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Kentucky 41, Miami (Ohio) 7
Post Game Quotes
COACH MARK STOOPS
All
right. Feels good to get that first one. Very proud of the
team. I thought we prepared very well. I thought we had
more poise about us early, at least the way we started the game.
I felt like the approach this morning getting up, we were focused, we
were excited in the locker room, but not hyper. So I thought we
were in good shape.
I like the way the team played early. Obviously there's plenty to
get corrected. But we're excited about the win. We're
excited about doing some very good things offensively and
defensively. There's some real good things to build on.
Again, proud of the effort and the preparation. With the things
we've got to get cleaned up, we'll go hard at work. Special teams
was very good a week ago. A little bit sloppy here today.
So there's a lot of things to get corrected. A lot of
penalties. Very sloppy with the ball at times in our punt
returns. Got to get that cleaned up.
Overall very proud of these guys, the way they worked. It's a
start. #2, Jalen Whitlow, QB, So.
On switching out positions throughout the game…
“It is what it is. I’m just playing my role on the team. I’m doing whatever I can to help the team win.”
On how big of a win this is…
“Every win is big. You can’t take anything for granted. Every win is big, especially in college football
where everyone is well coached.”
On how alternating QB’s affected Miami’s defense…
“I could kind of tell that they were on their heels because they didn’t know who to expect
sometimes. When I came out there, they expected me to run the ball probably, but I ended up
faking the run and threw the pass, so it’s hard to adjust to that. We are two different quarterbacks
with two different styles so it kind of reminded me of high school (and how we did it). It makes it
hard on the defense.”
On using a mixture of run and pass plays…
“We just want to keep the defense off balance and keep them guessing.”
#6, Jason Hatcher, DE, Fr.
On facing his hometown team next week…
“This is home. They are going to be coming to our backyard so we have that edge on them. They
are a great team so there will be a lot of preparation that goes into this week.”
On getting the first win of the season…
“It was a great feeling. We worked hard and had a lot of corrections to make from last week. We
came out with better energy and focus and everyone played assignment football. We got the ‘W’
and it was a great feeling.”
On how the defensive line played…
“I think we did a lot of good things. We came out and they gave us a look that we weren’t ready for.
We came to the sideline and were coached up and went out there and stopped the triple option.
We have a lot of experience down at the tackle positions. This is Bud Dupree’s first year playing
end and he brings a lot to the table. Za’Darius Smith is just a technician so I have learned a lot
from him as well.”
#41, TraVaughn Paschal, LB, Jr.
On what they will take from this game and use towards next week’s matchup…
“I’m not really sure. We just ended this game, so we will start to get into Louisville tomorrow. We
don’t really know as of right now. We will definitely bring the intensity, I’ll tell you that much.”
On how his foot is feeling…
“I just got a flat tire. I’ll be all right. I should be out there tomorrow or Monday. It’s nothing serious at
all.”
On getting his first reps at a new position…
“It felt just like practice to me. I was prepared from practice so it was nothing different. The scout
team gave us great looks so I was able to piece together everything just like if it were practice.”
On how much of a challenge practice has been playing a new position…
“For some reason it felt natural. I really haven’t messed up on too much.”
#1 Ryan Timmons, WR
On making plays in Commonwealth Stadium...
"It feels great, a great experience. My first game in Commonwealth Stadium, I think I played good,
but I can play a little bit better."
On the young players stepping up to be playmakers...
"We have a lot of playmakers on this team as you have seen. We have freshman scoring and
first year guys scoring, I'm very excited about the week coming, we won today, so we have great
confidence for this next game."
On the next game against Louisville...
"I'm excited, I mean its Louisville vs. Kentucky. It's my first UL vs. UK game being in it, so they are
a great team so we just have to prepare."
#4 Raymond Sanders, RB
On how QB Max Smith played...
"He played well. He slung the ball around, threw some touchdowns, and a lot of guys made some
plays. He found the open guy, I think he played really well getting the tempo going and I think he's
going to play well next week also."
On the way Coach Neal Brown calls the running plays...
"I think it mixes it up for the defense, it makes it difficult. We have the pass and the run so it makes
it difficult for them. We are going to keep mixing it up and we have a strong group of running backs
and we want to be balanced and catch teams off guard."
On how the sweep play opens up the big plays...
