University of Toledo Athletics

Head Coach Matt Campbell
General Comments
"It was a tough day and its tough to come in here after a loss. I wish it was better news but its not. And its disappointing in a lot of different areas. I am going to first and foremost give credit to Western Michigan. I thought they came in and played to win the football game. They attacked and I don’t know if we attacked as much as we needed to."
 
Comments on Toledo not looking like itself
"We did some things that were uncharacteristic of us at times. Maybe that’s coaching, maybe that’s playing. We gave up some rushing yards that we haven’t really previously. There were some details that came and bit us. If you want to win a game like this you need to attack and go get it. I think we were a hair apprehensive."
 
Comments on Alonzo's targeting
"I didn’t get a chance to speak to him yet.  The officials reviewed it and it is certainly unfortunate if it was and I certainly hope that that young man is okay. I didn’t see it but the officials made a call that they thought was correct."
 
Comments on everything being on the line, are you surprised with how you played
"It's not that our kids didn’t play hard. There were multiple different things to point your finger at but we’re only going to point it at ourselves. We didn’t play good football and that’s it. Im not disappointed in our kids’ effort, I’m just disappointed that we didn’t execute in some of the critical situations."
 
Comments on momentum changing after the targeting call
"That’s big third down conversion and the momentum switches back to their side. That was definitely tough for us, but there were so many different plays I can think of off the top my head that we didn’t execute. Ultimately that led to the outcome of the football game."
 
Comments on the weather conditions
"Both teams had to play in the same weather. We knew it was going to rain and we prepared for it. Those are things we couldn’t control and we didn’t control the things we were able to well enough."
 
Comments on Western Michigan Switching QBs
"They swapped a little last week and ran some things that countered what they did a week ago, so you have to give that up to good coaching. I thought we settled in a little bit and didn’t allow some of their trick plays to happen."
 
Comments on targeting and the fumble which led to a TD from Alonzo Russell
"You don’t expect it to happen. Its unfortunate for that to happen to Alonzo because he has had a really good career here. He is a young man who has grown immensely as a person in this program. Its disappointing that it was his last game in the Glass Bowl. But he is a competitive young man who wants to be successful so I am sure he is disappointed. But its not just on Alonzo, there were plenty of guys who could have made a lot of plays that they didn’t."
 
Comments on your seniors not advancing to championship game
"It was hard to go in there and talk to them. I love these guys and those are guys who have laid it all on the line. We have won nine football games this season and I think this program has improved every year. We have taken great strides in terms of off the field, which I think has a direct correlation to success on the field. Ill be honest, It’s hard to look some of those guys in the eye. Those guys played so hard and gave us this chance in the first place.
 
We have to regroup, we come together. I told our guys that we are defined by adversity. You’ve seen the character of our football team; our kids played really hard, fought back and gave us a chance. We obviously came up a hair short today but I know the character and makeup of this football team so I know we will be ready to go no matter when we play again.
 
Comments on the job opening at Missouri
"Yeah, that’s easy… I have zero interest in anything other than this football team and being its head football coach. That has always been my stand. This is really important to me—doing it the right way and getting this program where it needs to be."

Junior RB Kareem Hunt
General Comments
"We practiced like we normally do. Nothing changed. The weather isn’t an excuse. We knew it was going to be rainy. They played in the same weather."

Comments on not playing in the MAC Championship
"I’m very disappointed we aren’t playing.  We wanted to send the seniors out with a ring.  I left my heart and soul out there and they did too. We are going to look forward to the bowl game and going to get that last win."

Senior LB Chase Murdock
General Comments
"Today was a hard day. Like Kareem said we came up short. The guys played their butts off."

"They were a good football team and they outplayed us.  We didn’t play Rocket football today."

"We came out a little flat and some calls didn’t go our way. It was just one of those days."

"Not playing for the MAC Championship hurts, but we’ve got the bowl game to look forward too."

"On defense you can’t let up the big plays and we did that today. We had them where we wanted them and in critical situations they came through and we didn’t."

Senior QB Phillip Ely
General Comments
"We had a chance and opportunity and we didn’t take it."

"We win together and we lose together.  We’ve still got one more game to play.  I don’t care where it is, whether it’s cold or warm, I’ll be there. I’ll show up. I know the team will too."

"I’m disappointed. It’s hard. We can’t redo that game.  There’s another game on the same stage. Instead of looking like that again, we’re going to get better."

Western Michigan Head Coach PJ Fleck
General Comments
"That’s the first win over a ranked opponent in program history. We’ve never been to back-to-back bowl games. We’ve won the MAC West title for the first time since 2000. We’re accomplishing nevers. A year and 11 weeks ago we were the worst team in college football.  We haven’t accomplished our ultimate goals ahead but I’m just proud of the kids."

We had to keep the chains moving. There were three drives in a row that stalled and that gave them some momentum.  All we told the guys at halftime was “you’re ready.” That was the only words I said at halftime.  I said it 10 times quietly. You’re ready.  The team went out there and took it.  Finally they got over the hump. This is a great step in the right direction."

"Toledo has incredible playmakers. They probably have more playmakers than we do. On paper they are probably 13 points better than us. We had to take advantage, that’s why the two point conversion right off the bat. We had to put ourselves in an advantageous position and put them in the chase. They had to be able to chase at some point. We felt that was the only way we were able to win. If we were chasing the whole time, our guys mentally wouldn’t be able to do it. Big time players make big time plays in big time games and our kids did. They executed the game plan perfectly."

"He has feeling and movement in his hands and feet. They are being very precautious with him right now as they should be. We have the best doctors in the country and we just need to continue to pray. We ask anyone here in Toledo or who saw the game to pray.

"I’ll say this. The commissioner is reviewing as we speak, and they should be."

"Tom was huge for us. That big play at the end he was almost gone. He’s a deceptive player. You don’t think he’s that fast and he took a bad angle and he can almost took it to the house.  We’ve used him in more running situations but he can pass it too.  We’ll get to the passing part very quickly and that becomes a very scary situation for the defense. Very similar to what Jordan Lynch could do as a full-time quarterback."