Colorado State University Athletics
Postgame quotes
10/25/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 25, 2014
(general)
“That was a great crowd, wasn’t it? I thought the crowd and our fans really gave us a home field advantage with some of those early penalties. I can’t say enough about the energy of our crowd. In the locker room afterwards, I could really tell how much this team has grown. It was almost like they lost the game. There wasn’t a lot of energy or a lot of excitement, and that had to do with how we closed out the game. There were a lot of things that were uncharacteristic of our team, and yet, you take a rivalry win anytime. We’re something-and-1 right now, with more wins than we have losses, and we should feel good about that. We’ve got to enjoy this for 12 hours and then go to work on a very tough opponent (San Jose State) that seems to have our number.”
(on how impressive QB Garrett Grayson was tonight)
“Just the way he was operating, I think his preparation this week was excellent. I think the game kind of slowed down for him, he was throwing on time, and that’s a good performance by a senior in a rivalry game. I know how important this game was to him.”
(on how important the fast start was, scoring on first four possessions)
“Our guys are learning what it is to prepare, and what to expect. It was good we took the first drive down (and scored). We couldn’t punch it in, but we put points on the board and then the defense was able to get the ball back. These are all really good things as you’re moving forward. A lot of guys are making plays and playing hard now. It was good.”
(on how important it was to get multiple receivers involved in the passing game)
“The guy that’s open is the go-to-guy. We’ve got a really good receiving corps, I spoke to that early in the year and even last spring, I thought that throwing the football would be an advantage for us. Some guys are stepping up and making really good plays, and Garrett is doing a really good job of taking what the defense gives him.”
(on how Rashard Higgins is able to turn little throws into big gains)
“He doesn’t look like he’s moving that fast. But believe me, the guy is moving that fast. He’s got a real good knack and great timing, and some guys through some really great blocks down field. He’s a special player, but he’s got a little ways to go from a consistency standpoint. We’re starting to move him around a little bit more, so teams can’t just say, ‘Hey, there he is’. That’ll help us, and help some other guys as well. But you know, he’s a pretty darn good ball player.”
(on how it feels to be 7-1)
“I know there are a lot of guys in this organization who have been in this atmosphere before. The good part is, we can kind of speak to that and what to expect. I know our guys aren’t satisfied. This is what we should be. We shouldn’t be ‘and-1.’ But at the same time, we’ll embrace this and be excited about it. But we’ve got a lot ahead of us.”
(on how much confidence Rashard Higgins is gaining)
“His patience is actually really good. He sets those things up, and then all of a sudden, hey-diddle-diddle-dude-down-the-middle, that’s good stuff.”
(on letting up late in the game)
“It’s disappointing. That’s one of the ones you just want to finish the way you should finish, but you talk about the rarified air, that might just be part of growing up. You need some of that, and the same thing happened to us out in Reno. We’ve got to learn. Everyday there’s a lesson to be learned, and this is another one. “
(on what it would mean to be ranked)
“That’d be pretty cool. I don’t know if we will or not. I don’t know if I have enough friends out there to vote for me. (smiling)”
(on how important it is getting backup quarterback Nick Stevens in games)
“He’s running the show out there. He’s so cerebral. He does a great job of handling the situation. He’s obviously getting a lot of reps right now because of the pitch count that we’re on with Garrett. So it’s always good to get some guys in the game.”
(on the success of linebacker Aaron Davis, the team’s leading tackler)
“I think our linebacking corps is fantastic. They run to the ball, they wrap up, they handle over checks. Aaron has tremendous speed so he can get guys on the outside and get them down. I can’t say enough about how those guys are competing, but the same can be said for a lot of spots on the defensive side of the ball.”
(on how well Wyoming played)
“We’re going to have our work cut out for us as a program with these guys. You can tell the way they compete, you can tell their resolve, and this is going to go back to being a heck of a rivalry. It’s one of those deals where they do a fantastic job, and every year I know we get to play them so it’ll be fun.”
Wyoming Head Coach Craig Bohl
(on overview of game)
“I just want to congratulate Colorado State, I think they’re an excellent football team. We knew that coming in and we knew we were going to need to play error-free tonight and have a chance to win. We certainly didn’t do that. I thought our guys scrapped and fought, but we had some guys that were injured. Shaun Wick broke his hand and Malkaam Muhammad dislocated his elbow. We had a lot of guys that went down, but that’s why you develop depth within your football team and I think it’s going to be important for us to do that as we move forward.”
(on offensive game)
“It took us a little long to get going. We’re encouraged by some of the things we felt like we developed as we went. I think sometimes that comes about being an old defensive coach. You try to stage some things defensively to secure the win so I’m sure Colorado State was doing some things to say ‘hey, listen let’s just not give up some big plays.’ I don’t want to make too much of that, but I do believe we saw some good things offensively at times.”
(on losing defensive players to injury)
“Those things come into play, but I really believe that we have to recognize as a program that we have to do more things to develop depth. Injuries usually even out. It’s been my experience over a lot of years that some years you’re just going to have a whole bunch of them and in the next couple of years you don’t. What it does is give us opportunity to play a lot of younger guys right now. Sometimes results are frustrating, but I think as the head football coach and coaching staff we have to move our program forward. Some of these younger guys that haven’t envisioned that they would be playing, that’s where we’re at right now.”
(on how talent level of CSU’s wide receivers compares to other opponents this year)
“I think Oregon’s were, but these guys were very talented. I don’t want to take anything away from Colorado State. I think they’re very talented, but Oregon had some big-play guys. Within our league and the last several weeks, without question.”
(on backup RB Brian Hill’s performance)
“He got tired, but he’s a work horse out there. We’ll build on that and these are going to be great experiences for Brian. One of these days we’ll look back and remember this night and we’ll move forward.”
