Nov. 17, 2012
Recap |
Final Stats |
Notes
RUSTON, La. -
Louisiana Tech head coach Sonny Dykes
"This was a really tough, hard-fought game - kind of a classic game. You have to really credit our players for handing in there. They showed a lot of courage and toughness. It was a real credit to their character."
"It's a disappointing loss. We had a lot of momentum heading into overtime and we felt good going on, like we had the momentum. But then we gave them an easy touchdown and then didn't get a first down. It seemed like we were emotionally done at that point - like we ran out of gas. But you have to give Utah State credit. They did what it took to win the game."
On the final call on fourth down in overtime:
"It was just like the third down call - a double call, run or pass, based on the (defensive) numbers in the box. It was a quarterback decision based on what he read, and Colby's made great decisions all year in those situations. We really probably should have run on third down and passed on fourth down. We just didn't get it done tonight."
DJ's kick return gave us a chance to get back into the game. Utah State played a good game. They took away the outside and made us run the ball. Playing against a good football team, three turnovers will kill you. We hadn't done that (turned the ball over) since playing UNLV. When you're struggling you have a tendency to force some things and I think that's what happened tonight. But it was a product of all of us, not just Colby. Obviously the difference tonight was turnovers - we made three and they didn't turn the ball over."
About the Tech seniors playing in their last home game:
"I hate it for them. It was a tough way to lose. They put a lot into this game. They've come a long way since I got here, and it's a real credit to them, believing in each other and working hard on the little things that make a program successful."
About the big crowd during quarter break at Tech:
"I thought it was unbelievable. It was an electric atmosphere and the players fed off of that. Everyone stayed and we really appreciate that support. It was the best crowd I've seen since I've been here."
About the potential of being a BCS Buster:
"It was kind of like a dream - an opportunity to do something special. You have to wrap your arms around it when you get that kind of chance to do something special."
On Kenneth Dixon's performance:
"He threw up all night last night and had a couple of IVs before the game. He looked sluggish early but ended up having a heckuva game. It's a credit to his determination and he showed how special he is tonight considering the way he felt last night."
"We were just unsettled. These guys have invested a lot in this season, and with senior day our guys really wanted to win. We just let it get away from us."
"We have to learn how to win on the big stage. It's something we're still trying to do. The toughest part was that four-game stretch where we were considered to be playing against lesser opponents. But we're still trying to learn how to win a game on the big stage. It's a learning process, and once we learn that then I think we'll really break through."
"We want to be an 11-win football team. If we can win the next we'll have 10 and then we'll have a shot at 11 with a bowl game. That's our goal now."
Utah State head coach Gary Andersen
Opening Comments:
"I don't know where to start. It has been an unbelievable journey for four years up to this point. Having it end like that is unbelievable. We have a tough-minded group of kids. We knew it was going to be a game where at any point they could come back. They have done that all year long."
"We just had to keep scoring. It was a tremendous football game; an unbelievable victory. All I know now is that everything in between does not matter now."
"It does not matter what happened, how it happened, why it happened or when it happened. We got the game ball and we won. We are WAC Champs and no one can take that away from us."
On senior Kerwynn Williams scoring the game-winning touchdown:
"That was huge. There are a few kids that have been here forever now, and there are really only two of them that have started this with us. One of them is not here in Oscar because of injury, but Kerwynn was our first class, a lot of these kids are first class, and they come and have the belief and vision."
"They believe in us as coaches. They believe in Logan; believe in Cache Valley. To be able to have these kids have this moment is unbelievable."
On linebacker Jake Doughty's play:
"First of all, Jake is one of those examples of who we are. He has belief. He is tough, aggressive, a never-say-die young man. He made a lot of plays, did a lot of great things, walked on with this program, believed in me. I have known him for a long time, but he came and walked on and good things could happen, and it all comes around in the end. For him to make those plays is awesome."
"As far as the corners go, when you are playing against a team like this that is averaging the points they are averaging and do the things they do, you have to understand it and change the game. The only way to change that game is to bring pressure and play man coverage."
"That is high risk, but all these games in my career I have been involved in, when you have that type of offense you have to change things up. They competed hard. They made plays on the ball down the field."
"You can talk about different guys, but I know this, there are kids in the back end that took great pride today in going and getting themselves in a fight against one of the top or best offenses in the country and go toe to toe with one of the best wide receivers that I have seen in college football in a long time in Patton. He is not a good player. He is a great player that will play for a long time."
"We picked off the quarterback twice that has not been picked off all season. That is a great job by the defensive coaches and players. In the end it was just enough."
On winning the turnover battle:
"We got the turnover battle finally. So, we are down to -4 on the year. I think we are +2 on that one. It was a great moment; what can I say."
On Chuckie Keeton breaking offensive records in the game:
"When you have an athletic quarterback that is smart and can throw the ball, he is a vicious weapon. This team believes in Chuckie. This coaching staff believes in Chuckie. He has done some great things and he will continue to do great things."
On the amount of crucial penalties:
"It was hard. The one play where the official told me what happened. The play is designed to go the other way, but because what we thought was the play side because the penetration was the back side."
"There were a lot of penalties, but at the end of the day we won. I am just glad it worked out for us. There were penalties on both sides. The defense did a nice job of reacting when someone was coming their way."
On LA Tech scoring in bunches in the second half:
"I don't care about those 24 points. They started executing and doing a nice job. They are smart coaches. They made some adjustments to the way we were playing on the flats, and we tried to counteract that and get in some man things."
"There was definitely a chest match between very good offensive coaches and I think very good defensive coaches; very good players on their side and very good players on our side. That is what college football is all about, and my hat goes off to LA Tech, the way those kids played, the way they put themselves in positions to be able to react when the chips were down. Our kids did the same thing. They reacted when the chips were down."
On recapturing the momentum late:
"That is the M.O. of this team. That happened to us in Utah in our first overtime victory of the year. The kids never quit. They kept battling. We made plays when we had to make a play. They have never quit. They respect every opponent they play, but they have never gone into a game and laid down. I think they build momentum and never lay down."
On whether Utah State should be ranked:
"Yes. I think we should be. We are 9-2, we beat a ranked team and I think we should be ranked."
On Idaho next week:
"Same way we did after week one and two, which is come in for treatment and go fight the fight against a team that is going to come out strong. The thing I am looking most forward to is bringing this team home one more time. That makes me cry. It is going to feel good."
