Media Monday: Purdue
11/22/2021 3:09:00 PM | Football
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana head football coach Tom Allen met with the media on Monday (November 22) inside Memorial Stadium to preview the upcoming contest Purdue on Saturday (November 27) in West Lafayette.
Below is the transcript of the press conference. Video of the full media session can be found on the right sidebar at IUHoosiers.com.
Tom Allen | Head Coach
Opening Statement
TA: Good afternoon. I appreciate you being here with us. Just want to start by saying we are excited about this week, the Old Oaken Bucket week for our program and a huge game for all of our players, our fans, our university and for our state. That is going to be the focus of everything that we do this week and getting our guys ready, guys that have been out, trying to get as many of those guys back as we can, allow us to be able to be our very best in West Lafayette on Saturday.
Do want to say this from the game, we appreciate our young guys continuing to work their tails off in practice and doing a great job for us. Our Defensive Scout Team Player of the Week was Andrew Turvy, Offensive Scout Team Player of the Week was Zack Merrill and James Bomba, and Special Teams Scout Team Player of the Week was Sam Daugstrup.
Guys continue to work hard. Really proud of our guys coming back yesterday and attacking the day. Obviously hurting, down and frustrated, but at the same time staying together. I just talked to our strength staff about the way they attacked the weight room and everything we're trying to do to finish strong.
We have one more week together for the 2021 season. Been a very challenging season, obviously, with all the things out there. At the same time, it is a special group of guys. We appreciate them, love them and want to finish strong with these guys and do evening we can do to keep the bucket.
Questions.
On what players might be back against Purdue…
TA: Yeah, trying to get Tiawan Mullen back. He worked out over the weekend and will be practicing tomorrow. We'll see how that goes. We'll know more after that. Same with Stephen Carr and James Miller. Just trying to get those guys back. Obviously quarterbacks, as well. Obviously it is our last week, so it's now or never in that regard. Still working with those guys to see where they're at. Also, Josh Sanguinetti is another one we've been working to get back.
Those guys I mentioned have all been critical parts of our team in the past and we need to get them [on the field] if we can at all possible. They're working hard to do that with our training staff, strength staff and everybody involved.
Other than that, any specific guys you can feel free to ask. Basically, everybody that's been out we are trying to get them back. Some guys have continued to work, and it doesn't look promising. For others it does. Each individual guy is attacking it the best they can to try and get out there for the team.
On holding the Old Oaken Bucket for two years after last season's game was cancelled…
TA: Yeah, it was unique. No doubt. Even last year, seems so long ago, leading up to that game, things started going south for both programs with COVID. Then we tried to reschedule it the next week but ended up not playing the game.
Obviously two [meetings] in a row we'll play the game at Purdue, so that's just the reality of what's happened. Bottom line is that's where the game's going to be, so that's where we're going to show up and play.
On how often he runs into Jeff Brohm in coaching circles…
TA: Yeah, obviously probably the biggest thing we overlap with is recruiting. I don't physically get to see him that much out there. Occasionally on the road you might, the contact period where head coaches go out. I've run into [Purdue] assistants as I was out there this season, as well.
Recruiting is where you really keep a close eye on things. Guys they are recruiting, offer or take. We're having those discussions as a staff, making sure we are seeing things, making sure we don't miss anybody.
We have a lot of respect [for them]. Like I said, we've both had our ups and downs the last few years. I've always respected him a lot and reached out to him at different times. They've done a great job this year. I know last year was what it was and different things before that.
[Brohm] has always been somebody that I respect as a guy that does things the right way. I think he's one of those guys. He's a tough, hard-nosed guy. He works hard, is a good family guy and I respect that. Just the way their coaches handle things. As we got to know some of those guys, maybe ones we have known in the past, or ones we didn't and maybe got to know more.
There is mutual respect even though it is a huge rivalry and huge game for both programs. Obviously, it is an in-state team. Not every program has in-state teams. I've been at other places that have that type of rivalry. It's very intense. Sometimes it's more ugly than others in those situations.
I do think there's a professionalism here between both universities, especially with the staffs in football. I know for sure there's a mutual respect.
