Transcribed by Bill Seals
Opening comments:
“Living here, the first couple games were obviously not ideal with the game change moving. I can’t appreciate our fans more. A great crowd gave us energy when we needed it. I appreciate what they do for us.
“I have the utmost respect for Coach (Gary) Patterson at TCU. What those guys do for a football program, they’re one of the most consistent in this conference year in and year out. I have a lot of respect for Coach Patterson and what he does.
“I’m really proud of our kids and I thought we played really good football for a lot of the football season this year and we were able to string it together for the most part for four quarters.”
On what he was most impressed with about today’s effort:
“I’ve seen a good chunk of it, stringing together really good team football. When we don’t play well, I’ve seen a little bit…offense plays well for a time, defense plays well at a time and special teams is at times consistent and inconsistent. I thought we played in a really good rhythm today and I thought we were aggressive on both sides of the game early. I felt like there was a really good flow. Even as that game got awkward a little bit early in the fourth quarter, we made a play when we needed to make a play and took back the emotion and energy and were able to seal the deal. I really love this team. It’s the best group of kids I’ve ever coached. I’ve never really been down on these guys. It’s fun to watch them respond and hopefully get a chance to tell our story as the season goes on.”
On his assessment of Iowa State’s rushing game:
“Brock is really special. I don’t know if I have any different feeling for the words that I could use for Brock Purdy that I use consistently all year. He’s a guy that gives us the ability to be a dual-threat football team. When they overload in the running game, he has the ability to take some heat off the running game because he can run the ball. At times, they did that today and he ran it when he needed to.
“I really thought Johnny Lang played a really great game, probably his best game to date. He has a lot of potential and ability. He’s practicing at a really consistent rate and showing that on the football field. That’s exciting for all of us.”
On how much Zach Petersen needed to show up big in his first start:
“I don’t know if it was really important. To be honest, he has played that way all year. There really hasn’t been a drop off in Zach Petersen. He’s played the best of all of our defensive linemen through four games (coming into today) and he showed everybody else how good he is and certainly the affect and impact he has on a football game for us.”
On the status of injured defensive end JaQuan Bailey:
“We’re going to play it by ear. Obviously, he’s going to be out for an extended period of time. He does have a redshirt year with only playing in four games, so there’s that possibility. I hope from his end that that is a possibility and something that may work out down the road. Or he could be back late in the football season and help this football team continue to play. I don’t want to have to comment on that all the time. That’s exactly where that is.”
On what the procedure was that Bailey had:
“He had surgery on Tuesday for a lower leg injury. The thing that’s been really positive for him is that it’s not a knee or anything. It’s bone-related and trying to get him healthy.”
On the status of safety Greg Eisworth:
“Greg could have gone back in in the fourth quarter. We tried to be smart there at the end of the game. If the game would have continued to go that route of back and forth there, he could have gone back in to help us.”
On what it said about Purdy to play much better throughout today’s game:
“The only chance we had to win last week was because of Brock Purdy. The thing about that guy is he is who he is. He is the best version of himself every time he can be. There’s times where there’s a lot on his plate. He can play inconsistent the first half of last week’s game and still come back and lead a team from 20 down in 130-degree heat and give us a chance to go up 21-20 and win the game. That said everything everybody needs to know about Brock.”
On the balanced Iowa State corps of wide receivers:
“What’s great about the passing game is it’s really hard to zero in on just one person. We feel really confident that the guys in that receiver room can all make plays. What makes Brock really good is he’s got the ability to take what the defense gives us. Deshaunte (Jones) is certainly on the receiving end and playing really good football for us. Sometimes in the middle of the field, so he gets more opportunities than the other guys do. It says more about Brock and his ability to spread the football.”
On the importance of scoring on first offensive drive after being called for a penalty:
“Anytime you can start the game positive, especially against a TCU team that’s so defensive driven, getting ahead is a huge asset. We’ve done that in some games against defensive-driven teams that want to run the ball, even bigger was being able to stay on the accelerator. That got us early in the football season when we didn’t and took care of the football and created turnovers. That was really big for our team.”
On improved play of the defensive line:
“We took a big step. I thought we’d been ok early in the football season. Coach Rasheed, myself, Coach Heacock challenged that defensive front. You’re getting everybody’s best shot, they’re coming for you. You have to raise your level of excellence every week. That kind of happened to them early in the season. We have really good players there, guys who have the ability to do what they did today. It was big to watch that group take a huge step. I don’t know if we did that last week or have done that consistently through the first couple games.”