(on tackling)
“We’re going to work on pursuit angles and positioning. I can also tell you that we’re going to work on tackling.”
Colorado State Players
Joe Hansley, WR
(on the CSU receiving corps)
“I think it just says that we’re starting to get it as a receiving corps. Every week we want to go out and distribute the ball to everyone, but obviously it doesn’t go like that every week. That’s kind of the life of a receiver, but it was great for everyone to get some catches tonight. It was a lot of fun.”
(on what it means to be 7-1)
“It’s huge for us, it’s huge for the program, and it’s huge for the fans. Every week it just pushes you to go out and go that much harder when you’re winning games. Practice is more enjoyable, and we just want to go out and get that eighth win next week.”
(on if last year’s win at Wyoming turned the tide for the program)
“Maybe a little bit. We talk about how that was one of the games last year where we dominated for the whole game, for all four quarters. I think it definitely had a part, but we’re a new team this season and we worked hard in the offseason, so that has to do a lot with it too.”
(on his touchdown)
“They dialed that one up on the sideline pretty well. (Graduate assistant) Coach (Rob) Ezell told me, ‘you’re going to get the look we want, and just bend it inside,’ so after that, like Coach Mac said, I just tried not to get caught.”
(on the importance of building a quick lead)
“Any game that you can come out and put quick points on the board, it’s going to be easier for the team to get the win.”
(on how well Garrett Grayson is playing)
“I think our record says it all for how well he’s playing. He’s the quarterback, and he really manages the offense. The numbers we’re putting up right now, everyone’s playing their part – the line, Rashard’s going crazy every game – but Garrett’s definitely playing well. He’s starting to manage the team extremely well, keeping everyone’s head in it when anything goes wrong.”
(on if CSU is a top 25 team)
“I don’t think anyone’s worrying about that, to be honest. I know it’s cliché, but a lot of us just want to go out and get that eighth win. It would be cool to be a top 25 team, but right now we’re just focusing on winning out so that we can make it to the Mountain West championship, possibly.”
(on the culture change of the CSU team)
“It was a little bit more quiet than it usually is after a big win. I think that’s just due to how we won. The team’s just starting to understand that, ‘yeah, we won,’ but we didn’t finish the way we wanted to. We might not be that lucky to win the bigger games if we play like that in the second half. About the team, I think it just says that we’re starting to get it more. We’re pushing to be better every day.”
Dee Hart, RB
(on how the Rams won the game)
“Given the extent of the game, being the Border War, we are proud that we did win the game, but just not how we wanted to win it. We’ve just got to come back to the drawing board on Monday, and get back to practice.”
(on if these teaching moments are easier to handle when the team is still winning)
“They mean a lot. That just shows the kinds of guys we have on our team – Garrett Grayson, Rashard Higgins, Joe Hansley - guys that are going to make plays. You don’t have that on a lot of teams. They look for guys like that. We’re just blessed that we have guys like that, if you throw it to them any given play, they might go the distance.”
(on what it’s like to be on a 7-1 team at CSU as opposed to previous successful teams he’s been on)
“It’s great. That just goes to show you how much our program has grown. Our fans, the second straight sellout crowd – that’s big. Especially around here, a lot of guys are excited about that. It makes us play a little better. It makes us play a little harder, because we’re playing for fans, playing for families, everybody that’s backing us here.”
(on how exciting the win is)
“It’s very exciting, but it’s just one more game. We’ve got a big picture down the road, that everybody wants to do. We already have The Climb. Everybody talks about that. That’s the road we’re on right now.”
(on if it’s harder to accept the Boise loss with the Rams’ recent success)
“I don’t want to say harder, or anything like that, but it was a teaching tool. A lot of great teams need losses like that. It just shows what you have within. I feel that we’ve played much better than we did that second game. I wish we could have another shot at them.”
(on his contribution to the team so far)
“To be honest, I just want to do what I can do for the team. I don’t care what I have to do, to be honest. I’ll be nothing. Garrett Grayson’s having the best season of his life out there. Rashard Higgins, these guys are ballin’ out there. I’m just doing a little cleanup duty, and I don’t mind that.”
Aaron Davis, LB
(on if there was disappointment postgame in the locker room, and what it says about the team’s growth)
“Definitely. There was a little bit of disappointment there at the end. We thought, as a defense, we could shut them out, but obviously we gave up some points. I think that just shows that we expect to be great. Even though we got the win, we have stuff to work on, and we acknowledge that.”
(on how the culture change feels after the second straight sellout)
“It definitely feels good. Obviously, you guys saw they had a lot of false start penalties, and that gives the credit to the crowd for that. We hope we can keep getting those crowds out here, and keep winning.”
“(Smiling) We had the hands team, and I had to go out for that.”
(on how it feels to win The Boot in his senior year)
“It definitely feels good. Some of the younger guys, we try to tell them what it feels like not to have it. We try to harp on them and tell them to keep it here. They should never know the feeling of not having it here.”
(on if something special is going on this year)
“Definitely. Even in that Utah State game, you just get the feeling that even if we’re down, even if we make a bad play, we just all still have the feeling that we’re going to come out with the victory. It’s just that kind of season for us. It’s a special season, for sure.”
(on if it feels different winning The Boot this year, as opposed to last year)
“Yeah. I feel like we expected to win it. Like I said, since we had it here, we see it everyday walking by. We just feel like it’s our property. I think that’s some of the reason why guys felt a little disappointed that we gave up that many points, but I think that’s just what it takes to be great.”
(on the season’s highlight so far)
“I think it’s just having the team come together. I think a lot of guys have just bonded a lot during this process. We’re not trying to look too far ahead. We’re just trying to stay in the present. I think guys are connecting on all different cylinders on and off the field, and I think our communication on and off the field has been great.”
(on the type of defensive coverage he’s facing)
“I’m just doing my job. That’s the way they played me and at the end of the day, I’m just catching the ball, going up field, doing what I’m supposed to do.”
