Nov. 11, 2006
Recap | Final Stats | Notes
Listen To Coach Koetter's Post Game Press Conference vs. Washington State
ASU/WSU Post Game Quotes
Download Free Acrobat Reader
Arizona State Head Coach Dirk Koetter
On playing with something to prove:
"These guys came out with something to prove. They wanted to pay their respects to the 1986 and 1996 teams and show them that Sun Devil tradition is alive and well. I think they proved a pretty good point tonight."
On making big plays:
"We thought we could go at these guys vertically and part of it was that I just had to trust it and call it. It was great to see us make some big plays. We still missed some plays we should make, but you have to start somewhere. If you're going to make big plays you have to call big plays. That starts with your protection. The protection was there and the Miller brothers were huge at tight end and the young receivers were able to make some big plays behind it, which was great to see. Rudy (Carpenter) got back to old school ASU offense tonight."
On the remaining games this season:
"We got off to a fast start, but the players have been great all year. I know there are plenty of people out there who want to bury us and say our season is over, but we had a quarter of our season left to play. I'm pleased with the way the guys came out and we still have two winnable games left. The crowd did a nice job tonight and we're looking forward to next week."
On the offensive line:
"Mike Pollak has had a real solid year and I think he is All Pac-10 caliber with his play this year. Getting Brandon Rodd back full speed at left tackle really solidifies that. The two guards, Robert Gustavis and Paul Fanaika, have played pretty consistent all year. This is a throwing game and pass blocking is what Julius Oriewuku really excels at. I've been real pleased with the job coach Myers and the offensive line has done. We're playing with an all underclass offensive line right now and we're real proud of the job they're doing."
Sophomore Quarterback Rudy Carpenter
On the productiveness of the offense:
"I think [offensive linemen] Brandon Rodd and Mike Pollak are the reason our offense got going tonight. We have had a lot of injuries, especially in the offensive line. This week in practice and even in prior weeks, they have really stepped up for me and got all the other guys going. I appreciate that from those guys. That's why we were able to do really well tonight. Before the game I was feeling good. That game last Thursday really helped me out. I watched them really have fun. I tried to get back to that tonight."
On wide receiver Brandon Smith:
"That's what we need. That's what we have been missing all year. We have been missing the deep threat who can stretch the field vertically. He thinks he is `Superman'. He tells everyone that. I asked him what happened and he said he just simply ran by him. He was wide open. That was a big play for us especially because they scored at the beginning of the half."
Junior Tight End Zach Miller
On Carpenter getting his swagger back:
"I think Rudy [Carpenter] was on fire tonight. He only had one real mistake with the interception. Other than that he was hitting receivers. He was getting the ball out there and giving receivers chances to make plays."
On Carpenter using him frequently on third downs:
"I think it is partly because of the defense and partly because Rudy [Carpenter] trusts me. I know I am going to get the first down or I am going to catch it in traffic. I will catch it no matter what."
On the comparisons to former Sun Devil record holding tight end Todd Heap:
"I just think that is such a great honor because he is someone I watched growing up in the Valley. He played tight end here and now I am here. The comparison is great because he is doing great in the NFL and that is something I want to do someday."
Senior Kicker Jesse Ainsworth
On the long field goals:
"It felt good to make two tonight. I just go out there and try not to look at the yardage, and just do one at a time. That was a lot fun. I just got a lot of opportunities and took advantage of them."
On switching holders in the third quarter:
"We work together in practice all the time, so it wasn't an adjustment at all. He [Jonathan Johnson] did a great job of stepping in, and doing a good job of holding."
Senior Safety Zach Catanese
On tonight's win:
"We came out fired up ready to play. Last week we got off on the wrong foot. We got down on ourselves. This week we said what ever happens is going to happen. We just played our hearts out. It was definitely a redemption game. We just gelled on offense and defense. I felt like it was a really great win for us."
On his interception:
"I got drilled by the tight-end but I caught it. I think it was Kyle Caldwell who had great pressure on the quarterback and he just lofted it up there. It was pretty easy to jump up there and grab the ball and pull it down."
Redshirt Freshman Wide Receiver Brandon Smith
On the game:
"I think we played pretty good today. I was really excited about the receivers executing. They played really well today."
On being a deep threat:
"I just go out there and try to do my job, try to give the team the best deep threat."
Sophomore Wide Receiver Michael Jones
On his touchdown catch:
"Well, we ran that play a lot of times in practice, and when they were playing man. We actually ran it twice but the second time I dove for it and I had my hands just wide. But it just felt good, and I finally got a chance to make a play."
On whether not this was ASU's best game all season:
"We had a lot of plays but we had a lot of mistakes at the same time. It was a really good game, and it probably was one of the best games our offense has played."
On the game plan:
"The game plan was to have a balanced offense pretty much...but coach Koetter did say he wanted to put the ball in the air a lot this game. Before the game he said we better be ready to make plays because we are going back to the old offense - put the ball in the air."
Head Coach Bill Doba
On ASU's performance:
"Give them credit. They had a tough loss last week and came back and played well. I didn't see this coming to be quite honest with you. I know we're beat up, but so are they, so I don't have any excuses. I really don't know what the heck happened. I thought we could compete and win."
On ASU's All-America candidate, tight end Zach Miller:
"He's awesome. He's got good hands and he runs good routes. He's an All-American. He's got my vote, I know that."
Junior Defensive End Lance Broadus
On ASU's efficiency:
"We came out there and they just executed their plays better than we did, so I guess we'll count this as a team loss.
On ASU's success passing:
"We thought they were going to continue to run. We didn't think they were going to pass so much, so that kind of caught us off guard."
Senior Defensive End Mkristo Bruce
On ASU's offensive unpredictability:
"None of us really understood what was going on. They came out there and attacked us the whole game. We didn't understand what was going on, but it went on."
On whether ASU had a surprising offensive game plan:
"I expected them to do exactly what they did, but I don't think we went out there and played the way we were supposed to play."
On ASU's offensive potency:
"[ASU quarterback Rudy Carpenter] sat back there and chose his receivers. He had a lot of time. Zach Miller is a great tight end that can catch and block. They have a lot of weapons and they used every one of them."