On what he feels is important in talking to the returning players and the incoming recruits as the season winds down…
TA: First of all, open and honest. From our guys on this team, it's a very unique dynamic more so than ever because a lot of guys are getting to the end. They've graduated but may have more [eligibility] left. Those discussions, some have begun, some will happen after this weekend. Just to be able to have an honest conversation about where they stand with us, and see what they're thinking, as well.
I think the biggest key is open and honest dialogue between both sides. To me, it's about making sure that we have the guys here that are all in and want to be a part of this, want to help us fight through the adversity we've experienced and help us to get back to where we want to be.
Obviously this has not been anywhere close to a season we expected or wanted, but here we are. We can't sit here and make excuses or talk about this or that. It's about what are we doing to build for the future. That's all about the players that we attract to come here and those that choose to either graduate and move on or just move on or however it works for them.
Like I said, my biggest thing is I want the guys that want to be here. That's the primary focus. That's about finding guys that fit with us that we would add to the team, either from high school or from a transfer situation. It is about finding guys that want to help us continue to build towards our goal of winning the Big Ten championship.
On Micah McFadden not being a finalist for the Butkus Award…
TA: I think he's a great player. I don't have any control over the voting for those awards. Obviously, he's a special player and has developed tremendously since he's been here. Awesome young man. Great family. Ton of respect for him. He's the leader of our defense and one of the leaders of our team. You see him play every weekend.
I think there's no question he's one of the best linebackers in the country. That's my opinion about him. I think a lot of others feel the same way.
But those awards are what they are. People vote for them, that's fine. It's not always indicative of an individual guy. Much respect to the guys that are on that list. A lot of great players. There's a lot of good players in this country.
On how he evaluates the defense at this point in the season with all of the injuries…
TA: Yeah, to me very proud of the guys that are still battling every single day, that are still healthy to be able to be out there and the guys that are fighting to stay out there. The depth has become a huge issue. I'm going to call it what it is, playing way too many snaps, which has led to even later in the game more fatigue, more mistakes. Just kind of wearing down physically and mentally.
That to me has been frustrating because I know how hard the guys are playing, how hard they work each week. It's been an unfortunate set of circumstances. You look at our roster, where we're at right now, based on how we started.
No doubt, football is a numbers game. Always has been and always will be. That's why they have classes in high school sports, things working the way they are divisionally. When you have more guys that are bigger, faster, stronger that can make plays, that's what you want.
Unfortunately, as this has gotten to the end here, we've gotten decimated in spots, and it's taken its toll. That's where we are. We have to fight through it and find ways to execute better in critical times. I thought there were some things even in the game this last week where third downs did not get off the field, third-and-longs, we really needed to. Breakdowns in guys that are playing that aren't quite ready to go play yet. But they have to be out there because of the situation we're in.
So that is it. That is what we have to do. We have to find ways to get those guys ready so they can execute. It is not for lack of effort or lack of preparation with our guys working hard. We're just trying to keep it as simple as we can so those younger guys can still execute and make plays and try to get some of those older guys off the field a little bit early in the game, not have them play every single snap.
That's where we are. It has been frustrating because I know it's a special group of guys that I think have got a lot of good players in there. I know that they're frustrated as well.
But the key is they're going to battle this week. We are working really hard, trying to find a way to get some of these guys back. Even a guy or two would help. It would be huge to help us in that area, especially in the secondary, then with some depth at linebacker.
Just trying to continue to do everything we can to fight through everything we're going through and help our guys have one more shot to play together and do something special.
On the journey for Grant Gremel as a walk-on quarterback…
TA: Grant is a really special guy. He comes from a good family. His high school coach, and other coaches from that area, recommended him to us, which was really kind of how it all started. Other individuals that have worked with him as a quarterback.
You come here; we actually have three quarterbacks in that group of guys that came here together. He may not have necessarily been the top of that group even when he first got here.
I tell you what, he evolved. Of our walk-ons that we've had here, he may have improved the most. He really bought in and is just a tough kid, that works hard with an attention to detail. He's very smart and an excellent student. He's what you want in a walk-on in regard to he does everything right.
