[Upchurch/MGoBlog]

Our friends in Rutgers’ Athletic Communications department were kind enough to send out a transcript of the highlights from Jim Harbaugh’s postgame presser (in the middle of the night, no less), so even though I wasn’t at the game you still have some Sunday content to consume.

On the play of Jabrill Peppers and Chris Evans: “We put some plays in for (Peppers) last week where he was operating as a quarterback and then more this week, because he’s just so darn good at it. That was really the turning part of the game, I thought was his long run. The first downs were coming hard. It was looked like it was going to be one of those nights. His speed was dramatically different than everyone else on the field. Chris Evans, he showed early he was going to be tough to bring down. He was lightning fast and quick tonight. To me, that’s what broke the game open was Jabrill’s and Chris’ play. Chris said something really interesting in practice. He didn’t say it to me, he said it to my dad and Al Glick. He later told me that, quote from Chris Evans, ‘it’s a sin to be good, when you are sent to be great.’ That was really profound. He was really dynamite tonight.”

On limiting Rutgers’ first downs: “I don’t know how many three and outs it was. I know there were only two first downs and not until late in the game. We were playing on half the field all night. The guys up front had a great game. There was constant pressure. The team has been tremendous. Didn’t allow a third down conversion all night defensively. There’s been incredible play on third down. (Defensive Coordinator) Don Brown is an amazing coach. I know I’ve been saying that a lot. It’s obvious to everyone, to our team, to our whole defensive staff.

On the intensity of the backups: “As a coach, the two weeks you worry about are the week going into a bye week. We call it an improvement week, but still that week you are going in and the week you are coming off that bye week. Our players were as focused as I’ve seen them. To your point, when the two’s got in there, they were playing with the same kind of motivation, the same kind of fire. They wanted to show what they can do. A lot of freshmen were playing in this ball game and playing well. There wasn’t any real sign of drop off when our two’s were in the there. Our two’s were in the entire second half, except for a series on offense and a series on defense.

[After THE JUMP: the darndest thing Harbaugh’s ever seen]

On Jabrill Pepper’s ability to do many things and not overburden him: “That’s something you have to take into consideration. He’s so good at it fortunately most of the time. He wasn’t taking any hits. Did he look that way to you? He was so athletic and so fast. It was really, really impressive. Gosh, if there’s a better player in the country, I don’t know who it is. I know there’s a lot of great players out there, but this guy, to be able to coach a guy like Jabrill Peppers is a real joy. There’s so much more. There’s nothing he can’t do. It’s the darndest thing I’ve ever seen. My humble opinion is we are looking for a Heisman trophy winner, candidate.”

“Jim Thorpe, it just came to me. Only player I can think of comparing Jabrill to.”

On the two-point conversion: “It was something we practiced all week. We had it. We saw a look we could get a two-point conversion on. We had it called on each of the extra points. We didn’t’ call it after that. That fourth touchdown, it was dialed up. It was called off the first three times. The fourth time we got the look we prepared for. Our guys executed it very well.”

On the rebuilding of the Rutgers program: “It certainly wasn’t the intent to make the score what it was. You look at (Chris Ash’s) team, he’s doing it the right way. He’s doing it very well. His team will be a factor soon. I have no doubt. He’s a great coach. Our players were better. Not to take anything away from his players, they’ve got a lot of good players, a lot of talented players, but we have more of them and one great player, Jabrill Peppers. He really ignited everything in this ball game. I don’t know if you saw it the same way. The speed that he out there was at a different level.”

On the pass rush: “It was constant pressure. One of the biggest and best, the spine of our team, is that defensive front. (Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line Coach) Greg Mattison does a great job coaching our guys. They were fast. Our whole team was really fast tonight. It really showed tonight. They are executing at a really high level. The pressure was tough to deal with.”