#MIZvsTENN Post-Game Quotes
11/21/2015 11:07:00 PM | Football
Mizzou Players | UT Coach Butch Jones
Mizzou Head Coach Gary Pinkel
Opening Statement:
"First of all congratulations to Tennessee, they are doing a god job over there with that program. They played well tonight. We turned the ball over a couple of times; they scored on one of them, got stopped on the other. We struggled on offense, as you all know. We got back into a little bit. You know the ball was at about the 35 yard line and it was fourth and five, or six or seven. I believe that if we get a three and out and get the ball back. I felt better with that than having a freshman quarterback trying to get it, then the game would be over. So, if I did it all over again, I know what would happen, I would flip that. And a little disappointed along with my players. I didn't want it to end like this. I know we have another game left, another opportunity. But I certainly didn't want it to end like this."
On being carried off the field following a loss:
"Well I love those kids, you know. Gosh darn it, I just… They know what I'm like, they know I like to win man, it's what we got in this business for. It's why we go out on that field that's our job, that's my job is we win. When it's tough to win it is my job to find a way to win. And I feel like I let them down. Bottom line I feel like I let them down. There have been a lot of distractions this year and certainly that's something that we've had to overcome. But, it's just, they're awesome and I love them. They know that. I like to win."
On staying focused during his last home gameH
"No, you lock in. The game is a long time so you lock in. And, anybody that did anything in the stadium for me, you know, that's fine. I just focus on what I do. I'm very appreciative some people you know, did some very nice things and I'm very appreciative, that's nice. But this is my job, this is my work, this is where my focus is."
Coach Pinkel | UT Coach Butch Jones
MU Player Quotes
Mizzou C Evan Boehm
On His Last Game at Faurot:
"I just went and got my rock with my parents. I just stood on the 50-yard line and just looked around and saw how awesome this place was. There's a lot of awesome memories here. After we got the rock and started walking back that was the tough part. I wish it could've happened another way but we have to keep battling and fighting. We have a tough Arkansas team to face. This team is something special to me. These last for years and this university is going to have something special in my heart for the rest of my life. When I teetered back and forth between here and Auburn that was one thing. I think I made the best decision of my life to be here and play under Coach Pinkel and his coaching staff. I wouldn't ask for anything else."
On Coach Pinkel:
"Coach Pinkel has to do what he has to do. Right now his health is the most important thing. It's going to be weird coming back and not seeing him here. Whoever takes over this program is going to be the guy for the job. I believe Mack Rhoades will do a great job. The guy has big shoes to fill. He means something to this university and to the state of Missouri and every fan that is involved with Mizzou. He is going to be very missed and we all love Coach Pinkel and our hearts are heavy for Coach Pinkel. I've been very blessed to play under Coach Pinkel and to be one of his last captains."
On Tennessee's Run Defense:
"They packed the box. They had a good defensive scheme. We need to get on some guys and we need to finish some blocks that we didn't. We wish the outcome had been different but we are going to get in there and watch some film tomorrow."
Mizzou QB Drew Lock
On Offensive Play This Game:
"We had the same kind of practice that we did last week. I felt good about our practices. I need to execute some of our little things a little better and make some plays but hats off to Tennessee, they are a pretty good defense."
On Coach Pinkel:
"It was pretty emotional. He was going to be a little bit of a mess and most of us were a mess. It was tough to see him go out like this but Coach Pinkel will be fine and we will be fine as well.
On His Interception:
"It was a mess up on the play to say the least. I should've thrown it out of bounds. I thought I could have hit Wesley with it but it was a bad play on my part."
On His Touchdown Run:
"I was really hoping Cam got in. I don't ever celebrate a touchdown until we kick the field goal because they review almost everything nowadays. That would have been cool to get our first touchdown together but I knew I got in."
Mizzou CB Aarion Penton
On Coach Pinkel:
"It was emotional. Everybody was trying to focus up a little bit more so we could bring a W home for Coach Pinkel in his final home game and for the seniors. I feel terrible. Coach Pinkel is a great guy; he's like a father figure to me and the team. I just feel disappointed that we let him down and couldn't bring home the W. We all love him and he's the reason why we are here. Coach Pinkel said his illness was a distraction but we had to stop him and share with him that he's not a distraction to us. I felt like we could've done a little bit more to get a W."
On Locker Room at Halftime:
"At halftime is always the buildup, we always know that we can't win the game in the first, second or third quarter. We come back in the locker room to build our intensity so that we can go in the fourth."
Mizzou WR Cam Hilton
On Coach Pinkel:
"He always puts us first. It was an emotional game, his last game here. He just wanted us to play for ourselves but we wanted to play for him."
On Senior Captain Evan Boehm:
"Evan is a great leader. I became pretty good friends with him. I got to his house a lot to hang out with him. He's just a great guy. He's not one of those guys who, if you are a freshman, pushes you to the side. He takes his time with us."
Mizzou S Anthony Sherrils
On Team Emotions Prior to the Game:
"We just wanted to win for the team and for Coach Pinkel this being their last game. Coach Pinkel was a normal Gary Pinkel, he just wanted to win the game."
On Mizzou's Defensive Play:
"We were just missing tackles. It was very uncharacteristic but they are a great team."
Tennessee Head Coach Butch Jones
Opening Statement:
"Just a great, great, great team win. Anytime you go on the road in the Southeastern Conference. Proud of our players. When you look at the score coming in here, we talk about patience and poise, patience and poise in terms of running the football. Again, tops in the country in rush defense and just keeping our poise and just grinding through. And obviously it is concerning that we had to kick field goals and not get seven points in the red zone but our players just kept their poise and kept their patience. You look at the defensive effort today, a point of emphasis going in was forcing three and outs and we forced six. In situational football there were two-out-of-fifteen in third down conversions, so we were able to get off the field and then gave up 88 yards rushing. On the flip side, against one of the best defenses in our conference, we had 248 yards rushing and what can I say about Jalen Hurd. 151 yards, I believe that is a career high for him. Just proud of the guys up front, proud of Kamara. Obviously Josh did some good things on some of his reads. First down at the end of the game. Aaron Medley with four field goals, 36 minutes in time of possession and the biggest thing when you go on the road is you can't turn the football over with zero turnovers and forced two takeaways. Again, a great team effort. Complimentary football. Proud of our players who came in with a mindset. It was great to see."
On the team meeting Missouri's cold weather and having no long sleeves:
"I'm glad you saw the no long sleeves. That is just a mentality, that's a mindset that we have in our football program. You embrace the uncontrollable factors and we embraced it. When we came over here this morning, I could see the kids had that look in the eye and they were looking forward to embracing but we prepared for it all week long. We also knew this would be a tough game, have a lot of respect for their program and the toughness that it stands for and our kids embraced that and they showed great toughness today."
On the game showing the maturity of Tennessee's program:
"It does. And I am so proud of them. They just keep working and we had one of the best weeks of practice we've had all season long and just for our own mindset, going on the road with focus."
On Tennessee setting the tone in the first quarter:
"Well we knew we had to start fast, we knew that there would be a lot of energy involved in this game so we had to come out and start fast. And we had to make them earn every yard and couldn't give up the big score. And then we knew we had to methodically move the football and we were able to do that."
