ASU Head Coach Todd Graham
Opening statement
“I am just really disappointed, especially for our seniors. It was their last game here and we just self-destructed, so it was really frustrating. They couldn’t run the ball a lick and then we allow a 70-yard touchdown. We allowed them to convert on first and 40, which I have never seen anyone do before, so that was pretty tough. We blew several coverages and we could have won the football game but the two turnovers killed us. I am just hurting for our seniors. These guys have been with me for a long time and I wanted to do it better for them in their last night at Sun Devil Stadium. They gave me everything they had and we had every opportunity to be successful tonight but we made too many mental errors.”
On who were highlights for the Sun Devils tonight
“A guy that really stuck out to me tonight was the young N’Keal Harry—what a warrior he is. I thought Kalen [Ballage] did some great things and made some good plays.”
On turnovers
“We had a turnover on the very first play of the game but we didn’t score any points and didn’t capitalize because we turned the ball back over. We would have gone into halftime with a two- point lead if we got a field goal out of that. Going into the game, we knew they were the number one team in the country for turnovers. At halftime, they had two and we had one. If we won the turnover ratio, we could have won the football game. We also had a really poor pass defense. We let them throw it over the top of us and that was really costly.”
On not being able to carry out the game plan
“We had a great plan going in and we really shut down the run. They only had 41 rushing yards going into halftime. Then, we gave up a 60-yard touchdown. We did a lot of good things, I thought we had it under control at halftime. We pushed them all the way back to first and 40 but we weren’t able to get them off the field.”
On too many sacks
“We got sacked 11 times, which is ridiculous. Our whole deal was to have no negatives and to take care of the football but we ended up with 11 sacks and 22 TFLs. It’s hard to be successful when you’re doing that.”
On the rest of the season
“We’re not done. We have two games left and we have to get this team bowl-eligible, which we have a great opportunity to do next week. I am proud of these seniors and I am proud of what they have done for me and this school.”
ASU Redshirt Sophomore QB Manny Wilkins
On pressure and offensive disruption
“They did a really good job scheming us up and game planning for things that we do. Obviously I took some critical sacks and had some critical interceptions down in the red zone. I think that’s one thing that we pride ourselves on, scoring in the red zone, whether it’s a touchdown or a field goal. That’s a poor part on my job, I have to live and learn and grow from it. The team fought hard, we should have won that football game.”
On what changed down the stretch
“I don’t think anything changed. Like I said, I just took some critical sacks and I just need to get the ball out of my hands and obviously not take some of those hits. Just going through my reads and hitting the back when things aren’t there. I take full accountability for that, I just have to make sure I get better and not make those same mistakes next week.”
On mental errors
“I’m not trying to take away from Utah, like I said before they did a great job game planning for us. But those are just mental errors on my part. Obviously there was a climb route down there in the end zone, and I just didn’t see a guy coming back across. Just have to know that we have points there regardless, we have the best field goal kicker in the nation. I just have to throw that away or get what I can get and get down. At the end of the game, just a simple concept. He made a good play, but I shouldn’t have thrown that ball.”
On N’Keal Harry
“Well one thing, that play where he ran for that touchdown. You know it was a pass or whatever, but that was special. You don’t see that from many guys. Some guys might have thrown that ball away, some might have gotten tackled, but he made something happen and that’s what he came here to do. He’s really stepped up and matured and is letting people know that just because he’s a freshman doesn’t mean he can’t go out there and be the best player on the field. I think that’s something he has proven is that he’s just hungry and confident. He’s humble and doesn’t boast. You don’t find that often with guys with that special talent. I’m very proud of him and the man he’s becoming. He’s going to be a special player here for the next few years. I’m happy to have him out there.”
ASU Redshirt Junior Linebacker Marcus Ball
On Utah RB Joe Williams’ play
“First and foremost, I want to give credit where credit is due. They have a great football team and great coaches. They’re similar to us about morals and the things we value. [Joe Williams] was tough; he fought hard today. I felt like we did a good job today of making them one-dimensional as far as making them throw the ball more than they usually do. They had some big runs down the stretch. He’s a tough back, but it’s the Pac-12; you see explosive players and backs every week, week in and week out. He was good, but it’s something we’re used to.”
