Oct. 17, 2015
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Vanderbilt at South Carolina
Postgame Quotes
Vanderbilt Head Coach Derek Mason
Opening Statement…
First of all I would like to congratulate Coach [Shawn] Elliott. I thought his team played hard. They made plays when they needed to. We didn’t make enough plays. For us we just have to continue to grind. When you look at this game, it was a game of missed opportunities. There were too many turnovers on our side of the ball. Five turnovers in somebody else’s house, that’s a tough task when you talk about wins. The change in momentum in this game was probably the Pharoh Cooper slant play for the touchdown. We gave it right back to them, and then we shut them down for a field goal attempt. Our football team continues to shoot ourselves in the foot in terms of the turnovers, and tonight the penalties on the offensive side of the ball were too many. We have to be better all the way around. I thought we were solid in special teams and made the field what it was. Our overall play was not good enough to win. You can’t go on the road and turn the ball over five times and expect to win the game in somebody else’s house. We have to play better. We will play better. We’re going to get it fixed.
On if losing lead hurt team offensively…
It shouldn’t have. The thing that we have to do is take it one possession at a time. Every possession counted. We just didn’t do a good enough job managing possessions. We had productivity. They had productivity. But, they did a good job of keeping us off balance with the run and the pass. It still equated to 19 points. In the end, we had more than our fair share of opportunities to make some plays and get points.
On potential quarterback change…
This game was just too close. We’re trying to win. I felt Johnny [McCrary] gave us our best chance. Sometimes it’s a gift and a curse in terms of what it looks like. Johnny just has to play through the bad stuff. That doesn’t mean I’m always going to be that willing to let him go that far. So far he’s had the most reps and the most looks and I have to continue to back him and I will. He just has to be better.
If turnovers increased pressure on offense…
It could’ve been. Like I said we need to manage it one possession at a time. I just thought he made some poor throws. And that’s not blame, that’s just being able to look at it and say just take what the defense is giving you. If you don’t like what you see then at least pull it down and punt and give us a chance to play defense.
On defense’s performance…
We forced a lot of field goals. They were 2-of-13 on third down. We continue to be good on third down situations, but there were just sometimes where we didn’t get off the field fast enough. We have to make some things happen on defense. I believe a takeaway and staying on your feet and putting it in scoring position for us is maybe what we have to do. I keep telling our defense a takeaway is great, but sometimes we have to score on defense too.
On Darrius Sims increased involvement in offense…
I thought Darrius [Sims] did a great job. We used him the way we needed to use him. I thought he ran tough and hard with the football. We just couldn’t sustain drives. When you don’t sustain drives and you don’t stay on the football field, then it makes it really tough to move it all the way around. We played from behind the sticks too many times tonight and we can’t do that. The margin for error for us is way too small.
Caleb Scott, Sophomore, Wide Receiver
On touchdown…
Going into the half leading the game is always a good feeling. We knew we had a lot of work to do, and we knew we had to come out in the second half and continue to put points on the board.
On SC defense…
We kind of beat ourselves. We had foolish penalties and we just have to work better as a team.
Darreon Herring, Senior, Linebacker
On if offensive turnovers put more pressure on defense…
If the offense turns over the ball, then the defense has to go out there with the mindset that we’re going to get them the ball back so they can get another opportunity to go down the field and score.
On defense’s performance…
It’s always good to hold an offense to a low number of points and hold them in the red zone, but that’s not going to win us a game. We have to do more on defense and offense to win a game.
Zach Cunningham, Sophomore, Linebacker
On close losses…
I would say that it definitely hurts more knowing you had a chance to actually take the game and we were so close.
Johnny McCrary, Sophomore, Quarterback
On turnovers…
I think it was just bad decisions. It’s 10 percent footwork, and the other 90 percent is good decisions. I have to make better decisions and put the team in better situations.
If team pressed after losing lead…
It goes back to better decisions. I think the team played a hell of a game on defense and special teams. On offense we can do a lot better and we will do better.
Darrius Sims, Junior, Running Back
On increased involvement in offense…
Coach comes in every week with a game plan, and it just so happened he gave me a key responsibility that I took full advantage of. I just made the best of my opportunities, but first and foremost I just have to give credit to my line. Without those guys, I wouldn’t have had all those yards.
On losing lead…
I think we made some critical mistakes, but through the game we played hard. There were a few plays that went their way, but we just have to go back to the drawing board and work off this game and continue to get better.
South Carolina Interim Head Coach Shawn Elliott
Opening Statement…
I just want to start out by saying this was one heck of a team win. Monday night we had no clue what was happening to tell you the truth. It kind of had us blindsided just like it did the rest of the country, the University and the state. I told our guys in there that, ‘you had your back against, you had your backs against the wall all week,’ they never batted an eye, they kept fighting, they kept playing and they did everything we asked of them. I said it’s just like this great state. You have the tragedies here, the floods and you see people rebuild, helping one another, fighting to get back what they had and that’s exactly what we did today. I thought our defense stepped up to the plate, played an exceptional ballgame, other than a personal foul. Offensively we were a little inconsistent. I haven’t really looked at the stats, it was like we’d take two steps forward and one step back on each series throughout the game and we never could put back-to-back-to-back plays together. I thought we moved the football well, I thought we were pretty confident in what we were doing and it was just one mishap after another. We had 424 total yards and 19 points and that doesn’t correlate, it really doesn’t. We struggled in the red zone and we’ve got to get better. We’ve got to get better as coaches and we’ve got to get better as players, we’ve got to be able to push the ball in and we’ve got to be able to line up and get the ball over. That’s what we’ve got to do. We understand the work that we have to do. I think our team is up for it and I think they’re really excited. It was a heck of a win.
