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Postgame Quotes: Utah vs. Kansas State
11/22/2025 7:11 PM | Football
Postgame Quotes: Utah vs. Kansas State
 Utah Quotes
Head Coach Kyle Whittingham
Opening Statement…
I hope you enjoyed that one. That was one for the ages. I guess games like that come along every once in a great, great while, but so proud of our guys for hanging in there. Got battered in the run game. If you'd said we were going to give up nearly 500 yards rushing and win the game, I'd say you're crazy. That doesn't happen, so just a great illustration of what determination and guts and never-say-die attitude can get you. Just so happy for our seniors to be able to go out with a win in their last opportunity at Rice-Eccles. When I think about our seniors, I get emotional, so I apologize, but it's just so awesome for them to be able to have that have that experience. Offense, great job. First of all, we got down. Coming out of halftime, we're down 10. Score two touchdowns right out of the gate which put us in the lead for just a short period of time. Of course, we got behind again. One of the little plays in the game, a two-point conversion, where instead of them getting the two points, we intercept them, so it's a four-point reversal, which really made a difference there at the end, obviously, in the strategy. I thought Devon played a very good game, he had well over 300 yards in total offense. Just a lot of great individual efforts on offense. The offensive line played well again. We had [292] rushing, so that was a big deal, 259 throwing, so a lot of good things. Wayshawn Parker goes for 100 yards again for the night. Creed Whittemore stepped in for [Ryan Davis]. Ryan Davis went down and Creed stepped in and did a nice job, got six balls. There's so many things that are positive, but not a lot of positives on defense. We understand that, but we got the interception there in the end to seal it, so that was our lone takeaway in the evening, but just one of those games where stuff happens and you can't script it. You couldn't make that up. And so just proud of our guys and again, particularly grateful that our seniors could have the opportunity to win our last game here at Rice Eccles."
On what went wrong with the rush defense…
Yeah, it was just a power run game, just basic power play and it was an A-gap power play, Â start strong side, cut it back. We continually didn't defend it the right way. We were out of square, we were losing gaps and so obviously, we didn't a good enough job as coaches to get them ready to play, especially in that particular play, but that one play did the majority of the damage. They just ran it over and over and we just didn't do good enough job as coaches, so that's on me.
On what the environment at Rice-Eccles Stadium means to him…
Oh, it's incredible. I did see a few fans leaving when I think we got down by 10 with not much time to go. I didn't like to see that, but I guess I can't blame them. Those fans that hung around, that was a special treat for them. Those fans that did hang around were as loud as a packed stadium. That was deafening in there. The MUSS, awesome, one of the best student sections in the country, our band, just so many positives in Rice Eccles and the environment there, we're fortunate to be able to have that kind of homefield advantage.
On his emotions during the winning touchdown…
That last score, it was surreal. First of all, when he popped that fourth-and-one, that was about a 60-yard run and I thought he had scored on that. It was just a moment that you can't even dream of. I mean, it just happens and just have to enjoy it because you find yourself on the other end of those type of games too at times, so you enjoy the good ones.
On if there's a moment from tonight that sums up what the senior class is about…
Wow, so many. There's too many. I don't think there's any one in particular, but just they got the guts, the intestinal fortitude that they showed and the never-say-die attitude. The whole time on the sidelines, no one is pointing fingers, no one is getting down on anybody. It was just very positive and very upbeat. And that's who we are. That's our culture.
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Kansas State Quotes
Head Coach Chris Klieman
Opening Statement…
"Heartbroken for the kids and for the loss, but it's one of the greatest efforts I've been a part of as coach. We're down so many players and I know a lot of people thought we'd come down here and lay down and that maybe the kids had cast it in because I've heard it enough, I've heard that I've cast it in, I've heard the player have cast it in, we need new leadership here, new players, new coaches and I'm tired of it. I've given my freaking life to this place for seven years, given everything for seven years and I'm frustrated like everyone else, but I love those kids. I'd go to battle with those kids any day. That's a top-10 team in the country, one of the best offenses in the country, one of the best defenses in the country, that we rushed for 472 yards against, because we told the guys that we were going to commit to running the football and we told the guys to buy in and believe in it. We are running the football against these guys because nobody's tried it like we're going to try it. Kids don't buy into it if they've given in. They don't buy into it if they're halfway out the door. Our kids bought into it and we stuffed it down their throat the entire game running the football and we lost and I'm crushed because of it."
On what they saw that allowed them to rush the ball so effectively…
"We saw some gap scheme stuff, not zone scheme. People tried to run a lot of zone scheme and we thought that we could run a gap scheme against them. I said, let's go back to A-gap power and we ran A-gap power and crushed it. Our kids were excited about it."
