Louisville HC Jeff Brohm Postgame Presser vs. Notre Dame (10/7/23)
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00 [BLANK_AUDIO]
00:08 Well, it's a great day to be a Cardinal, so I'm definitely gonna smile right now.
00:13 Huge victory for our team, a huge victory for this fan base,
00:17 a huge victory for this university, and all the leadership that does
00:22 a tremendous job directing us in the right direction.
00:26 I just think our fans were the 12th man, we felt them, really felt them all week.
00:32 I read Twitter a little bit, they were ready to go, they expected to win,
00:35 they wanted to win, and they came ready to win.
00:37 So I knew we better give them a win.
00:40 But they were fired up all week, fired up today, they were into the game.
00:44 We played hard for 60 minutes, the game was close, so for a while we kinda hung in
00:50 there and just kinda fed off of our fans.
00:51 I just think our players came out in the second half,
00:54 they understood what it meant to not only us, but
00:56 to the entire town and city and university to win.
01:00 And they grounded it out, and we did some great things on defense,
01:04 getting after the quarterback, making him feel uncomfortable, guarding receivers.
01:08 We executed better in the second half, had some big plays in the running game,
01:12 a little more efficient in the passing game.
01:14 We had the one fumble, but we overcame it.
01:16 Special teams came through in the second half.
01:18 So I just think it was, once again, a team effort.
01:22 We're happy to be where we're at because it is a big win, and we wanna enjoy it.
01:27 And that's what excites us all.
01:29 So of course, just like I told the team,
01:32 once you win a game like that, the bar goes from here up to here.
01:36 So while we wanna enjoy it and relax and be around our family and friends,
01:41 events we gotta get back to work and understand.
01:44 People can say what they want after winning a game, but
01:46 every week in college football, if you don't come ready to play,
01:48 you're not gonna win.
01:49 So we'll have to get back to work here in over 24 hours.
01:53 But it was a great atmosphere, and it was great for
01:56 our team and our fans to win that game.
01:58 [BLANK_AUDIO]
02:04 >> Coach, over the years, your teams have been known for the special plays,
02:07 the gadget plays, when you've had big time upsets, things of that nature.
02:11 That's what you've been known for.
02:12 But tonight, it was different.
02:13 This was just a straight up man for man, kinda meeting them at the line and
02:18 just pretty much beating down one of the best teams in college football
02:22 in the second half.
02:22 What do you think this is about your team?
02:24 >> Well, it's a great win.
02:27 And yeah, I like big games.
02:30 Our team likes big games.
02:31 If you can't get up for those, this maybe isn't the sport for you.
02:37 But you gotta come ready to play, and you gotta do all the small things.
02:41 You gotta be aggressive.
02:42 Yes, we didn't run as many trick plays today.
02:43 I thought this team was guarding us pretty well.
02:45 It was hard to kinda get some yards, and
02:48 then we kinda just went to our best players, Jawar and Jamari.
02:53 And let the others feed off them.
02:54 Jack was very, very efficient, took care of the ball, threw it away when he had to.
02:59 Extended plays with his feet.
03:00 First touchdown, he scrambled outside,
03:02 allowed our receiver a little time to get open.
03:04 So I just think his maturity level showed up and executed very well.
03:09 And now you gotta give our offensive line credit.
03:10 These guys play hard, don't get a lot of credit.
03:12 But we ran the football against a solid defense.
03:16 We found ways to get yards in the passing game in the second half, and
03:19 then our special teams came through.
03:20 And of course, the defense was outstanding.
03:22 >> Jeff, how do you attribute the defensive lines,
03:26 the progression that it's made?
03:28 Early on, you guys weren't getting as many sacks.
03:31 But tonight, it seemed like even in your just base rushing,
03:36 you were able to get pressure and ended up with five sacks.
03:40 >> Well, quite honestly, I attribute it to coaching.
03:43 I think we've been coaching better.
03:46 I think that as a former player, you know what?