On the first quarter vs. the rest of the game
“I think we did a lot of things that were self-inflicted. They definitely had a good game plan, but like I said before, they have some great coaches. They had a great game plan and stuck to it. They did some things and schemes but down the stretch we had some self-inflicted wounds that cost us. I didn’t know they had two yards at half; we did a good job of stopping the run. They took some early shots on us and took some shots on us down the stretch. As far as us having some bad calls tonight, it’s beside the point. We had some self-inflicted wounds that cost us the game.”
Utah Head Coach Kyle Whittingham
Opening statement
“We were sleepwalking in the first quarter by not doing much of anything in any phase of the game. We came alive in the second half, which isn’t uncommon when playing a team like Arizona State due to their defense and high pressure. We just started plugging away after our lead at halftime. It is a tough place to play and that is a good football team they have. We had trouble tackling those guys because they are pure athletes. We are now down to a two game series. Our main focus now is battling through a win against Oregon at home next weekend.”
On game plan preparations
“Everything that we prepared for against tonight’s game was what we faced. This is the fourth year we have faced Coach Graham and his defense and it carries over. They don’t change much. They believe in what they’re doing and they do it well. They do not have huge deviations from what they do so we had an idea of what to expect going into tonight.”
On sacks
“There were a lot of cover sacks and quarterback drop backs. Hunter reached a single game sack record of five, which is close to the career average.”
On changes from first to second quarter
“We settled in offensively when we turned the first snap over and fumbled the ball. The second turnover happened in the first quarter as well, which is just about as bad as a team can start. The first play, Arizona State shifted their front which confused our athletes on who were playing what positions for them. The difference in the second quarter was we got the run game going.”
On Raelon Singleton’s performance
“He is a big target, he is athletic and he makes the contested catch. He was playing with a hurt finger that was taped to another finger, but you never would have known due to how he played. He did a great job.”
On evaluating safety plays
“Having Marcus back was huge. He got the interception down in the red zone which is critical. He catches everything that comes his way and he overlaps so well.”
On Arizona State staying consistent with plays
“Some years they have given up very little, it simply depends on how deep their roster is. They always bring high pressure, especially on the corners which we do as well. We play a lot of man coverage, man to man.
Utah Junior Defensive Back Marcus Williams
On starting slow but then developing
“We were able to key into their defense. We heard all week that they were going to get their share of plays. We definitely do not want to start out that slow, but that is just the way it happened. We have a great group of guys on offense, and a great coaching staff. We just listen to them and slow it down.”
On the defense, the sacks and picks
“We practice this stuff each day in practice, turnovers and sacks. We do every little thing in practice so it transitions into the game.”
On the key to pressure and tackles
“Our defensive backs were definitely key. They worked hard on the perimeter today, and that allowed for a lot of tackles for loss and sacks. The defensive line did their job by getting to the quarterback and make sure they got the tackles for losses.”
On getting the first pick on the first drive for ASU
“That is natural for me. I was not surprised I got that because I make plays.”
Utah Senior Running Back Joe Williams
On the outcomes after establishing a pass
“Just being able to pass the ball efficiently. The slow start really loosened the box for me, but it is always easier when the offensive line can open up the line of scrimmage each time I run the ball.”
On the key with the match-ups for some of the receivers
“We just had to tackle them and show the world that they could not stop us, basically.”
On reassurance during the slow start
“I just told everyone to keep their head up because we were going to come out of it.”
Utah Junior QB Troy Williams
On coming out strong after an emotional game last week
“It feels great. We are on a mission, and you can see that on our faces and in our play. We had a slow start today, but we have a mission to get us back on track.”
On the slow start
“It was just a little rust. I was not too concerned about it because I knew we would get the energy going. We just stayed on track and continued to play.”
On the first touchdown pass
“My confidence has always been high, but after that it went through the roof. I was able to go out after that and have fun. Our receivers and offensive line stepped up and did a great job tonight.”
