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Postgame Quotes
Wisconsin vs. Western Illinois
Sept. 6, 2014
Camp Randall Stadium - Madison, Wis.

Wisconsin Head Coach Gary Andersen
ANDERSEN:First off, Western Illinois is a tough group of kids. Their coach should be very proud of them. Those kids should be very proud of themselves, the way they came in and took the run game away from us. So it was a nice job by those kids and those coaches. Our hat's off to them.

Overall in the football game, it was great for us to deal with the adversity we had to deal with in the first quarter and really the whole first half. Two weeks in a row now we've had some substantial adversity hit us right in the face. A lot of teams at this time of the year have faced zero adversity.

We've faced it twice. In my opinion, we've looked at it right in the eye, we've dealt with it. There were no kids pointing fingers, there was nobody placing blame. They just kept on fighting. At halftime, we all just challenged ourselves to execute and be tough, and they did it. I'm very, very proud of the way they did it.

I thought Tanner (McEvoy) came on. Obviously he caught some mojo there, 17 in a row. Felt at home. Kids in the offense made some plays for him when we were really unable to run the football effectively all day long.

We need to continue to form an identity with this team. A couple fourth downs. First fourth down, we didn't get. I thought it was important for this football team to convert those couple other fourth downs, not just for this game, but as we move forward, to have belief that's the kind of football we're going to play and that's the expectation level we have.

Proud of the kids. Great victory.

QUESTION: On the performance of quarterback Tanner McEvoy ...

ANDERSEN: Well, I think it's huge. We'll see as we move forward. But Tanner did what we thought he could do. He did some nice things with his legs. He had good command of the offense. He threw the ball very, very well. He seemed to be pretty poised. When there wasn't something there, he got out of it, which was good to see. Didn't seem to be pressing.

So, yeah, we'll see as we move forward. Great to see Bart (Houston) get in there and have some success also.

QUESTION: Do you think you found a number one wide receiver with Alex (Erickson) given what he showed you today?

ANDERSEN: Alex and Jordan (Fredrick) did a great job today. They stacked one guy more than we had in the box, a lot of times two. It's two on two out there. What a tremendous job by both of those kids, what they did. Jordan may not show it in numbers as far as catches go, but his ability to block is impressive.

Alex made a lot of football plays. He caught it over the middle very, very well. He's fearless. He's a competitor. He's fast. I think Tanner feels very comfortable, as all our quarterbacks do, throwing the ball to Alex. It was just great to see him because he's worked so hard since the bowl game to get this moment.

QUESTION: You mentioned about Tanner getting his mojo. It didn't start out that way. After missing Sam (Arneson) wide open in the second quarter, the numbers say that's where it seemed to click. Something you saw differently in him from that point forward?

ANDERSEN: No, there was nothing said. There was no magic fairy dust sprinkled. He just started to execute. I'm sure he felt more comfortable.

There's a lot to say walking in and playing in front of your home crowd just as there is walking in and playing on the road for the first time in front of a hectic crowd. To come home and you get your home crowd.

He just started to run the offense well and played the way that we thought that he could when we recruited him. It was great to see.

QUESTION: You mentioned the way Western took away the running game. That leaves something open. Is that what helped open up the passing game?

ANDERSEN: I would completely agree with that. One thing we can't understate is the fact that Derek Watt was not there today. That young man is as good a fullback as I've ever been around. Austin came in, battled, will get better.

The loss of Derek is big for this offense. It's unseen maybe to a lot of fans or people out there. But for our offense, all of you that have been here a lot longer than I, this is a valuable, valuable part.

We need to get better at that spot, and we will. Austin (Ramesh) will continue to get better. That is a fact. If people are going to load it up, plus one or even more than plus one, you have to be able to throw the football.

I thought Tanner hit some nice, tight windows on some seam balls down the field, which is great to see. To be able to get out in that screen game, if they're going to give you one, we talked about it, if they are going to give you layups, let's make layups, not sit there and make jump shots all day long.

QUESTION: Did you do some things to help Tanner, give him some higher percentage throws, things like that?

ANDERSEN: I don't think so. Doesn't look like to me that that's a reflection the game plan. We just took what they gave us. I know (offensive coordinator) Andy (Ludwig) felt like, the way they were loaded up in the box, they had a nice plan. We were definitely more running sideways today because of the position that we were in.

But I thought he made good throws. I don't know if there's an easy throw out there. There's not one for me (laughter).

