Nov. 11, 2000

Recap?|? Box Score?|? Notes

Notre Dame Head Coach Bob Davie
Post Game Quotes

Opening comments: “It is a great feeling to know that the seniors can feel good about playing their last home game and singing that song (Notre Dame Victory March) in the locker room. There are some genuine good feelings in that locker room right now.”

On the preparation for the game versus Boston College today: “My biggest point all week was not to complicate this. This game had a lot of implications on our seniors and what will happen to us in this football season. I stayed away from any discussions of what happened last year. We just need to go out and play the football game.”

On the first half: “We got a quick turnover on the interception by Anthony Weaver and we were able to take advantage of it. Then Julius Jones made a great run, but was unable to play much the rest of the game. I think our offense struggled a bit in the first half until that 98-yard drive. To be able to drive 98 yards without a pass really put us in a good rhythm.”

On the second half: “The important thing in the second half was to come out and put some points on the board and we were able to do that. Then we ended up giving them some things on defense. Their quarterback made some throws and their receivers made some catches. That tight end (Robert Ellis) made some great plays.

“We became more consistent running the ball than we have been. Without Julius Jones we lose some of our explosiveness on offense, but Terrance Howard and Tony Fisher were able to step up and make some plays.”

On his feelings about the team at this point in the season: “We’re getting better. The football team is intact and is getting better every week. Now we can take our shot in November. It was a big win for the team, our seniors and the coaches. This football team feels very good right now.”

NOTRE DAME PLAYER QUOTES

Junior Tailback Tony Fisher
On his performance:
“I think it was a total team effort. The offensive line was great today and when I was tired, Terrance was able to come in and help out.”

On the Irish running game: “It was all about us going out there and establishing the running game. We didn’t have to pass much today.”

On the running back situation: “Everyone on the team wants the ball a lot, but we’ve got three great running backs. Today Terrance and I got our opportunity and we were able to capitalize. Unfortunately Julius (Jones) got banged up, but we were happy to have the opportunity to get the ball.”

Junior Tailback Terrance Howard
On the running back situation:
“We’ve got three great backs out there and if somebody goes down, any of us can step it up. We’ve shown that the last couple of weeks. When you get your opportunities, you’ve got to go out and make the best of it.”

On Tony Fisher’s performance: “It was just Tony’s day to show what he can do. This guy deserves 20 carries a game just like everybody else.”

Sophomore Kicker/Punter Nick Setta
On his touchdown run on the fake field goal:
“That was a lot of fun. We’ve been working on that for a long time. I thank Adam Tibble and the line for helping me with blocking and the toss and the coaches for believing we could do it. I had the easiest job.”

“I want to thank Adam (Tibble) again for pulling me to kick the extra point because I’m not used to being on the field that long.”

“They (the coaches) give us the call and if we get the right look, then we go ahead with it (the fake). It’s been on a lot of times but we haven’t used it before because we never got the right look. This time Adam saw they thought we were going to kick it so he called it.”

On punting for the first time collegiately: “It’s amazing how much we work out the second team punting squad in practice. Because of that, it wasn’t as though I was concerned about punting in a game. I was really comfortable out there.”

Boston College Head Coach Tom O’Brien
Post Game Quotes

On the game:

“Give Notre Dame a lot of credit. They played hard and they played well. Our kids played their hearts out. We shot ourselves in the foot a couple of times early and then just couldn’t get over the hill later in the game. I’m proud of my team and the way they played.”

Kicking deep after last touchdown instead of onsides kick:

“We hadn’t stopped them, they were running over us. Had we scored on the two point conversion, we may have gone onsides, but I didn’t want to give them the ball at midfield. We kicked deep and hoped to stop them. We didn’t do that.”

On play of quarterback Brian St. Pierre:

“He got better as the game went on. He settled into the game after the interception early in the game. I thought he played well. As a team the offense played well in the first quarter. I don’t know where we went in the second quarter and then we came out and made some plays in the second half”

On Notre Dame’s fake field goal:

“We practice for those kind of plays. We are well aware that teams run the option off the field goal. We’ve never seen Notre Dame do that.”

On Boston College defensive line:

“Their big strong guys up front beat our little guys up front. We lost Guthrie and Martin and were playing four freshmen up front. They were going against fourth and fifth year players. They played their hearts out. Our guys will grow up someday.

Boston College
Player Quotes

Sophomore Quarterback Brian St. Pierre:
On second half surge

“Those were two tough physical teams going at it. Our offensive line went after their defense and vice versa. Some guys stepped up, especially in the second half. We converted a couple long third downs that were big plays. We were one half too late I guess. The whole offense in the second half started to gell and come together but there is not much you can do against a great team. We didn’t play that well in the first half so it kind of dug us in a whole.”

Senior Quarterback Tim Hasselbeck: On the play of St. Pierre

“I think that Notre Dame’s defense did a pretty good job of jamming our wide receivers. They weren’t getting too much separation so it was tough for him to have a good game. He hung in there and fought hard. I think he did a good job.”

Senior Right Guard Paul Zukauskas: On squad’s first contest on grass in 2000

“During the week, every week, we practice two out of three hitting days on grass at B.C. It just happened that this was our first game on grass. I don’t think it was a big thing today.”

Sophomore Halfback William Green: On second quarter collision with Notre Dame Safety Tony Driver

“I saw him coming and just lowered my shoulder. I was kind of mad, I wanted to cut back because he was the only guy left out there.”

Junior Cornerback Lenny Walls: On Notre Dame’s running attack

“The big difference in today’s game was just stopping the run. This team averages barely over 200 yards a game and they got more than that in just the running game. If we had them in some third down situations to pass the ball, maybe we would have been more successful.”