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Quarterback Steven Sheffield:

Opening Statement:

Why is everyone always so serious in here all the time? Why is that? I’m not going to be that serious. I don’t want to answer any questions about Coach Leach and Adam James. We can talk about the game.

On going for it on the two fourth down plays in the fourth quarter:

We executed them and I’m glad we went for it. There was kind of a debate on the second one about whether we would go for a field goal or go for it. We’re close so we might as well go for it.

On how he felt to get on the field in the game:

I was excited. I’ve been excited to redeem myself since Oklahoma State. I played a horrible game but my foot has been getting better. I’ve wanted to be on the field since day one. Things have been going so well. The practices have been good and me and Potts are both throwing well. In my mind I wanted to start and I wanted to play every down but I was excited to go in.

On whether he expected to play:

Lincoln Riley came up to me and asked me to warm up. I was (a little caught off guard) but I’m glad he came up to me. We needed to win and I was trying to win. It’s fun when you get to win. You can go in there and over think things or hesitate or you can go in and know you’re going to win and just win.

On overcoming adversity:

I was telling a lot of guys on the field that we had a lot of adversity all week and we talked about overcoming it. This whole week wasn’t really about the team. We’re were on the news here and the news here and this and that so I think it was real special for the team to come together and the coaches to come together. Especially Coach Ruff (McNeill) steeping in for the head job and getting this win. I’m proud of everyone.

On how he felt to provide a spark to the offense:

Not starting the game (it felt good) coming in and getting my team a spark. Whatever it takes to get a win.

Running Back Barron Batch:

On how the team feels about Interim Head Coach Ruffin McNeill:

Speaking for everyone we all want Coach Ruff to be the next head coach. That was kind of us just showing that. There’s no divisiveness amongst the team or players or anything for that matter. We fully support Coach Ruff and we’re ready to run through a brick wall for him.

On what he would say to Coach Leach is he spoke to him:

I think the best thing for Tech and for Tech fans right now is just to move on. I looked up in the stands and I saw ‘Team Leach’ and ‘Bring Back Leach’ (signs) and Leach ain’t coming back. That’s how it is. We got what we got. We got the coaches we’ve got. We got the players we’ve got. The best thing right now is to move on and understand we’re still a very good football team with good players and good coaches.

Acting Offensive Coordinator Lincoln Riley

On Taylor Potts’ performance in the Valero Alamo Bowl:

Potts played well. The biggest things about make that decision at the end of the game was going back to Oklahoma State and after we looked at that film we saw that he didn’t play and the guys around him did not play as well. Sometimes in this offense because we’ve got so much on the quarterback, if it’s not working you immediately want to say it’s the quarterback and that wasn’t the case there. He moved the ball well and got us going early. That first touchdown was a real momentum boost. He got dinged up a little but. It was a call that wasn’t definitive about whether or not he could play but I went with my guy on it. Part of that had to do with him (Potts) and part of it was that this guy right here (Sheffield) has ice water in his veins. I knew putting him in a pressure situation that he’d get it done. Both touchdown drives and the fourth downs were big.

On whether he was nervous in the game:

I felt good. I was a little nervous going in but after that first play I was ready to roll. It was the longest day ever with that 8 o’ clock kick. But the players made it easy for me. They’re the ones that executed. I think our tempo really bothered them. You saw their guys cramping up, especially their (defensive) line. You saw them leaning over with their hands on their hips. We talked all week about playing fast and our big guys up front played well, they dominated the football game from beginning to end.

On why he pulled Potts for Sheffield:

I wasn’t as much for the spark but it happened that way. But I wouldn’t have pulled him (Potts) if not for the injury. It was nothing to serious but something enough that I thought it might hurt his performance.

On how satisfying it was to see Potts play well:

It’s good because he’s had a lot of doubters. This goes back to how we play as an offense. We talk about problems when we’re still in the Top 10 in the country in offense. Some of the problems we’ve had this year, stuff has been put on them maybe in the media and by people who do not what we do offensively. It hasn’t all been him so it’s good to see him do well. I told him after the game he deserves that MVP award.

On the conversation that led to Tech going for a first down on fourth-and-14:

We communicated with Ruff. He was going to make the decision. That had already been decided coming into the game. He asked me if I had something that we liked and if I felt good about it and I said ‘yes, if it’s up to me I want to go for it’ and he did too. You could see it in his eyes. He wanted to go for it just like everybody on our team.

