Indiana University Athletics
Pre-Peach Bowl Arrival Availability
1/7/2026 10:00:00 PM | Football
ATLANTA, Ga. –––– Indiana football's Offensive Coordinator Mike Shanahan and Defensive Coordinator Bryant Haines and players Pat Coogan, Aiden Fisher, Fernando Mendoza, and D'Angelo Ponds addressed the media upon arrival to Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Wednesday (January 7) ahead of the Peach Bowl on Friday (January 9).
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.
Mike Shanahan | Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers
On his first impressions of Omar Cooper Jr…
MS: Yeah, I remember my first meeting with him when I first got to IU, and he jumped out as a guy -- there was a lot more to him than just football. I know he has a really strong family connection, really deep in his faith as well. Just knew he was a really good kid that I wanted to help along his journey.
Then athletically, he really jumped out to me the first time I saw him work out, his explosiveness, his speed, his ability to track the football in the air. I knew he was somebody who could be really special, and he's just continued to work hard and really happy with how he's played this year for the most part, like we've talked about, and I thought last week against Alabama, it felt like he was back to himself after the injury in the Big Ten Championship game.
On playcalling the offense and why Coach Cignetti delegated that…
MS: I'm not sure why. I know maybe it had something to do with us just working together for so long. But yeah, we never really talked about that.
But it's a collaboration throughout the week. A lot of times throughout the game, we've already discussed that on Monday or Tuesday or something like today, to know what to go to in certain situations, and just us as a staff, we've always been on the same page and feel that's something we've been very conscious of as we go into the games ready to go.
On if that frees things up for Coach…
MS: I'm sure it does. But I know he's got a lot on his plate, that's for sure. Hopefully it would allow him to think about the defense or special teams or recruiting, something like that.
On if film strategy changes with it being a rematch…
MS: Yeah, it hasn't changed a whole lot. Obviously we went back and watched our game pretty closely just to see what their plan was against us the first time around.
However, I feel like it could be a completely different change-up pitch from the first game. They've morphed a little bit. There's still some things that they've shown to continue to do since we played them, but that's just what makes it so much fun, the chess match within, and we're putting a scheme together that accounts for what we did in the first game, but also what they've showed throughout the rest of the year.
On his internal focus and second guessing during game plan work…
MS: Yeah, you're always focusing on yourself and what you need to do to have success and to put the players in the best position to be successful.
Coaches, I know especially for myself, I tend to overthink a lot throughout the week, and then usually pretty good gauge on how the game is going to go after that first series or two and try to make the proper adjustments.
You're always trying to play the what-if game without removing yourself from what you do well. That's what I feel like we went back to, even in the Alabama game and other games throughout the year, focusing on what our guys do well.
On how the strength of the run game allows the playbook to open up…
MS: The run game is where it all starts for us. Number one, it gets everybody in the flow of the game, especially the O-line, allow those guys to kind of eat up front.
Our running backs do a really good job of keeping the ball moving forward. They're really disciplined. They ran really hard in our last game, so we're going to need a big game out of them. When you're able to run the football, it creates favorable situations I guess you could say, for the receivers and the quarterback.
Whenever you're able to establish the run, it usually helps the quarterbacks in protection, as well, slows down the defensive line slightly.
On how a strong run game affects the passing game…
MS: It really just creates one-on-ones. Some of that comes in RPOs. With us, if a guy is playing 10 yards off, a lot of times we have something where we can take advantage of that.
But also, whenever teams need to stop the run, usually you've got to get an extra safety or add a corner in the box. Usually that creates match-ups on the outside that we're able to take advantage of.
On how he has seen Charlie Becker grow…
MS: Yeah, he's taken enormous steps. Just happy for him because he always put the work in. Even when he wasn't getting a ton of reps early on in the year, always stayed ready. He was a guy that could play multiple positions. You saw last week he played in the slot quite a bit along with playing on the outside. So his flexibility has been a real key for us, as well.
Then really, as you saw the last really half of the year, his ability to stretch the field, and not only stretch it, but also make plays down the field has been huge for us, and our explosiveness, and just adding another layer that defenses need to account for.
On how Charlie Becker's emergence helps with Omar Cooper Jr…
MS: It's one more weapon offense that teams need to account for. It's hard to tilt coverage to somebody else. It's hard to really stack the box in the run game I like to think.
We're fortunate we've got a ton of weapons out there on offense, and Fernando has done a really good staying disciplined in his reads, getting the right guy the ball and taking those shots down the field whenever we can, giving our guys a chance to make some plays.
On the challenge of consistency every day…
MS: I think some of that had to do with him just maturing, becoming older, becoming around us and our expectations and the standards that Coach Cignetti sets every single day on the practice field, and that's where it all starts for us.
He's bought into it. He very easily could have gone the other way, but he's bought into everything that we've asked him to do.
It's just a constant process with him, just like a lot of other players, just every day being consistent, putting the work in, practicing the way you're going to play on game day, and I feel like he really took a step this year in that regard.
On strategy in playing Oregon a second time…
MS: Yeah, I think that's just who they are to a degree and what they like to do. It's going to be hard to balance it. We're going to have to be really good in our protections when we throw the ball. Obviously running the football is going to help that as well as long as we have answers. You know, a big pressure team, they take away easy access throws. We're going to have to find other ways to move the ball consistently in the run game.
But they're a good defense. They pose a lot of challenges. Even when they're not pressuring, they have the ability to get to a quarterback with just a four-man rush, and they do a nice job with the simulated pressures, as well.
Everybody is just going to need to be on point with their pre-snap indicators, post-snap, playing fast and reacting.
But they definitely keep you off balance, and I feel like that's why their defense is ranked so high.
On having an experienced football team…
MS: In the recruiting part, I would say it's a factor. Coach Cignetti always says, I'm sure you guys have heard it, production over potential. With production usually comes a wealth of experience.
We're very fortunate that we have a lot of guys that have played a lot of football and the amount of snaps they've accumulated throughout the year, even some high school guys or a guy like Charlie Becker who is just a sophomore. By now he's a junior because of the amount of snaps he's accumulated, and there's other guys, Damola, some other guys on offense that are in that situation, as well.
On the strength of the offensive system and how it allows for flexibility…
MS: Yeah, that's a good question. I believe we can. Plays off of plays, things that we've done throughout the year, building off of each other, and then yeah, there's a lot of times where we try to make the same play look a lot of different ways to the defense. I feel like that's what a lot of offenses try to accomplish.
But it's very easy in our system to change things up and keep it simple for our guys, but make it look differently to the defense and hopefully cause a miscommunication or a guy getting out of his gap, maybe a busted coverage, things like that that we try to take advantage of.
On if he ever watches film and finds new plays to implement…
MS: That's definitely part of it. Every week you assess what other teams have done on the defense and try to see what may fit that you don't have or things that are very similar that you can kind of translate to the concepts or the run game or whatever it might be, with your offense. But that's part of the game planning process. Don't want to give too many details, of course.
But yeah, we want to see what has affected teams throughout the year and how we can apply it, if at all.
On Fernando Mendoza's ability to move on to the next play…
MS: Yeah, I feel like that's been one of Fernando's best traits throughout the whole year is being able to take one play, whether it was good or bad, wipe it clean, come back to the next one and completely reset.
After that first drive, they did some different things that they hadn't really showed on film, so we had to talk about it on the sideline, have him see it for the first time along with everybody else on the offense, get everybody on the same page, and then just -- I was a little bit more conscious of it, too, the aggressiveness that they came out with early in that drive, in the first drive.
But Fernando's experience now, he's seen it all. Maybe there's a little tweak here or there, but he's able to adjust quickly. Nothing has shaken him. You guys know all the moments. I'm sure you know what I'm referring to throughout the year. The good and the bad, he's been able to wipe the slate clean and totally reset going into the next drive.