(on his confidence to try and ‘hit the home-run ball’ on every play)
“I expect big plays out of myself. I expect to turn a 1-yard route into an 80, turn into 90. That’s just the goals I have for myself and others expect that out of me as well.”
(on the play of his QB, Garrett Grayson)
“Garrett, man he’s having a season. It goes back to the film room. He knows how the DB’s play and what coverages they like. Garrett’s having a season and the sky’s the limit for us right now.”
(on his 12 TDs on the season)
“It feels good but I am not where I want to be at yet. I’m trying to lead the team to another bowl game and we are trying to stay climbing the mountain and this is part of it.”
(on his feelings about the six-game winning streak)
“I’m having fun, the team’s having fun and every time I ask them what they expect, they tell me let’s just have fun and do what do. Go hard every day in practice and the outcome will show on the field.”
(on if he would like to go back and play Boise State one more time)
“I would love to be undefeated but everything happens for a reason. It probably took us to lose one to win five.”
“Man, I love that boot. I know some of the older guys didn’t get to win the boot when they first got here but the two years I have been here, we’ve won it two times in a row and it feels good.”
Garrett Grayson, QB
(on all the records he has recently broken)
“It’s obviously something I wasn’t thinking about earlier on in my career, especially with how I played early on but this year, everyone kind of knows where I stood, I knew where I stood but I wanted to stay within myself. Like I said before, anytime you start thinking about records it takes you off your game and you start trying to force things and make things happen instead of letting it come to you. That’s something Coach Mac has said to me multiple times: ‘take what the defense gives you and eventually they will give you the game and that’s what we did tonight. We were dinking and dunking for a while and taking some shots and hitting those shots and that’s where playmakers make plays.”
(on how it feels to be able to have a short passing game with Rashard Higgins as his receiver)
“It’s a really good feeling to throw a negative-three yard route and having him take it eighty yards. Like I said, anytime I can get that kid the ball then I am trying to do that and it maybe sometimes I do try and force some things but he saves me a lot of times. Like last week, I threw the ball into triple coverage and he came up with a great play. So that’s a guy that I just try and give the ball as much as I can because I know he’s that playmaker for us and he’s helped us out a lot.”
(on the defense’s play against Rashard Higgins)
“Like I’ve said many times, Utah State was the first team that seemed to be adjusting to him. He still put up some unreal numbers but they were the first team to really roll to him and try and double him and there was a couple times tonight where we had some in game adjustments where their corner was playing way off so that was one that I just turned and threw the ball out there and that was something that you obviously saw what he could do with it. I really don’t know what to say about what defenses are doing about him but he’s an unreal player and I am just happy to have him on our side.”
(on his efficient play on the season and who he gives his credit to)
“A lot to the coaches and obviously players. The coaches are putting me in a good position to be successful and like you saw tonight, when I throw a two-yard route and Rashard takes it to the house, it makes my job a lot easier. Going back to last year around the Tulsa game, when I finally went to Coach Mac and asked him what I should be looking for in film and how I should be watching film and things like that. That was a big thing for me, asking that question, that’s something I look back on and that kind of changed the whole game of football because obviously, I was watching film but I don’t know how much I was getting out of it and Coach Mac changed all that.”
(on how much more prepared he feels this season compared to last)
“From the second half of last season to this season it’s a night and day difference with me being prepared. Seeing the pre-snap and seeing what defenses are doing and automatically pulling certain routes out because of what the defenses are in and that’s something that makes it a lot easier when you can just see a defense and see that a route isn’t going to be there so you can go ahead and look another way. You don’t have to panic and look one way and then have to panic and look around the next so it’s all been preparation and it’s the biggest thing. Like I said, I take it back to the coaches and what they said last year.”
(on what it’s like to be 7-1)
“Like I said last week, it’s an unreal feeling and it’s something we are all very proud of. Coach Mac says all the time; you’re building your legacy now. This is when you do it. This is how you remember it and obviously we want to be a great senior class and get this program going in a right direction. That’s how we ended the bowl game last year, that’s something that senior class did for us and we’re just trying to carry the torch.”
(on whether he’s heard from former CSU QBs Terry Nugent, Moses Moreno, Kelly Stouffer, whose records he is breaking)
“Terry Nugent texted me last week and told me he couldn’t be more happy for me and it was well deserved and things like that, and it was a huge honor for me to get a text from him. To take time from his day, because he’s obviously all over the record books, and for him to do that meant a lot to me.”
(on his limited practice snaps since his injury at Boston College and if it has helped)
“I won’t say it hurt by any means but it’s caused me to focus a little more. Going into practice, I’m obviously not getting the reps so I am standing back there and watching Nick (Stevens) go through and watching C.J. (Leonard) go through, it’s caused me to focus a little bit more on what the defenses are exactly doing because obviously when you are not getting the reps you can miss certain routes and things like that you don’t get to practice and when you do get those 30-to-40 throws a week that I am getting, that’s something you need to be perfect on. I won’t say skipping reps or missing reps, I don’t think it ever helps you but it’s definitely caused me to focus a lot more and you can say it helped in that aspect.”
(on whether his shoulder is still bothering him)
“A little bit but it’s not too bad. It has gotten better every week. That week against Tulsa was really the first time that it was still bugging me pretty bad but every week since then it’s gotten a lot better.”
(on what he sees in Rashard Higgins’ play against defenders)
“He’s very good at reading his block. Like I said, when I am throwing the ball behind the line of scrimmage and he takes it 60, 70, 80 yards to the house, that just shows that we are getting linemen out there blocking for him and he’s very good at reading those and making guys miss, making them go left and then jumping around the lineman and making him go right. It’s kind of fun to watch those guys spin in circles when he’s running around. It’s enjoyable and like I said, it makes my job a lot easier.”