On how the offensive line recovered from a lackluster performance last week:
“That group being consistent. It did not play very good last week at Baylor…right. I’d say going into that game, you tell the offensive line’s story at the end of the season. Today, I thought they were much better. Bryce Meeker is a great kid and I thought he played really well today. He had a tough game last week. Bryce is a very good testament to our team…just stay the course and keep playing. Nobody wants to not play your best game last week, but that guy came today and was really special.
“Can we take that and grow from it? Can we be consistent week in and week out? That offensive line will tell its story at the end of the season.”
On the offense’s scoring on more possessions:
“When we’ve played really good football offensively, we’ve finished drives. In two games this year, we’ve stalled out, not necessarily in the red zone but higher. This offense has consistently had the ability to move the ball, but the challenge has been to finish. When you have a young group of guys, they’re still forging their identity a little bit. You try to find what your weaknesses are and keep working at them. This group has done that. Being able to score touchdowns in the red zone against that defense is big. It’s a big story for our football team.”
On what he saw in the skirmish that Joe Scates was involved in:
“Joe is really trying to do right and got caught up in it. It’s another great learning opportunity for Joe. Nobody wants to be a better Cyclone and nobody wants to continue to do right than Joe. He had his first catch today, which was awesome. It’s another great learning lesson. He’ll be a really good football player for us.”
On the plan for backup quarterback Re-Al Mitchell during the game:
“It’s trying to find unique ways to get him on the field. Re-Al is an elite athlete. We’re in a unique predicament, because he’s also the backup quarterback and a guy we feel really confident in his quarterback abilities. Just finding unique ways for him to make a difference in the football game. As we’ve seen, he can make a difference in a big-time way when he gets out there and uses his speed and athleticism. We’ll need to continue to find ways to use him. He can block, catch and run. Those are all things we’ll use.”
On how big it was to come out on top in the turnover margin:
“Those plays, we’ve been really close to making at times. We haven’t made them in our tough losses. We’ve been able to make them when we win football games. At Iowa State, forever, winning in the margins is how you’re going to win football games. That’s success. The ability to make them, create them and get the ball back. We did a good job of taking care of the football. It’s important as we continue on that it be an anchor.”
Opening comments:
“Living here, the first couple games were obviously not ideal with the game change moving. I can’t appreciate our fans more. A great crowd gave us energy when we needed it. I appreciate what they do for us.
“I have the utmost respect for Coach (Gary) Patterson at TCU. What those guys do for a football program, they’re one of the most consistent in this conference year in and year out. I have a lot of respect for Coach Patterson and what he does.
“I’m really proud of our kids and I thought we played really good football for a lot of the football season this year and we were able to string it together for the most part for four quarters.”
On what he was most impressed with about today’s effort:
“I’ve seen a good chunk of it, stringing together really good team football. When we don’t play well, I’ve seen a little bit…offense plays well for a time, defense plays well at a time and special teams is at times consistent and inconsistent. I thought we played in a really good rhythm today and I thought we were aggressive on both sides of the game early. I felt like there was a really good flow. Even as that game got awkward a little bit early in the fourth quarter, we made a play when we needed to make a play and took back the emotion and energy and were able to seal the deal. I really love this team. It’s the best group of kids I’ve ever coached. I’ve never really been down on these guys. It’s fun to watch them respond and hopefully get a chance to tell our story as the season goes on.”
On his assessment of Iowa State’s rushing game:
“Brock is really special. I don’t know if I have any different feeling for the words that I could use for Brock Purdy that I use consistently all year. He’s a guy that gives us the ability to be a dual-threat football team. When they overload in the running game, he has the ability to take some heat off the running game because he can run the ball. At times, they did that today and he ran it when he needed to.
“I really thought Johnny Lang played a really great game, probably his best game to date. He has a lot of potential and ability. He’s practicing at a really consistent rate and showing that on the football field. That’s exciting for all of us.”
On how much Zach Petersen needed to show up big in his first start:
“I don’t know if it was really important. To be honest, he has played that way all year. There really hasn’t been a drop off in Zach Petersen. He’s played the best of all of our defensive linemen through four games (coming into today) and he showed everybody else how good he is and certainly the affect and impact he has on a football game for us.”
