University of Tennessee Athletics
Postgame Quotes - Tennessee vs. Arkansas
October 05, 2002 | Football
Oct. 5, 2002
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TENNESSEE LOCKER ROOM
HEAD COACH PHILLIP FULMER
"I'm so proud of this team to have the heart to stick together after being up and letting it out of their grasp. This shows the amount of character this team has. We grew much closer and moved a step in the right direction.
"It was an incredible effort by Jason Witten. He did a nice job with execution. We had some great throws and protection.
"Arkansas did a good job disguising its defense. We ran Casey on the two-point conversion because we thought we had a chance. He had the option to check out of it and he was looking at it.
"I've never doubted our running game. We have a chance to be a good rushing team.
"This is the type of game that gels a football team. I am excited about the way we played. We had the heart and guts to take it to them.
"Casey and Jabari were warriors. We had a lot of young guys step up. Every time I looked up, Demetrin Veal was making plays like he did last week."
JASON WITTEN
"They brought everyone most of the game, that's why I didn't get a lot of throws. We felt if we could get man-to-man, we would take it. ON TD: I just faked and he bit.
"I can't describe this feeling. To see this team go out fight like we did, shows how much pride we have. We knew down deep we could come back."
JULIAN BATTLE
"We were in good condition to play in a game like this. ON INTERCEPTION: "The receiver went on a crossing route and I knew he was going to get it and I just stepped in front. ON LONG TD PASS: "It was a missed assignment, a blown coverage."
JABARI DAVIS
"We proved we could run the ball tonight. We felt we had to score a touchdown to win. We couldn't let a field goal beat us."
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ARKANSAS LOCKER ROOM
ARKANSAS HEAD COACH HOUSTON NUTT
"Our players fought their guts out. They played hard. We were one play away. This one is hard on them. It was a great game and I'm proud of our players. We improved in some areas and did some things better. This is bitter, bitter. There were a lot of times we outplayed them. Howard is a winner. He's just awesome.
"Cobbs played well until he got hurt. When it went to overtime, I said, `This is our game. We're ready. It was hard for me to talk to them after the game. Jones is a good quarterback, a winner. I told them I appreciated how they came back, particularly with everybody questioning them. There was so much negativity. You have to be really strong in today's world.
"A bunch of 18 and 19-year-olds came to work today. Most people give up at 17-3 that late in the game. (ON THE 92-YARD TOUCHDOWN) "It was a curl route. When Matt rolls out, it turns into a go route.
"In overtime, I felt we had it. In the third overtime, the game is over. Absolutely. We played well enough to win. On the final touchdown, he was trying to knock the ball down and doesn't get it. Witten's a wide body and a big-time tight end.
"It was a heavyweight fight. You have energy when you win a game like this. Ole Miss lost gams after that game last year. I'm worried about that happening to us."
MATT JONES, QB
"Coaches have told us never to quit and when we were down seven at our own eight, I kept think about that. I rolled out and kept waiting to see who would come free and I found Richard Smith down the sideline. We knew what we had to do and you've got so many chances and you have to come through. In a game with Tennessee you can't give them that many chances."
On Arkansas' plan of using his rolling out ability.
"That was our plan coming into the game. It was for me to use the roll out to keep their defense off balance."
De'Arrius Howard, RB
"I couldn't ask for anything more. I mean it came down to Arkansas and Tennessee for me and to have a game like this. We now have to get ready for Auburn. We can still get to the SEC Championship game. Hopefully we can come around and get ready. We came to Tennessee with nothing to lose and they were a tough team. We can live in the past and we will have to get past this game and just get ready for Auburn.
