Kirk Ferentz News Conference Transcript | Sept. 22

KIRK FERENTZ: Good afternoon. Appreciate everybody being here. To start out, look backwards for a second. A good weekend last Saturday. Happy to get the win. Happy overall with our readiness and the way the guys executed out there.

I thought a lot of good things on there, on the tape and really good experience for a lot of guys that never got to have a chance to be on the game field. That's certainly a positive. They all worked hard, and I like to see their efforts get rewarded that way.

The glaring take-away on the negative front would be our penalties were not good. A lot of them, especially in the second half. Just sloppy football, so that's something we're going to have to do a better job of as we move forward.

Moving forward the captains will be the same four players: Montgomery, Lutmer, Lee, and Ostrenga.

On the injury front, things are looking fairly optimistic. Everybody appears to be working their way back. Kamari and LJ (running backs) and DJ (tight end).

We are hoping to get them back and see where that goes, but we'll know by the end of the week.

Heading up to Michigan, a 3-0 football team. First time for us to be on the road and playing a good Big Ten opponent. I think my math is correct, but I think we've had 26 encounters during my career, going back to 1981.

One commonality is that they're always a good football team. Really talented, very well-coached, and no difference here. Very talented players. A mix of guys that have been there, guys they've recruited, and then also a mix that came in with the new staff. Those guys have really supplemented the team, given them octane.

A very impressive team. Good in all three phases. Do a good job. Offensively, defensively play really hard. On special teams, they have good specialists, and their guys do a really good job.

Then obviously it's a new staff. Have a long-time respect for Coach Whittingham. Finally got to meet him last May, but I've admired their work going back probably 15-plus years. At Utah, a really good program. Some really impressive football over the years. You can see those fingerprints certainly being put on Michigan's program right now.

Offensively, that's really where most of their DNA goes to Utah, and then defensively the BYU coordinator joined their staff, and BYU is another great program. They've played good defense, and certainly we're seeing a lot of the carry-over from what they did there.

Then special teams, the coordinator, Coach Coombs is still there from last year, but also, if you look back, Coach Whittingham's background, he was a special teams coordinator, so I know he takes a real interest in that. They've combined to really make a good team there.

Bottom line is it's just going to be a really tough challenge at all levels. Good players, well-coached, play hard, and we'll have our work cut out. So big challenge. Looking forward to getting ready for that.

Kid Captain this week, we have 12-year-old Lily Lee, who is a young lady from Fort Dodge. When she was 1 years old, they detected a rare, degenerative spinal disorder. Really kind of unusual there.

In 2017, she started on medication, and I've been told the first person to go through this. It's actually having really good results, so really encouraging from that standpoint. She takes medication I guess every four months, and it's really helped her.

She's an active 12-year-old now. Bikes and swims, does all that stuff. Just really good to have her as a Kid Captain, and we'll certainly look forward to honoring her this week.

Lastly, I want to finish up on a sad note. You may or may not know but a Kid Captain from '23 was involved in an accident a week ago here and has passed. Nile Kron, I happened to have his card (shows audience card).

Just a really delightful, young man and certainly a tragic news part there. Just wanted to pass our condolences onto the Kron family and all their friends as well.

Q. Trevor Lauck had an interesting quote downstairs. He said, you know, facing Michigan is more about Jimmies and Joes than the Xs and Os. It seems like to us anyway. Does it feel like your team has more Jimmies and Joes maybe this time around than some previous matchups against a blue-blood type program like this?

KIRK FERENTZ: Last time we got together, we were a little bit depleted offensively. I think we got a little more octane now in the tank than we did then.

It was not the best matchup from that standpoint, but yeah, they have really good players. To Trevor's point, they're really talented, and defensively, they have a lot of guys that can rush the passer. They play the run really well. They have an impressive defensive front. Not only their starters, but their backups, and they play them all pretty fluidly.

Really good players. Their linebacker is extremely active. Especially the middle linebacker, he's all over the place. Then their secondary is extremely aggressive. One of the more aggressive groups I've seen. They'll hit you. They'll come up and hit you, so it's a really physical group that way.

Playing outstanding defense. They're very well-coached. I would throw that in and accentuate that. I go back with Utah kind of got on my radar when they beat Alabama in that Sugar Bowl, whatever year that would have been. It's been a while. They were definitely the underdog team in that one, but they played a perfect game.

