Nov. 28, 2009
Recap | Box Score | AP Photo Gallery
TEMPE, Ariz. -
ASU Head Coach Dennis Erickson
On the game overall:
"I feel sorry for our guys. They battled back. They've battled back all year. Then to come back in the second half like we did. We had a situation where we had the chance to get the ball and score, and we turned it over obviously. I am proud of how they played but totally disappointed in the outcome. But they fought."
On the fumble at the end of the game:
"It's too bad for Kyle [Williams]. He made some big plays for us. Unfortunately, the last one made a difference too, but he made two other ones that were big for us. I feel bad for him, because he didn't deserve to have it end like that. He played extremely well; it's just too bad. You get two teams that fight like that, I mean we had total control of that game in the second half. Had we gone into overtime, who knows? But we just fought like heck in that second half. We played great defense the whole game. But we got a punt blocked, a muffed punt, that's points right there."
On what they did in the second half to get the offense going more:
"Well we mixed it up a little bit better. Danny [Sullivan] made some throws. We threw some play action passes. I think Danny came in and played real well for his last game. To come in in that situation, I'm very proud of him."
On QB Danny Sullivan's performance:
"He made some great throws and made some great plays. Obviously you second-guess yourself as you go through the season at that particular position, making a change like we did. We played musical chairs with him, and for him to come out and play like he did says a lot about his character and how he studies the game. The best I've seen him play all year was the second half of that football game."
On the Arizona State defense:
"Well you're playing one of the best offenses in the country. Their quarterback, I don't know what he was, but it wasn't like he had been playing [throughout the season]. What can you say about our defense? Our defense and the coaching staff kept us in the game. We had our opportunities. They kept us in the game and we had a chance to score at the end. We had to do it twice after that holding call. I've had some disappointing times this year, and for our players, this is the biggest disappointment they could possibly deal with. They need to be proud and not hang their heads though, because they earned it today."
On the seniors:
"Great leadership; great effort. You start on defense with Dexter [Davis], Travis [Goethel], Nix [Mike Nixon], Terrell Carr played great today. Travis played great; he's probably been our best player. The seniors in the secondary. Shawn Lauvao, Dimitri Nance, you can go on and on. It's a group that I'm going to miss."
On what's next:
"First of all, we start recruiting Monday. There are some places and things we have to fill with some junior college players. Then I have to sit down and figure out where we're at as a program and as a staff and what I can and cannot do with my time. There are just a lot of things you look at, at the end of the year."
ASU Quarterback Danny Sullivan
On the game:
"It basically sums up the season, doesn't it? We've had so many games go the wrong way for us. To have it happen to a guy that's worked so hard, with two big plays in the game for us, and he's my best friend. I just feel so sorry for him."
On how the offense was clicking in the second half:
"We started getting our run game back. We started running the ball and getting some open holes. We kept them on their heels a little bit."
On his mindset during the punt getting ready to go into a possible game-winning drive:
"I was just hoping that we retained [field] position. It was pretty windy, especially when the ball got up in the air and some rain started to come down too. It really wasn't going in our favor, and unfortunately, it didn't."
On his performance today:
"I thought I was pretty good but it doesn't matter we lost. It's gut-wrenching right now."
On the season:
"It's basically a season where nothing went our way. You look at so many close games we had this year, USC, Cal, Georgia, today. Four games, five points or less, it's not fair."
On getting to play in today's game:
"It meant everything. I had never had taken a snap in this game (the rivalry game against Arizona) until I got in today. I think that's why I was probably so devastated during the week. Finally I got in there and got the opportunities to make some plays."
ASU Linebacker Travis Goethel
On the game and the season overall:
"No one wants to go out with four wins, so I'm still kind of emotional about it. It's what happened though and this team just needs to move on."
On the defense's performance this season:
"All year we've never given up. We keep fighting. It just didn't turn out for us."
On what happened at mid-field after the game:
"It's just an emotional game. No one wants to lose, so emotions are still flying high. Everyone hates losing."
Arizona Head Coach Mike Stoops
Opening Statement:
"Obviously, it feels a lot better the second time around up here. What a difference three points makes in your life. Certainly proud of our team and our effort throughout the game. It wasn't easy. I thought Arizona State's defense was terrific. I thought it was key that we stayed patient and we didn't turn it over. We were limited in penalties. Defensively, we controlled the game with our defense as well. They started to get some rhythm late third and fourth. They made some key plays. Sullivan gave them a chance. He's able to see things a little differently back there. Williams made some unbelievable catches and plays."
On ASU's muffed punt:
"Williams is a very dangerous player. He's very talented in a lot of different ways. He was trying to make a play. We punted and tried to force them to make a play and it worked out."
On his team's resiliency after last week:
"They executed very well. That's the thing I'm most pleased about defensively. All night long, we got pressure on the quarterback, and we covered for the most part. They just made some plays at critical times and kept them in the game."