03:49 I mean, you go out and play as hard as you can, but
03:51 you have to have a great plan and a great package to help you win.
03:53 And I think every week, we've tweaked that package to guard people tighter,
03:58 get our hands on people more, challenge receivers and seam routes more, and
04:04 allow that defense line just a little more time to get in there.
04:06 And at the same time, I think the Blitz package has been more aggressive, and
04:11 that comes from coaching and planning.
04:15 So I give Coach Engels, Coach Hagan, our whole defensive staff a lot of credit.
04:18 We've continued to slightly tweak things, even when things are working well.
04:23 And the key is applying pressure to the quarterback and
04:27 making him feel uncomfortable, and not giving up easy completions and
04:32 making him earn it.
04:32 So I just think that when we're able to do that, it allows our defense to tee off.
04:38 And when we can get a lead, it allows our defensive line to tee off.
04:41 And I just think those guys play hard.
04:43 We played quite a few guys, and they did a really good job.
04:45 >> And Jeff, you were just talking about the defense, but
04:50 this is a team, Notre Dame, was averaging about 195 yards on the ground.
04:56 You hold them to 44.
04:58 Was there anything that you guys saw that you could scheme defensively to stop them?
05:04 Or what exactly led to you guys shutting them down on the ground?
05:10 >> Well, I mean, I couldn't tell you for sure, but for me, yes,
05:14 we're gonna scheme them to stop the run.
05:16 And you have to do that, or they're gonna run you over.
05:19 They're big up front, they got a big running back, big tight ends.
05:22 And we were aggressive in our packages against their personnel looks.
05:26 We were gonna make them beat us throwing the football,
05:29 make them throw it over our head.
05:30 I think when we got the first interception, the first drive,
05:33 they probably said, maybe we can't throw it over their head as much.
05:36 And then we applied more pressure.
05:37 And I just think that coaching matters to this point.
05:42 We've done a good job coaching and adjusting to the team we're playing.
05:46 And with that team, in my opinion, you have to stop the run.
05:50 You have to put a bunch of guys up there, play downhill, stop the tight end, and
05:54 then get pressure on the quarterback and make the receivers in the passing game
05:57 beat you.
05:58 And then of course, if you can get a lead against a team that plays great defense
06:02 and runs the football, we have the advantage.
06:05 I think that's what you saw in the second half.
06:06 Then we were able to kinda tee off a little bit more because we had the lead and
06:09 we were forcing them to do things that they don't do as much.
06:12 So to me, that's why it's always important.
06:14 You gotta be good at the passing game and the running game,
06:16 cuz you never know when you're gonna have to use both.
06:17 [BLANK_AUDIO]
06:22 >> Jeff, you did talk about the crowd and it being the 12th man.
06:24 Did you allow yourself to really pay attention?
06:26 You had Jack Harlow out there, Donovan Mitchell, just so
06:29 many others and just the atmosphere.
06:31 Did, at least before the game or during it,
06:32 did you allow yourself to kinda look out there much?
06:35 And just what were your thoughts?
06:36 >> Well, without question, taking the field and seeing all the seats filled,
06:40 that's what college football's all about.
06:42 And this is a great city that wants to win championships and
06:48 be relevant and do a lot of fun things.
06:51 And we wanna try to provide that.
06:52 And is it always gonna be perfect?
06:54 No, but if you attack it head on and you step up to every challenge and
06:59 when you have a setback or failure, get right back up off your butt and
07:02 do it again, these fans appreciate it.
07:04 So I think at this point, of course, we're 6-0, and
07:08 we wanna give them something to cheer about and something to wanna root for.
07:11 And I think while we're at a good spot now, of course, it's a one game season,
07:16 it's a weekly battle, we gotta now do it again.
07:19 But I know our fans love football and they love sports and
07:24 they love teams that play hard and give great effort.
07:27 And without question, we fed off the fans, they were tremendous tonight.
07:31 >> Hey, Jeff, right in the back right here,
07:35 you talked about the play in the trenches a little bit.
