Boston College Postgame Quotes

Head Coach Steve Addazio

Opening Statement…
"Third bowl game in four years, that's a great accomplishment for our seniors. I just really appreciate our players and their grit and determination. That's what we talked about downstairs. We started out the year and hadn't yet learned how to close a game out when you have adversity. Today, we learned how to close a game out. Maybe the greatest lesson of all is things were really going our way in the first half and in the second half they really weren't and we still found a way to win the game. Those lessons can really be catapulted to a team and I'm really proud of it. Defense played lights out which we needed. We were struggling offensively with penalties and drops and a host of things along the way. But we found a way, special teams and defense, and then we made the play we needed to make on offense at the end in order to win the game. As a coach, you get aggravated when you watch things like that but you also say to yourself that maybe the best lesson that you learn as a team is finding a way to win on the road in adverse conditions, adverse situations in that we are not playing well and closing it out and getting your sixth win and getting to a bowl game."

On what his team's effort showed him…
"I think it shows resiliency of our team and our team was really resilient. We battled, we scratched, we clawed, we hung in there and overcame a bunch of stuff. We had some hard defeats, some close some not but we hung in there and everyone all around us was counting us out but no one inside was counting us out, they were all counting us in. We were able to scratch our way back in and get into a bowl game. There is nothing more satisfying than watching our kids' faces in the locker room. It's all about the players. You watch them, together, will their way to this, together, is worth everything. We will keep working on the other stuff and fixing stuff and this and that but that moment was worth everything."

On the future of his team…
"I think with the bright future that we have right now with the guys that are coming back, we will lose a few on defense but we have a bunch coming back that have played meaningful snaps. We've been through that metamorphosis last year when we lost five games by less than three points. We've battled back this year through this, our offense will become and older and more mature offense. Our offensive line is in place. The tangible things are in place to win and I like where we are headed and I like the future."

The faith that people inside had in us has been unwavering. That means a lot to our football team. Starting from the top of our university. Unwavering faith in our football program. That's what it takes to build and grow for the future."

On returning to a bowl game…
"We wanted to get bowl-eligible and that is what we are. How you get there is never exactly what you wanted. We had one blimp. We were not bowl-eligible last year. A lot of programs come in and they don't get to a bowl game until their fifth year if they are lucky. This will be our third and our fourth year. That's a credit to these players. This was so important to get our program back into another bowl game. It's never text book for how things go. Sometimes you go to two bowl games early and then everyone forgets. We have a lot of work to do. We are still doing it. We are not done yet. I like the future. There is one thing when you are going and you are worried about replace the guys you will be missing. That's what I worried about in year three. Now we are starting to build for the future. You feel good about the guys who are coming back. It's a process right now and it can be painful at times. But to be able to do that and be bowl-eligible is great."

Boston College Players

On the final touchdown drive…
Patrick Towles: It was our entire team. We have such a phenomenal defense. We talk about playing complimentary football. They put us on their backs for most of the game. Giving up just 14 points to a Division I college football team is a really good game for a defense. After [Wake] scored to go ahead, [the offense] said it was time to pull our weight. If we want to change the way people think about us, now is the time to do it. It started up front, Tommy [Sweeney] made obviously the last play. He made a great run on the fourth down. He was open all night long. He played a really good football game. I am just so honored and excited to be a part of something so special.

On turning it around after struggling in first two quarters…
Towles: I have played a lot of football in my life. You have to rely on the plays you have made in the past for confidence. I was able to do that. Actually, the play we scored on was one we put in Wednesday night. It was just like Michael [Walker] did against UConn. We meet for two or three hours after our family dinner on Wednesday to dissect the red zone. Michael got one last week and Tommy got one this week. I am really proud of how far Tommy has come.

On Wake's fumble on the punt return…
Myles Willis: It was a weird play because we all thought that he fair caught it. I think he might have thought it for a second too. He started taking it up the sideline and honestly, I thought I had a knockout shot and he juked back so I was able to get something on the ball. It was an awesome play. I am just trying to do anything I can to help the team win. That was just a huge play.

On the team becoming bowl-eligible..
Willis: It means everything. This is the closest team that I have ever been a part of, in all my years here and in high school. This team is so close and I love every single one of the guys. Everyone counted us out and we had some really low points, but we stuck together and hung together and accomplished what we set out to do.

Towles: We got two ACC wins, both away. Both going ahead in the fourth quarter. That is just a snapshot of the resolve of this football team. That's who we are. We are not the guy who is going to knock you out in the first quarter. We are the guy who is going to 12 rounds and wear you down and wear you down until we can take the last shot. If that wasn't evident today or at NC State, hopefully we continue to do that in our bowl game.

On what the team will do with the extra time for bowl prep..
Towles: I think it's a chance to heal, first and foremost. Twelve games – it's been a really long season and we have to get healthy. Second, improve fundamentally. We have a great opportunity to get fundamentally sound and be a better football team.

Willis: In college football, the rich get richer. When you get to a bowl game you get the opportunity to continue to practice, to develop the young guys, which springboards you to the next year. As a senior, I wanted to make an emphasis on doing it for the underclassmen so that they have the opportunities and the experience. That is what the seniors did for me when I was a freshman.

On the Eagles becoming bowl-eligible…
Harold Landry: It's just an amazing feeling – making everyone be quiet now. Everybody tries come at our coaching staff but everyone on this team and in this program all love the coaches here. We don't want anyone else coaching us. They have done a great job with us, developing us throughout the season. I just give credit to them; they put us in a position to succeed and we have to go out and execute. It is a great moment for BC football. Whatever happened in the past it is what it is. It's a great feeling to get to the last game get bowl-eligible, win out. It's just a great feeling. That's all I can say. We are going to get on the plane, celebrate this win and then we have to go back to work. Get one more win.

Boston College Athletics

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Harold Landry

Patrick Towles

Myles Willis

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