(on whether Rashard Higgins is playing beyond how a sophomore should)
“Like I said, when I told Coach Mac last summer that we need to get this guy on the field, he’s going to be a playmaker for us. I obviously knew he was going to be good and do the things that he’s been doing but I didn’t know it was going to be this good, this early. I’ve said it before, I am very jealous of whoever the quarterback is next year because they get to play with these guys next year.”
(on what he learned attending the Peyton Manning Passing Academy)
“The preparation. You always hear about how much film Peyton watches and how he’s a perfectionist, and to be able to sit down and go through drills with him and be within five feet of him and hear how he talks about certain drills and hear how he gets on certain guys for doing things wrong. He wants everything done perfect the first time. He doesn’t want to have to do it over and that’s something that I took from him. It’s taken me out of my comfort zone because I have never been a guy to harp on people or get on someone during practice and that’s something he taught me to do.”
(on backup Nick Stevens play time and reps)
“It’s huge for his confidence. Obviously, I learned in my career early on and took me on in my sophomore year and anytime you go into a season and it’s your first start and you haven’t had any reps at all, you get a lot more jitterbugs and any reps he can get, that will help him in the long run.”
(on taking over for injured RB Shaun Wick)
“I didn’t see Shaun go down, I thought I got called in because he needed a breather. But, after we punted, coach came over and told me to be ready because Shaun went down and they thought he broke his hand.”
(on whether or not he is prepared to carry the load for the remaining games)
“Yeah I am. They prepared us all in fall camp with the double reps. That’s why we took those double reps so we all know what to do and so the next man can step up.”
(on what changed in the second half that allowed the offense to be more productive)
“We stopped hurting ourselves. We didn’t have the penalties and we didn’t have the missed assignments on offense. People were where they were supposed to be and made plays.”
(on what the offense does moving forward)
“We just have to listen to the coaches. Every week they preach, ‘Do what you have to do and know your assignments.’ We need to play fast. We didn’t do that in the first half but we came back and bounced back in the second half and we are going to try to carry that over into the next game.”
Colby Kirkegaard, QB
(on what changed in the second half that allowed the offense to be more productive)
“We played better in the second half than we did in the first half. We had some pretty good drives, but we didn’t do enough to win. We didn’t put up enough points. I’m not sure what their game plan was in the second half, but I thought we executed pretty well here and there, but we didn’t get the job done.”
(on how much the game changed when starting running back Shaun Wick went down with an injury)
“Brian (Hill) did a really good job. He ran really hard and filled the role really well, but it’s too bad. You never want to see your starting running back go down that early, especially in a big game like this. “
(on how much confidence and faith they had going in to the second half)
“A lot. There was no quit in us. We didn’t score enough points to win the game and that’s all we really care about. We did the best we could, but at the end of the day, we didn’t do a good enough job (to get the win).”
(on whether or not the offense can build on the second half performance)
“Yeah I guess, if you want to take something away. We had a couple scoring drives and hopefully that momentum carries over in to the next game.”
Blair Burns, CB
(on how tough playing the CSU offense was and how it compares to other offenses they’ve played)
“It was a challenge. They have a good team and we knew we had to go out there and play sound football. Unfortunately we didn’t do that. As far as the receivers go, they didn’t hit us for anything big over the top, it was just short dump off passes that they were able to turn up field and make big plays out of. At the end of the day what it’s going to come down to is competing. I made a couple of mistakes out there and I missed a couple tackles. We have to get those things corrected and I feel as far as myself, there’s no excuse for that. I expect to bring everyone down every time so it’s something that we have to get in there and work on, and get ready because we know Fresno State is going to throw it at us.”
(on the missed tackles and what the defense needs to do to correct them)
“I think everyone is running to the ball pretty hard but sometimes we over-pursue and they cut back on us and that’s when tackles are missed. When we’re in wide open space, that’s when we miss tackles. That’s something that we practice every Tuesday and Wednesday. We get out there and we have thud practices and that forces us to get our bodies in there and hit up high so we can make those tackles in games. Unfortunately, it didn’t show in this game.”
(on how the seniors keep the team focused after losing four games in a row)
“As seniors, we just need to keep everyone’s heads steady. The team right now is kind of down, we’ve lost a lot of games in a row and we weren’t expecting that. As seniors, we have to keep our heads on straight; we can’t give up. There’s a lot more football to be played (this season) and I only have a couple games left in my career so I’m going to go out there and play as hard as I can and hope that my brothers next to me play hard too.”
(on how tough it is playing with all the injuries to starters)
“We prepared for it during fall camp, running with different groups and people being substituted in and out. We knew injuries were going to happen. That’s what our coaches told us at the beginning of the year: that we’re going to expect third- and fourth-stringers to contribute. A lot of guys are going to have to step into new positions and a lot of guys are going to have to move up from the scout team. Right now, we have to get everyone’s head straight. Our coaches are doing the best that they can putting people in the right positions that they can put them in. Right now, we’re not looking at that (the injuries), we’re looking ahead (to Fresno State) and we’re going to play with the guys that we have.”
Devyn Harris, LB
(on how tough all of the injuries have made it on the defense)
“We’re expecting a lot from our backups at this point in the season. Until they get caught up to speed, it will wear on us.”
(on the defense’s missed tackles)
“We have to keep working. Our angles to the football have to be better. It has nothing to do with our effort.”
(on his goals for the remainder of the season)
“We still have a chance to go to a bowl game. The season isn’t over, and there is still a lot to play for.”
(on whether seniors can get the locker room attitude to bounce back)
“I believe we can get them to stay positive, knowing what we have to fight for (a bowl game). This game is over and we have to move on to next week.”
