STANFORD UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

November 14, 2020

Malik Antoine

Postgame Media Conference

Colorado - 35, Stanford - 32

Q. Can you just divide the game up between when you got down 28-9 kind of what wasn't working or what you guys were missing out on? And what turned it around for you guys with the way you closed out the game on defense?

MALIK ANTOINE: I think it really just came down to us executing. Nothing really changed within our game plan, just guys did their job, me included. Throughout that, going down by 20 points, I think we most of us, we just were making little dumb mistakes that we can't make versus a good team. So it really just comes down to execution. I think towards the end of the game we got settled in and we started executing better. But towards that middle section, second and third quarter, we kind of just weren't executing. And I hold myself accountable as a leader and I'm going to push the guys forward to, we have to execute to play well, like, when we execute, we're a great defense, but when one guy misses his assignment, it affects everything.

Q. What's the big differences on third downs against the Buffs today?

MALIK ANTOINE: Say that again.

Q. What were some of the big differences on third down for the Buffs?

MALIK ANTOINE: I think they really got into their boot game, pass game that was really successful for them. Going in we knew that they were going to bring that, but a lot of times we kind of lost our eyes on the back end and that's things we can't if we want to be a great defense. So, again, it comes down to execution. When guys do their job, we're really good, but when one of our 11 makes a mistake, it shows against a good team.

Q. You've touched on this with a couple of answers, but wondering your thoughts overall two weeks into the season about the performance of the defensive backs in particular. We have now heard a bit of the same thing from both you and Kendall after the Oregon game, about eye discipline. With this season being so short and so little time to really like turn things around, what are your thoughts on two weeks in what you've shown and what needs to get better?

MALIK ANTOINE: Yeah, I think you kind of hit on it. Collectively, we have to get better execution-wise. Too many times where one guy is not doing their job and it shows up. So that's one thing. Also I think we can all get better at tackling, we can all get better at playing the ball down the field. I think even when we're in coverage sometimes guys just don't make the plays. So on the back end we have to execute, we have to finish the play and we just have to tackle better.