Nov. 7, 2009
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ASU Head Coach Dennis Erickson
On the game:
"Close doesn't count anymore. We had a chance to win the football game. We played great defensively. It was an unbelievable effort. We gave up the big play there in the second half and that's it. They get a pick six and that's points right there. Offensively, we moved it, but we can't have turnovers."
On the running game:
"We ran the ball pretty well in the first half, which is what we were trying to do. We tried to keep them off the field, which we did pretty well. I think we controlled the time of possession. But you get down there and then all of a sudden you cough the ball up there. We've done that three or four times this year. The guys played hard and we played great on defense. It's just another disappointing loss."
On freshman QB Brock Osweiler:
"He can make plays. He's mobile and he has a good feel down the field. It's just a matter of playing and experience. Being a backup quarterback, you don't see much play. He should have gone some places with the football that he didn't. A couple of times he got out of the pocket too soon. He also made some plays. He got out of the pocket and made some first downs. He is what he is right now, a young guy who has a lot of talent. Hopefully he can get some experience the next three weeks."
On the difference in the game:
"The biggest stat is turnovers. You just can't do that. You can't do that against USC or any good team. The last couple of games we've had, we've turned it over."
On the defense:
"Tonight was the best effort we've had all year defensively. Last week against Cal we gave up some stuff in the passing game, but tonight we didn't give up anything. We gave up a little bit in the running game, and we got that last turnover at the end which really helped."
On preparing for Oregon:
"We'll worry about that tomorrow. Our guys fought like heck but we've got to be more productive offensively when we go to Oregon."
ASU Quarterback Brock Osweiler
On his touchdown pass:
"This is a play that we don't call very often. We try to set teams up and use it to our advantage and call it once or twice a game. Chris ran a great route and set up his defender perfectly and the line gave me time to make the throw. They made my job easy on that play."
On starting the second half:
"It is my role as a backup quarterback on this team to go in when I am told to. I need to be ready at all times to do what this team needs, and that is what I was trying to do tonight. I was told at halftime that I would be starting the second half, so I told the offense we need to be ready and we need to score some points."
On communication with starting quarterback Danny Sullivan:
"Danny and I are great friends; we are roommates in our hotel. He came up to me and told me that it is just like practice or any other game. He told me to be calm and he wished me the best. There were a couple times he helped me out with coverages. He was a great leader tonight and he really helped me out."
On USC:
"They are a very athletic defense, so I give them all the credit in the world. They are very good football players and the coaches put them in a great position to succeed. I felt like my teammates gave me the opportunity to make plays, but I did not make those plays tonight. I think this comes down to me. The defense could not have played any better. I take this as a learning experience. I learned a lot tonight."
On what he learned from tonight's game:
"Tonight was a huge learning experience, but I have seen their defensive schemes all week in practice so it was not all that new. There are times in the game when I needed to get the ball into the hands of playmakers and I did not do that. I think this is an area of my game that I can clean up pretty quick."
ASU Wide Receiver Chris McGaha
On the game:
"For the game to be that close, with three turnovers, against USC, that's saying something about our defense. We just can't turn the ball over, and we have to capitalize when we have good field position. We had good position at the end of the game after that wild wacky play. We just have to score on that."
On how the offense started:
"I thought we started great. We were running the ball, moving the ball, doing what we needed to do. The fumble hurt, but I felt offensively we were picking it up in the first quarter for once, and that was good for our offense."
On Brock Osweiler:
"He did great. He did what he needed to do to help us win."
ASU Defensive End Dexter Davis
On how the defense played:
"I think we played pretty well. It wasn't enough to get the win, so we have to go back to the drawing board."
On if he felt this was his best game of the season: "I thought I played pretty well, obviously not good enough. We just have to find a way to keep getting better and improve each week."
USC Head Coach Pete Carroll
Opening statement:
"We took advantage of the opportunity to get back and have the locker room we just had. We got a good win on the road. I am really proud of the way we played tonight. We played really hard and really tough. We were determined to win the game from start to finish and do the stuff that it took to win. This night, it took a great defensive effort. To get back on track defensively is really important to us. We played the running game really well tonight after the first drive. I don't think they had more then 20 yards in the second half. We rushed the passer well tonight and got pressure on him. It was a big night for us and I hope we can capitalize on this and keep moving forward."
On the turnovers they forced:
"Yes, [Will] Harris' turnover was the huge play in the game. Nothing had happened in the first half, besides their field goal. We answered with a touchdown on defense, which is incredibly fun. It was a great play and we love the touchdown. It's a big play in the game when you only score one other time."
On his team's bounce back from the Oregon loss:
"We have a formula and a way of doing things. We're very consistent and strong about the way we go about it. When you get shattered, it's nice to have a method that will get you back on track. I'm proud to say that it came through for us. It's comforting to have a way to deal with it and turn your fortunes around."
On the offensive struggles tonight:
"We had trouble from the start. We had trouble throwing and catching tonight. This was the first time since (Matt) Barkley has been out there that we really had trouble catching and throwing the football. We just were not clean. We were alright with the running game. Had we converted some stuff, we would have been alright. They are a very good defense and they have been doing that to everybody. Unfortunately, they did it to us. I have to give them credit."
USC Safety Will Harris
On the last play:
"Coach Carroll called victory, which means everyone go deep and bat the ball down. However, Taylor (Mays) and I went up and got the ball."
On their defensive performance tonight:
"We've been thorough these situations many times. It's a blessing that it keeps coming up in close games, but since we've been through it, we know how to handle it. It came down to the wire once again for the defense. It's the defense or the offense and that's why it's called a team."
On his interception return for touchdown:
"Coach Carroll called man-to-man. It was empty, so I knew it was going to be quick. I hopped it and that's exactly what happened."