Nov. 12, 2009

Recap |  Final Stats |  Notes

Northern Illinois 26, Ball State 20
Post Game Quotes

NIU Head Coach Jerry Kill

On the victory over Ball State...

"First of all, it was a hard fought game. We found a way to win at the end and I'm proud of the kids and their effort. I have great deal of respect for coach Parrish and his ball club. He's been able to keep games and close and we were forced into finding a way to win. In the end, that's what you have to do. I thought Mike Salerno had a big playing game on the punt; our defense really stood up and put pressure on them. It's a good win, especially for our seniors. They did a great job and I am proud of our seniors."

On the close outcome of the game...

"I could tell you by watching film and evaluating the games that it was going to be close. All of their games have been very close, and they have had two weeks to prepare. We have had three games in 14 days and I think it showed. We lost a couple of people throughout the game and it was a physical game. I expected it was going to be hard fought, and I didn't care how we won as long as we did."

On the decision to bring quarterback Chandler Harnish into the game...

"I want to say that DeMarcus is a great player. He did a great job, and did a great job in the first half. We needed to get Chandler in. I felt like him coming back in the second half, getting some warm-ups and getting ready to go, gave us a chance to see what he could do. We wouldn't be here if it wasn't for DeMarcus and what he has done. I think we got a lot of things accomplished by getting to play both of them, getting him back in to see what he could do. We need to prepare for Ohio, we have nine days, and you never know, you might see both of them on the field."

"I think the program is heading in the right direction. We needed to better than last season and I think we are heading in that direction. We hold everything in front of us again and now we have to go on the road. We have been able to win a couple on the road, which I think is important that our kids do know how to win on the road. We will go into a great environment at Ohio. I think it will be a great football game and a great match-up and I am looking forward to it."

On the final two games of the season being on the road...

"They call that doing it the hard way, and we haven't done anything easy since I have been here. We need to find a way to get it done. We need to go in and give it our best shot, roll the dice a little bit, and get after it. We were able to beat Purdue at Purdue and I don't think many people thought we could do that. This team has a lot left in them. We have to get healthy and a lot of it comes down to that. We have a couple of extra days to do that. We all have to step it up and there are no excuses and we have to get it done. When you work 365 days, work all summer long, and you have guys who have been here for five years waiting for this opportunity, we don't have time to be tired. This is what you go for. I give the kids credit for getting us in this position, and now we have to go chase it."

Ball State Head Coach Stan Parrish

Opening statement...

"I would like give credit to Northern Illinois, and also to Coach Kill. I don't know if there is a coach in this conference that I respect more. NIU was tough, well-drilled and competitive. Despite our record, we are very young. We are not quite there in finishing games. Down the road we are going to be recognized. We haven't given up the ship, which is good for a very young team. We are very resilient, and I have a great vision for our team in the very near future."

On multiple players taking snaps at quarterback...

"We have a chess match, and we pay a lot of wildcat offense, which we pay a little price for. We had to install it three weeks ago when we lost our quarterback for the season. On some of the different snaps we have a lot of guys taking the role of the quarterback. They are very aggressive on defense. We are doing what we can do. We are going to be a handful in the future."

On the quarterback situation...

"We lost a really good, young quarterback. Tanner has had to step in. He is a tough guy. He does what he can do. He has improved in the past three games. He does what we tell him to do. He is all we can ask for right now. We are playing with the cards we have in our hands, and that's the way it goes."

On Coach Kill...

"NIU is in position to win in November. I have more respect for Kill in a short period of time than anyone I know. What you see is what you get. There isn't enough left of that in football. He is old school, and so am I."

NIU Quarterback Chandler Harnish

On starting the 3rd quarter...

“I was very ready to go, and the coaches did a good job of preparing me this week. I had no idea when I was going to go in. I felt like there was going to come a time when I was going to get some reps and some playing time to knock the rust off. I got that chance in the second half and I feel good.”

On the team winning seven games this season…

“It is a great feeling. I’m still thinking about it and it is very surreal. Last year, we won six games and were wondering if we were going to go to a bowl game. We feel good where we are at but we are not satisfied. We are looking ahead towards Ohio now and trying to accomplish our goal of a MAC Championship.”

On running on his knee tonight…

“It felt fine. It is not 100 percent but I did not expect it to be. I am going to have to work hard to rehab it and get back to where I feel 100 percent. I want to be confident to move out of the pocket, run and try to make people miss. I know I will get there.”

On his 9-for-9 performance…

“I give credit to the coaching staff. They put me in situations where most of my passes were shorter. I am just trying to do whatever I can do to help the team and I am happy with the win.”

NIU Wide Receiver Preston Williams

On catching a touchdown for his first career reception...

“Five years pushing through the grind and to have (my first career touchdown) come on Senior Night makes it that much more special. I credit (DeMarcus) Grady for finding me in the end zone and keeping the play alive. It felt great. I felt like the ball was in the air a little bit longer than it actually was; but I am just glad he found me.”

NIU Linebacker Cory Hanson

On Chandler Harnish playing for the first time in four weeks…

“It was exciting to see Chandler back. He is our starter. We started the season with him and we want to finish it with him. It was good to see him out there getting the offense going. Anytime the offense starts the flow, the defense feeds off of that. I think (the defense) fed off the rhythm of the offense.”