Indiana University Athletics
Quoted: Michigan State
11/15/2023 10:00:00 AM | Football
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. –––– As the days near closer to Indiana Football's week 12 matchup versus Michigan State on Saturday (November 18), Indiana offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Rod Carey, defensive coordinator and safeties coach Matt Guerrieri and select student-athletes addressed the media inside the Henke Hall of Champions.
Below is a partial transcript of the press conference, while video of the media sessions can be found on the right sidebar at IUHoosiers.com.
Rod Carey | Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
On areas the offense has improved since taking over as offensive coordinator…
RC: Probably the gradual improvement. You alluded to it, but it's not above the line this week, so it starts and ends there. We have made gradual improvements, found what is working and are doing more of that. Our challenge this week is to get back on the horse and get that same improvement. We have a long ways to go for the entire offense, and they know that too. Some days the burdens are heavier. We didn't meet the goal. When you're a good offense you can have those days and you can meet the goal, and we're not there yet. We're working towards that, but we're not there yet.
On Brendan Sorsby's play against Illinois…
RC: I think he played his rear end off, like I've said before. I don't think that's a question. He ran the ball good. He threw the ball good. There are certainly some things that I know after watching film with him yesterday that he wants back, like a couple of throws. He wants back a couple of things because when you're in a game like that, one play here or one play there could be the difference. He has certainly made improvements in command and understanding of playing the position. He is getting a rep base. When you get a rep base, some things slow down. So, some things are starting to slow down for him.
On the development of Donovan McCulley…
RC: I hope there is no ceiling on that guy. I think someone asked what I thought the ceiling was for dono. I hope there is not one. I hope he just keeps going because he has done a great job. He's a highly skilled athlete that's becoming a wide receiver and playing wide receiver, and he's doing a really good job right now. He is using all of God's tools that God gave him to his ability. He's big and fast and has great ball skills.
Matt Guerrieri | Defensive Coordinator/Safeties
On how Aaron Casey has helped set the foundation for the defense…
MG: Any time you have high level players, you build everything to highlight strengths. A lot of the things that we try to design is to put him into the best position to be able to play fast, whether that's blitzing or covering. You design a lot to highlight strengths of your best players, and he is definitely one of them.
On the inconsistency of the defense…
MG: I think about it long and hard. That's what keeps me up at night. I take a lot of pride on trying to forecast how our game is going to go, what the matchups look like, things like that to put the guys in the best position. You've seen us play high level defense, and obviously that was far from it this past Saturday. It comes down to execution. More games are lost than won. If you have a breakdown from a coverage standpoint, or a blitz standpoint, it comes down to what are you asking the guys to do, what is the communication, and what is the execution level from there. We have to limit those things to make sure they don't happen. Obviously, they happened, so we addressed that head on with the guys. But I wear and own every part of that and making sure that here is the expectation, everybody knows it 100% and we are able to go execute on gameday.
On his relationship with Andre Carter…
MG: My first impression of him was as a man. He's a grown man. He's a guy that cares about other people and is selfless, it's not about him. He. Does what we ask him to do. I would say the first thing is that I have a lot of respect for who he is as a person. I was brand new coming her and he was brand new coming here. I wasn't really involved in the recruiting process. It has been done before I got here. As a player, he's a disruptive force. He's done a lot of good things.
Below is a partial transcript of the press conference, while video of the media sessions can be found on the right sidebar at IUHoosiers.com.
Rod Carey | Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
On areas the offense has improved since taking over as offensive coordinator…
RC: Probably the gradual improvement. You alluded to it, but it's not above the line this week, so it starts and ends there. We have made gradual improvements, found what is working and are doing more of that. Our challenge this week is to get back on the horse and get that same improvement. We have a long ways to go for the entire offense, and they know that too. Some days the burdens are heavier. We didn't meet the goal. When you're a good offense you can have those days and you can meet the goal, and we're not there yet. We're working towards that, but we're not there yet.
On Brendan Sorsby's play against Illinois…
RC: I think he played his rear end off, like I've said before. I don't think that's a question. He ran the ball good. He threw the ball good. There are certainly some things that I know after watching film with him yesterday that he wants back, like a couple of throws. He wants back a couple of things because when you're in a game like that, one play here or one play there could be the difference. He has certainly made improvements in command and understanding of playing the position. He is getting a rep base. When you get a rep base, some things slow down. So, some things are starting to slow down for him.
On the development of Donovan McCulley…
RC: I hope there is no ceiling on that guy. I think someone asked what I thought the ceiling was for dono. I hope there is not one. I hope he just keeps going because he has done a great job. He's a highly skilled athlete that's becoming a wide receiver and playing wide receiver, and he's doing a really good job right now. He is using all of God's tools that God gave him to his ability. He's big and fast and has great ball skills.
Matt Guerrieri | Defensive Coordinator/Safeties
On how Aaron Casey has helped set the foundation for the defense…
MG: Any time you have high level players, you build everything to highlight strengths. A lot of the things that we try to design is to put him into the best position to be able to play fast, whether that's blitzing or covering. You design a lot to highlight strengths of your best players, and he is definitely one of them.
On the inconsistency of the defense…
MG: I think about it long and hard. That's what keeps me up at night. I take a lot of pride on trying to forecast how our game is going to go, what the matchups look like, things like that to put the guys in the best position. You've seen us play high level defense, and obviously that was far from it this past Saturday. It comes down to execution. More games are lost than won. If you have a breakdown from a coverage standpoint, or a blitz standpoint, it comes down to what are you asking the guys to do, what is the communication, and what is the execution level from there. We have to limit those things to make sure they don't happen. Obviously, they happened, so we addressed that head on with the guys. But I wear and own every part of that and making sure that here is the expectation, everybody knows it 100% and we are able to go execute on gameday.
On his relationship with Andre Carter…
MG: My first impression of him was as a man. He's a grown man. He's a guy that cares about other people and is selfless, it's not about him. He. Does what we ask him to do. I would say the first thing is that I have a lot of respect for who he is as a person. I was brand new coming her and he was brand new coming here. I wasn't really involved in the recruiting process. It has been done before I got here. As a player, he's a disruptive force. He's done a lot of good things.
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Players Mentioned
Tuesday, August 11
Tuesday, August 11
Monday, August 10
Thursday, August 06