On the status of injured defensive end JaQuan Bailey:
“We’re going to play it by ear. Obviously, he’s going to be out for an extended period of time. He does have a redshirt year with only playing in four games, so there’s that possibility. I hope from his end that that is a possibility and something that may work out down the road. Or he could be back late in the football season and help this football team continue to play. I don’t want to have to comment on that all the time. That’s exactly where that is.”
On what the procedure was that Bailey had:
“He had surgery on Tuesday for a lower leg injury. The thing that’s been really positive for him is that it’s not a knee or anything. It’s bone-related and trying to get him healthy.”
On the status of safety Greg Eisworth:
“Greg could have gone back in in the fourth quarter. We tried to be smart there at the end of the game. If the game would have continued to go that route of back and forth there, he could have gone back in to help us.”
On what it said about Purdy to play much better throughout today’s game:
“The only chance we had to win last week was because of Brock Purdy. The thing about that guy is he is who he is. He is the best version of himself every time he can be. There’s times where there’s a lot on his plate. He can play inconsistent the first half of last week’s game and still come back and lead a team from 20 down in 130-degree heat and give us a chance to go up 21-20 and win the game. That said everything everybody needs to know about Brock.”
On the balanced Iowa State corps of wide receivers:
“What’s great about the passing game is it’s really hard to zero in on just one person. We feel really confident that the guys in that receiver room can all make plays. What makes Brock really good is he’s got the ability to take what the defense gives us. Deshaunte (Jones) is certainly on the receiving end and playing really good football for us. Sometimes in the middle of the field, so he gets more opportunities than the other guys do. It says more about Brock and his ability to spread the football.”
On the importance of scoring on first offensive drive after being called for a penalty:
“Anytime you can start the game positive, especially against a TCU team that’s so defensive driven, getting ahead is a huge asset. We’ve done that in some games against defensive-driven teams that want to run the ball, even bigger was being able to stay on the accelerator. That got us early in the football season when we didn’t and took care of the football and created turnovers. That was really big for our team.”
On improved play of the defensive line:
“We took a big step. I thought we’d been ok early in the football season. Coach Rasheed, myself, Coach Heacock challenged that defensive front. You’re getting everybody’s best shot, they’re coming for you. You have to raise your level of excellence every week. That kind of happened to them early in the season. We have really good players there, guys who have the ability to do what they did today. It was big to watch that group take a huge step. I don’t know if we did that last week or have done that consistently through the first couple games.”
On how the offensive line recovered from a lackluster performance last week:
“That group being consistent. It did not play very good last week at Baylor…right. I’d say going into that game, you tell the offensive line’s story at the end of the season. Today, I thought they were much better. Bryce Meeker is a great kid and I thought he played really well today. He had a tough game last week. Bryce is a very good testament to our team…just stay the course and keep playing. Nobody wants to not play your best game last week, but that guy came today and was really special.
“Can we take that and grow from it? Can we be consistent week in and week out? That offensive line will tell its story at the end of the season.”
On the offense’s scoring on more possessions:
“When we’ve played really good football offensively, we’ve finished drives. In two games this year, we’ve stalled out, not necessarily in the red zone but higher. This offense has consistently had the ability to move the ball, but the challenge has been to finish. When you have a young group of guys, they’re still forging their identity a little bit. You try to find what your weaknesses are and keep working at them. This group has done that. Being able to score touchdowns in the red zone against that defense is big. It’s a big story for our football team.”
On what he saw in the skirmish that Joe Scates was involved in:
“Joe is really trying to do right and got caught up in it. It’s another great learning opportunity for Joe. Nobody wants to be a better Cyclone and nobody wants to continue to do right than Joe. He had his first catch today, which was awesome. It’s another great learning lesson. He’ll be a really good football player for us.”
On the plan for backup quarterback Re-Al Mitchell during the game:
“It’s trying to find unique ways to get him on the field. Re-Al is an elite athlete. We’re in a unique predicament, because he’s also the backup quarterback and a guy we feel really confident in his quarterback abilities. Just finding unique ways for him to make a difference in the football game. As we’ve seen, he can make a difference in a big-time way when he gets out there and uses his speed and athleticism. We’ll need to continue to find ways to use him. He can block, catch and run. Those are all things we’ll use.”
On how big it was to come out on top in the turnover margin:
“Those plays, we’ve been really close to making at times. We haven’t made them in our tough losses. We’ve been able to make them when we win football games. At Iowa State, forever, winning in the margins is how you’re going to win football games. That’s success. The ability to make them, create them and get the ball back. We did a good job of taking care of the football. It’s important as we continue on that it be an anchor.”
