Syracuse Student-Athlete Quotes
Syracuse Post Game Quotes
Syracuse University vs. Wake Forest
September 1, 2011
Carrier Dome
Syracuse University vs. Wake Forest
September 1, 2011
Carrier Dome
Adam Harris, Senior, Fullback
On the run game opening up:
“I think we started off a little bit slow, but I have the utmost respect for Antwon [Bailey] and I knew he was going to keep turning. It was only a matter of time before he would start getting it going. Once he started getting some seams, he really started breaking them up.”
On the run game opening up:
“I think we started off a little bit slow, but I have the utmost respect for Antwon [Bailey] and I knew he was going to keep turning. It was only a matter of time before he would start getting it going. Once he started getting some seams, he really started breaking them up.”
On the biggest turning point of the game:
“I know when they ended up kicking that field goal there, and they ended up missing it. And we drove down and we got it within eight, I felt like that was a big turning point for the team. Everybody started getting a little excitement, the stadium felt alive again.”
“I know when they ended up kicking that field goal there, and they ended up missing it. And we drove down and we got it within eight, I felt like that was a big turning point for the team. Everybody started getting a little excitement, the stadium felt alive again.”
On getting a win in this fashion:
“ I think it shows resilience but at the same time, it’s like Coach [Doug Marrone] said. We can savor it tonight and maybe even tomorrow, but we have another game to play next week and if we keep falling back on this, we’re not going to get any better, so we’ll have to be going right back to work on Sunday.”
“ I think it shows resilience but at the same time, it’s like Coach [Doug Marrone] said. We can savor it tonight and maybe even tomorrow, but we have another game to play next week and if we keep falling back on this, we’re not going to get any better, so we’ll have to be going right back to work on Sunday.”
On his touchdown:
“You definitely felt the energy pick up in the Dome and you’ve got to take advantage of the home crowd “
On (running back) Antwon Bailey:
“That little man can do it all. I’ve just got so much respect for him”
“You definitely felt the energy pick up in the Dome and you’ve got to take advantage of the home crowd “
On (running back) Antwon Bailey:
“That little man can do it all. I’ve just got so much respect for him”
Antwon Bailey, Senior, Running Back
On Wake Forest’s first string quarterback leaving the game:
“Honestly, I didn’t even know that they’re quarterback went out. I’m not going to lie to you, I was on the sideline with Coach Wheatley going over the next series on offense. So I didn’t even know that he went out. I just saw our defense making plays, honestly. But I think from that moment on, our leadership definitely kicked in, like Coach [Doug Marrone] said, our leadership and our accountability. We looked around at each other and we told each other that if it was going to happen, we have to do it right now. And we pulled it out.”
On Wake Forest’s first string quarterback leaving the game:
“Honestly, I didn’t even know that they’re quarterback went out. I’m not going to lie to you, I was on the sideline with Coach Wheatley going over the next series on offense. So I didn’t even know that he went out. I just saw our defense making plays, honestly. But I think from that moment on, our leadership definitely kicked in, like Coach [Doug Marrone] said, our leadership and our accountability. We looked around at each other and we told each other that if it was going to happen, we have to do it right now. And we pulled it out.”
On the still getting carries after his fumble:
“It felt great, honestly. I felt like I kind of let my team down with the fumble, but I have great coaches. And the biggest thing in football is to have a short memory and that is what I was able to do. Due to the fact that the players around me and coaches around me, they still believed in me. As you can tell, as soon as I fumbled, the next series, they gave me the ball right back. So the coaches having the confidence in me made me raise my game to another level.”
“It felt great, honestly. I felt like I kind of let my team down with the fumble, but I have great coaches. And the biggest thing in football is to have a short memory and that is what I was able to do. Due to the fact that the players around me and coaches around me, they still believed in me. As you can tell, as soon as I fumbled, the next series, they gave me the ball right back. So the coaches having the confidence in me made me raise my game to another level.”
On the win:
“It felt great, everything was amazing. That win was one of the best wins I’ve had since I’ve been at Syracuse. To do it in the fashion we did it, coming back from so many points down, and then to do it in the Dome, it doesn’t get any better than that.”
On reaction at the end of the game:
“Amazement. I charged the field with my teammates. It was beautiful.”
Chandler Jones, Senior, Defensive End
On fatigue level during the game:
“Definitely, a lot of fatigue. I feel like it was nothing that we couldn’t handle. Our strength and conditioning coaches, Coach Luther and Coach Hicks, did a good job in preparing us for situations like this, and we came out with a win.”
On secondary depth:
“That’s why I was stressing this whole offseason, this whole camp that guys are stepping up. And it showed there in overtime. Jeremy Wilkes, he came in big in special teams and kickoffs as you guys saw, and started filling in for guys. Philip [Thomas] went down and Jeremy Wilkes came in and did a great job so congratulations to Jeremy [Wilkes] as well.”
On Wake Forest’s quarterback leaving the game:
“There was a story with that. I wrapped around, actually it was a holding call. My coaches always tell me if I think I’m getting held to keep running, if you run the referees will call it. So I was running, I was wrapping around but as he was holding me he had to let me go. As he let me go, all the momentum that I had went right to the quarterback’s legs. So I hope he’s alright, I hope he’ll be back for the season. But when the quarterback went down, that’s when I felt like that was our time to just take it up a notch and start to get the ball moving.”
