads down about just one game. We’re just going to have to come out Sunday, prepare, watch film, see what we need to correct and be ready to play our next opponent.”
On how the loss will motivate the other players:
“I think it is going to put more on us seniors and upper classmen who have been around. We know how this league works. You may lose one game, but you are always in the hunt to win the BIG EAST championship. It’s going to be on us seniors and upper classmen to let the young guys know that yeah, we took a step back, but we are definitely going to have to learn from this and be able to come out and execute the rest of the way through. We have to pick it up and fix our corrections. We still have the rest of the season ahead of us.”
Linebacker Najee Goode
On the loss:
“We definitely didn’t play good on defense. That’s not the type of defense we are used to playing, giving up that many points, letting them rush the ball as hard as they did. Even though they may not have run what they wanted to, they were still able to steal passes off of us and they were able to do stuff that we shouldn’t have allowed them to do.”
On the Syracuse offense:
“They have a great offensive coach as far as game plan. He’s one of the best that we’ve played against. I’m not going to take anything from Syracuse because they were able to execute and able to keep us off our toes as far as playing aggressive. They were able to get the ball to their tight ends and Ryan Nassib is a really good quarterback. We couldn’t stop him. He’s a great quarterback. He proved that he could beat us today and he did.”
Quarterback Geno Smith
On the loss:
“First off I just want to tip my hat off to Syracuse. They played a great game. They really hit us in the mouth tonight. We didn’t respond very well. It’s tough. It hurts. I can’t even lie and say it doesn’t hurt. I’m bleeding right now in my soul. I just have to move on and be a leader and help this team move on and get better.”
“I just didn’t want them to hang their heads and let this define our season because we are better than what we showed today and I believe that. I believe that we are going to fight back and come back from this. This is going to definitely be a stepping stone for us and we’re going to show improvement. Everyone has to do this. We all have to buy in and we all have to understand that a loss is a loss and you can’t dwell on it.”
On it being the worst loss of his college career:
“It’s probably my worst loss ever. It’s disappointing because we worked so hard. We prepared hard. We felt like we had a good game plan. We felt like we had everything to prove. It’s just disappointing that we didn’t come out and put our best foot forward.”
