Nov. 18, 2006
Recap | Final Stats | Notes
SMU vs. Tulsa - November 18, 2006
SMU Player Post-Game Quotes
Justin Willis On becoming bowl eligible... "We are glad to win, but to keep our destiny in our own hands, we want to win seven (games)."
Joe Sturdivant On becoming bowl eligible... "After putting four years into this, getting to this point is the best feeling. I came here to do something special. The seniors have worked for four years towards the same goal and getting over this hump is huge. Tomorrow, though, we'll refocus and get ready for Rice."
Reynaldo Pellerin On halftime adjustments... "We just realized we had to stay composed and play our game. This was the last game at home for 20 seniors. We had come this far, so we weren't going to lay down now."
Joe Sturdivant On the first half... "In the first half, we just didn't execute. We just seemed to be trying too hard. We were overanxious and weren't playing our technique. We just looked at each other at halftime and knew it was time to fight."
Reynaldo Pellerin On becoming bowl eligible... "Eligible is all we are right now. As leaders on this team, we have to help keep guys focused and not let anyone get complacent. We don't have a bowl berth yet."
SMU Coach Phil Bennett post-game quotes
"It was a tale of two halves and I'm very proud of our guys. They believed in the second half. I thought we made good adjustments, obviously."
"(On TU coach Kragthorpe) Steve does a wonderful job on offense, and they did some things different than they had done to get the ball running and get it done. We didn't panic. The kids were frustrated at the half. We did a good job of realizing that if we got the ball, we'd have the chance to move the ball and score. We just didn't have it enough the first half. Our margin for error wasn't very good, and I thought that once we got going, then the second half was our half."
"(On Justin Willis) He is a winner. I've told you before, whatever `it' is - he's got it. There were two good quarterbacks on the field. Paul Smith is good, and they're good guys, and they make everybody on the team better."
"(On halftime) There wasn't any hollering and screaming. We just said that we needed to make some plays. We're capable of scoring and let's just keep working, whether it's field goals, or whether it's touchdowns. Just work drive by drive to get back in this game. "
"(On first-half TU screen play) I'll be the first to tell you. It was a terrible call by me on the first screen. That's one of the nuances they use. They had never run a screen out of that personnel group. That was the first time ever. It was a great call versus a bad call on defense, and it had us on our heels."
