Colorado University Athletics
Colorado-USC Quotes
November 05, 2011 | Football
Colorado Head Coach Jon Embree
General - "That is a tough one. I felt like the way we came out, we played with good intensity and energy, but they wore us down. Some inconsistencies on both sides of the ball."
On WR Toney Clemons ? "I thought Toney played well. He has played well for us the last few weeks. I felt '6' (Paul Richardson) had some opportunities, but we just couldn't get him the ball."
On USC QB Matt Barkley ? "He is a heck of a player. He is very accurate and did a good job on scrambling on that one touchdown. He had some drops that probably hurt his numbers."
On TB Rodney Stewart ? "He's not completely healed. I was hoping to get what I wanted to see from him tonight. I thought we got good production out of him."
On The Next Game Being Senior Day ? "I talked to the team and the seniors about how quick senior day was coming so it doesn't surprise me how quickly it has happened and got here. It is their last chance to win one at Folsom. I expect a great effort out of them and their teammates and find a way to get a victory for them."
On If Losing These Types Of Games Gets Easier ? "It doesn't get easier. There were a lot of positives today. In the end, they just wore us down. We lost Kyle Washington so we had to shuffle the secondary again. It doesn't get easier. I'm just trying to help this team, help these guys take the next step and really for us is playing four quarters and playing consistent. Just trying to help these guys to continue to compete and fight."
On If He Sleeps Well Knowing Him And His Staff Did Everything They Could To Prepare The Team ? "I replay it because it is the would've, should've, could've. As a coach, you are always looking for an edge. As a coach you are always looking for something, a little extra nugget or tip to help your guys have success out there."
On Having Two Field Goals Blocked ? "He (PK Will Oliver) had some low kids. It's not like him."
On Why He Went For Field Goals Instead Of Going For It - "I thought about it the second time, but we had such a good drive that we needed to get something. I just felt that we needed to get some points, but normally I would have been more aggressive."
On If Oliver Is Still The Kicker Since Justin Castor Kicked the Extra Point Late ? "Yes, Oliver is still my kicker. I just didn't want him to go out there and get into a complete funk. He feels worst than anybody and like I said, that is not him."
On Starting Off Fast ? "The problem was that there was still 57 minutes left. I've known Lane (Kiffin) for awhile and I know some of the coaches on his staff and I know what they have in their locker room. I knew seven points wouldn't be enough. I was happy for our team because we finally started fast."
On QB Tyler Hansen ? "I'll have to look back at it (the tape). I know there was some stuff early on that we didn't capitalize on."
On Not Using This Season As a Rebuilding Year And Trying To Win Right Away ? "No I didn't. For a couple reasons. You talk about being competitive and if your team is going to win, it has to start from the top and you have to expect to win, that is the first thing. The second thing is I know that these seniors have been through a lot and it has been a difficult four or five years for them. I wanted them to go out with some success. I wanted them to go out and win some big games and having them win some of them. They've done everything I've asked them to do. They have turned things around academically from what it was before I got here. They have turned things around with their habits. I just wanted them to see their hard work rewarded."
USC Head Coach Lane Kiffin
General - "It was the outcome we wanted. It was nice to play well in all phases of the game. We talked all week how this is a trap game after the emotional loss last week. It was nice to see our guys play well despite all the injuries we have. Besides the interception we took care of the ball, and didn't commit many penalties."
On Matt Barkley's Record Performance ? "That record has been around for a long time and a lot of guys have been close to breaking it. It is nice to see that record broken after all this time. Matt was up and down tonight, he missed some guys. I thought it was good the way responded."
On Playing So Many Young Players ? "Most of our big plays on offense came from young players. Marqise Lee, Xavier Gamble, Robert Woods and Amir Carlisle are all freshman or sophomores and had touchdown receptions. The future is bright."
On Matt Barkley's Leadership ? "Matt did a great job. We have a bunch of young guys around and Matt did a good job of leading them."?
On Marqise Lee Catching Touchdown After Dropped Pass ? "We have challenged him all year to have multiple touchdown games and to take it to the next level. He was close last week after he stepped out of bounds at the 4-yard line which took away his chance for a multiple touchdown game. He has been close many times this year. We have told him when he gets a multiple touchdown game people will know his name. After he scored the second touchdown he came over to me and gave me the ball and said 'My name is Marqise Lee.' He is coming of age out there.
On The Officiating ? "If I say they did a great job I can get fined. I am not going to touch that."
Colorado Players
K Will Oliver
On Blocked Kicks - "They were both completely on me. For whatever reason, my head was not fully in the game when it needed to be and both kicks were too low, I needed to get them up more."
On Improving In The Future- "I personally need to make sure I'm doing my job and doing everything I can to help the team, which is make field goals. There is a lot of film to watch, and I have to analyze what went wrong, and fix it. You have to be able to learn from your mistakes in order to get better, and that is exactly what I am going to try to do."
DT Will Pericak
General- "This one really hurts, a lot of guys are frustrated right now, especially the seniors. With the game being a black out and having a great crowd like we did tonight, it makes (losing) even more painful."
