Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State at No. 13 UCLA: Quotes
Head Coach Kalen DeBoer
On the win…
“I think the biggest thing was the belief that we would win. There was never a question coming into he game and we fought for all four quarters. We know what we are capable of. The best thing about this game, is that there aren’t any regrets. We missed opportunities and we know that, but we just focused on those last seven minutes of the game. It was a great team effort. The defense did their job when the offense needed them, and the offense came through at the end with two touchdowns when we really needed it.”
“When I sit here and listen to these guys talk, it makes me think about the last 18 months. It hasn’t always been perfect and that’s what makes this moment even more special. We need to take this moment and celebrate it, but here’s still a lot of work to do.”
On the Red Wave…
“It’s special. I am so happy for the guys. To see them trying to find their coaches and to see the smiles. When you win the big games, you want to celebrate and go crazy, but there’s a part of it when you just want to see these guys smile, laugh, take pictures and give big hugs. This team is really close and hopefully you can see that. It’s not just talk, this is really what this team is all about. All the credit to them. They have continued to fight the fight, hold each other accountable and keep working.”
“It was really cool to see the support from our fans. They were certainly loud tonight, like the guys said. It’s a great feeling, because we know how tight-knit we are as a Valley and as a community. The support for the ‘Dogs has been there for decades. The passion is truly felt and seen by our guys. We have to enjoy those moments and celebrate them. Life comes and goes, things happen. This a moment we are all going to remember for a long time. These are the classics. These are the great ones.”
On national attention…
“When you win games like this, that’s when you get a target put on your back. That makes it fun. You are going to get your opponents best each time that you step on the field. I know that will bring out the best in this team. These guys aren’t done yet. I heard that in the locker room. I have a lot of trust in this group of guys. There’s something special about this team.”
On Jake Haener…
“We know he’s tough. We’ve seen that over the last two seasons. He got better when the pressure was greater. I know there are some plays that he wants back, but when the pressure was great that’s when he was at his best. That’s great to see the belief that our team has in him, and the belief that he has in this team.”
On Evan Williams…
“It’s been really cool to see Evan develop. He is a different man this year than he was a year ago. I saw it in the Oregon game. He continues to play physical. He is so smart to begin with. He knows where to go. He trusts the guys in front of him to do their job so he can do his. When the moment his big, he rises to the occasion and gets the job done.”
On Erik Brooks...
"There was one play that I know Erik would love to get back. It's a tribute to this team that the talk on the sideline was that he would just have to go out there and make another big play this game isn't over. He got one. He came through. This is a guy that cares about this team so much. That's why he earned the scholarship. That's why he's on the field. We trust him. He found a way to get it done when it mattered most. I am very proud of him."
Arron Mosby, Sr., DE
On the win…
“It’s a great feeling. We had some humbling moments. They came back and fought. The tables were turning, but we turned them back and came out with the victory. The Red Wave came out and supported us. We get to take this win back to Fresno.”
“This is the craziest game in my college career, just how the tables kept turning. Both sides of the ball played well. We battled. It was a great feeling to see our team fight, and prove how much fight we have.”
On stopping UCLA’s run game...
“Our big focus in this game was to be more physical than them. I believe our front seven can play with anybody in the country. I hope the stats reflect that. We came in and did what we wanted to do, and the rest took care of itself.”
On his play during the second quarter…
“I felt like they were running away from me the whole game. I just knew that I needed to make a play. When the time came, I got the sack. Then the next play was third down, and I live for third down and inches. That gave me another moment to make a play and I took it.”
On the Red Wave...
“Growing up, you see games like Auburn and Alabama that have big crowds to run into. To be able to run over to the Red Wave and be in the crowd after the win was a humbling moment. It was a great experience. It made the moment better.”
“We could hear them chanting ‘Fresno State’ during the game and that’s a great feeling. It felt like we were at home in Fresno. It means a lot that they care about us enough to travel. We even heard them at Oregon. Hopefully they can continue traveling with us. They bring energy to the defense adn offense. They play a huge part in our games and we love it.”
Jalen Cropper, Jr., WR
On the win...
“It feels amazing. To see the Red Wave come out and support us, feels amazing. To be able to execute that last drive. We practice that every day. Coach Grubb put everyone were they needed to be and we came out with the win. To be able to celebrate with your teammates, coaches and coaches’ families, it’s a great feeling. We went 1-0 today.”
“He is a great leader. I give Jake a lot of props. He came into that last quarter and told us all to keep our heads in the game. We knew we had 54 second and one time out. We knew that we needed to get out of bounds to stop the clock. We needed to execute all the small details, and that’s why we were able to score at the end.”
On scoring the winning touchdown...
“It is a dream come true to be able to score for my team and put the game away. We had trust in the defense to get that last stop. The feeling is surreal. You can’t really explain it with words. To see everyone’s faces, yelling, screaming and smiling on the sideline. It’s a different feeling. To know that Coach Grubb, the offense and Jake all believe in me to go up and win that jump ball, is a great feeling.”
On his family being in the crowd...
“Family is my number one. That’s what I live by. My grandpa taught me that family is number one because family will always be there for you. My mom is my biggest supporter. She brings my little brother with her to all my games. His birthday is March 17, so I call him my lucky charm. I know that everytime he comes out to a game, something good is going to happen.”
“Coming from Sanger, we were always the underdog. When you play football in the Valley, you have that support. Valley football is different. To be able to stay home, have my family in the stands, past coaches and former teammates support me, that’s a special feeling. That’s one of the big reasons I decided to stay home. At Fresno State, we are always the underdogs but our mindset is going 1-0 every week.”
On getting recruited by UCLA...
“I definitely made the right choice. I think about it all the time. When I look at my teammates, Jake, Ronnie, the offensive line - I know that I made the right choice and that this is the right place for me. My guys always put me in the right spot to succeed."
On what makes this team special...
‘The heart that we have. The heart that everyone on this team has. We come in as the underdog and we fight. We always fight. Everything that we do, is done with passion.”
Ronnie Rivers, Sr., RB
On the win...
“I’m feeling excitement. I am speechless, honestly. The heart that this team has is unbelievable. There wasn’t one moment in that game where we felt like we weren’t going to win. It’s an amazing feeling. This was my first time being in the Rose Bowl. I am so excited. It was a fun game. It was well-fought and we were able to get it done. I love my teammates, I love my coaches, I love this team.”
On the last offensive play of the game...
“They had a big blitz on that last play. We saw it on film and we knew that it was coming. To be able to keep Jake protected back there and give him the chance to get the ball to Cropper is an exciting feeling. Even though I didn’t make that final play, I was still heavily involved and I’m happy.”
On having his best game of the season...
“It’s an amazing feeling. Everything that I am feeling right now is just joy. The offensive line has been working their butts off. They did their thing tonight and opened some holes for me. All the props should go to them. They fought hard and they were really physical tonight.”
On passing his dad on the all-time all purpose yards list...
“He’ll definitely receive a phone call from me later.”
On the Red Wave...
“It’s a great feeling to have the support of the Red Wave. They were louder than the UCLA fans tonight. It brings the energy and I’m glad that we could get it done for them tonight.