University of Tennessee Athletics
Postgame Quotes
November 01, 2003 | Football
Nov. 1, 2003
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TENNESSEE HEAD COACH Phillip Fulmer
"I was glad to get a win against a determined Duke team. This was a dangerous game sandwiched between a five overtime affair with Alabama and a big game with Miami next week.
"Our team looked good in practice this week. We had a penalty here or there that stopped us.
"We scored in the Orange zone (inside the 20) and Duke didn't. We shut them out as far as touchdowns.
"We got help with Florida's win over Georgia. We are alive again and hope to finsh out the season in grand style.
"We tried to come out and throw the ball. Duke had a hard time with the pass last week against N.C. State. We threw sometimes well and sometimes not so well. We ran well at times and not so well at other times.
"Duke did a lot of moving people in and out of the box. They did a good job getting their safeties involved.
"We went to into a situation huddle after not getting anything the first couple of times.
"It was big to get the turnover on the punt. Corey Larkins recovered the fumble. He's been a guy who has been busting his rear for this team all season.
"Colquitt turned the field a couple of times and Wilhoit did a good job kicking.
"We won without our starting tailback and safety. Mark Jones was limited."
DUKE HEAD COACH TED ROOF:
"We were pleased with where the game was in the second half. It was slow-down, trading punches type game. I'm proud of our staff and the effort of our players. We made the mistakes at the end and they took advantage. Give them credit. They're well-coached. The game unfolded like we needed to.
"Our coverage was excellent early. Later on, they found Banks. We tried to change looks and it went well most of the game. We're not into moral victories.
"This team understands that we have to play better and smart. We'll have to eliminate the mistakes and go back to work. I'm proud to be their coach for however long I am. On the penalties at the goal, they gave me a number and didn't tell me anything else. That was obviously a big series. We had to a chance to go in and didn't get any points. You can't do that against a team like Tennessee.
"The fumbled punt was a big turning point. I felt the momentum turning our way. We had a big sack and then the fumble. We had to fight to get the momentum back.
"Our team believed they could win. I didn't look at this game as one coming between Alabama and Miami. We just show up and try to play hard and well."
TENNESSEE PLAYERS
Jabari Davis (TB): I just feel that, starting last weekend, the team was focused after the Alabama game. I just went into the game relaxed and ran hard."
"Duke is a good team, but I think if Tennessee plays `Tennessee football,' it wouldn't be a competition."
(on why he is successful late in games): "I think it has a lot to do with my style. I'm a big back - pretty hard to bring down. As games go on, teams get tired of hitting me. I'm the type of back that, with my size and my speed, when it comes to the third and fourth quarters, teams get really tired of hitting me so I should be able to get those long runs."
Chris Hannon (WR): (on his touchdown catch): "Initially it was a running play, and Casey checked it off because he saw something in the middle. When he gave me the signal, I looked in the middle and saw that it was a good call. When the ball was in the air, I went to go get it."
(on whether he prefers the huddle or no-huddle offense): "(The receivers) like the no-huddle because it's powerful. We practice it all the time in practice. It gives Casey an opportunity to look at the defense and just pick them apart.
Kevin Burnett (LB): "We just have to make it exciting don't we?" Duke was a good football team. We came in a little tired - a little lackadaisical, but we picked it up in the end and got a big victory going into next week."
"We definitely have to start fast next week. We would have like to have started fast this week, but we didn't. We came out and had some miscues and gave up some big plays but hopefully we can pick that up."
(on knowing that Florida defeated Georgia): "It definitely gives us an emotional boost - that we need, obviously. It lets us know that we are now controlling our own destiny again, and all we have to do is keep playing `Tennessee football.'"
Kevin Simon (LB): (on what the defense was thinking during the second-half goal line stand): "We were thinking `We need to make a big play. Somebody needs to make a play and get this thing stopped. We kept them out of the end zone, so obviously everybody showed their heart during that goal line stand."
"I don't think that we're slow starters. Defensively, I think we played a pretty good football game. We came in and got our three-and-outs, and we got the offense the football. I don't think it has anything to do with us starting slow, or not being ready to play, or looking forward to Miami. I know I didn't watch any Miami film. I don't even think we had any Miami film so I don't think there was any way we could look forward to Miami. All of our focus all week has been on this game. If we lose this game, our season is a wash.
Troy Fleming (FB): (on his special teams caused fumble) "I noticed earlier in the game he (the punt returner) was carrying the ball kind of gingerly. I knew I had to make a play. He was more worried about making players miss than taking care of the ball. All special teams plays are hustle. We lacked some emotion at times, but we knew what was on the line."
James Wilhoit (PK): I figured it was just going to go back and forth in a field goal battle. (Regarding his confidence level) It's pretty high, but it's never been really low. I feel like I'm getting more comfortable in every game. The snapper and holder have been doing a great job all year and that makes my job easier. It's better than a lot of games we've had. At least in a game like this I feel I was a part of the game. I feel like I'm getting more and more consistent. That's what you ask of a kicker and that's what I'm trying to do."
DUKE PLAYERS
Matt Zielinski, DT: "Playing hard tonight is good for our confidence, but I am getting tired of losing games by such close margins. I have been doing it for so long now, a bunch last year and a bunch this year. But it does give you a lot of hope going into these last three games.
"Both teams were moving the ball on each other all night. Defense would step up and make a play. The game there was won on momentum. They had a momentum swing there and they just carried it into the final minutes of the game. They ended up making points off of it. It wasn't just the fumbled punt, but it was the defense letting them drive the field and score and then letting them score on the short field."
Chris Dapolito, QB: "All week Adam and I split reps, and we knew what plays we were going to run. It was a little bit of a surprise to play that much, but I was happy to be in there."
"I know we had a lot of opportunities, but I know it was hard to close in on some of them. Personally, I felt like I threw the ball a little bit late. But we definitely had some opportunities to score on a great team, and I am sorry we came up short some times."
"I thought the coaches did a great job all week with the schemes. And I thought we executed pretty well in the run game, and we just kept pounding it in there. Tennessee is a great team, but I thought we were pretty effective."
