UVA players Kurt Benkert, Doni Dowling, Keeon Johnson, Albert Reid, Taquan Mizzell and Micah Kiser talk with reporters after the Cavs’ 32-25 loss to #5 Louisville on Saturday.
Junior Quarterback Kurt Benkert
On the final drive: “We’re never out of the fight. Just because you have a few bad drives doesn’t mean we can’t turn the ship around. We are an explosive team who can score when we don’t shoot ourselves in the foot.
On not being the same in the last 6 quarters: “I think it was a little bit of a challenge but I am confident in myself. It’s not just because I was playing below average for a few quarters doesn’t mean that I’ve lost it or anything, so I know what I am capable of.”
On running the ball today: “Some of it was designed and some of it was just holes opening up and they covered some of our guys pretty well. It’s something that I am still getting used to coming off of surgery and everything, but I’m just trying to utilize it going forward.”
On having the huddle today: “We were comfortable and we enjoyed it. It was nice to see the linemen talking a little bit more and killing time. I like seeing those guys because I usually only see them on the sidelines.”
On playing a highly ranked team and a potential Heisman Trophy winner: “I wouldn’t say it is pressure, we just knew that we would have to execute. We knew that we would have to score points to win and our defense played so well. They held them really well. I gave up a bad pick with bad foot position that they were able to capitalize off of, but it’s a team game and we know that when the defense plays well we have to capitalize on that.”
Junior Wide Receiver Doni Dowling
On the hurdle play: “I just caught the ball and once I shook them off, I had a little time to decide what I wanted to do. I know I was thinking about hurdling a couple times because I did it in high school a couple of times so I just went for it. The open field was a little iffy, so I knew I could jump over someone.”
On the development of the fourth quarter touchdown: “I was trusting Kurt to give me a route. He called for a slant so it was just one on one. The safety was a little over the top I think, but I knew if I beat him that the safety really couldn’t do much with my back to him. I trusted my hands and Kurt trusted me and I trusted that he would put it in the right place, and it all worked out.”
Senior Wide Receiver Keeon Johnson
On the fourth down catch similar to the one at UConn: “We’ve done it before. I just know I have to do my part. When they threw the ball, I just had to make the play.”
On the progress from playing against a team like Louisville: “At the end of the day it was them versus us, man against man. We just have to go out there and play no matter what they’re ranked or who has the best player. We did well throughout the game down to the last play.”
On the 30 yard catch: “I had a post and I saw the middle of the field open, so I took my shot. Kurt threw me the perfect ball right over the shoulder, so I jumped up and made the catch.”
On how tough the loss is: “We know we are capable of being a great team. We don’t take it to heart anymore, we know as long as we leave it out on the field we can’t really complain about much. Tomorrow we get back at it and grind all week.”
Senior tailback Albert Reid
On the final UVA offensive play: “Coach believed that we could get it to go and [see] if we could win the game or not. I knew that the play would work, so I knew we were going to win the game at that point.”
On whether this is a good moment for UVA football: “I felt like we made strides today but honestly I’m tired of making strides and not winning. I feel like the next few games we’re going to play hard and we’re going to win some games.”
On the impact of huddling on the game: “We put it in to slow the game down a little bit, to slow the game down on their side and start winning on offense and keep our defense on the field a little bit. Winning is part of the game plan.”
On Doni Dowling’s play: “It was a great play. Doni makes great plays out there and that play was just exciting. It gave us the chance to go down and drive and score.”
Senior tailback Taquan Mizzell
On Mendenhall’s decision to go for the two-point play: “I had a feeling he was going to do that. Coach is very aggressive. He trusts our preparation, so once he called it he knew we were going to get it.”
On sentiments from the sidelines during the two-point play: “A lot of people were nervous. I was very nervous. It was hard for me to watch at first, but that play has worked 10 times out of 10 this year. I was very confident. Our defense played a great game that whole entire game. I thought they were going to pull it off.”
On getting over the “hump:” “That’s it, just one play. They’re the No. 5 team in the country and we’re just trying to show the world that when you come to Scott Stadium, it isn’t going to be easy.”
Junior Linebacker Micah Kiser
On performance from the defensive line: “I think I executed pretty well, given the player and the team, coming in as an underdog, and taking them to the last 13 seconds. We contained them pretty well. On defense I’m proud that we had five sacks. That’s the most he’s been sacked all year. We definitely executed the game plan. That’s one of the bigger spreads and definitely one of the bigger ones I’ve seen.”
On whether the game was indicative of progress: “Defensively I think this was our best game. We were doing what Coach Mendenhall wanted us to do. Right now we’re just trusting the process. Right now there are still a lot of young guys playing, a lot of freshmen like Eli Hanback, who haven’t really played much, especially in the secondary, so we’re getting better. This is Coach Mendenhall’s first year here, really establishing the culture. You have to trust the process and you can’t quit on it.”
Share
Contributors