On the field he does everything right. Off the field, too. He's on time all the time. He's smart, tough, and dependable, a guy that is going to represent your program in a first-class way in everything he does.
Here is the reality. If a young man is on our roster and does something with poor judgment off the field, they say, 'Indiana football player so-and-so.' That's how you're labeled. That's just the way it is.
Whether you play or don't play, you're a part of this football team. We have to make sure that all 130 guys are doing things the right way and representing our program in a first-class way. He's one of those guys you never worry about that with him. He always does the right thing.
Obviously, it's been awesome to see him be rewarded for that. He's gotten better and better every single week, every year he's been here. Just his reads, his understanding of the offense. Even as you've watched him play so far, the times he's played, very calm and poised and just sits back there and does his job.
So that's where he's at. I know that he's very excited about the opportunity he's been given to get a chance to play. He's taking advantage of it. I am really proud of Grant, the person that he is first and foremost, but now the fact he's out there making plays, doing what he can to help us get a win.
On evaluating the offensive film from the Minnesota game…
TA: I think a lot of it to me were just quarterback making a decision to run it rather than throw it. Whether or not that was the right decision or not, this is how we would say the next time we do this, this is the decision we think you should make. A lot of times they were decisions to tuck it and run it.
I think that's where we need to grow in that confidence to throw the football. You got to throw the football. Yes, there's no doubt you want to put the defense in conflict, make them have to give us the proper read. When you give the player the chance to make that read … you have to give him that freedom to make that read, right?
We have to make some better reads. We need to be able to know when to throw it and when not to throw, and when to run it. Just a growth process we go through. I know we all know we have to throw the football. That to me is a big part of this. We need to be able to get better this this week and work hard on that.
We've been doing a lot of good things in practice, but it has to transfer to the game. Didn't do it on Saturday. At least with Donovan [McCulley] since he's been playing. We have to improve in that. That is that every day is valuable for him, every meeting, every rep, every practice rep, every mental rep, everything we do to get him to develop as a quarterback in this program.
That's the ultimate goal, is to be able to every time he does what he does, every season he's in, whether it's the spring season, the off-season, during the season, that it's growth, continual growth. I know it's not always like this, it's never like that, but you got to be able to have that trajectory moving in the right direction.
To me it's teaching from film. I sat in those meetings with him going over the decision-making things that happen in the game to try to make better ones next week. That's the whole goal. He's young. We got to find a way as a staff to make it as simple as possible to help him be successful on game day.
On if the lack of depth on defense surprised him after what he saw during spring and fall camp…
TA: Well, I think that's a fair question. I feel like some key guys since early in the season have been injured. If you look at our secondary, we've lost some guys. Even some young guys that were expected to be playing, either missed part of fall camp, got hurt early in the year and lost some of those guys for the season.
I know Josh [Sanguinetti], he played early. [Devon Matthews] got hurt the first few snaps of the Iowa game, so Josh goes in there and plays. He gets injured [later in the year]. They've been tag-teaming back and forth. We have not had both of them at that position like you might have wanted them to be able to go.
I think you go back and look at the corner position. Chris [Keys] was starting to play, then he tears his ACL. Tiawan [Mullen] was injured most of the season. At linebacker, Thomas [Allen] goes down, then James [Miller] goes down. You have two guys that have played a lot of football for us. I know with Thomas' hip; we were trying to get him where he could at least give us some snaps during games. Then, James has been up and down, and he got injured.
You kind of feel like if you think each position had at least another guy or two you felt good about. I thought Jonathan Haynes would come in here and help us, but he got injured during fall camp.
It's kind of been all those spots, we haven't been able to have consistent guys being there together. When one guy was healthy, the other guy was out, and vice versa. Even with James Head Jr., he got hurt in the off-season and he finally came back, actually sooner than we thought. That was not what we were expecting from him.
It's just kind of been one of those years. I do think these younger guys have got to continue. You have a group of guys that played a lot of football. To me those other guys have to continue to grow and develop.
I always think about the different players that have come through here at different positions. Some guys really elevate when an older guy leaves and they have that whole off-season. That's what you have to have happen for some of these guys.