Recap |
Final Stats |
Notes |
Photo Gallery 1 
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Photo Gallery 2 |
Photo Gallery (Dan Byers)
Colorado State Head Coach Jim McElwain
(general)
“That was a great crowd, wasn’t it? I thought the crowd and our fans really gave us a home field advantage with some of those early penalties. I can’t say enough about the energy of our crowd. In the locker room afterwards, I could really tell how much this team has grown. It was almost like they lost the game. There wasn’t a lot of energy or a lot of excitement, and that had to do with how we closed out the game. There were a lot of things that were uncharacteristic of our team, and yet, you take a rivalry win anytime. We’re something-and-1 right now, with more wins than we have losses, and we should feel good about that. We’ve got to enjoy this for 12 hours and then go to work on a very tough opponent (San Jose State) that seems to have our number.”
(on how impressive QB Garrett Grayson was tonight)
“Just the way he was operating, I think his preparation this week was excellent. I think the game kind of slowed down for him, he was throwing on time, and that’s a good performance by a senior in a rivalry game. I know how important this game was to him.”
(on how important the fast start was, scoring on first four possessions)
“Our guys are learning what it is to prepare, and what to expect. It was good we took the first drive down (and scored). We couldn’t punch it in, but we put points on the board and then the defense was able to get the ball back. These are all really good things as you’re moving forward. A lot of guys are making plays and playing hard now. It was good.”
(on how important it was to get multiple receivers involved in the passing game)
“The guy that’s open is the go-to-guy. We’ve got a really good receiving corps, I spoke to that early in the year and even last spring, I thought that throwing the football would be an advantage for us. Some guys are stepping up and making really good plays, and Garrett is doing a really good job of taking what the defense gives him.”
(on how Rashard Higgins is able to turn little throws into big gains)
“He doesn’t look like he’s moving that fast. But believe me, the guy is moving that fast. He’s got a real good knack and great timing, and some guys through some really great blocks down field. He’s a special player, but he’s got a little ways to go from a consistency standpoint. We’re starting to move him around a little bit more, so teams can’t just say, ‘Hey, there he is’. That’ll help us, and help some other guys as well. But you know, he’s a pretty darn good ball player.”
(on how it feels to be 7-1)
“I know there are a lot of guys in this organization who have been in this atmosphere before. The good part is, we can kind of speak to that and what to expect. I know our guys aren’t satisfied. This is what we should be. We shouldn’t be ‘and-1.’ But at the same time, we’ll embrace this and be excited about it. But we’ve got a lot ahead of us.”
(on how much confidence Rashard Higgins is gaining)
“His patience is actually really good. He sets those things up, and then all of a sudden, hey-diddle-diddle-dude-down-the-middle, that’s good stuff.”
(on letting up late in the game)
“It’s disappointing. That’s one of the ones you just want to finish the way you should finish, but you talk about the rarified air, that might just be part of growing up. You need some of that, and the same thing happened to us out in Reno. We’ve got to learn. Everyday there’s a lesson to be learned, and this is another one. “
(on what it would mean to be ranked)
“That’d be pretty cool. I don’t know if we will or not. I don’t know if I have enough friends out there to vote for me. (smiling)”
(on how important it is getting backup quarterback Nick Stevens in games)
“He’s running the show out there. He’s so cerebral. He does a great job of handling the situation. He’s obviously getting a lot of reps right now because of the pitch count that we’re on with Garrett. So it’s always good to get some guys in the game.”
(on the success of linebacker Aaron Davis, the team’s leading tackler)
“I think our linebacking corps is fantastic. They run to the ball, they wrap up, they handle over checks. Aaron has tremendous speed so he can get guys on the outside and get them down. I can’t say enough about how those guys are competing, but the same can be said for a lot of spots on the defensive side of the ball.”
(on how well Wyoming played)
“We’re going to have our work cut out for us as a program with these guys. You can tell the way they compete, you can tell their resolve, and this is going to go back to being a heck of a rivalry. It’s one of those deals where they do a fantastic job, and every year I know we get to play them so it’ll be fun.”
Wyoming Head Coach Craig Bohl
(on overview of game)
“I just want to congratulate Colorado State, I think they’re an excellent football team. We knew that coming in and we knew we were going to need to play error-free tonight and have a chance to win. We certainly didn’t do that. I thought our guys scrapped and fought, but we had some guys that were injured. Shaun Wick broke his hand and Malkaam Muhammad dislocated his elbow. We had a lot of guys that went down, but that’s why you develop depth within your football team and I think it’s going to be important for us to do that as we move forward.”
(on offensive game)
“It took us a little long to get going. We’re encouraged by some of the things we felt like we developed as we went. I think sometimes that comes about being an old defensive coach. You try to stage some things defensively to secure the win so I’m sure Colorado State was doing some things to say ‘hey, listen let’s just not give up some big plays.’ I don’t want to make too much of that, but I do believe we saw some good things offensively at times.”
(on losing defensive players to injury)
“Those things come into play, but I really believe that we have to recognize as a program that we have to do more things to develop depth. Injuries usually even out. It’s been my experience over a lot of years that some years you’re just going to have a whole bunch of them and in the next couple of years you don’t. What it does is give us opportunity to play a lot of younger guys right now. Sometimes results are frustrating, but I think as the head football coach and coaching staff we have to move our program forward. Some of these younger guys that haven’t envisioned that they would be playing, that’s where we’re at right now.”
(on how talent level of CSU’s wide receivers compares to other opponents this year)
“I think Oregon’s were, but these guys were very talented. I don’t want to take anything away from Colorado State. I think they’re very talented, but Oregon had some big-play guys. Within our league and the last several weeks, without question.”
(on backup RB Brian Hill’s performance)
“He got tired, but he’s a work horse out there. We’ll build on that and these are going to be great experiences for Brian. One of these days we’ll look back and remember this night and we’ll move forward.”
(on tackling)
“We’re going to work on pursuit angles and positioning. I can also tell you that we’re going to work on tackling.”