On the uncertainty going forward as a program:

It’s tough. We’ve got to control what we can control. We needed to come out and play well tonight and we did that. We beat a good football team out there. If you can name another situation where another university handled adversity in that short of a time, I’d love to hear. We came through. We proved this team in capable hands. It was tonight and hopefully it will be in the future.

Offensive Lineman Brandon Carter

On the emotion of the team this week:

It was difficult just because of the situation and we had no idea we were going to be faced with this. We arrived at the hotel and 30 minutes before our meeting we were made aware of the situation. I think the team did great looking past. Even in that practice every one was like let’s move on and let’s go practice. I think the coaches did a great job of keeping our focus on the game and not in the media and the distractions. We all came together as a family and pushed through.

Cornerback Jamar Wall

On who he would like to be the next head coach:

I’d like Ruff to be the coach for everyone’s sake. New coaches mean you have to bring in new staff and everything changes. A lot of guys are well know to our system and our defense so I think if he (Ruffin McNeill) stays in the system nothing will happen but us getting better.

On what he would to Coach Leach if he spoke to him:

That I’m sorry that it happened. It’s part of coaching. You can be here today and gone tomorrow. No days are ever promised. I’m sure he won’t have any problems finding jobs. Maybe now because all the jobs are taken but next year he’ll definitely find a job somewhere.

On the state of Tech football:

We stay together as a family. I mean Adam James, it wasn’t all him that did it, there were things leading up to it and we’re going to stick behind him 100 percent. As long as we’re together and we’re still winning we should have our fan base.

Defensive End Brandon Sharpe:

On who he would like to be the next head coach:

I think it would be the best decision. Ruffin is a great guy, a motivator. It would be a great idea to keep him here. Everyone loves him.

Interim Head Coach Ruffin McNeill

On the state of Tech football:

I know that in Red Raider Nation that there’s feelings both ways but I have faith in our fan base, faith in our alums and faith in Red Raider Nation that they will unite just like tonight. It felt like Jones (AT&T Stadium).

On how he feels after winning his first game as head coach:

This was the most challenging week I’ve had in my 29 years of coaching. It was a fun challenge though and this is the most rewarding night I’ve had in my coaching career. I love those players.

On his team rallying late to win:

We’ve been there before. It’s not the first time we’ve been behind. It’s not the first time we’ve had adversity. The main thing I had to do was get them settled down. They were so hyped I was having to do them down yesterday and then today I got a little hyped at the hotel and in the locker room it was really intense. Asked them to play hard was not the problem. Getting them to settle down and do the little things (was the challenge).

Quarterback Steven Sheffield:

Opening Statement:

Why is everyone always so serious in here all the time? Why is that? I’m not going to be that serious. I don’t want to answer any questions about Coach Leach and Adam James. We can talk about the game.

On going for it on the two fourth down plays in the fourth quarter:

We executed them and I’m glad we went for it. There was kind of a debate on the second one about whether we would go for a field goal or go for it. We’re close so we might as well go for it.

On how he felt to get on the field in the game:

I was excited. I’ve been excited to redeem myself since Oklahoma State. I played horrible game but my foot has been getting better. I’ve wanted to be on the field since day one. Things have been going so well. The practices have been good and me and Potts are both throwing well. In my mind I wanted to start and I wanted to play every down but I was excited to go in.

On whether he expected to play:

Lincoln Riley came up to me and asked me to warm up. I was (a little caught off guard) but I’m glad he came up to me. We needed to win and I was trying to win. It’s fun when you get to win. You can go in there and over think things or hesitate or you can go in and know you’re going to win and just win.

On overcoming adversity:

I was telling a lot of guys on the field that we had a lot of adversity all week and we talked about overcoming it. This whole week wasn’t really about the team. We’re were on the news here and the news here and this and that so I think it was real special for the team to come together and the coaches to come together. Especially Coach Ruff (McNeill) steeping in for the head job and getting this win. I’m proud of everyone.

On how he felt to provide a spark to the offense:

Not starting the game (it felt good) coming in and getting my team a spark. Whatever it takes to get a win.

Running Back Barron Batch:

On how the team feels about Interim Head Coach Ruffin McNeill:

Speaking for everyone we all want Coach Ruff to be the next head coach. That was kind of us just showing that. There’s no divisiveness amongst the team or players or anything for that matter. We fully support Coach Ruff and we’re ready to run through a brick wall for him.

