University of North Carolina Athletics
UNC-NC State Postgame Quotes
November 20, 2010 | Football
Nov. 20, 2010
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North Carolina Head coach Butch Davis
Opening Statement
"Obviously we are very disappointed with the outcome of the game today. Two teams battled their hearts out today and we did not make enough plays to win the game.
I told our players in the locker room there are some things that are the measure of a man. How you compete, how you play, the level of intensity you play with. I think from an effort standpoint I could not be more pleased with the way our kids played.
There are some things we obviously wish we did better. A punt return for a touchdown is almost always a back-breaker and something that is extraordinarily difficult to overcome. When your defense is playing well and your force them to go three and out then give up a touchdown. It is certainly a tribute to them.
The other disappointing thing is the inability when you get in the red zone to punch it in the end zone, to stall and have to settle for field goals. As much as it is good to make them for Casey [Barth] and he made a great one today from 49 yards. The ones that you get inside the 20 you need to knock them in and score touchdowns.
Our kids played hard. State played well enough to win and they deserved to win today."
On the State touchdown challenged in the end zone:
"I've got the worst seat of anybody. You have to rely on the press box. There is no way that I could tell. After I take a look at the films, there will be all kind of discussions about who tipped it first, was the guy out of bounds, should it be a dead ball? I was more disappointed in the play previously that should have been intentional grounding. That play would of never happened.
On this year's seniors:
"I think I have been most impressed with their maturity and poise in dealing with difficult challenges and an awful lot of adversity. When you start the program four years ago these 17 seniors and couple that will be coming back, played a huge role in changing the culture and expectations of this football program.
They fought their hearts out for three consecutive seasons to make this team bowl eligible. It is still not a finished product; there is a lot of work to do to be where this team wants to be. I will tell you that these seniors they have made football relevant at North Carolina again. We have had some big wins over the last few years and there is evidence we are moving in the right direction. Also, there is evidence that we need to keep working to be where we want to be."
North Carolina Player Quotes
Quarterback T.J. Yates
On the game:
“This one was pretty tough. We did a lot of good things on offense. They were bringing so much pressure that the screens were working for us. I'm not sure how many yards Anthony Elzy had, but it was probably close to a million.”
On getting sacked seven times:
“They ran a lot of stuff that they didn't show on film. They did a lot of odd stuff, three down linemen, and they were kind of minnows in a bucket running around everywhere. We had five or six man protection instead of seven most of the game. It hurt us a little bit, but it also helped us a lot with the screen game.”
On the red zone offense:
“One of the things that we knew we had to do was convert in the red zone because this is a team that can put up a lot of points, and we didn't do that at all. I wish I had the answer right now, but I do not. But it is something we need to work on.”
On the rivalry with NC State:
“That's what hurts the worst, I never got the better of them. They are a good football team. You have to give them credit. They have done a good job the last couple of years doing what they need to do to beat us. We definitely left some things out there on the field today, and that's the most disappointing.”
Cornerback Kendric Burney
On his last home game:
“Definitely not the way I wanted to go out but it was definitely good being out there having fun with the boys for the last time, and I've got to thank my 17 seniors, our underclassmen, coaching staff and everybody who supported us…my family, everybody back home, Tar Heel fans and you can't thank them enough. But we've got two games left and let's have fun with them.”
On Spencer's touchdown reception:
“That's the story of our season so far. We just had a little bad luck, and Russell [Wilson] made a great play. A tipped ball that goes into a receiver's hands isn't going to happen much and you just have to give them credit for executing that lucky play.”
On his two goal line plays:
“That was the first time I felt like myself. It was good to be back making plays. That second one, I probably should have picked it. It was good finally feeling fast and making a play for my team and hopefully it will carry on for the next two games.”
Safety Da'Norris Searcy
On team's accomplishments:
“We were Coach Davis' first class and they were coming off of a losing season, and my freshman year we had another losing season. But we were able to put together back-to-back winning seasons so that felt good, because we felt like coming in and making a difference.”
On Spencer's touchdown reception:
“We were in a certain coverage and once the quarterback starts scrambling we are taught to just get on a man and plaster your guy. I got on a man and was running with him, when all of a sudden I saw the ball in the air and when I went up for the ball I saw his hands trying to catch it so I was just trying to keep it away from him and it ended up when I tipped it someone else came up and caught it.”
NC State Head Coach Tom O'Brien:
Opening Statement:
"Well, just another State-Carolina football game. It went down to the end just like it seems the last three or four have. I'm really proud of this football team. This was a tough assignment, coming over here and playing. This is a heck of an athletic football team. They have tremendous power and speed. [UNC senior T.J.] Yates has had a great year. He set the [UNC career passing yards] record against us and everything else, but our kids hung in there and we just grind and grind and grind and find a way to make a play. We were fortunate to make more plays near the end of the game than they did. The defense is keeping us in there and making them kick field goals, which is huge. We put the defense in some terrible situations today, but they, as they have all year, rose up and made some plays. But then again, we're going to find a way to make something happen because we just work. We just keep working, the kids have faith in each other that somebody is going to make a play, and we made some plays to win the game."
