Marshall Head Coach Bob Pruett Quotes
Sep 20, 2003 | Football
HEAD COACH BOB PRUETT
On the game overall...
"We felt like we needed to come in and control the run by trying to make the quarterback beat us. We tried to take him (Darren Sproles) out of the football game defensively and try to make everything bounce outside where we felt we had good speed. We really had good speed on defense and hoped that we could run him down. That (forcing him outside) worked pretty good for us. Even though the kid (Sproles) made some good plays, we manned up real well on (James) Terry with Willie Smith, which enabled us to keep enough men in the box to hold the run."
On the statement they made...
'By not turning the football over, we're a pretty good football team. Some people didn't realize how good
On the
"They did a tremendous job today. Our ability to run the football is going to make us an even better football team."
On the last few plays...
"I was debating whether to punt the ball, it was on the 27-yard line. The way we were punting the ball today, we probably would have gotten it to the 20. Nick (Kelly) had kicked two field goals, he was with the wind, and he had plenty of distance. It just didn't go through. If we kick the field goal, we're out and the game is won. If we punt, we gain seven yards, so I didn't think it was a big decision. On defense, we bent, but we didn't break. That's what counted."
On Jonathan Goddard's fumble return for a touchdown...
"It was huge. They were getting ready to go up 14-0 and the crowd was in it. Usually in games like this, the longer you hang in it, the easier it is because you get them out of doing things they normally do."
On the way the team played...
"I can't say enough about the team and the courage they showed. Everybody had us 1-3, except us. It's a great win for us, maybe the biggest win since the win over Xavier (1971) after the plane crash (1970)."
