Colorado State University Athletics
Postgame Quotes
10/10/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
POSTGAME QUOTES:
COLORADO STATE HEAD COACH Mike Bobo
(general)
"We pretty much got whipped soundly in all three phases tonight. You have to give Boise State credit. They were the better football team. We had a chance to grab momentum a couple times during the game and couldn't do it. They were more consistent, made more plays, and out-executed us all night. It's a tough pill to swallow when you get beat heavily like that in all three phases, but we have an in-state opponent next week that we have to come back and go to work for. We have to be disciplined, we have to limit explosive plays, we have to generate explosive plays on offense and we have to figure out how to get some momentum to special teams. Right now we're struggling in all three areas, but there's a lot of season left to play. I expect those guys and those coaches to come back ready to work Monday."
(on continuing problems)
"Good teams create problems and that team tonight created them. We threw a couple up for grabs that weren't good decisions. We didn't hold onto the ball the first time we got hit, that has been our M.O. We have to continue to work on it and continue to stress it. We're able to get one turnover defensively; that interception by (Nick) Januska. We had a couple of times that the ball was on the ground and we couldn't get it. Good teams create turnovers, teams that aren't very good turn the ball over and make mistakes. We're not very good right now. There's still a lot of season and we're going to continue to work at it."
(on switching quarterbacks quickly in the first half)
"We were going to play him in the third series going into the game. Then he had a little momentum and completed a pass to (Joe) Hansley, but he had a couple of scrambles and I thought there was some momentum so I decided to keep him in the game. Then we really didn't execute from that point on offensively except for a short drive in a short field to get a field goal. We had some opportunities that we missed and went back to Nick just because of execution."
(on tonight's loss)
"It's a big gut-check. I expect out of everybody that's involved in the football program to come to work. Life's not easy, things aren't handed to you like you want, and change is hard. Right now we're going through some change and it's hard. The results aren't where our players or coaches expected. We have to regroup, we have to play out the season and we have to figure out what we could do to give ourselves a chance to win because that wasn't it tonight."
(on the players saying they feel they are better than their 2-4 record says they are)
"We're 2-4. That's what we are and we need to realize that. We can keep saying we should've, could've would've… we didn't. We're 2-4. We have to go back to work and worry about this week and try to get this win instead of talking about what we could've done or should've done or we should've won this game because we didn't. That's what we need to do."
(on Boise State's defense)
"They're pretty good that's; about it. They're a good defensive football team. I knew it was going to be a struggle all game to move the football. We wanted to try to establish a run even though it might've only been two or three yards early on and get the game into a fourth quarter game and we weren't able to that because of turnovers. I wouldn't necessarily say that they did anything to keep Rashard out of the game. Our game plan was to basically control the ball a little bit and we weren't able to do it."
(on defensive performance)
"We gave up three huge plays in the first half defensively, which was not good, but I thought we withstood it a little bit and got it back to within 14 points. To let them get a field goal there at the end of the half was not good to go up 17. We started the second half great, getting the interception, but then we didn't do anything with it. We didn't seize the momentum, but we withstood the explosive plays by them. We withstood our turnover, but we didn't do anything to put pressure on them, make them play four quarters, make it tight on the freshmen quarterback and they got to play like they played the last three weeks; in control, and that's on us."
(on starting quarterback on Monday)
"We're going to have to meet and watch the film on Sunday, and decide what we're going to do and how we're going to move the ball offensively. We have to look at a lot of things offensively; how we can move the ball and how we can make explosive plays. It's hard to go down the field two yards, three yards or four yards (at a time). We have to get some explosive plays and we have to find a way to get it into our explosive players' hands. (Deionte) Gaines did a nice job a couple times when he touched it, (Jordon) Vaden on the reverse and Rashard when we threw it to him, he caught it. We have to figure out what we have to do to create some momentum."
