Here’s what a few notable head coaches said after Thanksgiving Weekend’s key games:
NICK SABAN following Alabama’s emphatic, record-setting Iron Bowl win: “First of all, that was a tremendous college football game on both sides. I’m really proud of the way our guys competed in the game. We didn’t play very well in the first half and didn’t start out well in the second half, but we just kept grinding. We started making some plays on offense and got the momentum of the game back. We started playing better on defense in the third and fourth quarters and came out with what was a tremendous come-from-behind win for our team.”
GARY PINKEL after Mizzou captured its second straight Eastern Division championship: “Nothing’s been easy about this, but that reflects the league. You know when you play in this league … don’t be discouraged or upset because it takes so long in to get the fourth quarter. Everything is a fourth quarter game because that’s the way the league is. You got to embrace it and battle. I think we’ve done a great job of that and very happy for everybody.”
LES MILES following LSU’s eighth win of the season Thanksgiving night at Texas A&M: “I thought the offensive coordinator Cam Cameron did a good job. We had some different wrinkles on offense, and I thought that certainly helped things. We rushed for 384 yards and had just under 500 yards of total offense, and had the ball 41 minutes to their 18. If we can do that, generally we’re going to win.”
HUGH FREEZE after Ole Miss upset Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl: “It’s a great feeling to reclaim the pride of our program and win the Egg Bowl. It’s a priority we have every year. To get that done tonight, with facing some adversity, I’m so proud of our young men. We put everything in the trash in preparing for this one. We went into it with clear hearts, minds and just decided that we were going to go out and play hard.”
A noticeably frustrated DAN MULLEN after the Bulldogs squandered their Playoff hopes in Oxford: “There is plenty of blame to go around. To give up as many big plays as we gave up today is unacceptable. I think we gave up over 20 yards per play. That is pathetic. That is just an awful job by our defense. Not a great job on offense.”
STEVE SPURRIER on Clemson’s top-ranked defense following a loss in the Palmetto Bowl: “They handled us pretty well. We ran for minus 5 yards three first downs and that was discouraging. When we watch the tape, we probably did not block very well. but we had some chances to be in the game. We had pressure on Dylan the whole game, simple as that.”
GUS MALZAHN after Alabama outlasted his upset-minded Tigers in the Iron Bowl: “I’m proud of our team. They fought until the end. Disappointing loss, especially late in the game when they came back. They’re a good team and we just didn’t get it done.”
