Opening comments:
“First and foremost, hats off to Louisiana-Lafayette. Give credit to their team. A really veteran team that came in here in the second and completely dominated the football game. A lot of credit to them for being record and a lot of credit for them of taking advantage of a lot of great opportunities.”
On the play of the special teams and what he saw in coverages:
“It was huge. From a special teams standpoint, both field returns and both opportunities to return the ball back to the field. We’re out of our coverage lane and they’ve got playmakers to make plays with it. Hats off to them from my end of it. There’s no excuse. It’s something we’ve really worked on. We’ve got good specialists and the ability to be good on special teams, but today hats off to them because they made two big plays. They were game changers.”
On what caused the stagnation in the second half:
“We kind of lost track of our run game a little bit. They came out and played some different things in the second half. Hats off to them. They played some more man coverage than they had played in the first half. As we tried to loosen things up, we just couldn’t make a play. We struggled to do that the entire second half. Them negating the running game was really an advantage.”
On his impressions of Breece Hall’s play against Louisiana:
“We all know Breece is really talented. I don’t like that the ball is on the ground twice. Those are critical mistakes in the first game of the season. As you’re trying to get your bearings, critical mistakes get you beat and that’s kind of what happened today. We know Breece is super-talented and we’ve got great faith in Breece. But the fundamentals and details are still critical to our success.”
On how big of an impact losing Trevor Downing made and his status:
“I think a positive is that we hope to get him back. I thought we played really well up front in the first half of the football game. We all know he’s such an anchor to the success of our offensive line. Any time you lose an anchor, that’s never easy. Noah Juergensen went in and for a veteran senior here, did an admirable job of doing his job and doing what was needed. Trev is a game changer for us. That’s a guy that we’ve got to get back on the football field and hope he will be ready to go for our next football game.”
On what he thought of the team’s approach throughout the game:
“I think a team that I don’t question their attitude and effort. Again, that’s where you’ve got to look at all of us…from my standpoint first and foremost. Did we have them ready to play? It was fundamentals again. Staying in your coverage lane in the return game, in terms of special teams. It was tackling and big plays in critical moments on defense. It was taking care of the football on offense. There was some really good growth and things we really put our mind to this offseason. But some of those critical areas, we’re reminded again at Iowa State that you’re going to have to win in the margins. If you refuse to win in the margins, it’s going to be really hard for us to have success. Tough way to learn it. For us, it’s a great opportunity to take what we learned today and get ourselves back over the week and get ready for Big 12 football.”
On the status of Charlie Kolar, who didn’t play in the game:
“He’s been kind of day to day. Charlie was just going through some offseason stuff and we’re working to get him back to full strength. He’s really close to being back on the football field for us.”
On what he thought of Brock Purdy’s play:
“We dropped some balls that are difference-maker balls in the first half and early in the second half. Getting into a really good rhythm was hard to find in the second half. I felt like he was there most of the first half, but really hard for him to get into that (in the second). We’ve got to make plays on the ball and do a great job of putting Brock in the best position to be successful. As you know, I’ve got the utmost faith in Brock and he’ll be ready to get better on Monday.”
On the Ragin’ Cajuns’ ability to grind out the game in the end:
“Hats off to them. They’re a veteran football team that knows how to win and have success. You could feel their confidence and that’s something that was really hard in the game. We had a lot of opportunities to take a really good lead and really seize momentum. They never allowed that to really happen from our end. When they had the opportunity to seize momentum, they did it. That’s the sign of a football team that knows how to win. Obviously, we’re continuing to work to get to that point. But hat’s off to them. They never let momentum totally swing our way. Then when they had to opportunity to seize it, they did.”
On if this team was ready to play:
“I really felt in the first half, our speed and our energy, the way we played, I really felt that way. You go back and watch the film and I still wouldn’t change anything we did in terms of preparation. Our thought process has been, number one, the health and safety of our kids. Number two, getting our kids prepared for a 10-game season. Number three, getting our kids ready to show up in the first game. Number and two, I feel confident in that plan. We’ll go back and evaluate it. You start with yourself and work your way down. We’ll evaluate it. I sure felt that way in the first half. I thought we were fast and physical. I didn’t question those things that normally would show up if you weren’t ready to play.”
On not taking a whole lot of shots down the field offensively:
“There were some balls pushed vertically down the field. We didn’t make many plays on them. That probably is the thing that absolutely showed up and was a big difference in the game. They made some big plays and we didn’t make those, especially in the passing game. Those things, hats off to their secondary, but I don’t know if that was the plan. We like to push the ball vertically down the field, but we didn’t have much success doing that when we did.”