That doesn't happen by accident. That's kind of when I started following their progress a little bit. I'd say the same thing about the defensive scheme. They're well-coached all three phases.

Q. It's probably for Jeremy a natural reaction just to be a little disappointed in not winning the starting job, but as you've seen and known the last few seasons, the quarterback depth is really important. What gives you that confidence with him that, you know, he's going to stay engaged and if you need to go to him at this point this season, he's going to be ready for it?

KIRK FERENTZ: Yeah, a couple of things on that one. I told him last week, that's one thing I just remind him, it's a long road. It's a really long road. He's a young player, and a lot of things can happen, and we've all witnessed that. We've lived that the last couple of years here. You just never know how things are going to go.

The second thing is, and I think I've been consistent in saying this only because it's the truth, both he and Hank have improved a great deal from a year ago. I said it a week ago I think. We've got confidence in both of them. We really do. I think the team has confidence. The coaches staff does.

So the way it's worked out is the way it's worked out, but it's a long road, like I say. I think to the point about his attitude, his response, based on what I saw the last two days in practice, same guy. He's out there working, practicing well, and working to get better. That's what we hope every guy on our team does.

There's nothing to be discouraged about in his world. It's just disappointed maybe a little bit, but nothing to be discouraged about. Just keep getting better. That would be my encouragement, and it is for every player on our team really.

Q. Your program is kind of built on not letting external factors filter into your preparation, into your thought process going forward in a given game. In this week and in this era the College Football Playoff kind of dwarfs everything in the discussion and conversation. Do you think or say anything about the College Football Playoff to your players right now, or do you just tell them to shut it out? I know at times, like on bye weeks, in the past you've said, hey, dream big, and then kind of get back to the moment.

KIRK FERENTZ: Right now those are nightmares, not dreams, especially early in the week. That's a personal issue I have to deal with. Like Sunday night everybody looks like the Chicago Bears from 1985 to me, and then hopefully as the week goes on, we get to a point where at least maybe we have a fighting chance.

But, yeah, if you are doing it right in season, all you're thinking about is what's in front of you the next six days, five days as you go through it.

Then, yeah, to the point about the playoffs and polls, I was driving in either going home last night or driving this morning. Heard the Florida coach talking about the polls, and I guess they are favored in their matchup this week. The polls mean absolutely nothing, really, the first half of the season in my opinion. Certainly mean nothing this month in September.

Nor do statistics. Statistics are great, and you'd rather have good ones than bad ones, but that's just a world we live in in college football now. As soon as we went to four, I think that was the beginning of not only the erosion of the bowl system, but maybe the end here in the near -- at least it's going to look different than it used to. It already does.

But that's just the path that we've chosen to take, so you know, you have to deal with that. Whenever the show comes on, The Playoff Show -- if you're not in that top whatever it is, then forget about it. You're dead to the world, outside of your local fan base.

It's just the world we've created, and you deal with it, but I try not to let that worry me too much and just worry about enjoying our players and getting ready for the next challenge, which right now is a significant one.

Q. Obviously Michigan has talent all across the field. I know their offense probably hasn't been what they thought it would be, but you face a dangerous runner like Bryce Underwood, RPOs, a couple of good running backs. I guess how do you coach your defensive line, especially a younger and more inexperienced defensive line, to balance doing their job on a play-by-play basis but also understanding the "I" discipline because if Michigan's offense tries to trick you, Underwood has the mobility to be dangerous in the open field?

KIRK FERENTZ: It really gets down to everybody has to try to do the best they can and playing what their job is, their responsibility.

There was a game, two weeks ago against Oklahoma, where they let him or somebody else outside. If you do that, they've all got the ability to get out there and do damage. In his case, he can throw it as well as run it, but he's a dangerous runner too.

So it gets down to team execution because they're really well-coached, they've got a good scheme and got good players at all the receiver positions, tight ends. Not to mention obviously their line and quarterback and back.

It's a tough challenge, but it just gets down to team defense and being really believing in our system and then trying to play the best they can.

Q. Kind of a two-parter about Hank. You obviously removed the "or" on the depth chart between him and Hecklinski. What gives you that vote of confidence going into a big game like this on the road for a first-time starter? How do you prepare him to play in front of 107,000 people that are cheering against him?

