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POINSETTIA BOWLDecember 23, 2010Ricky DobbsGreg JonesWyatt MiddletonKen NiumataloloSAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA NAVY – 14 COACH NIUMATALOLO: Well, first of all, I want to congratulate Coach Hoke and the San Diego State Aztecs. We got thoroughly whipped tonight. Good football team. We played a lot of places, played a lot of teams, and in my time here at the naval academy, that's as good of an offense we've seen. Defense, their defense played well. We couldn't convert down there in the red zone, but you know, take your hat off to them. They beat us pretty bad today. It's a good football program. Having said all that, still proud of our players, our seniors, our team, you know, after 13 of these and when you come to the end of this game, the finality of this for the seniors, it's unlike any other school. I don't know how to explain it. There's a ton of emotion in that locker room, whether we would have won or lost, it's still the same. You just have such respect for these young men and serving their country, great human beings, so I'm going to wish our seniors the best. And like I said, my hat goes off to San Diego State for their win. Q. Would you talk about what you said to the seniors in the locker room there after an emotional loss? COACH NIUMATALOLO: There's not much to be said. I just told them that the outcome of that game does not change my feelings for them and who those human beings are. These are young men that have come to the United States Naval Academy when we are in two major conflicts. I mean, that right there says it all to me. They have come voluntarily to the United States Naval Academy when our country is in two major conflicts. I mean, that just -- like I said, football is secondary, you know what I mean. I just have great love for them. Wish we could have played better. Just a lot of hugging and tears in there, because such great respect for those guys. Q. You mentioned not converting the red zone, particularly that opening drive of the third quarter? COACH NIUMATALOLO: Yeah, that was huge. We felt like we had another one, too, in the first half. We had a busted route so we had a guy over there that shouldn't have been there but our guy busted a route. It was still tough. If we converted those -- we had a hard time stopping those guys, Hillman and Lindley and their wide-outs, that offense is a potent offense. That's a hard offense to start. Q. You had said that you hoped the soggy field would slow them down; did you feel that happen, or that perhaps it made you guys slower getting to them and trying to chase them. COACH NIUMATALOLO: I don't know if that mattered. We could have played on a basketball court; those guys are pretty good. Sometimes you have to tip your hat to people, you know what I mean; that running back, he not only made up for them, I saw him take 180 yards against Missouri. That guy is a good football player. He's young but the country will see that kid, because obviously he's a very good football player. I thought Lindley played phenomenal, managed the game, obviously threw great balls, didn't force things. When things were covered, he ran it. They just had us on our heels all night. They could run the ball, throw it. We got a little bit out of sync offensively but like I said we kind of knew coming into the game that they were pretty potent but hoping that we could hold the ball a little bit more and keep them off the field and score. But couldn't get it done. Q. Second quarter you had a lot of momentum. Where do you think it got away from you? COACH NIUMATALOLO: We felt good coming out of half-time. You know we felt good coming out of half dime but we were down by seven, hopefully we could get down there, score, tie the game. Like I said, hope for the best, because like I said those guys are good on offense, and they were giving us a lot of trouble on defense, too. They are a good football team. Like I said, we played a lot of places, and that's as good a team as we've seen. Q. You said the country will see Ronnie Hillman. What impressed you most about him for a freshman? COACH NIUMATALOLO: Great composure, running power, he can run between the tackles and obviously run outside the tackles. He's a tough runner inside and out, and he's got great patience and vision. He's everything you want in a great back. He's not the biggest guy in the world, but what impressed me was his toughness. I mean, he's tough, very, very good football player. Q. Was there one element of their offense you wanted to try and take away first, be it Hillman or the passing attack? COACH NIUMATALOLO: You know, we tried to take one away then the other one -- we tried to take the away the run and they get you over the top, and then you get ready for the pass and they kill you with the run. But it always starts with the run. You've got to stop people from running the football and they could do both. Like I said they blocked us well and executed well. They were a well-oiled machine tonight. Q. What was it about San Diego's defense -- defensively they outplayed us. You know, on the ground, into the air, just a hell of a game, the offense couldn't stop it. They came out to play. Hats off to them. RICKY DOBBS: Offensively, just some opportunities that we missed and you know, we had to punt the ball, and wish we could have had them back, a couple of throws and a