On Joe Jackson's record-breaking performance…
"Boy, he's really capable. But we committed to what we wanted to do in the run game and guys blocked really well. They believed in what we were going to do and we came up with a really good effort. Excited for Joe and excited for the offensive line."
On his team's physicality during practices leading up to the game…
"We're so beat up. We did a little bit on Tuesday, but man, we're piecing it together right now. We knew it was going to be a physical game and it was, but we could just beat the heck out of our own guys."
Junior Defensive End Travis Bates
On coming close to the upset but not getting it done…
"Yeah, it's tough. I mean, it's just really tough because you can see the guys fighting, fighting so hard. I'm proud of our team but there's no moral victories. It's just tough."
On the difficulty of facing Utah's quarterback rushing attack…
"Those guys [Dampier and Ficklin] are good. Those guys are really shifty and just the way they dress it up, they make it hard for everybody to get aligned and that type of stuff. Today, just got the best of us."
Sophomore Running Back Joe Jackson
On breaking Darren Sproles' single-game rushing yard record…
"All glory to God. Give Him all the glory and the praise, but it means a lot. It means a lot. Like I said, I couldn't do it without the team. So the team, the offensive line, man they deserve the trophy for that because I couldn't have done it without them. They gained confidence as the game went on and they made that happen. But anyways, it means a lot, it's very special."
On what opened up the run game after struggles earlier in the season…
"Like you said, we've been struggling a little bit to run the ball all year. But we knew that if we came in here today and established a run game and dominated the run game, that was going to give us the best chance to win. So all through the week, we grinded it out."
Junior Offensive Lineman John Pastore
On if the rushing struggles earlier in the season were a mindset issue or physicality issue…
"I'd say a little bit of both. I mean, for the offensive line, it was building chemistry because we had a lot of new pieces this season. But I think each game we've just gotten better and better. But I also think it's a mindset thing, that if you want to run the ball, you've got to run the ball."
Junior Quarterback Avery Johnson
On Joe Jackson's rushing performance…
"Credit to Joe. Man, he's worked hard this offseason. He got kind of familiar with my trainer back in Wichita and the dude was just all about the work. Anytime I was working out, Joe was right there with me. Joe was running through holes like two gaps wide and man, he was special in space today, making the free safety miss a bunch of times. I'm super proud of him, but it doesn't surprise me, he works hard all the time."
On what he saw when he threw the game-sealing INT late in the fourth…
"I just left it too far inside. I was just trying to make a play and get a big chunk yardage play, especially that late in the game with no timeouts. I just didn't want to throw the ball away on back-to-back plays and burn 10-12 seconds off the clock. I mean, you have to be a little bit aggressive and try to fit balls in tight windows and I just missed right there."
On the state of the locker room after the tough loss…
"Guys were hurting man. I mean, that's probably the toughest locker room I've had to walk into. Just a bunch of emotions flying around and we had a lot of guys that laid it out on the line tonight and played super hard and coming up short just really hurts. It definitely hurts, but you have to just get past it and get ready for Colorado, we still have a game to win and a season to finish."
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 Utah Quotes
Head Coach Kyle Whittingham
Opening Statement…
I hope you enjoyed that one. That was one for the ages. I guess games like that come along every once in a great, great while, but so proud of our guys for hanging in there. Got battered in the run game. If you'd said we were going to give up nearly 500 yards rushing and win the game, I'd say you're crazy. That doesn't happen, so just a great illustration of what determination and guts and never-say-die attitude can get you. Just so happy for our seniors to be able to go out with a win in their last opportunity at Rice-Eccles. When I think about our seniors, I get emotional, so I apologize, but it's just so awesome for them to be able to have that have that experience. Offense, great job. First of all, we got down. Coming out of halftime, we're down 10. Score two touchdowns right out of the gate which put us in the lead for just a short period of time. Of course, we got behind again. One of the little plays in the game, a two-point conversion, where instead of them getting the two points, we intercept them, so it's a four-point reversal, which really made a difference there at the end, obviously, in the strategy. I thought Devon played a very good game, he had well over 300 yards in total offense. Just a lot of great individual efforts on offense. The offensive line played well again. We had [292] rushing, so that was a big deal, 259 throwing, so a lot of good things. Wayshawn Parker goes for 100 yards again for the night. Creed Whittemore stepped in for [Ryan Davis]. Ryan Davis went down and Creed stepped in and did a nice job, got six balls. There's so many things that are positive, but not a lot of positives on defense. We understand that, but we got the interception there in the end to seal it, so that was our lone takeaway in the evening, but just one of those games where stuff happens and you can't script it. You couldn't make that up. And so just proud of our guys and again, particularly grateful that our seniors could have the opportunity to win our last game here at Rice Eccles."
