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Louisiana Tech head coach Skip Holtz

"It's great to win. I'm so proud of this team for the way they competed, the way they came out there in the second half and the things they did on that field. It is a special group of young men. We played a very good football team tonight in Arkansas State. I certainly commend them for the season they had, the things that they did and the accomplishments that they had, winning the Sun Belt Conference. I think they have a really good football team. Tonight was about some of these young men that are sitting up here on the stage and some of the guys that are in that locker room right now. Just the way they fought back, this is a team that had high hopes, high expectations and lofty standards coming into the season. Unfortunately due to turnovers, injuries or our play, we weren't able to get everything done on the field that we wanted to get done. But through some adversity ââ'¬" especially seven turnovers in our last game ââ'¬" I think it is one of the driving forces behind this football team, being motivated in playing this game. Because of the way we finished this season and it not being characteristic of us as a football team on either side of the ball."

"I'm proud of the leaders. This senior class is the only team in school history to win two bowl games. To win bowl game number three and four in school history in the last two years, to be the winningest senior class in Louisiana Tech history in Division I-A wins, there were a lot of firsts that this win in this bowl game brought for us tonight. It was accomplished by a senior class that came together and wouldn't accept defeat. I was really proud of the way that they went out and competed and the way that they did it."

"There are three players up here who are all offensive ââ'¬" I know that we set the fifth-most offensive yards in NCAA bowl history ââ'¬" but it was a total team effort tonight. With the way the defense played in the second half tonight, stepping up big and getting some stops. I am just really proud of this football team."

RB Kenneth Dixon

On his game:
"We had a good game tonight. I feel like our offensive line came out. Coach always talked about this week how we're going to have to run the ball. Our offensive line took the challenge and we ran the ball very well. That's what it was."

On setting the NCAA touchdown record with this team:
"It is very rewarding. You find some teammates that care about you, want to see you be successful and do a lot of great things. That is what we have in our locker room. We have a lot of unselfish people in our locker room. It makes me want to say that we won it for us. Our offensive line blocked very well, Jeff [Driskel] threw it well, Trent [Taylor] caught it well, our defense played very well, special teams played well. If we didn't get turnovers we couldn't have scored. That is why I say that. Coach Holtz did a great job on calling plays."

On winning back-to-back bowl games:
"It means a lot to get back-to-back bowl wins. That is the first time it has ever happened for this University so you're happy for that. I'm just ready to celebrate."

On rushing and receiving balance:
"Just catching the ball and doing the little things right. The offensive line opened up the holes and I just hit them and did what I was supposed to do. Jeff threw such easy balls to catch and I just did my job catching them."

On looking back on his career:
"Really what is going through my mind is I am just ready to celebrate with my teammates and just enjoy our season right now. I haven't sat down and thought about the season and what all I have done. Looking back I did some great things and I just hope there are some great things to come."

On coming from a small town and now owning an NCAA record:
"It says a lot about me growing up in a small town, not having a lot to look to outside of the town. I just want to be better and want better for yourself. Your family just wants you to better. Coming to Louisiana Tech, I felt like I just fit right in. They accepted me as family and I think of them as family. Of Coach Holtz and this staff, I learned how much of a great role model they all are and how much they care about us. It is just not about the game of football. We talk about the game with how tough you have to be, how you have to persevere. Just coming here was such a great impact on my life. Everyone has helped me achieve my goals and that is why I say 'we' and 'us' all the time. It's just not me. If I was here by myself, there is no telling where I might be."

On the Navy in the Military Bowl:
"I probably won't watch the game. If he gets the record, that's good. Just to have two people chasing that record at the same time, that is remarkable. If he gets it then that's great and I will be really happy for him. I never want to downplay anyone trying to get the same thing as you. If he gets it then that is great, but if he doesn't then that is even greater."

QB Jeff Driskel

On comparing his performance tonight to his Sugar Bowl performance:
"This one was obviously a lot better. Looking at the stat sheet here it was a pretty good night. Just coming out and playing a complete game, didn't turn the ball over or put the ball in harm's way. We just executed on the plays we have been running for the last couple of weeks now. We got some looks that we thought we were going to get and we executed on them. I'm proud of this team, proud of the guys for everything we've done. Up to this point in bowl preparation I thought we handled it really, really mature being in a city like New Orleans. Tonight was just a total win and I am just happy I got to run out there one more time with this group of guys."

On going deep early:
"I think our guys were just winning the one-on-one battles on the field. We've talked all week how throughout the course of the year I've missed some guys barely, maybe by an inch or so. With the guys that we have, you just have to give them a chance to make a play. Kenneth said he had some easy catches. The first one I threw to him there were two guys over there, he toe-tapped and got both in so he was just being humble there. It was just executing the game plan and taking coaching. Coach [Tony] Petersen harped all week on giving our guys a shot and Coach Holtz did a really good job of getting our playmakers the ball."

WR Trent Taylor

On the big plays:
"With their defensive scheme, we saw there were some chances for us as a receiver corps down the field. It just took us executing what our coaches taught us. Coach Holtz and the rest of the staff put us in some great positions tonight to be successful. It all worked out the way we wanted it to."

On playing with this senior class:
"It is a big deal. I have enjoyed this senior class immensely. It is an honor to be on the field with them. We have plenty of senior leaders on the offensive side and plenty on the defensive side. Just the humbleness of each and every one of them, they are great leaders for this whole team. Hopefully going into next year and all the following years we can reenact the same way that they have led us."

On Jeff Driskel:
"He has meant everything to the program. Us at Louisiana Tech definitely appreciate him. Coming in with the way that he came in, he was just ready to work for this team. He was willing to do whatever it took to be a part of this team and to fit into his role at quarterback. To see him finish the way he did tonight, it was awesome. It was exactly the way he wanted to finish it and exactly the way I wanted to see him finish it. With all the hard work he has put in this year, he deserves every bit of it. I am just looking forward to seeing what he can do with the rest of his career."