QUESTION: Can you talk about Arneson's day? When he got those first couple catches, that began Tanner's stretch of those completions.

ANDERSEN: Very much agree. Sam, it was great to see him have a breakout first game this year. He is a very talented tight end, which we all know. He has great hands. Again, another young man that is not afraid to go across the middle and catch the ball. You saw him make a couple of those plays today. He's a big target. It's great.

He had four catches for 87 something yards. Nice day out of him. We'll need to continue down those roads. We need to get some of the other tight ends a little bit more involved.

QUESTION: How big of a boost was (Michael) Caputo's interception with setting the tone for the defense the rest of the game?

ANDERSEN: Yeah, that was a gigantic play. We've talked about it with this defense, our ability to make some big plays, wherever they come. But they had a successful drive. I can't remember off the top of my head where they got the ball. But bottom line, they got themselves into definite scoring position. We were able to make a play there. Great to see our defensive leader, really one of our solid defensive captains, make a big play at that point in the game.

QUESTION: Chikwe (Obasih) was the guy that tipped the ball, and subsequent to that he blew a third down short yardage run. How much confidence did he gain by playing well in the opener? Are those two plays he's going to start to make for you?

ANDERSEN: Yes, we definitely would hope that. There was a tremendous amount of confidence gained in game one. I think that will continue to grow in game two. You know, I'm just telling you, those kids, now for Alec (James) and Chikwe to be able to play in Camp Randall, it's like a dream come true.

Devin Gaulden walks off the field after two years today, we're walking in, he looks at me and he says, `Coach, the whole thing was like a dream today.' He's been out for two years. To be at home and be able to play in front of those fans was amazing.

Chikwe and Alec, they have big play capability and we need to continue to let that grow.

QUESTION: You mentioned the fourth downs in your opening statement. You had a fourth and two early in the third quarter. Kick a field goal and go up two scores. You hesitate at all? Talk about looking more ahead?

ANDERSEN: Well, I feel like this team is looking to get themselves in a position to have that. We're going to be aggressive. There's a lot of youthful kids out there. I want to coach them aggressive because I want to them to play aggressive. I want them to feel like we're going to keep the gas pedal down.

I think if I can't reflect that to them at certain situations in the game, that's not a good thing, because it's not who we ask them to be as coaches and quite frankly what University of Wisconsin football is.

That was the reason for kind of going for it on that one. It worked out well at LSU. Didn't work out so well on that one. The other two were maybe a little bit more hesitation, yes. Headsets were pretty quiet on that one. Kind of just make a call and go with it sometimes.

QUESTION: How does that reverberate through the team when you have a guy like Jordan who is selfless and blocks on the screens, the effectiveness of the screen with Alex?

ANDERSEN: It's a direct reflection of what this football team is this year. To this point they are a very unselfish crew. Jordan is exactly like that. Jordan, he rehabs like crazy to be able to get out here and play on the field with the shoulder. He battles to keep healthy every single day and practices smart.

But his ability to walk out there, he takes great pride in those blocks. Trust me, we do too. They will be pointed out many, many times to the youth. We missed a couple key blocks early down in the red zone on their sidelines with a young freshman wide receiver. We have to make those plays.

You know, if you're not tough, you can't play this game. That's the bottom line. You got no chance at this level.

QUESTION: First half, defense was good, but offense just started slow. Do you pinpoint anything as to why you kind of couldn't get going there?

ANDERSEN: I would say, again, without continually beating it up, they had a good plan and they did a nice job. I thought they tackled very well. You didn't see many missed tackles in that first half and they were running to the ball.

We need to be better. We're not going to sit here and say, `Hey, that was an acceptable day on the ground.' It absolutely is not. We all know that as a coaching staff. The whole offense understands that and knows that if we don't run the ball better, we won't have a very successful season.

QUESTION: On Tanner's interception, did (Rob) Wheelwright cut that off?

ANDERSEN: I'll have to look at that on film. I saw it out of the corner of my eye. I didn't see it on replay. Sounds like there was an issue, but I don't know what the issue was. I'll have to look at the film.

QUESTION: He didn't play after that, did he, Wheelwright?

ANDERSEN: I did not see him, not to my knowledge. I know Coach Beatty was discussing some things with him.

QUESTION: Given what happened last week, how is Melvin's (Gordon) health coming through this game? How did he and Corey (Clement) mentally deal with the frustration of being slowed down?

ANDERSEN: Right before the bye week, you're killing me (laughter).