On the mission the team is on
“We all want to get to the Pac-12 Championship. We control our destiny, and we just have to take it one day at a time and keep working.”
On tough catches made
“I have had confidence in my receivers all season. I was not surprised when they made tough plays. I have seen them make tough plays in games and practice, and I am just glad they are out there.”
Utah Sophomore Wide Receiver Raelon Singleton
On waiting to get healthy and showing his real game
“I learned that I have a lot of speed with me.”
On what happened on the second touchdown that was caught
“We caught the safety, and the corner crashed and I was wide open. I looked and knew I was wide open.”
Utah Senior Defensive End Hunter Dimick
On being so successful with sacks (Hunter broke the school record with 5 sacks in one game), and how the team was able to get so many
“It was the defensive backs, and consequently, when that happens, we are able to get there and make plays. A huge thanks to the defensive backs, they played a great game this week.”
On playing against a quarterback that can move [Manny Wilkins]
“Having a quarterback that can move like he did definitely makes you timid and more cautious. We missed him as much as we got him tonight. He was a freak athlete, but we were fortunately able to stop him toward the end.”
On facing two offensive turnovers
“Those situations just suck, but you cannot complain about it. Fortunately, we were able to get out and play through those situations.”
On attacking the ASU offense
“There was nothing we went after or noticed in particular. We take a lot of pride in pressuring the quarterback and that was the game plan.”
On ASU offense possibly losing confidence toward the end
“I would not say they lost confidence. There were definitely a few plays when they had miscommunication, but they played a very good game. Their offense gave our corners a lot of time to get there.”
On having the program record
“It has been a lot of hard work. Being injured for most of the season last year impacted my faith and everything I had been working for, but it is such a relief. I am very grateful.”
On being a local Utah kid, and now playing for the university
“I am a small town guy. My junior year, when my high school coach told me I was being recruited by Pac-12 teams, I did not even know what that was. I always wanted to play at Utah, and just being able to play here is a blessing.”
Opening statement
“I am just really disappointed, especially for our seniors. It was their last game here and we just self-destructed, so it was really frustrating. They couldn’t run the ball a lick and then we allow a 70-yard touchdown. We allowed them to convert on first and 40, which I have never seen anyone do before, so that was pretty tough. We blew several coverages and we could have won the football game but the two turnovers killed us. I am just hurting for our seniors. These guys have been with me for a long time and I wanted to do it better for them in their last night at Sun Devil Stadium. They gave me everything they had and we had every opportunity to be successful tonight but we made too many mental errors.”
On who were highlights for the Sun Devils tonight
“A guy that really stuck out to me tonight was the young N’Keal Harry—what a warrior he is. I thought Kalen [Ballage] did some great things and made some good plays.”
On turnovers
“We had a turnover on the very first play of the game but we didn’t score any points and didn’t capitalize because we turned the ball back over. We would have gone into halftime with a two- point lead if we got a field goal out of that. Going into the game, we knew they were the number one team in the country for turnovers. At halftime, they had two and we had one. If we won the turnover ratio, we could have won the football game. We also had a really poor pass defense. We let them throw it over the top of us and that was really costly.”
On not being able to carry out the game plan
“We had a great plan going in and we really shut down the run. They only had 41 rushing yards going into halftime. Then, we gave up a 60-yard touchdown. We did a lot of good things, I thought we had it under control at halftime. We pushed them all the way back to first and 40 but we weren’t able to get them off the field.”
On too many sacks
“We got sacked 11 times, which is ridiculous. Our whole deal was to have no negatives and to take care of the football but we ended up with 11 sacks and 22 TFLs. It’s hard to be successful when you’re doing that.”
On the rest of the season
“We’re not done. We have two games left and we have to get this team bowl-eligible, which we have a great opportunity to do next week. I am proud of these seniors and I am proud of what they have done for me and this school.”
