Alabama Football vs. Middle Tennessee State Postgame Quotes
9/12/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
Opening statement:
"We did some good things out there today. Defense did a great job getting turnovers, we had four total. We played better as the game went on, on defense. They did a lot of things that we weren't very well-prepared for, and we had to make a lot of adjustments during the game, but I thought the players did a really good job of that. We made some plays on special teams with the blocked a punt and a couple of returns. We still have a lot of things that we can improve on offense. We moved the ball very inconsistently at times, especially in the passing game we threw a couple of interceptions and didn't finish drives like we need to. We never really seemed like we were in sync, and didn't play like we really wanted to on offense. We made some explosive plays, but there has got to be more consistency and execution.
"When we play games like this, I told the players that if you don't have the right intensity and the right focus, you're going to get exposed. These teams that you play are all good enough to expose you if you don't have the right focus and intensity on what you need to do to go out there and do a good job of finishing. We obviously didn't do a good job getting that point across, because I don't think we finished like we needed to. We didn't finish the game like we wanted to. It was good to have the opportunity to play a lot of players, but we really wanted to improve and play better this week than we played last week, and I'm not sure we accomplished that in all areas. There are some areas that we did improve, but there's many more things that we need to do a lot better in."
On the Middle Tennessee offense and the adjustments Alabama's defense made:
"I can get into it technically but you wouldn't understand it and nobody else would understand it, just take my word for it. They were empty a lot, they were read. Some things we just didn't practice. You know players had to adjust to it, and as the game went on I thought we did a good job on adjusting to it, so you know as they intercepted the pass at the end we had played pretty well for a couple quarters, getting off the field on third down better, which we really didn't to a good job in the beginning of the game. We had a lot of respect for their coaches and their team and what they do, and I think they did a really good job today."
On getting turnovers:
"It was really, really good getting four and a blocked punt. You know that's what we have been working on. That is what we have been trying to get. Both interceptions that we threw were bad decisions by the quarterback. The ball should probably not been thrown, so we obviously have to do a better job of taking care of the ball and make good choices and decisions about that."
On quarterback play:
"Both guys (Jake Coker and Cooper Bateman) really need to improve. I think that, offensively, we started to establish an identity I thought against Wisconsin. I don't think we had much of one today, but that not all the quarterback's fault. But there are many things that the quarterbacks can do better and we will certainly focus on trying to have them play better. We will evaluate the situation and do what's best for our team."
On pass defense and safety:
"I don't think we played as well as we needed to today. We made some errors. The second team made a mental error on the last touchdown, but it was something that they didn't really practice so they played on principle and really didn't get it right. I think we need to play better. We gave up a lot of big plays, which is a big thing, but I still think we need to do a better job on third down. We need to do a better job on executing what we do as a unit on defense on passing situation, so we will continue to work harder on third down."
#17 Kenyan Drake, Running Back
On the disappointment of being run down on his 69-yard reception: "I was trying to read the block and receive the pattern on the inside and see if I should cut under the block or keep on going. Once I figured that I had to blow it off, I realized we had 10 yards to go, so I stared cruising a little bit and he caught me from behind. That's a lesson learned to go full speed all the way."
On celebrating after Derrick Henry's touchdown run: "When he scores, I'm happy. When I score, he's happy. We're family, so anytime somebody has success we're all for that guy getting the credit."
On sharing the responsibilities with Henry on the field: "We both know that it's a long season. The less amount of carries that we get game in and game out, from our perspective, it helps us down the road because it limits the damage on our bodies as the season wears on."
#19 Reggie Ragland, Linebacker
On thinking about something other than his numbers this week: "The goal this week was to show people that we can get to the ball. I know that we are much faster than the other team and we are getting better each week, especially with this fast ball style. A lot of people don't think that we can play fast ball, so we tried to come out and show that today."
