Transcribed by Bill Seals
Opening comments:
“This is game week and so we have a lot of respect for UNI. Playing against Coach Farley and his team a couple of times, I have a lot of respect for them, the way they play the game and the tradition he has built.”
On how the offense can continue to evolve, even after losses of David Montgomery and Hakeem Butler:
“Until we get out and really grow, you’re talking about replacing two of the best players in Iowa State history, in David and Hakeem. The involvement of what we want to become…we’d love to be multiple and have the ability to attack in different ways. Certainly, we didn’t do that the last couple years, because we rode our best players. With some of those better players and veteran players being the quarterback and offensive lineman, it certainly allows you to be a little bit more multiple in your attack. That’s probably the starting point for us. Until we see who grows and into what roles, as the season goes on it’s a little bit of an unknown. You’d certainly like to grow around the quarterback and offensive line, and that’s where we’re at as a program.”
On what he’s expecting of JaQuan Bailey this fall and what’s made him great over the years:
“My expectation for him is for him to consistently, play in and play out, game in and game out, to be the best JaQuan he can be. He’s earned the right to get to that point, because what we’ve seen grow is the consistency to raise up and be his best when his best is needed. JaQuan was a great talent as a freshman and showed flashes, but was really inconsistent. In year two, you saw him gain some consistency to his game while maturing on and off the field. What you saw last year is a guy that in some big moments made some really big plays for this football program. Now, going into his senior year, can you be your best consistently every snap and every play? That’s the maturation process for the great player JaQuan has the ability to be.
“What’s caused all of this is his work ethic. I’d compare his work ethic to what David Montgomery’s was like. He’s a guy that’s consistently here when no one is watching. He’s the guy on Friday nights, Saturday nights and Sunday mornings in here perfecting his craft. He has a great passion for what he does. We’re going to need his best, and that’s my expectation for JaQuan.”
On what his thoughts are of UNI quarterback Will McElvain and what he saw of him during high school:
“One of my favorite things about Will, and I spent a lot of time watching him, is how he carried his high school football team. He seemed to improvise and make plays. He was heady and carried his team consistently. He has this great ability to escape the pocket, keeping his eyes downfield and make plays downfield. He presents a great challenge for us. I love his leadership and his demeanor. It doesn’t surprises that he’s put himself in a position to lead this football team. He’s got those traits of what the great quarterbacks have the ability, and that’s to improvise and make plays with their feet when things break down.”
On what qualities the top running backs in his system have had:
“The trait of the great running back is vision, in my opinion. The vision to be able to give one vertical cut and get north and south and make the big run. The great ones that we’ve had, they’ve all had that one singular trait that was really special. We’ve talked about being complete as a running back. All the great ones have been complete. There’s not been one that’s just been a great runner and that’s all he can do. We saw David Montgomery many times put his foot in the ground and get north and south.”
On how he engrains that in the running backs and who’s shown it so far:
“You’d like to think you can coach that, but I don’t know that that’s really coachable. You either have it or you don’t. There’s been flashes that all these guys have shown. Until this really gets live and under the lights, who can really do it when it matters. Who can do it on 3rd-and-1 and 4th-and-1 in those tough situations? These guys have that capability and have shown flashes, which has gotten us excited about where that room has the ability to go. Until it happens and is proven, I think we’re still at a little bit of loss to say that we’ve definitely got guys that can do it.”
On the veteran leadership returning to pave the way in 2019:
“This is maybe one of the more mature football teams that we’ve had the ability to have. You talk about our leadership and our captains…there are guys that have played a lot of football here. Those leaders, those captains, not only are your best players but act the way you’d like inside and outside the football facility. When you have that, it raises your intent and level of training of what you hope everybody would prepare like. That’s a real fortunate piece for our team. Even though those young guys that maybe haven’t played, it allows them to mature a lot faster because they have somebody to show them how to do it. When we as coaches show them how to do it, there’s always a point and line in the sand where they kind of say, ‘well, I’m listening to you…but’. When it’s your teammate that says this is how it gets done, and this is what the expectation is and I’ve got proof of my success. Guys are willing to listen and grow a lot faster. That’s a huge benefit for this year’s team.”
On all of the targets to Butler and other departed wide receivers being dispersed elsewhere this fall:
“Our passing game, that’s one thing that has traditionally, when we have had a veteran quarterback and a quarterback that’s been in our system, when you see our quarterbacks (at Iowa State and Toledo) play well, that ability to understand where to go with the ball and that ability to take what the defense gives you. Ultimately, that’s where we’ve always been a quarterback-friendly system. The system allows us to disperse the football across the field to who is open and to what the defense is trying to allow us to be able to take advantage of. Fortunately, or unfortunately for us, some of our best playmakers have been guys that we’ve force-fed those guys the football. It’s the growth of our system a little bit, and the growth of Brock a little bit. There’s some depth at those skill spots (at wide receiver), guys we feel really comfortable with to make plays. The quarterback is starting to feel that way, too.”