"It plays out a lot because we were able to get guys open, we were able to use the play action and
use Jonathan (George). We feel like that was a play that was going to be successful for us this
week and those guys did a great job running it and the guys upfront blocking for it. We just need
to get those guys the ball and get them around the edge because Coach (Stoops) always wants to
get the ball in the playmakers hands in different ways and I think that was another way to get the
ball around the edge."
#8 Javess Blue, WR
On coming out and playing well...
"It felt really good, I caught a touchdown pass. At the same time, I have to worry about the next
play, so I have to act like I've been there."
On the 88-yard touchdown catch...
"I didn't even know it was 88 yards until I scored and came back to the sideline. I had to think about
the penalties we were getting so I thought it had to be pretty long. It was pretty big, those stats are
adding up."
On the leadership emergence from Max Smith...
"He came up to me and we had some one-on-one talks so it was a great connection that we have
picked up. I think it showed out there on the field today."
#94 Za'Darius Smith, DE
On how much of a confidence booster this game was...
"We needed this game a lot, and you know we got it, so we have to put that in the past and worry
about the future."
On his excitement level after big plays...
"Somewhat, yes sir. Just by making that sack, I know I have to get back to the next play."
On his goal of getting 12 or 13 sacks this season...
"That's motivation. It's a mindset thing. If I keep working on it, I'll get it."
#11, Maxwell Smith, QB
On how much better this week’s game felt..
“Much better. Much, much better. That’s how it’s supposed to feel. We got the win. We got that
monkey off our back.”
On how much confidence he felt the team needed…
“It wasn’t really looking for confidence. We just needed to come out and do what we knew we
could do, and we did that. I thought we played very physical. We were excited and we just kept
talking about our motto this week, next play. Doesn’t matter what we do. Whether it was an 80-yard
touchdown, a kick return, a fumble, an interception. Doesn’t matter what it was. It was the next play
and just go to next play after next play and put things together.”
On what switching quarterbacks throughout the game is like…
“It’s obviously something I’ve never done before. But, I’m doing it. We won the game and we
played pretty well so let’s keep doing it, right?”
On whether it’s hard to stay in rhythm when switching quarterbacks often…
“I don’t know, I don’t think so. I think you just always need to be ready. Coming off the bench in the
first game I had to be ready. Whether it’s Jalen (Whitlow) running five plays. He had that one series
all to himself where they had a great drive. Unfortunately we couldn’t punch it in the end zone but
we were just going fast and he was driving us down the field, so why take him out? And, I thought
he did a really good job there.”
#2, Alvin “Bud” Dupree, DE
On how the team stayed more focused through practice this week…
“We weren’t as tight as last week. At practice, everyone was loose, ready to ride, ready to roll and
ready to show that we’re a different team than we were last week.”
On what the message was from the coaches after the game this week…
“They were happy. Just keep the train rolling for Louisville next week and come out and play
another good game.”
On how tough it was to make changes so close to kickoff…
“Just seeing that they changed the offensive style, we had to just go in the locker room (and
make changes). He had to basically just teach us what to do in the locker room because we had
prepared for totally different than they ran it. He did a great job with that, getting us prepared for
that offensive style and we did pretty well, I think.”
#3, Jojo Kemp, RB
On how it felt to see all of the fans even after last week’s loss…
“The very first game, I felt like everybody was just too intense. There was a lot of minimal mistakes,
small mistakes, and they probably were more physical than us. But, this game, everybody came
with their heads on straight, ready to get that first win at home. You could tell how everybody was
focused at practice. We came ready for this game.”
On his performance today…
“Today, the first half I only had a few carries, but like I said back then, I was going to wait my turn.
Whenever I got in, I was going to make the best of it. And then, they put me in, so I had to make
every carry count.”
#40, Avery Wiliamson, MLB
On whether Coach Stoops knew he would be receiving the game ball…
“I don’t think so. They told me in the fourth quarter that they wanted me to give it to him. So, I don’t
think he was even expecting it.”
On whether today felt like the “New Day” that they’ve been discussing…
“It did. We adjusted to what they brought out. We switched around some personnel from week one
and stabilized the game plan that let us play. I really like what they let us do. They let us play. I felt
comfortable out there and it was good. I felt comfortable.”
On what it says about the team that they could adapt to Miami’s offensive changes…
“That definitely speaks a lot. We weren’t expecting them to run the formation that they did. We
weren’t expecting them to do that at all. So, when we came out, Coach [Stoops] told us to get
ready for it and we expected a few snaps of it. But, then they ran it the whole game so that speaks
to the attention to detail and guys paying attention on the sideline.”
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