Colorado State University Athletics
Postgame Quotes--CSU 42, UNLV 23
10/22/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
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POSTGAME QUOTES
Colorado State 42, at UNLV 23
Saturday, Oct. 22, 2016
Sam Boyd Stadium--Las Vegas, Nev.
COLORADO STATE HEAD COACH Mike Bobo
Opening Statement…
“I’m really proud of our team; the way we started tonight. We talked about wanting to start fast. I felt the defense did an excellent job in the first half. We only gave a few plays when we lost containment on that quarterback (UNLV’s Dalton Sneed), but I thought we did a good job covering on the back end, stopping their run game. I thought we covered really well on special teams. The kickers did a great job. Braxton (Davis) kicking into the wind had great hang time, and our guys down in cover got them tackled inside the 20. Every time we punted, we punted the ball great. Offensively, I wanted to come out and be aggressive; didn’t want to be timid, wanted to cut the guys loose and get speed on the field and give them a chance to make plays. The guys responded and made plays. In the second half sitting on a big lead, we probably got a little bit conservative there. When we got the onside kick we wanted to take a shot and Nick (QB Stevens) did a nice job of giving (Michael) Gallup a chance to make a play and Mike did the rest. We’re getting better. We’re still not a complete football team. We still have a lot of work we can improve on, which I’m excited about. I’m excited about how we worked the past two weeks, even though we are 2-2, I believe that we are getting better, and if we continue to do that, we’ll have a chance in every game this year.”
On whether or not Bobo felt that it “finally clicked” in the first half on things the team has been working on all season…
“A lot of that stuff we’ve been working on, but I’ve been hesitant to call, to be honest. Some of those packages I wanted to make a point of emphasis to keep number 8 (Wide Receiver Detrich Clark) on the field in this ball game, to give him some touches. You can see what he can do when he has the ball in his hands. We did some things where he didn’t touch the ball. He’s been in the game where he’s touched the ball or been a fly sweep decoy. Really nice job by those guys. Proud of the way we blocked up front. The receivers did a great job making plays. We’ve got a chance to be explosive. Michael Gallup, (Anthony) Hawkins, Detrich (Clark), Marvin (Kinsey, Jr.), Robert Ruiz and guys like that are doing a great nice job, and if Nick (QB Stevens) can play like that and spread the ball around. I’ve said that since day one, I don’t want to be where we are one-dimensional, I want to spead the ball around where a bunch of guys got catches, and I thought we did that tonight.”
On QB Nick Stevens play…
“I thought he played with confidence. He trusted what he saw. A couple third downs he went to the third receiver where we’re calling a dig route and a safety jumped and he threw over the top to Olabisi Johnson for a big play in the first half on third down. In the second half we had a mesh called, they played zone and they matched it perfect, he hit Olabisi on the dig there. He did a nice job of seeing things. Really the only throw I think he missed was when we put formation on the boundary and had Robert Ruiz on a safety and he kind of underthrew. He played smart all night and guys did a good job giving time. I’m really time how Nick has prepared and played.”
On the team’s play in the first half and how the offense and defense helped each other…
“We did. We capitalized on each other’s momentum. I think the first turnover we didn’t score right there. Other than that, we capitalized and did a nice job punching it in. A great stop down there or getting a turnover and us scoring right before half. Just taking advantage of opportunities and playing off of each other. We’re growing up. There are a lot of guys that haven’t played a lot of football are starting to get experience, starting to be comfortable, which is an exciting time.”
UNLV HEAD COACH TONY SANCHEZ
Opening Statement…
“Obviously, a disappointing outcome. Really, as flat as I’ve been around a group of guys in the first half. We did a bad job at getting those guys ready to come out and play hard. That first half was pretty embarrassing. The guys did a good job of settling down and fighting through the second half, but that’s not good enough at this point, we have different expectations. We looked definitely off in that first half.”
On Struggling to Get Colorado State Off The Field…
“We did in the second half, but the first half we didn’t get them off the field. But a lot of it has to do with the offense. In the games we have had success in, we have been able to move the chains consistently, be able to give the defense time off, and we were really poor on third downs. Time of possession dictates that and (failure to stop third down conversions) extends those drives. We definitely were not in a rhythm at all the first half. When we run the ball well and move the chains, we usually win the time of possession, and when you don’t do that then you’ll lose the time of possession.”
On Colorado State having a 35-0 lead at half…
“It’s stunning regardless of momentum, but 35-points in the first half is not stunning because of momentum coming into this game. It’s stunning because we should never give up that many points in the half. It wasn’t all the defense. We can’t come in and play half of football like that. If we are going to move forward, at some point we have to be mature enough to come out and play with energy. We looked flat and we didn’t look like we had much energy in the first half. There’s only so much yelling, screaming, and motivating you can do, but at some point you have to own it.”