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Virginia vs. North Carolina Postgame Notes
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Oct. 20, 2006
Recap | Final Stats | Notes | Photo Gallery 1 | Photo Gallery 2
Virginia Head Coach Al Groh:
“That looked a little bit more like Cavalier football is supposed to looklike. The coaches did an excellent job preparing our team in the shortweek.”
“They have a lot to feel positive about. We are starting to look like we’vealways felt this team could look like.”
“This is the best we’ve played. But, we still see things out there that needto get fixed so we can get better.”
On Cedric Peerman’s Third Down Rush for 19 yards
“It was really a critical time because we going to have to kick the ballback and not have very good field position. It’s really one of those keyplays that gets lost in the stats but certainly helps determine theoutcome.”
On Jameel Sewell
“There were some rocky times out there. Some key issues with play callingin the huddle the way we wanted it called. But, as he has done in allcircumstances, he stayed positive and kept his poise.”
On Jason Snelling
“Teams that can really run the ball need somebody who does more than justcarry the ball. We call it having a running back who can carry the flag forthe team and Jason did that for us tonight. He wasn’t the only who did it,but some of those runs he made were some warrior runs. He really did, Ithought, carry the flag and set the tone.”
On the defensive performance
“I want to make sure I don’t go too far with paying the defense credit forwhat they did to get their second ACC shutout of the year. Certainly, theyare continuing to step up and meet some challenges. I thought those threetake-aways were key tonight. Each one of them was a pretty significantplay.”
“One of the medals that you get in coaching is not about anyone else’sacknowledgement of what you’ve done or anything like that. The only onesthat count the most is to be able to stand in the lockeroom after a team hasaccomplished something and the brotherhood and collective pride they have inwhat they’ve accomplished. They certainly had that about them tonight and itwas gratifying to see.”
On Chris Cook
“Chris does this kind of stuff in practice. He has a way of having the ballend up in his hands. That was a really competitive play. He had to go inthere and get that one. That was about ability, but it was also aboutpreparation.”
Virginia Players
Virginia Freshman Quarterback Jameel Sewell
Thoughts on the game:
“Great job all around by the whole team. The defense definitely shut themout. We did what we had to do in terms of running the ball.”
On the rushing touchdown:
“We practiced that all week during practice and we ran the same way today.When the backer turned his back on me, I just ran in right behind him.”
On easy yards today:
“Yards are definitely easy to come by when we run the way we did today.Also, the blockers played well today. We only gave up one sack and that wasjust a miscommunication. We adjusted, came back and capitalized.”
Virginia Junior Kicker/Punter Chris Gould
On his overall performance:
“It was pretty good tonight, I kind of did it all. It helped that Ryan[Weigand] could kick the other punts, it helped me concentrate on kickingfield goals. It helped to get some early kicks there to help the team out,and then they were able to score touchdowns in the second half.”
On what 3 for 3 on field goals does for him:
“It really builds a lot of confidence, I mean I got one short one and twointermediate ones, which is where I have struggled this year, with theintermediate to long kicks. It gives me confidence going into next week.”
On Coach Groh’s decision to punt from the 35 yard line in the first half:
“It was definitely best for the team, we wanted to pin them down, especiallywith what happened last week with Maryland, seeing how fast they came backafter missing a 50 yard field goal. Maybe if we need the points next weekI’d like to try one.”
Virginia Junior Defensive End Chris Long
On what a shutout means to the team:
“It means a great deal. Anytime you win, you want to be critical of your ownperformance, and there are things we are going to be able to take from that.But its good to shut somebody out, and that’s what we want to do more aroundhere. We’re building a defense, and we’re excited about it.”
On UNC’s quarterback change:
“It didn’t change the way we approached the game. We knew he was a fast guy,he was athletic and made people miss, including myself. We had to swarm him,and so we did.”
How this affects the team’s confidence:
“I don’t think our confidence has gone up, this is just simply what wethought we could do, and we were just ready to show people what we could do.There is no better stage than on a Thursday night on ESPN.”
Virginia Senior Running Back Jason Snelling
On his career day:
“I’m happy about it, but I didn’t even really know until they told me aboutit. I am more happy we got the win and that our offense is clicking. Theoffensive line, I just have to take my hat off to them, they did a heck of ajob tonight.”
