Tennessee vs. UNLV - Post Game Quotes
September 06, 2004 | Football
Sept. 6, 2004
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HEAD COACH PHILLIP FULMER:
"I'm proud of the start we had as an offensive football team. Randy Sanders did an excellent job of play calling. We ran as well as we have in the past couple of years. I'm proud of the start and management of the football game.
ON QUARTERBACKS: "It was about as good as we could hope for. They were well prepared for the style we want to build upon. The team around them picked them up. They were not under pressure to win the game. They've been that way all along. Those kids picked up what we wanted offensively and that's why we made the decision as quickly as we did.
"They are co-starters. Both are going to play and give us different dynamics. Some games one may play more than the other. There were not a lot of bad mistakes tonight. They are surrounded by good players.
"Cedric got off to a fabulous start. We needed a back to make people miss. I had him in my office Friday because he was late to a class. He was challenged to do the right thing. He answered the bell in this game.
"We have a chance to be good in the offensive line. We were nicked up a bit tonight. Jimmy Ray Stephens did a good job in getting them ready. We've got to continue in the running game for us to be successful.
"Defensively we tackled better tonight. UNLV is a good team that has played in a lot of games with 52 juniors and seniors."
C Jason Respert
"We're obviously proud with the win, but that's something we were expected to do. Now we'll watch the film, get better and get ready for Florida."
ON THE O-LINE "I feel happy that we're healthy. We're proud of what we got done but obviously there's some things we need to go and correct. We didn't do everything perfect."
ON UNLV "(They were) athletic ... athletic and fast. We knew we just had to stay disciplined, play the way we were coached and everything else would take care of itself."
ON THE FRESHMEN QBs "I told you guys they were athletic Just because they're freshmen, they're still talented. They made plays tonight and that's what we expected them to do."
DE Parys Haralson
"As a defensive unit we played well. There's still a lot we have to work on. A couple of times that (our defense) got beat to the corner, it was because of things we did."
LB Kevin Burnett
ON UNLV RB DORSEY "That was a talented running back we played. A lot of times we were trying to adjust (at the line of scrimmage,) and they weren't giving us time to adjust. That was just a good game plan on their part."
WR Jayson Swain
"Every day is a learning experience. Our receivers can do whatever the coaches ask. We'll adapt to the freshmen and help them get better. We can win games with them. We feel our offense is dynamic. Coach Fulmer tells us to play hard and play fast. I think we got that accomplished today."
QB Erik Ainge
"I think we played a good game as a team. Coach Fulmer and Coach Sanders did a good job of getting us ready. We had four live scrimmages [during fall practice]. Every time we had one [scrimmage] the game got slower, and we managed it better. If we have to split time we'll do what's best for the team. We've got two weeks to get ready for Florida. Film study starts tomorrow. I know I've got two things to get better. I need to learn the offense better and read the defense better."
QB Brent Schaeffer
"I went into the game wanting to play mistake free. After the first few plays I got a good feel of the game. The quarterback has to have it in mind to forget the last series. The scrimmages helped build our confidence. The coaches did a good job with film study so we didn't see anything unusual. The Vol Walk got me pumped for the game. I know I'm a freshman, but I feel like I need to play like a senior because the team's looking up to us."
HEAD COACH JOHN ROBINSON:
"Those two quarterbacks looked like they were each 24 years old. I think I went to college with Ainge's grandfather and great-uncle. Ainge and Schaeffer looked like they just came off a mission with the Dolphins and Cowboys. They were well-prepared and you have to give coach Fulmer the credit. They both did a really good job.
"We didn't get points when we had the chances, particularly in the first half. I'm disappointed in our pass defense. Maybe we focused too much on the run. We have some things to shore up. The first half was disappointing.
"I like this team. I told them not to worry about this game for more than 30 minutes. I think we can develop into a fine team.
"Tennessee looked good to me. Schaeffer looks like a Michael Vick-type guy.
"Dominique Dorsey had an outstanding game. He was a great back in high school. He's had his ups and downs.
"We had two key errors. Kurt Nantkes misread the pass over the middle to Earvin Johnson. Dominique made a nice run, but fumbled.
"Tennessee has a lot of weapons. They must have had eight or nine tailbacks. They will be heard from."
TB Dominique Dorsey:
"Tonight I did alright, but I can only go as far as my offensive line will take me. They did a good job. Last year we did a good job of playing the big time teams. Tonight we didn't come out as well as we would have liked."
On the fumble: "I had the fumble in the first quarter down around the 20-yard line, which was a mental mistake on my part. I should have just tucked the ball in the way I was supposed to. But I am not out to prove anything to anyone. I am out there having fun. And it was fun being out there playing in front of 100,000 fans, which was a great experience. But, it would have been an even better experience to come out with a win."
LB Ryan Claridge:
"I think we have the capability to go out there and compete against any team in the country. Unfortunately tonight things just didn't work out that way. But tonight it showed us some things we need to work on, and I am sure there are things that Tennessee will need to work on. But it was the first game jitters, and now we have it out of the way."
On the play of the young Tennessee QBs: "I thought he (Brent Schaeffer) played extremely well. I thought he would come out there and be jittery, but he played with a lot of poise and confidence. We knew they would run a lot of rollouts and bootlegs where they slide the tight end out and the back underneath, but it was still difficult to stop. But they didn't make many mistakes. Anytime you have two freshman quarterbacks that can come out and make the right checks and get people in the right place, you know the coaches had them prepared. I can say that I played against some really good quarterbacks when they were freshman after I leave here."
