Opening Statement:
“We're still working off of the 24-hour rule and still kind of basking in a great afternoon and a great win. As you go back and study the film, there was a lot of good football played. The defense stood up and did a lot of good things in that game. They had their backs to the wall quite a bit and dealt with it well. Offensively, when you have scoring drives of more than 80 yards and two of almost 70, one was 13 plays and the other two went for almost 10 plays, and to do it on the road, there's a lot to be said for that. Especially to have two touchdowns drives like that, almost two 70-yard drives in the fourth quarter is really outstanding. I thought it was a great win, as I mentioned last night, for the team and each of these people that were involved, coaches included, for the program and the Syracuse community. To go in there and beat Notre Dame at Notre Dame is a feather in everyone's cap."
After reviewing the film, have you been able to take a step back and really realize what these guys have done?
“I've already started to watch the film on Cincinnati, so it's begun to wear off. It's a great win. But as the day goes on today, you begin to forget. That's just kind of how it works for a coach. At the same time, we were just here with the team a little while ago and I think it's more of a sense of accomplishment that permeates throughout the team right now."
How special was it for you to see your players' faces after that win?
“It was very special. I have always believed they have had something in them like that, to put it all together and step up. I'd like to believe it's something that can really thrust the football team ahead. The thing I look at in that game is that so many different people, and so many young people contributed. Here's Nick Provo making two critical catches in the game and he also executed his routes well. Then you see Van Chew making a critical catch and you see Marcus Sales making a critical catch. You see Antwon Bailey running out there. They are freshmen. You see four offensive linemen who are sophomores from (Tucker) Baumbach to Ryan (Bartholomew) to (Jim) McKenzie to (Jonathan) Meldrum played a majority of the game. Obviously (senior) Corey Chavers was in there as well as (senior) Ryan Durand, but it's good to see those young guys out there performing and performing better. It's the same thing on the defensive side. We see young players starting to emerge. It was also great to see the effort of defensive tackle Arthur Jones. I have to believe it's the best defensive effort by an individual player since I've been at Syracuse. There have been some really good efforts, but I thought he was outstanding. It was great to see all of those things and to see the exuberance. It's what I've been trying to tell them. Sometimes, you can get down and think that all is lost. But no, there's always something still left. That was the part I really, really do like."
What brought this performance out? Why now? Why not the rest of the season?
“I think that we were close at different times. For a little while in the Northwestern game I thought we were playing pretty darn good. The offense was doing some good things and the defense was playing very well. I try to tell you guys about Northwestern. What are they, 9-3? They're a good football team and they're going to be ranked. I thought at times we played well but we just weren't certain on who we were at that that time. In Pitt, for three quarters, we looked like a good football team on both sides of the ball and the kicking game, as well. At West Virginia, I thought we controlled that football game. It's unfortunate that we didn't win it, but I thought that there was a lot of very good football played in that game. I think that against Louisville, the team played very well. There have been moments, but I thought that this was a real defining moment. You just keep working, you keep working to get better. That's really what happened. It just takes time."
Did what transpire last weekend push this team at Notre Dame?
“I don't really think so. I think it could've been a distraction. These players are a proud group and to have the opportunity to go to Notre Dame and play on national television was special. We knew about all the different places in the world that were able to access the game. We even heard from a Syracuse guy who is an officer over in Afghanistan, in the line of battle as we speak. He and a group of Syracuse people were there with their Syracuse flag and were able to the get game on the internet. They emailed us to tell us that they were so proud of us. The team knew that they had an opportunity to do something special and they got it done."
What convinced you to use running back Antwon Bailey in the 'wildcat' formation?
“We had it in last week, as well, but were never really able to get to using all of it. We were not making first downs, and like I said, the offense proliferates, whereas this week we were able to get it going and were able to insert that into the offense. He made the most of it, as did those guys that were working of there for him."
Could you assess Antwon Bailey's play a little bit further?
“He threw the pass and got it out there and it was a great catch by Danny (Sheeran). Danny was wide-open. Antwon can throw the football and that's a good thing. He had some great blocks for Curtis (Brinkley). He's just a good little football player. And do you know what? There are others who haven't gotten their opportunity yet. It's good to see. I wasn't kidding last night when I said that he was an all-around guy. He's a heck of a student, he takes care of business in everything he does and he's serious about football. He's been rewarded for it."
Do people underestimate the talent you guys have?
“That's why I've mentioned to you about (Nick) Provo. I think Nick's going to be a heck of a player someday. I mentioned Marcus Sales and Van Chew and they have both caught touchdown passes as true freshmen. Antwon is a true freshman. When you talk about sophomore offensive linemen playing so much and that is with Adam Rosner sitting there with his ankle in a boot waiting to get back in there and play. I think that there is young talent beginning to emerge and that's how it happens. And you know, Notre Dame's going through that a little bit, too. They have some young players that are emerging for them, but it hasn't all come to fruition yet."
What are your thoughts on the possibility of upsetting another team like Cincinnati?
“I think that this is a real challenge for our football team. You come off of a very emotional win and the hardest thing we'll have to deal with is that, outside of the people in our little room right here, everyone will want to talk about the Notre Dame game. We have to focus in on what's important now. You have to be strong-minded to do that and that's the challenge that we have put to us. We've talked about it and I think our coaching staff will do a great job working hard to keep our team focused."
Could you just talk a little about the rollercoaster of emotions you've been through in the last week?
“I said this at Notre Dame that in my dealing with the media that's the time that I have to talk about this and I'm not being sarcastic about it. Other than that, I don't talk about it and we don't talk about it because it's not an issue right now. This isn't the issue. The issue is we had the opportunity to play Notre Dame. Now, we have the opportunity to play the team that's riding high in the BIG EAST. That's really where the focus is. The times when these things come up are when I'm asked about it right here. It plays with you for a few minutes and then it's gone."
Do you have time to think about all of it in your own time?
“I really do all I can not to. I really try to maintain the focus on the things that I am in control of right now, and that's this football team. All that stuff, like I said, we'll talk come next week. That's when we'll talk."
What was it like hearing your team chant your name knowing they support you?
“They were having fun. They were having a good time. At times like that, it's very nice. (smiling) But you know, if we don't do so well next week, they might be chanting something else. We were all celebrating a great win and it was great to be down on that field after the game and to be a part of that whole Notre Dame thing. I think out team did a very, very good job of embracing the Notre Dame aura, because there is that, and at the same time, never losing focus about how they were going out to be that football team. Even after the game, I thought that they did a good job of embracing it, as well. I was just happy that they were able to get the whole experience and win."
Where does this win rank for you in your coaching career, including your Super Bowl wins?
“This is right up there. It really was because I just wanted so badly for this team to taste something special like this. I think it's the biggest win since I have been here. They've also all had to fight what they have been through this year. In their own minds, they can see how they can get better and are getting better. They have had a challenge put to them. They have had a tough schedule. Somebody told last night that it's a top-10 schedule, so that is a challenge in itself. When you have a young football team, you take some hits. I can tell you this, winning the Super Bowl was very exciting and winning the Rose Bowl was very exciting, but this, this was very, very exciting for all of us.”