Sept. 24, 2011
Recap | Final Stats | Notes | Photo Gallery
Sept. 24, 2011
Arizona State vs. University of Southern California 9/24/11
ASU Head Coach Dennis Erickson
On the win overall:
"Well I mean it is great for this football team. The resilience they showed into the third and fourth quarter when [USC] went ahead of us. We came back and it was back and forth. They are a good football team. They ran the ball real well against us in the second half. We just were not going to lose. We found a way to win. For all you Sun Devils out there that have been around the last eleven years or forever this win is for you because it is something that has not happened and just so proud of our football team and our coaches for what they did - it was just a great win."
On what the key was to this game:
"We got the pick, Shelly [Lyons] got the pick and I thought offensively Brock [Osweiler] was outstanding. Mike Willie made some huge plays at the end of the game there. But our front played well. We did not have too many penalties. They had a lot more than we did I can guarantee you that."
On the penalties ASU did have:
"One of the six was on me. They got me for running down the sidelines when Lyons intercepted that pass. So tell the press to take it easy on us. It is really only five. We are not that undisciplined. I am the only one that is undisciplined."
On injuries this game:
"Obviously we have some injuries there. Hopefully we will get some guys back. They played their hearts out. That's just where we are at defensively; we are going to have to score points. That's just how it is. They made plays when they had to make plays, obviously Shelly with that interception. I think it was Jarrid [Bryant] that got there when [Matt Barkley] was trying to throw it. We made plays when we had to at the end and that is all that matters."
On QB Brock Osweiler's play:
"As you know playing that position sometimes you learn, and unfortunately you learn in a loss like last week. It stuck with him. That is one thing about Brock is that he knew he did not play very well and he knew that he had to get better. He showed that today and we just have to get better about that."
On his assessment of the team and getting momentum:
"We were three and out at the start of the second half and the defense was on the field quite a bit. Again, it's a team game. We finally put it together. Sometimes you play well on offense sometimes on defense but you can deal with all those things when you win the football game."
On USC QB Matt Barkley's comments towards LB Vontaze Burfict this week:
"If you are going to say something you better watch what you say and that is kind of what happened. Vontaze played terrific tonight. I do not know how many tackles he had and I think he had one penalty but that's going to happen. I talked to him this week and said you just have to be aggressive and play your game. You can't worry about penalties, you have to play and he did that tonight."
"Best Gatorade bath I've ever had. I'm a little sticky right now but it felt pretty good."
"He sucked it up and he just played great. When we have him in there we are just a different running team. Obviously breaking that first one for a touchdown was awfully good running. Hopefully he can stay healthy. I thought Kyle [Middlebrooks] did a great job when he was in there running the football. It was just a great win, I do not know what else to tell you other than back to the grindstone tomorrow."
"It was a great recruiting night. I do not know how many fans were here but our students were awesome. They were against Missouri and they were in this game. That is what college football is all about - the students."
"Turnovers and penalties. That is about what it boils down to in every football game. Tonight was not any different because they had chances. They were moving the ball down two or three different times and turned it over. It was obviously the difference in the football game."
ASU Player Quotes
OL - Gath Gerhart
On what this win means to him and other California natives on the team:
"This is huge for us. I actually talked to the guys before the game back at the hotel, which is a big deal for me because I never really talk to anybody. I am not really into that kind of stuff. This {press conference] is actually more nerve racking than the actual game. But I talked to the guys about the fact that I have been here almost five years and I still have not beaten the Trojans. Plus I am from Southern California and we know what SC is all about so it is a huge win for us."
QB – Brock Osweiler
On the offensive line:
“Winning this game was huge, this is a football game we have had circled on our calendar for a very long time. The Missouri game was huge, but this was a Pac 12 south game. I have heard it is been 11 years, 12 years, 13 years since we have beat USC, but whatever it is, it has been a long time and to be able to go out there and get that win for our fans tonight means a lot to us.”
On winning against USC:
“Everything that we heard was that it was going to be us and USC for who was going to win the south this year. In saying that, I know it is one football game, but to be able to go out there and take down the opponent that’s as quality as USC is definitely a very good feeling. It gives us a lot of confidence going forward.”
