Postgame Quotes – UCLA 16, Hawai'i 13
POSTGAME QUOTES
UCLA 16, Hawai’i 13
Honolulu, Hawai’i (Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex)
August 31, 2024
UCLA head coach DeShaun Foster
opening remarks
“We didn’t really start the first half the way that we wanted to, but I was just glad with the way that they came out in the second half. We came out and executed and it was about us more than exactly what they were doing to us. I just liked that my guys came out and fought hard. We continued to play and we were able to play and get the victory.”
on his emotions after his first win as the Bruins’ head coach
“I was just happy to get the victory. That was really it – it was really emotional in there, so it’s big that I was able to get a victory in my first game. I’m just glad that my players were putting it on themselves to get us that victory.”
on hearing that he got choked up with his players after the game
“You know, it was just the whole emotion of the game. I had kind of kept a lot of stuff bottled in, coming into this. I didn’t want it to be out there, all emotional. But I was just excited that we got our first victory. With the way our guys played, it really didn’t go the way that we wanted in the first half. But in the second half, they kept fighting and kept fighting. We were able to execute and get the job done.”
on UCLA quarterback Ethan Garbers playing better in the second half
“Just first game jitters. That’s just how it goes. I was just glad, like you said, second half and you saw Ethan Garbers. He played a good game. He kept everybody on the offense upbeat and ready to go, and they just continued to fight and make some plays.”
on how he reconciles pulling out a win, and having a few things not go UCLA’s way
“There are most definitely concerns, but I’m glad that we have a bye week. We need to address some of those issues we had. But I think we did address some of it in the second half. A lot of it, we had guys with emotions and getting caught up in situations in the game and we weren’t executing the way that we wanted to. In the second half, we kind of settled down.”
on the performance by wide receiver Rico Flores Jr., and UCLA’s defense in the second half
“Yeah, Rico came out and he played a great game, especially in the second half. Our defense was resilient. They played hard the whole time. They kept coming off the sideline and telling our offense, ‘We’ve got your back. We’re fighting for you.’ There was no bickering between the two, and I just love the way they fought and approached the game and executed.”
on the morale of the team at halftime and what the coaches’ message was
“Guys were listening. We were just shooting ourselves in the foot. That was on us – it was what we were doing. Hawai’i has a great team. They played hard and they did a great job with this game. But we still wanted to go out there and play our brand of football. I don’t think that we showed that in the first half. But in the second half, we were able to go out there and score some points, get some stops, and pull out the victory.”
on UCLA’s defense in UH’s final offensive series, with under one minute to go
“K.J. Wallace was flying around all day. Great job. I think that we had what, five sacks? We had a lot of tackles for loss, I’d say it was in the double digits. And our defense did a great job. I am just glad that we had a lot of guys who continued to fight. I cannot say it enough, but this team is resilient.”
on some of UCLA’s in-game adjustments and play-calls, what went into those decisions
“It’s just wanting to keep our momentum going. That’s it really. Other than that, I felt that we could have hit that field goal [52-yard attempt, second quarter]. So that is why we went for it.”
on Hawai’i converting from fourth down on a punt coverage (and ensuing run) in the opening quarter
“We had nine out there. So we had nine out on the field, we had double numbers, and two guys were trying to get their jerseys on, and get their jerseys on in time. And they did not get out there. And it’s unfortunate that they were able to run it, but we had the double jersey.”
on what an early-season road trip like this can do to help his team
“This is exactly what we needed going into what we are about to go into. We have a lot of road games coming up. They’ll be hostile environments. But I am just glad that we fought through it and we weathered the storm. Hawai’i has a good team – that’s not a bad team. They played hard. They kept fighting and they never gave up.”
Redshirt senior quarterback Ethan Garbers
on what sparked the comeback
“We had a lot of self-inflicted wounds in the first half and a lot of mental mistakes on the offensive side of the ball. The defense did their job. We held them to under 100 yards in the second half. We came in at halftime and Coach Foster’s message was simple. He said, ‘We’ve got to lock in. We’re shooting ourselves in the foot. This is not us. Let’s get back to what we’ve been doing in practice and what we’ve been doing in fall camp.’ We came out in the second half and did our thing. Still a lot of things to clean up. Still a lot of things to get better, and I’m excited about that.”
on his chemistry with Rico Flores Jr.
