Postgame Quotes: Appalachian State 34, #5 Michigan 32
9/1/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
Michigan Head Coach Lloyd Carr
On the game... "Give Appalachian State credit. I thought they did a great job. I felt that we were not a well prepared football team. That is my job and I take full responsibility for that. We played much better defense in the second half but penalties killed us in this game. They stopped too many drives. In the second half we turned the football over twice and we had penalties that put us into bad down-and-distance situations. We had a bad snap on a two-point conversion. We didn't execute. We simply made too many mistakes and had too many missed opportunities. Now we have to fight back and we have to deal with some adversity to find out what we are made of."
On Hart's injury... "It bothered him. He hurt it in the first series or very early in the game and it stiffened on him during halftime. Based on the report, I was surprised that he played in the second half, but he played well."
On the defense... "I think we played much better in the second half. We settled down. Brandent Engelmon went in and did a good job. Donovan Warren went in and did some good things. We went in knowing that we were going to have some learning and it would take some time for it to come together."
On boosting team morale... "As coaches and players we all have to search and take a look at ourselves, understanding that this is a disappointment. Not only in losing, but to play the way we did, is an even greater disappointment. When you have disappointment you can lay down and feel sorry for yourself, but in our case this schedule is about to get tougher. We will see how we respond."
U-M Senior Safety Jamar Adams
On what Appalachian State's offense did... "They did a lot of things. They fought hard and played their hardest. We just didn't come up with it."
On the inability to stop ASU's offense in the final drive... "We felt like the coaches did a great job at halftime coming in and letting us know what they were going to do. In the two-minute drill we just didn't come up with enough plays."
On regrouping for Oregon... "We have to have great leadership. We have to have great practices. The key is our leadership for our team. The young guys don't know what to do so we're going to have to show them."
U-M Senior Tailback Mike Hart
On his feelings about the loss... "I feel disappointed. At this point it's still a long season. You can't be down too long. You have to be ready for next week. That's all you can look forward to. After Oregon, it's Notre Dame and then the Big Ten season starts."
On what ASU's defense did to shut the offense down... "They didn't do anything to us. They played a great game but we hurt ourselves a lot. We didn't start fast and we didn't finish the game."
On refocusing next week... "I'm going to be ready, there's no question about that. There are going to be a lot of other seniors who need to step up and lead. We need everyone to buy in and if everyone follows us we'll be fine."
On how he feels physically... "I'm fine. I got a little dinged up on the first play of the game. Aside from that I'm good."
U-M Fifth-Year Senior Linebacker Shawn Crable
On the ASU's movement offensively... "I think they came out ready to play. I don't know if we weren't ready or what it was. I think that they had a good plan. They waited to see what we were in."
On the significance of the loss... "I don't think we are that worried about it. It happens. I think there are a lot of people that are going to get down on us, but they are going to say what they want to say. We are still in the race for the championship. If we come out and play good against Oregon and get a win there, I think we will be right back in there. I just think we have to be back ready to play all the time. We can't take any plays off."
On comparing the expectations and performance of Edwards... "We expected him to run. He did a lot of running. He kept the drives going, but for the most part we kept him contained. He did what he was supposed to do. I think the thing that hurt us the most running was the dive in the first half. I think in the first half we were a little surprised by what we were going to get and not really playing the way we were supposed to. I think we really dug ourselves a whole in the first half."
On not finishing during the final minutes of the game... "I think that is the story of what we have been doing the last couple years. We had a chance to get back in. The second half we played well. We had a couple chances to put points on the board. I think when it came down to the end and we had a chance to finish. It just comes down to doing your assignment. It's upsetting that we didn't, and it is even more upsetting that we were in that position."
Appalachian State Head Coach Jerry Moore
On the game... "We're sort of shocked but not really shocked. This is a great afternoon for our school -- to come up here and play like we did on the first game of the year and beat a team like Michigan. We tried not to make anything more out of it than it was. We tried to keep it in perspective. I thought we played well but you don't know if playing well is enough to win."
On the upset... "That may be one of the great victories in college football -- maybe the greatest. This victory today -- you've got to remember these kids have won two national championships -- and this is not bigger than those because the championships are in our league, our division. We're the best that year. But they will never ever forget today's experience as long as they live."
On blocking the last field goal... "We really emphasized that during two-a-days. Defensive back Corey Lynch, who blocked it, practiced it everyday. We work hard at blocking. I would always say he (Lynch) would average blocking one a day. Lynch, defensive backs Jerome Touchstone, Cortez Gilbert and wide receiver Ben King ... we worked hard at that. It's no fluke."
On playing in Michigan Stadium... "We went into one of the elite places not just in college but in sports -- Boston Garden, Yankee Stadium, The Big House, L.A. Coliseum, The Rose Bowl, The Orange Bowl. It's one of the classic places for any sporting event. We were looking forward to coming up here, seeing what we could do and playing hard."
ASU Defensive Back Corey Lynch
On blocking the potential game-winning field goal... "It feels good. I know I had to block the field goal. I had to step up and make a play for my team. I've been practicing for a week field goal blocking -- only one week. I had to get my timing down and it paid off today."
On what beating Michigan feels like... "It's hard to describe, but we've been working hard. We've been working on this since February. All the hard work paid off for us. You come into the game, you know, Michigan has great tradition and stuff. They have bigger players, faster players and stronger players. It's all about what's inside the chest-your heart."
ASU Defensive Back Leonard Love
On what it took to slow down the Michigan receivers... "It was our speed. I know we could run with them. They weren't faster than anyone we have in our receiving core and I knew we could slow them down. We played hard, stayed with it and didn't give up."
On whether it's better than back-to-back national championships... "It's almost better than that. Winning a championship game is crazy. A great victory is something that you dream about. We definitely made history today, but I don't know if it adds up to winning a national championship."
On his interception... "We ran the play over and over again in practice; I just visualized that play in my head."
ASU Wide Receiver Dexter Jackson
On how it feels to beat Michigan... "It feels great. Being in the Big House, it's an honor, but coming here and beating them feels great. They're a good team, but you gotta have heart. They're just like another team in our conference. They're human and we just played football."
