Army West Point Athletics
Postgame Quotes | Army 35, Connecticut 21
November 08, 2014 | Football
Army Head Coach Jeff Monken
(Ref.: opening statement)
"I'm really proud of our team to be able to come down here and get this victory tonight. It was really a hard-fought game and we anticipated it would be. I'm so happy to see our guys make some plays when it counted. I've been impressed with our team, though we had some disappointing losses. We had lost three in a row coming into this ball game, but our guys found a way to come back in practice this week and pick up some steam, which isn't easy for every team to do. These guys keep fighting. They're a great group of guys and they believe in each other and they continue to try to do everything we ask them to do. I'm so proud that it all came together tonight. I thought our offensive line played particularly well. With the exception of the one fumble, we managed to take care of the ball and hit some play-action passes. Defensively, our guys have really improved and I thought they played a good game last week and backed it up with another good one tonight. They made some big stops and were successful more often than not on third down. We had a big play by Chris Carnegie and I can't say enough about him. He had the courage to step in front of that ball and go make a play after having given up a play in front of him.
"It's exciting to be here in this unbelievable venue where so many championships have been won and where so many great players have worn the pinstripes. It was a great sense of pride for our team to play here in this great stadium, and to get the victory was the cherry on top."
(Ref.: on your assessment of the offensive line)
"We were getting some movement at the point of attack, which was really important. We also got some perimeter blocks from our offensive line. They were able to get out there and block the outside linebackers. I also thought they did a nice job of getting out in space and making some plays at times."
(Ref.: on having a plan to rotate players throughout the game)
"We wanted to do that particularly at the slot back position. Those guys had been practicing really well and were going to be able to add something to the mix when they got in there. Staying fresh and being able to bring them out and talk to them about what's going on, and them being able to watch, really helped those guys the next time they went back in the game."
(Ref.: on Connecticut's onside kick)
"The onside kick was a hopper and we maybe mistimed the jump a little bit. The guy who got the ball, number 21 Jamar Summers, we actually had a guy assigned to him, but we took a poor angle and he ran right by us. We had a guy who might have been able to recover it, but we didn't block the guy we were supposed to. We practice onside kicks every Thursday and it was an important play."
(Ref.: on the key to Army's successful running game)
"It was the blocking. We didn't run any different plays than we've run all year, but our blocking was better. If we continue to improve, maybe we'll continue to have success."
(Ref.: on Chris Carnegie's interception)
"I'm thrilled for him to have made that play and I'm thrilled that we were able to win. We've been in some close games this year and have come up on the short end. It's nice to come out of one of those with a victory."
(Ref.: on your thoughts during Connecticut's final drive)
"I was thinking we need to stop them. That's all I was thinking about; calling the right play, running the right defense to keep their offense out of the end zone. If they scored, then we would have had to play offense and play overtime or whatever it took."
(Ref.: on Joe Walker's emergence today)
"He's played a lot of football for us. Maybe not as much at slot back, but he's played a lot on special teams. He threw a touchdown pass against Wake Forest and he's made some plays for us."
(ref.: On what this win means for the football team.)
"It definitely means a lot for the whole football team. We were all excited to get a `W' and I had a lot of family here and a lot of friends come down to the game because I live so close to here. I wanted to thank all my teammates for putting me in the position and the team in position to win the game. I want to also thank my mom because it's her birthday. So I just want to tell her that I love her and I wouldn't be here without her."
Army Junior DB Chris Carnegie
(ref.: Take us threw the interception and what happened on play.)
"We knew we were backed up on the six and that they were going to run a little short routes that they had been running all game and I just tried to stick to my man and I was in position and saw the ball come out and got an opportunity to break on the ball, so I took that chance."
Army Senior RB Raymond Maples
(ref.: On the offense stepping up without Tony Giovannelli and making an impact today.)
"Honestly, just doing my job by making blocks on the perimeter. Making the best out of carrying the ball when I got a chance to and we did a good job rotating in and out of the game and keeping everyone fresh. We played a heck of game today."
Army Sophomore RB Joe Walker
(ref.: On your role within the offense today.)
"My role today, like the other slotbacks was to rotate in and out of the game. It was a new thing that the coaching staff wanted to do. We all contributed in our own ways and today I just did what I am coached to do and did whatever another slotback would have done if they got the ball in the same situation. You know, guys like Raymond Maples and Terry Baggett clearing the way for me to get the endzone made it easy for me to walk in there. I just did what I needed to do."