(on upcoming game against Air Force)
"I already talked about it in the locker room that we're in a situation, and nobody expected to be in this situation, but we're here. As Rams and as men we have an in-state rival coming in here Saturday before we go into the bye week. We have to do everything we can to try to get a win in that ball game. That means to regroup and show up Monday ready to work, and I fully expect them to do that."
(on Air Force)
"You have to play assignment football when you play somebody who runs the option. You have to do your job, if not the fullback or quarterback will spin out and the pitch to the tailback will spin out. We have to be assignment oriented. In our possessions we will be limited offensively when you play a team like Air Force. We have to take advantage of our limited possessions then we have to create some momentum on our special teams."
(on effort of the team)
"I thought we played hard until the end. I thought there was belief at halftime to come out get a stop or get a pick, but offensively we couldn't do anything to sieze the momentum. The guys play hard for one another, but they have to play harder the right way to do the right things and we didn't do that."
(on making plays and execution)
"It's execution and guys making plays. We're not making enough plays to win ball games and that's a good football team too that we played. They know what they're doing, they execute at a high level and you have to give a lot of credit to them."
(on quarterbacks not connecting with the offense)
"It's a little bit of hesitation with throwing the ball. We had guys open tonight and we're almost trying to aim the ball instead of throwing the ball. The ball is sailing high hoping that they're complete. You have to trust what you see and you have to cut the ball loose. That's on me and we have to do a better job making sure they understand what they see and going out and executing it."
(on Boise State's performance in comparison to opponents they've played from Power 5)
"Since the first time I turned on the tape I think they were one of the premiere programs in the country. Obviously a top 25 team. They're dominant in all areas and they do a nice job. I don't want to compare them, but tonight they were better than us."
Rashard Higgins, WR
(on Boise State's coverage on him)
"I just have to go out and do what's called. I have to go out there and make my catches. We have to clean it up."
(on Boise State's defensive game plan)
"They just came out and were more physical. They came out and it was 17-0 right off the bat and that's hard to come back from, especially against a top-25 team."
(on the team continuing to make the same mistakes)
"It's frustrating. We all have to hang in there. We're not used to losing. We have to bounce back and show what we're capable of."
Coleman Key, QB
(on the effectiveness of the running game)
"We had a lot of big-time fourth down conversions. I thought our backs carried the ball pretty well, especially J.O. We have to be more consistent all together. We have to limit the mistakes and make more big plays. That's the bottom line."
(on whether or not he was surprised he entered the game so early)
"I was locked in and ready for when my time did come. It came earlier than I thought and I was ready."
(on his interception at the 10-yard line)
"They were running Tampa-2 and I felt like the safety was wide enough out, and I was trying to put it over the top of the linebacker to Kivon (Cartwright). He made a great play on the ball and you guys saw the rest."
Nick Stevens, QB
(on whether he feels he needs to establish himself over Coleman Key)
"We need to play with more consistency at the quarterback position. We both need to have good games. I feel like we both do a pretty job of competing in practice and leading the team that we're going with. We have to carry that over to the games."
(on having never beaten Boise State)
"It definitely is (disappointing). I think especially for the seniors, it's kind of a thing that we're going to look back on and wish that we had a couple times. That's something that we have to take as younger guys and say that we don't want to be in that situation. We want to beat them next season and the season after that.
(on whether he feels that the team is better than its 2-4 record)
"Definitely. It's tough because we've beat ourselves so many times. We have shot ourselves in the foot on offense, defense and special teams and it's really tough. I definitely think that we have guys on here that are going to want to bounce back and show what we're made of."
(on whether or not he was surprised that he got pulled from the game so early)
"I wasn't really super surprised. We weren't really getting anything going on offense. Yeah, it's tough but at the same time, it's not all about me. It's about this team and this offense specifically, but I have to take it how it is and root Coleman on, which is what I did."
