Sept. 28, 2002
Recap|Box Score|Notes|Photo Gallery
Stanford Head Coach Buddy Teevens:
"We had a couple chances early, but didn't capitalize, and that is when it started to get out of hand. I want to emphasize that my players didn't quit playing in all aspects of the game, we might have been a little under prepared but I put the blame on myself."
" Casey (Moore) did some good things, he had the big one. He is a tough guy and he kept running hard."
On his quarterbacks:
"We have two guys that can play and we were concerned about turnovers and putting the ball in the air. Chris (Lewis) started off good but was just not effective enough as far as controlling the ball. We put Kyle (Matter) in, he did a good job but just decided to put Chris in at the end. Competition is healthy and it will be good for both of the guys this week in practice to make each other work."
On ASU's Shaun McDonald and Andrew Walter
"McDonald was very impressive with catching the deep ball, speed and quickness. Walter throws the ball extremely well. We weren't able to put pressure on him so he threw the ball well."
QB Chris Lewis
"The time started slipping away and we just kept turning the ball over. We need to work on holding on to the ball. We made too many mistakes today but we just need to regroup for our next game at Notre Dame. Whenever you play in the Pac-10 you have to expect a high scoring game."
"This was a big disappointment. We didn't play the way we know how to play. We went out there and made a lot of mental errors that proved to be costly. I'm really at a loss for words. I don't know what exactly happened. We weren't throwing the ball that well and playing Stanford-style offense. I had that one mistake, one interception, where I was getting a little too greedy. But for that first part of the game, I thought that I was doing okay."
"ASU played a great game and deserved the win. It's just one game, it has happened to us before. It's one loss and we'll bounce back. Its not what we were looking for and we'll try again next week."
WR Teyo Johnson
"I've never lost a game that bad in my entire life in all the sports that I've played. The mistakes we made tonight were very obvious, but very fixable. The key players need to step up and make plays."
"I felt responsible for the first half. We looked at the fact that we beat ASU before and just looked past this Saturday. We took the last three years for granted. We didn't come in and set a tone. We didn't connect and didn't execute.
DT Matt Leonard
"They knew where our strengths and weaknesses were and exploited them. The plays were there, but we didn't make them. There was a lot of distractions and I hate bye weeks because every week you get better, except the bye. It's a setback where you have to start from scratch again."
"ASU took it to us. We have a lot of inexperienced defensive backs and our seniors need to set examples for them. We have a lot of younger players and they beat us in the passing game. They did a tremendous job disturbing our rhythm. We didn't focus, didn't come out to play, and we just didn't make the plays."
"They beat us in every aspect of the game. It was pretty miserable out there. We're taking this as a learning experience. We're going to remember this feeling, what it's like to lose and what it's like to get beaten on the football field and we're going to do our best not to let that happen again."
"As the season goes on, especially myself included, the teams get better. They grow more experienced. You can only learn so much going against the same guys in practice every day. They were on their fifth game and we're on our third. That had a lot to do with it, but I take my hat off to their coaching and their players. They wanted it more. This is not a good position to be in going in to the tougher part of our season."
"We're Stanford, we're supposed to be the intelligent guys and we looked like the Bad News Bears out there."
Colin Branch, FS #20
"They took some good shots down field. What was surprising is that we didn't cover. They made some great catches. They are good players, and you can't take a play off and expect it to work out. Its something that we've got to clean up. We'll spend next week focusing on what we need to do."
"When you're matched up, its man-on-man and they wanted it more. They played harder and we have to give some credit to their players. We played man on McDonald. We tried other formations, taking the safety out, but whatever it was, you have to play hard. He's not any better than our corners, he just beat us."
ASU Head Football Coach Dirk Koetter:
"We're really proud of the way our guys competed today. We talked about getting off to a fast start, and it wasn't the fastest start, but after the first drive when they went down and scored I thought we totally brought it physically. I'm real proud of the way we played, so many great performances, Andrew [Walter], Shaun [McDonald]. Defensively the hitting was great'there were just so many big hits'and the turnovers were great. I just couldn't be happier right now."
"Originally we talked about going no huddle because of the heat situation but as the week wore on the weather really changed on us and it wasn't nearly as hot today. We thought the no huddle would help us go up-tempo even if it didn't do anything to Stanford. We thought it would get us to play at a better tempo and it did that."
