UCF Head Coach Josh Heupel
On the team win…
“It was a fantastic team win. We talked a lot about how we were going to handle adversity – come together, digging deeper, pulling tighter. We saw that in the second half. The defense had a phenomenal second half effort. Offensively, we did enough to score enough points. Special teams did a fantastic job. I was really proud of how our kids competed for 60 minutes. They battled injuries, battled the scoreboard and just competed.”
On his message to the team at halftime…
"I told them to keep competing. Before we left Orlando, I told them to play like the score was 0-0. Good or bad, we needed to play like it was 0-0 for 60 minutes. There were too many penalties that hurt us in the first half that put us behind the chains to put is some 3rd-and-long situations."
On the drive at the end of the first half…
"The three points at the end of the half were critical with the way the game played out in the end. KZ makes a huge third down throw on a scramble and then we were able to get three points out of it. Our guys have hanlded two minute siations very well throughout the season. KZ does a great job of operating in it. I trusted him to get the ball off and still go get the three points at the end, too."
On the fourth down call…
"We were just trying to make a decision on whether to go for it or not. We wanted to continue to wind the clock as much as possible and eat up the clock, we weren’t able to get the personnel. In. At the end of the day, both play calls are the same. Our edges did a great job. Taj with the long run in the fourth quarter was a huge momentum play in the game and changed the way the end of the third and fourth quarter played out."
On McKenzie Milton…
"You talk about being a quarterback being down multiple scores in a game that hasn’t gone your way. He’s just the ultimate competitor. He was super calm in all situations. The ball slipped out of his hands, and he comes back and continues to play. He made a couple of big third down throws, including the one to (Michael) Colubiale on 3rd-and-11. He’s the ultimate team guy. He’s the real deal. Our guys feed off this team."
On the team during adverse situations…
"I learned that we are going to operate as a team when adversity hits us. We’re going to compete with everything that we’ve got. We’re good enough with a lot of play makers that you have to keep fighting when it’s not going your way, and you eventually turn it in the right direction. I think our team grew closer together through what happened today."
UCF Junior Quarterback McKenzie Milton
On his touchdown…
"I knew I was close to the endzone and for games like this, you have to sellout for your team and that’s how I felt. The receivers did a good job blocking those guys just for enough time and we were able to get a touchdown and take the lead."
On what the win shows about the team…
"I think it shows that we are a resilient group. Hats off to Memphis, they played really well. Second half it was pouring rain and kind of cold and we aren’t used to that, but when adversity hit, we responded well. Proud of our guys, but at the same time we have to play better football and cleaner football, but you have to win games like this to be a champion."
On the confidence in fourth down calls Coach Heupel has in the offense…
"We get in to that heavy set and we have faith in our offensive line Trysten springs a block and I think we are planning on getting the first down but the touchdown that broke was a huge momentum shift. It was gutsy by Coach Heupel and gusty by the team."
About second guessing going on fourth…
"I think it was a go all the way, I think Coach Heupel wanted us to put our imprint on the game and with us being in our own territory, that was probably the biggest play of the game."
On mentality when trailing….
"We talk about it at halftime to just keep chipping. It’s tough with conditions in the second half to get things rolling. Hats off to our defense for shutting them out. The drive at the end of the half to get us three points won us the game. Matty-ice clinged one but then he made one and that was big. All around, it’s special teams, defense, offense, and it was a gutsy win by us."
On this game feeling more special than the others this season…
"I think it feels more special. Considering we played Memphis twice last year and with the way the Conference championship ended last year and the way this one ended, that’s why you love football – for moments like this. We are going to celebrate this one, but come tomorrow, it’s East Carolina."
UCF Junior Defensive Lineman Brendon Hayes
On second half defensive effort…
"I feel like the first half we came off kind of slow, but the second half we dialed them up and fixed a lot of things."
About the message from coach Shannon at halftime…
"He told us to keep playing physical, keep getting off the ball, keep our reads and wrap up big tackles."
