Post-Game Quotes: AU 45, FAU 10

Post-Game Quotes: AU 45, FAU 10


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Opening statement...
"Very happy to get win No. 7. I really felt like our guys were ready to play. There was a lot of questions about how we would respond after a big win. I'd say our guys answered that by jumping on them early and taking care of business."

On Nick Marshall's injury...
"No, there is no update at this time."

On the play Marshall was hurt on...
"I guess it was the play where he went down and we had to go get him."

On confidence and Jeremy Johnson...
"We're confident in Jeremy and Jeremy is a really good quarterback. We know he's got some good experience now and we'll see."

On what Nick Marshall said after being injured...
"He was just encouraging Jeremy. He was excited for Jeremy making plays, and had a smile on his face."

On the defense...
"The defense did a good job. That group had two weeks to prepare for us and to come up with a plan. I really felt like our defense played solid, especially after they found out what their scheme was going to be."

On the run-game...
"Any time you can spread the ball around, it's a good thing. The offensive line came out and played well. Our running backs did a good job and any time you can run the football, usually good things happen."

On offense in the first half...
"They do have a good defense. They can really run. They've got 11 guys they can put out there who can flat out play. Of course, our plan was to try to wear them down. I feel like they didn't have the depth, but their first 11 are very solid."

On the FAU run-defense...
"That's what they were really giving us. Early on, you're trying to get some feel-out time. We knew they had two weeks to prepare. We were trying to gather information, and they were giving that same information back to us."

On Jeremy Johnson's first play...
"I think it was a third-down play, and it just happened to be one of our third-down plays. Jeremy gets a lot of reps in practice anyway, and Coach (Rhett) Lashlee is doing a good job with distributing the reps. That just happened to be the play call for that situation."

On how things changed with Jeremy in the game...
"Well, Jeremy can do it. He's a very good runner in his own right. He's got long arms and does a good job. It really doesn't change that much from a play-caller standpoint. Obviously, Nick (Marshall) is electric with the ball, but Jeremy is not too far behind."

On throwing the deep ball...
"We felt like he (Jeremy Johnson) throws the deep ball very well. He's got great trajectory, and he can really throw."

On Sammie Coates...
"Sammie can really run, and he's starting to establish himself as our deep threat. When you have a deep threat, that opens up other things."

On being the favorite going forward...
"I know it sounds like I'm saying the same thing every week. It's about Arkansas. It's about going on the road. It's about trying to play our best football and we're not worried about all the underdogs or favorites. That's our mindset."

On the team's confidence...
"Any time you're winning, you're playing pretty good football. You have some things you can build upon. Every week's different."

On Chris Davis's punt return...
"Boy, that was really nice. He caught the ball near the goal line, and came right back out. He had a couple of good blocks, and he almost took that the distance. It was a big shot in the arm."

On Chris Davis's other two punt returns...
"Yeah, I'll just have to look at the video. He got hit pretty hard on that one. That usually has an effect."

On five players taking snaps...
"I think any time you get to the second half of a game, you're wanting to play some people and wanting to run the clock out, and get out with a victory. That was kind of what happened."

On going back to Arkansas...
"To be honest with you, it's just another game for us. I've been back before and played before. We're just trying to do everything in our power to play good football, and try to come out with a victory."

On the first three drives...
"Any time we get our pace going, that's a good thing. When you're able to do that, of course once we got a lead, it was a little bit different. We we're trying to run the clock out."
 
On his first play throwing it downfield to Sammy ...
"Sammy is a speed guy and he got away from his coverage. I gave him a chance to go get it and he made the catch."

On talking with Nick on the sidelines ...
"He was just motivating me. We always motivate each other all the time. He was just telling me to lead and go out and do my thing."

On whether he'll be ready to start next week if needed ...
"If my number is called, then yes sir, I'll be ready."
 
On the defensive play ...
"We played well. Coach had an objective about playing physical and dominating, and I feel like we did that. We wanted to make the least amount of mental mistakes and I think we did that."

On his game ...
"I'm just trying to get back into it. I've missed a few games, so I'm just trying to get back into it and help the defense any way I can. I felt good. I got back there and got a few kinks out and it felt like old times."

On the progress of the defense ...
"Day-by-day and week-by-week we're getting better. We're preparing to go to the next step. We had to be focused tonight and not let them make it a game."
 
On getting to play more tonight ...
"It felt good going out there catching a few passes, blocking on the perimeter and pretty much executing very well on offense."

On the frustration of his injury ...
"It was extremely frustrating because it was I thought it was going to be minor, and I'd be able to bounce back pretty quickly but with the help of the training staff, they got me back in the groove pretty quick."

On the offense with Wallace at QB ...
"I feel like it went great. We didn't miss a beat. We're confident in Jeremy and we're confident in all our quarterbacks in general. Jeremy came up and played a phenomenal game."
 
On the season so far...
"We're very confident. We know the things we have to do. We know the work we have to put in. Confidence is built during the week. I think we are going to take practice very seriously, and take our game plan very seriously, because that is what got us here."

On Nick Marshall...
"I knew he was going to be okay. I just wanted to slap him on the head for trying to be a tough guy. I knew he would be fine."

On Arkansas...
"We are very confident and have an incentive to win because it is an SEC game. We have a four-game stretch coming on. For the next four weeks, we need to remember what you do in November. We need to take everything we've been doing to the next four games."
 
On the season so far...
"We have an ultimate goal. That ultimate goal is to win out. We're taking it one game at a time, one day at a time and one practice at a time."

On staying focus...
"You watch teams every week lose focus and have an upset game during the season. We've been playing great, and we were able to come out tonight and put it away."

On the team performance...
"We've been through a lot. We understand we had to do a lot and put the game away early. We came out with a great mindset, and we were able to execute."
 
On team's confidence...
"We feel like we can beat anybody. We are just going to keep working, and we'll see where we are out when the smoke clears at the end of the season."

On running game...
"We knew coming into the season and this game that the running game was going to be a strength for the team. It has been. We have a great offensive line that open holes for us. We are getting better at it every week."

On Arkansas...
"We are just going to keep moving forward and do the things that go us here. Coach Malzahn keeps us grounded, so there is no way we are going to lose focus going into Arkansas.
 
On the loss tonight ...
"There were a lot of injuries tonight and that was a big part of it. They have to understand that we still have a Conference USA stretch coming up."

On moving forward...
"That is my intention. I told the guys that we were going to leave it here. We are going to worry about Tulane and our upcoming conference games and that is it."

On the number of guys lost due to injuries...
"It is hard to say. Freedom (Whitfield) is back in the locker room. I think we lost six or seven through the course of the game and hopefully we can get most of those guys back."

On his first thoughts about Freedom...
"It is scary when you first walk up. I thought he was out cold. When you first walk up you are not sure if he is out or if he is just not moving. When he came to and answered a couple questions, although incorrectly, he was moving his arms, but he was still pretty out of it. It was great to see him walking back in that locker room that is for sure."

On winning last four games for bowl potential...
"We are capable of doing it. I have been saying that all year. We are very capable of doing that as a football team and that is what our goal is."

On Auburn's running game...
"They have a great running game. We were not surprised at all. We knew they had a great game. They did not do anything really surprise wise. They are strong and are very good up front. They have good speed on the outside. They beat you with their speed, you have to spread it out. They beat you inside. They are a good football team."