On what went wrong with the rush defense…
Yeah, it was just a power run game, just basic power play and it was an A-gap power play, Â start strong side, cut it back. We continually didn't defend it the right way. We were out of square, we were losing gaps and so obviously, we didn't a good enough job as coaches to get them ready to play, especially in that particular play, but that one play did the majority of the damage. They just ran it over and over and we just didn't do good enough job as coaches, so that's on me.
On what the environment at Rice-Eccles Stadium means to him…
Oh, it's incredible. I did see a few fans leaving when I think we got down by 10 with not much time to go. I didn't like to see that, but I guess I can't blame them. Those fans that hung around, that was a special treat for them. Those fans that did hang around were as loud as a packed stadium. That was deafening in there. The MUSS, awesome, one of the best student sections in the country, our band, just so many positives in Rice Eccles and the environment there, we're fortunate to be able to have that kind of homefield advantage.
On his emotions during the winning touchdown…
That last score, it was surreal. First of all, when he popped that fourth-and-one, that was about a 60-yard run and I thought he had scored on that. It was just a moment that you can't even dream of. I mean, it just happens and just have to enjoy it because you find yourself on the other end of those type of games too at times, so you enjoy the good ones.
On if there's a moment from tonight that sums up what the senior class is about…
Wow, so many. There's too many. I don't think there's any one in particular, but just they got the guts, the intestinal fortitude that they showed and the never-say-die attitude. The whole time on the sidelines, no one is pointing fingers, no one is getting down on anybody. It was just very positive and very upbeat. And that's who we are. That's our culture.
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Wayshawn Parker
Thoughts on leadership from Barton and Dampier…
"Those are two captains. When you go to a team, you want those two. When we went into that locker room and they came to us and were like 'We're going to go as team and come as brother,' it just showed the captains and the leadership that they have. It showed that we can put faith in them and anything they say or will do. I am behind them all the way."Â
What was Dampier telling Parker and Byrd in the game huddle before the game winning drive…
"I mean, I got to say what he said in that huddle and off the field is like, 'We're still in this game.' Defense is gonna make a stop and they did. So we went out there and played our game, went out there trusting in Devon, trusting the O-line and the O-line did their job."
 Devon DampierÂ
What was Dampier telling the guys before the last drive and touchdown…
"I love leading the charge, but man, it's a lot easier when the O-line says they got me every play. No matter what's called and the receivers were out there, too. The running backs said, 'I'm gonna get there first if I get the ball.' So, my confidence is definitely higher when the rest of the group believes in me to make those plays. Fourth-and-one, I thank my coach for putting the ball in my hands and the O-line, they block. They block like that all the time. So, we're gonna play a lot and it hit. It hit for sure. Just to finish up that drive again, that's adversity that we're finally able to hit a game winning drive, no errors."
 What does this moment mean to Dampier…
"It means a lot just to wear the uniform. Those guys know what it means to be a Ute and I am proud to part of that group. Any day, I am able to suit up and be with my boys, I'm gonna give it my all. Those two over there (Ficklin and Parker), I thought I was hard to miss. They put their bodies on the line for the team and I am proud of them. They're running the ball giving us that extra leverage on offense. So shoutout to Byrd and Wayshawn."Â
Lander Barton
Lander's emotions and thoughts about his interception on senior night…
"I mean, I was just happy for the boys. That was a tough one, the whole game. We made lots of mistakes and we have stuff we need to fix. But, just for it to end it that way, I was just happy for everyone, happy for all the seniors. So many emotions running through my mind, it is just hard to put into words."Â
 What was locker room talk at half and what was the second half approach…
"Coming into this, we knew that Kansas State was a very good team, a good physical team. They're gonna try and run the ball, establish it early. They were able to do that in the first half. We just had to go in there and turn it up a notch. We were kind of flat a little bit in the first half and we were missing gaps. Just simple things that just kept snowballing and snowballing. Just some big avenues, just breaking open runs. At the end of the day, we just had to clean up our assignments, gaps on defense. Hats off to them, that's a good, tough team."
Byrd Ficklin
Thoughts on leadership from Barton and Dampier…
"That's literally the quarterback on offense and quarterback on the defense. That's what it comes down to. Not once did I hear Devon say that he was going to give up. He kept his head up the whole time and told them we're going to go out here and score. Believe it and we're going to do it. Lander is just high momentum, high energy. He's gonna play ball. Lander's that dude that gives himself, carries himself the same way no matter what happens. He's still going to carry himself the same way as if he got a pick. He's just that type of person."Â
Byrd on his role coming into the game…
"It really is come out here and give everything I have, go out there and have fun, make the best of every opportunity I'm given. I know my job is to pretty much be that person that is going to go get the yards on short downs, but if it pops, do something with it and that's what I'm able to do."Â
 What was Dampier telling Parker and Byrd in the game huddle before the game winning drive…
"It just came down to trusting your guys, trusting your playmakers, give the ball to the best players. I told Devon pressure makes diamonds, but also crumbles people. Prove you're a diamond, Show it out to people, show who you are."
