Indiana University Athletics
Indiana Football Press Conference
9/13/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 13, 2005
We are looking forward to this week and hopefully a better performance than we had last week. It ended up being a very tough and physical football game against Nicholls State. Sometimes the game film is neither as good as you hope it's going to be or as bad as you fear it's going to be. They are a very physical team. We have had a number of pro scouts in here trying to find out as much as they can about that fullback (Broderick Cole). We've helped him on his way to an NFL career, I guess. It is unnerving when the fullbacks are gaining yardage on you. Then we started freelancing a little bit and not tackling very well. The defensive players and coaches are going to practice today with a certain resolve. No body felt very good about that performance.
Great call by their staff on the fake punt and a great play by Tracy Porter. Looking back at the game, it's incredible that a single play can change the momentum of a game. I would prefer us to be more consistent. We didn't run the ball again like I hoped we might. I don't mind being a big play team, but we don't want to have a peaks and valleys type of thing. We have to become more consistent and we have to eliminate some of the valleys, we can't eliminate them all. You have to give credit always to the other guy. It's not a judged competition. The opponent always has something to do with it. There were a lot of things that we did get better in. That's on us as coaches to do the best job we can and to correct the physical errors that took place.
I'm looking forward to this game. I am aware of the history of this game. I haven't been involved in it, but I am aware of it. It's long standing. It's a very important game for both teams. We both go into conference play after this and it's another chance for us to play at home.
I wrote letters to the student paper thanking our students showing up and they were a factor. The band was great. From The Walk to the fight song at the end of the game, I need to thank Rick Greenspan and the athletic administration for making it all work so smoothly. The Walk was a hit for everyone, and hopefully, it will continue to get bigger and better.
I'm eager to get out and practice. We give them Mondays off, so I'm eager to get back with them. The players I spoke with, especially the guys on defense, I would say there is a tremendous resolve for them right now to get the bad taste out of their mouth and to play better. I still think we can be a good defense. I still think it will be one of the strengths of our team. This is a week when we need to step up and play well. I think Kentucky is a team like us in that they have a young quarterback, skill at the receiver position, good running back and a defense that plays hard. Overall, I think we are very similar teams and it's a big game for both of us.
On the positives of last game:
We pass protected much better. They had a physical defensive line. It was game one again. We didn't know. I said they were dial-a-blitz. We didn't want our quarterback to get hit at all. It wasn't a great game, but it was a better game. We went from having wide receivers as a question coming out of the spring and Wow! Never give up on potential, but the receiver position we just didn't know. That's now become a strength. We played amigos (four receivers) more this past week. I anticipate us trying to use that personnel group more because there are some playmakers in that group. They will only get better too, because they are young.
There are a lot of little things we did better than we did in week one. Like running patterns at the right depth for example.
On the Kentucky rivalry:
This is a non-league game. It's a great school and historically a great basketball program and I don't see why both football programs can't be great.
On Blake Powers:
Blake is improving. Blake had a bad play and other than that he had very good game. He managed the game very well as well.
His run was the big playmaker gain. That was huge. It was third and 18 and I didn't want a fourth and 18. For him to run 22 yards and get the first down was really big. I'm proud of him. Every game is important to Blake. I don't think he could have gotten more fired up than he was for the first game being that it was his first start. He's a veteran now, with two wins under his belt.
On the game:
Every game is a big game. I told the guys, it's the biggest game this week. You get so few opportunities to play this game, so every one is so special.
Sophomore quarterback Blake Powers
On the game against Kentucky:
It's really not about proving anything to anyone except to yourself and your teammates. We are just trying to compete every game and be the best possible team we can be. We aren't worrying about what anyone outside the team has to say.
We feel that we can win every single game. That's the way you have to feel if you are a championship level team. Every year that's what we shoot for, and I think that this year our confidence is higher than it's been in the past. We know we are going to be able to compete in every single game and are going to go out and try to win.
We are trying to get better everyday. The offense was a little shaky in spring ball since we were putting in a new system, but everyday we are working on improving the passing game and the running game. The young receivers have really matured a lot. We had a really strong summer and a strong fall camp. I think that's been the difference.
On James Hardy:
When you have a player like James, it's great because you know he's going to make the plays and he has. As a quarterback, that's the type of receiver you need. He's a great, tall and athletic receiver that will catch the ball for you.
On the offense:
When we get things rolling, we are good offensively. We've struggled offensively a little too. We need to keep having those quick offensive series. That's the way you get points on the board. We need to concentrate on doing that every time we go on the field.
On Kentucky:
It's a big opportunity for me, but for our team as well. It's a hug rivalry and always a big game. Everyone comes out ready to play. Every year you can count on some good football. We are trying to come out this year and obviously try and win the game.
On Andre Woodson
We've been playing against and with each other since middle school. We played on the AAU basketball team together. Andre and I have always gotten along really well and pushed each other to be great players. He's made me a better player, I know that, and I hope I've done the same for him. We are obviously going against each other, but we have kept a really good friendship.
I've always believed that this is my team. That's how you have to think if you are going to be a top player in the country. Obviously, everyone in the country is competing for a starting position somewhere. I knew the coaches were going to make the best decision for the team and every player has the mindset that they should be starting, and that's the way we all thought throughout the fall.
We have to improve on the things we struggled with in the first two games. The offense was shaky the first game, and at times, shaky in the second game as well. We have to improve and try to get better each week if you are going to be the best team you can possibly be. We need to be on the same page offensively and work on not having any missed assignment. Defensively, same thing. That's what football is all about. Things work if you do what you are supposed to on every play.
Redshirt freshmen wide receiver James Hardy
On Blake Powers:
He's been a great leader on the field. He's calm and he makes sure everybody else is calm too. He's always telling us that we are going to win, so we just go out and try to make plays for him.
On mindset when making big plays:
Every down and every play I want to play like it's my last opportunity. I try to play hard every play because I don't know if my achilles is going to let me play the next series or not. I just try to do the best I can and when the time comes and we need a big play, I tell Blake to look for me.
On the team's confidence this season:
As a group, we had the confidence before the season even started. We wanted to go out and showcase our talents, especially the wide receiver corps. We have been in watching film all the time with the quarterbacks. We've just been studying all the time. We are trying to go to a bowl game. We owe it to all the seniors. We are all trying to do our part to make it happen for them.
On Kentucky:
I go into every game thinking the same thing. Every game is a rivalry, if they are on a different team.
On double teaming him:
They can't. If they double-team me, then they aren't going to cover Jahkeen Gilmore and Marcus Thigpen, and they are left open. That's the advantage we have. All of us can do it any night. You can't just focus on one of us.
Senior defensive back Will Lumpkin
On Kentucky:
It's a new year. Especially with the new coaching staff, we are taking the approach that each week is taking on a new approach and a new character. We aren't going to live in the past, even though we are mindful of it. We gave up a bunch of points to these guys last year and gave up a bunch of rushing yards to Nicholls State, but in the grand scheme of things, no one knows because it's a new game. We are going to keep practicing hard, and we are focused on winning.
We are even more motivated to work hard this week after the Nicholls State performance. Working hard is something that guys here have never had a problem with. We are worried about Kentucky this week. We are trying to win every week.
We are really excited to play on Saturday. The good thing about football is that 11 times, you get a second chance. We have a sour taste in our mouths after last week's game, but we aren't going to dwell on that. We are going to keep all of that in our minds as we practice, but it will be motivation to work hard and be ready to go against Kentucky.
