Duke 9, Boston College 7: Boston College Postgame Quotables

Steve Addazio opening statement...

It was a very hard-fought game. We had 305 yards of offense; they had 228. We had two opportunities to kick field goals and we didn't convert those field goals. One we didn't handle the snap, and one we just miskicked. Both of those ended up being critical. We lost points off the board in the first, and all that came to be a real problem for us. I thought the kids played hard. I thought they competed. We're still looking for a higher level of execution on offense. We made a lot of mistakes, and a lot of different things that go on that we have to smooth out. Both quarterbacks competed and tried to play. They both delivered sparks. It was a shame that [quarterback] Troy [Flutie] got hurt right at the end. We got that sprint-out pass at the end that was wide open to [wide receiver] David [Dudeck], but we just underthrew it. We couldn't get it there. I didn't have any timeouts left. I burned them trying to stop the clock. All we wanted to do was get six more yards with the wind at our back to take one more crack, but we couldn't get it done. We were afraid to run the ball because we didn't have any timeouts left. At that point, where we needed to make one more play, we couldn't make one more play.

Addazio on Boston College's goal line stand...

[It was] great. We put [our defense] in a bad situation with the fumbled punt return, but we were able to dig in there, which was terrific.

Addazio on the possibility of Alex Howell kicking field goals instead of Colton Lichtenberg...

He couldn't; he's hurt. I would have loved to kick Alex, but he's hurt. He's been hurt for two weeks. We did all we could do to get him to punt, so we put all of our emphasis into punting for him. He hasn't taken a kickoff, an extra point or a field goal in the past two weeks.

Addazio on going for it on fourth down instead of attempting the field goal...

Absolutely not. That's a very makeable field goal for [Colton Lichtenberg]. You have to go kick the field goal to win the game. It's 9-7. The wind's at our back, it's 9-7 and he did a great job early kicking extra points. He's got a strong leg. He doesn't lack for a leg. That would have been crazy [to go for it] at that point in time, absolutely crazy.

Addazio on the touchdown throw to Thadd Smith that was ruled incomplete...

I can't question the calls. All I can tell you is what I told Thadd. Thadd was presenting the ball after he caught the ball. I told him never present the ball. You catch the ball, then bring the ball back to you. That's all that was going on there. With calls, you get some and you don't get some. I can't comment on any of that stuff.

Troy Flutie on getting hit at the end of the game...

I was trying to get out of the pocket and make a play and all of a sudden a guy came and stuck me pretty hard in the ribs.

Flutie on WR Thadd Smith...

Thadd is a great receiver and he was able to get open all day. I should have hit him more but he played great. There was a connection there and we have been working on it.

Flutie on sharing time with QB Jeff Smith...

As much as you can get in and play is what you want. Whatever the coaches think is best is what is going to happen. I just want to help the team out as best I can when I am in there.

Flutie on the defense's goal-line stand...

That was a huge play. I was ecstatic. That kept us in the game. It was another great play by our defense.

Connor Strachan on the play of the defense...

My takeaway is to get in tomorrow and look at the film and see what areas I can fix. There are definitely places to tighten up and make more plays out there - on defense and special teams as units. It was a nice goal-line stand but our defense was prepared for that. It was not like something surprising to us. We just have to get back and work.