Melvin seemed fine. The communication, I got nothing from the trainer. He seemed fine, so... I think he'll reflect that to you.

QUESTION: Given that it was a challenging game at LSU, a challenging week with everything you and the team and the staff had to deal with, is it good to get this thing played and then come away with a nice victory going forward?

ANDERSEN: Yeah. Yeah, there's absolutely no question. It's great to get that victory. It's great to see some things come together that you hope are going to come together. The offense, the ability to make some plays down the field, some youth defend, make some plays.

But, yes, it's great to have this victory. It will be a nice, relaxing evening at home with the dogs. It will be fun.

QUESTION: Looked like you were able to get Zags  (Konrad Zagzebski) both at end and then nose in the 3 3 5 package. Any surprise he was able to give you as much as he did today based on last week?

ANDERSEN: I asked him again last night, we were sitting there watching the football game. He said he was fine. Trainers thought he was great. He was sitting down there playing the little game that the kids play. I asked him to go like this (turns head), move around. He said, I'm good, coach.

I watched him in the game. I saw nothing that made me feel at all leery. Obviously our trainers are the professionals. He wanted to go. I told him to please communicate if there's any type of an issue at all to make sure that we're doing the right thing because communication is important from a kid. And he had none. He felt great after the game also.

QUESTION: On defense, a lot of the guys make plays and then celebrate afterwards. Seems like (Vince) Biegel and Marcus Trotter are always doing that. They're always making the big plays. Have they stepped up in that role?

ANDERSEN: We want to play with emotion on the defensive side of the football. Obviously we want to play within the rules. But it does not say anywhere in the rule book, Don't have fun, don't smile.

You know, I want them to be able to have a celebration when they make a big time play. It's hard on defense to make a big play, whether it's a sack, on and on and on.

Those two are definitely emotional leaders. (Vince) and Marcus have carried themselves with so much energy whenever they play this game. They do it at practice. Coach Busch tells them all the time at practice, `if you make a big play in practice, get a pick for a touchdown, go spike it.' Not in the game though.

We want them to play with emotion. It can become contagious for some of the youth, too.

QUESTION: You talked about what the loss of Derek Watt means for this team. Can you give a knee jerk reaction to Austin (Ramesh)?

ANDERSEN: Austin got the touchdown pass. He's the one that caught the power pass for the touchdown. That was great to see. He had some nice blocks. Talking with Coach Brown during the game, he felt like Austin was doing a solid job.

The reason we could not run the ball effectively was, trust me, not because of Austin Ramesh. Just the fact, obviously Derek Watt is a great player, like I said earlier.

But he executed his assignments well. I'm sure he grew up. I'm sure he had some great plays and some that he would look at and like to have back, just like every player on the offensive side of the football. So he's really grown and developed.

Went all through spring running so much tailback for us, lost some reps, was a little bit hampered in camp with the hamstring. But he's back healthy and he'll grow from this leaps and bounds as he continues to go through as a starter for the next few weeks.

QUESTION: Have you ever started a game with a safety the way this one did? Were you surprised you needed to call a timeout to go to the booth for a review?

ANDERSEN: No, I've never started a game like that. I didn't have a great look at it. I couldn't see if he got out. The coaches were communicating with me. I thought they would review it. (The official) said they were going to look at it. They got up on the ball so fast. They're going to snap it. I was like, `No, let's call a timeout here and we're going to review it.' It all worked out for us. But never had that happen to me before.

Junior QB Tanner McEvoy
On his first career win...
"Great! It was great to get the bad taste out of my mouth from last week and go out there and execute."

On completing 17 straight throws...
"I found out at the end of the game that I made that many completions in a row. At that point in the game we were just trying to get the ball moving and get some points on the board after starting out a little slow. So we executed and did what we had to do."

On LSU performance and if he needed a game like this personally...
"Offensively, we needed a game like this. We know what we can do on offense. We know we can pass the ball. Their defense was making us pass the ball and making us throw it. That's what we have to do when teams do that to us and we have to show that we can do it."

On his interception...
"It was a tough read and a tough ball. That can happen to any team in any game in Division I football."

Junior RB Melvin Gordon
On Western Illinois stacking the box...
"(Laughs) Yeah, it's like there's guys right there so it's frustrating...This is a first for me you know and we get back in the lab, we get back, watching film, offensive linemen watch film and we'll be ready for whatever's next"

On it being a challenging week, on what this win does emotionally...
"It was good.  It was good.  It's always good winning.  It's always good winning and that clears the air some.  So I'm glad we came out here and won today and overcame all that adversity with Stav and all that and me and you know all the stuff like that and losing, so it's good to come out here and get the win today."

