University of North Carolina Athletics
Postgame Quotes - Pitt
September 25, 2016 | Football
UNC Head Coach Larry Fedora
Opening Statement
“Heck of a football game. We knew it was going to take 60 minutes to beat those guys, and we took every second of it to get it done. I guess the thing that I am most proud of about this football team is that there was never a point in the game where, no matter what was happening, anybody got down. No matter what the situation was. I remember when Elijah [Hood] put the ball on the ground on the fourth play of the game, and as those guys were coming off the defense was going on saying, 'Hey, we got your back. Don't worry about it.' That's the way it was throughout the entire game, no matter what happened. So I'm really proud of the way this team played. My hat is off to Pat [Narduzzi] and that football team, I mean they are a heck of a football team. They're going to win a lot of games, and we are very fortunate to get this one, but we are very proud of our football team. And what a crowd tonight. It was electric out there. The fans – they were our edge, that was a big key for us.”
On Ryan Switzer on the final drive
“Ryan Switzer is a player. I don't what to tell you; he's a player. In the game plan this week, from what we saw he knew he was going to have an opportunity to have a big game. Basically because they are so run dominant, stopping defensively, they get those backers in there, the safeties are involved. So basically, it was going to have him one-on-one against a safety the majority of the game. We felt like we could take advantage of that. And he did. He made some great plays and some clutch plays for us tonight.”
On learning something about the team in a tough game like this one
“We learned a lot about our football team tonight. We talked about it before the game. We had an opportunity to establish the identity of this football team. And I can say there is a lot of grit in this football team for one, a lot of toughness, and all the intangibles that we need to be successful. Our guys had a great week of preparation, and that was the key. They prepared starting Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. They prepared to win this football game. And I can't say enough good things about them.”
On the two stops at the end being because of defense or an adjustment
“No adjustments. They just bowed their neck. They gutted it up and they got it done. They made the plays, they made the tackles. There were no missed tackles in those last couple of series, and they got some really good running backs. And the way they stretch you with the ten, they do some really good things and it makes it difficult for you. So again, we made the plays when we had to make them.”
On being concerned at the end of the game and making the play
“I thought for sure we were going to get a play off. I mean because we had already talked about it with the guys, if we did run it, and again that's a run-pass option where the quarterback has got to make the right decision, we had talked about not running it. But he handed it off so you know he had to get off the ground. And they ate up as much time as they probably could. I think there was about 13 seconds left on the clock when we finally got a play off you know. So, something like that.”
UNC Player Quotes
Sr. WR Bug Howard
“Everybody believed. We had fans leaving, but the defense had our back. We had their back. We told them you all go get one more stop, we are going to make this happen.”
“Big time players make big time plays in big time games.”
Sr. WR Ryan Switzer
“I think I had the performance I did today because they (Pitt) are a predominantly run-stopping-oriented defense, so they played their safeties low and I was able to get looks from Mitch.”
Jr. TB Elijah Hood
“The performance tonight was amazing. We believed in each other. We had no other options. We just kept making plays and fighting. This is the most mentally tough team I have been a part of. I cannot fathom how tough we are and just the fact that we were able to come back from the deficit is a testament to who we are as a team.”
“Tonight was an example of game-time football. We made the plays.”
“Mitch is stone cold. I do not know how Mitch did it. But he stayed focused, relied on his training, and trusted his reads … Ultimately he made the throws.”
“Tonight was a real confidence booster and we believe we can do anything we put our minds too. Kudos to my teammates and this was just one of the hardest fought games I have been a part of.”
So. LB Andre Smith
“Tonight was a great win. The atmosphere was amazing and the crowd was in it for 60 minutes.”
“James Conner is a big time football player. We knew he had a lot of heart… Which was demonstrated by him fighting back from cancer, the MCL and ACL tears. So we had to match his intensity and get all 11 guys to the ball.”
“This game gave us the momentum to head into Florida State. Things are going to get rolling and we are going to become a better football team.”
Pittsburgh Coach Pat Narduzzi
Opening Statement
“First thing I have to say is I just feel for our seniors. Tough loss. We felt like we could come down here and get this one, and to be ahead for 59 minutes and 58 seconds, and not come out with a win … You know, we lose as a team and we win as a team. We obviously didn't make enough plays across the board, whether it was kicking the ball out of bounds on a punt, getting off the field on the fourth down or getting a critical first down when we needed it in the fourth quarter. We didn't do that. We didn't take a drive in the fourth quarter and do what we needed to do, and you end up coming up short. I love this football team; I love these kids. I can't tell you how much I love them, for who they are, and what they do and what they stand for. I wouldn't trade these guys for anybody in the world. They play and play and play, and that's a good football team out there. You have to give them credit. (Ryan) Switzer is one heck of a football player – give them credit. A 17-play drive at the end, and they didn't turn it over. They made good decisions. I thought we could have had a couple more sacks in there. Last two drives I thought we could have had a chance to make some sacks. I thought there was a little bit of tackling going on. I'm not happy about that, but that doesn't change. I'm just happy for our kids and the way they fight.”
On Pittsburgh's pass defense
“You can't do anything about it. They've got players on scholarship – good players. I thought we were a lot sounder. We didn't give up as big of passes as we did a week ago. We limited that. They had 18 yards rushing, and usually when you have 18 yards rushing, you're going to lose. When I look at what we rushed for – 281 yards – you usually win. They made enough passes at the end – dink, dink, dink. Third and 21, whatever it is, they made some plays. You can't cover them all. They're going to spread you out. Switzer's a good player; Mitch (Trubisky) is a good player. There's nothing you can do about it. Could you make a play? Yeah, that's what you have to do. Players make plays, and coaches coach, and we try to put them in position. I thought our coaches did a great job putting them in position to make plays today. It comes down to, 'is that going to be a catch at the end?' It was a heck of a play by Ryan Lewis on the first down down there on the same play. He was a centimeter away from making that pass break up. Was he in position? Yes, as coaches that's what we have to do is put our kids in position.”
On Pittsburgh's ball carriers
“We always have to play. We have stable backs back there. We saw Maurice Ffrench even get a few carries, and we're using all those tailbacks. I thought Chawntez Moss came in and ran hard in the second half. We're going to continue to use those guys. James (Conner) looked tired early, so we were trying to make sure he was as fresh as we could. I thought by giving him a rest he came out and had some great ones in the second half.”
On the Pittsburgh offensive line's ability to kill clock
“I feel good. They have the potential to do that, and I'd like them to with five minutes to go in the game, take that four-minute drill and take it down their throat and continue to do what we did for three quarters. That's the disappointing thing. We can score points, but we have to finish the game off and we stressed that all week, talked to them really with 9 minutes to go I believe. We had the ball with about 5 minutes to go. We punted once for three quarters, and then we punt twice in end of the fourth quarter. We can't do that. That's where the game is won or lost.”
