Post Game Quotes

Nov. 3, 2001

Coach Tommy Bowden “We lost some momentum when the touchdown was called back, but I thought we were in the game at the time, we were moving the ball. We moved the ball well in the second half. I thought the momentum swing took place when Jones ran 51 yards for the score.

“We missed a field goal early, the punt run, and we had a pass open that we didn’t make a good decision on, those were all keys also. We are still doing some things on defense, like giving up too many big plays. We are still looking to have a full game where the offense, defense and special teams come together.

“I thought we moved the ball on offense, we gained 460 yards today and that is a big improvement from last year.

“Bernard Rambert had a good game. I had not played him enough this year and I wanted to make myself play him more so I decided to start him. It was not anything that Travis Zachery had done, I just wanted to get Bernard in the game. He has worked hard and deserves playing time. He made the most of it today.

“I don’t know why we have been more successful on the road this year. We had a great crowd today, they were into the game. I just wish we would have had a better performance for them today.”

Chad Carson “It was a pretty disappointing loss. When you feel you are really close and can’t get it done it is disappointing. We never felt like we were out of the game. They are a very good team, but we feel we are too.

“When we lose a game it actually brings us closer as a team. We will fight hard and come back. We won’t let this get to us. We still have a lot of goals we can still achieve.

“We never point fingers. If someone gets beat in the secondary, then we didn’t get to the quarterback quick enough. We just have to keep our heads up and go to the next play.

“We are a unit, we work together and no one will give up. “Rix knows what to do. He made plays, he did a good job executing their offense. Jones is a good back, he is strong.”

Woody Dantzler “A loss is a loss. We have to look at the things we didn’t do right and correct them. Losing is part of life. How you react to the disappointments that determines your character.

“It is frustrating, we were playing as hard as we could, but things just didn’t go our way. It is frustating because you have to put points on the board because you know they will score. They are an outstanding offense in every phase of the game.

“Florida State always has great athletes on defense. They do a great job of pursuing. They have great speed.

“I still love the character of this team. Our fight out there today was great. We are going to fight to the end and that starts next week at Maryland.

“I am not satisfied with the way we played, but I am satisfied with the character of our team.”

Florida State Head Coach Bobby Bowden: Feelings on the win: “Today I felt like both of us had to had to have it. Both of us needed to win it. Tommy needed some momentum, we did too. It didn’t feel real good. The win felt good and I’m glad we won, but there are a lot of guys I used to coach with. I even raised some of them and it takes a little of the luster out of it. We had a chance there when we could really put them away, but they wouldn’t let us. They kept coming back. I never felt really good. Dantzler brought them back twice when they were fourth and long and he threw it long.”

On the passing game: “We threw and caught in the first-half about as well as we have all year. They were determined to keep us from running the ball. That’s the way most people play. They kept fighting.”

On the crowd: “When that crowd gets into it, you can hardly hear. Rix did a good job, pulling them offsides once and did well not to panic.

On Clemson’s fake punt that was called back: “That hurt them big. That would have made it 17-14, brought them within three and gave them momentum. It shocked us, and that was a big play. I loved the call…didn’t everyone in the world know they were going to do it? I know him good enough. If I could have gotten to my staff, I would have told them they were going to fake. I just didn’t know they were going to go up the middle.”

On FSU’s youth: “I’ve been crying young all year because we are young, but they’re younger than us. Our freshman are playing second team, some of Clemson’s freshmen are starting. We don’t usually play freshmen that much.”

On FSU’s improvement: “I think it is related to Rix’s improvement. When you start a year with an inexperienced quarterback, that’s when the importance of a quarterback begins to show itself.”