On the offense's performance...
"You know we just wear and tear, wear and tear.  We had to keep coming right after them, keep getting after them and we knew they'd break down a little bit.  They kept stacking the box and you know that opened up the passing game.  And obviously seeing that today, Erickson had a great game.  Tanner had a great game, and they stop us and things just opened up for other players."

On Tanner McEvoy...
"Yeah. Yeah. He's just gotta get his confidence up and get in that rhythm and once he get in it he's a bad boy." (Elicits laughs)

Junior WR Jordan Fredrick
On his excellent and consistent blocking as a WR...
"It's kinda been my niche since day one really, coming here and that's kind of how I saw the field initially and that's how I want to keep playing.  Especially when you're not getting the ball thrown towards you often, you have to block for your fellow wideouts.  You see Alex had a great game, I'm just glad to be a part of it."

On Tanner McEvoy's rhythm...
"I mean obviously we didn't help him in the beginning. As a wideout corps we made some mistakes and obviously you don't want to do that to your quarterback, so when we got rolling it was awesome.  He was feeling good, looking good, and the screens helped you know we were just getting some confidence out there for all of us.  You know, we're all young, we're all trying to get the ball, trying to get the ball moving so that's big, and I think we just made the best out of it after we got rolling." 

Freshman FB Austin Ramesh
On preparing for this game...
"I was confident with the game plan. I knew what I was doing. I got in the film room quite a bit this week to make sure I knew my assignments on every play. I just made sure my technique was as good as it could be. There's a lot of things to work on, but starting off strong is obviously a big thing. I have to continue to do that next game."

On difficulty running when they were stacking the box...
"At the beginning of the game they were coming down hill hard. I have to start off a lot better than I did. We made some adjustments and came out in the second half and dominated."

On emotion after getting the win...
"It feels good. Obviously it wasn't a pretty win--the first half was rough--but a win is a win. It's not just given to you."

Senior OL Rob Havenstein
On transition from normally being a running team to a being fairly successful passing team today...
"Obviously their goal was to stop Melvin (Gordon), stop the run. They succeeded a lot and I put that squarely on the shoulders of us as an offensive line. We didn't do our jobs in that aspect. No matter how many guys you put in the box, 10, 11, 13, 27, we still have to get that run game going, so that's squarely on the shoulders of us as an offensive line. We have to get that going. Melvin, Corey, those guys can only do so much. We need to help them out any way we can."

On clicking more in the second half as an offense...
"Well, the good thing about halftime was that the first half was over and we had another half to play. We have a lot of young guys out there and it was kind of a learning curve for us that winning just doesn't happen no matter what. It's going to be a fight every single game. You can't just show up and someone is going to give you the `W'. I think we bounced back a little bit in the second half. Obviously we didn't have the success we wanted in the first half, but I think it was just a learning curve for the young guys."

On confidence from the first half to the second half for Tanner McEvoy...
"I think Tanner played excellent all game. He was bailing us out the whole game. He did a heck of a job today. I don't think the protection was anywhere near where it needed to be. That's on the offensive line. But you can go ahead and put the success right on Tanner and the wide receivers."

On if it's refreshing to have a week off...
"It's refreshing in a way, but it's not refreshing in a way where I don't get to play. We do have a bye week worked into the schedule, so we're going to try to get better, establish our run game, keep building Tanner's confidence back there. But he did a heck of a job today."

RS Junior OL Tyler Marz
On Western Illinois packing so many players in the box:
"You can only account for so many (players in the box). Coaches do their best to scheme against that. The bubble (screen) was obviously working today. Alex Erickson had a heck of a game on the outside. All of our receivers did well on the outside and I think that's what we need to do because it seems like the last year or two teams have been doing that (stacking the box). It's nice when we can get a ten-yard play off of a bubble."

Sophomore RB Corey Clement
On getting Tanner in a positive rhythm...
"I think it was very important. We are a team that is going to run it and Tanner did a great job in the passing option for us. When it comes to other teams we are going to have to learn how to pass. We can't run the ball every play but I think Tanner did great on his feet and read the defense really well."

On having eight to nine guys in the box...
"There was not a lot of room in there. I kind of saw it from the sideline and what Melvin was telling me, they shot the gaps a lot and didn't really care about the pass at first. Once the third quarter came around, we kind of got a chance to open up the field and actually see what we could do in the passing game."