Colorado State Players
Joe Hansley, WR
(on the CSU receiving corps)
“I think it just says that we’re starting to get it as a receiving corps. Every week we want to go out and distribute the ball to everyone, but obviously it doesn’t go like that every week. That’s kind of the life of a receiver, but it was great for everyone to get some catches tonight. It was a lot of fun.”
(on what it means to be 7-1)
“It’s huge for us, it’s huge for the program, and it’s huge for the fans. Every week it just pushes you to go out and go that much harder when you’re winning games. Practice is more enjoyable, and we just want to go out and get that eighth win next week.”
(on if last year’s win at Wyoming turned the tide for the program)
“Maybe a little bit. We talk about how that was one of the games last year where we dominated for the whole game, for all four quarters. I think it definitely had a part, but we’re a new team this season and we worked hard in the offseason, so that has to do a lot with it too.”
(on his touchdown)
“They dialed that one up on the sideline pretty well. (Graduate assistant) Coach (Rob) Ezell told me, ‘you’re going to get the look we want, and just bend it inside,’ so after that, like Coach Mac said, I just tried not to get caught.”
(on the importance of building a quick lead)
“Any game that you can come out and put quick points on the board, it’s going to be easier for the team to get the win.”
(on how well Garrett Grayson is playing)
“I think our record says it all for how well he’s playing. He’s the quarterback, and he really manages the offense. The numbers we’re putting up right now, everyone’s playing their part – the line, Rashard’s going crazy every game – but Garrett’s definitely playing well. He’s starting to manage the team extremely well, keeping everyone’s head in it when anything goes wrong.”
(on if CSU is a top 25 team)
“I don’t think anyone’s worrying about that, to be honest. I know it’s cliché, but a lot of us just want to go out and get that eighth win. It would be cool to be a top 25 team, but right now we’re just focusing on winning out so that we can make it to the Mountain West championship, possibly.”
(on the culture change of the CSU team)
“It was a little bit more quiet than it usually is after a big win. I think that’s just due to how we won. The team’s just starting to understand that, ‘yeah, we won,’ but we didn’t finish the way we wanted to. We might not be that lucky to win the bigger games if we play like that in the second half. About the team, I think it just says that we’re starting to get it more. We’re pushing to be better every day.”
Dee Hart, RB
(on how the Rams won the game)
“Given the extent of the game, being the Border War, we are proud that we did win the game, but just not how we wanted to win it. We’ve just got to come back to the drawing board on Monday, and get back to practice.”
(on if these teaching moments are easier to handle when the team is still winning)
“They mean a lot. That just shows the kinds of guys we have on our team – Garrett Grayson, Rashard Higgins, Joe Hansley - guys that are going to make plays. You don’t have that on a lot of teams. They look for guys like that. We’re just blessed that we have guys like that, if you throw it to them any given play, they might go the distance.”
(on what it’s like to be on a 7-1 team at CSU as opposed to previous successful teams he’s been on)
“It’s great. That just goes to show you how much our program has grown. Our fans, the second straight sellout crowd – that’s big. Especially around here, a lot of guys are excited about that. It makes us play a little better. It makes us play a little harder, because we’re playing for fans, playing for families, everybody that’s backing us here.”
(on how exciting the win is)
“It’s very exciting, but it’s just one more game. We’ve got a big picture down the road, that everybody wants to do. We already have The Climb. Everybody talks about that. That’s the road we’re on right now.”
(on if it’s harder to accept the Boise loss with the Rams’ recent success)
“I don’t want to say harder, or anything like that, but it was a teaching tool. A lot of great teams need losses like that. It just shows what you have within. I feel that we’ve played much better than we did that second game. I wish we could have another shot at them.”
(on his contribution to the team so far)
“To be honest, I just want to do what I can do for the team. I don’t care what I have to do, to be honest. I’ll be nothing. Garrett Grayson’s having the best season of his life out there. Rashard Higgins, these guys are ballin’ out there. I’m just doing a little cleanup duty, and I don’t mind that.”
Aaron Davis, LB
(on if there was disappointment postgame in the locker room, and what it says about the team’s growth)
“Definitely. There was a little bit of disappointment there at the end. We thought, as a defense, we could shut them out, but obviously we gave up some points. I think that just shows that we expect to be great. Even though we got the win, we have stuff to work on, and we acknowledge that.”
(on how the culture change feels after the second straight sellout)
“It definitely feels good. Obviously, you guys saw they had a lot of false start penalties, and that gives the credit to the crowd for that. We hope we can keep getting those crowds out here, and keep winning.”
 
(on how left tackle Ty Sambrailo beat him to The Boot, )
“(Smiling) We had the hands team, and I had to go out for that.”
(on how it feels to win The Boot in his senior year)
“It definitely feels good. Some of the younger guys, we try to tell them what it feels like not to have it. We try to harp on them and tell them to keep it here. They should never know the feeling of not having it here.”
(on if something special is going on this year)
“Definitely. Even in that Utah State game, you just get the feeling that even if we’re down, even if we make a bad play, we just all still have the feeling that we’re going to come out with the victory. It’s just that kind of season for us. It’s a special season, for sure.”
(on if it feels different winning The Boot this year, as opposed to last year)
“Yeah. I feel like we expected to win it. Like I said, since we had it here, we see it everyday walking by. We just feel like it’s our property. I think that’s some of the reason why guys felt a little disappointed that we gave up that many points, but I think that’s just what it takes to be great.”
(on the season’s highlight so far)
“I think it’s just having the team come together. I think a lot of guys have just bonded a lot during this process. We’re not trying to look too far ahead. We’re just trying to stay in the present. I think guys are connecting on all different cylinders on and off the field, and I think our communication on and off the field has been great.”