Bryant Haines | Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers
On the takes that his defensive unit is too small…
BH: I don't take kindly to the fact that we're going to get bullied. We don't get bullied. I've never had a football team get bullied. I don't expect to, but not because we're bigger than anybody. It's just not what football is about.
On D'Angelo Ponds…
BH: D-Lo is my favorite. They are all my favorites, but I love D-Lo.
On what makes D'Angelo Ponds elite…
BH: Yeah, he's got a very unique physical skill set. Track and field, I think he was a runner up in the 100 meter dash. This is an elite fast guy. If you were to beat him and gain a step on him, you won't have it for very long, so elite skill set, very sudden, so physical traits are all there, the mental aspect. This guy is a film junkie. He is very intelligent, high football IQ, splits, formations, motions, tendencies, quarterback. He studies the game. So he's got the mental side, too.
Last, but not least, and maybe most important, his competitive spirit.
I GA'd for a guy named Urban Meyer that talked a lot about competitive spirit especially at that position because defensive back can be a scary position. You are on your own quite a bit. Especially in our defense, I don't give D-Lo any help. He don't want any help. He would get mad if I try to give him help. Hey, I'm going to double team this guy for, D-Lo. He's like, I don't want that. You're talking about the most elite competitive spirit. The guy wants one-on-ones. He wants your best receiver. He's a special one.
On one specific D'Angelo Ponds story…
BH: It's not a very specific story, but the thing I say about him is that he's so competitive, he's not going to let you catch a ball. Even if there's an Indy drill that Coach Ojong is working where the receiver catches the ball and he's coming out to punch it out, like he don't even like doing that drill. He is like why I am letting him catch it and then punch it out, I'm going to beat him to the spot. So competitive, you can't catch him in walk throughs. He's going to break up the ball and walk through.
Maybe the hardest thing is pregame. Pregame, we're supposed to let -- it's pack and go for the offense, and we're working a shell. Every now and then, I am like he might come tomahawk it out of the receiver's hands. He's just so competitive.
I'll give you one more. There's a story from we were at JMU together. It was like his third college game. I wanted to start him field corner. Coach Cignetti kind of pushed back a little bit, but ultimately got to start at field corner. I had a two-trap pressure in, bringing overload and this team we were playing, they threw a lot of bubble screens. If they felt pressure, dumped the ball to the field flat. Well, in two trap, you have a quarter roll them out, pretty physical play. It can be high impact.
I remember I was sitting with a unit Friday night before the game on Saturday and I showed an example of them spitting the ball out. And I always -- typically I give them a call, like we're in this call against this look and I hit play. And I was like what do we think about that one? I go off with his head, huh, D-Lo? He's like, yeah, off with his head.
On the team having the camaraderie that it has off the field…
BH: Yeah, just sounds like them. If you've ever been around Aiden Fisher and Bones and those guys, they compete in everything that they do. I like to recruit that way. If I'm looking for a high school player, I want him to be competitive. Whatever sport he's playing, he is playing baseball, running track.
And Fish is that way with everything, ping-pong. These guys argue about playing Monopoly. We're a competitive group in my room. I don't want to speak to everybody else's group because I don't know them quite that well, but I like the fact that it permeates. A competitive defense is my type of defense.
On the defense rallying around each other in the way they play…
BH: I think it depends on the individual. I definitely think going back to the last question, that this is a competitive group. I definitely think that they see some things that could potentially rub them the wrong way. And whether it adds extra incentive for physicality or better performance, I lean into all that stuff, as long as it brings out a better version of themselves, go ahead, D-Lo, lower that boom a little bit.
On the hitting against Alabama…
BH: I think he was hitting good.
On the chess match he has coming up against Will Stein…
BH: Yeah, I'm just glad that he's leaving the conference and going to Kentucky. He's really good, and they asked me that over there, too. It's just trying to avoid paralysis by analysis.
I want it to be Indiana's defense against Oregon's offense, not necessarily what happened in game 1 and how they might think I'm doing this. It takes too many weird avenues. Straightforward, do what we do, play good defense, and got a lot of respect for Coach Stein and the way that operation works. They're really good at what they do, and we're just hoping to be a little better.
On how to keep his thoughts straight within the game with analysis from last time…
BH: I don't know yet. This is the first time coaching against the same team twice, although I do feel like we have both morphed away from what we were in game 1, but this is my first time doing it. So I don't know for sure, but in the game plan process, it has been tricky. I am like I don't want to do that again. I already brought that pressure and hit the quarterback. Now I've got to do it this way. But why? The first one worked.
So it's a very delicate balance there.
On the exciting opportunity he has a competitor this weekend…
BH: Yeah, I don't need a lot of motivation, whether it be -- this is our second time against this team or here's a brand new team or this team has yellow jerseys on. It doesn't take much.
If there's an opponent and they have 11 players and I have respect for their players and how they operate, I'm going to be inspired and motivated to put a good plan together and hopefully the guys execute it well. I want them to play fast and have fun. If they do, all roads lead to success there.
On how the team felt going into the Alabama game…
BH: Yeah, I didn't ask them man for man, but I know that they missed Stephen Daley. He's a phenomenal player. They enjoyed playing with him. He fits right into what we do. He's violent and physical and very talented. Same thing with Kellan Wyatt earlier in the year.
Those are two key pieces of the defense, so it was hard working around them. We're always going to put 11 guys on the field that believe in each other. 11 guys that have a lot of faith that the man standing next to them can complete his job description and going to play fast and play hard for them, so they're excited to play with their brothers.
On the strength of the secondary in man coverage…
BH: D'Angelo Ponds I think is the best man corner in the country. The other guys are highly competitive. Again, it goes back to this whole idea that we're a very competitive defense. Same thing with the guys on the back end, it's a very competitive group.
Here's what I'll say: How much man do we play? Maybe every snap in this game will be man. Maybe none will. Maybe 50/50. I think keeping offenses guessing can make man coverage better. If the quarterback doesn't know what coverage he's getting, you can play better man and you can play better zones. Mixing it up, and I think that speaks to the greatest skill set of our defensive backs is they're so versatile. They can play man. They can play zone. They're good with both.
Pat Coogan | OL | R-Sr.
On practicing late-game situations…
PC: Through the summer, through fall camp, some of our hardest periods of fall camp were the last period. We'd always do a two-minute drill, a four-minute drill, a one-minute drill, kind of to end practice. So I think that has paid off. Just preparing us for the moments, preparing us to really strain at the end. But, yeah, it really just starts with mindset.
On what stuck out about Oregon last time…
PC: Yeah. I mean, just a dominant defensive force, really. Their front seven is loaded. Their front four is probably one or two best in college football. You know, it all starts up front for them.
It's strong, long, fast, violent, it's going to be a huge challenge for us, no doubt.
On putting the glitz and glamor aside for this game…
PC: It's certainly easier, and I'm grateful for that, because I don't -- you know, it's part of the business and part of the sport, but I don't necessarily love it. I'm an O-lineman at the end of the day.
But, no, it certainly is easier, just because I've been there, kind of like you said. But the atmosphere and the moment and everything, I try and take it in, take a deep breath, kind of soak it in for a second, and then it's just going back to playing ball.
On coming back into this building…
PC: Unique. This is my third time playing here. Obviously last year didn't end on the greatest note here, but it's another opportunity, another opportunity, and I'm just grateful to be here, grateful to be here with my team and my teammates and coaching staff. And we have just an unbelievable opportunity on our hands, and we gotta go seize the opportunity for sure.
On Riley Leonard making his first NFL start and if he communicated at all with him…
PC: I texted him a couple of times. I texted him the day after our game, because I found out he was starting, just like wishing him luck and so happy for him. And then I texted him a couple days ago after he balled out.
And I'm so happy for him. He's such a great guy. We got really close last year, and I was just proud of him, just watching the TV in the training room, smiling, hyping him up. It was awesome.
