Post-Game Quotes: Air Force
9/19/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
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Michigan State head football coach Mark Dantonio
Opening Statement
We go to 3-0, so that's exciting for everybody. Big win, very difficult team to prepare for. I have a lot of respect for how Air Force plays the game and what they embody as a program. I'm glad to get out of this with a win. I thought offensively, we threw the ball and had a lot of explosive plays. Aaron Burbridge has a big game; (Connor) Cook has a big game. No turnovers. We didn't hurt ourselves with many penalties. That's the positive. From a negative standpoint, we've got to run the ball more effectively and protect the quarterback better, which has not been a problem. But they put a lot of guys up there and brought a lot of pressure so we need to be able to handle those situations with play calling or just with execution. You take the good with the bad and you move forward. Defensively, we started fast and had some big goal line stands. We came up with three turnovers, one for a score and another one to turn back a potential touchdown. I thought we played pretty well and then gave up some easy plays. They always seem to find a way to send out a different variation of the offense and get an extra guy out there, so you've got to be able to change with the times a little bit as the game progresses. Giving up the last two touchdowns really were the things that were disappointing. But you live with it and you move on. Specialty wise, I thought we played well on special teams with the exception of the one field goal. We've just got to get it up and give ourselves a chance. Big win, what we asked our players is to match our opponents in intensity and in terms of playing with respect. I thought we did that. I thought we played extremely hard, and you didn't see a lot of crap out there. We performed and got the win. It got a little close at the end, but we keep moving, so we're 3-0.
On what bothered him about Air Force's last two touchdowns...
Well, you know a guy open usually bothers the head coach, especially when it was the time before. It's difficult because they changed the variation of the option and we were moving our secondary, try to spin our secondary, to compensate because they're always seeming to have one guy. So the safety's got to get over top of the `X' or not, the corner doesn't jump to the pitch, or not. I'm not sure exactly the variation they ran on that particular play because it happened very quickly, but the play before it was a touchdown too. That's exasperation when that happens. I'm not pointing fingers, but all we're trying to do is match people and make sure we're as diverse as we can and executing the plan. That means everybody has to do their job. When we're up 35-7 and they're running the option and clipping off 15-yards a play at the end of the game, we've got to do something to compensate for that. We can't let them go down the field like that, then they throw it.
On Riley Bullough's ejection...
I was disappointed because I don't think he intentionally targeted the guy. I think that's usually the rule. I think he was right under the ball when the ball was thrown and he's trying to make a play on the ball and they hit. I can't control those things. That's what they're there for, they're there to make the call and you have to live with the call. There's been other calls before in the past that were close calls. All of those are close calls. I don't think it was intentional, so we'll go from there.
On if Connor Cook and Aaron Burbridge's play reminds him of Cook and Lippett from last season...
I've always thought Aaron Burbridge is an outstanding receiver, and we've had a lot of good receivers here. He's been playing since he's been a true freshman. He's had big plays here in the past. Tony Lippett got more balls last year, he's playing in the X position so there may be more balls coming to him by virtue of that position, but (Burbridge) had an outstanding game. What he does is he gets those 50/50 catches, those difficult catches, those acrobatic catches. People are hanging on to him and he's making the play. Great game, and big plays. Big plays ultimately on the offensive side of the ball is what won the game. Great job there.
On if he saw Burbridge get his foot down in the end zone on one of his touchdown catches...
I had to see the replay. It was a bang-bang play. When I saw the replay, I thought he was down, I thought he had the catch. That's why they made the call I guess. Great effort, but that's Aaron Burbridge. He plays with great effort and he's going to hang himself out there to make the catch.
On how he'll use the film from this game in the future...
I think you look at things and correct things and you learn from it. You put this in the bank and say, `this is a way we did this.' What variations can we create and how can we change this and critique it? The thing that you would be disappointed in is missed tackles and guys getting knocked on their feet when they're blocking straight up. But it will be a different offense next week, so we'll go back to what we do a little bit more but there's components of it that we'll use. It's a learning experience, no question. We lined up and played hard. On our offensive side of the ball, there are things that we will see, so we need to make changes or just corrections.
On RJ Williamson's game...
