Quotes from Tech’s loss

SHREVEPORT, La. — Quotes from Georgia Tech’s 14-7 loss to Air Force in the Independence Bowl, courtesy of bowl organizers:

Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson

“Air Force played a very good game. I said before the game started that the team that won the turnover battle is going to win the game and that is what happened. The way the game was going I knew both teams were not going to have the ball many times and I knew that.”

“We started the second half and we put together a great drive and then we fumbled the ball on the 3-yard line. It was kind of a microcosm of our season. Then we come in and have a defensive series and hold them, fumble again, go out and hold them. Then fumble again. It is hard to overcome all of those mistakes.”

“It is very disappointing. At the start of the third quarter I thought we had the game right where we wanted it. They got a touchdown and go up 14-7, but to their credit we didn’t get it in. We fumbled the ball.”

“We had to go to our back up returner, and he didn’t have it. He misjudged the first one and then he probably lost confidence after that. He has been the back-up returner all year and it is just one of those things. We had our chances, so don’t lay the loss on him.”

Defensive End Jason Peters

“Sometimes things don’t go your way and at this point we should know how to grow and mature as a team and learn how to handle those things better. The situations that don’t turn out in our favor we need to learn how to turn it in our favor and have a better outcome next time.

“That is one thing we expected to do and we expected from the young guys and you see how they work in practice. We push each other and we push ourselves and we know that we expect that from the rest of them.”

Running back Anthony Allen

On fumble before halftime

“We are kinda used to having long drives and taking some time off the clock and driving down and grinding it in. It is kinda heartbreaking and frustrating when you drive all the way into the red zone and have a fumble. The momentum kind of turned around from there when they went and scored.”

On if reality has set in that he has played his final college game

“Oh yeah most definitely. This was my last game. I wanted to go out with a win and get Georgia Tech its first bowl win in a few years but that is the way the season went, it was very frustrating. We had opportunities to make plays and win games and we did not do it.”

Air Force coach Troy Calhoun

On first half:

“We were fair on our execution in the first half, and when we’re fair we don’t move the ball nearly as proficiently. Our guys were excited, had a great week of practice, but we just weren’t quite as crisp as we have to be.”

“I thought the drive that we engineered prior to the half time was huge. It just gave us a real good boost coming in. To be able to move down the field . . . we took some shots and we able to make good throws, and in the end were able to convert the field goal. That was a key drive.”

On the upcoming off season:

“We’ll start from scratch. There’s a good bit of building that will have to occur, but we aren’t starting from the beginning. When you think of all the guys you have to replace . . . I mean we’ve got guys that have started nearly 40 games . . . and so we’ve got a lot of work ahead of us.”

On the passing game:

“Coming in we thought we were going to have to hit some play action passes. Coming into the game it was going to be the turnover margin that would be a key part of it and special teams, and, just, how efficiently you could throw would be a part of it too.”

“We’ve got a guy who’s a heck of a passer and we do a tremendous job with protection. We have some capable guys on the outside who are able to run routes too.”

On 4th down conversion attempts:

“Our guys are good enough to execute. That’s who you trust.”

On the field goal kicker getting “iced” at the end of the first half:

“These guys aren’t going to get too riled up. They love to play. You’re not going to be around guys who are any more passionate, any more disciplined, guys that have any more care or pride in them than these guys. Ask these guys what’s it’s like to go through a basic training at the Air Force Academy. . . There’s some poise these guys have—that’s why they’re going to be great leaders.”

Running back Jared Tew

“That first half our offense struggled a little bit, we only got six points on the board, and we came into the locker room at half time and, just, realized we have to put some plays together, we’ve got to execute better than we did in that first half, and basically, if we took care of our responsibilities and every person did their job we knew we could drive the ball, and that’s pretty much what we did.”

On his last TD:

“My number got called on the three yard line and coach SingIeton [] says you get the ball in the red zone you don’t get stopped. I got lucky enough to get my number called, and in my last name I was lucky enough to get a touchdown. It’s pretty cool to end like that.”