I feel like it's kind of just been different spots where guys that we were expecting to be a good, solid number two, something happens to him or something happens to the first guy and he becomes a one, then the [number three guy] has to elevate.
[Our depth chart] Hasn't for whatever reason been able to stay consistent. I know a year ago we stayed pretty healthy even though we had the COVID situation going on. That was challenging with who was there and who was out. We did not lose a lot of those guys for long periods of time if there happened to be a case.
But on that side of the ball, it's been a frustrating thing to be able to not keep our guys with us each and every week. We are doing some new things on that side of the ball, as well. When they're out, they're not getting those reps. I think that has a cumulative effect in a negative way which has hurt us.
When those guys are here, you have to get them ready. I know I kind of gave a long answer to that. I kind of had the same way, going through each position and different things. You just have to do it as we go through, talked about this already, when the season ends, kind of rebuild each room, try to be able to go through and look at it this way, be able to maximize our guys, who we have, who is coming back, be able to address the needs accordingly.
That's the challenge and the opportunity we have in front of us.
On if there is a chance we see more Grant Gremel at quarterback this weekend…
TA: Yeah, as I said after the game, all options are open. We start practicing. We had our walk-through, do some things individually on Sunday nights and our first practice for the week will be tomorrow, with today being our off day.
Yeah, he is definitely going to be in there getting lots of reps. We'll see as the week plays on. We'll see who is healthy, who is also able to go. He's obviously going to get a lot of reps. I liked what I saw on Saturday, for sure.
On what makes Purdue's offense so difficult to play against…
TA: Yeah, so they've got a really talented quarterback. I know he went there, O'Connell, as a walk-on. Really has been impressive. I know he's had his ups and downs down, too. Starter, not starter, different guys have played. At the end of the day, he's been the consistent guy. He's really played well as of late.
They got a lot of talented receivers. They got some good tight ends. They get the ball out fast enough, do enough things with that to take some stress off their offensive line. They've not been known for their running game; they're known for their passing game. They're one of the top passing teams in the country right now.
I think it's a combination of just they do a great job schematically, got a really good system they use, then they stress you. They stress you vertically, horizontally, they stress you intermediately. A lot of different concepts they use to make you defend a lot of the field. Do a good job with that. Do it in a way to be able to create enough time for their quarterbacks to throw.
There's been a couple games that stuck out where they've given up some sacks, but overall, they haven't consistently. I think it goes back to how quickly the quarterback gets rid of it. He just does a really good job with that. When you play these guys, you have to defend the pass extremely well. As is always the case, you can't let them run the football. That's priority number one, which is the case every single week for us.
I just know that they throw it well and we got to be able to have a lot of different variations to be able to have answers for that.
On what the teaching process is with Donaven McCulley during or after games…
TA: Yeah, I think the learning process of figuring out what mistake he has made and how can he best process how to learn from it. It probably happens in the classroom, in the meeting room, which is what we do the day after the game. Then even after that to be able to teach and grow and learn.
There's obviously during the game, you're trying to talk through things. If a guy makes a mistake, get him calmed down, get him on the board, have them tell you what they saw. A big thing to me is having them tell you what they saw. That tells you a lot about if they are seeing the things they need to be seeing.
We talk about seeing ghosts out there. Are they seeing things that really aren't there? They get spooked, thinking it was this coverage and it was really that coverage. That's a big part of it. It can tell you where a guy is at mentally with his growth.
There's no question that there's a lot there for him to learn and grow through. Even with him out there when he's playing, this week we have to throw the football with him. We know that. He knows that he needs to do that. He does it well in practice, he needs to do it well in the game. I know he can.
We have to get to that point where that's happening consistently on Saturdays. That's really all that matters. Nobody cares about what you do in practice other than the coaches and our preparation for all that. Bottom line is we have to transfer what goes through on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and walk-through on Friday, to gameday on Saturday.
Have a great day. LEO.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
115014-1-1004 2021-11-22 17:55:00 GMT
Below is the transcript of the press conference. Video of the full media session can be found on the right sidebar at IUHoosiers.com.