On the excitement of being so close to a National Championship…
PC: Yeah. Certainly excited, but I'm excited about the Peach Bowl. Like about the semifinal, like I was telling someone earlier, like the National Championship, yeah, yeah, of course, you know. Everyone wants to win a National Championship, but you can't get there unless you win the Peach Bowl. And I'm just grateful to be here, and we have another day tomorrow to prepare and get better and hone in on the details. So excited for that.
On the IU faithful showing out every stop…
PC: Yeah, certainly. Special moments out there in Cali. I'm sure we're going to get a lot of noise and a lot of fans here.
It's awesome, man. It is so fun watching people go crazy and just the excitement around the game and the program and Hoosier Nation really just showing out. It's awesome.
On how age and experience has helped this team…
PC: Yeah, certainly. I think it's helped us mature as a group. We're a lot of veteran players. We've been around the block. We've been around adversity. We've been around building a team, the off seasons and everything that entails.
So I think it definitely is an advantage. And kind of like I said, a lot of us have been around the block. We've played a lot of competitive football, and it certainly is an advantage, and we gotta use it to our advantage.
On how his preparation has changed over time…
PC: Yeah, certainly. I've kind of found a niche in how I like to prepare, and whether that's my pregame warmup, I've been doing the same thing since my junior year, which was really my first year playing. So just like found what works for me, found what I like and what feels good for me.
And certainly in my game prep, I've found like how I want to go about my week, starting early in the week, moving into how kind of practice is structured, whether it's base down, third down, short yards, goal line, stuff like that. So you just move throughout the week, and I've definitely found a path that works best for me.
On getting the MVP at the Rose Bowl Game…
PC: Yeah, it was a great moment. There's no doubt about it. And I was just so happy to celebrate it with my teammates and my loved ones.
Like you said, it was all five of us, or six of us that really played, and they got to enjoy that moment as well. It was a great capture of kind of all of our hard work and that preparation leading into the game.
So, yeah, shout out Kirk Herbstreit for that.
But, yeah, it was a great moment. There's no doubt about it. I'm very grateful that a lot of my family was there to celebrate the moment and enjoy the moment, because it was very special for them, too, just being there and the surprise that they had. They had no idea either. So definitely a special moment.
On what makes the offensive line special and the pressure they provide to open things up…
PC: Certainly. Yeah, obviously, it all starts up front. There's no doubt about it, and we embrace that. We kind of seize that opportunity. Our ability to run the ball and run the ball efficiently definitely sets up Fernando and our receivers and our explosive play makers to get a little more space when we're ahead of the chains, and being productive on early downs.
So there's no doubt about it that running the ball is at the core of our identity, and it certainly sets up our offense for success because of it. It allows us to be more explosive on the outside when we're ahead of the chains, kind of like I said.
On if he has a go-to order at Chick-fil-A…
PC: My go-to Chick-fil-A order would probably be a deluxe sandwich, no tomato. Two deluxe sandwiches, no tomato on both, don't like tomato. Large fry. Eight count nugget. Nothing crazy.
Aiden Fisher | LB | Sr.
On his focus this week and the longer season…
AF: A text message has been the most I've done. All my attention and my focus is on Oregon and winning this game.
I think the longer you play in a season, the better you play with your teammates, your scheme. You grow more comfortable with all of those things, and I think they've done a great job involving their offense. Their quarterback is playing extremely high level right now. He's gotten more comfortable in the system. That speaks a lot for a guy.
I think their running backs have done a great job. They're all stepping up in different ways, and obviously their receivers. They have a guy I think who's No. 4 who has stepped up and kind of emerged as a star for them. He's going to be a problem for us to keep in front of us. He presents a lot of challenges, and that speaks for all their weapons. They do a great job of getting the ball to everybody, and they're all explosive weapons.
On how the defense is so successful…
AF: We just played free. We let our D-line play free and our linebackers will fed off them and their safeties and fed off of us. It's all about playing fast. You can't do that when you're thinking too much. You got things, how do I get this done. Is there only one way we can do it. It's not how we operate. For us, you have a job description, but you can get there in a multitude of ways. I think that's what makes us so good, especially against the run.
Just having that confidence you can get the job done doing a bunch of different ways. It's like having the weaponry to do it, and you kind of just pick your different weapon for that down. I think we've done a great job meshing off each other, just being effective, especially in the run.
On the balance of enjoying success and focusing on Oregon…
AF: That's not even in our mind right now. Right now it's all about Oregon. I don't think anybody could tell you where the National Championship is right now. It's all about being in Atlanta, playing in this game, taking advantage of the opportunity.
And I think we've done a great job all year. One thing that we get a lot of slack for is not being able to appreciate the moment. But I think that's what makes us so driven and motivated is we just want to be in the now. I think we're doing a great job with that, and it's all about this game and all about Oregon right now.
On planning to defend Dante Moore…
AF: First, it's going to be hard against a quarterback that's as talented as he is. He's smart. He sees the field extremely well, but we're going to have to switch up a lot of things and present different challenges for them.
He's a great player that is going to cause a lot of problems for us and challenges, but we're excited for it. As a defense, this is where we can take a step and grow a little bit more. It's going to be on all 11 guys to do that, and we're excited for it.
On being a linebacker and having good feel for the game…
AF: Yeah, I think in this defense, you have to have great instincts and great feel for football in general. And I think we have guys that do that from our starting linebackers to the guys that are developing right now.
I think everybody has a great feel for it. Obviously the scheme is unreal and the job that Coach Haines does is second to none. So when you get good football players that are instinctual and have a good feel for the game and combine it with Coach Haines, you get the product that we put on the field.
Like you said, our linebackers have just emerged week in, week out. They've done a great job, Isaiah Jones, Rolijah Hardy, Kaiden Turner, Jeff Huntzinger, they have all just stepped up every single time their number is called. We're going to keep doing that. I'm extremely proud of our room especially, the development, the growth that we've seen this year and just knowing that we have guys that can go in at any time in the game and step up and make plays.
On being in the now…
AF: It feels good. It's an opportunity that I think a lot of people wish they were in. I told the team on, I don't know what day, I think, Sunday, there's four teams left. Everybody in the country wants to be in your shoes. They want to be in your cleats, your pads. They want to be practicing today. So you have to take advantage of that.
You can't have a day where we're feeling good about ourselves and look where we are. There are a lot of guys that aren't here. And if you kind of take it for granted, you'll be right in their shoes if you're not on the high execution, all the little details that go into it. So it has to be a good balance of embracing the moment, but you have to be taking advantage of the opportunity that's placed in front of you.
On what keeps them motivated…
AF:We didn't play well in our first game against them. And I know a lot of people put it out as it's a revenge game for Oregon and things like that, but it's a revenge game for us, too. We didn't play well.
There's a lot of things that were just sloppy and not good on our end. So we're excited to go out there, and we have a lot of things to fix, and my message to the team is just leave no doubt. You want to be the best, you have to play in big games like this, and you have to capitalize on the opportunity that's placed in front of us right now, and I think you do that, you will leave no doubt.
On things to improve upon from last time…
AF: Yeah. We had some MAs all across the field. We had some missed tackles. Some of our angles were a little bit off. And coverage wise, there were a lot of things we could have fit up a lot better. So we're excited to kind of right those wrongs. We're excited to get out there and play our brand of football. And I think if we do that and we are worried about us and go into our preparation, we'll be all right.
On how the team has grown since the last matchup…
AF: For the team in general, I think we've done a job of growing. And I think we're in a much better place now than we were then, especially scheme wise, player wise. A lot of guys have stepped up to have that confidence going for them now.
On how Coach gets the best out of his players…
AF: Yeah. That's how he gets the best out of his players. He's speaking the truth when he says that. Doesn't matter if it's me, Isaiah, Rolijah, Jeff, KT, anybody that he's coaching is at the highest level because he's going to coach you if you are the starter.
