Indiana University Athletics
Quoted: Akron
9/20/2023 10:00:00 AM | Football
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. –––– As the days near closer to Indiana Football's week four matchup with Akron on Saturday (September 23), Indiana 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.
Matt Guerrieri | Defensive Coordinator/Safeties
On the change in the defense during the second half…
Guerrieri: As a defensive staff, we did make some good adjustments, but I think our guys settled into the rhythm of play and corrected some things that we didn't execute well in the first half. We played more aggressive. We played like what you have seen us play like, and we have to come out of the gate that way. You can't dig a hole like that. You have been able to see what we can do at our best, but it wasn't our best in the first half.
On if the breakdowns were more individual than collective…
Guerrieri: The only way the defense functions well is if everyone is doing their one-eleventh. We are operating like a machine, so if you have one individual breakdown then you have a breakdown for the total unit. The explosive plays that you saw were a breakdown of one piece of that at times. You can't play great defense like that. Everybody has to be able to do their job. The effort was there, the execution has to be at a higher level. We were very blunt with that. I own every mistake that happens on gameday, from a defensive standpoint. By that time, the guys have to be ready for the show. I let those guys know that so they can go play fast. But those have to be corrected. It's not wholesale structural issues, it's a player here or there.
On the poor tackling in the first half…
Guerrieri: It's a collective effort. The way we are swarming the ball, vicing the ball, things like that. Louisville does a good job of getting players in space as well. Credit to them from a schematics standpoint. To me it's, am I owning my hip, am I leveraging the ball, are my break angles correct? At times when things get a little out of sort, then guys start to press and do a little bit too much. This goes back to me doing my job in fundamentals that win football games.
On young players stepping up due to injuries…
Guerrieri: It starts with mentality. To me it's a fighter mentality, taking pride in the fight of every single rep no matter what the situation is. That's first. Our guys respond from that standpoint. Then, our guys believe in what we are doing and they believe in each other. When you have belief and a fighting mentality, that always gives you a chance. We can't dig the hole like we did, but I was happy with the way that we did respond. We have to start better and finish better.
On the final Louisville drive of the game…
Guerrieri: You have to give the ball back to our offense. You have a situation coming out where the ball is on the one yard line and we give up a big run from the quarterback in that situation. Then we were able to get a third-and-nine and you have got to get a stop there. We lose containment on the quarterback on that situation and he scrambles for a first down. Were we able to stop the run to get him to a third-and-nine? Yes. You have to stop him there. Then after that it's run. You know that. We didn't get the job done. I was disappointed in that.
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.
Matt Guerrieri | Defensive Coordinator/Safeties
On the change in the defense during the second half…
Guerrieri: As a defensive staff, we did make some good adjustments, but I think our guys settled into the rhythm of play and corrected some things that we didn't execute well in the first half. We played more aggressive. We played like what you have seen us play like, and we have to come out of the gate that way. You can't dig a hole like that. You have been able to see what we can do at our best, but it wasn't our best in the first half.
On if the breakdowns were more individual than collective…
Guerrieri: The only way the defense functions well is if everyone is doing their one-eleventh. We are operating like a machine, so if you have one individual breakdown then you have a breakdown for the total unit. The explosive plays that you saw were a breakdown of one piece of that at times. You can't play great defense like that. Everybody has to be able to do their job. The effort was there, the execution has to be at a higher level. We were very blunt with that. I own every mistake that happens on gameday, from a defensive standpoint. By that time, the guys have to be ready for the show. I let those guys know that so they can go play fast. But those have to be corrected. It's not wholesale structural issues, it's a player here or there.
On the poor tackling in the first half…
Guerrieri: It's a collective effort. The way we are swarming the ball, vicing the ball, things like that. Louisville does a good job of getting players in space as well. Credit to them from a schematics standpoint. To me it's, am I owning my hip, am I leveraging the ball, are my break angles correct? At times when things get a little out of sort, then guys start to press and do a little bit too much. This goes back to me doing my job in fundamentals that win football games.
On young players stepping up due to injuries…
Guerrieri: It starts with mentality. To me it's a fighter mentality, taking pride in the fight of every single rep no matter what the situation is. That's first. Our guys respond from that standpoint. Then, our guys believe in what we are doing and they believe in each other. When you have belief and a fighting mentality, that always gives you a chance. We can't dig the hole like we did, but I was happy with the way that we did respond. We have to start better and finish better.
On the final Louisville drive of the game…
Guerrieri: You have to give the ball back to our offense. You have a situation coming out where the ball is on the one yard line and we give up a big run from the quarterback in that situation. Then we were able to get a third-and-nine and you have got to get a stop there. We lose containment on the quarterback on that situation and he scrambles for a first down. Were we able to stop the run to get him to a third-and-nine? Yes. You have to stop him there. Then after that it's run. You know that. We didn't get the job done. I was disappointed in that.
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