KIRK FERENTZ: First of all, it's like every other position. We evaluate it day by day, week by week. You guys have seen the game production from all of our guys out there. We see them every day, so that's a little bit different perspective.

Again, I just can't emphasize enough, both quarterbacks have really done a good job. Hank has played well enough to be the starter, and that's kind of how it worked out, but again, it's a long road. Got to be ready for everything.

Then preparation, whether it be for him -- he's probably the most critical because he plays the position that impacts a lot of things and has got a lot on his plate.

But yeah, one thing about playing in this conference, you're going to be in a really tough environment this week. We've got several of them in our conference that are really challenging. I'd say all of them are really. They all present their different opportunities and challenges.

So all you can do is pump the crowd noise like everybody else does, but it's still not quite the same. What you can't duplicate is the emotions that take place. When things are going against you, it gets really crazy. When it goes the other way, it can be a good thing.

But try to remind our guys, it's not noisy every snap typically, but when it is, you got to really be wired in and concentrate. Again, it's tough to duplicate it. You can try, but it's not quite the same. Then a little different when all the other stuff is going on too.

Q. In a game like this that's supposed to be really physical, how important is it for you guys to establish the run early and not just in terms of successful runs, but just showing the defense that you're still willing to do it throughout the game?

KIRK FERENTZ: We have to be in the way we function. It's going to be tough for us to be a good football team if we can't run the ball, but that being said, like I've said before, anybody can take the one run away if that's what they choose to do, so you better have a counter to it. Unless you're an option team, you better be able to throw it a little bit effectively, too.

The challenge is their coverage is tight, and it's tough, very competitive, play a lot of man coverage. They stay with you, so we are going to have to be working hard to get open. Then we have to throw and catch, and you have to protect first, which again, these guys are very aggressive up front.

A mixture of guys or guys on the edge look like pro guys, and guys inside, they're kind of built like a pro defense. Quick, aggressive guys on the outside and big, strong guys inside. Those guys inside are really, really athletic, too, so it's going to be a challenge for us.

Q. Kirk, a two-fold question for you. One, the second half kind of fun for you, I think. But along those same lines with the running backs, how do you sort through it? You have four guys that have rushed for 100 yards in a game now, and you'll get two of those guys back. I assume Kamari would be the top guy, but how do you sort -- because you can't probably play five running backs, I would think, in a game.

KIRK FERENTZ: Realistically that's not going to happen unless you get into a game. (The UNI game was) one of those rare games you get one about 20 years where everything seems to work. It never happens. I mean, never happens.

Saturday -- the guys played well. I'm not minimizing what our guys did, but when things like that happen, great. I think we had to go back to, what was it, '83 where we had three guys over 100. It gives you a little perspective on how often it does happen.

Kamari is still our No. 1 guy. If he can go, he will go. He'll be in there going. Then we'll just kind of work down the chain, but I don't envision us playing probably more than three guys typically.

Q. My other part was you were the line coach on the '83 team.

KIRK FERENTZ: Yeah.

Q. What do you remember about that game and your offensive line in that game?

KIRK FERENTZ: I remember everything about the line. In fact, I read it off for Dolph the other day on the radio I think after the game.

The thing I think I remember in that game was they had a lame-duck head coach, and I'm pretty sure our first play was a toss sweep in front of our bench. It was in front of our bench going right to left for about 80 yards I think it was. I think it was Eddie Phillips. Don't quote me on that. You can look it up.

I was, like, oh, this could be a good day, because the defense just kind of stood there. It was one of those things. I think I would attribute that to the coaching change. I'm pretty sure it wasn't a close game, and we had a good team. We had a really good team.

But we won't see one of those on Saturday. I'll make a bold prediction.

Q. Luke Gaffney has been this team's vocal leader pregame in the huddle, and I'm just kind of curious, how did he end up with that job? Was it a players' decision, y'all's decision? What about his personality has made him the right choice to be able to get the team riled up before actually playing the game every Saturday?

KIRK FERENTZ: I'm pretty sure unofficially -- well, no, officially, because this is something I do know. For how many years I've been here, 27, I've never anointed anybody to be that person. Nor did I even know it -- I guess I kind of knew what was going on, but I'm not surprised Luke is the guy that ascended.