Joe Hansley, WR
(genaral)
"It is tough. That was a tough one looking at the game, you are frustrated with some of the plays we should have made. They were there for us to make but it's a penalty or a missed assignment here or there that really makes a big impact on the game. Boise State is a great team and they execute what they do very well, so hats off to them."
(on what's next)
"We have got to get to work. Monday we have to get the game plan and be ready to play. I know what kind of team we have and we have to just play up to our potential."
(on the game)
"They don't make mistakes. They had three or four big plays and we have to eliminate those to stay in it, we have to look at the film and figure out what happened."
(on current feelings)
"It's a tough loss and Boise is a good team, but we hurt ourselves today."
(on Boise States' quarterback play)
"It wasn't tough to read him, he got the ball out quick, so we really could not see what was going on. They did a good job getting the ball out quickly and I will give that to them."
BOISE STATE HEAD COACH BRYAN HARSIN
(on what it says about his team, considering they could've played better but still won by 31)
"I think that's their standard that they prepare with. You're looking for, each and every week, to get better. I wouldn't say perfection, but progress. They want to make plays. When guys miss an opportunity, that's frustrating, because you work on it. I think that's where it comes in. Make no mistake about it; we just talked about it: it's hard to win every week in college football, and to do it on the road. So I told those guys, 'enjoy it.' We're never in that mindset, 'this is just what we do.' Every single week is a challenge. We played a good Colorado State team. They were ready to play us. They were excited. They're well-coached. Our guys came out here, started fast, and got after it. Did we play perfectly? No. Is that our standard? No. But do we come here to win the game, and that's what we wanted to get done? Absolutely. So I'm very proud of those guys, and we take a lot of pride together in going out there and finding ways to win."
(on Boise State's double-pass touchdown and what it does to mix up tendency, considering Shane Rhodes-Williams had never thrown one in his career)
"Well, there you go. He's a guy that said he can get it done. Shane's been one of our better players for a long time. He continues to, every single week in my opinion, get better. This is just another part of his game. Just another tool in his toolbox, so to speak. The one thing I told him was 'don't leave it short.' You go out there and it being your first pass, and you throw a touchdown, now that's pretty good. Now the guy he's throwing it to, he's pretty good as well. So Thomas [Sperbeck] set it up, and to me that's part of some of the things that we do, but it's giving some of those guys opportunities. They've seen it in the past, and they want to have their shot at doing it. They work really hard on it. You know how many reps we get on that before we actually go out there and run it for that one touchdown. They executed it. I'm really excited for those guys, and just that play. I thought Coach Drinkwitz did a great job of calling it at the right time."
(on the play of WR Thomas Sperbeck and RB Jeremy McNichols)
"They've elevated their game each week. Thomas had the one, kind of backed up there, that went for the touchdown. Jeremy, I thought, ran really hard tonight, ran physical, showed up. That was the mentality we wanted to establish in the run game. Those two guys, yes, they played extremely well. We had opportunities to get them the football. The other guys around them who also touched it, Jake Roh, Shane [Rhodes-Williams], Brett [Rypien], the O-line, everybody's really making all those things happen. That's part of the execution. Yes, that's why I think you hear some of these guys going, 'we can do even better.' Great. We'll go back to work and find ways to improve and be more consistent."
(on S Darian Thompson's performance after welcoming a daughter this week)
"Uncommon. I guess that's the best way to describe it. Just an uncommon person. There's a reason he's a captain. There's a reason he's on the side of our stadium. Had a baby girl this week, missed practice, gets back there with his team. He's just a guy who's got a maturity about him at practice, even on the sideline during games, whether we're up or not. It's not about motivating him, it's just about what's next. He feeds off that and he understands what he has to do as a leader of this team to help motivate the rest of the guys, or keep everybody focused, whatever that is. What an awesome week for him. To have him out here, and the type of game he had tonight… he had one pick? Big pick. Here's a guy that's been doing this for a while now, and playing each and every game better and better. I'm excited for him and his family."