“He’s been awesome. We’ve been building that chemistry ever since he got here in January. He seems to just be open and seems to be the right receiver. He’s doing a great job. All the other receivers are doing a great job, too. Like I said, we’re going to keep working. With the bye week this week, we’re going to get back in the lab and switch things up.”
on the offense’s slow start
“I think everyone was trying to do too much instead of sticking to their job, including me. Trying to make plays and push stuff that wasn’t really there. I got to be smarter. I got to be more calm and more collected back there. In the second half, we went back to what we’ve been doing all fall camp. Everyone just doing their job and taking it one day at a time.”
on Coach Foster’s message at the half
“He was the same person. He didn’t flinch, he didn’t move. He said, ‘Hey, we’ve got to go. We’ve got to pick this up.’ … We were in that locker room focused and ready to get back on the field.”
on the offensive line depth after both starting tackles go down
“It speaks a lot about Coach (Juan) Castillo. We’ve got a lot of volume, a lot of depth on the offensive line. Jaylan (Jeffers) and Niki (Prongos), they’re doing a fantastic job. Couldn’t ask for any better. Like I said, we’re going to keep working and keep getting back into it.”
on connection with Carter Shaw
“Carter has been working his tail off. He’s been great. He was in the right place at the right time on that play.”
on preparing for Indiana
“First of all, I need to watch this film. Get back (and) get better. Monday, we’re going to come in and I’ll probably meet with Coach (Eric) Bieniemy, Coach (Ted) White and we’re going to put together a plan and attack this bye week. We’re not going to be laid back and relax. We’re going to attack this bye week and get ready for Indiana.”
on the running game troubles
“They were doing some good things with fronts, changing the front structure around. Like I said, first half was a lot of simple things – guys not getting off on blockers, missing blockers. But hey, we cleaned it up in the second half and we’re going to clean it up next week
Redshirt senior linebacker Kain Medrano
on what the defense did differently in the second half
“Nothing. We just knew we had to lock in on defense and just be more disciplined and hone in on the details of all of our coverages. We were relying too much on the run game in the second half and that was kind of a point of emphasis coming into the locker room. It just kind of went without being said that we knew to step up on defense.”
on what was said in the locker room at the half
“There was nothing really said. We just kind of knew what kind of ballgame it was going to be. We came out here and we just knew we had to rely on each other and rely on everybody in that locker room – offense, defense, special teams. We just kind of came in there like ‘that’s not our ball.’”
on how hot it was on the field
“It was a hot one. I haven’t cramped that bad in a while. I’ll say that. It was a hot one. Thank you to our training staff, especially, for helping us get through that.”
on what the defense did on Hawai’i’s final drive of the game
“We just knew how much time was on the clock and what they needed. They needed a field goal to go and tie the (game). They had below a minute. We just knew they were going to try to get out of bounds and save the clock that way. We kind of just knew that as far as all 11 of us. We executed. We worked on that all week and all fall in a game situation like that.”
on winning for Coach Foster
“We all knew going into this we wanted to win this for him. We knew as soon as we got that game ball it was going to him. Without a doubt, this locker room and this team came together for him.”
Sophomore kicker Mateen Bhaghani
on if that was his first game winner
“Yes, sir. First game winner in college. It felt amazing. Only one word going through my head: execution. Our snapper, our punter, it was a great operation. A great hold. Everything just kind of fell into its place. Felt natural.”
on if the kicker position was still up for grabs and if him and Blake Glessner knew they were both going to kick
“We both knew that we were going to kick, but Blake (Glessner) knows that I have his back just as much as he has mine. It’s always friendly competition. You’re competing against yourself at the end of the day.”
on if he imagines those moments on the practice field and growing up
“Yeah, of course. Ever since ninth and 12th grade, I’ve always dreamed of having a game-winner. It was an amazing feeling.”
on what’s going through his head going into his final kick
“Just a rush of emotions. In the moment, just super laser focus and it happens super fast. But honestly, just a great feeling.”
on the coaching staff preparing the kickers
“Coach (Foster), Coach (Whitfield) and our special teams analyst (Tucker Meyer) have been making sure all the kickers have been put in situations where they can replicate that type of pressure. Coming out here feels amazing to do that for Coach Fos. The whole coaching staff, they’ve been working super hard.”
on having a game-winning mindset
“Every time I go out there – it sounds weird – but you kind of just black out and you just rely on your training. And not as much focus on the result but the process of it.