"To be honest, we didn't do a great job on offense of cashing in. We didn't finish off some of those drives with touchdowns and we had to settle for some field goals. Mike Barth was steady as always but we would have loved to finish off a couple more of those drives with touchdowns."
"So many guys made plays today and I think this team is developing some confidence. I really thought we were prepared as far back as Tuesday. I thought they were ready to play Tuesday night at practice. I'm just real proud of these guys. I like the way they act around each other, I like the way they can overcome adversity, I like the way they're physical. If we can keep that turnover thing going we'll be in good shape."
"Andrew [Walter] did make a couple guys miss early. With his knee not being 100% that's one thing I wasn't too sure of but that's one of the things Andrew has worked on. When he was a younger player he would have a tendency to take off and run for the sideline. He's doing so much better hanging in there and making guys miss."
"How great was it to get Daryl Lightfoot back into the fold and get that other playmaker on the other side. Justin Taplin made a couple nice catches today and Mike Pinkard made a great catch for his touchdown. I'm just really proud of these guys right now."
"We're going to need to run the ball a little better than we did today. But yet, in the first half we really didn't try to run the ball, Andrew was on fire and we just rode it. I'm pleased, you have to be able to execute and the guys did."
RB Cornell Canidate
On his first collegiate start:
"It was a great feeling being out there today. To have the support of my team when I was announced as the starter and from my family was great. The whole team gave me the confidence I needed to perform well. I was real shocked I was starting, especially because it was or first Pac-10 game. I felt honored when Coach (Dirk) Koetter announced me as the start. I knew I had everyone's support so I went out there and had fun.
"I was not as easy as high school. This is a whole level higher of play. There were times in high school when I had games like today, but I definitely wouldn't say it was easier out there today. The last time I had four touchdowns in a game was high school. That was a lot of fun, just like today."
On the play of QB Andrew Walter:
"Andrew had a great game for us today. He went out there, hung in the pocket and read the blitz. He also did well with his reads on the hot routes. Andrew had a great game for us and I am proud of him."
On the team's preparation:
"We prepared well for Stanford with our bye week. We talked about our game plan and knew they would use eight-man fronts to try and stop the run. They tried to shut the run down but our passing game really stepped up."
On the offensive attack by the Sun Devils:
"I think our attack went both ways today. Our run helped set up the pass and the pass also helped set up the run. Once their eight-man front was not stopping the run, they dropped off and we had success with the play action. They really did set up each other."
DE Terrell Suggs:
"Once we start winning games we'll get more respect. It's something you earn."
"They hit us on the first drive, but after that we opened up and played Sun Devil football."
On his interception:
"I dropped it before, but this time I caught it. Now my family can get off my back."
QB Andrew Walter:
"You can't expect a game like this, but we're pleased and we'll enjoy it."
On the offense:
"Offensively we were really hitting on all cylinders. For the most part the receivers made their plays, the line held, and I did my job."
"I feel real comfortable with the schemes we're running right now. Coming off last week I felt good. I watched the style of their defense and I thought we could take advantage of it."
On starting RB Cornell Canidate:"Cornell Canidate is fun to watch. If he gets in the open field he can shake them and make something happen."
"I don't think we get respect, but you have to earn it. I think we probably made a statement today, but if you can't do it every week this doesn't matter. We just have to keep our nose to the grindstone and keep working. If we can't carry this through the rest of the season this game is meaningless."
WR Shaun McDonald:
"They are a Pac-10 team, and they've got some great athletes too. Andrew (Walter) and I were really on the same page, and hopefully that stays with us through the rest of the season. Our offense started clicking a little bit in the second half of the San Diego State game, but now we're really on, and we need that to remain all season."
"Stanford's defense went for the fake on the play-action a lot which allowed me and the other receivers to play against the cornerbacks one-on-one. We have a lot of receiver depth in the roster and if we get the ball thrown to us, we're going to make the plays. We have great receivers all over the place, so you can't contain us for too long."
"I thought I was going to see a lot more coverage coming my way, but I guess they felt they had better athletes than us. We played a lot better today. I thought that bye-week came at the right time. It definitely helped me, and our team was mentally well-prepared."