couple of reads could have made a difference, but they played really well. My hat tips off to them because they definitely fought hard. We didn't lay down. They definitely was just the better team today. Q. Can you talk about the start of the third quarter, the first drive? RICKY DOBBS: It was a play where, you know -- there was a play before, the time we scored before, the playaction on that, you know, they collapsed and the guy -- when he comes off so we wanted to sneak in right behind them but the safety, they just made a good play. It was in Bo's hands and he had it and he brought his hand in and disrupted a little bit. And it was just a good play on their part. That was it. The whole night, just different breaks, offensively and defensively, where everything was just going their way. The couple of fumbles they had, the fumble snap, they come around and turn it around and hand it off and get a first down. Just luck of the draw for the night. Q. Scoring at the beginning of the third quarter, was that the crucial turning point? RICKY DOBBS: I think it was the turning point just from the standpoint of get everything rolling, because coming out, scoring right out, and we made it right there. And you know, just to see it slip out of his hands right there, just like it was a little bit of a demoralizer but we was going to keep fighting and trying to come back with it. I think that played a part into it. Q. What were your thoughts on their running back? RICKY DOBBS: We knew coming in -- inaudible -- probably the best running back we have ever played this year. And he said he reminded him a little bit of McCoy and we knew we had our hands full. We just had to be able to play against the pass in the interim, but we definitely would have liked to have been on the end where we were controlling and running the ball like they did. Q. How tough is it, they have a running back like that and then the two wide receivers, how tough was it to try to take one away and then they get you with the other? WYATT MIDDLETON: It was definitely a challenge, like we have all said and we all knew going into this game, we have a huge challenge ahead of us and they use a lot of weapons. With that being said, from a defensive standpoint, you know, we had opportunities to make plays, we really didn't make them, and they took advantage of that. Now whether they were stopping the run at one point or stopping the pass, you have to give it to them, they played really well and we didn't take advantage of those opportunities that we had. Q. Wyatt, did the field conditions make it tough? I mean, they are a fast team, good skill people, did you feel like you guys were slowed down by the field? WYATT MIDDLETON: You know, you never can blame anything on external items. We can't really blame it on the field or anything like that. I don't really think that had anything to do with it because they were playing on the same field we were, so I don't think that had anything to do with it. Q. Thoughts on getting the class stuck on -- the winningest in modern day -- GREG JONES: Coming in, freshman year, the guys you're with, the bond actually grows. I think each class, going into a program, you want to be something special. And that loss, you know, trying to tie, I think the winning-most record, it hurts, but at the same time, I'd much rather take a loss and be with these guys than win and not have the bond that we have. It's definitely something special, and when we say brotherhood, these are my brothers, I mean, we mean it. I mean, each and every one of us can do anything. Q. Coach was pretty passionate about what's ahead of you after your football career, your naval career. Can you talk about your senior year, your last game, the Bowl game and what's ahead of you? RICKY DOBBS: We definitely wanted to go out the right way on top coming out with a win. But you know, it's like this whole season after a loss, we didn't have the bounce back, and it's the same way after this football season, we have to bounce back mentally because we definitely have something that's far more greater than football ahead of us. Us three are going to Navy and Tyler is going to the Marine Corps. So we definitely have our eyes set on that and something greater I think than sport at this level because we are going to be saving people's lives directly. Like Greg said the bond we made through the last game and our four years together has been unquestionable. Q. The record you guys set overall? RICKY DOBBS: Yeah, a little letdown, but just like I said, the memories and the bond and the lessons that we have learned this season, I wouldn't trade it for an undefeated season. Because I think the stuff that we have learned this season collectively as seniors and also the underclassmen, seeing how we deal with it, that's going to be transferred over for life when we get our own families and when we are out there as Marines out in the fleet, stuff like this, being able to bounce back after something that you've put everything into and have the expectation of yourself, falling short and being able to continue moving forward, I think is unparalleled and can't be matched, and I wouldn't trade that for an undefeated season any time. I would take a 9-4 with the lessons and the bumps and bruises and the trials and tribulations we went through before a 12-0 season. End of FastScripts |
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