ASU Redshirt Sophomore QB Manny Wilkins
On pressure and offensive disruption
“They did a really good job scheming us up and game planning for things that we do. Obviously I took some critical sacks and had some critical interceptions down in the red zone. I think that’s one thing that we pride ourselves on, scoring in the red zone, whether it’s a touchdown or a field goal. That’s a poor part on my job, I have to live and learn and grow from it. The team fought hard, we should have won that football game.”
On what changed down the stretch
“I don’t think anything changed. Like I said, I just took some critical sacks and I just need to get the ball out of my hands and obviously not take some of those hits. Just going through my reads and hitting the back when things aren’t there. I take full accountability for that, I just have to make sure I get better and not make those same mistakes next week.”
On mental errors
“I’m not trying to take away from Utah, like I said before they did a great job game planning for us. But those are just mental errors on my part. Obviously there was a climb route down there in the end zone, and I just didn’t see a guy coming back across. Just have to know that we have points there regardless, we have the best field goal kicker in the nation. I just have to throw that away or get what I can get and get down. At the end of the game, just a simple concept. He made a good play, but I shouldn’t have thrown that ball.”
On N’Keal Harry
“Well one thing, that play where he ran for that touchdown. You know it was a pass or whatever, but that was special. You don’t see that from many guys. Some guys might have thrown that ball away, some might have gotten tackled, but he made something happen and that’s what he came here to do. He’s really stepped up and matured and is letting people know that just because he’s a freshman doesn’t mean he can’t go out there and be the best player on the field. I think that’s something he has proven is that he’s just hungry and confident. He’s humble and doesn’t boast. You don’t find that often with guys with that special talent. I’m very proud of him and the man he’s becoming. He’s going to be a special player here for the next few years. I’m happy to have him out there.”
ASU Redshirt Junior Linebacker Marcus Ball
On Utah RB Joe Williams’ play
“First and foremost, I want to give credit where credit is due. They have a great football team and great coaches. They’re similar to us about morals and the things we value. [Joe Williams] was tough; he fought hard today. I felt like we did a good job today of making them one-dimensional as far as making them throw the ball more than they usually do. They had some big runs down the stretch. He’s a tough back, but it’s the Pac-12; you see explosive players and backs every week, week in and week out. He was good, but it’s something we’re used to.”
On the first quarter vs. the rest of the game
“I think we did a lot of things that were self-inflicted. They definitely had a good game plan, but like I said before, they have some great coaches. They had a great game plan and stuck to it. They did some things and schemes but down the stretch we had some self-inflicted wounds that cost us. I didn’t know they had two yards at half; we did a good job of stopping the run. They took some early shots on us and took some shots on us down the stretch. As far as us having some bad calls tonight, it’s beside the point. We had some self-inflicted wounds that cost us the game.”
Utah Head Coach Kyle Whittingham
Opening statement
“We were sleepwalking in the first quarter by not doing much of anything in any phase of the game. We came alive in the second half, which isn’t uncommon when playing a team like Arizona State due to their defense and high pressure. We just started plugging away after our lead at halftime. It is a tough place to play and that is a good football team they have. We had trouble tackling those guys because they are pure athletes. We are now down to a two game series. Our main focus now is battling through a win against Oregon at home next weekend.”
On game plan preparations
“Everything that we prepared for against tonight’s game was what we faced. This is the fourth year we have faced Coach Graham and his defense and it carries over. They don’t change much. They believe in what they’re doing and they do it well. They do not have huge deviations from what they do so we had an idea of what to expect going into tonight.”
On sacks
“There were a lot of cover sacks and quarterback drop backs. Hunter reached a single game sack record of five, which is close to the career average.”
On changes from first to second quarter
“We settled in offensively when we turned the first snap over and fumbled the ball. The second turnover happened in the first quarter as well, which is just about as bad as a team can start. The first play, Arizona State shifted their front which confused our athletes on who were playing what positions for them. The difference in the second quarter was we got the run game going.”
On Raelon Singleton’s performance
“He is a big target, he is athletic and he makes the contested catch. He was playing with a hurt finger that was taped to another finger, but you never would have known due to how he played. He did a great job.”