Like you're playing at an all-American level because that's the standard that we play with in this defense and I think that brings out the best in his players and makes you want to play a little bit harder for a guy like that.
Fernando Mendoza | QB | R-Jr.
On how the nation was shocked by the win over Oregon and hwo that is motivating now…
FM: Yeah. I would say Oregon is a fantastic team. They're a national powerhouse, and although we've beat Oregon, it shows that we are still the underdogs.
At that point we were for sure the underdogs. They were ranked above us. However, we were trying to keep that underdog mentality going into this game as we might be ranked higher than them now in the College Football Playoffs, but it's a neutral site right now. They have fantastic talent on their team, draft picks, star picks all across the board, offense, defense. We are really trying to have that underdog and hungry and humble mentality.
On how he has been able to handle all of this media attention…
FM: I would say the 26-day layoff, the bye week, although it hurt a lot of teams, it helped myself a lot because it gave me a break between the BIG TEN championship and the Heisman and all the way to Alabama.
There was a lot of media attention especially after the Heisman that was grateful. I thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. That was a great honor for all of us. However, really stepping back and keeping to my process and keeping to my routine and not changing too much and also not really having social media. I only have Linkedin and YouTube on my phone right now. It's really helped things in perspective and keep all the opinions of the in the building opinions.
So I'm not online reading, oh, Fernando is great, Fernando sucks. I'm listening to what my quarterback coach says and what the quarterbacks in our room think, so that is what my focus is, and that's how I've been able to play my best football so far.
On his expectations and excitement for the IU fans showing up on Friday…
FM: Yeah. The Hoosier Nation, they were a huge reason on why we beat Alabama and the way we beat them is because it was a home game for us. It was 80 percent Indiana fans, 20 percent Alabama fans. And having that home field advantage means so much to us as players.
It's essentially having the 12th player on the field. And to have them show up not only meant so much off the field by disrupting the opponent, but it meant on the field with us and elevating our play and to be able to have another opportunity to play in front of Hoosier Nation, or myself having another opportunity to play, it's an honor and I can't thank Hoosier Nation enough for their support.
On keeping focused in close, late games…
FM: Yeah. I would say it's the fourth quarter mentality. You see a lot of people trying to adopt it by putting the fours up. It's a different type of mentality of, hey, you really gotta focus in. It's college football. Small margins and playing such a great team as the Oregon Ducks. It's going to be a small margin game.
And we have to have extreme focus and intentionality, especially in the fourth quarter, because you want to make sure you're putting your best foot forward and all those plays count so much more than maybe the first quarter, second quarter. Every play counts. And we want to make sure we have extreme intentionality to every single play.
On the turnaround between the Rose Bowl and the Peach Bowl…
FM: Yeah. So the Rose Bowl, California, longer trip for us. And we were there for an extra day. So there was a lot more -- we had a real Thursday red zone practice in Pasadena. That was extremely interesting. However, this is a quicker turnaround, similar to many of our away trips. So I think we've been able to learn and compartmentalize it all. Although playing the Rose Bowl and playing the Peach Bowl are fantastic experiences, and you want to have gratitude and appreciate the moment. It's not time to go sightseeing. This is a big trip. This isn't like a normal bowl game, you're there for a week, you're hanging out with your friends, going around the city. Obviously we're still hanging out with our friends, but this is a business trip. This is a business trip and we're here for one reason only and it is to compete against Oregon.
On the process he uses every day for success…
FM: I can be here for hours talking about the process. However, I would say that having an intentional process, I wouldn't say so much of, you know, superstition that you're doing crazy stuff here and there. But I would say more things that actually are going to be able to translate to your productivity, performance towards the game and being really intentional with those.
My process is getting more than eight hours of sleep a night. Sleep is so important, and there's so many different unsung heroes in my process, whether it's sleep, whether it's nutrition, whether it's film studies. And I make sure to keep that a constant.
Whenever I have my process, it's really a system. It's really a system that I follow that I go and I really deliberately do and make my system. That means I've done everything possible to prepare for this game.
And so when I step on that field, I am confident, as I know that my preparation is unmatched, and I know that's the most that I can do possibly. And so when I go on the field, I'm confident that my process has taken me here and that I can compete at the highest level.
On him being a funny guy around the team…
FM: I would say, we like to joke around. We like to joke around, and it might not always be in such a joking way. For example, if I see Carter Smith which he pushes so much weight, the guy is so strong. If I see him doing 350 on whatever on squat or 400 on squat, like hey, man, you could add five pounds on that. That looks light. Little jabs and jokes. I would say it's a really good culture where we all jab and joke with each other. It's what good friends do. So we'll throw jabs at each other, and I think that's what he means by that.
On the offensive line's impact on Friday…
FM: I think the best thing that's happened to this team especially after the Rose Bowl game was Pat Coogan getting the Rose Bowl MVP. Thank you for giving Pat Coogan the MVP because it has jolted our offensive line and given -- they've really been the unsung heroes as a run game has setup everything in our pass game. And they're the reason our offense is good, plain as it is. I could seem all humble about it, but it truly is the truth.
And having an offensive line get that award and get that recognition and praise has helped us so much as it's really helped them not only play as a unit, but it's also felt them feel appreciated, not just from inside the building, but from outside the building.
So I think it's been great for them. And I'm really happy to see it.
D'Angelo Ponds | DB | Jr.
On if he has a most memorable play that sticks out from this season…
DP: I had a lot of good ones. The one that sticks out to me would probably be the Illinois play, the blocked punt, return for a touchdown. I would say that was probably one of the plays that sticks out to me.
I have a lot of great ones. I would say that one. The last one against Ty Simpson to hit on the fumble recovery, I would say that's a big one, as well, but Illinois's play sticks out to me because I scored.
On playing at Mercedes-Benz Stadium…
DP: I think it will help us. It's a little adjustment to this field, as well. The numbers are different. The hashes are different, as well. It's an NFL stadium. I feel like having that experience from the last time we played in the Big Ten, it will help me as a corner. I need to know things like that.
On the adjustment of the NFL stadium field…
DP: I would say the splits -- splits are kind of based off the numbers. Since the numbers are moving, you've got to know where they are or where they would be on a college field, so I feel like that's the difference.
On what will make the difference of the outcome of the game today…
DP: I would say the most physical team will win. I would say if we do our job and eliminate explosives as a defense, I feel like we'll be okay.
On what the hit was like that he had on Ty Simpson…
DP: It was just a great feeling just to see the ball roll out. I tried to jump on it but my teammates got to it, and it's just a great feeling knowing we got a turnover.
On what went through his mind on that play…
DP: So I was just playing my guy, and then I see him scramble, and I seen Fish dive at the ball. I just seen he wasn't going to slide, so I was like, I'm going to get a hit on the quarterback. I just meant to get a hit on him. I didn't know he was going to fumble. Definitely want to make a quarterback pay for scrambling and running, so that was my mindset when he ran.
On if he is excited to rematch against Oregon…
DP: Definitely very excited just to go against a good team, a great quarterback, great receivers. Just definitely excited just to take on that opportunity, and it's going to be a battle.
On what Coach Haines is like in practice…
DP: Coach Haines? I would say he's on us 24/7. He's a very detailed person. Any little things, he's on it, so I feel like that's what makes him different as a coach.
On what makes Coach Haines different…
DP: I think, like you said, it kind of stems down from Coach Cignetti. He coaches that 1-0 mindset, no warm fuzzies, like he likes to say. I would say, yeah, we definitely take it one week at a time, try to go 1-0, put the past behind us. Good, bad or indifferent, and we're on to the next.
On Fernando Mendoza being a rallying point for the team…
DP: It's been very cool. I feel like a lot of people don't get to see that in person. I feel like he's one of the hardest working guys I've ever seen. After every practice I feel like he's out there throwing the ball. I feel like he deserved it.
#NeverDaunted
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
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.
