Jason Ferguson Quotations

We've all played football all our lives. This isn't the time to get nervous. This is what you play for. There's more on the line (than in most regular-season games), but it's still football.

We found out we're not quitters. We've shown we are a team that's going to keep fighting and keep plugging to the end.

He could have quit, especially after what coach said about him in the paper. Nobody wants to hear their coach talk about them like that. But at the same time, if it's the truth, it's the truth, and you have to acknowledge that. He acknowledged that, and he took it the best way anybody can take it.

I was heartbroken at first. But as soon as they told me I was too small, I just crossed them off my list, quick. Anyone who tells me I'm too small, they don't know me.

I think everybody knows we're trying to win. I don't think anyone thinks we're going 6-10 again. That's why this first game is so important for us.

It doesn't surprise me that he's back. It doesn't matter if he's hurting. He sucks it up. He's a soldier.

I think (Jones' comments) opened Nate's eyes, ... I told him we needed him. He's probably the overall best football player on this team.

I thought of my knee, ... and I jumped. He missed me, but I landed directly on my (right) knee. When I first landed, I didn't feel anything. I was happy. I was relieved he didn't hit my leg. But when I got up, I instantly felt it. When I got in the huddle, I looked at Davone (Bess, the left slotback), and I told him my knee hurt.

The defense came out strong in the first half to make a statement that New York was in for a fight.

but my gut told me, 'Oh, no. Here we go again.' I didn't want to come out. I didn't want to let my dream go.

We weren't up to playing the way we were supposed to play.

I've been doing this since I was 10. ... You watch film, but a lot of it is natural. It's vision, and doing what your body tells you to do. I don't think. I just react. It's hard to explain. You follow your blocks, but at the same time, in the open field, you try to make people miss.

They put their pants on the way we do, although they've got longer pants. The fact that they have on yellow and bronze or whatever color, and their logo is the 'Trojans' ... they're human, just like us. This is football. Anything can happen.

It was emotional. I'm not afraid of crying in front of my brothers. Men don't communicate like that, but I love those guys. Those guys will be my brothers the rest of my life.

That's sweet. I'm hyped. I guess (coach Jones) felt it was my turn. He knows I want the opportunity. He knows I want to be on the field the whole game. It's his decision, so I didn't say anything, but he knows I really want to do it.

I've got a tattoo that says 'no fear' going down the right side of my leg,

They just know how to win, it's obvious. It comes down to the fourth quarter a lot in this league, and they know how to win in the fourth quarter. It's a bad feeling to be so close. Because you'd rather get blown out then have a chance to win the game and not quite get there.

I'm looking around, and the coaches are screaming for a returner, and I'm like, 'Put me in! Put me in!' ... After a second or two, I popped in my mouthpiece. I kept walking on the field, and nobody stopped me. You could tell (Jones) didn't want me out there, but nobody was out there (as a kick returner). He gave me the look, and I knew it was OK.

I really wanted to show everyone Jones was right to believe in me. First of all, nobody wanted to recruit me out of high school. Then here comes June Jones walking into my high school. He took a chance on a guy who just tore his ACL. I think I weighed, like, 145. He offered me a scholarship. I felt I owed him a lot. I was going to give him everything I have.

I definitely want to show everybody what I got, but I can't do nothing but wait until I'm ready.

I decided they better hope they never got to play against me. That's why this is like a dream come true to me. I haven't forgotten that day.

This is my worst nightmare. I don't understand it. I'm in a daze.

You can see what he is on film . . . it ain't gonna lie to you. He's just a lot quicker and faster on film. But he's got great vision and patience. For a little man, you'd expect him, with that speed, to bounce outside. He can do that, but he stays in there and bounces it around inside because he can take those hits.