On how the offense coming back the way they did inspired the defense:
“Just one word: Believe. We believe in this offense, we’ve been with them this whole off-season and we know what they are capable of doing. We knew if we gave them enough time, they would do it. And they came out on top and they did a great job. Big shout outs to Ryan Nassib, Van Chew, and Alec Lemon, those guys stepped up when we needed them so congratulations to those guys.”
On whether there was an “Oh no” moment:
“I don’t think we are ever in a panic mode. Like I said we are prepared for these conditions. We were fatigued but maybe we were more conditioned than those guys, maybe they’re not used to playing in the Dome, the air is thicker in there. We’re never in a panic mode, we’re never in an ‘Oh, no’ moment. We just had to put our nose down to the grindstone and just do what we had to do.”
Ryan Nassib, Junior, Quarterback
On offensive shift from first three quarters to the fourth quarter:
“In the fourth quarter, we started clicking. Our offense realized the situation we were in and realized we had to start making plays.”
On working out of the new offense:
“It just gives me the freedom to do a lot of different things. We were able to keep that Wake Forest team on their heels. They were pressuring us all game long and we were able to get the ball out quick and make quick decisions, put them in a bind.”
On the overtime touchdown throw to Van Chew:
“To be honest with you, I was just trying to throw it away. I was just trying not to get a pick. So I just threw it where only Van [Chew] could get it. I’ve been with him for quite some time and he makes those plays look easy doesn’t he? The play was designed to get it out quick and then went into scramble mode. Chew created separation and just made a great catch.”
On Antwon Bailey’s explosive run:
“That was big. Explosive plays like that is something we lacked last year and having him be able to go out there, make that run and score points was really one of the key factors that helped us win that game. If we didn’t have that run then who knows how the game would have turned out.”
On the pass setting up the run:
“I think so, I mean basically with that run scheme it was a good way to cut pressure. We didn’t run that all game and wasn’t really in our game plan. It was an adjustment we made at halftime and the rest is history.”
On difference between team that lost home opener two years ago and this one:
“It was in the back of my mind today. But I think the team that we have now is a tougher team. Not to discredit the guys over there because I was on that team and I love every single one of those guys but the team this year is special. The brotherhood we have with each other, we’ve been through so much since Coach Marrone has gotten here. Just the resilience that we had and the character that we have, I couldn’t be more proud of our team.”
On winning:
“It was great. To win in the fashion that we did, was outstanding. It really showed the character of our team. You celebrate for one night but we have to get back to work come tomorrow.”
Van Chew, Senior, Wide Receiver
On winning touchdown catch:
“Yes, I caught it. I made sure I secured the catch by trying to turn my body into it. On that play I knew that I had to get open because the corner of the end zone would be open so when I had some separation I saw the ball in the air and thought ‘ I have to get it, we have to score’ so I just went after it. I saw the ball when it left Ryan [Nassib]’s hands and I knew it was a floater so I knew I’d have time to run over there and get it. When I was probably three yards away from it I thought ‘I have a chance at the ball’ and just went for it. I just saw the ball the whole time.”
On coming back from injury:
“I’m excited for the season now since I just went through that injury and I didn’t feel any pain. I feel one hundred percent right now so it feels good.”
On atmosphere at halftime:
“Basically all the leaders were just talking, saying we needed to pick it up because the defense was carrying us the whole first half. So we just had to look at the adjustments and just do them and keep playing hard.”
On two-point conversion catch:
“That play, we practice that. We always practice two-point plays and that was one of them so I was really familiar with that one. I just tried to get open in the scramble and Ryan [Nassib] saw me in the end zone and he just threw it.”
On the Chew Crew in the stands:
“I see them in the stands every game. They’re Syracuse fans and I am happy that they represent me.”
On winning:
“It was amazing. It was probably the best game I’ve ever played in my life. How we just came back from adversity to get that win in overtime is amazing.”
Shane Raupers, Junior, Punter
On being out there after three years:|
“It’s a little nerve wracking…I think the most people I have ever played in front of was about 8,000 people and that was a huge game back home, so going out there I was like I can’t even hear myself think. I feel like that was a good thing because nothing was really going through my mind except kick the ball. It was a great experience”
On playing with Adam again:
“All the teammates are great support, but just having a guy from back home who you’ve known since grade school is always good to have. If something goes wrong, he is there for me and I am always there for him, so it’s just great to have a guy like him around.”
What has been the hardest adjustment in getting back into the swing of things?
“The mentality of division one football. Not a lot of people understand that and just going in day in and day out and tomorrow is a new day and if something goes wrong you’ve just got to come back and just try and get the job done.”
Marquis Spruill, Sophomore Linebacker
On how was he feeling going into half-time:
“We were feeling good. We were not down and we knew we could come back and do this and that is exactly what we did. We kept our heads up and got on ball. We started to get fired up and make plays and break through to the quarterback and I had a really good feeling about the game after that.”
On the play of (linebacker) Dan Vaughan:
“Dan has been here for a while, hasn’t really started, hasn’t really played a lot and he played his butt off and Dyshawn, a freshman not really knowing what he was doing and how college games are, he played very well, too. I look forward to playing with both of them throughout the season. I think I could trust them more than anyone else.”
On the positives going into the next game:
“Today was something to learn from. We won, but we still made a lot of mistakes, ones that can easily be fixed with film and practice, so we are just going to keep pushing forward for URI.”
