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Postgame comments from Virginia head coach Al Groh and Georgia Tech head coach Paul Johnson.
VIRGINIA HEAD COACH AL GROH
Opening Statement
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“Well, that was another we, us and our win. Everybody on the team stepped up strong – staff, offense, defense, special teams. Anything less from any of those areas would have made it very hard. I’m very proud of the way our players responded. It was about as challenging as it can get after we found ourselves behind so quickly like that. The defensive kids were just so tough-minded. They were able to handle so many adjustments once we got a fix on things. Offensively they did a great job. They kept the other team off the field for long stretches of time. Marc did a great job for us, and it was just fitting that the game ended with two significant plays from our two captains from 29 South – Cedric and Vic.”
On what you did after Georgia Tech’s first series, what adjustments were made
“We scrambled around a lot. One of the things about (Tech’s) offense – it’s not just the plays themselves. It’s the multitude of blocking schemes with which each one of those plays can be put together. As we got a little bit of a look at what those things were, then we could go specifically to some schemes that might give the players a better chance. But, once again, all the credit goes to those players on the field. Against any offense, it’s up to the players on the field to beat blocks. If you beat blocks, then you’re going to make plays and stop them. If you beat blocks, it doesn’t make any difference what schemes you call. Yes, we put them in positions to do some things, but the players did everything. They really stepped up.”
On Virginia’s drive after Tech pulled ahead 14-3 (Ogletree TD catch)
“That was a great call at that time, gutty, great throw and great execution. Marc put it right out there. Kevin and Mo (Covington) showed what great value they have to us, and that we can do some great things with the passing game when they’re both on their game. They struggled to get on their game early in the year due to circumstances beyond their control. They’re feeling a lot perkier now.”
On holding Tech to a field goal after Verica fumbled.
“That came as a result of players beating blocks. The players demonstrated their determination. That’s a sticky situation to be in. There’s no rule that says they have to score. They really stepped up there and made some stops, and put us in position to come back and not have to play catch-up.”
On Cedric Peerman’s performance
“I’m almost uncomfortable talking about him, because there is nothing I can say about Cedric that would do him justice to anybody who saw it with their own eyes. His play just speaks for itself.”
On the game-winning drive
“We showed a lot of poise, and there were some big calls there. We got behind on down and distance on a couple of occasions, and plays had to be made. We really stepped up on those things. Cedric just stepped up himself, and said I’m getting this thing down there for a first down. As has been the case on a number of these drives over the past couple of years, a lot of determination and a lot of calm.”
Georgia Tech Head Coach Paul Johnson
Opening Statement
“I’m really disappointed. We made enough mistakes in about every area to lose the game twice over. We turned the ball over three times on offense. I think on defense, we forced one punt. I know in the first half, they ran 45 plays and we had the ball four times. In the second half, I don’t know if we were a whole lot better. You have to give them (Virginia) credit. They came in here and did what they had to do to win the game. We didn’t get it done.”
On Virginia’s ability to convert on third down
”It was pretty good, wasn’t it? We missed a ton of tackles. We’ve been getting a lot of pressure on the quarterback and today they (Virginia) protected the quarterback pretty good and we didn’t get as much pressure and you know Jahi (Word-Daniels) didn’t play and Dominique (Reese) left at halftime. So we were playing with some young guys. We’ve got a couple of freshmen back there playing. It wasn’t all on them. We made enough mistakes; we turned their back loose two or three times. To their credit, the guy was pretty accurate. It will be interesting to watch the tape. They protected pretty good. It looked like some people were in headlocks half the time. You have to give them credit, they protected pretty good.”
Addressing Turnovers and Fumbles before the Florida State Game
”Tell them to stop. I really don’t know what else you do. At this level, you’d like to think you could get the center to quarterback exchange. The one on the goal line, he just fumbled the ball. That was two, I can’t think of any others. And the interception at the end was a poor decision. We actually had a chance there at the end. We were trying to run some out-cuts and if they set on them we take them up and they set on them both times. They set on Bay-Bay took and he took it up, which is kind of what you want. I guess he had a chance to make a play, but I don’t know. I couldn’t see it from our sidelines.”
On Why the Two Fumbles Happened in the Game
“I don’t know. If I knew, we wouldn’t fumble. They fumbled the center-quarterback exchange. I mean, we take hundreds of those every day. Sometimes fumbles happen. We probably aren’t the only team to fumble the center-quarterback exchange. On the other fumble, he didn’t get off and he fumbled. He just didn’t get off the B-Back in time. It’s disappointing when that happens. Both times in the second half, we started to get something going, we string together a couple of first downs and we do that.”