University of North Carolina Athletics
Postgame Quotes - North Carolina vs. Pittsburgh (Dec. 26, 2009)
December 26, 2009 | Football
Dec. 26, 2009
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North Carolina Tar Heels
Butch Davis, Head Coach
RE: Opening Statement
We had a lot of respect for Pitt and for their football team. We knew their running game was a very good running game. They had a talented running back that could make guys miss in the hole. It was going to take a good cooperative team effort defensively to minimize the damage. You're not going to shut somebody like that out. We just wanted to keep them out of the endzone. In some respects I think we did some things very well tonight. One thing we didn't do is we didn't play as smart as we needed to. Some of the things we did, we shot ourselves in the foot field position wise as a result of things we didn't do and that is my fault. As a football coach I have to take responsibility for composure, not losing your composure, staying in the moment and playing in the game and playing as hard as you possibly can. I'm very proud of this football team and this football program. The mileage we have gone in these three seasons, back to back winning seasons and back to back bowl games these last two years, we've covered an awful lot of ground, but we haven't even scratched the surface of where we want to go. There are going to be bigger and better things in the future.
RE: Ball on the 5 yd line
They are a good football team. There is probably a reason they were 35 seconds away from going to the Orange Bowl as Big East conference Champions. Here is something I've been telling our football program for three years. The only way you're going to find out if you're any good is if you start playing good football teams. You play good teams, it reveals a lot about you. It doesn't do you any good to go out and beat teams 42 to nothing.
RE: Dion Lewis
He reminds me of Clinton Portis. He has that same explosiveness in the hole as Portis. He can jump straight, sideways, spin and cut. Because of his speed and because of his quickness he doesn't take a lot of blows.
RE: Greg Little
For the first time Greg Little got to play the position for a full year for the position we recruited him to play. When we recruited him to play, we said this is a prototypical, big time wide receiver. He is big, he's strong, he has great hands, he has run after catch. He didn't know anything about being a receiver. We wasted a lot of time trying to make a running back out of him just to get some speed at that position.
TJ Yates, Quarterback
RE: Last Drive
There were guys that were open, upfront protected me well. There are things I could have done differently. There were guys that were running wide open.
RE: Things you would have done differently
Especially the red zone interception. We needed three extra points in this game. I just have to throw that out of the back of the end zone and take the loss.
RE: Played Pitt closely
Absolutely. We played well throughout the game. I thought offensively we passed the ball well. We just made some mistakes that hurt us throughout the game and especially at the end of the game.
RE: Greg Little
During this season, he just became a great wide receiver. He perfected his craft. He's one of those guys I know I can throw the ball up to and he'll get it.
Kendric Burney, Cornerback
RE: Today's game
It was a good physical game. Pretty much like we thought it was going to be. They executed but we did some dumb things that came back to bite us. Give them credit for coming out and doing what they had to do to win the game.
RE: Dion Lewis
He's one of the best backs we've faced in my four years here. He's the best foot work guy in the way he needed to bounce it around. Give him another two or three years and he'll be something special. A high draft pick.
RE: Final Drive
They executed better than we did. The RB bounced when he needed to bounce and did what he needed to do. They came up with a couple of key pass plays.
Pittsburgh Panthers
Head Coach Dave Wannstedt
RE: On tonight's game
We had a great time. The Meineke people were great. We really got down to business. I don't think they really understand what 10-3 says about a program even though nine wins is outstanding. 10 wins separates you and I don't think these guys know what they have accomplished here tonight and probably wont for a few weeks or a month or however long. I think that people know that we are back as a program and you have to go out and prove it. You have to show up and you have to play and you have to win games like this. I thought it was great to see our fans out there, I know we didn't outnumber the North Carolina fans, and I didn't expect to but I thought that our fans here did a great job to support us and it was neat to see that.
RE: On trying to make North Carolina jump on the 4th and 7 late in the game
No we were definitely trying to draw them offside. They were jumping the gun a little bit so we told our center to take his time adjusting the ball a little bit to lengthen it and draw them offside. But no we were going to kick it. If I didn't think that Dan could have made it we would have not attempted it. If they didn't jump offside we were going to kick the field goal but the extra 20 yards sure did help.
RE: The last drive
Its difficult, not just in college, but high school and the NFL to go 10 plays in a row at any level and not make a mistake if you really think about it. The series or two before we came unglued a little bit. We were not lined up, we were hurrying a bit, we had a bad snap, we had a penalty. So our guys went out there and there was no room for error. For our guys to go out there and complete that many plays in a row for the most part successfully says a lot about the focus and discipline of our kids.
RE: On Dion Lewis
He had an easy day. He had 28 carries today, compared to last week he took the day off. There was a nice article on him today. He is a difference maker. When you talk about breaking records of LeSean McCoy, who is probably going to break the eagles all time leading rusher this year, and Tony Dorsett, Curtis Martin, you're talking about great players. I'm embarrassing him a little bit here because he is such humble a young man. The great backs that I have been around...the Emmitt Smiths, the Tony Dorsett, the Ricky Williams, the great backs get stronger as they go along, but you have to get them the ball. That last series there was no question that a lot of the yards that he made were not easy. Every inch counts and that made the difference in the game today.
Dion Lewis
RE: His fumble
It changed the game. We would have been up, I don't know what the score would have been at the time but we would have been up. It would have been a touchdown but I fumbled. It was tough for me but I had to come back and respond. I just needed a little time to calm down and forget about it and go back out there and play.
RE: On his role
It is great to know that the coaches trust me like that. They trust me in tough situation to get me the ball. I just want to make them happy. My team mates trust me and everyone trusts me so I just have to go out there and go to work. Having a great season like I did was great. I haven't had any time to think about it I have just needed to focus on doing what is best for the team and trying to win games.
RE: His performance against a good North Carolina defense
Coming in they were ranked top five in a whole bunch of categories. We knew it was going to be tough and we had some great practices getting ready for those guys. We showed that we wanted it more. Our offensive line just kept pushing. They kept hearing that there defensive line is just like our defensive line so I guess they were tired of hearing it and went out there and showed them today.
RE: Heisman for next year
I'm not really thinking about that. Just being mentioned in talks for the Heisman is an honor. Having my name considered in the race, I don't even want to think about that right now.
RE: His offseason training
You just have to go to work and get better. I have a lot of work to do. I have some weaknesses that I have to improve to get better. I have to get stronger, get faster, get a little bigger.
Dan Hutchinson
RE: The false start call
Our snapper was doing a head bob type thing to get them offside. I was still focused. I was focused the whole game. The Tar Heels fans wouldn't shut up but it didn't matter today.
RE: Four kicks being the bowl record
I owe a lot of credit to Conner, he taught me a ton in football in general and adapting to college sports. I had weird feeling with a strong defensive team that I would be kicking a lot today. I am excited.
Max Gruder
RE: On coming home to Charlotte
It's a special feeling. I remember when I was here I used to come to all of the games and watch the Panthers play. To be on the field its just a whole other experience. To have a decent game and help my team mates win is even better for me.
RE: On the Tar Heels
They match up very well against us. They are a very physical team as you could probably see. We saw through film that they have a lot of athletes and a lot of talent overall on their offense and defense. We didn't expect anything other, we knew were going to come into a 15 round fight.