On what the win say about the team…
"It’s a testament to everything we put in week in and week out. It’s amazing to come into a hostile environment like tonight and pull out a win."
On how the locker room after the game
"It was intense. Everybody is in there cheering and happy because we work too hard to lose. Those guys really did what they had to do to come out and play and to come out and win."
On McGowan’s touchdown…
"That gave us a big boost. Going down two scores and everybody is trying to see who is going to make the play and for Taj to do is big. It’s a testament to how hard he has been working since he’s been here."
UCF Senior Running Back Taj McGowan
On his touchdown…
"We were up in the air about whether we were going to go for it or punt it and the whole offense agreed that we needed to go for it and we were all hyped up about it. So, when Milton hiked the ball and Trysten cleaned his dude and I saw the hole and knew it was there. I wanted the first down and I think I got that and that’s all you can ask for. The touchdown was great. We needed that and I just want to do whatever can to help the team win. We work hard and that was my opportunity to do that and I’m glad I could help my team get a W."
About the confidence on the fourth down calls…
"Our offensive line has been killing it this year. They have faith in whomever is back in the backfield and we have faith the o-line. Coach Heupel has faith in us and we have faith in him so in those situations, we feel like we are going to dominate it."
On the team’s mentality when trailing…
"We beat a lot of good teams this season and credit to Memphis for coming out there and swinging all night long. Credit to the defense for shutting them out the second half because that’s really what we need. As a team, we thrive off of adversity so that situation didn’t phase us at all. We knew there was going to be a turning point."
On Milton in the second half…
"We saw a guy that we have seen all season, we saw a dog. No matter the situation, he never panics and that keeps us at ease as well. When he does the crazy things he does, we are not prepared for it but at this point we are used to it. When he dove into the endzone, we all looked at each other like whoa, but okay that’s him and he got up. I mean he has done that all season. He’s a dog and a monster on the field and has that beat mentality. Seeing him do the things he does, we are used to it at this point."
About the locker room post-game…
"Honestly, it felt like The American championship game all over again in the locker room. Just the whole situation where we had to fight through adversity, you know this was our first real adversity we’ve had this season and the chance for us to really get together as a team and bond. We had to fight through it together and those are the types of moments you look for. In the locker room, you could feel the passion we had and the family environment that we are going to stick with each other no matter the situation."
On how strong the team’s will to win is…
"This team is so strong, it’s incredible. We don’t accept failure at all. As far as looking back on last year, we don’t do that as much, we just focus on the next game ahead of us. What we have been doing this season has been fine but as soon as we get our W, we are on to the next one. Credit again to Memphis for coming out here and swinging but now we are focusing on the next week."
UCF Senior Defensive Lineman Titus Davis
On what was said in the locker room at halftime…
"Focus on the next half. We knew we came out a little shakey. We weren’t doing so bad, they were just driving the ball and making big plays. They scored a couple of times and we were holding them to a lot of field goals as well. Going back into the locker room and believing in ourselves and knowing that we have worked hard all week and knowing that our game plan was going to shine through at the end of the day."
On the Memphis offense…
"We weren’t really surprised. The Memphis running back is a great running back and he did his thing so credit to him and to Memphis for coming out with a great game plan. We adapted well in the second half and shut it down."
On Milton’s touchdown…
"It was gutsy. McKenzie will lay it out there for the team and that’s one thing that everyone on the team knows is that he will lay it all out there for the team and that’s what we love about him. We all would do the same for him. Going into the game, we knew that these guys were going to be a good team and they always have been so just him telling us before the game that he’d do anything to win and we said the same to him. We all have each other’s back."
On how the win feels…
"We did compete against them in The American championship, but it’s just another win now and we have to keep going forward. It’s the middle of the season and we have a lot of game to look forward to."
On what the win shows about the team…
"It definitely shows me a lot that these guys are willing to dig deep and find energy deep down. We haven’t been down like this all season so knowing that the team’s will to win is deep down in them. Knowing that I can help and talk to them to help get it up out of them and if the adversity comes up again that this team is willing to fight."