I thought he played very well. I thought he played pretty well on the whole defensive side of the ball. But big plays, the scoop for a touchdown then a big interception as they came into the red zone. Also, I thought the onside kick was another big play. So he has three big plays there in the football game. He's a guy who's played football for four years, he's a senior. If you're going to have great years, your seniors have to rise up and play their best. I think he's doing that right now. I'm sure there are some things he wishes he could do better but he's a confident player and he's a leader back there.
On why he left a lot of starters in the game until the very end...
We were playing a lot of people, we were playing eight guys up front and I guess seven linebackers. Shane Jones played well. We played some guys in the secondary. I never really felt the game was out of reach. It was 35-7 but when we didn't make it on fourth down, all the sudden to me it changed the complexion of the game when they hit it and made it 35-14. We got different guys in there, I think we played six defensive backs. We played a lot of guys and they're an up tempo team, no huddle team. To go in, I think, to adjust to the speed of the game, if you haven't played in this football game defensively, because the speed of the game that they show is big time. And the variations they show, you adjust to it as you play. If you've got to put a guy in there fresh, you might say he's getting chopped. We had to play, we didn't want them to score points, and we wanted to put the game out of reach. I don't know if it was out of reach, to a common man maybe. Not to the common coach.
On if he felt his seniors stayed focus and what he learned about his team...
I think our guys came to play. As I said on the radio, I think we're 25- or 26-4 after a big game for the last seven years. I thought we came out and played with energy. As I said, I thought we played with intensity. We went three-and-out on the first series defensively and got a score on the first series. We started the game really fast. I thought our guys did that, I thought our seniors did that, and we'll continue to move as they move. That's the good thing about a team. Your seniors continue to move forward and rise up in terms of the class that they're in and have an opportunity to lead.
On MSU joining Air Force during the playing of their alma mater...
Coach Burton, who coached at the Air Force Academy, said that's a tradition that's held at every place that they play. They wait until Air Force players go down and listen to their fight song, so we wanted to do that out of respect for them and what they mean to this country.
On what he said to Michael Geiger after his missed field goal...
The kick was very low. Obviously, I told him to get it up. But I said, more importantly, I just want the guys to compete. I don't care if you miss the kick, I don't care if we don't punt right, I don't care. I care that we compete. That's all I'm concerned about. You come and you compete. Stand down by me when we're getting ready to go into the kick. Don't stand down at the end and come on the stage. Get down by me and let's go kick the ball through the uprights. That's all I said.
Air Force head coach Troy Calhoun
On missed opportunities and mistakes that the team made in the first half...
They have a good team. That has an awful lot to do with it too.
On the play of senior quarterback Karson Roberts...
He's a good worker. You see it daily in practice too. He needs to just keep plugging away and keep working as he goes forward.
On committing three chop-block penalties today...
It would be interesting to kind of go back and look. It's all starts with us -- it does. To answer your question though, if you went back two years ago to the time where Anthony LaCoste about got his head knocked off, our last year in Laramie, it would be interesting to see.
Are you encouraged by having more first downs and more total yards than Michigan State did...
No sir.
On Michigan State picking up blitzes and giving Connor Cook time in the pocket...
They did a good job. That's something you anticipate coming into the game. Obviously, he's a tremendously talented player and has a good group up front protecting him. They are quite skilled. If he just gets a hair more time, he can find his receivers. That wide receiver is a heck of a player -- [Aaron] Burbridge.
On whether it was encouraging to hold Michigan State to under two yards per carry...
We have some work to do. We are going to face some very good running teams moving forward.
On electing not to attempt any downfield passes in the first half ...
I think it's something where you have good balance.
On how much the fumble recovery for a touchdown changed the complexion of the game...
It was a big score. It absolutely did. If it's baseball it's one to nothing. We can go make it one to one, but I wouldn't necessarily say we were on the power play.
Michigan State co-offensive coordinator Jim Bollman
On Air Force being able to stop the run game...
They did a great job of loading the box and they were pretty much blitzing us every play. I'm sure that we could've recognized some things better, could've watched some things better and could've read some holes a little bit better. We have to improve. Did we expect them to do that to us? No, but we'd like to have a little more bounce than that. Thankfully, today was the day we could throw the ball effectively at times when we needed to. Had we not been able to, it would've been tough.
On Aaron Burbridge...
Well, obviously he had a pretty good day from what I recall. He made some big plays and he's been making big plays all year. Hopefully, he continues to do that. Sure, he did some because they were in man coverage a lot of those times that they were blitzing; some of them were all-out blitzes. Granted, it gave him a little bit more room than he might have had.
