Wake Forest vs. North Carolina Post Game Quotes
11/13/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 13, 2004
Recap | Final Stats | Notes
WINSTON-SALEM, NC - Wake Forest Head Coach Jim Grobe:
On the game ... "This loss is tougher for us because it is further down the line. It is a win that we really needed to progress to the next level. We played well today but not well enough. We played good football teams and played them as hard as we can, we didn't play well enough, we had too many penalties and just didn't get the job done."
On the season... "This was a nine and one season, no question about it. I have been involved in a lot of close losses, but never this many in one season, no question about it. I feel bad for our guys. We have a lot of discouraged guys right now because they have been working so hard. I have told them to hold your head up and be tough about it. When you play in the ACC you are going to play a lot of good teams every year. We have no excuses, we didn't play well enough to win, that is the bottom line. We try to be a football team that plays as hard as we can and if we don't play well enough, we don't make any excuses.
On Marcus McGruder... "He has been one of my favorite guys this year. When he got beat on plays earlier on the season, he took it really hard and close to heart. Of my guys he shows one of the best positive attitudes, good work ethic and has developed into one of my best players."
Wake Forest Players: Josh Gattis:
On the emotion of the game... "We needed this game really bad, we just didn't capitalize on key plays. We needed to bounce back and we didn't accomplish that."
On Durant: "He is a great quarterback. We came in knowing that we had to limit his big plays and we didn't do this, but he deserves the credit because he is a great athlete."
Blake Lingruen:
"It was exciting to see a crowd this big and I wish we could have won for the crowd. We have a heck o f a challenge ahead of us. Since I've been here we haven't liked to do things the easy way. We like the challenge. If we have to do it the hard way, that is fine by me. We knew they came in ready to play and this game had bowl indications. The emotions were high and they played great."
North Carolina Head Coach John Bunting:
On the game...
"This was a heck of a football game. I am really proud of our guys being able to hang in there and play four quarters. It didn't look good at one point and they did a terrific job of rallying around each other. They knew it would take four quarters to beat this football team. Wake has been in every game that they have played and they did a heck of a job getting themselves back in the game. To see us come back and win this ball game in the end spoke for the coaching staff and the team holding tough."
North Carolina linebacker Doug Justice:
On the win today:
"We did what it took. We still have work to do because we can not give up 14 points in a single quarter. Wake Forest played well today and it was an exciting game, and it felt good to win. Now we must keep it up."
North Carolina wide receiver Derrele Mitchell:
On the game...
"I felt like I had a good game today. It could have been better but I made the big plays when it counted. This was a big game for us and a bowl game situation for us. I am just glad that we won."
North Carolina tailback Chad Scott:
On the game...
"Coach worked hard for our team all season. As far as the players, we made some adjustments at half time and worked on misdirection play mistakes. This game was very important for us to continue into post season play. We must continue to play hard. Coach Bunting is a great coach and we don't want to be the downfall of the team. I could not think of anyone better to coach this football program."