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LINCOLN, Neb. – Postgame press conference of head coach Lovie Smith and Illinois player quotes following the Fighting Illini's 31-16 loss at No. 15 Nebraska are below.
Opening statement
"We were pretty excited about going on the road and playing our first Big Ten road game. We knew this was a hostile environment to play in. I am proud of the way our team lost today, we got better as a football team. It's about wins, 'W' or 'L', at the end. We know we still have a loss but we made improvements in a lot of different areas. We played a lot of different guys. When you're coming off a bye week, you look at a few more different combinations, which we did. Offensively, we looked at different guys at the running back position, thought they did a good job and gave us something different. Both of them - Kendrick Foster and Reggie Corbin, also. We hung in there throughout. We led most of the game but it is about finishing strong, and we didn't do that. Defensively, we knew coming in that this was a productive offense, great quarterback and again our guys fought throughout. (I was) just not pleased the way we finished the football game. We were plus-two in the turnover ratio, that's a good thing but you have to be able to get them down and get our steal. But we were one score away from tying the game so that is a bad taste in our mouth.
"Carroll Phillips went down with a knee injury, don't know the extent of the injury but whenever you can't finish a game of course there is concern. It's another loss we realize that, so we will bounce back and get ready to play next week."
On the decision to punt on fourth down late in the game
"There were three minutes left to go in the game with three timeouts. You stop them and get the ball back with over two minutes left to go and the clock stops every first down so there was no decision with that to make that call. A part of that was getting them stopped though."
On if he was worried the defense was tired when he decided to punt
"I wouldn't have done that if I was worried about that. I thought that gave us the best chance to win under those circumstances."
On the feeling after this game
"Well the feeling is that we played better. In the end it's OK if you win or if you lose and we lost. But where we are in our program, we wanted to see improvement. We put a better product on the football field today, simple as that. Not for 60 minutes though, that is the disappointing part."
On how the team did
"I think as a football team we did OK. I have to watch the video. But we protected the football, it was good ball security on that side of the football. Our running game did some good things at times. Not good enough to win though."
On settling for field goals
"There is nothing else to say besides that. We had plays to score touchdowns. When you settle for field goals especially on the road it hurts you later on. We had opportunities down there. We have to have more production. We had a 1st-and-4 one time and had a field goal, we just have to convert and get touchdowns. It's as simple as that."
On if the officials explained the spot in the fourth quarter that gave Nebraska a first down following a fourth-down play
"They always explain. This is where we think the ball is. Again, the spots and calls don't affect the outcome of the game. We need to not let them get down there in that position. Going back to that long drive we had plenty of opportunities to get off that football field. Somebody has got to step up and make that play."
Senior Quarterback Wes Lunt
On team's improvement
"Definitely no moral victories. You know we were so close to breaking through, leading all the way up through the fourth, battling through adversity all game but at the end you know they just made a few plays."
On settling for three field goals instead of getting touchdowns
"Just have to have positive plays, we try to run the ball down there, we just didn't have a ton of success. Tried a couple play actions and drop backs, you know it's on all of us we just have got to get better. We can't settle for field goals when their defense is playing well."
Senior Offensive Lineman Joe Spencer
On team's positivity
"We've just got to look at the film but walking off losing never feels good. It feels just as bad as last week. There is improvement, I think guys were a little more physical and [had more] energy. Just having a little more fun out there. We're excited. We've got to keep going forward. We've got a big one next week. We've got to keep the canon where it belongs and you know that's where it's going to be. Get after film tomorrow and keep going."
On running back Reggie Corbin
"I call Reggie showtime, and I think he took that to heart today. I think he ran the ball well. When we missed a couple blocks, he stayed in my head and he was like 'let's keep going, let's keep going, we're going to get one, we're going to get one'. And he got a couple. I don't know if we made every single run, but I know when you see him 40 yards down field and I'm chasing after him, that's always a good feeling."
Senior Defensive Back Darius Mosley
On team's improvement
"I feel like we are improving. The guys are coming in each week trying to give our all and play to the best of our abilities, so yes I think we're improving."
On fourth-down decisions
"I'm on the defensive side, so I'm just trusting the offense and trusting the coaches with their game plan. So whatever the coaches wanted to do, that's good for us."
On the defense not being able to stop the Huskers at the end
"I feel like we could've stopped them. Defense is all about having that mentality, you've got to stop the offense. I feel like we were in a position to stop them."
On interception and turnovers
"Turnovers are the key. I've got to give credit to the defensive line, shout out to Smoot, Carroll, Bain, they're the reason why I was able to get the pick and then just giving the ball back to the offense gives them the momentum to make a play and score."
On turnovers carrying energy through next week
"Our coaches preach that turnovers are very important. Once we get the ball, we're trying to score on defense so it's just getting the ball back to the offense, it's just a big momentum change. We're looking forward to try to keep getting the ball."
On Nebraska's 10-minute drive
"No, it wasn't anything different, they just stuck to their game plan and able to capitalize on some plays."