(on the type of defensive coverage he’s facing)
“I’m just doing my job. That’s the way they played me and at the end of the day, I’m just catching the ball, going up field, doing what I’m supposed to do.”
(on his confidence to try and ‘hit the home-run ball’ on every play)
“I expect big plays out of myself. I expect to turn a 1-yard route into an 80, turn into 90. That’s just the goals I have for myself and others expect that out of me as well.”
(on the play of his QB, Garrett Grayson)
“Garrett, man he’s having a season. It goes back to the film room. He knows how the DB’s play and what coverages they like. Garrett’s having a season and the sky’s the limit for us right now.”
(on his 12 TDs on the season)
“It feels good but I am not where I want to be at yet. I’m trying to lead the team to another bowl game and we are trying to stay climbing the mountain and this is part of it.”
(on his feelings about the six-game winning streak)
“I’m having fun, the team’s having fun and every time I ask them what they expect, they tell me let’s just have fun and do what do. Go hard every day in practice and the outcome will show on the field.”
(on if he would like to go back and play Boise State one more time)
“I would love to be undefeated but everything happens for a reason. It probably took us to lose one to win five.”
(on his feelings on the Bronze Boot)
“Man, I love that boot. I know some of the older guys didn’t get to win the boot when they first got here but the two years I have been here, we’ve won it two times in a row and it feels good.”
Garrett Grayson, QB
(on all the records he has recently broken)
“It’s obviously something I wasn’t thinking about earlier on in my career, especially with how I played early on but this year, everyone kind of knows where I stood, I knew where I stood but I wanted to stay within myself. Like I said before, anytime you start thinking about records it takes you off your game and you start trying to force things and make things happen instead of letting it come to you. That’s something Coach Mac has said to me multiple times: ‘take what the defense gives you and eventually they will give you the game and that’s what we did tonight. We were dinking and dunking for a while and taking some shots and hitting those shots and that’s where playmakers make plays.”
(on how it feels to be able to have a short passing game with Rashard Higgins as his receiver)
“It’s a really good feeling to throw a negative-three yard route and having him take it eighty yards. Like I said, anytime I can get that kid the ball then I am trying to do that and it maybe sometimes I do try and force some things but he saves me a lot of times. Like last week, I threw the ball into triple coverage and he came up with a great play. So that’s a guy that I just try and give the ball as much as I can because I know he’s that playmaker for us and he’s helped us out a lot.”
(on the defense’s play against Rashard Higgins)
“Like I’ve said many times, Utah State was the first team that seemed to be adjusting to him. He still put up some unreal numbers but they were the first team to really roll to him and try and double him and there was a couple times tonight where we had some in game adjustments where their corner was playing way off so that was one that I just turned and threw the ball out there and that was something that you obviously saw what he could do with it. I really don’t know what to say about what defenses are doing about him but he’s an unreal player and I am just happy to have him on our side.”
(on his efficient play on the season and who he gives his credit to)
“A lot to the coaches and obviously players. The coaches are putting me in a good position to be successful and like you saw tonight, when I throw a two-yard route and Rashard takes it to the house, it makes my job a lot easier. Going back to last year around the Tulsa game, when I finally went to Coach Mac and asked him what I should be looking for in film and how I should be watching film and things like that. That was a big thing for me, asking that question, that’s something I look back on and that kind of changed the whole game of football because obviously, I was watching film but I don’t know how much I was getting out of it and Coach Mac changed all that.”
(on how much more prepared he feels this season compared to last)
“From the second half of last season to this season it’s a night and day difference with me being prepared. Seeing the pre-snap and seeing what defenses are doing and automatically pulling certain routes out because of what the defenses are in and that’s something that makes it a lot easier when you can just see a defense and see that a route isn’t going to be there so you can go ahead and look another way. You don’t have to panic and look one way and then have to panic and look around the next so it’s all been preparation and it’s the biggest thing. Like I said, I take it back to the coaches and what they said last year.”
(on what it’s like to be 7-1)
“Like I said last week, it’s an unreal feeling and it’s something we are all very proud of. Coach Mac says all the time; you’re building your legacy now. This is when you do it. This is how you remember it and obviously we want to be a great senior class and get this program going in a right direction. That’s how we ended the bowl game last year, that’s something that senior class did for us and we’re just trying to carry the torch.”
(on whether he’s heard from former CSU QBs Terry Nugent, Moses Moreno, Kelly Stouffer, whose records he is breaking)
“Terry Nugent texted me last week and told me he couldn’t be more happy for me and it was well deserved and things like that, and it was a huge honor for me to get a text from him. To take time from his day, because he’s obviously all over the record books, and for him to do that meant a lot to me.”
(on his limited practice snaps since his injury at Boston College and if it has helped)
“I won’t say it hurt by any means but it’s caused me to focus a little more. Going into practice, I’m obviously not getting the reps so I am standing back there and watching Nick (Stevens) go through and watching C.J. (Leonard) go through, it’s caused me to focus a little bit more on what the defenses are exactly doing because obviously when you are not getting the reps you can miss certain routes and things like that you don’t get to practice and when you do get those 30-to-40 throws a week that I am getting, that’s something you need to be perfect on. I won’t say skipping reps or missing reps, I don’t think it ever helps you but it’s definitely caused me to focus a lot more and you can say it helped in that aspect.”
(on whether his shoulder is still bothering him)
“A little bit but it’s not too bad. It has gotten better every week. That week against Tulsa was really the first time that it was still bugging me pretty bad but every week since then it’s gotten a lot better.”
(on what he sees in Rashard Higgins’ play against defenders)
“He’s very good at reading his block. Like I said, when I am throwing the ball behind the line of scrimmage and he takes it 60, 70, 80 yards to the house, that just shows that we are getting linemen out there blocking for him and he’s very good at reading those and making guys miss, making them go left and then jumping around the lineman and making him go right. It’s kind of fun to watch those guys spin in circles when he’s running around. It’s enjoyable and like I said, it makes my job a lot easier.”