On the outlook for the team coming out of week one:
“I think you knew you were going to, at least on our end, that we were going to have to work through some of those things. We’re working that against a very good football team. Hat’s off to them. I’m not in a panic mode. As long as the attitude and effort of this team continues, then I have complete faith that we’ll have the ability to get where we need to go. Those are the things that are frustrating. You put that back on yourself as the head football coach. Are there some more things we needed to do to get ready. I still say, for us, it’s a long haul and it’s going to be a long season. There’s a lot of things going on. Making sure that we continue to pound away at the health, safety and well-being of our kids is our number-one priority.”
On what it was like playing the game without fans in the stands:
“As you go out, it’s certainly different, but man, I felt for me, hat’s off to our parents that showed up. Hat’s off to our amazing band and cheer team. Quite honestly, it is what it is. It is different. It’s one of those situations that I don’t think from my end had an effect on the game. We knew it was going to be different and that’s just how it’s going to be throughout the majority of the football season.”
On the inability of ISU’s wide receivers to get open and make many plays after the half:
“You hit the nail on the head. That was a huge difference in the second half of the game. Their ability to play man-to-man coverage and our inability to make plays with man-to-man coverage. We’ll go back to work on those things and what was it, what do we need to continue to pound away in our arsenal to have success. I don’t think it’s a matter of having enough good football players to do that. Those guys…that was the difference in the game in the second half from their defense versus our offense.”
On what he saw of the defensive front, especially Will McDonald:
“I thought, as I watched our football team play today, JaQuan Bailey and Will McDonald, they looked really good. Our defensive front played with great tenacity. Really, until the end of the football game, they were exactly what you expected that defensive front to play like and look like. I’m really excited about Will and JaQuan…it’s great to have him back out there. That was a huge win for us to have JaQuan Bailey back on the field. I’m excited about their ability to continue to grow.”
On why team has been underwhelming in two straight season openers:
“It’s different situations, in my opinion. There’s one that I think last year was completely different than this year in terms of what it was and what it is. After I can watch the game and really evaluate, I can thoroughly give what it was. Two drastically different teams, in my honest opinion.”
“First and foremost, hats off to Louisiana-Lafayette. Give credit to their team. A really veteran team that came in here in the second and completely dominated the football game. A lot of credit to them for being record and a lot of credit for them of taking advantage of a lot of great opportunities.”
On the play of the special teams and what he saw in coverages:
“It was huge. From a special teams standpoint, both field returns and both opportunities to return the ball back to the field. We’re out of our coverage lane and they’ve got playmakers to make plays with it. Hats off to them from my end of it. There’s no excuse. It’s something we’ve really worked on. We’ve got good specialists and the ability to be good on special teams, but today hats off to them because they made two big plays. They were game changers.”
On what caused the stagnation in the second half:
“We kind of lost track of our run game a little bit. They came out and played some different things in the second half. Hats off to them. They played some more man coverage than they had played in the first half. As we tried to loosen things up, we just couldn’t make a play. We struggled to do that the entire second half. Them negating the running game was really an advantage.”
On his impressions of Breece Hall’s play against Louisiana:
“We all know Breece is really talented. I don’t like that the ball is on the ground twice. Those are critical mistakes in the first game of the season. As you’re trying to get your bearings, critical mistakes get you beat and that’s kind of what happened today. We know Breece is super-talented and we’ve got great faith in Breece. But the fundamentals and details are still critical to our success.”
On how big of an impact losing Trevor Downing made and his status:
“I think a positive is that we hope to get him back. I thought we played really well up front in the first half of the football game. We all know he’s such an anchor to the success of our offensive line. Any time you lose an anchor, that’s never easy. Noah Juergensen went in and for a veteran senior here, did an admirable job of doing his job and doing what was needed. Trev is a game changer for us. That’s a guy that we’ve got to get back on the football field and hope he will be ready to go for our next football game.”
On what he thought of the team’s approach throughout the game:
“I think a team that I don’t question their attitude and effort. Again, that’s where you’ve got to look at all of us…from my standpoint first and foremost. Did we have them ready to play? It was fundamentals again. Staying in your coverage lane in the return game, in terms of special teams. It was tackling and big plays in critical moments on defense. It was taking care of the football on offense. There was some really good growth and things we really put our mind to this offseason. But some of those critical areas, we’re reminded again at Iowa State that you’re going to have to win in the margins. If you refuse to win in the margins, it’s going to be really hard for us to have success. Tough way to learn it. For us, it’s a great opportunity to take what we learned today and get ourselves back over the week and get ready for Big 12 football.”
