OPENING STATEMENT
CRISTOBAL: Really proud and excited for our guys. It’s an excited locker room because coming into this game we had to earn every single play. We had to earn the victory against a good football team with a lot of good football players after a rough week. We had to regroup quickly and get right to work and start fast and do a good job up front and control the line of scrimmage. We jumped out strong. Credit to them, obviously, they fought and played really well. They made some plays and made it a little tighter in the second half but all in all I’m just proud of our guys for taking control of the game in the most critical moments and earning the opportunity to play a 13th game.
Q. What were your thoughts on the team’s resolve this week?
CRISTOBAL: Well it was a rough plane ride back last week. We talked about it earlier in the week. When you go through something like that, you have to look in the mirror and you have to dig deep and regroup quickly. Our team leadership did a good job with that. I thought the coaching staff did a great job with that as well. The scheme was good. The adjustments were good. Guys played at a high level. They made the decision to have 11 guys play as one, played with great effort, executed at a high level and finished knowing that you’re going to have to earn it knowing that these rivalry games are - you’re never out of it. Whether you’re leading or behind you’re never out of it and you see it. You see it all over the country and you saw it on our field today. Really good job by the football team and a lot to build off of, the momentum to build off of that. We have a couple injuries. I don’t think there is anything too bad, nothing too serious. I think all the guys checked out fairly well in the initial check that I did. But certainly I’ll get any extra information on that to you ASAP.
Q. What did you think of Anthony’s performance today and this week?
CRISTOBAL: Well, I mean, I think it speaks for itself. He ran the ball 14 times for 83 yards and a touchdown, 23-for-28 throwing with 275 yards, 2 touchdowns. Showed tremendous command, tremendous leadership, resolve, resiliency. He had a strong week of practice. The gameplan was pretty extensive because [Oregon State] is pretty complicated on defense with what they do with their stunts, their blitzes, their stems - which we were told when they stem like that they were going to call a penalty, they didn’t - but anyway with all the stuff they do we made sure we gave Anthony our very best. We were 10-for-13 on third downs if I’m not mistaken. Just a great performance by a great team leader.
Q. How would you assess the play of Devon Williams and Kris Hutson, especially with the loss of other receivers this season?
CRISTOBAL: Yeah, they stepped up big time. They were targeted 16 times today, and I think 13 times they came up with it. Devon with a monster play early in the game. On a play that was a little improvised there with Anthony [Brown] getting out of the pocket, finding him, then launching it down the field. Some big plays by Kris, on critical third downs, particularly that last one that put us up by three scores. I think it was a third and eight or something of that nature, and still getting better and still having room for improvement, but they are just hungry. Coach [Bryan McClendon] has done a great job with those guys, they get after it. They are diligent, they are hungry, they are driven and they see so much room for improvement. The fact that this offense can keep getting better and better it was a really good performance today by those guys, and a lot to build off of.
CRISTOBAL: Really proud and excited for our guys. It’s an excited locker room because coming into this game we had to earn every single play. We had to earn the victory against a good football team with a lot of good football players after a rough week. We had to regroup quickly and get right to work and start fast and do a good job up front and control the line of scrimmage. We jumped out strong. Credit to them, obviously, they fought and played really well. They made some plays and made it a little tighter in the second half but all in all I’m just proud of our guys for taking control of the game in the most critical moments and earning the opportunity to play a 13th game.
Q. What were your thoughts on the team’s resolve this week?
CRISTOBAL: Well it was a rough plane ride back last week. We talked about it earlier in the week. When you go through something like that, you have to look in the mirror and you have to dig deep and regroup quickly. Our team leadership did a good job with that. I thought the coaching staff did a great job with that as well. The scheme was good. The adjustments were good. Guys played at a high level. They made the decision to have 11 guys play as one, played with great effort, executed at a high level and finished knowing that you’re going to have to earn it knowing that these rivalry games are - you’re never out of it. Whether you’re leading or behind you’re never out of it and you see it. You see it all over the country and you saw it on our field today. Really good job by the football team and a lot to build off of, the momentum to build off of that. We have a couple injuries. I don’t think there is anything too bad, nothing too serious. I think all the guys checked out fairly well in the initial check that I did. But certainly I’ll get any extra information on that to you ASAP.
Q. What did you think of Anthony’s performance today and this week?
CRISTOBAL: Well, I mean, I think it speaks for itself. He ran the ball 14 times for 83 yards and a touchdown, 23-for-28 throwing with 275 yards, 2 touchdowns. Showed tremendous command, tremendous leadership, resolve, resiliency. He had a strong week of practice. The gameplan was pretty extensive because [Oregon State] is pretty complicated on defense with what they do with their stunts, their blitzes, their stems - which we were told when they stem like that they were going to call a penalty, they didn’t - but anyway with all the stuff they do we made sure we gave Anthony our very best. We were 10-for-13 on third downs if I’m not mistaken. Just a great performance by a great team leader.
Q. How would you assess the play of Devon Williams and Kris Hutson, especially with the loss of other receivers this season?
CRISTOBAL: Yeah, they stepped up big time. They were targeted 16 times today, and I think 13 times they came up with it. Devon with a monster play early in the game. On a play that was a little improvised there with Anthony [Brown] getting out of the pocket, finding him, then launching it down the field. Some big plays by Kris, on critical third downs, particularly that last one that put us up by three scores. I think it was a third and eight or something of that nature, and still getting better and still having room for improvement, but they are just hungry. Coach [Bryan McClendon] has done a great job with those guys, they get after it. They are diligent, they are hungry, they are driven and they see so much room for improvement. The fact that this offense can keep getting better and better it was a really good performance today by those guys, and a lot to build off of.
