Jerald Foster Press Conference Quotes

Nebraska Football
Weekly Press Conference
Memorial Stadium (Lincoln, Neb.)
Monday, Nov. 14, 2016
Pre-Maryland

On how it feels to be back
“It is great. Being able to play football is definitely what I was looking forward to. This year is a little different. There has been a different path to travel to get to the field, but I made it to the field so I am happy for it.”

On when he realized it would be possible for him to return in November
“I would say this whole time I have always wanted to be playing. The doctor being able to tell me ‘hopefully three months you will be able to be back,’ so I have always had that just in the back of my head. And through rehab and through everything else, I felt like I have always been pushing and trying to say ‘OK, hopefully this is going to be the week that I will be able to get to running or get to whatever I need to be able to do just so I can be a step closer to being able to be playing. So it was always in the back of my head. Hopefully, I will be able to make it on the field and thank God that it all worked out for the best.”

On how intense rehab was
“Rehab is not fun. At the end of the day there is a lot that goes on through it. You have your bad days and you have your good, so I would say about maybe a month in was probably the worst part of it. A lot of cranking, a lot of trying to get a range of motion and things like that back. That is not a lot of fun, but it is something that you have to go through. The guys that we have, Drew Hamblin, Dave Rule and Mark Mayer, they understand and they tell you that you have to get through these things so that you are able to get back on the field, so I got it. I get that they were putting me through it for the reason. It was not trying to hurt me or anything.”

On if he ever doubted if he would be able to return this season
“No, not at all. I would say the guys that we have, again with the trainers, they don’t let you have days like that. And for the team that I have, they wouldn’t let my head be down. They are always there for me. They made me feel as though I was a big contributor within the program or within the success that we are having. So they wouldn’t let me have days where I put myself down. And when I say bad days, I am talking about I would still progress but it just wouldn’t be exactly what I would want. So I felt like those days, they were hard. But with the guys that we have, it is pretty nice having them to back you up."

On what he thought he did well on Saturday, and if he thought he had some rust
“I would say rust all over the place. You have got to get it off you somehow, and playing good D-linemen that Minnesota had, it gave me a chance to knock off the rust. I felt like halftime was about the moment where I felt like I was playing football again. We came back out and started the third quarter and we were really getting back into the groove, or at least for me. Getting back into the groove and playing good football, I felt like that was when I really saw myself being able to move the guys and being able to get my blocks correctly.”

On if he woke up sore on Sunday
“Sunday morning I was football sore, so nothing out of the ordinary. I love it. Definitely better feeling than you would think when you haven’t done it in such a long time, being able to wake up and feel your neck is a little tight and things like that. It’s just old memories and things like that, at least in my mind.”

On what his brother, senior tight end Trey Foster, said to the team before the game
“That was full with emotion. So we leave whatever is in the locker room in the locker room. It was whatever came out in the moment I guess, I can’t really explain it. But I was definitely hyped up for it.”

On how it was playing with his brother
“It was great. But kind of on a side note, not taking away from my brother, but all the guys, they are my brothers and they all care for me. So being able just to be out there with all of them was just such a great feeling. Taking the first snaps, I was really happy just being able to be in the huddle and seeing everybody’s faces before we broke it. So I was loving the game, definitely was loving.

On his thoughts on how senior quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr. played
“Tommy is one of the hardest, toughest football players that I have seen and have been able to be a part of playing with him. He goes through injuries and he works and does everything he needs to just so he is able to be out there. And he fights, he fights and he does everything he can so he can compete at such a high level. And I am happy being able to be out there with a guy like that, somebody that you know is going to give 100 percent. So I was happy to see him come back definitely when he did so we could get that last drive and that touchdown.”

On if the team questioned whether or not Tommy Armstrong Jr. was healthy enough to play when he came back in
“We were kind of surprised. I was standing by [sophomore offensive lineman Nick] Gates and we were just talking because of the TV timeout and Tommy said something. He was standing right where the quarterback is supposed to be, he said something. I didn’t kind of really think about it and then I looked back and was like ‘Oh my God, you’re back,’ I was like ‘All right, let’s play football,’ and we started rolling again. So I was definitely happy being able to see him come out there. Again, that guy, he is a competitor. He does what he needs to so he can play and I am happy to be able to have a quarterback like that.”

On how it felt being in the atmosphere of Memorial Stadium when they would make a big play
“I would say it is a great feeling. I don’t want to underplay it, but scoring touchdowns is about the same as it was in high school. I love it, but it is on to the next one, at least in my mind. I’d say trying to celebrate probably is the most tiring part of the whole game. You get all the way down there then you have to celebrate for a good 30 seconds just running around with your head cut off, just looking crazy trying to catch the running back. Tre Bryant, when he had his touchdown, He ran from one side of the end zone to the other and I am trying to keep up with him the whole way just looking like an idiot right behind him. But it was a lot of fun and being able to celebrate with your guys is what you play for. We are all trying to keep our vibes high and keep everything going in the right way, so it was fun.”

On how he would describe his relationship with his brother
“OK, so we are going to break down Trey. We have got to first start off with he has got a great younger brother. The kid is amazing. He knows exactly what he needs to do and it is kind of like he is a leader. He leads his brother and he tells him what he needs to do, definitely when he is out on the field because Trey doesn’t really know what is going on. But with a brother, what is his name, DJ Foster? Isn’t that what that kid’s name is? Jerald? One of those names, but that kid definitely does help out. He definitely was, he is a good guy. What are we talking about? DJ? We were talking about DJ, weren’t we? That guy is great. Great guy.”