Sept. 13, 2014
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Vanderbilt – UMass Postgame Quotes
Sept. 13, 2014
Vanderbilt Stadium
Vanderbilt Head Coach Derek Mason
Opening comments:
“I’d like to say thank you to the Commodore faithful. It was the best crowd I have ever seen and they were with us from the time the ball was kicked off until the end. Commodore Nation should be proud. We created opportunities for ourselves and gave ourselves opportunities to win. I saw a lot of will and desire from the team today. When things didn’t go well, they fought… I looked up and all I could see was black and gold.”
On Getting his first win at Vanderbilt:
“I’m so proud of our team. I’m so proud of our coaches. I’m so proud of our fan base… For me, it’s joy and excitement. [Wins] are tough to come by.”
On the Vanderbilt fan base:
“Every Monday, there’s a group of fans at the Holiday Inn [at his weekly radio show]. They come out and support me like it’s my first day on the job.”
On Vanderbilt QB Patton Robinette:
“He came in and had command of that offense. I had planned to play both [Robinette and Wade Freebeck] and utilize their skill sets. Once [Robinette] got in, you could see the energy he brought to the team. Defensively, you could see if we could manage field position, we could stay in the game. Patton gave us something different today. He got off on a good roll. He got the attention of the team… I’ve been looking for somebody to take the team and put our guys on his shoulders.
“He gave us something that was different. You definitely want your quarterback to have command of the team.”
On Vanderbilt’s ground game:
“Even when everyone wants us to throw, we needed to stick with our plan [of running the ball], and it paid dividends for us.”
On UMass’ fake punt for a touchdown:
“They motioned down and picked the end man on the line of scrimmage, which allowed them to get free. It’s more our fault because we should have attacked their man… It’s one of the things you talk about all the time.”
On UMass’ last-second missed field goal:
“We’re thinking, `Block it.’ It’s a hard fought game. You have to play every play like it’s our last one.”
On Vanderbilt’s maturity:
“Any time you have to fight, scrap, and struggle while you’re down builds character… These guys grew up today… It’s a performance they’ll grow up with and continue to build on. We have to go full.”
LB Stephen WeatherlyOn the blocked punt:
“I noticed my guy was shifting, so the next time up, we lined up and I headed straight for the punter, put my hands out and blocked it.”
On the team’s play:
“I feel like all phases of our team are clicking and working very well; offense, defense and special teams did amazing and we got it going and hopefully will carry on for the rest of our games”
His to the missed field goal:
“We lined down for must-block and we fired off the ball and we all jumped and tried to block it and when we saw it was a miss…we got really excited.”
On the team’s depth:
“During the week we all get prepared, like we have something to prove, a chip on our shoulders. When one man goes down, the next man steps in and they’re very confident in their abilities, to understand plays and stuff like that. We’re just very lucky, we’re all very prepared thanks to our coaches and we’re just ready to play whenever we’re called upon.
LB Darreon Herring
On Mason’s first win at Vanderbilt:
“It definitely feels better with a new staff and a new process to go out there and apply it. They’ve been teaching us all spring and all camp so it feels great to have a win.”
On the win:
“It gives us a lot more momentum. UMass is a great team, but South Carolina is also a great team. We have to practice all week, the little things are going to count, and we have to go out there and play like we did today.”
On the missed field goal:
“I had a man on the wing, so I had to get him. They kicked the ball and we looked up, seeing it go past the upright and looked to the sideline and saw everybody jumping and screaming so we just started screaming. I’m surprised they didn’t throw the flag, the whole bench cleared.”
On Black and Gold nation:
“The fans gave support the whole game. They kept their faith in us, even those two losses that hurt us. They still stuck with us and it was exciting to have them out there cheering us on.
On Robinette:
“Patton’s a play maker, whichever way you go. Last year, you all saw him come into games, and he knows how to win. He’s been a winner his whole life and knows how to get the ball in the end zone–passing, running, whichever way you want to go. I know he had a rough first couple of games, and he’s really come back and proved himself.”
WR C.J. Duncan
On game changing catch in the 4th quarter:
“We work on those types of catches in practice. Not particularly that particular play, just knowing time, downs, and distance so we knew what we were facing going into that drive. I knew that there was a chance to put us in a good position.”
