Tulane Post Game Quotes
Post Game Quotes
Tulane at Hawai‘i
Nov. 26, 2011
Head Coach Greg McMackin
On putting Shane Austin in…
I thought David Graves did a great job. He threw for 260 yards and two TDs. He made some great plays, but at a certain point he either got hit or he wasn’t quite right.
So we made the change and Shane came in and he was 9 for 10 for almost 100 yards and put it away for us. They know they both have to be ready to play and I told Shane before the game, make sure you’re ready because you’re only one play away from playing. Both of them did a great job and I’m proud of them.
Surprised on how Tulane came out in the first few drives, matching scores with UH’s offense…
No, not really. They’ve been in their games, they didn’t have anything to lose so they went for it, and you can see their advantages at running backs, and I thought they competed really hard, I thought we let them into the game, as far as they started competing harder when they thought they had a chance to win it. I think that’s the first time we wanted the football to start with and we took it down and scored. Then when they got into the game a little bit, they started getting a little more competitive.
On the crowd…
I thought the people were good, they did a great job. I appreciate all the people that are here because they’re the true warriors and I know there’s other people that support us. The people that were here were very appreciated, we could here them, I don’t know how many thousand were here, I can never tell by the way we count them, but I do know that the players appreciated their support.
On the play call for UH’s game-clinching touchdown…
I wanted to put it away completely, I didn’t want any field goal, I wanted to put it away. We ran quarterback sneak, and didn’t get it in. The discussion was really what we wanted to run, and we decided to run an option, and that’s what the discussion was.
On the importance of next week’s game…
We said that we’re writing a three-chapter book and today was the first chapter and everybody contributing to writing to it in this first chapter, and now we have the second chapter, and we have to get that done before we work on the (third) chapter. That’s a very important ball game, and they’re a very good football team. It’s been a great rivalry in the past, and we’re going to have to let our guys know what it’s about and I’m sure they’re going to have to let their guys know. There’s a lot of friends on both teams, so I don’t think it will take much to get them out for each other.
Tulane interim head coach Mark Hutson
I talked to them in the locker room and after the game. I told them I've been fortunate enough to be on championship teams. But those championship teams never had their character tested like this group.
How Tulane stayed together despite coaching change
You see it all across the county, teams fragment. We didn't do that. Even though our record is 0-6 over that stretch. They stayed together, they believed in one another.
On Tulane’s defense
Defensively, they competed and really played hard tonight. Hawaii is an explosive team. Greg (McMackin, the Hawaii head coach) does a great job with them on offense."
"They gave us some opportunities in the first half on defense. Offensively, we missed a field goal, Hawaii blocked a field goal as time expired in the half. That's six points we left on the field. To win a game on the road against a competitive, talented group like Hawaii, we've got to take those opportunities and cash them in.
On Tulane’s players
My hat’s off to these youngesters for coming in here and finishing the season the right way, working hard. Give Hawaii credit. They're athletic, competitive and very physical. They played well tonight.
On what he said to team after game
I wished them the best and I told them they will be successful. We are teaching life skills and they learned from that.