(ref.: Mentality of the team of stepping up when needed.)
"That is exactly how it works. It was just my luck of the draw that my number was called on those plays and at the particular time. If any other slot was in there at the time they would have done the same thing. We have been practicing the same way all week and we are confident all of us can get it done."
Army Sophomore LB Jeremy Timpf
(ref.: Talking about the performance of the defense)
"I think we are just playing more as a team now. It is not individual efforts out there and everyone is making plays. It is good to see everyone making plays. Chris Carnegie, especially, going out there and getting it done."
(ref.: Interceptions are a big part of the defense.) "We know that we need to give the offense the ball back and it is a crucial part. We hold the possession on offense so much, that if we can get the ball back, we know that it helps our offense."
Connecticut Quarterback Chandler Whitmer
(Ref: on difficulty of dealing with loss)
"It's tough because we were fighting hard, got the onside kick, went down and scored before that to set that up, drove right down the field and it was just a stupid play."
(Ref: on Army controlling time of possession)
"I think that we let that affect us as an offense. The style of offense that they run kind of affected us. We were trying to force things and trying to make plays because we know we're not going to have very many possessions instead of just sticking to the script. And we did that a couple of times and it resulted in some positive yardage, but you just can't play like that."
(Ref: on if UConn should have called timeout before final interception)
"If I could have done it again I would have. We had to rush the play to get the play in. It wasn't right, we had one timeout left and I should have stepped up and taken the timeout. I put that on myself. But I made a bad play worse just trying to make a play in that situation where we didn't necessarily have the correct personnel or play. It wasn't right; we should have taken the timeout."
Connecticut Linebacker Graham Stewart
(Ref: on difficulty of stopping triple option)
"It's difficult because you don't see it often and when you do see it you have to be perfect in your assignment. Everybody has their own assignment and they need to fulfill it and I know at times I messed up."
(Ref: on experience of playing at Yankee Stadium)
"This is unbelievable, playing at one of the highest venues in sports, it was incredible. You sit there and look around and it feels like you're in a cathedral."
(Ref: on disappointment of losing)
"I think it's more of a speed bump. We still have momentum and we still are a good team and we're taking these losses and just trying to learn from them, become better and develop this program into a championship-style program."
Connecticut Wide Receiver Deshon Foxx
(Ref: on if team's youth showed itself)
"We had a lot of young guys playing, especially young guys going against an offense like this, it makes it tough, and going against this defense, it's a solid defense. It showed at times, but I definitely feel like we had a chance to win and I feel like we lost the game. There wasn't much that they had to do; we kind of just gave it to them. "
(Ref: on how team handed game to Army)
"Penalties, turnovers. Going against an offense like theirs, they were going to keep the ball. They kept the ball for 10 minutes at one point. It's hard to win a game when you might only get one or two possessions per quarter."
(Ref: on team's anxiety heading into game)
"Going against their offense is tough. The triple option is hard to defend, you don't really know who's going to get the ball, especially when you don't have anybody in your conference that runs that type of offense. You just have to try to adjust to it in just a week, it's tough. I definitely felt like we fought, nobody gave up. It was a good game."
Connecticut Head Coach Bob Diaco
(Ref.: Opening Statement )
"Credit to Army, Coach Monken, his staff and players. They fought hard and performed well. They did a fantastic job in coming away with the win so I'd like to credit them; they're obviously the benchmark for class, character, toughness and discipline. They had a fine football team today and executed well, credit to the organization. We can't start a football game like that, against anyone, again. Our immaturity and youth and the beginnings of our program continue to just be present at some point in time in the game. Against that style of offense, you can't do that. The offense needs to produce points at each opportunity because there are only a few opportunities. After a drive and another drive and then you're looking up and there's two minutes to play in the first quarter. Then the half is done and you blink your eyes and it's the fourth quarter. That's the style of the game. There are no other opportunities. We drive the ball down into field goal range, two drive stopping penalties, out of field goal range. You can't do that, you've got to kick a field goal there. They score, they go up 14-0, at that point, against a service academy, I'm not saying it's impossible. But it's tough sledding, it's going to be a major issue to try to get back against that offense because there are just not that many opportunities, and they're on schedule. Now when they're on schedule and they can run the plays they want to run rather than the plays they don't want to run, that's the issue. So with that, we didn't execute well enough, we didn't play well enough. It was an incredible lesson for our team to play in this venue, this spectacular venue and this incredible game against one of the most prestigious football programs that ever played football in the greatest sports venue in the world. It was a lot for our young infant program to take in, clearly. The moment probably was bit big for some, some big eyes and whatnot. We'll be sure we get better after tonight and move this team forward like we always do. We definitely won't have to do a whole lot of sales job on how hard it's going to be to play this team. I think they got a pretty good understanding of that now as we play them in game two in 2015. I'd like to just take this opportunity too to thank all of the UConn Husky fans out there that came today, it was an awesome attendance, cheering loud, the team heard it, the team stayed energized by the fans. It was an entertaining game, we're unhappy, dinner is not going to taste very good for anyone and for that we're sorry, but we're very appreciative of that support. It was a great on the road crowd for UConn. Thank you so much for coming out. I appreciate it. "
(Ref.: Thought process in last few plays )
"You've got to score. Protect the ball. We had time, it wasn't like it was ticking away and we had a timeout. We could have operated very comfortably and punched it in."