On the strategy behind continuing the run game...
You know, it's a full team effort. When we're playing their kind of offense, we didn't want to get back there and throw the ball every single play. We wanted to pass and clock stuff. We wanted to get into winning the possession. That was one thing that we talked about that we needed to do, not in the way that we did. When you're sitting back there trying to call plays, it's hard when you're not getting any kind of rhythm running the ball. That's not usually our situation. That was something I had thought we couldn't sit there and throw even though they were kind of begging us to. There were times that we did throw it successfully.
Michigan State co-defensive coordinator Harlon Barnett
On being done with Air Force's offensive style...
Thank god. We focused on those guys from back in spring ball, in fall camp, we focused on them and of course, we got to today. Thank god we're done with Air Force. It is really a tough scheme to prepare for, especially when you don't see it on a weekly basis.
On the defensive takeaways from this game, despite its different scheme...
Absolutely, you always want to watch the tape and see the areas where you can improve. There will be some areas that we can improve on. One is finishing the game in the proper way, so we can certainly get something out of that.
On being able to stop teams short of the goal line...
We like to see the guys bowl up down there and keep people out. I think that that they know, `if we give up three, it's going to be a touchdown,' so the mindset is good as far as that's concerned and again, building them more having that type of success over the last couple weeks as you mentioned. It's not good for the heart though. Hopefully, that won't happen too many more times this season.
On Andrew Dowell...
From the naked eye right now, I think he did a pretty decent job. He's a freshman. We got some things that he can make adjustments on from the sidelines. He made those adjustments and was able to make plays and things of that nature. Darien (Harris) wasn't 100 percent healthy, so that's why you saw more of Andrew out there. It was a good experience for him. A good thing, it helps us.
On forcing turnovers...
We talked about one of keys for victory on defense was to get turnovers. We passed on a couple balls in the first couple games that were on the ground as far as fumbles and didn't recover them. We did put a premium emphasis on that as far as getting it done. It was great to see RJ (Williamson) one-up them and got that ball. He finds that ball man. That's awesome. We did put on the emphasis this past week, saying, `hey man, if the ball is on the ground, we need to get it.' They understand that, so I think the guys are more aware of it and just try put more into it to try and get turnovers.
On potential backups for Riley Bullough...
[Jon Reschke or Chris Frey] - That's a possibility as well as Shane Jones could come in there and be the backup. We have to look at it and see how they practice throughout the course of the week. We'll make a decision from there. I'm sure some form of those three guys, rolling in and filling in those positions, we'll go with.
On RJ Williamson...
He's a guy, a fifth-year senior, one of many that we have on our defense that plays a lot of football... He's a great leader on the defensive back and on the defense period, really on the team. He's seen a lot of different things. He understands the adjustments, the in-game adjustments, which are more important than anything, being able to communicate them to the other players as well as to the coaches, what he sees. You could see him and his game going to another level. He's seen so much over him time here. We're happy to have him on the team; he makes a lot of big plays. He's got a lot of touchdowns since he's been here.
On having things to `work on and work with' as a coach...
Absolutely. Number one, we did win the game. Sometimes when games end the ways this game did, even the Western game, coaches are nuts and we should all be happy we won, we won the game, but it's just tough. You want to see us finish better and do things a lot better. Our players are like that too. I guess if you want to cart yourself as an elite program, that's how you think. You know what I mean? We have standards to live up to and play buy, our guys do too. We're going to draw on some things and get better.
On adjusting to the infrequent pass game from Air Force...
Well, we kept telling them over and over, even before the game started that it's going to get to a point that they're going to have to pass the ball a little bit, so we have to maintain our height control, our discipline. Unfortunately, I think on the first one, that didn't happen. So, we just have to keep coaching and working. You're working with 18-23 year olds and we know how that goes. We've all been there at one time.
Michigan State freshman linebacker Andrew Dowell
On plays that stuck out to him...
The play I didn't make was the TD, so that's what's going to stick out to me. I should have housed it but there will be more opportunities for that for sure.
On how he played today...
I played well. I just did my job. That's what the older guys preached to me being the younger guy out there. They just said `do your job and take care of what you're assigned to do and the rest will play out.'
On the faster speed of the game...
