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KF NW Pre PDF
KF NW Pre PDF
Media Conference
Tuesday, November 6, 2018
Kirk Ferentz
KIRK FERENTZ: Good afternoon. Appreciate you hard and they're productive, very good football players.
guys all being here. Yeah, before we get to
Northwestern, I'll talk a little bit about the last game. I think beyond that, the thing that jumps out at you,
Going into the game we knew that Purdue was a very they're really good at reacting to situations. Whatever
explosive offensive football team and presented some comes up, they seem to be prepared for that.
challenges. They had a veteran quarterback, some
really talented skill players. We're going to have to compete at a really high level to
stay with these guys. That's for sure.
Bottom line is both teams really played hard. They
made a few more plays than we did, and they came out For the third street week we're facing a team that's has
on top, but it was a really good football game. an experienced quarterback who is a good football
player. Certainly, Clayton Thorson is a little different
We go back, look at the tape every week, and focus on type player than the last two we faced, but nevertheless
the things that we think are correctable, and that's very productive, a great leader, and has led them to the
really where our focus has been this week thus far. top of the West right now, the Big Ten West. I think
We've had two days now. that's a real credit to them and his leadership.
Every game has elements that are out of your control, The biggest thing for us to move forward right now is
and the big thing there is you don't focus on those, let moving forward, and that takes mental toughness. We
those become distractions or use them as excuses. can't be looking back or worried about the what-ifs. We
Bottom line is we've got to play better and find a way to have to do what we can to get ready for this ballgame
do so. and do our best to prepare. We got two days under our
belts, and so far, so good. Happy about that. Need to
That's where it's at right now. Nobody in our camp is finish the week out right now, and I think all of us are
pleased with the outcome certainly, and that being looking forward to getting out and having another
said, as I said the other night, really proud of our opportunity to compete this week against a really top-
football team. They've worked hard. They've played notch opponent.
hard and competed hard nine games, and the task now
is try to continue that, find a way to come out on top in On the injury front, I mentioned Shaun Beyer last week
our next challenge. suffered an injury, a non-contact injury, so he's going to
miss the next couple games. I don't know if we'll get
Turning to Northwestern, first of all, it's great to be back him back for the bowl game or not. We'll just wait and
home. We've had a quirky schedule this year, heavy at see on that.
the front end with home games and then four out of five
on the road. To get back in Kinnick and be back in Our captains this week are the same four guys as last
Kinnick for two out of the last three is certainly a week: Parker Hesse, Jake Gervase defensively, and
positive, but to be back there Saturday, we're looking Nate Stanley and Keegan Render.
forward to that opportunity.
And then just a quick sidebar -- Quinn Early is here,
This game has really become a big rivalry between us back in the state now for a couple days, and has been
and Northwestern going back 20 years. We've had a part of a book. He and his mom wrote a book together.
great series over the years, and it's not a trophy game I have not read the book, but I've read the account of
officially but really kind of feels like that. They're an what it's all about, his mom's battle with Alzheimer's.
outstanding football team. When you look at them on Just want to commend Quinn for being part of that and
tape, I think one thing is very apparent. They've got an what he's doing. It's a charitable cause and I'm sure
identity, a clear identity. I think that's got to do with the it's something near and dear to his heart. Quinn
longevity of Coach Fitzgerald there and their staff. obviously was a football player here. I got to overlap
They're very well-coached. They know who they are, with him back in the '80s, but beyond that he's just a
what they are, and the commonalities, their guys play top-notch human being and a great representative of
Today was the first chilly practice we've had, for But you know, the bottom line is the guys you
instance, so for the older guys, it's not a big deal, but mentioned, you go back, guys like Micah Hyde played
for some of the younger guys, it's a good chance for early in his career, Desmond, right on through. So part
them to get acclimatized and just get used to being out of that's what's in our inventory and also part of it is
there, if it's a little bit breezy or a little bit chilly, that kind who's most ready to play, and sometimes those guys
of stuff, but the older guys are helping them with that, just surface. That's the way it's worked out. It's still an
too. Come on, let's go. education, but it's an education when you're a senior,
too. You're still out there learning every play if you're
Q. I'm sure every coach every week sends doing it right.
something to the Big Ten and says, hey, look at
this. I'm sure the motivation is to look for what you Q. Matt Hankins, has he kind of reacclimated?
saw the last game. Does that ever work? KIRK FERENTZ: Yeah, he's back with us and good
KIRK FERENTZ: Well, yeah, I think we probably all do graces, and yeah, he is healthy finally. Last week he
it, to your point, and if nothing else, there might be clips kind of turned the corner that way, so he's back
on there that they put on their training reels because I practicing right now. We'll see what happens.
know they do that and circulate those. I don't know if
it's weekly but maybe monthly. I'm not sure how they Q. Do you plan to use him?
do it. If there's something we think that's worth them KIRK FERENTZ: Absolutely.
looking at for teachable moments, that type of deal, I
think that's good, and that's part of the process. Q. You're not going to redshirt him?
KIRK FERENTZ: No, we're playing him. I don't know if
A lot of times we'll get responses, good, bad or he'll start this week, but he practiced today, practiced
indifferent. Our way of looking at things might be totally well, and hopefully he can make it to Saturday, and I'm
different than what someone else sees. It's not saying he'll start, but my guess is he'll play.
educational for us, as well.
Q. Do you know what you're going to do -- do you
Q. Why is it that defensive backs, specifically know who your two starters are at this point?
cornerbacks, are ready to play earlier in their KIRK FERENTZ: Not yet. It's only Tuesday, so we'll let
careers versus say safeties or other players? I the week pan out and see where we're going to go.
know farther away from the ball, you always say
they're more ready to play, but the cornerbacks Q. Is Brady Ross healthy?
seem -- you've had great success with guys like KIRK FERENTZ: Brady is not. I didn't mention him, but
Desmond King going right on -- and Julius and no. I'm guessing maybe next week, but I doubt it, so
now Riley. What makes them readier to play earlier we're probably looking at another week. It's one of
versus some of the other positions? those ankles, and those are bad.
KIRK FERENTZ: A couple thoughts there.
Cornerbacks or light tackles, offensive tackles. Those Q. When you go back to when you were recruiting
guys don't have to think as much as a quarterback or a T.J. Hockenson, what made you pull the trigger and
free safety because those guys are in the hub of give him that offer?
things, kind of the signal callers. So they're reacting KIRK FERENTZ: Really when he came to camp. It's
more to calls that are being made, if you can put it that not the same as Ike Boettger but kind of like Boettger
way. and A.J. Parker Hesse we didn't pull the trigger after
camp, but we were sure intrigued with him, and when
They're also very similar, I think, in terms of they're you get a live exposure to some players, that helps,
both really challenging, difficult positions to play. It's and in Parker's case we wanted to see him play live.
really tough to play either one of those spots, and you'd Riley Moss was the same way.
better have a short memory if you do play them
because you're going to have some bad plays, too. But T.J. came to camp, and we really didn't see him get
involved in much contact quite frankly. He was playing
But the big difference between them is the physical more receiver and playing way back on defense. So
part of it. You know, there aren't many fifth-year when we saw him actually get out on the field and
receivers banging up on corners, that type of thing. It's compete a little bit, that really kind of solidified our
more of a different kind of competition out there, feelings with him, and everything else about him really