Buffalo-Miami (OH) Post Game Notes & Quotes
10/30/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
UB-Miami (OH) Game Notes
Ed Young, Mike Marr, Jerry Housey and Richie Smith served as captains for today's game.
With his interception late in the first quarter, senior Davonte Shannon recorded his ninth career interception, one shy of the top ten in the program's record book for picks. It was his third takeaway of the season.
With his 25 yard kickoff return in the fourth quarter, Jackson also entered the record books in total kickoffs returned, with 53 in his career. That tied him with Dave Dawson for sixth-most all time, and his 1,003 total kickoff return yards put him over the 1,000 yard mark and into seventh place in the category all time. "Action" Jackson was active in the receiving game as well, catching at team-high seven passes for 72 yards. His seven catches matched a career high.
Freshman linebacker Khalil Mack continued his season-long harassment of the opposing quarterback, recording his team-leading 3.5 sack after dropping Miami's Zach Dysert in the second quarter. Mack finished the game with six tackles and the sack including a tackle for loss, his tenth tackle for loss this season. Fellow linebacker Dalonte Wallace chipped in with a sack of his own, his first solo of the season, and four tackles in his first career start.
Kicker John Rachuna's booming 52-yard field goal with 4:08 remaining in the third quarter was the first time a Buffalo kicker connected from 50+ yards since Dallas Pelz in 2003, was the second-longest boot in school history and the longest kick in the program's Division I-A history.
The Buffalo passing game excelled thanks in part to the screen game. With the wind whipping through UB Stadium, the Bulls found success swinging it out wide, including a 34 catch and go from freshman running back Branden Oliver to set up Alex Zordich's rushing touchdown.
Freshman signal caller Alex Zordich scored his first career touchdown on the ground, running it in from 12 yards out in the final minute of the third quarter. Equally dangerous with his legs as he is with his arm, the Youngstown, Ohio native ran for 12 yards on 16 attempts and passed for a career-best 210 yards.
With his takeaway with just over seven minutes remaining in the game, senior safety Domonic Cook is now tied for sixth place on the program's single-season interceptions list, with six. That number is tied for the most picks in the Division I-A history of the program with Mark Graham, who picked off six in 2002. It was his fifth straight game with a turnover, the longest active streak in the country.
With two clutch punts today, junior Peter Fardon now has 41 punts inside the opponent's 20 yard line for his career.
Buffalo Bulls Head Coach Jeff Quinn
Opening statement:
Another disappointing loss. We didn't play well enough to win, we didn't make the plays when we needed to make the plays. Give credit to Miami and their players they made the plays when they needed to and there was a difference in that aspect. I know this, our team definitely cares. They want to succeed and they want to be successful and these are tough times and we are going to fight through it.
On the offense in today's game:
It starts up front. I am disappointed in the way our offensive line played at times. We didn't throw an interception but Alex did fumble the ball. He is trying to get a first down and he is busting his tail end (on the play). We saw some things out of our quarterback situation I think we can look to see him to continue to develop and continue to lead this offense and I think that is the thing that we can take a positive out of this game. There is a guy who definitely understands and we just need to make sure we do it with every player on the offense.
On the inconsistency of the offensive line:
These are guys that need to understand the maximum effort theory; that you need to work as hard as you can every single snap. You need to be locked in. At times they do that but not consistent enough. At times they were bringing some pressures and we should have no issues, we have seven guys blocking to pick up their guys and we are just getting beat on the one on one matchups on the inside or on the edge.
On quarterback Alex Zordich:
Great competitor. You saw that trying to make something happen. Some of the snaps were high you saw that, had to adjust to it, staying poised and just keeping his composure on the sideline. Moving around going from position to position, staying positive and that is what I love about the young man.
On Alex winning the starting quarterback position:
He just had solid preparation. I like his demeanor and he is a very knowlegable young man. As I said in Tuesday's press conference it is going to come from repetitions and we saw him get better today from last week. I think that is a very positive thing. Special teams, John Rachuna went in there and kicked a nice long field goal to get us rolling there. I was disappointed AJ (Principe) missed the one field goal and then the extra point. He has been solid all year, one hundred percent. It is a mixture of things as I told the team. These are tough times and it is not easy to go through it. I am usually not one for a loss for words but this is hard to put words into what we are experiencing right now.
On Miami's touchdown at the end of the first half:
Every score turned the game. The first touchdown did for them and then the second one…and then they went in easily on the third touchdown. We had chances to put the ball in the end zone we put it in Mike Marr's hands, we just under threw Ed Young, Terrell (Jackson) has to secure that catch. We are in those positions and we are going to continue to craft up opportunities to be in those positions and now they have to make the plays. Their kid made the play and it was a tremendous one handed grab, great concentration. That is what I said in the opening statement they made plays and we didn't, that was the difference of the game.
On today's defense and the two interceptions by Domonic cook and Davonte Shannon:
It is awesome. They have both been outstanding back there and just opportunistic. Dom Cook is one of the best football players that I have ever coached and same thing really with Davonte (Shannon) both those kids have done a tremendous job for us and taking the ball away which is what you hope and expect. Davonte Shannon is a three time All-MAC player so when I came in here I was expecting those kinds of things to take place. I knew Dom was capable of doing that also. We rely very heavily on them, they have taken the opportunity and they have taken themselves to another level. We challenge them to competitive greatness and they have been able to do it for us.
Player Quotes
To Alex Zordich, on whether his second start was better than his first start against Temple?
Yes, but when it comes down to it we still lost the game and that definitely still hurts. We just want to turn that around. This team isn't going to quit, and we'll just keep moving forward.
To Alex Zordich, on being frustrated by how things didn't go as well as expected?
Yes I think everybody is. We worked real hard and kept the buzz up all week. We expected to come into this game and do the things we are capable of doing. We are still missing some things.
To Domonic Cook, on today's effort on defense?
I mean it was a strong effort, but the offense didn't give then twenty one points. We need to practice on finishing. We just have to keep practicing finishing.
To Terrell Jackson, on some of the struggles the team had?
The biggest thing is we had a couple of drives stopped on mistakes. They were crucial. As far as momentum as far as and what we were trying to do. I know I didn't capitalize on a catch. I hold myself accountable. This offense just needs to keep pushing forward play by play. We need to play the first quarter to the fourth. That was the biggest thing, not capitalizing on opportunities.
To Terrell Jackson, on why he thinks they've struggled in the first and fourth quarters?
I don't think that's it. We go out and play. Opportunities come and you make the best of it. That's just what we go out there and try to do. We just have to learn how to play games start to finish. We have to learn how to win.
To Alex Zordich, on his touchdown run?
It was just wide open. There wasn't anything special about it. It was a perfect call for our offense. I was able to run it in there and get the touchdown. That's the kind of stuff that we need, we need more of that. That's what we're working on.
To Alex Zordich, on whether the wind was a factor.
We're used to it. It's like that in practice a lot. We get a lot of reps with that wind. It wasn't factor today.
To Alex Zordich, on Miami's defense
They did a good job today on bringing the pressure. There are no excuses we just have to keep up with our assignments and doing what we know we can do. We'll get this thing going.
To Domonic Cook, on whether the play by Ed Young changed momentum?
It was a good play. It would have been good for us. He obviously stepped out of bounds, but you can't look at one play for the whole game. It was a good play at the time and once it was overturned we moved onto the next one.