On taking practice reps and applying them to game situations:
“We rep a lot of things, different plays that are in that nature. That was actually a busted play, honestly. But the offensive line held up and Patton (Robinette) just made a great play; not knowing the ball was going to be snapped, having the presence to be patient, and being poised to make a good throw as well. Honestly we didn’t prepare for it, but it was good.”
RB Ralph Webb
On having Patton Robinette in at quarterback:
“It was great having Patton come in the game and take a leadership role. He knew he was going to come in, but he didn’t know when or how much. So just to have him step up and be a leader whenever we needed him, whenever his number was called for him to step up and lead the team to victory was great.
On differences in quarterbacks:
“We’re just trying to find the quarterback with a great feel. The coaches make that decision. They felt that Patton was up again and he delivered.”
On running over 100 rushing yards:
“I’d say it was a good day, but I have to give credit to the receivers and my offensive linemen. O-line did a great job with blocking. C.J. (Duncan) set it up, and I told him that I was going to need a great play from him in the huddle and he delivered. Overall, we just did a great job overall.”
On confidence in performance:
“I’m confident going into every game and I know my coaches are confident in me and our players. They surround me and support me. They just know what I can do, I know what they can do, and what our offensive line is going to hold down the running game for us so we can deliver each and every day.”
On switch in momentum after blocked punt in 3rd quarter:
“We never stopped believing no matter what the score is we’re going to play until the clock says 00:00 in the fourth quarter. We always have faith and we got one earlier in special teams. Offense, defense, special teams all win games, we all need each other.”
QB Patton Robinette
On satisfaction gained from the win:
“It was personally satisfying, but I think the most satisfying thing is getting the win. We aren’t used to losing the past two years. The first two games were trying. Coming out today and fighting for a total team game, defense got some points up, offense got some points up, it was incredibly satisfying.”
On his late, long completion to CJ Duncan:
“I was actually coming up to tell the line that something was going on. There’s a lot going on in a two-minute drill, especially on the defensive side, they’re making a lot of calls too. I think Joe [Townsend] might’ve thought that I had called for the ball when I hadn’t. I didn’t even see the ball snapped, didn’t even feel it hit me. I saw it on the ground next to me and thought that I should probably pick it up and try and make something happen. Offensive line was still doing their jobs, made some great blocks. C.J., I saw him mailbox me out wide and just let him go make a play, which is what Coach Dorrell preaches, let your guys go make plays and he made the play.”
On what the last couple weeks have been like for him:
“That’s a tough question. It’s been tough, it has. Honestly, it was tough. But we persevered, I persevered. I had great guys around, keeping me in it and coming out today and helping this team get a win was incredibly satisfying.”
On potentially taking the starting quarterback role:
“At the end of the day I’ve got to go out and perform. Everyday in practice, every game, and that’s my job.”
On if he should’ve started against Ole Miss:
“No. If I wasn’t the starter then I probably shouldn’t have been the starter. I might’ve felt that, but I don’t make the decision. Coach Dorrell makes those decisions, Coach Mason makes those decisions and I respect those decisions. I’m a team player and I will do what they ask me to do to the best of my ability.”
On if he has earned the job moving forward:
“You never earn the job. You come out every week, you practice your best, play your best, and put the best product out on the field. That’s how you take the job every week.”
On how the play calls catered to his strengths:
“That was something we talked about after Ole Miss, giving guys the chance to do what they do well. I wouldn’t say I’m the best runner, but I like doing that, it gets me in the flow of the game. Coach Dorrell did a great job of knowing what guys like, knowing what they do best and putting them in the best position to do so.”
On his jump pass touchdown in the first half:
“It wasn’t designed that way, I’ll tell you that. I don’t know if we even got the right play called. When you get out there, your job is to make something happen and put your guys in the best position to succeed. The play that we called was a little [quarterback] keep left. I felt like I could tuck the ball and get it in there, then their linebacker came up on me so I saw the receiver in the back of the end zone and had to get him the ball, so I got him the ball.”
On luck being on Vanderbilt’s side in the game:
“Luck’s when hard work meets opportunity, and that’s what happened today.”
On his vertical leap on the jump pass TD:
“Probably wouldn’t have been very big.”
On handing the ball to Coach Mason after scoring:
“I have a lot of faith in Coach Mason and what he brings to this team. I know that has been a trying first month for everybody in the program, but we’ve put in a lot of hard work, we’ve persevered and he deserved that ball for getting us to this point because he persevered. He’s been going through a lot and he deserved that.”
