MISSOURI POST-GAME QUOTES
9/28/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 28, 2002
MISSOURI HEAD COACH GARY PINKEL
On Troy State:
"Troy State is a tough football team. They have a tough schedule...they've had tremendous accomplishments in their program in such a short time in division 1."
On quarterback Brad Smith:
" Great players do that. Great players make big time plays."
"I'm just glad he's on my team."
On team emotion:
"I thought we played with a lot more emotion today. That's the way we should play all the time...the game's suppose to be played emotional."
On Missouri kicker Michael Matheny:
"It was nice to see Michael out there. We had an opportunity to get some fieldgoals in after those turnovers and I think he got some confidence. He's worked very, very hard so we are so pleased with that. That is so critically important."
MISSOURI KICKER MICHAEL MATHENY
On first career field goal:
"You don't want to be the one who everyone questions if they can make it, or who cost the team a close game. So it felt real good to hit the first one, and even better to make a few more."
MISSOURI QUARTERBACK BRAD SMITH
On touchdown run:
"I was just leaning into the pile trying to get the first down. The line did a great job of pushing the defense off the ball. All of a sudden I rolled off, saw daylight, and just started running."
MISSOURI CORNERBACK R.J. JONES
On his third interception:
"I guess the receiver ran a different route because he was nowhere near me. I couldn't believe the quarterback threw it. I was just thinking please catch it. I wanted to get in the end zone but I guess I got tired and they caught me from behind."
On tying a Missouri game interception record:
"That's the record? Wow, that's cool. It's cool that I'll be a part of history. Hopefully next time I can get my name up there by myself."
TROY STATE HEAD COACH LARRY BLAKENEY
On the game:
"Definitely, their defensive front was bigger and quicker than we can handle. It caused us to have to get rid of the ball quick, and defensively they just seemed to make play after play after play."
On Missouri quarterback Brad Smith:
"Their quarterback is the key. He's a big-time player. ... He knows what he's doing, and they're doing a great job with him. They're a well-coached program, good players. I don't know how they stack up with their conference. They're as good as anybody we've played. I'd hate to play Bowling Green, that's all I have to say."
"He's as good as anybody we've seen, including Seneca Wallace. He's not quite as polished as Seneca Wallace, but Seneca's a senior, and he's played junior college and lots of football. He's pretty poised, and he looks like he's a little bigger."
On Troy State's second-half offense:
"In the second half, we came up with a good drive, but Jason Sample made a great individual play, and so did Hansell (Bearden). He tried to get the ball to him several times, but on the scoring play, he caught the ball and dodged the same guy twice, I think, and managed to get into the end zone."
TROY STATE QUARTERBACK HANSELL BEARDEN
On Missouri's defense:
"Their defensive front was great and much more than what they showed on the field. Their secondary played great, but I don't know if we just don't have the fire anymore, or we're just not playing as hard as we can, but we have to come together next week and get a win."
On Missouri quarterback Brad Smith:
"He played great and made things happen. That's what you want a skilled player to do, is to make plays, and he made plays and made things happen, and his team came out with a win."
TROY STATE STRONG SAFETY DAVID PHILYAW
On not making defensive plays:
"I can't even explain it. We were on our heels a lot. We didn't get a push off the front line. The linebackers weren't getting the drops, and the secondary, we worked more than anybody on the field. I think we were faster than them. I really think we were faster than them, but their quarterback made some good throws. He made good reads on where we were not."
