STANFORD UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

November 18, 2023

Troy Taylor

Postgame Media Conference

Stanford 15, Cal 27

Q. Hi, coach. Your first year here is the only year you will be in the Pac-12. Is there a weird feeling for you now? And then of course it will be the ACC next year. So how do you feel about your first year in Pac-12, which will be your last, and then the adventure you'll have next year?

TROY TAYLOR: Yeah, pretty focused on right now, but was in the Pac-12 for quite a while as a player and coach, so very familiar with the conference. Love the conference. Love the teams, what they always brought, great players, great coaches, great universities.

So as I said before, it's really sad that the conference, this is the end. But really happy that Cal along with us will be in the ACC together. We'll be able to maintain an incredible rivalry.

Q. I know you haven't watched the tape, but how would you diagnose the issues with the offense tonight?

TROY TAYLOR: Yeah, didn't make enough plays. All started with the run game. Been trying to get something going in the run game. They were able to really defend our run and be in two-high safeties, and when they can do that can be very soft in coverage and keep everything in front of them.

It's difficult to create big plays. So it all starts with the run game. They beat us up front. We didn't make enough plays. We certainly had our opportunities.

Q. The performance of Jadyn Ott today, what makes him such a difficult runner to contain?

TROY TAYLOR: Outstanding player. Tough, physical guy. Great agility. Really good. Mendoza, the quarterback, is really good. Played well beyond his years. Really good players on their offense. They do a great job with the scheme as well.

Q. You had Cal backed up in a fourth and eight on their last touchdown drive that they converted, and then a third and foal from the eight. Talk about those plays and the back breaking...

TROY TAYLOR: Yeah, those are big plays in the game. You're right, having a fourth and eight and brought some pressure and they were able to protect. He made a great throw on a crossing route, a bang-slash kind of deal, right on the money.

Yeah, you got to get home quickly and can't give guys that much time to throw the ball when you're bringing pressure. Yeah, it was a huge, huge play, no doubt. Fourth and eight. It was one of a few that were important.

Q. Josh Karty had an incredible game. Love to hear what you think about having a player like that that can...

TROY TAYLOR: He's amazing. He really is. He's so consistent. On the first field goal I looked at him like, hey, can you make this. He gave me a nod and comes out and drills it. He's unbelievable. His professionalism, preparation, he'll visualize things for an hour. He has a routine he sticks in to. He'll kick in the NFL for 18 years. He's unbelievable.

Q. How close was Ashton to not playing and then to play the whole game?

TROY TAYLOR: Yeah, I think at the end -- coming into the day we felt good about it. He felt ready to do it. He played really hard and played well. Tough kid.

But I know he's disappointed, but he did some good things.

Q. Coach, I don't want this to be a situation where you're questioning the referees, but two game-changing plays where Mendoza fumbled. One looked like a fumble six and looked like the Tom Brady situation where they said it's incomplete; the other one they called targeting.

TROY TAYLOR: Yeah.

Q. How disappointing and how gut wrenching were these two plays?

TROY TAYLOR: Yeah, there are lots of opportunities. Obviously they have a much better view and they replay them, so I'm assuming they made the right calls.

I know it happens really fast, so it's difficult. They're not always going to be right just like we're not always right.

But, yeah, those were definitely pivotal lays. I'm glad the quarterback is okay. That was a pretty physical hit.

Q. What were they emotions like going through the first big game on the Stanford side?

TROY TAYLOR: Yeah, when you first walk out on the field and see a school you've been affiliated with for a long time it's a little strange. Once the game starts it's kind of all faceless opposition to me. Just numbers and what they're doing defensively and all these things.

It wasn't too strange.

Q. Lost Tristan on the targeting call. Talk about the impact that had.

TROY TAYLOR: He's our rock, you know. Not just on defense, probably the whole team. He's just our emotional leader. He cares so much. Does everything the right way. We can always count on him, so that was a big loss for sure.

Q. Just talk about the play you drew up for Bachmeier for the touchdown. What did you see there?

TROY TAYLOR: Yeah, we needed a play and ended up getting one-on-one coverage on the inside. We didn't get that a lot, and Ash made a nice throw. He has a really good protection, and then I didn't see the end of the catch. Must have been a fantastic catch.

He has an option on that to take the middle of the field or break it across, and he took it and was a great throw. Really good protection on that play.

Q. You obviously have one more game left in the season. How do you bounce back from an emotional rivalry game?

TROY TAYLOR: Yeah, the way this works is you get whatever, 11, 12, maybe more games, and you treat them all the same way: Incredible preparation and they're all important. And then hopefully you do well enough in your body of work that you can continue to play.

We're just happy that we got another opportunity to play against another really good football team that will come here. Heck of a challenge, and we'll be ready to go.

Thanks, guys. Go, Card.