Tom Allen | Head Coach
Opening Statement
TA: Good afternoon. I appreciate you being here with us. Just want to start by saying we are excited about this week, the Old Oaken Bucket week for our program and a huge game for all of our players, our fans, our university and for our state. That is going to be the focus of everything that we do this week and getting our guys ready, guys that have been out, trying to get as many of those guys back as we can, allow us to be able to be our very best in West Lafayette on Saturday.
Do want to say this from the game, we appreciate our young guys continuing to work their tails off in practice and doing a great job for us. Our Defensive Scout Team Player of the Week was Andrew Turvy, Offensive Scout Team Player of the Week was Zack Merrill and James Bomba, and Special Teams Scout Team Player of the Week was Sam Daugstrup.
Guys continue to work hard. Really proud of our guys coming back yesterday and attacking the day. Obviously hurting, down and frustrated, but at the same time staying together. I just talked to our strength staff about the way they attacked the weight room and everything we're trying to do to finish strong.
We have one more week together for the 2021 season. Been a very challenging season, obviously, with all the things out there. At the same time, it is a special group of guys. We appreciate them, love them and want to finish strong with these guys and do evening we can do to keep the bucket.
Questions.
On what players might be back against Purdue…
TA: Yeah, trying to get Tiawan Mullen back. He worked out over the weekend and will be practicing tomorrow. We'll see how that goes. We'll know more after that. Same with Stephen Carr and James Miller. Just trying to get those guys back. Obviously quarterbacks, as well. Obviously it is our last week, so it's now or never in that regard. Still working with those guys to see where they're at. Also, Josh Sanguinetti is another one we've been working to get back.
Those guys I mentioned have all been critical parts of our team in the past and we need to get them [on the field] if we can at all possible. They're working hard to do that with our training staff, strength staff and everybody involved.
Other than that, any specific guys you can feel free to ask. Basically, everybody that's been out we are trying to get them back. Some guys have continued to work, and it doesn't look promising. For others it does. Each individual guy is attacking it the best they can to try and get out there for the team.
On holding the Old Oaken Bucket for two years after last season's game was cancelled…
TA: Yeah, it was unique. No doubt. Even last year, seems so long ago, leading up to that game, things started going south for both programs with COVID. Then we tried to reschedule it the next week but ended up not playing the game.
Obviously two [meetings] in a row we'll play the game at Purdue, so that's just the reality of what's happened. Bottom line is that's where the game's going to be, so that's where we're going to show up and play.
On how often he runs into Jeff Brohm in coaching circles…
TA: Yeah, obviously probably the biggest thing we overlap with is recruiting. I don't physically get to see him that much out there. Occasionally on the road you might, the contact period where head coaches go out. I've run into [Purdue] assistants as I was out there this season, as well.
Recruiting is where you really keep a close eye on things. Guys they are recruiting, offer or take. We're having those discussions as a staff, making sure we are seeing things, making sure we don't miss anybody.
We have a lot of respect [for them]. Like I said, we've both had our ups and downs the last few years. I've always respected him a lot and reached out to him at different times. They've done a great job this year. I know last year was what it was and different things before that.
[Brohm] has always been somebody that I respect as a guy that does things the right way. I think he's one of those guys. He's a tough, hard-nosed guy. He works hard, is a good family guy and I respect that. Just the way their coaches handle things. As we got to know some of those guys, maybe ones we have known in the past, or ones we didn't and maybe got to know more.
There is mutual respect even though it is a huge rivalry and huge game for both programs. Obviously, it is an in-state team. Not every program has in-state teams. I've been at other places that have that type of rivalry. It's very intense. Sometimes it's more ugly than others in those situations.
I do think there's a professionalism here between both universities, especially with the staffs in football. I know for sure there's a mutual respect.
On what he feels is important in talking to the returning players and the incoming recruits as the season winds down…
TA: First of all, open and honest. From our guys on this team, it's a very unique dynamic more so than ever because a lot of guys are getting to the end. They've graduated but may have more [eligibility] left. Those discussions, some have begun, some will happen after this weekend. Just to be able to have an honest conversation about where they stand with us, and see what they're thinking, as well.
