Oct. 12, 2002

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ILLINOIS HEAD COACH RON TURNER

On the meaning of this game to the team
"I am happy for these guys! I have said all along that football is real important to these guys, and they work as hard as any group that I have been around. When you work as hard as these guys do you have to have some success and they got some today. I heard our coaches telling them all week to go out and get the paycheck (win) this week and they got it today."

On executing today
"A lot of the things I have talked about all year and everybody for that matter about the things we haven't done, we did today. We handled adversity very well today and we haven't been able to do that this year. Hopefully we know now what it takes and get our confidence back for the rest of the year."

On decision to go with Ward at QB
"'He deserved a shot,' we thought. He had a good week of practice, maybe a little better week than Jon. As I have said all along, I still believe in both of these guys and I still believe we can win with both."

On seniors (Lewis, Schumacher, Ward, etc.) stepping up today
"We had a team meeting this week and they were challenged. We challenged them big-time about leadership, mental and physical toughness, and all the things we need from them. They really came together as a team today and those guys really stepped up and provided great leadership throughout the week and today, more than we've done all year."

On getting win with adversity
"We'll take the wins when we can get them. I do think this was a good win for us. We had a lot of momentum early and lost it but we continued to fight and win against a team like Purdue was big."

DUSTIN WARD, QB

On the OT TD pass:
"It was a play action pass and the pressure was coming pretty quickly. I saw Greg open and I just got him the ball as quickly as I could."

On the boos:
"You're always going to have critics, but we were laughing about it in the huddle. That kind of stuff happens."

On the game:
"It was great game; I had a great time playing it. Right now you should see the locker room, guys are pumped. I enjoy the exciting wins and right now, this is near the top of my list as one of the best games I've played in."

On the final play of regulation:
"I didn't see it until I looked at the replay, I saw it a few times and I didn't think he was in, but it's up to the refs."

On Antonieo Harris:
"He played tremendous today, he ran fast and he ran hard and when you put that together, it's a deadly combination."

On Brandon Lloyd getting the ball:
"That's just the way the plays were called and when he was open I just tried to get him the ball."

GREG LEWIS, WR

On the OT TD catch:
"I actually ran the wrong route. I was supposed to run to the corner, but the defender was there so I cut to the middle, Dustin saw me and I made the catch. It was a broken play, but sometimes good things happen from those, today it did."

On the rest of the season:
"We still have a lot to play and we have some good teams coming up. We just want to make the most of the opportunity we have to play on Saturdays.

JERRY SCHUMACHER, LB:

On his play today:
"I felt great today--my legs were finally underneath me and the defensive line protected me and allowed me to get out and make some tackles. I knew I had to pick it up today and I did. I'm the middle linebacker, I'm supposed to make plays. I want the ball coming at me."

On the preparation this week:
"We had a great week of practice, we were in pads three times, and we followed the game plan which was relax, go out and have some fun, we haven't been having much fun lately, but today we did."

On the rest of the season:
"We have to maintain hope and not let a couple of losses ruin our season. I was down, but the win puts a good taste in my mouth and I want more. We have five games left and I expect us to go 5-0. I never go out and expect to lose. We'll have some fun the rest of the season."

BRANDON LLOYD, WR:

On the win:
"This was a big win for us, we've been expecting to win. Hopefully now we can get on a roll and put together a string of wins. Today we showed a lot of character, especially our defense and Dustin. Dustin did a great job putting together that last drive and the score in overtime."

On the fans:
"Our fan support was excellent today, except for the people booing us. If they want to boo, they can stay home, but otherwise the crowd was great when we needed them, especially on those crucial third downs on defense. There were times I was lined up and couldn't even hear the snap count."

PURDUE HEAD COACH JOE TILLER

On if he is concerned about his defense:
"On the last Illinois drive and on their overtime possession, someone has to step up and make a play. We did a nice job before the half to get back in it, but we needed someone to step up at the end."

On the Purdue loss:
"This was a tough loss on the road. We almost had the win. We gave ourselves an opportunity to fight back and win at the end."

On special teams play on opening kickoff:
"That doesn't make us happy. But something like that will happen every once in awhile. That's what can happen when they have eight days of practice."

On disappointment of loss:
"Last week, we put our defense on the field at the end of the game and they came through. We think that our defense is our strong point. All we needed was one guy to step up and make a play."

STUART SCHWEIGERT

On game as hard to watch:
"I really cannot explain what my thoughts are right now, it's time for us to play on defense and we kind of let up and the end and it hurt us in the end."

On calf injury:
"Last Saturday I hurt it at the end of the game and I did not practice all week. I thought I would be able to go today, but without practice this week it (the calf) was not ready and neither was I."

On losses the last two weeks:
"Guys have to get the job done and we are just not doing it, I do not know what it is, guys just need to find a way to get over it."

On game:
"We did not play particularly well, but that it is why we play 60 minutes, the guys came back strong, we just have to play 60 minutes and we have not done that yet."

JOHN STANDEFORD

On play at end of regulation:
"I looked down and I saw the orange, I do not know what the refs saw, I was just trying to go after the ball."

On game:
"We played hard, we got down, but we came back and made a game out of it."

When went ahead thinking they were going to win: "Yeah, I think everyone was thinking that, our fans and everyone, but Illinois pulled it out and played good."

BRANDON KIRSCH:

On personal performance:
"Yeah, I think I played well, towards the end I think we should have scored, but I made a couple of bad reads and we should have won today."

On being put in:
"Yeah, a coach told me start warming up at the end of the second quarter, I started warming up, sat out another series and then went in another series after that."

On last play in overtime:
"Running scissors trying to get a pick for one of our receivers, I got flushed out of the pocket hoping that our tight end or drag guy would be there, as I was throwing I got tacked and did not really see what happened but someone said that it got tipped by a linebacker, and he said it was going right towards him."

On making huge personal strides the last two weeks, even though team lost both games:
"Yeah, it is really weird that I am stepping up trying to do what I can to do, but the team is not winning, and the ultimate goal in football is for the team to win, I think I am doing alright but the team needs to win."