Sept. 28, 2013
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Head Coach Bobby Petrino
Opening statement
"That's a good win for us. I'm real happy for our players and our assistant coaches. We did an excellent job on defense. We had a great plan and we worked hard at it. It's something we've been working on since spring and early in August, so it didn't take just three days to get it done. Our coaches did a great job in teaching it and our players came out on defense and played real fast, real physical, and I thought they really took over the game on defense. Offensively, we did what we had to do to win the game. We ran the ball well. Antonio Andrews really did a good job of running and breaking tackles. Our offensive line wore them down, moved them forward, and then Brandon (Doughty) was real efficient. He did a nice job with his reads and did a nice job moving the ball. I'd like to score more points on offense, but it's a great win for us."
On stopping Navy's offense
"Yeah, that was scary coming in when you watch what they did in their first two games this year. I thought our players did a good job of doing their assignments, playing with their eyes. We had one play where we let them get out on a pitch play where we had a slight error, and then we played fast. Coach Holt and the defensive staff had a good plan for it. We mixed things up, gave different looks. When they called plays from the sideline, we changed things, so it was just a good plan. We were more physical and when you're more physical, you have a good chance."
On being physical with Navy's QB
"We were just tackling him. It was a clean, hard tackle. I hope he's okay because he's a real special player."
On making adjustments due to having different personnel
"Yeah, we're a little different on offense. We're running the ball, and we just had to stick with it today and work hard at moving the sticks and working the clock when we had the lead. I'd like to have taken a couple shots there but that wasn't what we needed to do to win the game. We are getting better in the passing game, our young receivers are getting better, and our timing is getting better. Right now, we're running the offense through the running game."
On the interception
"It was supposed to be a 15-yard comeback, but he thought the corner sat so he ran through it. We're just on different pages there, but other than that and the fumble at the end of the game, we did a good job taking care of the ball."
On practicing the triple option since the spring
"We had the plan, we took a lot of time in the winter, over the summer to get the plan, develop the plan, and study it a lot. We installed it during spring ball and tweaked it a bit. The majority of the plan we had going in, we practiced in the spring. That allowed our players to play fast. They understood it, they knew what they were supposed to do. They just played fast and they went and made the plays. The plan doesn't work unless you're players play fast and go make the plays and we really did a good job of that."
On having a different "go-to" receiver each game
"Well, once we get this offense going and cranked up the way we can, each guy has their game or two games where they get the ball more and it kind of moves around depending on what coverage we're seeing or what parts of the package are there that week. I was really happy for Joel (German). He was a guy who practiced all spring in a golden jersey because he was coming off of shoulder surgery. He works extremely hard, he's a good leader and he's been really good for our young receivers so for him to go out and have a game like that, I was real happy for him."
On the slow start
"Third and 1. Third and 1 cost us the fast start. We don't like that. We like to take that first series and go score. We needed to do a better job on that first third and short and getting the right play called and getting the first and 10. So, that was my fault. I called a bad play."
On having a back carry the ball 32 times
"He was really hot, he was really running. He's a great receiver out of the backfield so he was certainly the workhorse today."
On Antonio Andrews' durability
"He's great. When you watch him practice, he goes hard every rep and runs full speed. He's a high energy guy, so that's fun to have a guy that comes into practice every day with a smile on his face and goes extremely hard."
On Doughty getting the start back today
"He did a great job, he did a real nice job. Last week, he stayed in there and practiced hard and came in the game. We really felt like he was the best option to give us a chance to win this game and I was happy with the way he played."
On Doughty being more comfortable in the pocket today
"We work on it all the time. We stay out afterwards and work with the QB's. It's a part of their conditioning drill, but it's also the movement in the pocket, the scramble, keeping their eyes down field, the ball in the passing position until you cross the line of scrimmage so there's a lot that goes into it. There were a couple of plays out there today where they dropped eight and only rushed three guys and he did a good job of taking the time and moving and buying some time and we had a couple big conversions with him doing that."
Defensive Coordinator Nick Holt
On the team's defensive performance...
"I'm very proud. They did a great job. They executed and had good energy. They did everything we asked them to do in the game plan, plus some. They were having fun out there. I'm proud of those kids."
On what the team did against Navy...
"We were trying to give them some different looks. We started the game with a look that enabled them to get to the edge really quick. Our ends were a little fast to the quarterback and not feathering it, giving us time to get to the pitch. We just gave us time to settle down, and as the game gets going, you start to play better. You just keep going through your defenses, and let the kids play them out. As the game kept going, they kept playing better, and that's what they did. We had some change-ups, obviously, but our kids did a great job with the change-ups. The kids had a little success early and kept going from there. They kept getting better and more confident. Halftime and third quarter rolled around, and they started dominating. They tackled and got off blocks really well. I think the kids were really confident in what they were doing."
On minimizing Navy's offensive yards...
"We just wanted to win and whatever that entails, if it is giving up however many yards or shutting them out, we are just going to change up our looks, play really aggressive, take shots at them and see what happens. We were going to be aggressive from the start of the game. The first series they got on the edge a couple of times quick, and we just had to get the speed of the game. After that we were good."
On if this was the team's best defensive effort of the season...
"I would say yes because it is the best overall team we have played against as far as what they do. They are a great football team. When their starting quarterback went out of the game that helped us out because he is a fantastic football player. When they had some of their backups in, we cranked up some of the pressure and really started to confuse them."
WKU Players Andrew Jackson, Jonathan Dowling, Antonio Andrews, Brandon Doughty and Joel German
On the play of the defense
Jackson: "I'm very excited. I can't even tell you. We worked so hard and I wish the whole defense could be in here with us. I'm very excited that everybody came to play. We did assignment football, played our game, and went out there and executed."
On preparation for Navy
Jackson: "The coaches put in the plan and they told us if we went out and executed that we would go out there and win. First quarter we came out there lack-a-dasicle and we had to get it right."
On first interception
Dowling: "It felt good getting back and getting a pick. It was just a good opportunity. Everybody made their plays. From what I saw, I saw somebody forcing the throw so hats off to my d-lineman that made him throw the ball."
On quality of defensive play
Dowling: "I don't think it's a statement game for our defense because we're a lot better before and we know what we can do. From my point of view, I just feel like it's a good win for the program, a good win for the Tops. It was great to bring this win home for Bowling Green."
On key to stopping the triple-option
Jackson: "You got to tackle the dive, you have to stop the dive first and then you can take away everything else. You have to hit their quarterback and make their quarterback not want the ball. He'll under-pitch or overpitch it. Those are the keys to winning the game."
On getting tired from workload
Andrews: I mean at times I do, but we have a good rotation back there so when I'm really winded I'll get a break.
On Andrews making quarterback job easier
Doughty: "Yeah, definitely. When you have (No.) 5 in the backfield you know you always have an outlet to throw him the ball, third option, and when he's running the ball like that it softens up the defense and they try the play-action passes and stuff are easy when he's back there. The offensive line did a good job tonight giving him time and giving me time and giving holes for Antonio to run through tonight.
On Navy's defense getting tired
Andrews: "Yeah, nobody likes getting hit in the mouth every play so eventually you're going to wear down and that's been our philosophy since I came to WKU and it still is."
On coming back from injury
"German: Yeah, we worked hard in practice every day. It's a constant grind and our coaches do a great job of pushing us hard and we do it, that's just what we do."
On what makes Antonio such a good running back
Doughty: "His versatility and how he can pick up things. There's things out there that sometimes I can't see in the backfield. He's a special player, I'm glad he's on my squad."
German: "He's just a competitor, he loves to compete. He's got a drive that I haven't seen."