The speed of the game was definitely up, especially playing college ball and it being my first time out there and stuff like that, but once you relax and calm down and realize that this is the same game you have been playing your whole life you just start doing your thing.
Michigan State senior quarterback Connor Cook
On Aaron Burbridge's catch in the end zone...
Amazing. I tried to put it outside in a safe spot where only he could get it and to see him go up and reach back and to still keep his foot in bounds - an awesome catch.
On being sacked...
It makes you feel like a football player. Going back to Western I think I got hit three times, Oregon I didn't even get hit once, but I think I need to get hit like this - it gets you ready for the season.
On treating ever game like a championship game...
I think we just embrace it. We go into each and every game embracing it and knowing that they are going to be fighting for us - pawing and scratching and doing whatever they have to do to win. Especially being the Air Force Academy and being so disciplined in everything they do. They are tough guys that never quit and we knew that coming into it. I think we've done a great job handling our success and it all starts with Coach D.
Michigan State senior wide receiver Aaron Burbridge
On holding back last year...
I was never holding back, I'm just getting more opportunities. They're calling my name and I have to make plays for my team.
I'm just playing with confidence. Confidence is key. We're all here playing for Michigan State. But you have to go out there with the confidence to know what you're doing.
On the touchdown catch in the corner of the end zone that was reviewed...
I did make a catch but I don't think it was too spectacular. I had to make the play, I went up for it. It landed in my hand.
I knew I was in. I knew I was in. I ran my route, he sent the ball in there late, so I'm just running. Then my hands were out and I caught it and tried to get a foot down. Then I'm watching it on the replay and I stood up and put my hands up. When we looked at the replay I saw I had my foot down, and it was a touchdown.
The last time I scored three touchdowns was when I was playing at (Farmington Hills) Harrison on JV.
I never thought it was anything special, I just wanted to make the play.
On the on-field chemistry Connor Cook and Burbridge had...
I just wanted to help my team win and contribute to the offense.
We have always had that kind of chemistry. He's a great quarterback and I see myself as a good wide receiver. He throws the ball I catch it. That's how it's supposed to be.
Coming into the game, our game plan, in every game, is to run the ball, you know that's what Michigan State does.
On maintaining intensity for this game after just playing Oregon...
You have to take it a week at a time. Every game is big. You have to take it a week at a time and bring that enthusiasm and intensity every week.
We have confidence in ourselves, offense and defense. Last week we beat Oregon and that was a stepping stone in to our program. This week we didn't play to our potential but I'm still glad we came out with the win.
Junior defensive back Demetrious Cox
On Air Force surprising the Spartans...
I don't want to say we were surprised, but they did a good job of lulling us asleep and then taking big shots. At times we were out of place, and they took advantage of that. We expected them to take shots after trying to lull us asleep like that.
On whether the team was willing to give up a big play in the air rather than give it up on the ground...
You can look at it like that. We're never trying to give up anything in the secondary. The game plan was to stop the run and that's what we focused on.
On not having Vayante Copeland and how other corners played...
I don't know. We're going to have to go watch the film and see. You never know how a guy really plays. You see what you see on TV or from the stands, but you never really know how a guy plays until you go watch film and see the little things.
On fighting the tendency to swarm the ball
It's kind of hard, especially on the edges, as a corner or a safety when we're trying to be aggressive and go blow guys up, then you have to watch because they're out there cut and flow every play. When we're going to try to make plays, it does take your aggression away, but at the same time, we still need to find a way to make plays.
On the game being mentally exhausting
It was a grind, for sure, it was a grind the whole game.
On facing a tough offensive team and how the team approached the game
I think we come to play every game. Some people make mistakes. Some teams are going to make plays- we're all out here for a reason. I feel like Coach D[antonio] did a good job of stressing that it's just three. For Western it was their Super Bowl. It was a huge game for everybody against Oregon. It was a Super Bowl for everyone today as well.
Michigan State sophomore linebacker Chris Frey
On playing against the Air Force offense...
We only have six days to practice for a team like that. Actually not even six days, three or four days to practice for a team like that. And they practice this offense all day, all year. So like Coach B says, they're on step Z and when we get there on Saturday, we're on step H, I or J so we at least get the basics down and play off of that.
On expectations of playing Air Force...
