COLLEGE PARK, Md. --
Maryland Head Coach DJ Durkin
Opening Statement:
“All the credit to Ohio State. They're a well-coached team, they have a lot of talent and we knew that going into the game. It was just a back-to-back week where the game got away from us early. We didn't take advantage of opportunities we had, didn't get a stop on defense, and when we got down to the goal line we didn't convert it to a touchdown. We had a penalty there on fourth and one. If you're going to play with a team or beat a team like that you have to take advantage of opportunities, we didn't. There's a lot to improve from that game, and that's what we have to do as a team.
"There's a lot to play for our guys in this season. We've had some really good moments in this season. There have been some great things that have gone on. Obviously it factors in the level of competition that we've played for the last couple of weeks but we've kind of lost our way ourselves. We just have to focus back in on what we've done to be successful and how we've done it. I think our guys will do that. That will be the message going forward this week. We certainly have a lot to play for and some great opportunities going forward these next few weeks."
On Perry Hills' injury:
“It's his other shoulder. We'll see. We'll get a better diagnosis on that and look at it as we move forward. But yeah, it was his left shoulder.”
On if he could see the program growing despite the losses:
“Yea, absolutely. There's a ton of growth. The score of those games doesn't equate to that but that's not what it's measured by. There have been a lot of great things to look at and build on from this year with what we're doing as a program with recruiting and everything else. We have to focus on that and get back to what we've done to help us be successful. Those games are what they are but they still count as only one game. That's how they count. We're a .500 ball club right now and we've got a chance this week to put ourselves above .500 with a chance to play in the postseason and that's what we've got to do.”
On JT Barrett's performance:
“He's one of the nation's best. He's proven that time and time again. He did it again today. They had a well-balanced attack, they ran the ball effectively. He's hard to rattle, he's played a lot of football games.”
On if the suspensions enforced were distracting:
“Distractions are part of what you have to deal with as an athlete and a coach. Those guys violated the student-athlete code of conduct. I have tremendous respect for this University, for Dr. Loh and the great people who make up this community. That's something we take very seriously and that's how we dealt with it. I also have a tremendous amount of respect and love for those guys involved. I love those guys like they're my own. It's tough both ways there. You won't find better young men than those three. What you do with people you love is you hold them accountable. That's what you do with your own kids and certainly the guys on your team. That's what we'll do and move forward. Is it a distraction? Absolutely. But those guys are contributors and help us a bunch. Sometimes as a program you have to overcome those distractions and then play at a higher level because of it.”
On if he expects it to be a season ending suspension:
“As we get more information and know more we'll go forward.”
On how much Perry's (Hills) battle to stay healthy affects the team:
“Yea. Credit to him and his toughness, he's a fighter. There are a lot of guys that probably wouldn't even be in there at this point. Our offense runs a lot better when Perry's in there. When he's been healthy our offense has been pretty effective. Even last week, it didn't equate to points, but we moved the ball really well when he was in the game. There are probably a lot of teams like that in the country. You take their starting quarterbacks out and they struggle a little bit. It is what it is. We have to move on, the next guy has to go. Caleb (Rowe) did some things well, he did some things not so well. We saw it as an opportunity to get Pig (Tyrell Pigrome) some reps and same thing, he's still a freshman learning the game and having his struggles but they're all viable reps he's been getting.
On the thought process of putting Tyrell Pigrome in for the second half:
“We want to see what Piggy can do. We thought maybe he could help us in the run game. We wanted to get him more reps as we move forward.”
Sophomore Safety Darnell Savage, Jr.
On the pass interference that was called on JC Jackson in the first quarter:
“I didn't really see it, I was covering my man. After he caught it we were really excited. But you just have to move on and go to the next play. We didn't think about it too much.”
On Ohio State's offensive line:
“Each week we face big, talented offensive linemen. We're in the Big Ten. We just have to focus on us rather than everything else around us.”
On J.T. Barrett:
“He's a very good quarterback. He's smart and he saw some things. We are going to watch film and see what those were.”
On how these games help them going forward:
“Adversity makes you grow. We try to learn from everything whether it is good or bad. We do a good job trying to learn, grow and mature.”
Senior Offensive Lineman Michael Dunn
On what was the difference for Ohio State:
"They just played really well. You could tell they were a really well coached team and were very prepared to play us. We just have to do a better job."
On going through a tough stretch:
"It's really difficult...we have to keep fighting and get ourselves out of it. We have a big game next week; great opportunity to beat a really good team and get that sixth win. Just can't really focus on this losing streak that we're on and focus on getting back to our old ways of coming out and getting a win."
On having Perry Hills go down:
"It's definitely rough, you hate seeing it. Perry is a great kid. He's been through a lot. Hopefully he'll be good to go for Nebraska, and hopefully we'll be good as an offensive line to get him through the game."
Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer
On his team's offensive and defensive efforts:
“I think we played defense two weeks in a row like that and the guys are playing really hard and we have a good rotation of guys on the defensive line. We're going to find out now but our offensive line is playing much better in the last two weeks and we know exactly what's coming down the road."
On the play of Curtis Samuel:
“When we saw they pressed him we felt real confident in him and his ability to punch the ticket deep. The thing that's so good about Curtis is that his football smart is unbelievable and now he's back there returning punts as well. Now we just want to get him rested and ready for Saturday."
On what to think about his team after winning by a score of 62-3 two weeks in a row:
“November's here and we have a big one coming one week from today."
On how his second-string players have performed:
"Better. We've just been dying to get Ben Victor the ball because as you saw with his two catches, he has a big wingspan and he's really a good player. He's starting to learn how to play at the level of football and the speed that is required and he's starting to understand the offense."
On Curtis Samuel's impact in the game:
"There's not many guys like that who can do it all. We've had tight ends before that were dual purpose guys but he's a tough one to defend. He's a really good player."
On putting two players in the backfield:
"Mike [Weber] is a very good blocker. He's a thumper. We can run a little triple option with him and Curtis [Samuel] as well and that's a nice little package. You will probably see a little bit more of that."
On J.T. Barrett's performance:
"I think he's playing outstanding. Offensive football is dictated by the offensive line. When they're playing the way they're playing right now, that's pretty good.”
Junior Quarterback J.T Barrett:
On the assessment of his play:
“I was good; I had a couple balls that I wish I had back so our guys could catch and run with it.”
On their play now that it's November, and the 62-3 box score two weeks in a row:
“I think our main thing is just to go hard in practices and come out here and execute and play our best ball. Knowing that it is November and that's where the season really hangs your hat on, we just try to do our best in those games.”
On there being any revenge with the Michigan State game coming up after last year's outcome:
“No, not really, we've just been taking one game at a time. So with that, we really weren't looking forward to any game. We understand that they're a really good football team, despite what the record says, I really don't care. They're going to give us their best shot and they have really good players over there, so we have to make sure that we prepare well and go out there and play our best.”
Sophomore Defensive End Sam Hubbard:
On scoring 62-3 two weeks in a row:
“Is that what we scored last week too? You know it's November, and Coach Meyers said we made a choice and we have to follow through today and do what we did last week. And that's what we did, and we're really happy about it; we have to keep it going.”
On the primary thing to stop today on defense:
“We wanted to stop the screens. We were expecting 8-10 screens, and we played them so well we made them turn the page on that, so we're happy about that.”
On making so many stops on 3rd down:
“We were dialing up some cool blitzes and we were really changing what we were doing. We had great coverage and good pressure.”
