Courtesy USC Athletics
Arizona State Coach Todd Graham:
“Words can’t express what that felt like. It was one of the hardest fought games I’ve been a part of. Give them a lot of credit. They battled. I’m so proud of our team and coaches and how hard they worked and prepared. We talked about this in the locker. Growing up as a little boy, playing football in the pasture. And we reflect on everyone’s path here and come to the Coliseum and to win like that on the last play, I don’t know if it gets any better than that. That was awesome.
“For all those young kids out there, everyone tells you to transfer or quit because you’re not getting to play. Go somewhere else. Look at Mike Bercovici. He didn’t quit. He chose to stay a Sun Devil. He would’ve missed out on the greatest moment of his football career if he had transferred. I’m so proud of him. I’m proud of Taylor Kelly how he worked and my heart breaks that he didn’t get a chance to play. And all the freshmen that played. They’re having to grow up in a hurry. It’s pretty hard on them.
“But man that was the most unbelievable night I’ve had in coaching. When he caught that ball, my heart stopped. There was never any give up or quit in them. You believe in each other. These kids have faith and character and love each other. That’s what this game is all about. You can be where you were last week and be here this week. So proud of our team. You can talk about anyone individually. From a team standpoint, the best win we’ve had since we’ve been here. It was the most incredible moment I’ve had in coaching, that play.”
(How often do you practice that play and how often is it successful)
“If you throw it to Jaelen Strong, you have a chance. I don’t know, but I’ll tell you this, there’s been an enormous success in those this year and we practice it every Thursday. Our offemsive coordinator does a great job. To correct everything we did wrong last week – I believe we played a better defense this week – to have 100% ball security and correct those mistakes, that was big. We practice those things, we practice those onsides kicks. We should’ve got that first one, it was a perfect kick. We give up a punt return that puts us behind and that would’ve wound up being the difference if we don’t get that pass.
“On that play, the line blocked, Mike executed dash protection precisely, he put the right air under the ball and big Jaelen went up and got it. That’s how it’s done.
“With seven seconds, you don’t have a lot of time to think. You’re going off your script and sticking to the plan. Great players make great plays and that’s what happened. It wasn’t just that one play. It was the effort offensively and defensively and the kicking game. It was a phenomenal effort.
Arizona State QB Mike Bercovici
“First off, it credit to Tyler Sulka, who stayed firm on the right side and Vi Teofilo, Nick Kelly, Christian Westerman and Jamil Douglas for setting firm. They brought three. We practice that play every Thursday and our coaches put the same amount of stress on a Thursday practice like it was on the field. It was a little bit of a prayer, I’ll be honest. I didn’t think I got it that far. It looked like a little bit of a duck. But I needed to give us a chance and who else but Jaelen Strong comes up with it.
(how often do you complete it)
“Sometimes we just air toss it to save our arm, but I think it’s pretty good. But like I said, I don’t know the percentage, but it’s not too often we complete that pass.
“For this team, this is a win and another step closer to the Rose Bowl. But by gosh, I know I needed to get like 150 tickets if I could. I had friends in the USC student section telling me they were cheering for me. Wow. I can’t wait to see my mom, dad, sister, girlfriend. It’s going to be amazing.
“I’ve never been able to throw a Hail Mary before. I’d like to think I’d be good at it. To be honest I didn’t think I threw it well. It looked like a duck but my god, I didn’t know what happened to be honest.
“I think I need to do a better job of hydrating because my body started cramping and I just immediately fell to the floor. I saw Jaelen take a step into the end zone and I don’t think I could’ve made it down 50 yards to the end zone. It was an indescribable feeling. I had people telling me, get up get up, but all I wanted to do was go upstairs and see my mom.
“They’re such an outstanding defense. I know a lot of them and they’re so athletic and talented and you have to be careful where you place it. But basically they wanted to take a different approach and play a prevent defense. I knew all we needed to do was make some completions. But I was calm and relaxed. I don’t know if my body language was like it, but when I got there, it was like that and when I’m out there, it’s like I’m at home.
“There were three levels of guy. But most important part of that play is Tyler Sulka and him stopping the edge rusher. They know we’re not running the ball so they’re coming nice and heavy, but he did such a great job to give me the extra second to slide right and let it rip. And it didn’t drop.
ASU WR Jaelen Strong
“It was just a play we work on every week. It’s a game of inches and that’s the things we work for all off season. The last play. If DJ doesn’t make TD, we don’t have that chance. If Cam doesn’t make that TD, we don’t have that chance. If Gary doesn’t make that big play to set us up for the Hail Mary we don’t have that chance. If the defense doesn’t get a stop, we don’t have that chance. I just did what I was coached to do and did my job. Coach Alexander talks about attacking the ball. I saw the ball in the air and the first thing I thought was I’m going to get this. At first I thought I don’t know if I can get to it, but I put my head down and kept running and got it. I don’t even remember.