I can't say enough good things about him. Luke came here as an undersized walk-on. He's got a heart bigger than a refrigerator, but just hard-working. He has every step of the way worked hard, great attitude. Been on the scout team, all that stuff, and now he's earned his way up into I consider him to be a starter. We're rotating the tackles.

I can't say enough about him. He's worked his tail off. He's extremely positive. Been a really strong leader for us off the field and in the building.

Again, you just look at our program historically. We've been very fortunate to have some guys like that along the way, and that's how I think we've been able to supplement our roster and be able to put a good unit out there, a good team out there.

Not all guys come in with high rankings and recruiting, that type of deal, but end up earning their way to the top, and that's where Luke is at. He's a senior. Very well-respected by everybody. I really appreciate the leadership that he gives us.

The only reason he's playing is because he is a tough-minded guy and just a hard charger, and it's every day. It's a good example for everybody that you don't have to necessarily be 6'5" and run a 4.46. It would be nice, but you don't have to.

Q. I was just hoping to get more clarity on what you guys are doing with punt returner. Evan has been back there. Reece has been back there. I know you said if Zach was fully healthy at the start of the season, he would have been that guy. Are you looking at it as a case-by-case basis type thing, or do you want to settle on one guy being that returner?

KIRK FERENTZ: Yeah, so we're kind of in the same boat you are trying to figure it out as well. Let me dovetail to one omission I made on the depth chart thing with Tyler Brown. That was me. I kind of half-assed it, quite frankly.

Sunday night, and it was thrown on my desk. With all due respect, I am not quite as focused on that as maybe some other stuff. So I wasn't trying to be sneaky or anything like that.

Tyler is healthy, and we expect him to start, and he is our starter if he's healthy. He's doing a good job.

The Zach situation, if Zach had been healthy going into the season, he would have been the starter, and he's healthy, but he missed some time in camp, and we're trying to keep him on a pitch count. At some point I could see us working him back in. I don't know when that's going to be.

Then to your point about Saturday, I thought it would be a good opportunity to get a look at Evan, learn more about him. It's only the second year he's been in college, so he's a young player, too. We all see some positives in him just like you have. I thought for the most part he did a pretty good job the other day, so it would either be him or Reece, but we're still undecided, too.

Q. I wanted to ask about your defense. UTEP was able to force a couple of turnovers against Michigan. Is there any added emphasis on forcing turnovers knowing the style you guys -- both teams like to play? With the youth and inexperience on that side of the ball, what are they leaning on in terms of just togetherness, and how did they approach that kind of game and that kind of environment?

KIRK FERENTZ: Yeah, so a couple of things. On the turnover takeaway thing, that's one stat. I'm not a big stat guy necessarily, other than winning. Winning is important, which leads to points allowed, points given up. Then the other stat that really over time -- outside of '09, we violated this rule -- that the ball security, you know, just winning the turnover takeaway margin. If can you do that, historically that's a pretty good thing to do.

We practice takeaways. We practice ball security every day, but there's really no magic panacea or whatever. It was good that was one of the positives the other day. We finally got two takeaways in a ball game, and we held on to the ball successfully offensively and special teams. We were plus-2 the other day. I think we're plus-3 on the season right now.

That's encouraging, but it's just a matter of -- you know, it's like anything that happens in football. Usually it's good fundamentals and playing hard, and then if somebody opens the door a little bit, maybe you can take advantage of it. That's something we're hoping to do at all times.

Then, you know, playing against a really -- we're going up. We haven't faced an offense with this kind of octane and juice. We have to get everybody playing. Success to good defense is typically great team defense, and if some individual can rise up and make a great play, that's great, but if everybody takes care of their job, those things kind of happen organically typically.

Q. Kirk, I wanted to ask about Bryce Hawthorne. The other day he had one of those 1970s NFL blocks. A guy went high and the other guy went low and tried to cut him. How is he doing after that?

KIRK FERENTZ: I don't think there's any question, it was not intentional. The line coach from UNI, Rick Nelson, actually texted me last night just saying, Hope Bryce is okay, and he is. Close call. You know, just one of those lucky things. It happened. I don't think it was not one of those high-low deals set up.

He was fine. He was fine yesterday on the field Monday morning and seems to be just fine. Yeah, we dodged a bullet on that one fortunately. Thank you.

 

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