On what he would say to Coach Leach is he spoke to him:

I think the best thing for Tech and for Tech fans right now is just to move on. I looked up in the stands and I saw ‘Team Leach’ and ‘Bring Back Leach’ (signs) and Leach ain’t coming back. That’s how it is. We got what we got. We got the coaches we’ve got. We got the players we’ve got. The best thing right now is to move on and understand we’re still a very good football team with good players and good coaches.

Mark Dantonio, Michigan State Head Coach

Opening statement:

First of all I just want to thank the Valero Corporation, the Valero Alamo Bowl, the people of San Antonio and all the Michigan State Spartans who traveled down here this week for this event. We’ve had an outstanding time here. It’s a great city, great hospitality and we look forward to wrapping things up here January 2.

Texas Tech is an outstanding football team. They play with great energy, great emotion. I congratulate Coach Leach and Coach McNeill for the job they’ve done.

We look forward to the opportunity to play. It’s been almost six weeks since we played Penn State so we’ve sat there with a different kind of taste in our mouth for quite some time. We’ve worked extremely hard to represent Michigan State on the field and off the field Saturday so we look forward to that opportunity.

On preparing for Tech’s offense without Leach:

I think every football team has a system and that system starts with the head coach and the offensive coordinator but that filters down through the whole staff. The majority of Tech’s coaching staff has been there for seven, eight, ten years so we’ll see the same system. You can’t reconstruct the wheel in that short of a time. We’re looking forward to the same type of thing unless you’ve (McNeill) got some tricks up your sleeve which I’m sure you do.

On the dedication of Michigan State’s players:

I think our players have done an outstanding job as far as focusing on what we have to do. The goals have been to handle our situation and handle the adversity we were going to be facing. I think we’ve done that with integrity and represented ourselves off the field. Now we look forward to the third goal and that’s representing ourselves on the field. Our football team has done a great job handling adversity which all teams have to deal with at some point in a football season.

On his thoughts about Tech’s situation and Leach’s firing:

First of all I’m not qualified to speak on that and I’d pretty much leave it at that. As far as Coach McNeill and what I had seen prior to that incident, when I saw their football team move around and interact on the field I saw enthusiasm. I saw a football team going in the same direction. They’ll come to play and there’ll be great leadership there. That’s been proven.

On whether the atmosphere has been sullied by both team’s off the field situations:

I think there’s been a lot written and a lot said in the media, which there usually is. I’ve just to distance myself from that as a football team and myself and I’ve tried to concentrate on the things I can deal with. I can’t deal with all these other things. What I can deal with is make sure we know what they do, make sure we’ve had some live reps to be ready and make sure we know what we need to do on the football field that’ll help us win a football game. It has not diminished Michigan State’s football team’s resolve. We’ve had a tough year. Our whole year has been about handling adversity from the first game on. From the Central Michigan game to the Notre Dame game to Iowa game. We’ve lost some close games at the end but somehow, someway we found a way to get here and once we got here we were determined that we were going to have a positive experience off the field and a positive experience on the field and that has yet to be determined.

On whether he has worried that Tech’s coaching change could distract his players:

No, we really haven’t. We’ve tried to deal with the reality of the situation, our situation, which was getting ready to play a good football team. A lot of people have the opportunity to sit at home and read newspapers and read the internet, watch t.v. and those sorts of things but our players have really been focused in meetings and on the football field and going to Sea World or whatever the bowl experience would allow them to do. I really don’t think they’ve put themselves in that chair to watch all this. They’re here as an active part of this bowl experience. So when you’re in that fishbowl as opposed to outside that fish bowl you’re there and dealing with what you can deal with. You really don’t have time for distraction. I think it raises and eyebrow but then you move on.

On how the last month and dealing with player suspensions has affected his life:

First of all I sleep fine and my diet is good so I haven’t starved myself or anything like that. What the situation has done is take away from football. It’s taken away from recruiting. My time is spent dealing with a problem instead of dealing with a football issue. But once that Saturday when I talked to our media we’ve been able to concentrate and move forward. I don’t think there are a lot of bad people in this world. I think there are people who make bad choices and those choices have consequences. I can eat and I can sleep because I think I’m trying to do what I believe is right.

