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Oct. 25, 2003
Recap?|?Box Score?|?Notes?|?Photo Gallery | Video Highlights and Postgame Comments
VIRGINIA COACH Al Groh
I’m pleased with the way the defense played. We’ve been trying to get to this level for a couple of seasons. Our players showed a lot of resolved. If a team gets a big play on them or moves the ball, they don’t get down. They keep playing.
At this time of year, the teams who take the ball away and the teams that don’t give it away — those are crucial factors coming down the stretch.
To be a good running team, you have to be able to run the ball play after play after play. I wasn’t satisfied with our running game today.
(On the pressure on the quarterback)
Pressure on the quarterback is not just a chance for a sack. It’s a chance to turn the ball over and get advantageous field position. We have to finish some of those chances off.
Alvin [Pearman] was very productive today, as he was last week. He’s got a good sprint to him. He’s got a lot of heart, and he’s got good stamina.
TROY STATE COACH LARRY BLAKENEY
Number one, Virginia’s got a real fine football team. Number two, we played our (tails) off in the second half. They didn’t throw in the towel and let them make it a rout.
These road trips we’ve been on, you’re going to find yourself with some turnovers and you’re going to find yourself with some 14-0 holes to dig out of. And you’re going to find you ain’t gonna dig out of many of them. … It’s sort of like churning butter. If you churn it long enough, it’ll get right and you’ll get you some butter. We’re churning hard and these players are playing hard, but we’re still finding ways to screw it up.
We weren’t very good offensively again against good competition. I thought we’d match up a little bit better against Virginia. The crowd bothered us a little bit. When you go on the road, you’re going to experience some crowd noise and you’re going to experience the fact that you don’t know any of the referees.
(Comparing Virginia to Kansas St., Minnesota and Nebraska)
Virginia can compete with any of those guys. Virginia, because they’re more multiple offensively, I think they would maybe even beat Nebraska. They look like those teams. Defensively, they’re getting there. They’re not quite as good, maybe, as Nebraska’s “Blackshirts.”
(On Alvin Pearman)
I was impressed this guy. I was impressed with him on tape. He’s a total player, running and receiving.