Mike Shanahan | Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers
On his first impressions of Omar Cooper Jr…
MS: Yeah, I remember my first meeting with him when I first got to IU, and he jumped out as a guy -- there was a lot more to him than just football. I know he has a really strong family connection, really deep in his faith as well. Just knew he was a really good kid that I wanted to help along his journey.
Then athletically, he really jumped out to me the first time I saw him work out, his explosiveness, his speed, his ability to track the football in the air. I knew he was somebody who could be really special, and he's just continued to work hard and really happy with how he's played this year for the most part, like we've talked about, and I thought last week against Alabama, it felt like he was back to himself after the injury in the Big Ten Championship game.
On playcalling the offense and why Coach Cignetti delegated that…
MS: I'm not sure why. I know maybe it had something to do with us just working together for so long. But yeah, we never really talked about that.
But it's a collaboration throughout the week. A lot of times throughout the game, we've already discussed that on Monday or Tuesday or something like today, to know what to go to in certain situations, and just us as a staff, we've always been on the same page and feel that's something we've been very conscious of as we go into the games ready to go.
On if that frees things up for Coach…
MS: I'm sure it does. But I know he's got a lot on his plate, that's for sure. Hopefully it would allow him to think about the defense or special teams or recruiting, something like that.
On if film strategy changes with it being a rematch…
MS: Yeah, it hasn't changed a whole lot. Obviously we went back and watched our game pretty closely just to see what their plan was against us the first time around.
However, I feel like it could be a completely different change-up pitch from the first game. They've morphed a little bit. There's still some things that they've shown to continue to do since we played them, but that's just what makes it so much fun, the chess match within, and we're putting a scheme together that accounts for what we did in the first game, but also what they've showed throughout the rest of the year.
On his internal focus and second guessing during game plan work…
MS: Yeah, you're always focusing on yourself and what you need to do to have success and to put the players in the best position to be successful.
Coaches, I know especially for myself, I tend to overthink a lot throughout the week, and then usually pretty good gauge on how the game is going to go after that first series or two and try to make the proper adjustments.
You're always trying to play the what-if game without removing yourself from what you do well. That's what I feel like we went back to, even in the Alabama game and other games throughout the year, focusing on what our guys do well.
On how the strength of the run game allows the playbook to open up…
MS: The run game is where it all starts for us. Number one, it gets everybody in the flow of the game, especially the O-line, allow those guys to kind of eat up front.
Our running backs do a really good job of keeping the ball moving forward. They're really disciplined. They ran really hard in our last game, so we're going to need a big game out of them. When you're able to run the football, it creates favorable situations I guess you could say, for the receivers and the quarterback.
Whenever you're able to establish the run, it usually helps the quarterbacks in protection, as well, slows down the defensive line slightly.
On how a strong run game affects the passing game…
MS: It really just creates one-on-ones. Some of that comes in RPOs. With us, if a guy is playing 10 yards off, a lot of times we have something where we can take advantage of that.
But also, whenever teams need to stop the run, usually you've got to get an extra safety or add a corner in the box. Usually that creates match-ups on the outside that we're able to take advantage of.
On how he has seen Charlie Becker grow…
MS: Yeah, he's taken enormous steps. Just happy for him because he always put the work in. Even when he wasn't getting a ton of reps early on in the year, always stayed ready. He was a guy that could play multiple positions. You saw last week he played in the slot quite a bit along with playing on the outside. So his flexibility has been a real key for us, as well.
Then really, as you saw the last really half of the year, his ability to stretch the field, and not only stretch it, but also make plays down the field has been huge for us, and our explosiveness, and just adding another layer that defenses need to account for.
On how Charlie Becker's emergence helps with Omar Cooper Jr…
MS: It's one more weapon offense that teams need to account for. It's hard to tilt coverage to somebody else. It's hard to really stack the box in the run game I like to think.
We're fortunate we've got a ton of weapons out there on offense, and Fernando has done a really good staying disciplined in his reads, getting the right guy the ball and taking those shots down the field whenever we can, giving our guys a chance to make some plays.
On the challenge of consistency every day…
MS: I think some of that had to do with him just maturing, becoming older, becoming around us and our expectations and the standards that Coach Cignetti sets every single day on the practice field, and that's where it all starts for us.
He's bought into it. He very easily could have gone the other way, but he's bought into everything that we've asked him to do.
It's just a constant process with him, just like a lot of other players, just every day being consistent, putting the work in, practicing the way you're going to play on game day, and I feel like he really took a step this year in that regard.
On strategy in playing Oregon a second time…
MS: Yeah, I think that's just who they are to a degree and what they like to do. It's going to be hard to balance it. We're going to have to be really good in our protections when we throw the ball. Obviously running the football is going to help that as well as long as we have answers. You know, a big pressure team, they take away easy access throws. We're going to have to find other ways to move the ball consistently in the run game.
But they're a good defense. They pose a lot of challenges. Even when they're not pressuring, they have the ability to get to a quarterback with just a four-man rush, and they do a nice job with the simulated pressures, as well.
Everybody is just going to need to be on point with their pre-snap indicators, post-snap, playing fast and reacting.
But they definitely keep you off balance, and I feel like that's why their defense is ranked so high.
On having an experienced football team…
MS: In the recruiting part, I would say it's a factor. Coach Cignetti always says, I'm sure you guys have heard it, production over potential. With production usually comes a wealth of experience.
We're very fortunate that we have a lot of guys that have played a lot of football and the amount of snaps they've accumulated throughout the year, even some high school guys or a guy like Charlie Becker who is just a sophomore. By now he's a junior because of the amount of snaps he's accumulated, and there's other guys, Damola, some other guys on offense that are in that situation, as well.
On the strength of the offensive system and how it allows for flexibility…
MS: Yeah, that's a good question. I believe we can. Plays off of plays, things that we've done throughout the year, building off of each other, and then yeah, there's a lot of times where we try to make the same play look a lot of different ways to the defense. I feel like that's what a lot of offenses try to accomplish.
But it's very easy in our system to change things up and keep it simple for our guys, but make it look differently to the defense and hopefully cause a miscommunication or a guy getting out of his gap, maybe a busted coverage, things like that that we try to take advantage of.
On if he ever watches film and finds new plays to implement…
MS: That's definitely part of it. Every week you assess what other teams have done on the defense and try to see what may fit that you don't have or things that are very similar that you can kind of translate to the concepts or the run game or whatever it might be, with your offense. But that's part of the game planning process. Don't want to give too many details, of course.
But yeah, we want to see what has affected teams throughout the year and how we can apply it, if at all.
On Fernando Mendoza's ability to move on to the next play…
MS: Yeah, I feel like that's been one of Fernando's best traits throughout the whole year is being able to take one play, whether it was good or bad, wipe it clean, come back to the next one and completely reset.
After that first drive, they did some different things that they hadn't really showed on film, so we had to talk about it on the sideline, have him see it for the first time along with everybody else on the offense, get everybody on the same page, and then just -- I was a little bit more conscious of it, too, the aggressiveness that they came out with early in that drive, in the first drive.
But Fernando's experience now, he's seen it all. Maybe there's a little tweak here or there, but he's able to adjust quickly. Nothing has shaken him. You guys know all the moments. I'm sure you know what I'm referring to throughout the year. The good and the bad, he's been able to wipe the slate clean and totally reset going into the next drive.
Bryant Haines | Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers
On the takes that his defensive unit is too small…
BH: I don't take kindly to the fact that we're going to get bullied. We don't get bullied. I've never had a football team get bullied. I don't expect to, but not because we're bigger than anybody. It's just not what football is about.
On D'Angelo Ponds…
BH: D-Lo is my favorite. They are all my favorites, but I love D-Lo.
