Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00 >> Do you think the run game more than you expect to be going into the season?
00:04 >> I think every year has its ebbs and flows.
00:06 You're always looking to see what the strength of your football team is,
00:10 that evolves as you go throughout the season.
00:15 Your identity starts to clear up and we're running the football really well.
00:20 We got really good running backs, our offensive line is blocking well.
00:23 It's complementing the defense.
00:26 So that form is working pretty well right now.
00:28 >> Jeff was just talking about with the run game and
00:32 Dwayne Martin has become kind of that lead block guy the last few weeks.
00:36 He's played a lot more snaps.
00:38 How much better in the run game are you when he's in there and
00:42 Jeff says he's a guy that just doesn't miss mental, doesn't make mental mistakes?
00:45 >> Yeah, he's done a really good job in the run game of being that lead blocker,
00:50 getting up on linebackers, blocking defensive ends.
00:53 He's a big body, he's physical.
00:54 And he's really good at knowing who to get to and
00:59 kind of maneuvering within the line of scrimmage.
01:03 Which fullbacks aren't used as much these days, but
01:07 he's a really good fullback for us and he's done a great job.
01:10 But the last few weeks we've had him in there more,
01:14 used him a lot more, and we've liked what he's done in there.
01:20 >> How important to you is the one and O mentality?
01:24 And when you're going in to recruit a player,
01:27 is it more important for you to get the parents to trust you?
01:29 >> Well, the one and O mentality, I think our team has really latched on to that.
01:34 And the coaches have worked on it all season.
01:39 It's a one game season.
01:40 To our players have really bought into it.
01:44 We're really focused on just the next game.
01:48 And it's been good for the team not to have to look ahead or not to look back.
01:53 I was just focused on this opponent, prepared for this opponent, and
01:56 try to win.
01:57 Your question was about recruiting as well.
02:01 Yeah, obviously, when you're recruiting a player,
02:03 you gotta get whoever it is that's helping make the decision.
02:10 Sometimes it's the high school coach, sometimes it's the parent.
02:14 You gotta get to know that player as you recruit him,
02:17 find out who's gonna help make the decision, get them involved.
02:21 That's always a big part of the process.
02:22 >> Okay, go ahead.
02:26 >> Frank, a lot of the focus, as you all are on this one,
02:29 the running game and defense and everything.
02:31 How about Jack?
02:32 What is Jack really doing well that's allowing you all to have this success?
02:36 >> Yeah, Jack's done a great job.
02:38 He understands this offense so well.
02:43 You saw in this past game, he was able to get us out of a bad run into a good run.
02:48 He knows all the looks that we're looking for
02:50 as far as specifically where we wanna run the football.
02:53 So he's been a big part of that.
02:55 He also can run the ball a little bit with his legs.
02:58 And we're able to use him in some zone read schemes.
03:02 And he's able to get some yards when the play isn't there in the past game.
03:07 So he's been really efficient.
03:09 I think when we do have the run game going,
03:11 I think it complements his game really well.
03:13 He's good at the RTO stuff.
03:15 He's good at the play action pass.
03:17 And he's been really efficient these last two weeks.
03:22 We've had the run game going and they've worked really well together.
03:26 >> Brian, Jomari obviously missed last game, continuing to deal with an injury.
03:33 What do you emphasize to the rest of the receiving group in terms of trying to
03:36 pick up some of the production that you missed with Jomari?
03:39 >> Yeah, we always wanna have a next man up attitude.
03:41 We feel like we got a lot of good players on this roster.
03:44 So it's just an opportunity.
03:47 Someone can't go, it's just an opportunity for another player to step up.
03:50 And we look at it that way and we think we have a lot of guys that can make plays.
03:54 So when they get their opportunity, they gotta go out there and
03:58 show us what they can do.
03:59 >> Brian, what kind of home field advantage is it when it's going like it has been
04:03 the last couple weeks and the noise gets crazy?
04:06 >> Yeah, it's definitely, our fans are great.
04:09 The energy in the stadium, I think everyone feels that.
04:15 You definitely, back when I was playing, we had it rolling pretty good and
04:19 we were pretty tough to play at home.
04:23 It's because of the crowd, because of the fans,
04:24 because of the energy the stadium brings.
04:26 And I feel like we've had that this season,
04:29 where our guys are just excited they're flying to the football.
04:32 I mean, some of those hits on defense on special teams are pretty amazing.
04:36 It gets the crowd fired up.
04:39 So I think that energy, it's hard for
04:41 teams to come in here and play in that type of atmosphere.
04:44 >> Brian, after the Virginia Tech win, Jeff was in here talking about Brian Hudson and
04:49 what he means to this team.
04:50 He basically said you'd have to amputate his leg to keep him off the field.
04:53 What does that kind of leadership do for this offense?
04:57 >> Yeah, Brian is a veteran.
04:59 He's been here a long time.
05:00 He's a great leader for the offense, a great leader up front.
05:03 He's obviously making a lot of the calls up front and leading those guys.
05:06 But his toughness, being able to play through injury,
05:10 without a lot of practice, without a lot of reps, he's able to go out there and
05:15 still execute and know what his job is and know how to make the calls.
05:20 And guys look up to him, so he's been a tremendous player for us this year.
05:25 >> You guys had a pretty good formula,
05:28 it's shared winning the toss and then burying and doing well in the second half.
05:32 Do you remember at Purdue, is that how Jeff did it also?
05:35 And when you played for Bobby, did you guys- >> So
05:37 when I was with Bobby, we took the ball.
05:39 >> [LAUGH] >> We took the ball.
05:42 Now Jeff, ever since I started coaching with him,
05:48 we've deferred probably 95% of the time if we've won the toss.
05:53 It's kind of the Patriots way of,
05:56 you can get those two scores right before halftime and
06:01 then coming out of the half, so you kind of flip the game there.
06:05 If you defer in the second half, I think that's kind of the philosophy behind it.
06:11 >> That's from Belichick?
06:12 >> Yeah, I think the Patriots kind of started that, and
06:15 it seems like most people are doing that now.
06:18 I feel like back when I was playing everybody, you took the ball,
06:22 you were gonna get the ball and go score.
06:24 But the Patriots, I feel like, kind of changed that way, and
06:27 it seems like that's the way most people are doing it.
06:30 >> Anybody else?
06:31 [BLANK_AUDIO]
06:34 All right, thank you.