Nov. 20, 2010
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South Carolina Head Coach Steve Spurrier
Opening Statement
Well, like I told the halftime interviewer, we haven’t had one like this since I have been here. We scored a whole bunch of points in the first half and I was hoping we would play well in the second half with our backup guys and we got a turnover. I told the guys that we have to get this game behind us because we have the two biggest games of the season coming up. We will find out what our fate is going to be in two weeks after Clemson and then Auburn in the championship game. A lot of guys played super. I am really proud of our team being ready to play. Marcus (Lattimore) ran like he always does. Stephen Garcia had an excellent game going 9-of-12 with a bunch of yards and hitting some big passes. He was real good today. Alshon (Jeffery) was also very good today as usual, and Ace Sanders got his first touchdown of the year. We had some good things happen today. We are happy to get the win and we are glad that a lot of guys got to play. We proved that you don’t necessarily have to have depth to have a good season, because we don’t have a lot of backup offensive lineman. We are looking forward to these next two games.
On his satisfaction with the play in the first half
It was good to get a bunch of turnovers. That is how you score a lot of points quickly. We started over there on their end of the field several times. I think we only had about 460 yards of total offense and only ran 61 plays, so we weren’t out there a whole bunch. The game moved a lot faster in the second half. Sometimes you have games like this and you just have to put them behind you. Sometimes you have a bad blowout loss that you have to put behind you. We didn’t come in to the game thinking that we were going to get into the 50s for the first time ever and we ended up getting into the 60s. We had a lot of defensive scores and turnovers which set us up and that was the reason. We will start on Monday getting ready for Clemson. We will enjoy this one tonight in an appropriate manner and realize that the next two games will pretty much determine our fate of what kind of year 2010 is going to be.
On the two defensive touchdowns
It was nice to see D.J. Swearinger jump in front of a guy after reading the quarterback and make a pick for us. Chaz (Sutton) had a good effort. I don’t know who knocked it out, but he got it out of the air and out-raced them. The defensive guys enjoy scoring just like the offensive guys do. But other than that, hopefully in a close ballgame we will get one of those someday. That is when they are really big, but it was big to have them today.
On the records set during the game
We thought we had a good team coming in and the next two weeks are going to determine what we ultimately become this year. We are still pushing. We are not sitting around patting each other on the back right now. We have a few more weeks ahead of us to see what we can do for the University of South Carolina. We know that the opportunity is there and we will see how we can handle it. We came out of the game pretty much injury free so we should be at our best for the next couple of weeks.
On the team getting ready to play
I am proud of the guys getting ready to play. I think we have been ready to play every game this year. We have just gotten in disarray a couple of times in our pass defense. Other than that, our guys have improved as the season has gone on. That is what you have to do to have a big year. Our next game will really be a big test. Their defense may be the best that we will play all year. It will be a big challenge for all of our guys and hopefully our defense will come next week also because we have to play well to have a chance up there.
South Carolina Player Quotes
Junior Quarterback Stephen Garcia
On the offense’s execution in the first half
That was awesome to see. We came in and devised a game plan to run Marcus (Lattimore) and have a lot of play action passes, and it worked to perfection. That is what we try to do every week, and it was good to see especially after a big win last week.
On if the offense looked the best that it has all year
Well, against Alabama and Kentucky in the first halves we played pretty well, but these are the first two games that we have played really well back to back.
On the opportunity to play with Marcus Lattimore and Alshon Jeffery on offense
Those guys make my job so much easier. I hand the ball to Marcus and let him run all over the place. It helps you out a lot. It helps the offensive line and everyone else come together. Our offense has played pretty well these past two weeks and we need to keep it going.
On the play of Ace Sanders
He has always been a great receiver. We just have to get him the ball as much and as often as possible. He can make guys miss and he can run down the field and make catches. We just have to keep getting him the ball.
On the momentum of the team
I was telling the secondary that they have their swagger back, which is awesome to see and we are peaking at the right time. We have one more game in the regular season against Clemson and then we have a big game for the SEC Championship against Auburn. We are not looking past anybody. We did not look past Troy. We just have to keeping focusing one game at a time.
Sophomore Wide Receiver Alshon Jeffery
How quickly do you want to put this game behind you with the two games coming up?
Coach (Steve) Spurrier talked about it in the locker room and we have to let it go. We have two big weeks ahead of us, and we’re going to have to focus.