On the status of Charlie Kolar, who didn’t play in the game:
“He’s been kind of day to day. Charlie was just going through some offseason stuff and we’re working to get him back to full strength. He’s really close to being back on the football field for us.”
On what he thought of Brock Purdy’s play:
“We dropped some balls that are difference-maker balls in the first half and early in the second half. Getting into a really good rhythm was hard to find in the second half. I felt like he was there most of the first half, but really hard for him to get into that (in the second). We’ve got to make plays on the ball and do a great job of putting Brock in the best position to be successful. As you know, I’ve got the utmost faith in Brock and he’ll be ready to get better on Monday.”
On the Ragin’ Cajuns’ ability to grind out the game in the end:
“Hats off to them. They’re a veteran football team that knows how to win and have success. You could feel their confidence and that’s something that was really hard in the game. We had a lot of opportunities to take a really good lead and really seize momentum. They never allowed that to really happen from our end. When they had the opportunity to seize momentum, they did it. That’s the sign of a football team that knows how to win. Obviously, we’re continuing to work to get to that point. But hat’s off to them. They never let momentum totally swing our way. Then when they had to opportunity to seize it, they did.”
On if this team was ready to play:
“I really felt in the first half, our speed and our energy, the way we played, I really felt that way. You go back and watch the film and I still wouldn’t change anything we did in terms of preparation. Our thought process has been, number one, the health and safety of our kids. Number two, getting our kids prepared for a 10-game season. Number three, getting our kids ready to show up in the first game. Number and two, I feel confident in that plan. We’ll go back and evaluate it. You start with yourself and work your way down. We’ll evaluate it. I sure felt that way in the first half. I thought we were fast and physical. I didn’t question those things that normally would show up if you weren’t ready to play.”
On not taking a whole lot of shots down the field offensively:
“There were some balls pushed vertically down the field. We didn’t make many plays on them. That probably is the thing that absolutely showed up and was a big difference in the game. They made some big plays and we didn’t make those, especially in the passing game. Those things, hats off to their secondary, but I don’t know if that was the plan. We like to push the ball vertically down the field, but we didn’t have much success doing that when we did.”
On the outlook for the team coming out of week one:
“I think you knew you were going to, at least on our end, that we were going to have to work through some of those things. We’re working that against a very good football team. Hat’s off to them. I’m not in a panic mode. As long as the attitude and effort of this team continues, then I have complete faith that we’ll have the ability to get where we need to go. Those are the things that are frustrating. You put that back on yourself as the head football coach. Are there some more things we needed to do to get ready. I still say, for us, it’s a long haul and it’s going to be a long season. There’s a lot of things going on. Making sure that we continue to pound away at the health, safety and well-being of our kids is our number-one priority.”
On what it was like playing the game without fans in the stands:
“As you go out, it’s certainly different, but man, I felt for me, hat’s off to our parents that showed up. Hat’s off to our amazing band and cheer team. Quite honestly, it is what it is. It is different. It’s one of those situations that I don’t think from my end had an effect on the game. We knew it was going to be different and that’s just how it’s going to be throughout the majority of the football season.”
On the inability of ISU’s wide receivers to get open and make many plays after the half:
“You hit the nail on the head. That was a huge difference in the second half of the game. Their ability to play man-to-man coverage and our inability to make plays with man-to-man coverage. We’ll go back to work on those things and what was it, what do we need to continue to pound away in our arsenal to have success. I don’t think it’s a matter of having enough good football players to do that. Those guys…that was the difference in the game in the second half from their defense versus our offense.”
On what he saw of the defensive front, especially Will McDonald:
“I thought, as I watched our football team play today, JaQuan Bailey and Will McDonald, they looked really good. Our defensive front played with great tenacity. Really, until the end of the football game, they were exactly what you expected that defensive front to play like and look like. I’m really excited about Will and JaQuan…it’s great to have him back out there. That was a huge win for us to have JaQuan Bailey back on the field. I’m excited about their ability to continue to grow.”
On why team has been underwhelming in two straight season openers:
“It’s different situations, in my opinion. There’s one that I think last year was completely different than this year in terms of what it was and what it is. After I can watch the game and really evaluate, I can thoroughly give what it was. Two drastically different teams, in my honest opinion.”
