LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Louisville football program looked far from perfect against Georgia Tech at times, but thanks to massive plays in all three phases of the game, the Cardinals were still able to secure a 31-19 win over the Yellow Jackets in their ACC opener.
Here’s what head coach Jeff Brohm, quarterback Tyler Shough, wide receiver Ja’Corey Brooks, defensive end Tramel Logan and defensive tackle Rene Konga had to say following the win:
(Opening Statement) “I am definitely proud of our football team today. It was a good team win. It took all four quarters and a lot of different things to pull off the victory. We were definitely tested in a back-and-forth game with a lot momentum swings. We hung in there like we were able to do at some points last year, play to the end, keep our confidence, keep our fight and not give in. We found a way to make more plays. The defense wasn’t perfect, but they made some big fourth down stops and, of course, the huge turnover. The special teams gave us the advantage that was the key. A huge, blocked punt for a touchdown really won the game and closed it for us. Then the offense couldn’t run the ball really well but made a few plays here and there. It was a tough conference game, and we found a way to win.”
(About close games being a culture thing to come up clutch or personnel oriented) “I think it is both. We have really good kids and coaches. We talk about it all the time. When you play competitive football at a high level, you are not going to dominate. It is not going to happen. Now, if you play a lesser opponent, you might. When you play really good opponents, it is just not going to be that way. You have to be able to hang in there and go back and forth and try to play the perfect game, but it is not going to happen. I just think our guys do that every day in practice and compete hard against each other. Some days the defense will dominate us in the scrimmage, other days we will dominate them. That is kind of how it works when the talent level is similar. But, if you really believe in yourself and a your team and what you are doing, you can find a way to win those games. We have in the past and, of course, we needed that today.
(About the game being a stick-to-it kind of day and how much of it is resiliency) “It was definitely that. The penalties hurt us. I think what we preach is that we do not turn the ball over and that gives us the advantage. Throughout all that, we didn’t turn it over and give them points. If you look what they did, they played good games and did some things. They turned it over for a costly touchdown and then they had a kick blocked. I think, you love to go out there and dominate and do great things but when you get into conference schedules and you are playing really good teams, you just have to find a way to win the football game. We definitely had to do that today. But we have many things to clean up and we will do the best job we can with that.”
(About pressuring GT’s QB Haynes King early and then again late in the game being a product of play calling or blocking schemes.) “It was a little of both. We definitely wanted to heat them as much as we could, and we knew we had to do that some. A couple of times he scrambled and creates a lane, and you are, like, ‘gosh do I really want to do that again?’ So that is the tough part. He can run and he can scramble, and he hurt us on some of those. We had to keep being aggressive and it got us in the backfield. It was hard to get a four-man rush all the time. He did some things, and we did some things to mix it up. We gave up some big plays but I do think we played to the end. I am proud of our defense.”
(On the transfer portal) “Well, the transfer portal is here and, whether everyone loves it or not, it’s part of college football, so you have to adapt, and you have to adjust, and for us, we are going to utilize any chance to get our team better if we can. We feel like that we’re the type of coaches and we have the type of atmosphere here that if anyone wants to come and try to achieve their goals, we’re going to help them do it. Whether they just got here, whether they’ve been here, our team knows that we’re going to bring in the best teammates we can to help them win. We’re going to be as fair we can and play the best players, and of course, if you’re ready, we’re going to get you in as well. With injuries, we had some today and we had some last week. At some point you’re going to play, so you just have to trust us. We don’t shy away from the portal. We’re open, obviously we want to get the right fit. We want to get somebody who really wants to be here and make a difference. I think that even though we’ve been active, we’ve been selective, and we’re open to it. I just think that’s a part of it now and you adapt and adjust, but we embrace it.”
(On creating continuity when utilizing the portal?) “That can happen, we – through the spring, through the summer, through even our vacation, fall camp – we’re working. We’re working with these guys and we’re speeding up the process. It’s not normal college football, where you take a break in the offseason. Our offseason is active with these guys to make sure they’re getting ready and we’re going to spend as much time as they want to do that. Whether they want to get here at six or stay until midnight, obviously we want to abide by the rules, but we will work our guys to help them get better and we will utilize our offseasons or it will not be successful.”
(Assessment of the team seeming to be out of rhythm) “I think the weather affected us – we had some guys cramp up, we’ve had some guys drop out, we had some guys get injured and we didn’t communicate as well as we should have to get guys in there – that happened a few times. We had a couple of calls where we thought we had the right personnel, and we adjusted and tried to get somebody else in there and the person wasn’t standing next to us. So that’s on us, we need to do a better job of that. At that point, I didn’t want them to get a cheap play, so we took a couple of timeouts even though we may have gotten somebody out there in time, but it would have been close. So, yes, there are some things to clean up there. We need to make sure we get better at having our substitution and our next set of guys on the sideline. And we need to do a better job upstairs of counting to 11 and making sure all are ready to go, because a couple of times it shouldn’t have happened, it was the first play of the drive, and we need to be better than that.”