On what makes D'Angelo Ponds elite…
BH: Yeah, he's got a very unique physical skill set. Track and field, I think he was a runner up in the 100 meter dash. This is an elite fast guy. If you were to beat him and gain a step on him, you won't have it for very long, so elite skill set, very sudden, so physical traits are all there, the mental aspect. This guy is a film junkie. He is very intelligent, high football IQ, splits, formations, motions, tendencies, quarterback. He studies the game. So he's got the mental side, too.
Last, but not least, and maybe most important, his competitive spirit.
I GA'd for a guy named Urban Meyer that talked a lot about competitive spirit especially at that position because defensive back can be a scary position. You are on your own quite a bit. Especially in our defense, I don't give D-Lo any help. He don't want any help. He would get mad if I try to give him help. Hey, I'm going to double team this guy for, D-Lo. He's like, I don't want that. You're talking about the most elite competitive spirit. The guy wants one-on-ones. He wants your best receiver. He's a special one.
On one specific D'Angelo Ponds story…
BH: It's not a very specific story, but the thing I say about him is that he's so competitive, he's not going to let you catch a ball. Even if there's an Indy drill that Coach Ojong is working where the receiver catches the ball and he's coming out to punch it out, like he don't even like doing that drill. He is like why I am letting him catch it and then punch it out, I'm going to beat him to the spot. So competitive, you can't catch him in walk throughs. He's going to break up the ball and walk through.
Maybe the hardest thing is pregame. Pregame, we're supposed to let -- it's pack and go for the offense, and we're working a shell. Every now and then, I am like he might come tomahawk it out of the receiver's hands. He's just so competitive.
I'll give you one more. There's a story from we were at JMU together. It was like his third college game. I wanted to start him field corner. Coach Cignetti kind of pushed back a little bit, but ultimately got to start at field corner. I had a two-trap pressure in, bringing overload and this team we were playing, they threw a lot of bubble screens. If they felt pressure, dumped the ball to the field flat. Well, in two trap, you have a quarter roll them out, pretty physical play. It can be high impact.
I remember I was sitting with a unit Friday night before the game on Saturday and I showed an example of them spitting the ball out. And I always -- typically I give them a call, like we're in this call against this look and I hit play. And I was like what do we think about that one? I go off with his head, huh, D-Lo? He's like, yeah, off with his head.
On the team having the camaraderie that it has off the field…
BH: Yeah, just sounds like them. If you've ever been around Aiden Fisher and Bones and those guys, they compete in everything that they do. I like to recruit that way. If I'm looking for a high school player, I want him to be competitive. Whatever sport he's playing, he is playing baseball, running track.
And Fish is that way with everything, ping-pong. These guys argue about playing Monopoly. We're a competitive group in my room. I don't want to speak to everybody else's group because I don't know them quite that well, but I like the fact that it permeates. A competitive defense is my type of defense.
On the defense rallying around each other in the way they play…
BH: I think it depends on the individual. I definitely think going back to the last question, that this is a competitive group. I definitely think that they see some things that could potentially rub them the wrong way. And whether it adds extra incentive for physicality or better performance, I lean into all that stuff, as long as it brings out a better version of themselves, go ahead, D-Lo, lower that boom a little bit.
On the hitting against Alabama…
BH: I think he was hitting good.
On the chess match he has coming up against Will Stein…
BH: Yeah, I'm just glad that he's leaving the conference and going to Kentucky. He's really good, and they asked me that over there, too. It's just trying to avoid paralysis by analysis.
I want it to be Indiana's defense against Oregon's offense, not necessarily what happened in game 1 and how they might think I'm doing this. It takes too many weird avenues. Straightforward, do what we do, play good defense, and got a lot of respect for Coach Stein and the way that operation works. They're really good at what they do, and we're just hoping to be a little better.
On how to keep his thoughts straight within the game with analysis from last time…
BH: I don't know yet. This is the first time coaching against the same team twice, although I do feel like we have both morphed away from what we were in game 1, but this is my first time doing it. So I don't know for sure, but in the game plan process, it has been tricky. I am like I don't want to do that again. I already brought that pressure and hit the quarterback. Now I've got to do it this way. But why? The first one worked.
So it's a very delicate balance there.
On the exciting opportunity he has a competitor this weekend…
BH: Yeah, I don't need a lot of motivation, whether it be -- this is our second time against this team or here's a brand new team or this team has yellow jerseys on. It doesn't take much.
If there's an opponent and they have 11 players and I have respect for their players and how they operate, I'm going to be inspired and motivated to put a good plan together and hopefully the guys execute it well. I want them to play fast and have fun. If they do, all roads lead to success there.
On how the team felt going into the Alabama game…
BH: Yeah, I didn't ask them man for man, but I know that they missed Stephen Daley. He's a phenomenal player. They enjoyed playing with him. He fits right into what we do. He's violent and physical and very talented. Same thing with Kellan Wyatt earlier in the year.
Those are two key pieces of the defense, so it was hard working around them. We're always going to put 11 guys on the field that believe in each other. 11 guys that have a lot of faith that the man standing next to them can complete his job description and going to play fast and play hard for them, so they're excited to play with their brothers.
On the strength of the secondary in man coverage…
BH: D'Angelo Ponds I think is the best man corner in the country. The other guys are highly competitive. Again, it goes back to this whole idea that we're a very competitive defense. Same thing with the guys on the back end, it's a very competitive group.
Here's what I'll say: How much man do we play? Maybe every snap in this game will be man. Maybe none will. Maybe 50/50. I think keeping offenses guessing can make man coverage better. If the quarterback doesn't know what coverage he's getting, you can play better man and you can play better zones. Mixing it up, and I think that speaks to the greatest skill set of our defensive backs is they're so versatile. They can play man. They can play zone. They're good with both.
Pat Coogan | OL | R-Sr.
On practicing late-game situations…
PC: Through the summer, through fall camp, some of our hardest periods of fall camp were the last period. We'd always do a two-minute drill, a four-minute drill, a one-minute drill, kind of to end practice. So I think that has paid off. Just preparing us for the moments, preparing us to really strain at the end. But, yeah, it really just starts with mindset.
On what stuck out about Oregon last time…
PC: Yeah. I mean, just a dominant defensive force, really. Their front seven is loaded. Their front four is probably one or two best in college football. You know, it all starts up front for them.
It's strong, long, fast, violent, it's going to be a huge challenge for us, no doubt.
On putting the glitz and glamor aside for this game…
PC: It's certainly easier, and I'm grateful for that, because I don't -- you know, it's part of the business and part of the sport, but I don't necessarily love it. I'm an O-lineman at the end of the day.
But, no, it certainly is easier, just because I've been there, kind of like you said. But the atmosphere and the moment and everything, I try and take it in, take a deep breath, kind of soak it in for a second, and then it's just going back to playing ball.
On coming back into this building…
PC: Unique. This is my third time playing here. Obviously last year didn't end on the greatest note here, but it's another opportunity, another opportunity, and I'm just grateful to be here, grateful to be here with my team and my teammates and coaching staff. And we have just an unbelievable opportunity on our hands, and we gotta go seize the opportunity for sure.
On Riley Leonard making his first NFL start and if he communicated at all with him…
PC: I texted him a couple of times. I texted him the day after our game, because I found out he was starting, just like wishing him luck and so happy for him. And then I texted him a couple days ago after he balled out.
And I'm so happy for him. He's such a great guy. We got really close last year, and I was just proud of him, just watching the TV in the training room, smiling, hyping him up. It was awesome.
On the excitement of being so close to a National Championship…
PC: Yeah. Certainly excited, but I'm excited about the Peach Bowl. Like about the semifinal, like I was telling someone earlier, like the National Championship, yeah, yeah, of course, you know. Everyone wants to win a National Championship, but you can't get there unless you win the Peach Bowl. And I'm just grateful to be here, and we have another day tomorrow to prepare and get better and hone in on the details. So excited for that.
On the IU faithful showing out every stop…
PC: Yeah, certainly. Special moments out there in Cali. I'm sure we're going to get a lot of noise and a lot of fans here.