On getting the takeaways: "Coach (Mel) Tucker, Coach (Kirby) Smart, and Coach (Nick) Saban have been preaching all week about turnovers. I really don't think we got enough, so the interception -- we don't really count that as a turnover because we are trying to get the ball out. They're harping on us to get the ball, but we did a great job today. Marlon (Humphrey) got one out; Eddie (Jackson) got one out, so we did a good job with four turnovers."
On setting the tempo for the game: "A lot of the teams we are playing now are very fast on getting in and getting out, so we just showed that we got to the ball and got a head on the ball -- we got the ball out."
Head Coach Rick Stockstill
Opening Statement:
"Thank you everybody being here. I'm not sure who I'm talking to here, but I'm really really proud of our football team. The way we competed and played this game. I thought we played extremely hard. I thought we played with great effort. I think we've got a chance to be a really good football team. We didn't play especially smart early, the first half. I told our team if we were playing tennis, you'd have three unforced errors. We fumbled the ball on the first play of the game. We fumbled the ball on the first play of the half. We getting a little over anxious down there on the goal line. We rush ourselves. [running back] Shane [Tucker] goes up before a little too quick and we turned the ball over down there. We miss a field goal. We had several penalties that called some bigger plays back. And we had a lot of drops. I bet we had four or five drops on third down that stalled drives. I thought defensively we competed extremely well. I thought our guys fought. Give Alabama credit and Coach Saban and his staff. Got an excellent football team -- the number two team in the nation. You can't come to their place and do the things we did today and have a chance to win. But I'm just talking about my team and our team. I'm really, really proud of our effort."
On after those first couple of fumbles what he told Christian and Shane when they got to the sidelines? You guys still seemed to be in the game.
"We were still in the game. I didn't mean to cut you off. We threw -- I mean, we just gotta be better, you know? C.C. got the ball away from him and they did a great job of knocking it out. We've just got to be better fundamentally. Shane, he just went too fast, jumped the gun a little bit. I don't know if their crowd had anything to do with it down there on that end of the field. It was really loud. I don't know if he heard whatever, that's just an excuse. We've just got to be better than what we were down there."
When Kevin went out with the targeting foul, what was your plan with Alex Dale?
"No Quay Watt. Quay Watt came in and Xavier went to the side. First targeting penalty we've had since I've been here. So, our guys are doing a good job and it was an extremely difficult play for K.B. You know the quarterback is running full speed, you know he's getting ready to make a tackle and, then, at the last second, he slides. I thought K.B. tried. I thought he tried to pull himself out of it. I thought he did a good job of doing that, so that's just a difficult play there, one: to officiate, it's tough to officiate and two, it's hard to play so but I thought K.B. there was no intent there wasn't anything there of trying to hurt their player, he just slid at the last second."
#20 Kevin Byard, Safety
On getting his 16th interception of his career: "It felt great. I was just trying to make a play on the ball. I was just trying to help my defense right before halftime. I feel like I just made a great play. The quarterback threw the ball up in the air and I just got it."
On his ejection: "I feel like I did everything right on the play. The quarterback slid late. I was just coming in and trying to make the tackle. I think we just coincidentally went helmet-to-helmet. I really didn't mean to do it. I just feel that the way the game is evolving, they are trying to protect the quarterback. I just have to live with it and prepare for the next game, knowing that I have to sit out of the first half for the next game. We will prepare for that."
#2 Austin Grammer, Quarterback
On being a Tuscaloosa native and throwing a touchdown in Bryant-Denny Stadium: "It was something I've dreamed about since I was four or five years old, watching this team and this atmosphere, as a young fan growing up. Obviously I grew up wanting to be on the other side, but the fact that I got to come back and play for this team [is great]. They played a great game. I felt a couple miscues hurt us, but it's definitely a dream come true."
On his getting ready for Charlotte: "I think we have to protect the ball. I think it's a great team. They fought. Like I said, a couple miscues hurt us, but if we take care of them, I think we will have an incredible year."