Senior LB Marcus Trotter
On what the young guys can learn...
"I think it is about keeping poise. Western Illinois definitely had some momentum and we were still winning. That's what we wanted to tell them, to keep the momentum on our side."

On playing at Camp Randall...
"I have waited a very long time for this. Being able to start for the Badgers and play for my home state is a blessing. I don't take it for granted."

On his impact on the field...
"I'm just trying to do my best. The d-line has been helping me out a lot so the credit goes to them first."

Senior TE Sam Arneson
On getting the win...
"Obviously we wanted to start fast and that didn't quite happen but you know we settled in and I thought Tanner settled in well, we really were throwing the ball well which was nice to see. Obviously Western Illinois did a great job in the first half, but it started to go the second half, and a wins a win, definitely."

On the Leatherneck's performance...
"You gotta give a lot of credit to Western Illinois, they played hard, they definitely did, they were doing a lot of things up front, you know stunting and twisting, you know getting those down. They were committed to the run so much trying to stop Melvin and Corey, and I thought it really helped when we started throwing the ball and Tanner did a great job."

Sophomore WR Alex Erickson
On Tanner McEvoy's rhythm...
"Somebody said he had 17 pitches in a row, and I know that, but yeah, you know you see, especially the quarterback and those short little passes help you get in rhythm, and just keep rolling with the offense and he got in his groove today and you can see he's a heck of a play maker."

On his touchdown catch...
"It was a special moment, you know especially my family all here, I had a lot of friends here today to, so just to like do it in front of them was great,  you know, because they've always been supportive of me, especially my hometown, they've always supported me, so it felt great to get in the endzone."

Western Illinois Head Coach Bob Nielson
Opening statement:
"Well, it was a tale of two halves a little bit. First half, I was really pleased with the way we played. We did a great job of containing the run game, which is one of the things you have to do when you play Wisconsin. You're not going to stop it, you try to contain it, and we moved the ball well enough, which was part of why they didn't get into a good rhythm. We were able to make a couple of sustained drives, and I'm disappointed that we turned the ball over in the red zone. We had a chance to get points there in the first quarter after Trenton (Norvell) had a good drive. Coming into halftime, we were in the football game certainly, which is where you need to be. And the second half, I give Wisconsin credit. They did what they do, they found a way to control the football in the second half, and we just sputtered offensively trying to get anything going. As a result, they played offense the entire time, and when you play a team that has got as big and physical of an offensive line and as talented skill players as they have, that's not a good recipe for success."

On Wisconsin picking up the pace at the end of the first half and how that affected Western Illinois...
"We practice quick tempo all the time. I think the one thing that surprised us a little bit probably was the fact that they did it, because they hadn't shown doing that a lot. I think once our guys got adjusted to it and our signal guys got adjusted to it, I don't think that was really a big factor. I think the biggest factor was the adjustments they made, and they came out throwing the football and made plays in the air. We had to try and put an extra hat in the box all the time to contain the run game, and when you do that you are going to create some opportunities for teams to throw the football, and they did a good job of taking advantage of that in the second half."

On whether Wisconsin scoring on their last drive of the first half put a damper on the Western Illinois momentum at halftime...
"I really thought we had great momentum coming in at halftime, to respond to their score by taking the ball and driving it down the field and putting three points on the board and being within a touchdown at halftime, when we had otherwise played really well. We played consistently against the rush in the first half, and like I said, we found a way to move the ball a little bit when we knew it was going to be difficult against their defense. And they came out and really executed well in the third quarter. I think one of the real turning plays of the game, and you know you think of all the big plays, we had a third and one, and I can't remember if it was on our first possession or second possession in the third quarter, but we had a third and one and we didn't convert. And its plays like that that make a huge difference in football. Because if we could have generated a first down and gotten a little rhythm and kept our defense off the field, you have a chance to change the direction of the third quarter. And when they got it rolling, they got it rolling."

On beginning the game with a safety and what he said to his players...
"Yeah, I'm not sure it could have been much worse. I mean obviously Kyle (Hammonds) made a bad mistake, and you just have to shrug it off and say `Hey, we're starting the game all over and they have a two-point lead. And those two points aren't going to decide the football game.' And I really think our guys responded well. I was really pleased with the way our guys played, we played really hard the first half against a team that has quality personnel all over. Coach Andersen said scrappy, and that's how I think we played in the first half. We played hard and scrappy football."