Opening comments:
“This is game week and so we have a lot of respect for UNI. Playing against Coach Farley and his team a couple of times, I have a lot of respect for them, the way they play the game and the tradition he has built.”
On how the offense can continue to evolve, even after losses of David Montgomery and Hakeem Butler:
“Until we get out and really grow, you’re talking about replacing two of the best players in Iowa State history, in David and Hakeem. The involvement of what we want to become…we’d love to be multiple and have the ability to attack in different ways. Certainly, we didn’t do that the last couple years, because we rode our best players. With some of those better players and veteran players being the quarterback and offensive lineman, it certainly allows you to be a little bit more multiple in your attack. That’s probably the starting point for us. Until we see who grows and into what roles, as the season goes on it’s a little bit of an unknown. You’d certainly like to grow around the quarterback and offensive line, and that’s where we’re at as a program.”
On what he’s expecting of JaQuan Bailey this fall and what’s made him great over the years:
“My expectation for him is for him to consistently, play in and play out, game in and game out, to be the best JaQuan he can be. He’s earned the right to get to that point, because what we’ve seen grow is the consistency to raise up and be his best when his best is needed. JaQuan was a great talent as a freshman and showed flashes, but was really inconsistent. In year two, you saw him gain some consistency to his game while maturing on and off the field. What you saw last year is a guy that in some big moments made some really big plays for this football program. Now, going into his senior year, can you be your best consistently every snap and every play? That’s the maturation process for the great player JaQuan has the ability to be.
“What’s caused all of this is his work ethic. I’d compare his work ethic to what David Montgomery’s was like. He’s a guy that’s consistently here when no one is watching. He’s the guy on Friday nights, Saturday nights and Sunday mornings in here perfecting his craft. He has a great passion for what he does. We’re going to need his best, and that’s my expectation for JaQuan.”
On what his thoughts are of UNI quarterback Will McElvain and what he saw of him during high school:
“One of my favorite things about Will, and I spent a lot of time watching him, is how he carried his high school football team. He seemed to improvise and make plays. He was heady and carried his team consistently. He has this great ability to escape the pocket, keeping his eyes downfield and make plays downfield. He presents a great challenge for us. I love his leadership and his demeanor. It doesn’t surprises that he’s put himself in a position to lead this football team. He’s got those traits of what the great quarterbacks have the ability, and that’s to improvise and make plays with their feet when things break down.”
On what qualities the top running backs in his system have had:
“The trait of the great running back is vision, in my opinion. The vision to be able to give one vertical cut and get north and south and make the big run. The great ones that we’ve had, they’ve all had that one singular trait that was really special. We’ve talked about being complete as a running back. All the great ones have been complete. There’s not been one that’s just been a great runner and that’s all he can do. We saw David Montgomery many times put his foot in the ground and get north and south.”
On how he engrains that in the running backs and who’s shown it so far:
“You’d like to think you can coach that, but I don’t know that that’s really coachable. You either have it or you don’t. There’s been flashes that all these guys have shown. Until this really gets live and under the lights, who can really do it when it matters. Who can do it on 3rd-and-1 and 4th-and-1 in those tough situations? These guys have that capability and have shown flashes, which has gotten us excited about where that room has the ability to go. Until it happens and is proven, I think we’re still at a little bit of loss to say that we’ve definitely got guys that can do it.”
On the veteran leadership returning to pave the way in 2019:
“This is maybe one of the more mature football teams that we’ve had the ability to have. You talk about our leadership and our captains…there are guys that have played a lot of football here. Those leaders, those captains, not only are your best players but act the way you’d like inside and outside the football facility. When you have that, it raises your intent and level of training of what you hope everybody would prepare like. That’s a real fortunate piece for our team. Even though those young guys that maybe haven’t played, it allows them to mature a lot faster because they have somebody to show them how to do it. When we as coaches show them how to do it, there’s always a point and line in the sand where they kind of say, ‘well, I’m listening to you…but’. When it’s your teammate that says this is how it gets done, and this is what the expectation is and I’ve got proof of my success. Guys are willing to listen and grow a lot faster. That’s a huge benefit for this year’s team.”
On all of the targets to Butler and other departed wide receivers being dispersed elsewhere this fall:
“Our passing game, that’s one thing that has traditionally, when we have had a veteran quarterback and a quarterback that’s been in our system, when you see our quarterbacks (at Iowa State and Toledo) play well, that ability to understand where to go with the ball and that ability to take what the defense gives you. Ultimately, that’s where we’ve always been a quarterback-friendly system. The system allows us to disperse the football across the field to who is open and to what the defense is trying to allow us to be able to take advantage of. Fortunately, or unfortunately for us, some of our best playmakers have been guys that we’ve force-fed those guys the football. It’s the growth of our system a little bit, and the growth of Brock a little bit. There’s some depth at those skill spots (at wide receiver), guys we feel really comfortable with to make plays. The quarterback is starting to feel that way, too.”