On former athletes showing up for Gamecock walk…
They knew what we were up against. I got the message out and said we need some support. These guys (our team) needed a pat on the back and to see those guys show up and embrace us when we got off that bus was unbelievable. I wish I could shake every one of their hands.
On how tonight was different for him…
First of all we lost our head coach on Monday evening so that was the big difference. Then we had to make some emergency plans. I got named the interim head coach, I had to get a plan together in what seemed like a couple of hours on how we’re going to address this situation and move forward. It was totally different. The way we came back and the way we won, it was a special night. I hope our fans understand that. It wasn’t all pretty, but the bottom line is we came in and won a football game and that’s exactly what our football team is going to do.
Co-Defensive Coordinator John Hoke
On the defensive performance…
It’s always good to get takeaways. I think we’ve gone the last few games without any. It was a big emphasis and with takeaways you’ll always be on the plus side of the turnover margin and it gives you a chance, always.
On Bryson Allen-Williams…
Without watching the tape it’s hard to say (how he played). He had a big play, got a takeaway in the second half so we’ll watch it on tape and make an evaluation.
On difference in preparing for this game…
It was the same. Coach Elliott was put in to a total different role quickly. There were adjustments there.
Perry Orth, Quarterback, Junior
On how big it was to get a win…
It was the start of the second half of the season today. We just tried to pretend like our record was 0-0. We had to come out and get a victory.
On focusing on the game after what happened this week…
Honestly, Coach Elliott and the staff did an awesome job at just trying to put it in the past. They made sure we were ready for the game Saturday. I just wanted to say, I haven’t had a chance to talk to Coach Spurrier, but I’m forever grateful for the opportunity he gave me because today wouldn’t have happened without him. It’s tough seeing a coach like that go but I respect his decision. We had to win today and I know he [Coach Spurrier] is happy for us.
On adapting to a faster pace offense…
It was awesome. We moved the ball up and down the field, we stalled out a few times in the red zone but we put up some good yards and we were going back and forth. We couldn’t punch it in the end zone a few times but that will come. I think everyone on offense enjoys the upbeat, fast pace. You don’t have to think, you just go out and play.
Pharoh Cooper, Wide Receiver, Junior
On how big it was to get a win…
We had to come into this game with a new head coach, pretty much looking at it like we were 0-0. It was a fresh start to the season. [After today’s win] We were looking at it like we were 1-0. It’s a new era so we are trying to keep winning games from here on out.
On the uniforms, music, game environment…
It was pretty fun. With Coach Elliott, we knew it was going to be new. We were excited coming into this game. We were excited for practices. We had great practices all week. Honestly, we didn’t know we were playing black on black. I think the uniforms were garnet on garnet. That is what we heard. We walked into the locker room and we had black jerseys. The cool thing was the all black cleats because we had never seen those. That turned the energy up in the locker room, early pregame and that carried onto the field. After the game and after the win, there was still excitement in the locker room. We had a great time. It just feels good to win as a team.
Skai Moore, Linebacker, Junior
On game environment…
Coach Elliott, on Tuesday, told us to go out there and have fun, just be ourselves and enjoy our time out there. That’s what we did. I don’t think it was different pressure wise. We just went out there and played. There was a little bit different swagger that we had and we brought it to the field.
On Coach Elliott saying to let loose…
Going out there period, in front of all those fans is stressful enough. So, when you have a Coach telling you to go out there and have fun it brings a different life into us. It showed today. The defense was flying around and having fun.
Bryson Allen-Williams, Linebacker, Sophomore
On the interception…
Coach Hoke preaches takeaways. I was just thankful for the opportunity to get out there. Skai [Moore] came to me and said here is your chance to go make a play. So, I tried to make one.
On coming into the game…
It was an unfortunate situation, what happened with T.J., it was kind of a bang-bang play to me. It was kind of easy having older guys like Skai [Moore] coming to me telling me this is your chance, this is your shot, you’ve been waiting on your opportunity all season so you just have to go out there and capitalize. It was comfortable though, after the first couple plays I felt like I was just playing football again.
Brandon Wilds, Running Back, Senior
On if the team missed a key play maker while he was injured…
Of course I try to go out and make plays, but I work with Shon [Carson], [Rod] Talley and David [Williams] everyday, so I know they are well and capable of doing everything I could.
On Coach Elliott challenging him throughout the week…
The day after he became the head coach, the first thing we did was put the ball on the 1-yard line and just ran isolation, pretty much the whole practice. I knew it was my key that we were going to run the ball.
On being a big play maker with Pharoh Cooper…
Before the game I talked to Pharoh and I was like ‘Remember the last time we wore black? You had your best game, and I had my best game,’ so we tried to come out and do it again.
On coming back from injury…
I really wasn’t comfortable playing last week, my injury of course. This week I was ready. The doctor told me six weeks, but last week was week three. This is week four, and I told myself ‘I was ready.’
Chris Lammons, Corner Back, Sophomore
On bailing out the offense with his pick…
I wouldn’t say bailed out because offense bails us out of a lot of situations. I feel like I made a big play for the whole team.
On wearing all black uniforms…
I think we play better in black because everyone says they wanted to ‘go and get it’ and playing in black helped us go get it.
