Syracuse Quotes
Syracuse University Post-Game Quotes
Syracuse vs. Boston College
November 24, 2001
Carrier Dome - Syracuse, NY
Syracuse Head Coach Paul Pasqualoni
On coming back after tough loss to Miami:
"The kids did a very good job of keeping the Miami loss in perspective. Miami is a great team and they played great against us. We did not play well against them. I said after that game that Miami is a better team than we are on that Saturday. Are they 59-0 better than us, I don’t know that. The kids kept it in perspective and shook it off and showed no effects from Monday through tonight. They just came out and played."
On how well Syracuse played against Boston College:
"I’d say they played well. We were 10 of 15 on third downs, we didn’t turn the ball over. We were little bit frustrated with the one-play scores,but I thought we did a good job of slowing them down. Overall we did what we had to do to win the game. There are things we can do better. But you can’t ask for more from an effort standpoint."
On the effect of the sack and caused fumble by Dwight Freeney:
"It was a big play. It changed the momentum of the game. We got the ball out and were able to capitalize on it. It was a huge play. We had trouble getting to him (Brian St. Pierre). They did a good job of protecting him. We were trying to move Dwight around and disguise him a little bit, but Boston College did a good of protecting the quarterback."
On Syracuse’s offense:
"We ran our offense. I don’t think we planned to any thing differently this week than we do any other week. Sometimes things click and sometimes things don’t click. We were hitting on all cylinders tonight."
On touchdown pass from R.J. Anderson to Kyle Johnson after Freeney’s forced fumble:
"At that point in the game, the defense comes out and there’s a lot things going through the defense’s mind. I thought Robin (R.J.), Kyle (Johnson) and James (Mungro) did a great job of faking the run. I think it really surprised them because we were in a formation that says we were going to run the ball. Robin made a great pass and Kyle made a great catch."
On whether Syracuse has earned the right to play in the Gator Bowl by beating every BIG EAST team except Miami:
"I would say that we would love to go to the Gator Bowl. We did everything tonight that we can do. I don’t know if we could do more than what we did tonight. We’ll just have to wait until after next weekend. If the Gator Bowl people take us, we’ll be very elated. But that’s not going to be our decision. That will be their decision. But we are clearly, at least, the No. 2 team in the league."
On play of James Mungro and the rest of the senior class:
"Everyone saw tonight how competitive and how hard he fought, how diligent he was in taking care of the ball. He wanted to go out with a win. The seniors wanted to re-establish the Dome. It‘s the first time since 1988 we’re undefeated at the Carrier Dome. These kids won eight of their last nine games after two tough opening losses. They shook off a devastating loss last week for a conference championship and come back and play like this. They are a heck of a group of seniors."
Dwight Freeney
On his senior year:
"It was very special. This is the first season that I haven't been injured. This was a great run. We haven't lost at home."
On playing last game:
"It's a sense of accomplishment. We made it, everyone's out there playing and contributing."
On what Bowl SU will be playing in:
"It doesn't matter to me. Wherever we go is fine, someplace warm."
On winning nine games:
"That's a really sweet feeling. Everyone thought we would be fifth, sixth in the BIG EAST. It doesn't matter what people say."
R.J. Anderson
On the game:
"We just took what the defense gave us. They allowed us to go deep so we went deep. They allowed us to go short, so we threw short."
On the performance of the offense:
"We saved the best for last. I thought the offense played great. The receivers did a great job."
On what Bowl he would like to go to:
"Gator Bowl. When you're a kid, you always want to play in the January 1st Bowl game."
James Mungro
On the last game at the Carrier Dome:
"Before the game, a lot of the seniors got emotional. We tried to prove that we were 9-3, we had an undefeated season at the Dome. And that is what we did today."
On SU's offensive line:
"I have so much respect for them, on and off the field."
On BC's running back William Green:
That's a great running back. I have never seen someone explode like that."
Kyle Johnson
On his last game at the Dome:
"The best way to go out. I have been here half a decade. You are just happy that the team played well. I was really pleased how we took the ball from the 20, from the 10 and we moved it up the field."
On what Johnson would tell the Bowl committee:
"I would tell them that Syracuse is a very good team, we are 9-3. We are psyched to go to any Bowl game."
On coming back to play for his sixth year:
"There were so many things that made it worthwhile for me to come back. You can just take the win at Blacksburg and that alone."