I think the biggest key is open and honest dialogue between both sides. To me, it's about making sure that we have the guys here that are all in and want to be a part of this, want to help us fight through the adversity we've experienced and help us to get back to where we want to be.
Obviously this has not been anywhere close to a season we expected or wanted, but here we are. We can't sit here and make excuses or talk about this or that. It's about what are we doing to build for the future. That's all about the players that we attract to come here and those that choose to either graduate and move on or just move on or however it works for them.
Like I said, my biggest thing is I want the guys that want to be here. That's the primary focus. That's about finding guys that fit with us that we would add to the team, either from high school or from a transfer situation. It is about finding guys that want to help us continue to build towards our goal of winning the Big Ten championship.
On Micah McFadden not being a finalist for the Butkus Award…
TA: I think he's a great player. I don't have any control over the voting for those awards. Obviously, he's a special player and has developed tremendously since he's been here. Awesome young man. Great family. Ton of respect for him. He's the leader of our defense and one of the leaders of our team. You see him play every weekend.
I think there's no question he's one of the best linebackers in the country. That's my opinion about him. I think a lot of others feel the same way.
But those awards are what they are. People vote for them, that's fine. It's not always indicative of an individual guy. Much respect to the guys that are on that list. A lot of great players. There's a lot of good players in this country.
On how he evaluates the defense at this point in the season with all of the injuries…
TA: Yeah, to me very proud of the guys that are still battling every single day, that are still healthy to be able to be out there and the guys that are fighting to stay out there. The depth has become a huge issue. I'm going to call it what it is, playing way too many snaps, which has led to even later in the game more fatigue, more mistakes. Just kind of wearing down physically and mentally.
That to me has been frustrating because I know how hard the guys are playing, how hard they work each week. It's been an unfortunate set of circumstances. You look at our roster, where we're at right now, based on how we started.
No doubt, football is a numbers game. Always has been and always will be. That's why they have classes in high school sports, things working the way they are divisionally. When you have more guys that are bigger, faster, stronger that can make plays, that's what you want.
Unfortunately, as this has gotten to the end here, we've gotten decimated in spots, and it's taken its toll. That's where we are. We have to fight through it and find ways to execute better in critical times. I thought there were some things even in the game this last week where third downs did not get off the field, third-and-longs, we really needed to. Breakdowns in guys that are playing that aren't quite ready to go play yet. But they have to be out there because of the situation we're in.
So that is it. That is what we have to do. We have to find ways to get those guys ready so they can execute. It is not for lack of effort or lack of preparation with our guys working hard. We're just trying to keep it as simple as we can so those younger guys can still execute and make plays and try to get some of those older guys off the field a little bit early in the game, not have them play every single snap.
That's where we are. It has been frustrating because I know it's a special group of guys that I think have got a lot of good players in there. I know that they're frustrated as well.
But the key is they're going to battle this week. We are working really hard, trying to find a way to get some of these guys back. Even a guy or two would help. It would be huge to help us in that area, especially in the secondary, then with some depth at linebacker.
Just trying to continue to do everything we can to fight through everything we're going through and help our guys have one more shot to play together and do something special.
On the journey for Grant Gremel as a walk-on quarterback…
TA: Grant is a really special guy. He comes from a good family. His high school coach, and other coaches from that area, recommended him to us, which was really kind of how it all started. Other individuals that have worked with him as a quarterback.
You come here; we actually have three quarterbacks in that group of guys that came here together. He may not have necessarily been the top of that group even when he first got here.
I tell you what, he evolved. Of our walk-ons that we've had here, he may have improved the most. He really bought in and is just a tough kid, that works hard with an attention to detail. He's very smart and an excellent student. He's what you want in a walk-on in regard to he does everything right.
On the field he does everything right. Off the field, too. He's on time all the time. He's smart, tough, and dependable, a guy that is going to represent your program in a first-class way in everything he does.
Here is the reality. If a young man is on our roster and does something with poor judgment off the field, they say, 'Indiana football player so-and-so.' That's how you're labeled. That's just the way it is.
Whether you play or don't play, you're a part of this football team. We have to make sure that all 130 guys are doing things the right way and representing our program in a first-class way. He's one of those guys you never worry about that with him. He always does the right thing.
