2022 SFRB Postgame Player Quotes
2022 SERVPRO First Responder Bowl
Postgame quotes
Dec. 27, 2022 – Gerald J. Ford Stadium
Memphis Sophomore QB Seth Henigan
On what he saw today…
“All of our offensive skilled players played well today. We had a spark in the second quarter. I am just proud of the way we finished the season. Whatever team wanted it more was going to win the game. We had a bunch of players make plays.”
About the SMU game effect today…
“No not really. It is the same stadium obviously, but I put the past in the past and was focused on Utah State.”
Looking ahead to next year and how exciting it is to see who is coming back…
It is really exciting. We have all been capable about it. I am happy that a lot of guys are coming back. In this day and age, there is the transfer portal and all that goes with that. I am grateful with what I know that most of our guys are coming back. We are losing some great seniors.”
On what he wants to focus on for 2023…
There is more than one thing for sure. I want to steady my feet down and trust the pocket. That has been one of the things for me and caused issues and negative plays. I just need to relax a little bit. We’ll get more into that when we break down the games and self-analysis.”
On the second-quarter spark…
“I took a couple of sacks early that stalled out plays. We had a lot of penalties. Coming into the game we were one of the least penalized teams. We had a lot of flagged plays that stalled our drives. In the second quarter, the spark really helped us win the game. The rest of the game and second half, we just wanted to maintain clock management.”
Memphis Senior DB Quindell Johnson
On the physicality of the game…
“We knew that their offense was a fast-tempo team so we practiced tempo a lot. We came out and did a great job of sticking with the game plan. We came out with a great attitude. His message to us was that energy was going to win this game. And the team with the most energy would win. We accomplished that goal. The guys in the front gave a lot of trouble to force a lot of sacks and interceptions tonight. We came out with a lot of energy.”
Success in the return to Dallas…
“There were a few seniors that went to the Cotton Bowl, but that didn’t really cross our mind. We wanted to focus on this game and go out the right way as champions.”
On the thoughts of the career coming to an end…
“It is crazy because I really didn’t. I just felt I knew that it was coming to an end, but I just went day-by-day to enjoy my brothers and enjoy everybody. That whole process was just being where my feet are. I knew the end was coming. I didn’t really have any emotions the last two weeks. I did reflect on the great things that I have done here at Memphis, it is going to be bittersweet. I thank Memphis for giving me the opportunity to play here.”
On how it started to how it ended emotionally…
“When we played Mississippi State we had prepared and felt confident going into the game. We went into the game a bit shell shocked. It was a wake-up call. We knew we had a lot of work to do. Then going through the season, we had teams where we were consistent and then times that we weren’t consistent. In the end to display that it is big to display how confident we are, with the guys we have. It will be a big point of emphasis.
Capping off the career with a win…
“The grind, the blond sweat and tears you have with those guys. All of those late nights and early mornings all pay off at the end. Hoisting the trophy up at the end puts the cherry on top. I love the guys, and I told them after the game I love and appreciate everything they have done and to continue to follow the process.”
Utah State Senior RB Calvin Tyler Jr
About what it was like playing today…
“First off, I have to thank the lord above. It has been a blessing playing college football. Emotions, yeah I had a lot of them. I want to be a good teammate to my guys and I don’t want to them to see me down. I just have to keep those guys up. I have to be a leader when I win or lose.”
Lasting memory from time at Utah State…
“Winning a championship. You can’t take a championship away and winning a bowl game. The opportunity to play football. This was my last college game, I got another change to play college football and it is just a blessing.”
About the future of Utah State football
“They are coming. They are young and hungry. This loss will be bitter, and they know what they have to do and build off of. The season happened like it was supposed to. You can’t question how it happened. I do not doubt them at all. The Aggies 20223 season is going to be a good one to watch.”
What did Memphis do tonight against you…
“They did what we thought they would do. They started twisting in the second half. We knew they would be physical. We just have to execute. That is all it would take. They were a better team today, we knew they would be tough. Things happen and they didn’t go our way.”
On the return to Texas
“It is a blessing to play in front of those guys. It was cool to play in front of them. It was another opportunity to play football and play in front of my fans. I am just thankful.”
Utah State Senior LB AJ Vongphachanh
What did Memphis do against you today…
“I think they just took advantage of the one-on-ones that we had. We beat our selves down the stretch. I don’t think it wasn’t anything special they were doing just what we did. It didn’t have to do with the X’s and O’s. We have to play to our standard and not anyone else’s standard. We have to play our brand of football.”
About the time between the end of the season and a bowl game…
“It is my first time in a bowl game like this. It was definitely different. Speaking for myself, not having a hit in more than a week, it was a little different.”
What are you taking away from today…
“Regardless of if I was over there or not, I take a lot of responsibility to help the guys out and I felt that I could have done more, put myself in better position. I have to see where I can get better and improve on.”
On what to expect next year…
“It will be a lot of the guys third year, third year in the system we expect a big jump in the front. If everyone does return as planned, we should be really good.”
Thoughts on the season…
“Early on it was tough going into 1-4. The transition from that stage to turning it around and being bowl eligible is an accomplishment. It is a testament of the guys being willing to fight.”