On The Play Of USC QB Matt Barkley - "He is a good quarterback, and he certainly made some plays tonight. However, it is a team effort and they outplayed us as a team. Barkley made some nice plays for them, especially when he used his feet, but overall (USC) has a lot of talented players and they all contributed."
On Defensive Performance- "I felt that (the defense) actually played alright, but it was the missed opportunities that really hurt us. We needed to make more stops in order to get their offense off the field, especially on third downs."
TB Rodney Stewart
General- "It's not ok to lose, and so I'm really down right now. I never like to lose, especially when it's a big night game and it's a black out. You really want to win games like this, so it is very disappointing."
On His Health- "I felt good out there. At one point, it was pretty cold and my muscles started to tighten up, but I was able to fight through it. I feel good right now, I'm not going to let the injury slow me down; I'm only focused on how I can help the team."
On How The Offense Can Improve- "We simply need to make more plays and be more consistent as a whole. There were glimpses tonight where we did a lot of good things, we just need to build on that."
On Being The Career All-Purpose Yards Leader- "It's special to me, especially passing Eric Bieniemy. I'm proud of myself, but all I want to do is help this team win. Records really don't mean much at the end of the day, only wins do. So the fact that we did not win this game, leaves me upset."
ILB Derrick Webb
On USC's Offense ? "It was difficult. You have to stop the run first and foremost. USC had a good strategy with their boots, play action fakes, and they were able to find open receivers and convert some crucial third downs. That was the difference in the game."
WR Toney Clemons
On His Performance ? "I was well prepared, had a good week at practice. I was just confident, studied a lot. I knew what their strengths were, their weaknesses were. Tyler had a lot of trust in me. He played a spectacular game, I just happened to be that guy."
On Finding Out About The Black Helmets ? "They surprised us right before the game. Coach Embree is behind us. We are determined as a senior class to go out there and leave our legacy. I think it was a good touch. It's unfortunate for it to turn out like this, on the other side of the win/loss column. I think there is a lot of positive around this program and I have faith in what's going to transpire. I am proud of my teammates, staff, regardless. The helmets were an energy boost. It enabled us to go out there and leave a mark on this program."
On The Fan Running On The Field ? "Everyone wants to play on ESPN. He did too, maybe it was one of his dreams. He wanted to be seen on ESPN. I hope he got that recognition he was looking for."
QB Tyler Hansen
On Finishing Strong ? "It was a tough stretch in our schedule and we knew that. We expect to win every game. We didn't going in thinking, 'Oh this is a tough one.' We go in thinking we can win. Today we just left too many points on the board. We had some missed opportunities. It's the same story as last weekend. We left 28 points on the board last week, and this week is the same deal."
On The Current Struggles Of The Team ? "It's the same story. Lack of execution by one guy, one guy here, one guy there. Myself included, I missed some throws I should've made. In critical situations guys aren't executing. We need to play team football. If everyone can do their job in critical situations we can move the ball on anyone. Every play we call is designed to make a touchdown, we just got to do our job."
On The Fan Running On The Field ? "I had no idea. People told me after the play. I was like, 'Why is everyone freaking out?' The fans were different, I had no idea what's going on. [OL Ryan] Dannewitz got him down pretty good."
USC Players
QB Matt Barkley
On His Record Setting Performance ? "I didn't know it was going to come tonight.? Our receiver core was much better than their secondary.? We were a little off on a couple throws but we were all over the place and I have to thank coach for those calls."
On His Interception ? "I actually made the right read unfortunately one of our receivers took the wrong turn and that's all it takes sometimes.? I was definitely mad after that and it fired me up a bit."
On His Sixth Touchdown Pass ? "It was awesome.? The screen finally worked."
On The One More Year Chant ? "Yeah I heard it.? They were saying it (one more year). It could be one more year."
FL Marqise Lee
On His Two Touchdowns ? "I was tired of being called 'Number 9.'? You have to catch two touchdown passes for coach to call you by your first name.? So after I took the ball to him.? Every game I've tried to score twice, but I've stepped out of bounds and been tackled on the 1-yard line."
On His Dropped Touchdown Pass ? "I didn't worry about it.? I knew there was more time.? I was quite upset because I was so wide open.? I hate dropping passes just in general.? Everybody drops passes, it's a thing that happens."
On How The Offense Played ? "I think we can be better.? I think we can improve and become better, we just have to go to practice and work on it.?
TB Amir Carlisle
On His Touchdown ? "I just give God all the glory and coach called my number and I made the most of it.? The offensive line did a great job.? It was a total team effort and it felt great to get in there and contribute."
On Catching QB Matt Barkley's Record Setting Throw ? "It was there.? The line blocked well and I had an opportunity.? It was awesome.
On The Team's Future ? "We have a great class from top to bottom and we have a lot of talent out there and it's going to be a bright future for USC.? These young guys we have just been working hard.? We're real close as a unit and it's a bright future for us."
On His Knee Injury ? "It feels good, I've just been rehabbing, staying in the training room and believing in God."
TE Randall Telfer
On The Two Blocked Kicks ? "I was surprised he was kicking line drives.? He was kicking it kind of low and got me by surprise."
On The Freshmen That Played ? "It doesn't surprise me too much because the freshmen are really athletic.? We don't have too much depth.? So we knew that we had to step up."