Obviously, it's been awesome to see him be rewarded for that. He's gotten better and better every single week, every year he's been here. Just his reads, his understanding of the offense. Even as you've watched him play so far, the times he's played, very calm and poised and just sits back there and does his job.
So that's where he's at. I know that he's very excited about the opportunity he's been given to get a chance to play. He's taking advantage of it. I am really proud of Grant, the person that he is first and foremost, but now the fact he's out there making plays, doing what he can to help us get a win.
On evaluating the offensive film from the Minnesota game…
TA: I think a lot of it to me were just quarterback making a decision to run it rather than throw it. Whether or not that was the right decision or not, this is how we would say the next time we do this, this is the decision we think you should make. A lot of times they were decisions to tuck it and run it.
I think that's where we need to grow in that confidence to throw the football. You got to throw the football. Yes, there's no doubt you want to put the defense in conflict, make them have to give us the proper read. When you give the player the chance to make that read … you have to give him that freedom to make that read, right?
We have to make some better reads. We need to be able to know when to throw it and when not to throw, and when to run it. Just a growth process we go through. I know we all know we have to throw the football. That to me is a big part of this. We need to be able to get better this this week and work hard on that.
We've been doing a lot of good things in practice, but it has to transfer to the game. Didn't do it on Saturday. At least with Donovan [McCulley] since he's been playing. We have to improve in that. That is that every day is valuable for him, every meeting, every rep, every practice rep, every mental rep, everything we do to get him to develop as a quarterback in this program.
That's the ultimate goal, is to be able to every time he does what he does, every season he's in, whether it's the spring season, the off-season, during the season, that it's growth, continual growth. I know it's not always like this, it's never like that, but you got to be able to have that trajectory moving in the right direction.
To me it's teaching from film. I sat in those meetings with him going over the decision-making things that happen in the game to try to make better ones next week. That's the whole goal. He's young. We got to find a way as a staff to make it as simple as possible to help him be successful on game day.
On if the lack of depth on defense surprised him after what he saw during spring and fall camp…
TA: Well, I think that's a fair question. I feel like some key guys since early in the season have been injured. If you look at our secondary, we've lost some guys. Even some young guys that were expected to be playing, either missed part of fall camp, got hurt early in the year and lost some of those guys for the season.
I know Josh [Sanguinetti], he played early. [Devon Matthews] got hurt the first few snaps of the Iowa game, so Josh goes in there and plays. He gets injured [later in the year]. They've been tag-teaming back and forth. We have not had both of them at that position like you might have wanted them to be able to go.
I think you go back and look at the corner position. Chris [Keys] was starting to play, then he tears his ACL. Tiawan [Mullen] was injured most of the season. At linebacker, Thomas [Allen] goes down, then James [Miller] goes down. You have two guys that have played a lot of football for us. I know with Thomas' hip; we were trying to get him where he could at least give us some snaps during games. Then, James has been up and down, and he got injured.
You kind of feel like if you think each position had at least another guy or two you felt good about. I thought Jonathan Haynes would come in here and help us, but he got injured during fall camp.
It's kind of been all those spots, we haven't been able to have consistent guys being there together. When one guy was healthy, the other guy was out, and vice versa. Even with James Head Jr., he got hurt in the off-season and he finally came back, actually sooner than we thought. That was not what we were expecting from him.
It's just kind of been one of those years. I do think these younger guys have got to continue. You have a group of guys that played a lot of football. To me those other guys have to continue to grow and develop.
I always think about the different players that have come through here at different positions. Some guys really elevate when an older guy leaves and they have that whole off-season. That's what you have to have happen for some of these guys.
I feel like it's kind of just been different spots where guys that we were expecting to be a good, solid number two, something happens to him or something happens to the first guy and he becomes a one, then the [number three guy] has to elevate.
[Our depth chart] Hasn't for whatever reason been able to stay consistent. I know a year ago we stayed pretty healthy even though we had the COVID situation going on. That was challenging with who was there and who was out. We did not lose a lot of those guys for long periods of time if there happened to be a case.