It was a little bit harder than what we expected cause of the tempo. It was a lot faster than we practiced. Like I said, they know this offence like the back of their hand and we know the basics of it. It's what we expected but a little bit different.
On adjustments being made...
It's [getting cut] hard to get used to but we practiced all week. We didn't cut in practice a lot, but we always were having guys at our knees, offensive linemen crawling out just to show that they will be there. We were reading our keys all week and then getting our eyes to where they needed to be. It was definitely a changed mindset for this week but I'm just glad to get back to normal Spartan defense.
On the defensive goal line stance...
It's huge. It's a huge momentum shift. We go out on the field as a defense every series, every play having the mindset that we're going to stop anything that comes our way. It's just how we are, it's how we're bred, it's Spartan defense. We go out there knowing that we can stop them.
Junior linebacker Riley Bullough
On difficulty playing against Air Force...
It's tough. Difficult. We knew it was going to be going into this week. We started in fall camp, actually, but this week was a tough week of practice because it's so different. You have to have guys covering every single play. It's tough, but I think we weathered it a little bit. We could have played better, but, in the end, we got the win.
On moving forward after Air Force...
We'll watch the film. Get better. After that, we'll move past it because that offense is so different. We won't be seeing anything like that again, at least in the regular season. We'll try to move past it, but, again, you can always get better.
On the fourth quarter targeting call...
From what I understand, they have to review it again to see if it was intentional and make a decision based on that. To be honest, I haven't even seen the replay yet, so we'll see what it looks like. They're going to make a decision and I'll just have to live with it.
On the play developing prior to the targeting call...
This week as linebackers we didn't talk too much about pass coverage because we knew they were going to come in and run it. Really, what we were supposed to do was just drop whenever they passed it and try to find a receiver. I saw him from a few yards away before he threw it, and I just attacked on it as I always would - just try to make the tackle.
Air Force senior defensive lineman Alex Hansen
On their physicality...
We're a physical bunch, so we knew if we were going to have a chance against their linemen we were going to have to out-physical them...but we didn't execute when we needed to.
On execution...
We need to be sharper during practice and that's how we execute better on the road, that's the thing, we need to execute better on the road. We didn't execute. We had them in some third and longs, we got penalties, they completed a couple balls, we didn't get a good rush. We just need to execute better at all times. As a team, we didn't do our parts.
Air Force junior defensive back Roland Ladipo
On MSU receiver Aaron Burbridge...
He's the top receiver in the nation, one of the top. We just go up against him, thinking about all that and just do your responsibility, but he got the best of me sometimes and you just have to move on to next week and learn from it.
Top players make those plays sometimes. You have to just go on to the next play. The first drive, maybe the second play, I thought I had a pretty good press coverage on him, but he made the play. (I) just need to move on, and (have a) quick memory.
On his reflections of the loss...
A loss is a loss. You leave any loss with the same feeling and you have to learn from it and learn from your mistakes.
Air Force senior quarterback Karson Roberts
On his thoughts about the game...
They're a really good team. I think honestly, too many turnovers, too many balls on the ground. We had a lot of mistakes, I had some misreads, so I think we just go into this next week and shake that stuff up. We think we can play with anyone, so we were confident as ever going in.
On their running game...
I think running the ball so much kind of lulled them into the safeties triggering with the run, and it opened up the play action later, so it worked in the second half whenever we let it rip a little bit.
On the way he played...
I have to shape it up. I think I played a little better in the second half than the first half. The first couple drives I was a little skittish, but I settled down
On the comparisons of this year's team to two years ago...
We're a new team. Two years ago isn't us anymore. I think comparing our team now to two years ago is it's two different groups. Two different sets of people. I think we have a good group. Coach Calhoun always said, `All we need is what we have in the room.'
On the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy...
a It's a big deal every year. It's at our place right now, so we want to keep it.
Air Force junior wide receiver Jalen Robinette
On Air Force's second-half play...
We came out with a little bit of fire, a little bit more fire. Coach told us just win. That's what he wrote on the board: `Win!' We came out faster and more aggressive and we put the ball in the air a little bit too, but I think it was just our attitude and demeanor, we came out with a little more fire and energy.
On the loss...
This loss hurts. We didn't come here just expecting to compete. We expected to win and losing a game like that hurts, but we have Navy ahead of us and we just have to pick up the luggage and move on.
On the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy...
It's ours and it's going to stay with us.