On evaluating safety plays
“Having Marcus back was huge. He got the interception down in the red zone which is critical. He catches everything that comes his way and he overlaps so well.”
On Arizona State staying consistent with plays
“Some years they have given up very little, it simply depends on how deep their roster is. They always bring high pressure, especially on the corners which we do as well. We play a lot of man coverage, man to man.
Utah Junior Defensive Back Marcus Williams
On starting slow but then developing
“We were able to key into their defense. We heard all week that they were going to get their share of plays. We definitely do not want to start out that slow, but that is just the way it happened. We have a great group of guys on offense, and a great coaching staff. We just listen to them and slow it down.”
On the defense, the sacks and picks
“We practice this stuff each day in practice, turnovers and sacks. We do every little thing in practice so it transitions into the game.”
On the key to pressure and tackles
“Our defensive backs were definitely key. They worked hard on the perimeter today, and that allowed for a lot of tackles for loss and sacks. The defensive line did their job by getting to the quarterback and make sure they got the tackles for losses.”
On getting the first pick on the first drive for ASU
“That is natural for me. I was not surprised I got that because I make plays.”
Utah Senior Running Back Joe Williams
On the outcomes after establishing a pass
“Just being able to pass the ball efficiently. The slow start really loosened the box for me, but it is always easier when the offensive line can open up the line of scrimmage each time I run the ball.”
On the key with the match-ups for some of the receivers
“We just had to tackle them and show the world that they could not stop us, basically.”
On reassurance during the slow start
“I just told everyone to keep their head up because we were going to come out of it.”
Utah Junior QB Troy Williams
On coming out strong after an emotional game last week
“It feels great. We are on a mission, and you can see that on our faces and in our play. We had a slow start today, but we have a mission to get us back on track.”
On the slow start
“It was just a little rust. I was not too concerned about it because I knew we would get the energy going. We just stayed on track and continued to play.”
On the first touchdown pass
“My confidence has always been high, but after that it went through the roof. I was able to go out after that and have fun. Our receivers and offensive line stepped up and did a great job tonight.”
On the mission the team is on
“We all want to get to the Pac-12 Championship. We control our destiny, and we just have to take it one day at a time and keep working.”
On tough catches made
“I have had confidence in my receivers all season. I was not surprised when they made tough plays. I have seen them make tough plays in games and practice, and I am just glad they are out there.”
Utah Sophomore Wide Receiver Raelon Singleton
On waiting to get healthy and showing his real game
“I learned that I have a lot of speed with me.”
On what happened on the second touchdown that was caught
“We caught the safety, and the corner crashed and I was wide open. I looked and knew I was wide open.”
Utah Senior Defensive End Hunter Dimick
On being so successful with sacks (Hunter broke the school record with 5 sacks in one game), and how the team was able to get so many
“It was the defensive backs, and consequently, when that happens, we are able to get there and make plays. A huge thanks to the defensive backs, they played a great game this week.”
On playing against a quarterback that can move [Manny Wilkins]
“Having a quarterback that can move like he did definitely makes you timid and more cautious. We missed him as much as we got him tonight. He was a freak athlete, but we were fortunately able to stop him toward the end.”
On facing two offensive turnovers
“Those situations just suck, but you cannot complain about it. Fortunately, we were able to get out and play through those situations.”
On attacking the ASU offense
“There was nothing we went after or noticed in particular. We take a lot of pride in pressuring the quarterback and that was the game plan.”
On ASU offense possibly losing confidence toward the end
“I would not say they lost confidence. There were definitely a few plays when they had miscommunication, but they played a very good game. Their offense gave our corners a lot of time to get there.”
On having the program record
“It has been a lot of hard work. Being injured for most of the season last year impacted my faith and everything I had been working for, but it is such a relief. I am very grateful.”
On being a local Utah kid, and now playing for the university
“I am a small town guy. My junior year, when my high school coach told me I was being recruited by Pac-12 teams, I did not even know what that was. I always wanted to play at Utah, and just being able to play here is a blessing.”