University of Tennessee Athletics
Postgame Quotes
November 29, 2003 | Football
Nov. 29, 2003
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Tennessee Head Coach Philip Fulmer
On the win...
"We're really glad to get the win. I thought our preparation was really good throughout the course of the week. My hat goes off to the staff and the team. It wasn't easy, and it's never easy when Tennessee and Kentucky play. Defensively, I thought we played really well in the ball game. We're glad to be 10-2 and we're looking forward to whatever comes next."
On Tennessee QB Casey Clausen...
"Casey's sick, he's really sick. He really sucked it up today. He got things done. We didn't catch the ball real well today and he didn't have his best day throwing the ball. He went out there to compete and did everything he could to help us win."
On Kentucky QB Jared Lorenzen... "He's exceptional. Lorenzen is dangerous every time he touches the ball. Scrambling is when he's most dangerous and we did a good job of staying in our zones and rush lanes even though we broke down a couple of times. We hit him a bunch of times and forced him out of the pocket. I thought it was one of our best efforts from a defensive standpoint. I know those guys did a good job."
On the changes made defensively after the Kentucky touchdown...
"I don't think we made many adjustments. We just got better at what we wanted to do. We were using some linebacker pressure and that helped us create some opportunities.
On whether this was one of the most physical games Tennessee had played this season...
"It was physical. It wasn't one of the most physical games we've played this year. But it's always physical in these types of games, that's just the way it is."
TENNESSEE PLAYERS
#10 Mark Jones, WR
On the win ...
"Coming into the game we knew it was going to be tough and we couldn't look past them. Kentucky gave us their all and we had to suck it up and play a 60 minute game."
On the affect of the cold weather ...
"It was hard to stay loose. The wind was blowing and it was hard to keep our hands warm. We didn't have the nice weather that we are used to playing in."
On his touchdown reception ... "It was a naked bootleg and I tried to stay alive out there. Normally I don't catch the ball, but the defender stayed inside and Casey (Clausen) made a good throw."
#21 Cedric Houston, RB
On his running ...
"I ran harder than I normally run and I had some good blocking. I tried to run north and south more than east and west."
On his last touchdown run ...
"I said before the play I was going to score. I ran hard and wasn't going to be denied from getting in the endzone."
#33 Jabari Greer, DB
On the Tennessee defensive secondary ...
"I thought the secondary played real nice today. The entire defense played fast. We came out slow and Lorenzen made some plays. He's a great quarterback and we expected him to make those plays. Things didn't happen the way we wanted at first, but they came together and we did well."
On playing Kentucky ...
"Anytime we come to Lexington to play Kentucky it is going to be a hard game. Last year we turned on all cylinders. The game we had today is more like a Tennessee-Kentucky game. I've been knowing since I've played (Kentucky) that it is all out for them. I commend them for a great effort today. I think we wanted it and we knew what we had to do."
Kentucky Head Coach Rich Brooks
On injuries...
"It was a tough game for us. Physically, we were in the worst shape we've been in going into a game, with Antonio (Hall) being out already and (Derek) Abney really playing on guts alone. He played through the pain for a little while, but it became too much. I am pleased for him that he became an NCAA record holder. We lost (Tommy) Cook and (Matt) Huff during the game to fractured fibulas. (Jared) Lorenzen hurt the AC joint on his right shoulder."
On the troubles with the offense...
"At one point, with (Chris) Bernard, Abney and Cook out - when three of our top four receivers were on the sideline - it made it difficult for us offensively. I fell very badly because I think our players battled very hard and laid it on the line. We had some chances in the first half with our field position, but we have to get some points out if it. Unfortunately, we were unable to capitalize and we threw two interceptions down there."
On the turning point in the game...
"The opening drive in the third quarter was a killer. We had two penalties - one on third down that was critical. Then they take the lead, and their last touchdown, they broke a few tackles and got it in on us to put the thing totally out of reach."
On the team's effort...
"I am proud of the defensive effort we made for most of the game. I am proud of the way our offense competed, but we came up short again."
On the close games in the SEC this year...
"The good news to me is that we are competitive, the bad news is that we haven't been able to win any of those (close) games. I am more determined than ever to hit the recruiting trail tomorrow and get this thing going forward."
On why the offense was out of sync...
"There is no question that some of that was injuries, but the other thing is Tennessee's defense. They are a very good defense. The defense particularly has performed extremely well for Tennessee. They were physical, fast, big - they have all the weapons on defense."
Kentucky Players
Jared Lorenzen, QB
On the end of the season...
"It's bittersweet. It stinks because my career's over. This is it, it's all I've got left. This is my last media day. It's tough but at the same time, I'm ready to move on. "
On Glenn Holt's catch that was ruled incomplete...
"He made the catch but chalk it up with something else that's gone wrong for us. He made that catch and to say that (the catch) turns around the game, nobody knows."
Derek Abney, QB
On the punt return...
"I was wide open, I didn't get touched until about the punter. It was pretty painful. It's a shame I couldn't contribute on my last game. "
On the possibility of returning that punt for a touchdown
"If I was healthy, maybe. It's hard to say, I know I wouldn't have cut it right. "
Jeremy Caudill, DE
On the defensive strategy...
"We were trying to stop the running game and force them to pass it. "
On the officiating...
"That's part of the game. You have to fight through those and you can't rely on the referees' calls to win the game for you. "
On forcing turnovers...
"Going into this game one of our big goals was to force turnovers. We knew they had done it earlier in the year."
Chris Bernard, WR
On getting hit...
"I couldn't remember the play that we ran. I definitely don't remember the hit. I just remember getting to the sidelines and the trainers looking at me. I remember everything before and after that hit but that split-second I was lost."
On Tennessee's second-half defense...
"I think they made some good adjustments in stopping our bubble plays. They just made some good adjustments, just good coaching."
Dustin Williams, LB
On the fumble that was called back...
"It was definitely a fumble, I didn't hear a whistle. I think they took one from us."
On today's game...
"We played hard today on defense. Our effort was there. We just needed to come together as a team and put some points on the board."