But on that side of the ball, it's been a frustrating thing to be able to not keep our guys with us each and every week. We are doing some new things on that side of the ball, as well. When they're out, they're not getting those reps. I think that has a cumulative effect in a negative way which has hurt us.
When those guys are here, you have to get them ready. I know I kind of gave a long answer to that. I kind of had the same way, going through each position and different things. You just have to do it as we go through, talked about this already, when the season ends, kind of rebuild each room, try to be able to go through and look at it this way, be able to maximize our guys, who we have, who is coming back, be able to address the needs accordingly.
That's the challenge and the opportunity we have in front of us.
On if there is a chance we see more Grant Gremel at quarterback this weekend…
TA: Yeah, as I said after the game, all options are open. We start practicing. We had our walk-through, do some things individually on Sunday nights and our first practice for the week will be tomorrow, with today being our off day.
Yeah, he is definitely going to be in there getting lots of reps. We'll see as the week plays on. We'll see who is healthy, who is also able to go. He's obviously going to get a lot of reps. I liked what I saw on Saturday, for sure.
On what makes Purdue's offense so difficult to play against…
TA: Yeah, so they've got a really talented quarterback. I know he went there, O'Connell, as a walk-on. Really has been impressive. I know he's had his ups and downs down, too. Starter, not starter, different guys have played. At the end of the day, he's been the consistent guy. He's really played well as of late.
They got a lot of talented receivers. They got some good tight ends. They get the ball out fast enough, do enough things with that to take some stress off their offensive line. They've not been known for their running game; they're known for their passing game. They're one of the top passing teams in the country right now.
I think it's a combination of just they do a great job schematically, got a really good system they use, then they stress you. They stress you vertically, horizontally, they stress you intermediately. A lot of different concepts they use to make you defend a lot of the field. Do a good job with that. Do it in a way to be able to create enough time for their quarterbacks to throw.
There's been a couple games that stuck out where they've given up some sacks, but overall, they haven't consistently. I think it goes back to how quickly the quarterback gets rid of it. He just does a really good job with that. When you play these guys, you have to defend the pass extremely well. As is always the case, you can't let them run the football. That's priority number one, which is the case every single week for us.
I just know that they throw it well and we got to be able to have a lot of different variations to be able to have answers for that.
On what the teaching process is with Donaven McCulley during or after games…
TA: Yeah, I think the learning process of figuring out what mistake he has made and how can he best process how to learn from it. It probably happens in the classroom, in the meeting room, which is what we do the day after the game. Then even after that to be able to teach and grow and learn.
There's obviously during the game, you're trying to talk through things. If a guy makes a mistake, get him calmed down, get him on the board, have them tell you what they saw. A big thing to me is having them tell you what they saw. That tells you a lot about if they are seeing the things they need to be seeing.
We talk about seeing ghosts out there. Are they seeing things that really aren't there? They get spooked, thinking it was this coverage and it was really that coverage. That's a big part of it. It can tell you where a guy is at mentally with his growth.
There's no question that there's a lot there for him to learn and grow through. Even with him out there when he's playing, this week we have to throw the football with him. We know that. He knows that he needs to do that. He does it well in practice, he needs to do it well in the game. I know he can.
We have to get to that point where that's happening consistently on Saturdays. That's really all that matters. Nobody cares about what you do in practice other than the coaches and our preparation for all that. Bottom line is we have to transfer what goes through on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and walk-through on Friday, to gameday on Saturday.
Have a great day. LEO.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
115014-1-1004 2021-11-22 17:55:00 GMT
Players Mentioned
TE
/ Football
RB
/ Football
TE
/ Football
QB
/ FootballDB
/ Football
DL
/ Football
DB
/ Football
QB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
QB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
DB
/ Football
DB
/ FootballLB
/ FootballFB: Roman Hemby Media Availability (9/9/25)
Tuesday, September 09
FB: Elijah Sarratt Media Availability (9/9/25)
Tuesday, September 09
FB: Week 3 (Indiana State) - Curt Cignetti Press Conference
Monday, September 08
FB: Elijah Sarratt - KSU Postgame Press Conference (09/06/25)
Saturday, September 06