On this game as a confidence booster:
“I think it gives us a lot of confidence. Last week we got off to a quickstart with Maryland, but this week we carried it on. Now we are just goingto keep on working.”
His thoughts on settling for field goals in the first half:
“It’s frustrating because we want to score seven points every time we havethe ball. are just going to take our points though and keep it positive.”
His words on the Cavalier defense:
“Oh, shoot, they’ve been great all year, and it’s something I admire, seeingthem work every day in practice and then into the game. I’m really proud ofthem, they stepped up and made big plays, and our offense could just helpthem out.”
North Carolina Head Coach JOHN BUNTING:
On the loss:
“I can’t put into words how disappointed that locker room is. They’re adiscouraged group of kids right now. I do everything I can to pick them up.Things that happen sometimes out there, we don’t have an explanation for. Wedid some crazy things at times, we also did some good things. We ran thefootball a little bit sometimes. There were some plays to be made, and wedidn’t. We had some opportunities to do something special here tonight,going in at halftime down at that point 9-0. We gave them some yardage onthat last drive before half, which was really disappointing. They had athird-and-long conversion. We just couldn’t find a way to get more efficientwith our passing game. That’s where we are really, really hurting.”
On Ronnie McGill’s fumble in Virginia territory:
“What are you going to say? Ronnie McGill is one of the greatest kids I’veknown in my life. He’s a tough kid, plays hard, and give Virginia credit forripping the ball out. I couldn’t see how it came out, but I know he wasfighting for extra yards. And he’s really got to take care of that football.Anytime in this game … you have to take care of the football. You cannotlose that turnover march over and over like we’re doing.”
On Joe Dailey’s lateral, which was ruled a fumble:
“That’s what we thought, that’s what my coaches were telling me up in thebox: that was going to be overturned. But they called it as they saw it and,boy, it was a big play to start the second half — very disappointing.”
On preparations for Wake Forest:
“The players have a couple of days off, and I asked them to get their mindsright and come back home and play Wake Forest and do something specialthere. I’d like it to come together for them. I’d love it to come togetherfor our fans. But the players and coaches are going to have to work really,really hard.”
On playing two quarterbacks in the future:
“There’s a very good possibility of that. It’s something I’ve been thinkingabout all season long. We’ll decide, but it’s something that’s been on mymind for quite some time.
North Carolina Player Quotes
North Carolina Freshman Quarterback CAM SEXTON
On the offense tonight:
“We know we can run the ball efficiently, and we did that. We just didn’tscore, we couldn’t put points on the board.”
On the remainder of the season:
“We’ve been in that locker room too many times with the same speech. We’vegot five games left, and we’ve got one win. If I know it right, we need sixgames to be bowl eligible. So there is no reason we still can’t be bowleligible. We’re not going to quit. We are not going to quit. We will not.”
“It’s just all about the feeling, sitting around and feeling the same wayafter these games it’s tough. It’s like always, it’s a broken record. You’vegot to move on, move past it, and work past it. We’re not done. We can getto a bowl. I really believe that.”
North Carolina Senior Tight End JON HAMLETT
“It’s just frustrating. I thought we’d go out there and play hard. It’s justfrustrating.”
“We’ve got to keep playing together and stay together because it’s about us.We’re in this together; we can’t point fingers; that will bring us apart. Idon’t think we are going to do that. Our senior class is going to make thathappen. We’ve got to just keep playing and stay positive.”
“You don’t like to lose. It’s what the game is about. Someone’s going towin; someone’s going to lose. We’ve just got to keep practicing and keepplaying. We can’t give up. We’ve got five games left; I’ve got five gamesleft in college. There is a winner and a loser; it’s just whatever you dowith that, however you pick yourself up.”
North Carolina Junior Quarterback JOE DAILEY
“We got talent. We need a lot more passion. And what we’re going to need isopportunity.”
“We need a chance and opportunity to highlight out talents.”
“They generate a good pass rush. You got to have the right skills in orderto pick that up. They’ve got some strong guys opening up front as well aswell as backers. That’s like having six backers at the line of scrimmage allthe time. It’s hard for a linemen to get out there and pick up a lot ofthose guys. But they did a good job for the most part. I think they gavethem too many sacks. That’s a lack of execution. We have the skill but wecouldn’t execute it.”
“We have to pass the ball. Not to say that’s a weakness but right now wegot some really good guys back there that can make some things happen andwe’re failing to get them the ball.”