It's awesome, man. It is so fun watching people go crazy and just the excitement around the game and the program and Hoosier Nation really just showing out. It's awesome.
On how age and experience has helped this team…
PC: Yeah, certainly. I think it's helped us mature as a group. We're a lot of veteran players. We've been around the block. We've been around adversity. We've been around building a team, the off seasons and everything that entails.
So I think it definitely is an advantage. And kind of like I said, a lot of us have been around the block. We've played a lot of competitive football, and it certainly is an advantage, and we gotta use it to our advantage.
On how his preparation has changed over time…
PC: Yeah, certainly. I've kind of found a niche in how I like to prepare, and whether that's my pregame warmup, I've been doing the same thing since my junior year, which was really my first year playing. So just like found what works for me, found what I like and what feels good for me.
And certainly in my game prep, I've found like how I want to go about my week, starting early in the week, moving into how kind of practice is structured, whether it's base down, third down, short yards, goal line, stuff like that. So you just move throughout the week, and I've definitely found a path that works best for me.
On getting the MVP at the Rose Bowl Game…
PC: Yeah, it was a great moment. There's no doubt about it. And I was just so happy to celebrate it with my teammates and my loved ones.
Like you said, it was all five of us, or six of us that really played, and they got to enjoy that moment as well. It was a great capture of kind of all of our hard work and that preparation leading into the game.
So, yeah, shout out Kirk Herbstreit for that.
But, yeah, it was a great moment. There's no doubt about it. I'm very grateful that a lot of my family was there to celebrate the moment and enjoy the moment, because it was very special for them, too, just being there and the surprise that they had. They had no idea either. So definitely a special moment.
On what makes the offensive line special and the pressure they provide to open things up…
PC: Certainly. Yeah, obviously, it all starts up front. There's no doubt about it, and we embrace that. We kind of seize that opportunity. Our ability to run the ball and run the ball efficiently definitely sets up Fernando and our receivers and our explosive play makers to get a little more space when we're ahead of the chains, and being productive on early downs.
So there's no doubt about it that running the ball is at the core of our identity, and it certainly sets up our offense for success because of it. It allows us to be more explosive on the outside when we're ahead of the chains, kind of like I said.
On if he has a go-to order at Chick-fil-A…
PC: My go-to Chick-fil-A order would probably be a deluxe sandwich, no tomato. Two deluxe sandwiches, no tomato on both, don't like tomato. Large fry. Eight count nugget. Nothing crazy.
Aiden Fisher | LB | Sr.
On his focus this week and the longer season…
AF: A text message has been the most I've done. All my attention and my focus is on Oregon and winning this game.
I think the longer you play in a season, the better you play with your teammates, your scheme. You grow more comfortable with all of those things, and I think they've done a great job involving their offense. Their quarterback is playing extremely high level right now. He's gotten more comfortable in the system. That speaks a lot for a guy.
I think their running backs have done a great job. They're all stepping up in different ways, and obviously their receivers. They have a guy I think who's No. 4 who has stepped up and kind of emerged as a star for them. He's going to be a problem for us to keep in front of us. He presents a lot of challenges, and that speaks for all their weapons. They do a great job of getting the ball to everybody, and they're all explosive weapons.
On how the defense is so successful…
AF: We just played free. We let our D-line play free and our linebackers will fed off them and their safeties and fed off of us. It's all about playing fast. You can't do that when you're thinking too much. You got things, how do I get this done. Is there only one way we can do it. It's not how we operate. For us, you have a job description, but you can get there in a multitude of ways. I think that's what makes us so good, especially against the run.
Just having that confidence you can get the job done doing a bunch of different ways. It's like having the weaponry to do it, and you kind of just pick your different weapon for that down. I think we've done a great job meshing off each other, just being effective, especially in the run.
On the balance of enjoying success and focusing on Oregon…
AF: That's not even in our mind right now. Right now it's all about Oregon. I don't think anybody could tell you where the National Championship is right now. It's all about being in Atlanta, playing in this game, taking advantage of the opportunity.
And I think we've done a great job all year. One thing that we get a lot of slack for is not being able to appreciate the moment. But I think that's what makes us so driven and motivated is we just want to be in the now. I think we're doing a great job with that, and it's all about this game and all about Oregon right now.
On planning to defend Dante Moore…
AF: First, it's going to be hard against a quarterback that's as talented as he is. He's smart. He sees the field extremely well, but we're going to have to switch up a lot of things and present different challenges for them.
He's a great player that is going to cause a lot of problems for us and challenges, but we're excited for it. As a defense, this is where we can take a step and grow a little bit more. It's going to be on all 11 guys to do that, and we're excited for it.
On being a linebacker and having good feel for the game…
AF: Yeah, I think in this defense, you have to have great instincts and great feel for football in general. And I think we have guys that do that from our starting linebackers to the guys that are developing right now.
I think everybody has a great feel for it. Obviously the scheme is unreal and the job that Coach Haines does is second to none. So when you get good football players that are instinctual and have a good feel for the game and combine it with Coach Haines, you get the product that we put on the field.
Like you said, our linebackers have just emerged week in, week out. They've done a great job, Isaiah Jones, Rolijah Hardy, Kaiden Turner, Jeff Huntzinger, they have all just stepped up every single time their number is called. We're going to keep doing that. I'm extremely proud of our room especially, the development, the growth that we've seen this year and just knowing that we have guys that can go in at any time in the game and step up and make plays.
On being in the now…
AF: It feels good. It's an opportunity that I think a lot of people wish they were in. I told the team on, I don't know what day, I think, Sunday, there's four teams left. Everybody in the country wants to be in your shoes. They want to be in your cleats, your pads. They want to be practicing today. So you have to take advantage of that.
You can't have a day where we're feeling good about ourselves and look where we are. There are a lot of guys that aren't here. And if you kind of take it for granted, you'll be right in their shoes if you're not on the high execution, all the little details that go into it. So it has to be a good balance of embracing the moment, but you have to be taking advantage of the opportunity that's placed in front of you.
On what keeps them motivated…
AF:We didn't play well in our first game against them. And I know a lot of people put it out as it's a revenge game for Oregon and things like that, but it's a revenge game for us, too. We didn't play well.
There's a lot of things that were just sloppy and not good on our end. So we're excited to go out there, and we have a lot of things to fix, and my message to the team is just leave no doubt. You want to be the best, you have to play in big games like this, and you have to capitalize on the opportunity that's placed in front of us right now, and I think you do that, you will leave no doubt.
On things to improve upon from last time…
AF: Yeah. We had some MAs all across the field. We had some missed tackles. Some of our angles were a little bit off. And coverage wise, there were a lot of things we could have fit up a lot better. So we're excited to kind of right those wrongs. We're excited to get out there and play our brand of football. And I think if we do that and we are worried about us and go into our preparation, we'll be all right.
On how the team has grown since the last matchup…
AF: For the team in general, I think we've done a job of growing. And I think we're in a much better place now than we were then, especially scheme wise, player wise. A lot of guys have stepped up to have that confidence going for them now.
On how Coach gets the best out of his players…
AF: Yeah. That's how he gets the best out of his players. He's speaking the truth when he says that. Doesn't matter if it's me, Isaiah, Rolijah, Jeff, KT, anybody that he's coaching is at the highest level because he's going to coach you if you are the starter.
Like you're playing at an all-American level because that's the standard that we play with in this defense and I think that brings out the best in his players and makes you want to play a little bit harder for a guy like that.
Fernando Mendoza | QB | R-Jr.
On how the nation was shocked by the win over Oregon and hwo that is motivating now…
FM: Yeah. I would say Oregon is a fantastic team. They're a national powerhouse, and although we've beat Oregon, it shows that we are still the underdogs.
