Oct. 11, 2003
Recap| Final Stats| Notes| Photo Gallery
ASU Head Coach Dirk Koetter
"We had two huge plays that really got us started. We had a great start by our defense. The offense was so close in the first half of making some big plays. I told the players that we were so close on offense and we were just barely missing on something. We didn't really get it going until the second half. I am very happy with our guys."
Our players had to overcome some adversity this week:
"Riccardo Stewart was very sick before the game and went out and played very well and Mike Williams broke his hand on Thursday. We had several guys missing. We only had seven healthy defensive linemen today."
"Our thoughts and prayers go out to Ali Likio and his wife. They're baby is in serious condition and Ali has been missing the last couple of days to spend time with his baby. I hope all Sun Devil fans will say their prayers."
"I was nervous because we had played so well in the first half and then they got that touchdown at the end of the half. But we came out in the second half, made a big play and had a good drive and got a field goal. Even though we only got a field goal to start the second half I felt good about it."
"Jessie Ainsworth played well today, not only on kickoffs, but field goals and his pooch kicking. He is really starting to come into his own."
"We had a lot of different stuff in the game plan today. We moved the pocket and ran a lot of naked action where we fake the ball one-way and naked back the other way. Oregon likes to pack the box with nine guys and when you get the defense moving one way and throw back the other way it's pretty much one on one with the receiver and the corner."
"I'm really proud the way our guys hung in there. It's easy to cave in when it seems like everyone is coming down on you. Today, they played the way I know, and we all know, they can."
ASU's Andrew Walter
"I feel good. I've been saying for about three weeks, we're close. Today we just put it together. We have to do a better job of finishing, but I think we are pretty good. Anytime you get a win like this it breeds confidence. Now we just have to keep going and keep up the confidence. I think this win is the product of working hard in practice and going over film with the receivers."
"It helped us to get some momentum and get rolling right after kick-off. Before we knew it, it was 14-0, then 21-0. Then the killer instinct kicked in. Do we take the 21-0 and coast or do we keep going? We kept going."
ASU's Jamar Williams
"As a defense, we want a lot of things, but we were given a lot of rest today and we came out fresh. Holding Oregon to 14 points is a great feeling. When we were ahead 14-0 early on, it was still early enough where they could have come back.
On the early lead:
"Being up by 14 points so early was big. We had to be strong. We had two big defensive plays off the base and that was awesome. This was a great win and it feels very good."
ASU's Riccardo Stewart
"It was about time that we had this big win. Our team just clicked with our offense, defense and special teams. It felt really good and I'm glad we beat them. We got the monkey off our back for this game and it was a big Pac-10 win."
"The corners did a great job as they really stepped up. This is a different Oregon team than we've played before. We just ran a lot of options and had power. We clicked on the three phases (offense, defense and special teams)."
"Showing we won one game is on the way to winning seven in a row. We just need to listen inside our locker room and our huddle and nothing else."
ASU's Skyler Fulton
On the many big plays in today's game compared with few in previous games:
"Before, in the last couple of games, guys have been thinking, 'I have to do this' or 'I have to do that.' Andrew [Walter] did a good job of spreading the ball around, and we took what they gave us. Some guys broke some tackles and made some plays."
On the spark this game could provide
"This definitely can provide a spark. We showed what we can do, now we just have to come prepared every week."
On the play of the offense:
"On offense, Daryl [Lightfoot] stretched things a little bit and everybody did a great job. We had a good week of practice and now we just need to stay positive."
ASU's R.J. Oliver
On the play of the defense:
"The defense played well, we didn't give up and we capitalized on any opportunity that we got. Every time we went back onto the field we kept believing in ourselves and believing in our unit. We went out there wanting to play for four quarters and that's what we did."
On getting up on Oregon early:
"Last year, they got up on us early and we kept our heads together and kept in it. We knew they were capable of the same thing and weren't going to give up, so we just went out there and did our job."
