Nov. 26, 2011
Recap | Box Score | Notes | Photo Gallery
Stanford 28, Notre Dame 14
Notre Dame Head Coach Brian Kelly
Opening Statement...
Disappointed that we didn't come here to get the victory. We didn't come here to get the second prize. We came hereto get the win. Nobody in that locker room is happy with the outcome. We got off to a slow start and we battledagainst it. We kept playing, kept competing - proud of the way our guys battled. To me, the scoreboard showed 28-14 and that's not good enough but I love the heart of our team.
On the second half attempted comeback...
It's football. Sometimes there's just no easy answers. It's the ebb and flow of a football game. You have two goodfootball teams going at it and we got off to a bad start - we had penalties - which put us in a tough position early on.
Quarterback change to Hendrix...
We're just trying to win games. We're just trying to find ways to win and move the ball. We have to evaluate the guysthat'll give us a chance to win and Hendrix gave us a good chance today.
On the outcome of the game...
Two good teams playing, you cannot get down to the red zone and not put points on the board. We got off to a slowstart and didn't put points on the board and we had to fight against it.
Senior S Harrison Smith
On the second half defensive adjustments...
We just kept doing what we were doing. I think sometimes that we get used to the scene and we just keep gettingbetter and better. I think we definitely started out too slow, but we ended up coming around. We can't beat goodteams like Stanford if we start out too slow.
On being emotionally prepared...
There's no doubt [we were emotionally prepared]. I don't know why we didn't start out fast.
On ending the season 8-4...
It's not what Notre Dame should be. It's not what we expected. It is what it is.
Senior ILB Manti Te'o
On the defensive play...
We have to get the energy up and start executing. We had a couple of penalties that didn't really help us out. Westarted out rather slow, and that's something that can't happen against a team like Stanford.
On matching up with Stanford's tight ends...
Not only are they tall, but they're very athletic. They're really good players. There were a few times that we made afew plays on them, but overall, they did what they usually do.
On ending the season 8-4...
That's what we have right now. There's nothing else we can say but to go out and get that ninth win. That's thebottom line.
Stanford Head Coach David Shaw, Stanford University
About Andrew Luck...
There's no player in America like Andrew Luck. There really isn't. Forget about the stats, forget about thecomparisons of other guys or whatever, it doesn't matter. What he does at the line of scrimmage, what he does withthe ball you know, and the kid is completely unselfish. He doesn't care if you don't throw a pass, he doesn't careabout his stats, he doesn't try to get bigger stats so he can win awards. The kid is the definition of what you wouldwant at the quarterback position in all facets. I don't have a vote. We'll see what happens. I just know that he's oneof a kind. He's one of a kind. It's apples and oranges in my opinion between him and everybody else and I've seen alot of the other guys and there are a lot of really, really good football players. There's nobody like this guy.
On Coby Fleener...
Find me another tight end like Coby Fleener. We can't find him. There's not one in the country right now like him and,you know, we're trying, recruiting like crazy and we can't find one through recruiting either. He's a one of a kindfootball player.
On BCS ranking...
I wasn't trying to change minds. I wasn't bashing the BCS. I wasn't bashing any other teams. Just the explanationsthat I kept getting didn't make sense to me and I'm a common sense person and I just didn't understand the why's ofwhere we were.
On this senior class...
It's gotta be the best class in school history. We recruited guys that had the vision and that were going to come hereand do what is unheard of in today's football which is to be a top five education in the nation and a top five footballteam back-to-back years. I don't know if that's ever been done, you know, outside of when football first began as anortheastern sport in the Ivy's. You know, outside of them, I don't know if it's ever been done and what those guyshave done to do it and for our best players every year to be Academic All-Conference and Academic All Americans.We're doing it well and we're doing it the right way.
Junior QB Andrew Luck
On overall performance...
Good enough to get the game, and at the end of the day, that's all that matters.
Thoughts about last game at Stanford Stadium...
I approached it as my last game at this stadium... I thought it was a great deal for all the seniors to be able to run outintroduced. I though that that was pretty neat. I'll start looking back at it when the time is right, after whatever gamewe're in.
On turning Stanford program around...
I think we're all very proud to be apart of this program. To be apart of this turn around gives you a lot moresatisfaction than coming in and having everything be a cake walk... I couldn't be happier.
Senior TE Coby Fleener
On catching Luck's record-breaking touchdown...
I think it's something I'll be able to tell my kids and grandkids when I watch Andrew on TV someday, but then, I meanyou have to give the credit to the O-line for selling the run, and Andrew made a great throw. It worked out the waywe planned it.
Michael Thomas
On Pro Combat uniforms...
I love them.
On finishing his career with an interception...
It was great. We actually called that interception, since it was a third down. I think it put an exclamation point on allthe work that our team has done since I've been hear. I think it put an exclamation point on what we tried to get doneand accomplish here.
On playing with a potential Heisman winner...
First, just to say you played with somebody that wins the Heisman is great, but definitely, you look to see what theHeisman stands for, "the best player in college football.' He (Luck) continues to make plays for us, eh manages thisoffense the way that nobody else in the NCAA does. To me, that's the characteristics of the "best player," and he'scontinued to put us in a position to win games, and that's what we do, we win games... I think he definitely deservesto be one of the front runners. I think he's the best player in college football, hands down.
Senior OLB Chase Thomas
On pass rush...
Our coaches put us in a position to succeed. Credit the scheme that they put in. I saw my opportunities to make aplay and had to capitalize. I couldn't leave any plays on the field. I was happy that I made the plays when I had theopportunity to make them.