On his relationship with Coach Mason:
“Like I said, you’re never cemented in your job you have to go out and earn it every week. I probably gave him some confidence in me, which is a great thing. At the end of the day, you’ve got to go out and win the job every week.
“It was great. Seeing them in practice all the time since last spring, we’ve got a lot of guys on that defense that are really good athletes and I really feel like what happened the past couple weeks wasn’t really representative of them. They came out tonight and they made some great stops, putting us in a position to go down and take the game. I couldn’t be happier and more proud of those guys.”
UMass Head Coach Mark Whipple
Opening Statement:
“At times I thought we played a little bit better. Their guys made the plays that they had to make at the end. It’s just something we have to keep growing through. Two weeks in a row a guy beats Randell Jette, who is supposed to be our best corner, so he has to step up. (Blake) Frohnapfel has to make some throws, you have to make a throw at the end of the game for a touchdown. You also can’t have a punt blocked, so that’s just a mental error. If we can just correct those things but I thought some things we got a little bit better. I thought our guys were prepared but not well enough to win and beat this team. They made some plays but just not enough, credit Vanderbilt for coming back. When you give them 14 points on a punt block and a toss sweep that goes right though Lorenzo’s (Woodley) hands for another touchdown, you can’t give a team of this caliber those points.”
On the team struggling with the poise of the moment late:
“No question, they don’t know how to win. They want to win but they don’t know how to prepare. We just have to go back to work. We have a huge test next weekend against Penn State. They have to look in the mirror and see what they can do to be a better football player. If everyone does a little bit more and does their job then I know we will get better. But we just can’t give a team 14 points.”
On the final drive:
“That two-minute drive was emblematic of how we are. Tajae (Sharpe) drops the wide open pass but then comes back. Our guys just need to keep coming back. They’re disappointed but we played better. We played a good SEC team down in Nashville. Should we have won the game? No, we didn’t make the plays we were supposed to, but that’s also on the coaches as well.”
On the Vanderbilt catch from CJ Duncan that set up the go ahead touchdown:
“The kid pulled it out. Randall (Jette) had it and the kid just beat him one-on-one. One-on-one match-ups is what it comes down to in football and we don’t have enough talent. Our guys that are supposed to be our best players aren’t making enough plays. Overall, I thought we we did a lot better things. It’s always going to be a one-play game when we are playing these types of teams.”
Junior DB Randall Jette
On the deep pass late in the game that setup the Vandy TD run:
“I just got outmuscled at the point of attack… the snap was low and he (quarterback) dropped it so my eyes looked back in the backfield. That let the receiver get a little deep on me. So, I hustled back and tried to make a play. It’s a play I make in practice. I play my teammates would almost assume I would make…. and I just didn’t make it at a critical time
“I would love for it (the ball) to be in my hands at the end of the game. I knew the ball was coming. It’s just definitely a play I should have made.
“19 (CJ Duncan) made a great play though. Not to take anything away from him. It was a great play”
On watching the offense drive down the field late:
“Just getting out of myself because it’s not about me. You know, I’m trying to get behind my offense because we had plenty of time left. We got the ball around the 40 I think. So, I believed the whole time.”
On mentality when Blake Lucas went to kick and try to tie the game:
“I know that is a kick that Blake can make. So I was trying to get over the deep ball, and get myself ready.”
On getting prepared for their next game vs Penn State:
“I’ll be there in the morning watching finishing watching this game then I’ll immediately get right into Penn State, and hopefully have a better week.”
QB Blake Frohnapfel
On the final drive:
“I should have made that pass and probably shouldn’t have to kick that ball. So you can’t really blame Blake [Lucas] for missing that. If we were trying to score, we should have scored before that… We tried to mark it in a little fly route. I overthought it a bit.”
On change in poise in the fourth quarter:
“It’s almost like offense is hoping defense can get the stop. The defense is hoping the offense can score and try to help everyone out. As I’ve said before kinda step on the gas even more and try to do it yourself. We have plays we made. I missed too many in the second half. You can’t do that. This is your team and you have to play near perfect.”
On Vanderbilt’s ability to limit Tajae Sharpe:
“They just changed up their covers a little bit on his side. I mean they kind of rotated coverage that way. But that left the other guys more open and we had to hit them a little better than we did.”
