Penn State Post-Game Quotes

Penn State Coach Joe Paterno

On the game
"I have to look at the tapes but we turned the ball over too many times obviously. You have to give Florida some credit, their kids made some really big league plays on a couple of balls. We could be a little better, but that's about the way we've played most of the year. We'd have good spots then we'd kind of let up a little bit. I thought our kids really stayed in there for the whole football game. As I said, I give Florida credit. Florida played tough and they are a good football team."

On not switching up the quarterback with Matt McGloin and Rob Bolden
"[Matt] McGloin was doing pretty well. I wouldn't blame it on the call. I must have spent more time on the kicking game for this ball game than any game we've ever played because I was worried about it. I don't think we made a mistake in playing the other kid."

On the decision to pass the ball on third and one when the score was 24-20
"We were having trouble. If you remember, were on fourth down and we punted the ball. At that stage we thought we could get the ball and get a decent run because we still had a long way to go. We weren't on the 15 yard line or anything. We were about midfield, if we're talking about the same play."

On punter Anthony Fera
"We had him out kicking a little bit yesterday. Then we watched him in pregame warmup and he looked all right."

On the defense wearing down in the fourth quarter
"There you're trying to take some things away from Florida. They changed some things a little bit. They gave the quarterback more running plays. I thought we played pretty good defense for the game considering how many times we turned it over, considering they got a touchdown on a blocked punt."

On the pass interference call at the end
"I looked up at the tape once and a couple of guys came up to me and said it was not. I thought overall the officiating was pretty good."

Breaking down the blocked punt
"I thought they did a good job on that corner, that kid who blocked the punt. I think we got a little careless. He got anxious to cover and he didn't check that guy enough and he was a little slow punting it. The whole operation wasn't real good. Again, it's one of those deals that if you're not panicked, you're kicking it to midfield. It's almost the same punt that beat us a year or so at Iowa."

On what he said to Coach Urban Meyer postgame
"I said congratulations. I'm not generally sorry to see him leave college coaching. I think he's done a great job. He's a great guy. His wife was down there, who is a good friend of Sue's. It was one of those things that you don't like to lose, but that's the way it goes. I not only like him personally and I think he's a real credit to his family, to the University of Florida and to college football."

On retiring
"Now I'm the one who can't hear."

Are you excited about next year's team?
"I told them "get your heads up" and go home and take it easy for a couple of weeks and then we'll start thinking about what we want to get done for spring practice. We're obviously way ahead of where we were at this stage a year ago. We played a lot of young kids today. Some of them got themselves into some situations that they shouldn't have, but that is all part of experience and playing. I think we learned from this. It was a good experience. It was a bowl game on New Year's Day against a really fine football team who has been a little up and down as we have. But when they play, they play well."

Wide receiver Brett Brackett

On whether he and the Penn State offense thought it would score on the drive prior to the Ahmad Black interception return for a touchdown
“No doubt, there was no doubt in my mind at all. You felt it in the huddle. It’s just unfortunate (about the interception), but that’s just way football goes. It was two teams trying to make plays and somebody’s going to make a play and somebody’s not.”

On what his emotions are following the game
“I don’t even know. It’s kind of a confusing time. Five years went fast since starting my first bowl game here, and I remember saying good bye to some seniors that day, and it’s weird that it’s my turn now. It’s more confusing now than anything. I wish that I could go back and take someone’s five years and go at it again, but my time is up. I hope that I can at least go back and say that I gave it my all during the time that I was here and that people can respect that.”

On Penn State QB Matt McGloin
“He’s a great level headed quarterback. When he feels good he doesn’t let himself get to high and when he’s not doing so great, he doesn’t let himself get to low. He’s a typical quarterback when it comes to that. But it’s on the teammates (not to let him dwell on the loss). His teammates are a family and it’s on us to help him out and get through that. It’s not something that’s easy. He played his heart out every time he was on the field (this year) and you have to commend him for that. Sometimes it’s not going to go your way, but we (rest of the team) have to make a couple plays for him and then it’s a different ball game.”

On despite not playing well, still having a chance to win it at the end
It just goes to show, we had a pretty good football team out there, but you have to tip your hat to Florida. They played a great football game, and had a great football team with a great tradition. But like a lot of times this year, it went back to little things here and there. I think we showed heart, we showed courage, we showed everything we needed to show on the field a lot of time this year.”

Tailback Evan Royster

On today’s loss
“We dropped some passes and we didn’t capitalize today, and you can’t do that against a team like Florida and think you are going to win games.”

Where he thinks Penn State rates with Florida
“I think that we are on the same level as Florida. I think that if we play them 10 times we win five of them and lose five. I think that we were very evenly matched; some things just didn’t go our way, and that happens in football games. I’m sure that if we had to play them again, that it would be another close football game.”

On whether he was surprised that Penn State threw the ball on third-and-one with the lead
“A little bit. But at the same time we were just trying to catch them off guard and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. It’s kind of a guessing game.

What Penn State head coach Joe Paterno had to say following the game
“He pretty much said farewell to the seniors and said that we played hard and had nothing to be ashamed of. He just said that this is how football games go.” What he said to QB Matt McGloin following the game. “I just told him to keep his head up and that he had next year. He needs to come back strong.

On whether QB Matt McGloin should be the starter next season
“Yes. He’s had a great season. You can’t look at today because it’s not all his fault. We didn’t block well for him, he was getting pressured and had to make some risky throws. It’s not all on him. I think that he has proven this year that he can start for us next year.”