Oct. 28, 2000
Bob Davie Game quotes
Notre Dame vs. Air Force
October 28, 2000
On Air Force:
That was just a great college football game. I’m proud of our team, and I’m proud of Air Force. Number 99 (Justin Pendry) and 42 (Corey Nelson) are as good as any players we’ve faced this year. Nobody in the country is licking their chops to play them.
On his teams character:
Look at the gamut of emotions they’ve been through. I tell them all the time that I don’t ever take them for granted. There’s not a group of guys in the country with more character. I told them before the game that a team that won’t be beat can’t be beat. This was a great game by a group that refused to loose.
On Joey Getherall:
He’s an unbelievable kid, I mean, he’s on another level. When he’s healthy, he’s explosive. If I’m a pro scout, I would be looking at number 18.
On Air Forces comeback bid:
I don’t think we collapsed. Number 5 (Ryan Fleming) made some huge plays, and number 3 (Mike Thiessen) is a heck of a football player. I give Air Force credit. But as much I repect them, I didn’t want to see them celebrating on our field.
On the blocked field goal:
Before the kick, I was so calm, I almost passed out. But I was calm because I was shocked. You see the work that these guys put in, and you get to the end and you see whats coming. But that blocked field goal was huge. It was like de ja vu to 1996 against Air Force, it was even the same place on the field. It’s nice to know what it’s like to win in overtime. We’re 6-2, bowl eligible, and we have an open date. We can get better.
NOTRE DAME PLAYER QUOTES
Sophomore Strong Safety Glenn Earl On his field goal block:
“I was just trying to time up the kicker’s rhythm. I was watching the way he had done it on previous attempt. I really had nothing to do and I guess we got lucky.”
“Tony Driver is the designated leaper in our scheme. I’m actually not supposed to leap so I guess I’ll get a missed assignment on that. I was really just supposed to give Tony a push and look for a fake.”
Senior Split End Joey Getherall On his game-winning touchdown:
“It was an option reverse to me and I just saw the big endzone. I was thankful for the opportunity. I think anyone in my position could have done the same thing. I was just thankful my blockers did their jobs. They made big blocks for me and I just leaped into the endzone.”
On the importance of today’s victory:
“
This is a real big win going in to an off week. Now we’re bowl eligible with the six wins and we’re going to try to keep rolling. We’ll try to rest ourselves and get ready for BC.”
On the team’s attitude in the fourth quarter:
“Everyone on the sidelines was saying `We are going to win this game.’ There was no doubt in our minds. I think everyone shared the same emotion. The defense knew we were going to win so I think that’s why they had special energy on that last kick to get the block.”
Air Force Head Coach Fisher DeBerry
Post Game Quotes
On the game:
“Certainly want to give credit to Notre Dame. They played a fine football game. I feel heartbroken for our team. Our kids gave a tremendous effort out there. It’s safe to say that 80,000 people got their monies worth today. That was a great college football game. We had the opportunity to beat a top 20 football team and just didn’t get it done.”
On the play of wide receiver Ryan Fleming:
“I think Ryan proved today that he is one of the best receivers in the country. He’s a competitor. He really made some tremendous catches out there today. That last one down the sidelines, he made with one hand. He’s playing with a separated shoulder. I have tremendous respect for the way he played.”
On the blocked field goal with three seconds:
“It looked like they got a great push up front on the block. They have some leapers, but you really need to get a great push to leap to block a kick like that.”
On his quarterback Mike Thiessen:
“He’s a tremendous competitor. He’s got a heart as big as this room. He’s a tremendous leader on this football team. He’s a credit to the academy, he’s one of the highest ranking cadets academically. Mike’s got some impeccable qualities and he’s our leader.”
On kicking the field goal in overtime instead of going for touchdown:
“We had six yards to go. We would have thrown, so I didn’t want to give Notre Dame a chance to intercept the ball in the end zone. I had confidence in making the field goal, even though the previous one was blocked.”
On the play of Notre Dame’s Joey Getherall:
“My hat’s off to him. What a competitor. He made a great play on the long pass, he was stumbling after he caught it and still scored. He loves to play the game.”
Air Force Academy
Player Quotes
Senior Wide Receiver Ryan Fleming:
On reaction to narrow defeat .
“It definitely hurts but if nothing else I want it to show people that we deserve to play in a bowl game. This is a good team and we have to perform the next three weeks. We came in here and expected to win, so we are disappointed about the loss. But I feel really good about the way guys came out and played. It was unfortunate that we didn’t pull it off. Some things weren’t meant to be.”
Senior fullback Scott Becker:
On 4th quarter surge
“We consider ourselves a fourth quarter team and when the fourth quarter comes around we expect to dominate and that’s what happened. We got the scores we needed and put ourselves in the position but, like I said before, we didn’t execute.”
Senior Quarterback Mike Thiessen:On roller-coaster’ nature of second-half
“That’s just the nature of football. It happens. Teams score on you and you score on teams. Sometimes teams get ahead of you and sometimes you get ahead of teams. That’s just the way it goes. I really don’t think that emotionally our team got down. We were down on the scoreboard but our team has a lot of pride.”
Senior Kicker Dave Adams: On missed field goal at end of regulation
“I don’t think that it was low. They had overloaded us up the middle and had some good push up the middle. When it came off my foot I thought I hit it straighter and higher than any of my previous kicks. I felt real good and was actually stunned when I saw a guy get a hand on it, to be honest with you.”