On Cameron Marshall:
“Cameron had an phenomenal night, he had great vision all night with seeing all the cutback lanes and all the holes in the front side. He was able to carry a load and he had a lot of carries, a lot of carries after contact and a lot of yard after contact. He did a tremendous job, but credit needs to go to these guys on the offensive line. They were able to build those trenches and make those holes for Cameron. But like I said, a lot of credit goes to both of them, the line and Cameron and the rest of the back.”
USC Head Coach Lane Kiffin
Opening Statement:
“First off, credit them. I thought they came out on fire, as we expected. It was a big home game for them, with the energy of the crowd for them. I thought they played really well. They didn’t make many mistakes, didn’t give us many chances. Even with their injuries on defense, once again they showed up – they have done it for years now. They find a way to play great defense with the guys in there. I thought the game was a couple of different games really. I thought our defense was playing well at times there early, after the long run. We were moving the ball at times and all of a sudden we only got field goals out of it. You’re not going to go on the road and play a good team and win with a bunch of field goals. The red zone turnover - I thought that really changed the game at that point. It was a really great play by Vontaze (Burfict). I don’t even think he is supposed to be out there; I think he just went on his own. He was coming inside like he was blitzing, and Matt (Barkley) was going to throw the screen, and he made a great play. I was extremely proud of our team in the third quarter. We are a young team. I think we started five, counting the kicker six freshmen. I don’t think they started any freshmen on offense or defense. They are a veteran team. They are really good and they have got a lot of players that played a lot of snaps. Unfortunately, what happens sometimes with a bunch of young players, and things showed up. But I was proud of the way we responded. We took the lead in a tough environment versus a really good team. We came out in the third quarter, and then it went back to falling apart. A lot of the mistake and issues there were with guys that have not really played too much. We’ve got to get ready for a big game next week. We are 3-1. The season is not over. A lot of teams would like to be 3-1. We will go back and get ready to play a good Arizona team.”
On the defense being gassed:
“I do not think that was really the heat. I think really as you studied last year’s game, and you look at this year’s game - the observation is that I felt like it happened on both sides really. If you go to that third quarter and early fourth quarter, I felt like they looked tired on defense, too. I just think that’s just in general when you play in these up-tempo games. I thought it was the same in our place last year. I think that as those drives go, you get a little winded. I thought it was kind of both ways, really. I was getting excited at that point because we were moving it. I think we started on our own 10 or something, and we drove all the way down and we had a second and two, and then Curtis (McNeal) got knocked back, and that led us into the sack that caused the fumble, and the game just changed. You are going to score right there. I think the score, as you look at it on the surface, really did not dictate the game. I thought the game felt a lot closer when we had the lead and then we’re going down to take it again.”
On the repetition of ASU’s plays:
“We did finally stop it. I cheered. We tackled him for a one-yard loss. They have done it some. It is just a tough play to defend. You are going to give up the completion usually on it. You just have to make the first tackle and so many times we missed the first tackle, so instead of it being three or four yards, it was 10 yards. It is a play we run and they do a good job at it. (Osweiler) was throwing the ball really quick and you have to get your outside leverage, and you have to make the play right there. It is a three or four yard gain – it is just a long run.”
USC Player Quotes
QB – Matt Barkley
On whether he has seen the middle screen intercepted by Vontaze happen before:
“No, it is a tricky play. I am supposed to pump to the other side and at the snap of the ball, he came up so I thought he was blitzing. I pump and I just whipped around and threw it, assuming he was going to be pressuring. For whatever reason, he slipped off and dropped into coverage. It was a good play on his part and we did not see it coming.”
On bouncing back:
“We learn from this, grow from it. We watch the tape. It is pretty simple, when you turn the ball over four times, you are obviously going to be trying to get back on top from a hard situation. Those are easy to correct. I don’t think it was a matter of energy or focus. Our guys were ready to play tonight. But learn from this tape and then forget about it. There is nothing we can do. Just learn and grow. We have another tough game, at home luckily, which I think will be good for our young guys especially. But learn and grow.”