Music City Bowl press conference notes

Northwestern’s coach and players were tired, emotional, but happy after their bowl victory.

By Tristan Jung Dec 29, 2017, 9:52pm CST

Pat Fitzgerald

Fitzgerald announced longtime defensive backs coach Jerry Brown is retiring. We’ll miss him.
Said they came to win, at karaoke and chicken eating, etc.
“I’m not sure words can describe that game. We had to persevere through so much. I think it was indicative of our season.”
“Justin had a few carries, a couple yards, a couple MVPs.”
Fitz thought they got the first down on the fourth down call from his own 40.
“Paddy Fisher is a hell of a football player. That's a hell of a football play. I'm a big advocate of the rules. That's not why the rule is in place.”
Pat Fitzgerald took the blame for the trick play on the fourth and short at the goal line that did not work out. Joked that he knew Queiro would take one to the house.
“It was great to compete against Kentucky and their coaching staff is first class. Those guys are going to be friends of ours.”
“Well I had three,” - Fitz on why he called back-to-back timeouts.
“"I probably would have done the same. Probably would have done a reverse run from the one."
“Twitter? Who cares...they’re all Illinois grads!”

“We knew that it was gonna be largely on the running game, but we’ve been there before.”
“It has been an honor to be a Northwestern Wildcat.”
“Well, I promised we’re going straight to the...bar.”
On the fourth down calls, Jackson said he always want to go for it on fourth down.

“A lot of the times they go unbalanced and have Wildcats quarterbacks...that play we actually made a mistake to be honest, I got one-on-one with the tight end and got fortunate to know where he was running.”
“That goal line play, I didn’t really do anything.”
Queiro talked about how he has a “feeling” whenever he’s about to make big plays. “I get feeling something is going to happen. Stanford game, I saw the corner route coming. Pitt, he knew it was going to be a comeback. Going against great players every day - Tony Jones, Kyle Prater - helped him get read for the moment.”

“I don’t even know what to say. It’s been a long five years, but it’s all been worth it. I mean, that’s why you stay.”
“The thing I’ll remember most is when guys were coming up to me and saying ‘you got this,’ ‘I believe in you’
Fitzgerald on Alviti: “What a great storybook ending.”