(On the defense in short yard situations) “Believe it or not, in my head coaching past, we’ve been pretty good at short yardage situations, probably because we’re very aggressive in that scenario and we kind of sell out and it doesn’t always work, but I’m very confident in our short yardage defense and you’ve got to be aggressive. But you’ve got to also know that if they’re going to do a little play action you’ve got to be in position as well. So that’s the tough part of it, but sometimes you’ve got to stop the run, you’ve got to stop the quarterback, and you’ve got to get a lot of other guys coming at them to do it. Even other teams when they do it to us, it’s tough to run, you see us pass the ball quite a bit because they’re selling out. Against good teams, you’re going to get knocked back and you’re not going to get many yards. I just thing we’ve been pretty good at that and obviously people will game plan against us and catch on, but we definitely stood up at third and fourth and short today and it really helped us.”
(About going into Notre Dame at 3-0, what can still be cleaned up) “There is a lot to clean up without question. The defense, of course, needs a sound plan and make sure we aren’t giving up big plays while also being aggressive and getting after the quarterback. You have to make the quarterback uncomfortable, obviously not giving up quarterback runs, This guy was a good runner, but we don’t want give him yards. So we need to do a better job at that. Offensively, I don’t think we weren’t able to run the ball as effectively. We did miss Maurice (Turner) and his experience. There weren’t as many holes. We have to be a little bit better about throwing the ball. I don’t think we had many plays because of their long drives and fourth down stops, turnovers, blocked kicks, we did not get the ball as much. We had a safety, which was disappointing. We have to execute better. I do think our playmakers show up every game and be difference-makers which those guys did for the most part. We just need to get more efficient, and we will be tested next week. It is a really talented football team. I didn’t see the game this week. Last week, they dominated, and I have watched the whole tape already. We will have our hands full. They are really good on defense. They are really fast, aggressive and strong. On offense, they are going to run the ball at you and pound it at you.”
(About an update on injuries to Maurice Turner and Quincy Riley) “Maurice unfortunately has a high ankle sprain that will take some time to heal. I am not sure when he will return. Quincy, I think I will be back soon. I don’t think it’s anything long term. But you know we had Jadon (Thompson) get hurt at the end of the game, and we do not want to lose him. He’s a steady player for us and when I leave here, I’ll see where we’re at. But we will probably have a few new pieces that need to be ready next week.”
(About the field goal block being something that seemed possible) “You know we do work hard at special teams. I’m not saying we have anything special we call, but we are aggressive in attacking field goals. We will put as many guys up there as we can without giving up a fake. And if the snap is not on time, and takes a little longer, we can get some push and get around the edge to create some havoc. I couldn’t tell if it was a little kick or if it was slow, but we got in there and got the angle on it. We had some luck go our way to have the ball bounce right up to us. I am not sure if Tayon (Holloway) saw the ball bounce, but he got it, and it was a huge play for us. Georgia Tech had the momentum at that point, and that play put a dagger in the momentum they had.
(On the emotions of the game and what the message to the team was going into the second half)
“We knew it was going to be ACC football. They’re a tough opponent, a really good team, so we knew it was going to be a battle for four quarters, and we were prepared to do that. I think that’s what we have to continue to do for the rest of the season is manage the ebbs and flows of the game. It’s going to be like that every single game. We’re going to strive for perfection in everything that we’re doing and correct our mistakes, but we understand when things don’t go our way, we’ve to find a way to win. I think the team, special teams, defense did a great job of coming in clutch there in the end, and we’ve got to find little moments to get better, especially at the end. We were just shooting ourselves in the foot sometimes.”
(On having Ja’Corey Brooks as a receiver)
“He’s amazing. He came in, and he’s done such a great job with the playbook—just being a leader in the receiver room. He’s got some aura around him for sure. He’s got that juice. All of our receivers did a great job today of making plays and getting open and coming back to the ball, maybe drawing some [pass interference penalties]. Ja’Corey is a big playmaker, and we got to keep finding ways to get him the ball. Same with Chris [Bell]. There were times tonight where he made some really good plays, too. I’m just proud of the way they played, and we got to keep capitalizing on it.”
(Logan on clutch moments creating momentum)
“I think [the momentum] was game changing, keeping us in the game, putting us over the top when needed and when things weren’t going our way. When we’re making plays like that, I think it’s very good for our team—those plays we made to get us going in the right direction.”
(Logan on going against Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King)
“[Haynes King] is a very good player. We knew they were going to come in and try to run the ball, so that was one of our keys to victory was to stop the run and I think we did a good job of that. We know he orchestrated the offense very well and he’s a very tough player, so we had to stop him and keep him from getting going and force him to pass the ball.”
(Photo of Jadon Thompson, Ahmari Harvey: Jamie Rhodes – Imagn Images)
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Publish date : 2024-09-21 18:35:00
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