On what their strategy was on covering Oregon's receivers:
"We really just wanted to play our game. Don't make the game bigger than it is, just go out there and play."
On using a 4-3 defense:
"I thought it was very effective. It was good to switch up instead of using the 4-2-5. It makes it easier to stop the run and it makes it harder to pass. We played a lot of zone today, we really didn't use too much man coverage. We dropped back and we had people flying around the field making plays."
ASU's Chris McKenzie
On his interception:
"I just made a play on the ball, it was really exciting, but I wish I could have scored. I watched for the corner route and there it was."
On playing a zone defense:
"We were in zone a lot and we disguised what we were doing. On the interception I acted like I was going to be in man coverage but dropped back into zone. That's just good coaching by Coach [Kevin] Ramsey (ASU cornerbacks coach)."
On this game giving the defense confidence:
"This is going to give us a lot of confidence. Our defense is already really good and now we've showed we can shut down offenses in the Pac-10. We play North Carolina next week and we have a lot of motivation for that game."
Oregon Head Coach Mike Bellotti
On his team's early deficit:
"We started off very poorly. I think that gave them some momentum and some confidence. I felt like we were moving the football, but you can't spot an equal team 14 points at their place."
"After we gave them the first two (touchdowns), we came back and had some momentum. We traded a touchdown for a field goal, which was good. Then the botch on the kickoff coverage obviously hurt us, and gave them some life. I thought you could feel the momentum swing at the end of the first half, beginning of the second half, but we failed to capitalize on it. We had some breakdowns on defense that hurt us badly."
On trying to pressure ASU's Andrew Walter:
"We did not get to him. I think we got him a couple times, but the biggest thing was that he had a lot of time to throw. It's very difficult to cover people for that long...I think you have to give them credit. (ASU) did a nice job of protecting him. He was on, and had a lot of time to throw. His receivers made some plays too, they made some nice catches."
On contributing factors in the loss:
"They were some costly penalties. Penalties that we didn't need to do. They either eliminated big plays on offense, or gave them first downs. Those little things, when your down somewhat in personnel, each of those plays become magnified."
Oregon's Kellen Clemens
On the offenses struggles:
"We need to figure out what's wrong with the offense and get back on track. Today, the first two series were definitely not impressive on my part. That contributed. We played with a lack of luster and that was largely in part to my two picks. We got down 14-0 right off the bat thanks to the two picks, and that's tough to overcome. That definitely changes things, and takes you out of your groove. The rest is just execution."
On the mood in the locker room:
"We're just kind of flabbergasted that we got beat like that. We're trying to stay as positive as we can. After the bye week, we'll try to get back on track."
Oregon's Jason Fife
"We didn't show up at all, and Arizona State took advantage of it and played a great game. You got to give them credit. They executed their coverage's very well. We just didn't play at all."
On his rushing the ball:
"It was a nice surprise to see them give me the runs. It was effective. We were able to gash on a couple of them. Ultimately it aided our running game. When it came down to it, it was working. I could see why the coach wanted to keep going at it. We talked all week about establishing the run, making sure we could run the ball on them so that our play action passes and passes down field could open up a little more. It's something we are comfortable with. We have always done it in practice, we are very comfortable running the option and it's a good weapon for us."
"We know we had a good week of practice. What it comes down to is executing at game time. We can't just show up to the game, we have to show up and perform. We have to get that fire back, that x-factor. We complete balls, get the ball down field, get stops and get the ball back. That cumulative thing that makes us a team."
"There was a few times today where we had opportunities and didn't take advantage of it. When it comes down to it, whatever play is on the board, we should be able to get four or five yards off of it."
Oregon's Rodney Woods
"We just need to go out and practice a lot harder. We need to use this bye week to get our heads together. We need this bye week to get everything under control, doing things correct."
"I just got to play my assignments, instead of trying to make a big play on the ball. I got to play my assignment and do my job first."
"Right now we are down, but we go through this bye week and everyone get their heads together and I think we'll be in good shape for next weeks game."