THE BRONX, N.Y. – Following its 54-10 setback to Maryland in the Pinstripe Bowl, interim head coach J.C. Price and select players met with the media for a press conference. Read what they had to say below.
HEAD COACH J.C. PRICE
Opening statement:
"Obviously, disappointed in the outcome. Not disappointed in these players. Love them. Proud of them. They got more things thrown at them in one year's time, year and a half, than any other team in history, and they continue to fight. One game does not define who those guys are in that locker room. I think it's a situation where it's like plowing a snow hill. You are plowing snow up hill. Eventually everything just caught up to us, and we didn't have enough tonight. They were a better team. They out-coached us. They outplayed us. I give my hats off to Maryland and their staff. They prepared their guys. They were ready to go. They played a hell of a game. With that, questions."
On not having much of a pass rush and allowing Maryland quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa that much time in the pocket:
"I think it had a huge part in it. The quarterback, we knew he was good coming into the game. We knew what was going to happen, and he did it. He scrambled around, extended plays, found receivers. They made plays all night, and it seemed like we were a step behind all night. Didn't really have a major momentum swing play go our way. 50/50s went their way. Just wasn't our night."
On hugging each player after the game and all the difficulty they overcome this season:
"I think I'm proud to be their coach. I'm proud of those guys. Maryland was a better team today, obviously. They were a better coached. They played better. That doesn't stop a person from caring about somebody because you lost a football game, and I care about those guys. They care about this program, and the guys that are moving on should always feel welcome to come back here any time they want, and the guys that are coming back, obviously, we need to go to work and be better than we were today."
On what he is looking forward to next season and the optimism of the program:
"We've got a lot of good kids coming back. There's a couple of guys who have another year that may be on the fence, and I'm going to go to work recruiting them and try to get them to return to school. The guys who are leaving, that's what's best for them, and good luck to them in. the NFL, but the nucleus is here. You don't understand all the things these kids went through. I think eventually it just caught up to us. It caught up to us tonight, and I was hoping it wouldn't, but eventually when you go through so many adverse things … Yeah, it's been difficult."
QUARTERBACK CONNOR BLUMRICK
On the offensive missing quite a bit of personnel:
"It's always rough when you are missing your starters, your first and second string. But the young guys did a good job. They got in there and they did what they were supposed to do. Just really didn't go our way."
DEFENSIVE BACK TAE DALEY
On what gave the defense problems with Maryland's passing attack:
"Just hats off to those guys. They just made plays and we didn't. That's what it comes down to. No excuse."
TIGHT END NICK GALLO
On the game still being competitive heading into halftime:
"Yeah, I don't think you ever have the mentality that you are out of it. We came into halftime and I think we felt good. Then just a couple of plays didn't go our way and kind of got out of hand."
PUNTER PETER MOORE
On the fake punt:
"I practiced it enough all season. I was just thinking I'm going to execute. Just go out there and do what I can. Get the first down. A lot of those guys out there helped me out, so it ended up working out."
