Stanford 30, Boston College 20
Q. Hey, coach, great game tonight. Good win. Just what are your overall thoughts on the game?
FRANK REICH: Fantastic win right after a rough 0-2 start. Coming home, having our home opener, having it be a conference game, just really proud of the team and the way we fought.
The way the game was going, we got off to a pretty good start; then kind of got away from us and we fought back into it. Then I thought we just dominated in the second half in all three phases to make the plays to win the game, so proud of a great team win.
Q. How much did the game change when you get that great goal line stand and a fumble recovery in the end zone?
FRANK REICH: Unbelievable. I mean, what a play. What a play. Just massive. Then if I'm remembering correctly, we make that play and score a few plays later.
Yeah, puts us in position. So that was a really big swing in the game. I mean, defense really played well the whole game, and then offense, you know, I mean, just really the second half the way the O-line played and the way we ran the ball in the second half, and Ben played a good game, made the plays he needed to make; did a good job managing the run game.
Special teams we were excellent. You know, Emmet and the crew made all the kicks and all the points and we needed them all, so it was a great night.
Q. You guys were down in the first half and then were able to really swing it the last five, six minutes of the first half. What was the key to that? The interception was key.
FRANK REICH: Yeah, I mean, the interception and just the continued belief of the guys. They work hard, man. I'm really happy for all of us. These guys, they've put a lot of work in the whole offseason.
You know, we came into this season with a lot of excitement and belief about the direction we're going to go. To finally get this thing going in the right direction feels good.
We understand it's one game and it's important and it feels great, but we got to get back to work and continue to improve. Going on the road against a good Virginia team and it will be another good challenge.
Q. Obviously the defense just had another great performance. Talk about Collin Wright's pick six, goal line stop, and just everything in between.
FRANK REICH: Yeah, Collin, I'll tell you what, was a little bit injured early on but now he has been back for two games, and, man, has he made a difference. That was a massive play in the game.
Credit to Coach Thompson and Coach April and the whole defensive staff, but really the players. They really -- it was a physical game. It was a really -- we talked about this needed to be physical, and especially on defense. The way we would do it on offense would be to run the ball.
So, yeah, just a credit to those guys on defense. Such a good game.
Q. What was the mood like in the locker room right now? Especially what was Andrew like in there?
FRANK REICH: Yeah, the mood was pretty special. You know, I wondered what that was going to feel like. It was better than I even thought it was going to be. Just seeing -- just feeling the satisfaction and the joy of the hard work and just although it's just temporary, you know, it's just one game, it's just one night, that's what we talked about.
You win some, you lose some, and we got learn from both. We got to keep getting better. When you love football and you love the guys you're playing alongside and you love to go to practice and do the whole deal, it makes it a special environment, and I think that's what we have.
Q. How do you feel about the way your offensive line played tonight, especially after the injury?
FRANK REICH: Yeah, it was tough. We made a switch and then Fattig got hurt and lost him. The guys didn't flinch. You know, we moved some things around guys fought hard. Running backs ran hard. We just wore them down.
We talked about we were going to try to stay patient in the run game and try it wear them down, be a physical game, and what they did.
Q. Boston College was missing their two top starting corners. I expected, okay, they're going to come out and throw a little bit more. You guys stayed pretty run-dominant. Was that game plan going in, or did the way Michael was running just kind of say, just keep riding him?
FRANK REICH: We wanted to mix it up. We knew their corners were down. We made the big play early on so we said, okay, they went to -- they were playing man coverage at the beginning. That's what they like to play. Then we hit the big play and they start going a little bit more zone.
We get to the run and we were running it decent of the not great. But we were running it descent. Then there was a point, I forget when it was when, I said to the offensive staff, I'm going to start calling a few more passes. We got to challenge these guys in the secondary.
So we called a few and had a drive where I think it went okay. But then we were still able to get back to the run. I think that was a good night for us. I think we got to continue to get better in the pass game.
But I thought Ben played really well. You know, getting the two big plays is a big deal, and there are some things we can clean up, but proud of the way the offense played.
Q. Coach, just wondering how you thought Ben Gulbranson played just a bounce-back game, and how that affects the QB situation for the future?
FRANK REICH: Yeah, big deal. Very happy for Ben. He works really, really hard. I love the whole quarterback room. I'm in there a fair amount. Ben has worked really hard and means a lot him.
This is a great shot in the arm, not just for him and his confidence, but for us as an offense. As I said, he made the plays that he needed to make and then he managed the game the way he needed to manage the game.
I just could feel his confidence on the sideline. We would be on the sideline getting ready for the next play, and the way he was talking to the offense, I could just feel he was at a good spot.
So it was a good step.
Q. Just talk about what you got out of Micah Ford tonight.
FRANK REICH: I mean, he's a complete back. Runs hard. He's fast. He just keeps pounding. Hard to tackle. You know, that whole running back room, it's like the whole team, but that room is a great room. Micah is a great dude. Just a ten out of ten person.
He works so stinking hard. The way he worked in spring ball and training camp and how hard he worked, I'm glad to see it paying off for him. He deserves it.
Q. So obviously the win tonight is huge. How do you think that affects the motivation or does it even affect the game plan for next week in Virginia?
FRANK REICH: Listen, I'm not going to lie, it feels good. But we have to -- it has to be short-lived. Just like when you lose it has to be short-lived.
We're guaranteed 12 opportunities, and in order to make the most of each one, for better or worse, when it's over, you got tonight and since it's a night game, not very long celebrate this one. We got to get ready to travel across the country and play a team that's won two -- couple really good games.
So it'll be a good challenge. We need to enjoy this tonight and I'm sure they'll enjoy it for a few minutes tomorrow morning. Man, then we got to make the corrections. Win a game like this, as great as it was, I promise there will be a lot of corrections that need to be made and opportunities for us to get better.
Q. How much does a win like this establish your identity, what this team needs to do?
FRANK REICH: Yeah, it does. What I loved about it the most is it was a complete team win. I've been around some good team wins. This is up there with the best team wins I've been around.
Really just the way the game went and the big plays that -- you know, the touchdown the defense made, the goal line stop they made, but then the way the offense sealed the deal running the you ball in the second half and in the fourth quarter, making every kick.
It was just a complete team win.
Q. How huge was it to finally get Sam Roush? First couple games didn't do a whole lot. This time he has a huge touchdown. Talk about how huge it was to get him going and the impact that made.
FRANK REICH: Yeah, great play by Sam. I knew once he got -- nobody's going catch that guy. He's fast. Nobody is going to bring him down. I was real happy for him.
You know, he's a big time leader on this team, and he's the ultimate teammate, leader, and he's just really, really good football player.
So fun to get him that big play. We need to continue to find ways to get him the ball and feature him, give him opportunities to continue to be a big part of the offense.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports