Boston College 34, Virginia Tech 27: Quotables

Head Coach Steve Addazio's overall impressions

"I really am proud of our football team. I'm really proud of the way they scratched, clawed and fought, on both sides of the ball and on special teams. They managed adversity, handled it and overcame it. I'm really proud of them.

"This was a really big game for our program in terms of our building. It's one game. It's not more than one game but it was a real step for our program. We've been fighting and scratching all year but we had to overcome it today and we did. We played one of the best defenses in America out there and they are good. We made plays on offense when we had to and on defense we got the turnovers we felt we needed to get. Going into the game I told the defense that this was a game they needed to win. That's the kind of game it would be and special teams would be a factor. All of those things happened. Our kids rose to all of those challenges.

"Our plan to win got executed right. Someone else might have on opinion of what we could have or should have done, but that was our plan. It got executed and it worked because we won. That's what it's all about, winning."

"We wanted to hold this team to 14 or less points. We didn't. We got it back by stripping and getting turnovers. That was the way of getting it back. We gave up too many chunk plays but we took that yardage back in turnovers. We told our kids there would be ebbs and flows. It's going to be hard. There are going to be three-and-outs. Just hang in there, play really, really hard and we'll win this thing in the fourth quarter. That's what we did.

"I couldn't be more proud of this group. We stand here at 4 and 4. All that matters now is getting five. Period. The end. We've got to enjoy the moment. We've got to get back to work. We've got to go on the road and we've got to go win another football game.

Addazio on running back Andre Williams (166 yards, two touchdowns)

"Andre Williams ran the ball for 166 yards and two touchdowns against the number one or two rushing defense in America. That's not easy to do."

Addazio on his players leading his team

"Kevin Pierre-Louis was unbelievable. He played so hard today. Kasim Edebali played so hard today. Chase Rettig led our team today. There was hidden yardage and hidden stats today. We had a called quarterback draw. We said the heck with it, you go get it and he got it. He outran the corner on it. His demeanor, his approach all week was one of a really determined guy. That was great to see."

Addazio on his team's character, getting behind and them coming back

"This is a brick. We're putting in a foundation. I don't know what goes from here. We are a work in progress. There's going to be ebbs and flows with us. That's the way it is but this time, this moment today, we cemented in another brick in the foundation. We're going to build from that. Are we a finished product? No. But we are fighting, we are scratching. You saw great will."

Addazio on the Red Sox being honored today

"I don't know anything about baseball. I've watched more baseball since I've been here, than in my whole life. I really enjoyed watching the Red Sox. Not because I know anything about baseball because I don't. But I watched a team that a year ago was completely transformed in 12 months. What I saw was it looked to me like this team brought the best out in each other. They found chemistry. They were all for one and one for all. There wasn't selfishness. They were hooked on doing something great for our city and they brought the best out in each other. I talked to our team about we have to bring the best out in each other. That's so important in the big picture. That's what it's all about. That's what we drew from what the Red Sox were able to accomplish."

Senior DE Kasim Edebali on forcing four turnovers

"Coach says every time that we have to play aggressive. The last couple weeks we were lacking a little bit in forcing turnovers, so a big emphasis point the whole week was getting the ball out of their hands and getting interceptions. We kept playing aggressive and in the second half we forced turnovers and it was good."

Senior LB Kevin Pierre-Louis on forcing turnovers

"Coach Addazio and coach Brown, during practice, just kept telling us that we need to create turnovers during practice so that we can create turnovers during the game. We started off strong in our first two games creating turnovers, but then we lacked a little bit in turnover ratio. We came into this game knowing that we had to make plays and we had to help out our offense because they were going up against a pretty good defense. It was a turnover battle and today we won."

KPL on the interception returned for a touchdown

"I made sure I caught it with my chest and the rest of the defense did a great job blocking. It was amazing to see them rally around me. I owe it all to them, especially for scoring, because if it wasn't for them I definitely wouldn't have made it to the end zone."

KPL on finishing the game

"I believe today was one of the first times that we truly finished a game from beginning to end. We faced adversity from quarter one all the way to quarter four. We were up, tie game, down. Looking at the sideline, the guys never lost faith. We kept echoing on the sideline, let's play to win, let's not play not to lose and we just rallied around each other."

Senior RB Andre Williams on 100-yard rushing games

"I know I'm an integral part of the offense and they are counting on me to move the chains and be a work horse in terms of the running game. I pride myself on being able to get 100 yards a game, but when our offense executes properly and our O-line is clicking, and the skill positions are clicking, and we are able to use play action for the run to compliment the pass, it comes pretty easily."

Williams on two rushing touchdowns

"I think I was able to exhibit to different sides to my game. I have speed, I can break away, and I can also break tackles and get the extra yards after contact."

Quotes via bceagles.com