07:38 Just how impressed have you been with the overall physicality of both the offensive
07:42 and defensive lines, not just tonight, but the progression through the season?
07:46 >> Well, I'll start with our offensive line.
07:47 First off, we've got great leadership up front.
07:50 Brian Hudson for two weeks hasn't practiced at all,
07:54 he just plays in the game cuz he's injured.
07:56 You know what, didn't miss one play.
07:58 That's toughness, I mean, just toughness.
08:01 So I can sit up here and talk for 50 minutes about how tough he is.
08:04 Our other offensive linemen feed off that.
08:07 We have veterans from last year, Renaldo Brown and Michael Gonzalez.
08:10 We've added some newcomers on the starting offensive line,
08:13 both tackle positions, who've done a really good job.
08:17 They've gelled together.
08:18 We have some other backups that aren't getting in a whole lot, but
08:20 they're getting in some.
08:21 They're continuing to get better, and we're gonna need them at some point.
08:24 So those guys, we do a lot of things, offensively, running the ball and
08:28 throwing the ball.
08:29 They gotta learn a lot, they gotta study.
08:30 But we have different things we can go to, and
08:34 if they can handle it, it gives us a slight advantage.
08:36 So proud of them.
08:37 Of course, defensive line, you've seen them the last couple weeks.
08:40 They've been lights out.
08:42 They play hard, they play aggressive, we play a bunch of guys.
08:44 They work hard in practice.
08:46 If someone came to Washington practice, Coach Hagan and his guys do a great job.
08:51 They work extremely hard.
08:52 And then, like I said, I think being better in the coverage and
08:58 making that quarterback hold a little bit longer allows them to shine even more.
09:01 So at this point, through six games, they've done a really, really good job.
09:05 >> Jeff, you brought Evan Conley in for a couple plays.
09:12 Just curious what you're seeing there and
09:14 what you kinda wanted to get out of that with having him in there.
09:16 >> Well, I think we wanna have the ability for the quarterback to run the ball.
09:22 We wanna try to, Jack got hit a whole lot the last game, so
09:25 trying to take some hits off of them.
09:26 Evan's a really good athlete.
09:27 If I had to take it back, both calls, they max zeroed it and blitzed us.
09:33 And it's probably not a whole lot of room to run.
09:35 So we have to have some different things off of that if we're seeing that.
09:39 So that falls on me.
09:40 But Evan's a really good athlete.
09:42 Our other quarterbacks work hard.
09:43 We're not gonna be scared to put in multiple guys if we need to.
09:46 But Jack, in my opinion, was outstanding today.
09:51 He was consistent.
09:53 He took care of the football.
09:54 He made great decisions.
09:56 He threw it away when he had to.
09:57 He was accurate.
09:58 I mean, just played a fantastic game.
10:01 >> Coach, Jahar Jordan had a tough week last week versus NC State.
10:05 They did a lot of run blitzes and things to make it difficult on him.
10:08 Today it seemed like, I don't know if Notre Dame wasn't ready for his speed.
10:11 But just talk about how much better your offense is when he's out there making
10:14 those type of runs.
10:15 >> Well, last week was on me.
10:17 They were able to stack the box and I didn't have enough answers.
10:19 So we definitely wanted to try to fix that a little bit.
10:23 So I thought our plan was better this week.
10:25 Creating space for him is very important, cuz if you can give him space,
10:30 he's fast, he's elusive, he's quick, and he can go the distance.
10:34 So I think we had a couple runs that didn't have a whole lot of room, but
10:38 he popped it in there a few times early on.
10:40 He stuffed it for a little while, and then we kinda came back in the second half
10:43 and hit a couple big ones on a couple different calls we hadn't used yet.
10:48 But he's a fantastic player.
10:50 Once again, unselfish.
10:51 We have other running backs too.
10:53 He doesn't care who's in there.
10:54 He just wants to win.
10:55 But he was fantastic today as well.
10:57 >> Thank you.
10:59 [BLANK_AUDIO]