(Ref.: Did getting down early change the game plan)
"Absolutely. You just don't have any chances anymore. You can't then go back on a drive, the game is not long enough. That's part of the other piece to why that offense, as it relates to how they do their business, is awesome because the opponent has so few opportunities to score. When you get to that point you've got to move fast and try to score and strike down the field. So absolutely it changed. It also almost creates a situation where the defense now has to defend an offense that is three times harder because they are totally on schedule with no stress at 14-0. They don't have to throw, they don't want to throw, they don't have to throw. They're doing all the things they love to do and don't have to do the things they don't like to do."
(Ref.: On what difficulties the triple option presented )
"Same as every other team that defends the triple option. You can look at the yards and point totals of every team they've played, they've just been outscored other than the Stanford game. You're not equipped on your team to show it to your team; you do your best that you can. It's a major altering thing. It's just the style of blocking is an issue, the whole thing is an issue."
(Ref.: On what officials told him when the fumble was confirmed )
"I didn't have any thoughts, I just listen to the officials and what they say. I don't spend much time thinking about it and I'm sure that those guys are professionals and made the appropriate call. I don't look at stuff like that. You get some bounces and you don't get some bounces, it all works out. Some things go against you, some things don't go against you; you don't sit up here and make excuses. We didn't execute well enough, we didn't play well enough to win the football game and we have a long way to go as a program. We're just getting started; we haven't been at it 12 months. I'm not sure we've been at it 11 months, so we have a long way to go."
(Ref.: If the loss is a step back)
"I don't think we took a step back. We didn't win the football gam, but we didn't take a step back. Every person in our organization is better. We're upset, we're upset we lost, but we didn't take a step back. The players and coaches are more equipped to come to a venue, play on a national stage and play a different style game and the whole program is better. We didn't take a step back. You win a football game, so it's like you've arrive now. No. We know where we're at as a program, we've got a long way to go. We have a long way to go."
(Ref.: Decision not to call timeout on final interception )
"Yeah, I don't know what was going on in the frame of mind and the psyche and all that. We had the timeout to use and we would have used it had we needed to. We didn't get the opportunity to. At that time we had a few more downs to play and that wasn't the game. We didn't lose the game on that play. Chandler Whitmore played hard and he got us down there. He's crushed, I wish he wasn't, I feel terrible for him but it wasn't his fault. He didn't lose the game for us. He played hard. He gave a valiant effort but too many errors on offense in general, the whole group."
(Ref.: If the start of the second half took the wind out of the team)
"Oh yeah, we needed to get a stop there, absolutely. That's the problem. That's what they do, they get plays in chunks, so we're trying to help force, making calls and then they had the play action pass. That was a big play there. That play hurt."
(Ref.: Thought process on fourth and six completion for a touchdown )
"We just felt like we had a matchup opportunity there down the middle."
(Ref.: If the team is on schedule as far as the growth of the program)
"I don't like where our record is, but we get better every day. Every day presents new challenges, as it relates to the schedule. It is evolving each day. There is no set thing. We wake up , we look at the team, we look at what we need to do and we think about the players and serving them. Every day is a new day with new challenges."
(Ref.: Using Foxx at quarterback)
"We were just working off of time and then all of a sudden it was late. They really didn't stop our offense, they stopped themselves. First drive, drive stopping penalty. Second drive, drive stopping penalty. Third drive, interception. Fourth drive, touchdown and the half is over. It wasn't like you were looking for this great change, but we knew he was going to play and put him in. He was a little change, a little shot in the arm. I wasn't happy or unhappy with the timing of the insertion."
