Virginia Player Quotes

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Virginia vs. Georgia Tech
Oct. 24, 2009
UVa Player Quotes

Senior Defensive End Nate Collins
On preparation this past week:
“Our scout team did a great job this week in giving us a lot of looks. They had an extra practice this week, and they were able to help us prepare for a very unconventional offense. Unfortunately we had a few cases where we weren’t able to stick to our assignments, and that’s what showed up on the scoreboard at the end of the game.”

On switching today from end to tackle:
“It’s something we did last year against Georgia Tech, and coach [Groh] thought it would give us some favorable looks. The point is to get me matched up with their center. It was successful at points, but not enough to get the win.”

On moving forward:
“We have no choice but to put this behind us and move forward. We have another tough conference game next week we have to prepare for. We will digest the film of this one tomorrow, and then starting Tuesday we have to shift focus to working on a tough Duke team.”

Senior Quarterback Jameel Sewell
On offensive bright spots:
“Play action was able to open some things up for us. We had some success early on in the rain, but in the end, we didn’t make enough plays to win the game.”

On Robert Randolph’s 49 yard field goal:
“Randolph does a lot for the confidence of the offense. We have had some trouble in the red zone, but with him hitting from 49, it gives us confidence that we are going to get points out of a drive no matter what.”

On running game:
“We weren’t able to run the ball today very well today because they weren’t respecting our passing game. I have to do a better job making good throws and completing passes.”

On moving forward:
“This is a team that never quits. We have to watch film tomorrow, and then put this one behind us and start preparation for a big home game next week.”

Sophomore kicker Robert Randolph
On career long 49-yard field goal:
“Everything went well on the play. The snap was good, the hold was good, and I was able to hit it pretty well. We weren’t able to get the win today, so we are all disappointed.”

On the decision to kick from 49 in pouring rain:
“It surely helps my confidence, but it also reassures the coaches that I will be able to make kicks from that distance if we need to.”

On team’s psyche:
“Coach [Groh] has stressed it all year. After a disappointing loss, it’s very important to put it behind you because the season keeps moving. This week in practice, we have to play harder, execute better, and hopefully right the ship next week.”

Senior Linebacker Denzel Burrell
On the effect of the weather on the game
“The weather did not really have an effect on us as a defense. We played in it last week at Maryland. We were just hoping that if it did rain, that it would work to our advantage. A wet ball can be slippery, and they like to run the ball a lot. We did not see it as a big factor, so we just kept playing, and unfortunately, we were unable to come out with a win today.”

On Georgia Tech’s long drives and the effect on defensive moral
“It’s tough to see an opponent marching down the field, and time of possession is critical, especially in the second half. That made it tough for the offense to put drives together and get down the field to score. It also taxes the defense both mentally and physically, so it made things tough and we just couldn’t piece 60 full minutes together.”

On moving on to Duke next weekend
“We just have to keep going and take one day at a time. This is just one game so after this one we have to forget about it and move on to Duke.”

“We face a tough opponent in Duke, so we need to have a great week of preparation to get ready for them.”

Senior Wide Receiver Vic Hall
On the effect of weather on the game
“I didn’t feel like weather was an issue. I just think we didn’t execute as well as we wanted to. That was the biggest reason for the loss.”

On missed opportunities
“We did not execute as well as we wanted to, but that is a part of the game. We just have to come back next week and get better. That way we can capitalize on those opportunities the next time they present themselves.”

On the long pass play from Sewell
“We always talk about ‘doing your job,’ and I was just doing my job on that play just like Jameel did his job.”

On the rest of the season
“You win games and you lose games. We would rather win, but sometimes you lose and have to pick it up from there and get better.”