UCLA 16, Hawai’i 13
Honolulu, Hawai’i (Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex)
August 31, 2024
UCLA head coach DeShaun Foster
opening remarks
“We didn’t really start the first half the way that we wanted to, but I was just glad with the way that they came out in the second half. We came out and executed and it was about us more than exactly what they were doing to us. I just liked that my guys came out and fought hard. We continued to play and we were able to play and get the victory.”
on his emotions after his first win as the Bruins’ head coach
“I was just happy to get the victory. That was really it – it was really emotional in there, so it’s big that I was able to get a victory in my first game. I’m just glad that my players were putting it on themselves to get us that victory.”
on hearing that he got choked up with his players after the game
“You know, it was just the whole emotion of the game. I had kind of kept a lot of stuff bottled in, coming into this. I didn’t want it to be out there, all emotional. But I was just excited that we got our first victory. With the way our guys played, it really didn’t go the way that we wanted in the first half. But in the second half, they kept fighting and kept fighting. We were able to execute and get the job done.”
on UCLA quarterback Ethan Garbers playing better in the second half
“Just first game jitters. That’s just how it goes. I was just glad, like you said, second half and you saw Ethan Garbers. He played a good game. He kept everybody on the offense upbeat and ready to go, and they just continued to fight and make some plays.”
on how he reconciles pulling out a win, and having a few things not go UCLA’s way
“There are most definitely concerns, but I’m glad that we have a bye week. We need to address some of those issues we had. But I think we did address some of it in the second half. A lot of it, we had guys with emotions and getting caught up in situations in the game and we weren’t executing the way that we wanted to. In the second half, we kind of settled down.”
on the performance by wide receiver Rico Flores Jr., and UCLA’s defense in the second half
“Yeah, Rico came out and he played a great game, especially in the second half. Our defense was resilient. They played hard the whole time. They kept coming off the sideline and telling our offense, ‘We’ve got your back. We’re fighting for you.’ There was no bickering between the two, and I just love the way they fought and approached the game and executed.”
on the morale of the team at halftime and what the coaches’ message was
“Guys were listening. We were just shooting ourselves in the foot. That was on us – it was what we were doing. Hawai’i has a great team. They played hard and they did a great job with this game. But we still wanted to go out there and play our brand of football. I don’t think that we showed that in the first half. But in the second half, we were able to go out there and score some points, get some stops, and pull out the victory.”
on UCLA’s defense in UH’s final offensive series, with under one minute to go
“K.J. Wallace was flying around all day. Great job. I think that we had what, five sacks? We had a lot of tackles for loss, I’d say it was in the double digits. And our defense did a great job. I am just glad that we had a lot of guys who continued to fight. I cannot say it enough, but this team is resilient.”
on some of UCLA’s in-game adjustments and play-calls, what went into those decisions
“It’s just wanting to keep our momentum going. That’s it really. Other than that, I felt that we could have hit that field goal [52-yard attempt, second quarter]. So that is why we went for it.”
on Hawai’i converting from fourth down on a punt coverage (and ensuing run) in the opening quarter
“We had nine out there. So we had nine out on the field, we had double numbers, and two guys were trying to get their jerseys on, and get their jerseys on in time. And they did not get out there. And it’s unfortunate that they were able to run it, but we had the double jersey.”
on what an early-season road trip like this can do to help his team
“This is exactly what we needed going into what we are about to go into. We have a lot of road games coming up. They’ll be hostile environments. But I am just glad that we fought through it and we weathered the storm. Hawai’i has a good team – that’s not a bad team. They played hard. They kept fighting and they never gave up.”
Redshirt senior quarterback Ethan Garbers
on what sparked the comeback
“We had a lot of self-inflicted wounds in the first half and a lot of mental mistakes on the offensive side of the ball. The defense did their job. We held them to under 100 yards in the second half. We came in at halftime and Coach Foster’s message was simple. He said, ‘We’ve got to lock in. We’re shooting ourselves in the foot. This is not us. Let’s get back to what we’ve been doing in practice and what we’ve been doing in fall camp.’ We came out in the second half and did our thing. Still a lot of things to clean up. Still a lot of things to get better, and I’m excited about that.”
on his chemistry with Rico Flores Jr.
