Oct. 8, 2011
Recap | Final Stats | Notes | AP Photo Gallery 
"It was a long time overdue to sing the fight song. Let me tell you, we'll sing it whenever we need to sing it. I'm so excited and proud. A lot of times, you are sitting there and your record says one thing, but you know and believe that you are so much more and so close. Our young men just had an attitude and a will that we weren't going to be denied. It's really kind of neat that it sort of tied in with the ceremony weekend for the Cradle of Coaches. A lot of alums were back and certainly family members of the people that were being honored. That really also gave us a little bit of extra juice and charged our battery a little bit.
As the game unfolded, I think you could see that we really needed to provide our spark offensively. We challenged our offense all week and I think they responded as we got going into the game and got a flow into what we wanted to do. Our defense, as you all know, has come to play every game. Army is very unique, but also they are quite good at throwing in a wrinkle here and there.
I think it's a good day for all the groups. The defense continues to play hard. We were carrying guys off the field left and right there, sometimes due to fatigue and sometimes they just got dinged. At the end of the day, we'll line up with whoever we have, but the hope is that it's just the typical bumps and bruises. You get used to that when you play a team like Army.
On the offense performing well, particularly in the second half
The key has been, and we've said this from day one is that a balanced offense, in my opinion, gives you a chance to have a positive outcome. Most teams can't stop both [the pass and run]. But if you limited yourself to being one dimensional, and we always try to go into every game. Being able to distribute the ball to the running backs and the receivers.
On whether the first win was personally satisfying for himself
I was just ecstatic for our guys to be honest. I was so proud of them, because this was just a game that tests your character because Army is a team that will get better week in and week out. The type of system they run, it's probably even more scary to play them later in the year because they have ironed out all the kinks and they know who can do what. It was neat as a group effort, that's the way I look at it.
On whether throwing the ball will become a bigger staple in the offense after this game
I think, from a tactical standpoint, it was more or less what they were giving us. They are a team that is much different; the standard defense of teams we have played to this point is more cover-4. Middle open, if you will. This team was the opposite, more of a middle-closed team. Because of the man coverage at times, that did give us an opportunity to open up a little by throwing the ball downfield.
On the impact of the freshman in the game
There's two on defense, Tucker, a linebacker who starts actually and Brison Burris who is a rotating starter a little. They've been baptized under the fire; they've been thrown out there in the midst of it and they've been able to respond. As you guys know, nothing can take the place of gameday experience. Each week, they're only going to get better. On offense, you've got two offensive Linemen with Lewis and Matthews. They're kind of rotating starters. J-J was back in there today and Kennedy. You also have two receivers who are rotating starters in Dawan Scott and Frazier. So you have six true freshmen who are quite impactful players at this point
On how important it was to get the first win under their belts
I am very excited right now. It was extremely important. We have been talking about turning it around all week. We were fed up with losing. It was enough talking, we wanted to go out there today and show it with our actions.
On Army's persistence
They played hard for four quarters, even into the last parts of the game. I never counted that team out whatsoever. I thought we both played extremely hard, we played for four quarters.
On solving the problem in the running game
Every time there is a problem with the running game, we take it personally. Today, we got two starters back in Jo-Jo Williams and Matt Kennedy and they played a vital role in the running game. Finklea went out and ran the ball hard as he always does.
On adjustments that the offensive line made this week
I think it was a mental thing at first. We took it personally, we worked extra hard. We stayed after practice to work specifically on footwork. In the beginning of practice we worked as steps as a whole line to get in sync. Coach Klacik always works us hard. We ran pretty much the same plays we always do, but we just had a different mentality.
On the freshman on the offensive line and their impact
The offensive line stepped up big today. That's what we preached all during the week. We knew we were gonna be able to run the ball, and I mean, it was just going to be whether or not our offense stepped up. I know we did today. We practiced hard all week.
On how fun the 98-yard drive was to win the game
It was a great time out there. We all kind of got a little upset about Nick [Harwell] not catching that ball. But it ended up not mattering. Our offense stepped up, we knew what we had to do and we did it.
On the success of the passing game and having Harwell to throw to
It's an awesome feeling for me. I know when I get in trouble, I'm going to look for Nick. I have the easy job. I just throw him the ball, he does all the other work for me. He makes me look good. Even if he drops the ball, I go up to him and say, `you know I'm going to go right back to you.'
On getting Coach Treadwell's first win
It was a great experience; I'm happy to be a part of it. Things are going to start rolling from here.
On the importance of controlling Army's offense
They run the clock off really well. Their offense is hard to stop, and I thought our defense did a great job. Our offense also kept the ball.
On the importance of the running game this week
It was very important I think. When you are running the ball, it makes everything easier for a quarterback. It opens up the passing game a lot more. It gives the defense a lot more to think about when you are not one-dimensional. It takes a lot of pressure off of me also. I have to give a lot of credit to the O-line, because that's the reason we were successful.
On whether he is getting more comfortable running the ball
I feel like it's a process. Coming out of the gates today, we felt like, this is our time. We're ready to run the ball. As an offense, we stayed together and talked offensively. Up front, the guys opened the holes up and I had choices to choose from. Choices are good.
On whether he thought he fumbled the ball in the play where the officials ruled he fumbled it
I felt like I crossed the ball over the plane, but that was my fault. I should have just held the ball tight, lined up, and run the ball over again. I guess next time I can't put it in the official's hands.
On the 98-yard drive to win the game and his impact personally
On the sidelines, coach told us what we were gonna do. He told us that we were gonna run the ball. It started with the guys up front getting fired up and the energy just passed off to me. I was just following behind those guys.
Army Head Coach Rich Ellerson
On the game
"Miami is physical upfront. They won some battles and got us behind in the count a few times. They committed the safety to run the alleys as hard as he could, and we didn't make him pay enough for that. Although I feel like if we don't turn the ball over as much as we did, we will be okay."
On turnovers
"That's one of those things that is consistently seen with success. There's nobody on our schedule that won't beat us if we don't win the turnover battle. If we take care of the football and get some turnovers on defense, we will have a chance every week. We're not matching up to people very well on defense, and we need to find a way to get off the field on third and fourth down."
On Nick Harwell
"We knew that he was going to be a challenge. We knew whoever was going to be in his vicinity was going to need help, but the thing that's scary about him is the things he can do after the catch. He knew how to pick apart our defense and made us pay."
