University of Tennessee Athletics
Tennessee Postgame Quotes
October 27, 2001 | Football
Oct. 27, 2001
Recap?|? Final Stats?|? Notes?|? Photo Gallery
TENNESSEE LOCKER ROOM
HEAD COACH PHILLIP FULMER: "We are awful proud for the win. We prepared well. The defense was really good, especially in the first half. They (South Carolina) put us in tough spots and the defense held up. We played as a team out there tonight. The kicking game and coverage was okay. Everyone contributed out there. It was a good effort against a talented South Carolina team.
"Teams that get better and healthier as the season goes along will be there in the end. We are getting healtier.
"It was a big drive by the offensive team. Casey is tough under the clutch. He stuck some throws in there when he had to. He is good under pressure.
"South Carolina did a good job spreading us out. In the first quarter, they did to us what we do. We fixed that as the game went along. They have a nice system and spread you out with speed. Their backs are good and they have a good senior quarterback.
"The goal line stand that led to the field goal was huge. Albert Haynesworth made a good play. It was huge as it turned out.
TAILBACK TRAVIS STEPHENS: "This was a big win for us. It's the next step to the SEC Championship. I take my hat off to the defense. South Carolina played us pretty tough. We knew coming into the game they would try to stop the run. We knew we had it in us. Conditioning carried us in the fourth quarter.
LINEBACKER EDDIE MOORE: On fourth down stop "It was a great accomplishment for the defense. It was a test for the defense. If we want to accomplish what we want to in the end, we had to beat South Carolina.
QUARTERBACK CASEY CLAUSEN: "I give a lot of credit to South Carolina. Overall it was a hard-fought game and we were just glad to get a win. Obviously, we would like to play the whole game like we did in the second half. The receivers made plays. We have a lot of weapons.
WIDE RECEIVER KELLEY WASHINGTON: "We have so much talent among our wide outs and tight ends. It's just tough to defend. It was an excellent performance by the offense tonight. The offense really feeds off Travis (Stephens). Casey put the ball on the spot when he needed to. He was the leader of our offense again. We always talk about controlling the ball in the fourth quarter.
DEFENSIVE END CONSTANTIN RITZMANN: "We knew they were going to try and run the ball. In the end, we won and that's what it takes. The mustang (defense) prevailed. Georgia is not going to happen again. It showed there were two great and motivated teams. We were so happy we beat a great team.
SOUTH CAROLINA LOCKER ROOM
HEAD COACH LOU HOLTZ: "What do you say? We had a lot of things go against us, but we hung in there. We were one play short. Our offensive line played well. Our defensive line and linebackers executed well and our running backs played well. When we kicked the field goal in the third quarter, I thought about going for it. They made a great play on third down, but I had a poor view. Third down conversions were big for them. I'm proud of our team. We weren't intimidated and played our hearts out. It was loud, but I was proud of our execution. I'm sorry I couldn't do more to help them win. It was a heck of a game. It was well played, physical and bitterly contested. I expected to win. On the third down conversion, we were in a zone blitz. It's hard to match up on their receivers. We didn't match up. We knew they were a good team, but we would have to run. Pinnock and Watson both played well. The quarterback has to make the decisions and you can't criticize anybody that's out there. On the third down played before the field goal, Haynesworth went over the top of us. It shouldn't have happened. No way. There shouldn't have been penetration. We thought we'd tie it up and make it an 11-minute game, kickoff and put the pressure on them. They'd kick it, we'd get the ball and field position, but it didn't work out.
"There were four minutes to go and we wanted them to take a delay. They would snap it with 3:50 to go and we would try to block the punt. The clock ran forever. They came over and said the 25-second clock fouled up. What a time for the 25-second clock to foul up. Then they started it a 3:52 with the 25-second clock started again. That's when I threw my hat. It's better than grabbing somebody. I'm not very good at math, but I can subtract 25 from anything.
QUARTERBACK PHIL PETTY: "We did some good things out there, especially in the first half when we were able to run the ball. I don't think the crowd was really a factor we were able to do what we wanted to do. We executed and did some good things, but we missed some opportunities too. Give UT some credit. You take a play out here or there, we win the game. If we punch it on third down, that would have made a difference. It was tough for us. We thought we'd come up here and get a win. We did some good things, but they are a very good football team.
SAFETY JONATHAN MARTIN: " We practiced hard and gave it our all. We made some mistakes and we still had a chance. It's really heartbreaking when you give it your all and you still can't win the game. Coach told us not the think about this loss. We have to get this out of our head and prepare for Wofford.
LINEBACKER KENNY HARNEY: "We felt like we had a good game plan coming in. We were playing with a lot of emotion. To be there so close and let it slip away. A loss is a loss. It's our job to take the ball away and we didn't do it.
On third and long: "Tennessee came out and did a good job with time of possession, running the ball and getting third down passes. Tennessee's game plan is to come out and pound their opponents. I think we did a good job of stopping it. They caught us this time in a zone cover and found the open man.