(on how Thompson's week affected the whole team, and if it was a cool week for the other players)
"It is. That's one of our leaders. That's one of our teammates. Not that everybody their age is going through that experience, but here's a guy that's going through it, and has kept the staff and I'm sure the players, up to speed on what's going on. He had his moment, and he had something in his life that a lot of us have experienced, and that's changed his life. And then he's back with his teammates and he can bring that experience to the rest of the family. To me, that's where, outside of the game, that's what college football's about. You have people that have different lives, and they bring that experience to the rest of the team, and they can share it with them, so they are excited for him."
(on the defensive performance)
"I thought our defense played really well, but we played against a team that was going to try to be physical and run the ball. When you're running Iso, downhill, fullback lead, that's tough. That's tough to defend against. Colorado State got onto a roll. Mike Bobo does a great job with the offense, with getting that set up. They made a few plays. They've got arguably the best wide receiver in our conference, and our guys did a great job against him. We played a really good team. We don't expect to have zero points every single game, but we expect to compete. You saw that when it was time to make plays, they stepped up and they made plays. [Colorado State] got us one time, on the touchdown. We really wanted that, and we thought we had the right play called, and they got us. And from that point on, they didn't get us after that."
BOISE STATE PLAYERS
DARIAN THOMPSON, S
(on what it means to be tied for the most interceptions ever for a Mountain West player, with 18)
"It means a lot. Eric Weddle is a great player and someone I look up to and to tie his record, it's a blessing."
(on the effort of the defense)
"We focus on our disguise. Our disguise is a big thing that we talk about week-in and week-out in order to play tricks on the quarterback and make them think something that we're not."
(on how the week went)
"Yeah it was a pretty cool week. My daughter was born on the 7th, come out here and got this W for the team, also another interception. It's great, it's been a great week for me."
(on the support from the coaches throughout the week)
"Yeah I missed practice on Wednesday but our coaches here are completely supportive and they understand 100 percent and they had no problems whatsoever with it and just asked me to communicate with them and that's what I did and I mean, it's a family here and we look out for each other."
(on what the birth of his daughter was like)
"Oh it was absolutely nuts. I can't really explain it. To see how everything took place and it was crazy, something I will never forget and I am truly blessed with the family I have."
(on what the team needs to work on)
"Oh yeah there's definitely more to work on, just like every week. They made a few plays and that's what good teams do. They kept us on our toes and were going to go back and look at the film and make the corrections."
THOMAS SPERBECK, WR
(on what it was like to see Shane Williams-Rhodes throw a touchdown pass)
"It was good. He said he never threw a pass before but I'm glad he got a touchdown on his first one."
(on whether they left a little bit out there)
"Yeah we did leave a little bit out there but it's still a good win. Colorado State is a good football team so a win like that is huge for us."
(on how the team finds the motivation after winning by large margins)
"Yeah Coach Harsin was talking about it in the locker room, we left a few points out there and each week, even with the scores how they are, we got to push to get better."
(on Brett Rypien's performance)
"He did a great job, he looked great. I thought he was calm in the pocket and I thought he made all his progressions very well."
BEN WEAVER, LB
(on the defensive effort)
"Yeah I thought the d-line did a heck of a job tonight. They were running the ball on us and that hasn't happened on us much this year and give big credit to them. They were pounding the rock and we were trying to do everything we could to get off the field. They had those two big drives which is something we don't like to do and there was a few times we ended up with turnovers and stuff like that, so we're going to work on stuff like that and make the corrections."
(on the effect the defense has against opposing quarterbacks)
"Well our d-line is one of the best in the whole nation and they do a heck of a job getting to the quarterback. Some of the different schemes our coordinators draw up for us to make it in different situations that allow us to make some pass rush moves and what not and so I think that's helping."
(on the play of Darian Thompson and the week he had)
"It's awesome. It's awesome for all of us, I mean, we're all a family here and when he has a kid, we all have a kid. It's a family atmosphere and the game that he had, it was awesome."