Kansas State Quotes
Head Coach Chris Klieman
Opening Statement…
"Heartbroken for the kids and for the loss, but it's one of the greatest efforts I've been a part of as coach. We're down so many players and I know a lot of people thought we'd come down here and lay down and that maybe the kids had cast it in because I've heard it enough, I've heard that I've cast it in, I've heard the player have cast it in, we need new leadership here, new players, new coaches and I'm tired of it. I've given my freaking life to this place for seven years, given everything for seven years and I'm frustrated like everyone else, but I love those kids. I'd go to battle with those kids any day. That's a top-10 team in the country, one of the best offenses in the country, one of the best defenses in the country, that we rushed for 472 yards against, because we told the guys that we were going to commit to running the football and we told the guys to buy in and believe in it. We are running the football against these guys because nobody's tried it like we're going to try it. Kids don't buy into it if they've given in. They don't buy into it if they're halfway out the door. Our kids bought into it and we stuffed it down their throat the entire game running the football and we lost and I'm crushed because of it."
On what they saw that allowed them to rush the ball so effectively…
"We saw some gap scheme stuff, not zone scheme. People tried to run a lot of zone scheme and we thought that we could run a gap scheme against them. I said, let's go back to A-gap power and we ran A-gap power and crushed it. Our kids were excited about it."
On Joe Jackson's record-breaking performance…
"Boy, he's really capable. But we committed to what we wanted to do in the run game and guys blocked really well. They believed in what we were going to do and we came up with a really good effort. Excited for Joe and excited for the offensive line."
On his team's physicality during practices leading up to the game…
"We're so beat up. We did a little bit on Tuesday, but man, we're piecing it together right now. We knew it was going to be a physical game and it was, but we could just beat the heck out of our own guys."
Junior Defensive End Travis Bates
On coming close to the upset but not getting it done…
"Yeah, it's tough. I mean, it's just really tough because you can see the guys fighting, fighting so hard. I'm proud of our team but there's no moral victories. It's just tough."
On the difficulty of facing Utah's quarterback rushing attack…
"Those guys [Dampier and Ficklin] are good. Those guys are really shifty and just the way they dress it up, they make it hard for everybody to get aligned and that type of stuff. Today, just got the best of us."
Sophomore Running Back Joe Jackson
On breaking Darren Sproles' single-game rushing yard record…
"All glory to God. Give Him all the glory and the praise, but it means a lot. It means a lot. Like I said, I couldn't do it without the team. So the team, the offensive line, man they deserve the trophy for that because I couldn't have done it without them. They gained confidence as the game went on and they made that happen. But anyways, it means a lot, it's very special."
On what opened up the run game after struggles earlier in the season…
"Like you said, we've been struggling a little bit to run the ball all year. But we knew that if we came in here today and established a run game and dominated the run game, that was going to give us the best chance to win. So all through the week, we grinded it out."
Junior Offensive Lineman John Pastore
On if the rushing struggles earlier in the season were a mindset issue or physicality issue…
"I'd say a little bit of both. I mean, for the offensive line, it was building chemistry because we had a lot of new pieces this season. But I think each game we've just gotten better and better. But I also think it's a mindset thing, that if you want to run the ball, you've got to run the ball."
Junior Quarterback Avery Johnson
On Joe Jackson's rushing performance…
"Credit to Joe. Man, he's worked hard this offseason. He got kind of familiar with my trainer back in Wichita and the dude was just all about the work. Anytime I was working out, Joe was right there with me. Joe was running through holes like two gaps wide and man, he was special in space today, making the free safety miss a bunch of times. I'm super proud of him, but it doesn't surprise me, he works hard all the time."
On what he saw when he threw the game-sealing INT late in the fourth…
"I just left it too far inside. I was just trying to make a play and get a big chunk yardage play, especially that late in the game with no timeouts. I just didn't want to throw the ball away on back-to-back plays and burn 10-12 seconds off the clock. I mean, you have to be a little bit aggressive and try to fit balls in tight windows and I just missed right there."
On the state of the locker room after the tough loss…
"Guys were hurting man. I mean, that's probably the toughest locker room I've had to walk into. Just a bunch of emotions flying around and we had a lot of guys that laid it out on the line tonight and played super hard and coming up short just really hurts. It definitely hurts, but you have to just get past it and get ready for Colorado, we still have a game to win and a season to finish."
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Former Utah Football Head Coach Urban Meyer inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
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