On prospect that team could burn out in first quarter:

In any football game you’ve got that ball that’s going to bounce a certain way. In terms of burning out I want to make sure when we get to the football game we’re ready to play. We need to execute. Enthusiasm is going to play a part in any football game but I think we’re looking to remain consistent in our level of enthusiasm. Especially with the type of offense they use, there’s a lot of movement so you have to be ready to line up and play that next play. I guess it’d be a slow burn if we burn out, maybe 0-0 at the fourth quarter. I hope our guys show up ready to play. That’s been our focus, for six weeks. Before we knew who we were going to play. The focus was who we were going to play in a bowl game but more of it was how are we going to play in a bowl game. I know there’s risk involved in saying that but we came to play because of what’s gone on, we came to play because of what this season has held for us. When we were 1-3 the goals start to change but we found a way to fight back and a way to get in it. We’ll be ready.

On how Keith Nichol will be used in the Valero Alamo Bowl:

I was wondering when that was going to come up. Keith will play wide receiver, he’ll play quarterback and he’ll be on the field quite often. He’s proven to be a quick study based on knowing the offense at quarterback. I figure we’ll let the cat out of the bag on Friday but I think it should be noted how great of a job Keith has done. He’s a tremendous athlete. He’s 220 pounds with a 38 inch vertical and 10.6 long jump guy and he can catch. It’ll be interesting to see how he plays tomorrow. I know he’s looking forward to it.

On how Keith Nichol has done adjusting to playing receiver in practice:

He’s done excellent. We’ve got good football players. We’ve got guys that played other positions in high school so we’ve made it work. He certainly is a guy who can do a lot of things. It’ll be a positive story and we need some positive stories. Cousins has faith in his as a receiver, he can punt return as well. We’ve known all long he’s an explosive athlete but he’s operated at quarterback this whole time as well. Obviously we only have two quarterbacks and he’s one of them.

On how Kirk Cousins has progressed as a quarterback and a leader:

Kirk has been an outstanding player and representative of our football team. Not too many players are named captain as a sophomore before they’ve ever started a game. I think that says it all. He’s a tremendous person, a hard worker, very intelligent. He has a great arm, physically gifted as well and the nice is he has two more years to play. When he came in, ironically Keith (Nichol) was the guy who was committed to Michigan State and then went to Oklahoma. (Quarterbacks Coach) Dan Enos had both those camp throwing right beside each other and there was a lot of similarity in how they threw the football. When Keith decided to go to Oklahoma we decided to take Kirk Cousins and Nick Foles and we got two good quarterbacks. It’s exciting to see him (Cousins) perform and it’s also exciting to have Keith back at Michigan State. Good things are the future for both those guys.

On how expectations in bow, games have changed for Michigan State’s program:

I think it’s important to win your last football game because that sets you up a little bit for the next season. It sets you up for spring practice. If you don’t you move on, you get things squared away and you move in a different direction. We’ve been to bowl games the last two years. We played a very good Georgia football team last year, a team that was a preseason number one pick. I thought we represented and had opportunities to win the football game. The year before that we played (Boston College), a number two team that lost the (ACC) championship to Virginia Tech and we had opportunities to win that football game. What we have to do is take opportunities and make good on them. We’re learning; it’s a process. Texas Tech has been to 10 straight bowl games so these things take time.

On the long term decision on how Keith Nichol will be used offensively:

Those decisions are made in the future. The situation we became involved in and the necessity of the numbers kind of predicated that we move Keith. Because he knows the offense as a quarterback, knows what people are doing, knows the formations and motions, it was an easy transition for him. He’s worked on his own a lot and worked with Kirk. He has tremendous ability. He’s a bigger, stronger, faster Blair White if you put it that way and Blair has been very successful here. We knew when we recruited him that he would be a viable part of the football team and that he would make plays for us.

Ruffin McNeill, Texas Tech Interim Head Coach

Opening statement:

It's been fantastic from the moment we were invited. Nothing but first class in every event. Our kids and families have enjoyed it immensely. I had my first taste of Tex Mex here at La Fogata about 15 years ago. I tried to fins that restaurant last night. I want to congratulate Mark on the job he's done at Michigan State. They play in a tough conference like we do. Week in and week out you're tested. You play BCS competition and you better bring your A game. Mark has always done a great job with schemes and fundamentals. They've also had to deal with adversity and they've handled it well. We are looking forward to getting focused, prepared and tightening the screws up. We just want to make sure we put our best foot forward.

On this game being a head coaching audition:

All the controversy has taken away from the players so I'm ready for the game to get here so we can put a lot of focus on how the teams are playing. When I first thought about coaching my Dad called me an idiot, so I'm a coach's kid. He said to make sure your body of work that you put on the field speaks for itself and stands out as your resume. I know Mark and we're ball coaches. I love coaching, our kids and the parents of our kids. Let there be no question there. I'd be honored to take care of their most prized possessions cause I'm a Dad, too.

I have a lot of respect for Michigan State cause they've been through a lot of adversity as well.   

On his relationships with players on and off the field:

I try to live by an If-Then Theory. If I work hard then you should work hard and if you give me respect then I should give you respect. The kids on all three side of the ball, special team included, having been at Tech for 10 years, I roam and recruit them all. I go to everyone home offensively and defensively. the kids know how I am. I tell them what I expect and what we're going to demand. I'm not afraid to coach them hard or love them hard. .

On how an Alamo Bowl win would benefit the Tech program:

Let's don't get caught up in the emotion. Let's make sure the execution, tempo and technique are our priorities. And making routine plays as well. We've always lived by “Play the next play.” Some good and bad things are gonna happen tomorrow, on all 3 sides of the ball and for both parties. Getting knocked down will not be new for either ball team. Mark and I have gotten together and hope to continue our coaching friendship. Our wives get along and everything. But I'm really looking forward to the game and the challenge ahead.

On the possibility of each team burning out early in the game:

That's one of the things you worry about. I know Mark (Dantonio) has gained the love and respect you have to have as a head football coach and he's also been in a coordinating position. The kids love both of us and they're ready to fight and lay down for ya. You also want to make sure you focus at the task at hand. Make sure you understand the down & distance and the different situations that arise as the game goes along. The kids have done a great job staying focused at the most critical times. We've had four good days or practice and I'm very excited for our guys. They'll be some highs and lows and we have to make sure we're ready to handle either one.

On how he’s handling the newfound pressure:

Pressure to me is growing up and we make two thousand a month as a family and our bills are three thousand. That's pressure. This is the fun part, the coaching part, the film stuff part, the part of getting your team ready to play. I enjoy the challenge. I'm able to lead a group. When I was a position coach I prepared to be coordinator and when I was blessed to be a coordinator I prepared to be a head coach and now I have the opportunity to act in that role. I've asked for guidance and wisdom and it's been there. I'm also watching what Mark's doing and cheating off of him. It's better to cheat than repeat. I'm looking forward to the competition and challenge more than the pressure.

On how valuable Sunny Cumbie is to the offensive gameplan:

Sunny is guy who waited his turn. It sort of goes back to the old BYU philosophy. After Kingsbury it was B.J. And then its was Sunny's turn. He's been around the program as a player, waited for his opportunity and ended up being MVP of the Holiday Bowl. Then he went off and played and came back as a coach. He's done a great job working specifically with the quarterbacks so I feel comfortable with him in that situation. He'll be the eyes and ears for Lincoln from the box. Lincoln understand the offense. Both of them came from this system. I told them both a few things that I would like done. My interference, even though I've been around the offense for 10 years, I've had to defend it for 10 years, too. I've given them some instruction along the way. Sunny is very valuable because he understands the offense, the thought process by the quarterback and vision from the box about what's needed for specific situations. I feel good about him.

On if he’s been in contact with Leach and whether the team will be noticeably different going forward:

He's not just my friend, he's one of my best friends. He game me an opportunity. I told him I loved him and asked him if he needed anything. He said hang in there and be yourself. I think we got to do what we do. There's certain things in preparation you have to do as a head coach.

On what he sees in the Michigan State offense and how he feels about the development of Kirk Cousins:

They do a great job moving the football. They give you a lot of formations, from standard I to multiple tight-end looks to five wide. Both quarterbacks cause problems and have been very productive in their offensive plan. They both run well and do a great job with audibles. They've got BCS and top Big Ten players much like we've got some good guys in our family. We've had to bear down and stay focused. Hopefully we'll be able to play and defend based ont  he formations we say and they plays they run. We have great respect for the way they move the football.  I stole some things that he did when he was at Ohio State when they spanked us like a little baby. Defensively we've done a great job and they've got a great linebacker who I've asked if we could borrow for a couple of plays. We have a lot of respect for what they can do in all three categories, offense, defense and special teams.

On how much of Mike Leach’s personality is still with the team:

That's be hard to tell. You're talking about the guy who's the winningest coach in Texas tech football history.

He led us to more bowl games in Tech history and has really put us on the map nationally. That's not something I want to lose. If the opportunity presents itself to become the head coach at Texas Tech, that's something I want to build on and take it to another level. I'm blessed to have been a part of that building of the house. I've been very fortunate. I think we share in the success and accolades. I think Mike has set the tempo for us and I'm not trying to run that personality off.