At that point we were for sure the underdogs. They were ranked above us. However, we were trying to keep that underdog mentality going into this game as we might be ranked higher than them now in the College Football Playoffs, but it's a neutral site right now. They have fantastic talent on their team, draft picks, star picks all across the board, offense, defense. We are really trying to have that underdog and hungry and humble mentality.
On how he has been able to handle all of this media attention…
FM: I would say the 26-day layoff, the bye week, although it hurt a lot of teams, it helped myself a lot because it gave me a break between the BIG TEN championship and the Heisman and all the way to Alabama.
There was a lot of media attention especially after the Heisman that was grateful. I thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. That was a great honor for all of us. However, really stepping back and keeping to my process and keeping to my routine and not changing too much and also not really having social media. I only have Linkedin and YouTube on my phone right now. It's really helped things in perspective and keep all the opinions of the in the building opinions.
So I'm not online reading, oh, Fernando is great, Fernando sucks. I'm listening to what my quarterback coach says and what the quarterbacks in our room think, so that is what my focus is, and that's how I've been able to play my best football so far.
On his expectations and excitement for the IU fans showing up on Friday…
FM: Yeah. The Hoosier Nation, they were a huge reason on why we beat Alabama and the way we beat them is because it was a home game for us. It was 80 percent Indiana fans, 20 percent Alabama fans. And having that home field advantage means so much to us as players.
It's essentially having the 12th player on the field. And to have them show up not only meant so much off the field by disrupting the opponent, but it meant on the field with us and elevating our play and to be able to have another opportunity to play in front of Hoosier Nation, or myself having another opportunity to play, it's an honor and I can't thank Hoosier Nation enough for their support.
On keeping focused in close, late games…
FM: Yeah. I would say it's the fourth quarter mentality. You see a lot of people trying to adopt it by putting the fours up. It's a different type of mentality of, hey, you really gotta focus in. It's college football. Small margins and playing such a great team as the Oregon Ducks. It's going to be a small margin game.
And we have to have extreme focus and intentionality, especially in the fourth quarter, because you want to make sure you're putting your best foot forward and all those plays count so much more than maybe the first quarter, second quarter. Every play counts. And we want to make sure we have extreme intentionality to every single play.
On the turnaround between the Rose Bowl and the Peach Bowl…
FM: Yeah. So the Rose Bowl, California, longer trip for us. And we were there for an extra day. So there was a lot more -- we had a real Thursday red zone practice in Pasadena. That was extremely interesting. However, this is a quicker turnaround, similar to many of our away trips. So I think we've been able to learn and compartmentalize it all. Although playing the Rose Bowl and playing the Peach Bowl are fantastic experiences, and you want to have gratitude and appreciate the moment. It's not time to go sightseeing. This is a big trip. This isn't like a normal bowl game, you're there for a week, you're hanging out with your friends, going around the city. Obviously we're still hanging out with our friends, but this is a business trip. This is a business trip and we're here for one reason only and it is to compete against Oregon.
On the process he uses every day for success…
FM: I can be here for hours talking about the process. However, I would say that having an intentional process, I wouldn't say so much of, you know, superstition that you're doing crazy stuff here and there. But I would say more things that actually are going to be able to translate to your productivity, performance towards the game and being really intentional with those.
My process is getting more than eight hours of sleep a night. Sleep is so important, and there's so many different unsung heroes in my process, whether it's sleep, whether it's nutrition, whether it's film studies. And I make sure to keep that a constant.
Whenever I have my process, it's really a system. It's really a system that I follow that I go and I really deliberately do and make my system. That means I've done everything possible to prepare for this game.
And so when I step on that field, I am confident, as I know that my preparation is unmatched, and I know that's the most that I can do possibly. And so when I go on the field, I'm confident that my process has taken me here and that I can compete at the highest level.
On him being a funny guy around the team…
FM: I would say, we like to joke around. We like to joke around, and it might not always be in such a joking way. For example, if I see Carter Smith which he pushes so much weight, the guy is so strong. If I see him doing 350 on whatever on squat or 400 on squat, like hey, man, you could add five pounds on that. That looks light. Little jabs and jokes. I would say it's a really good culture where we all jab and joke with each other. It's what good friends do. So we'll throw jabs at each other, and I think that's what he means by that.
On the offensive line's impact on Friday…
FM: I think the best thing that's happened to this team especially after the Rose Bowl game was Pat Coogan getting the Rose Bowl MVP. Thank you for giving Pat Coogan the MVP because it has jolted our offensive line and given -- they've really been the unsung heroes as a run game has setup everything in our pass game. And they're the reason our offense is good, plain as it is. I could seem all humble about it, but it truly is the truth.
And having an offensive line get that award and get that recognition and praise has helped us so much as it's really helped them not only play as a unit, but it's also felt them feel appreciated, not just from inside the building, but from outside the building.
So I think it's been great for them. And I'm really happy to see it.
D'Angelo Ponds | DB | Jr.
On if he has a most memorable play that sticks out from this season…
DP: I had a lot of good ones. The one that sticks out to me would probably be the Illinois play, the blocked punt, return for a touchdown. I would say that was probably one of the plays that sticks out to me.
I have a lot of great ones. I would say that one. The last one against Ty Simpson to hit on the fumble recovery, I would say that's a big one, as well, but Illinois's play sticks out to me because I scored.
On playing at Mercedes-Benz Stadium…
DP: I think it will help us. It's a little adjustment to this field, as well. The numbers are different. The hashes are different, as well. It's an NFL stadium. I feel like having that experience from the last time we played in the Big Ten, it will help me as a corner. I need to know things like that.
On the adjustment of the NFL stadium field…
DP: I would say the splits -- splits are kind of based off the numbers. Since the numbers are moving, you've got to know where they are or where they would be on a college field, so I feel like that's the difference.
On what will make the difference of the outcome of the game today…
DP: I would say the most physical team will win. I would say if we do our job and eliminate explosives as a defense, I feel like we'll be okay.
On what the hit was like that he had on Ty Simpson…
DP: It was just a great feeling just to see the ball roll out. I tried to jump on it but my teammates got to it, and it's just a great feeling knowing we got a turnover.
On what went through his mind on that play…
DP: So I was just playing my guy, and then I see him scramble, and I seen Fish dive at the ball. I just seen he wasn't going to slide, so I was like, I'm going to get a hit on the quarterback. I just meant to get a hit on him. I didn't know he was going to fumble. Definitely want to make a quarterback pay for scrambling and running, so that was my mindset when he ran.
On if he is excited to rematch against Oregon…
DP: Definitely very excited just to go against a good team, a great quarterback, great receivers. Just definitely excited just to take on that opportunity, and it's going to be a battle.
On what Coach Haines is like in practice…
DP: Coach Haines? I would say he's on us 24/7. He's a very detailed person. Any little things, he's on it, so I feel like that's what makes him different as a coach.
On what makes Coach Haines different…
DP: I think, like you said, it kind of stems down from Coach Cignetti. He coaches that 1-0 mindset, no warm fuzzies, like he likes to say. I would say, yeah, we definitely take it one week at a time, try to go 1-0, put the past behind us. Good, bad or indifferent, and we're on to the next.
On Fernando Mendoza being a rallying point for the team…
DP: It's been very cool. I feel like a lot of people don't get to see that in person. I feel like he's one of the hardest working guys I've ever seen. After every practice I feel like he's out there throwing the ball. I feel like he deserved it.
#NeverDaunted
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
Players Mentioned
WR
/ Football
OL
/ Football
DL
/ Football
LB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
QB
/ Football
DB
/ Football
OL
/ Football
LB
/ Football
DL
/ FootballFB: Aiden Fisher Media Availability (1/6/26)
Tuesday, January 06
FB: Rolijah Hardy Media Availability (1/6/26)
Tuesday, January 06
FB: Isaiah Jones Media Availability (1/6/26)
Tuesday, January 06
FB: D'Angelo Ponds Media Availability (1/6/26)
Tuesday, January 06