“He’s been awesome. We’ve been building that chemistry ever since he got here in January. He seems to just be open and seems to be the right receiver. He’s doing a great job. All the other receivers are doing a great job, too. Like I said, we’re going to keep working. With the bye week this week, we’re going to get back in the lab and switch things up.”
on the offense’s slow start
“I think everyone was trying to do too much instead of sticking to their job, including me. Trying to make plays and push stuff that wasn’t really there. I got to be smarter. I got to be more calm and more collected back there. In the second half, we went back to what we’ve been doing all fall camp. Everyone just doing their job and taking it one day at a time.”
on Coach Foster’s message at the half
“He was the same person. He didn’t flinch, he didn’t move. He said, ‘Hey, we’ve got to go. We’ve got to pick this up.’ … We were in that locker room focused and ready to get back on the field.”
on the offensive line depth after both starting tackles go down
“It speaks a lot about Coach (Juan) Castillo. We’ve got a lot of volume, a lot of depth on the offensive line. Jaylan (Jeffers) and Niki (Prongos), they’re doing a fantastic job. Couldn’t ask for any better. Like I said, we’re going to keep working and keep getting back into it.”
on connection with Carter Shaw
“Carter has been working his tail off. He’s been great. He was in the right place at the right time on that play.”
on preparing for Indiana
“First of all, I need to watch this film. Get back (and) get better. Monday, we’re going to come in and I’ll probably meet with Coach (Eric) Bieniemy, Coach (Ted) White and we’re going to put together a plan and attack this bye week. We’re not going to be laid back and relax. We’re going to attack this bye week and get ready for Indiana.”
on the running game troubles
“They were doing some good things with fronts, changing the front structure around. Like I said, first half was a lot of simple things – guys not getting off on blockers, missing blockers. But hey, we cleaned it up in the second half and we’re going to clean it up next week
Redshirt senior linebacker Kain Medrano
on what the defense did differently in the second half
“Nothing. We just knew we had to lock in on defense and just be more disciplined and hone in on the details of all of our coverages. We were relying too much on the run game in the second half and that was kind of a point of emphasis coming into the locker room. It just kind of went without being said that we knew to step up on defense.”
on what was said in the locker room at the half
“There was nothing really said. We just kind of knew what kind of ballgame it was going to be. We came out here and we just knew we had to rely on each other and rely on everybody in that locker room – offense, defense, special teams. We just kind of came in there like ‘that’s not our ball.’”
on how hot it was on the field
“It was a hot one. I haven’t cramped that bad in a while. I’ll say that. It was a hot one. Thank you to our training staff, especially, for helping us get through that.”
on what the defense did on Hawai’i’s final drive of the game
“We just knew how much time was on the clock and what they needed. They needed a field goal to go and tie the (game). They had below a minute. We just knew they were going to try to get out of bounds and save the clock that way. We kind of just knew that as far as all 11 of us. We executed. We worked on that all week and all fall in a game situation like that.”
on winning for Coach Foster
“We all knew going into this we wanted to win this for him. We knew as soon as we got that game ball it was going to him. Without a doubt, this locker room and this team came together for him.”
Sophomore kicker Mateen Bhaghani
on if that was his first game winner
“Yes, sir. First game winner in college. It felt amazing. Only one word going through my head: execution. Our snapper, our punter, it was a great operation. A great hold. Everything just kind of fell into its place. Felt natural.”
on if the kicker position was still up for grabs and if him and Blake Glessner knew they were both going to kick
“We both knew that we were going to kick, but Blake (Glessner) knows that I have his back just as much as he has mine. It’s always friendly competition. You’re competing against yourself at the end of the day.”
on if he imagines those moments on the practice field and growing up
“Yeah, of course. Ever since ninth and 12th grade, I’ve always dreamed of having a game-winner. It was an amazing feeling.”
on what’s going through his head going into his final kick
“Just a rush of emotions. In the moment, just super laser focus and it happens super fast. But honestly, just a great feeling.”
on the coaching staff preparing the kickers
“Coach (Foster), Coach (Whitfield) and our special teams analyst (Tucker Meyer) have been making sure all the kickers have been put in situations where they can replicate that type of pressure. Coming out here feels amazing to do that for Coach Fos. The whole coaching staff, they’ve been working super hard.”
on having a game-winning mindset
“Every time I go out there – it sounds weird – but you kind of just black out and you just rely on your training. And not as much focus on the result but the process of it.