Talk about holding the record
It’s a great accomplishment, but great doesn’t mean anything unless you’re winning.
Freshman Running Back Marcus Lattimore
On rushing for 1,000 yards in a season
Yeah. It was a goal for the offensive line and for the whole offense. We did it. We have to get a few more and beat Clemson.
On both he and Alshon Jeffery having 1,000 yards each in the same season
It’s been real fun. It just speaks on our balance. We can hurt you with the run, and we can hurt you with the pass. That’s really hard to stop.
On his performance against Troy
It’s real fun. To just keep scoring on them shows how much our offensive line works and how explosive we are as an offense.
On the possibility of the team looking past Clemson to the SEC Championship game
No not at all. If we weren’t in a position for the SEC Championship, the Clemson game would be the biggest game of our season. It’s a big rivalry. It’s always been a big rivalry. It’ll be a good game.
On setting the record for touchdowns in a season
It makes me feel good to have set the record. It’s not much to do with the record; it’s just a big thing for our team. It’s been the offensive line giving me a push and getting me in the end zone.
Senior Fullback/Tight End Patrick DiMarco
On scoring a touchdown in his final home game of his senior year
Coach (Spurrier) said that if we got close to the goal line we were going to try to run it. It was nice to be the one getting into the end zone instead of hitting some people to get someone into the end zone.
What would you like to say to the fans about your time at South Carolina?
Thank you. My four years here have been awesome. I’ve cherished every moment. Playing in Williams-Brice is one of my greatest moments of my career here. We’ve been pretty good here at home thanks to the fans. I would just like to say thank you and continue being Carolina fans and show off their Carolina pride.
On playing alongside Alshon Jeffery and Marcus Lattimore
They’re studs. It makes life a lot easier for me. I don’t have to go in there and make incredible blocks. I can just fit up on a guy and they can make people miss. They do things that a lot of guys can’t so it’s great to have two guys with that kind of talent on the same side of the ball.
Troy Head Coach Larry Blakeney
Opening statement
The first half was certainly one of the worst halves of football I’ve ever experienced as a coach or a player. We acted like we had never seen a football field. But we were playing against a really good football team and they displayed some good attributes offensively and defensively. We gave them enough to beat us. From an offensive standpoint, throwing interceptions and fumbling the ball, of course missing tackles or not even showing up to make the tackle. But, in the second half we at least had some semblance of a normal football game. I don’t think anyone got hurt seriously. We have Thanksgiving week where nobody is in class and we’re all there and we’re going to try to get ready to win a game. Everything after the first half was pointed toward trying to prepare for Western Kentucky and the last two football games.
Troy Player Quotes
Jason Bruce – Senior -Wide Reciever
On where the team broke down
Probably from the opening kickoff with DuJuan (Harris) bobbling the snap. We can’t put it all on one play.
On the loss
We are worried about Western Kentucky next week and trying to get a win in so we can have a bowl bid and go into FAU with a win.
On the trick play
It was just an opportunity, coaches always say take advantage of your opportunities, and they knew I could throw the ball and he finally gave me a chance to throw it again.
Tyler Graves – Senior- Offensive Lineman
On where the team broke down
From the opening kickoff, we fumbled the ball on the opening kickoff. They turn around and score on their first series and we are down 7-0. They came out ready to play, we didn’t execute.
Feelings after the first half
We’re just trying to make some corrections. At that point in the game we knew we were going to be in for the second half. We didn’t want to quit, that’s something we don’t want to be known for, as being quitters. I think at the end of the day if people say we are fierce competitors, we may not be the best competitors, but they say we’re fierce you’ve got to take your hats off to that.
On where the team goes from here
We came out of halftime and we really wanted to focus on not quitting and having something to build on for the next two ball games. We’ve got Western Kentucky coming to Troy next weekend. That’s going to be a big game for us as far as getting to a bowl game.
Caleb Massey- Red shirt Freshman- Defensive Back
On playing a lot this game
At the beginning of the game coach wanted to try something new in the secondary and I just played my role and did what coach asked me to do.
On where the team broke down
I feel like we just got awestruck at the game, playing a big SEC school. Things didn’t go our way at the beginning starting with the opening kickoff. We just had to run it back in the second half.
On where the team goes from here
Coming into this game we just wanted to get something positive out of it. I feel like in the first half we didn’t do that but as the game went on, in the second half, I feel like we got some things we can work on and build off of for the last two game and hopefully go to another bowl game.