(on whether Rashard Higgins is playing beyond how a sophomore should)
“Like I said, when I told Coach Mac last summer that we need to get this guy on the field, he’s going to be a playmaker for us. I obviously knew he was going to be good and do the things that he’s been doing but I didn’t know it was going to be this good, this early. I’ve said it before, I am very jealous of whoever the quarterback is next year because they get to play with these guys next year.”
(on what he learned attending the Peyton Manning Passing Academy)
“The preparation. You always hear about how much film Peyton watches and how he’s a perfectionist, and to be able to sit down and go through drills with him and be within five feet of him and hear how he talks about certain drills and hear how he gets on certain guys for doing things wrong. He wants everything done perfect the first time. He doesn’t want to have to do it over and that’s something that I took from him. It’s taken me out of my comfort zone because I have never been a guy to harp on people or get on someone during practice and that’s something he taught me to do.”
(on backup Nick Stevens play time and reps)
“It’s huge for his confidence. Obviously, I learned in my career early on and took me on in my sophomore year and anytime you go into a season and it’s your first start and you haven’t had any reps at all, you get a lot more jitterbugs and any reps he can get, that will help him in the long run.”
Wyoming Players
Brian Hill, RB
(on taking over for injured RB Shaun Wick)
“I didn’t see Shaun go down, I thought I got called in because he needed a breather. But, after we punted, coach came over and told me to be ready because Shaun went down and they thought he broke his hand.”
(on whether or not he is prepared to carry the load for the remaining games)
“Yeah I am. They prepared us all in fall camp with the double reps. That’s why we took those double reps so we all know what to do and so the next man can step up.”
(on what changed in the second half that allowed the offense to be more productive)
“We stopped hurting ourselves. We didn’t have the penalties and we didn’t have the missed assignments on offense. People were where they were supposed to be and made plays.”
(on what the offense does moving forward)
“We just have to listen to the coaches. Every week they preach, ‘Do what you have to do and know your assignments.’ We need to play fast. We didn’t do that in the first half but we came back and bounced back in the second half and we are going to try to carry that over into the next game.”
Colby Kirkegaard, QB
(on what changed in the second half that allowed the offense to be more productive)
“We played better in the second half than we did in the first half. We had some pretty good drives, but we didn’t do enough to win. We didn’t put up enough points. I’m not sure what their game plan was in the second half, but I thought we executed pretty well here and there, but we didn’t get the job done.”
(on how much the game changed when starting running back Shaun Wick went down with an injury)
“Brian (Hill) did a really good job. He ran really hard and filled the role really well, but it’s too bad. You never want to see your starting running back go down that early, especially in a big game like this. “
(on how much confidence and faith they had going in to the second half)
“A lot. There was no quit in us. We didn’t score enough points to win the game and that’s all we really care about. We did the best we could, but at the end of the day, we didn’t do a good enough job (to get the win).”
(on whether or not the offense can build on the second half performance)
“Yeah I guess, if you want to take something away. We had a couple scoring drives and hopefully that momentum carries over in to the next game.”
Blair Burns, CB
(on how tough playing the CSU offense was and how it compares to other offenses they’ve played)
“It was a challenge. They have a good team and we knew we had to go out there and play sound football. Unfortunately we didn’t do that. As far as the receivers go, they didn’t hit us for anything big over the top, it was just short dump off passes that they were able to turn up field and make big plays out of. At the end of the day what it’s going to come down to is competing. I made a couple of mistakes out there and I missed a couple tackles. We have to get those things corrected and I feel as far as myself, there’s no excuse for that. I expect to bring everyone down every time so it’s something that we have to get in there and work on, and get ready because we know Fresno State is going to throw it at us.”
(on the missed tackles and what the defense needs to do to correct them)
“I think everyone is running to the ball pretty hard but sometimes we over-pursue and they cut back on us and that’s when tackles are missed. When we’re in wide open space, that’s when we miss tackles. That’s something that we practice every Tuesday and Wednesday. We get out there and we have thud practices and that forces us to get our bodies in there and hit up high so we can make those tackles in games. Unfortunately, it didn’t show in this game.”
(on how the seniors keep the team focused after losing four games in a row)
“As seniors, we just need to keep everyone’s heads steady. The team right now is kind of down, we’ve lost a lot of games in a row and we weren’t expecting that. As seniors, we have to keep our heads on straight; we can’t give up. There’s a lot more football to be played (this season) and I only have a couple games left in my career so I’m going to go out there and play as hard as I can and hope that my brothers next to me play hard too.”
(on how tough it is playing with all the injuries to starters)
“We prepared for it during fall camp, running with different groups and people being substituted in and out. We knew injuries were going to happen. That’s what our coaches told us at the beginning of the year: that we’re going to expect third- and fourth-stringers to contribute. A lot of guys are going to have to step into new positions and a lot of guys are going to have to move up from the scout team. Right now, we have to get everyone’s head straight. Our coaches are doing the best that they can putting people in the right positions that they can put them in. Right now, we’re not looking at that (the injuries), we’re looking ahead (to Fresno State) and we’re going to play with the guys that we have.”
Devyn Harris, LB
(on how tough all of the injuries have made it on the defense)
“We’re expecting a lot from our backups at this point in the season. Until they get caught up to speed, it will wear on us.”
(on the defense’s missed tackles)
“We have to keep working. Our angles to the football have to be better. It has nothing to do with our effort.”
(on his goals for the remainder of the season)
“We still have a chance to go to a bowl game. The season isn’t over, and there is still a lot to play for.”
(on whether seniors can get the locker room attitude to bounce back)
“I believe we can get them to stay positive, knowing what we have to fight for (a bowl game). This game is over and we have to move on to next week.”
Players Mentioned
QB
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