Transcribed by Bill Seals
Opening comments:
“From my end, there’s not a whole lot left to really talk about from last Saturday. I said after the game our football team continues to improve. By no means are we a finished product and there’s a lot of work we need to continue to do to get better. The one thing I really like about this team is it’s gotten better every week. I appreciate that about this group.
“It’s a huge challenge for us this coming Saturday, obviously a really talented football team and team on both sides of the ball that’s playing at a really high rate as well as on special teams. It will be a big test for our football team.”
On how he prepares to face opposing defenses that now have film on Brock Purdy:
“We will just continue to grow offensively, as we continue to find an identity to who we are and we want to become. We’ve played five games and played four different offenses in a lot of ways, just because we’re continuing to try to give our football team the best chance to be successful.
“With Brock and getting his first extended action, there’s a lot to clean up and work on. We’ll have to continue to do that and get better. He knows that and is a competitor, a guy that wants to continue to get better as well.”
On what he saw of Purdy that led him to think he’d have success early on:
“A lot of it is just who he is. He’s a young pup that’s played one true college football game. He’ll continue to grow and there will be good days and days he’ll have to grind through it like any football player. Who he is and what he’s about has allowed him to have success at a young age. The biggest thing for him is staying level-headed and continue to grow, but he’s done that since he got here. He’s only gotten better every day at a young age and I think he’ll continue to get better.”
On how much time the team was able to practice the new wrinkles that were added Saturday:
“Offensively, we’ve been here three years and we have a vast playbook. We can do a lot of things. Our biggest thing is to always get ourselves to the point where we’re giving our football team a chance to have success on Saturday. With Brock’s opportunity to get in the football game, it certainly opened some playbook pages we were able to get to. Now, perfecting that in practice and in games are two different stories. The more you rep it game-like situations, the more you continue to grow. By no stretch of the imagination are we a finished product, in terms of some of those plays. It’s great to see our other 10 players be able to adapt offensively and do such a great job.”
On the breakout plays by Tarique Milton and Deshaunte Jones:
“What they were doing defensively as much as anything allowed the middle of the field to open up. Those guys were able to take advantage of it, and Brock was able to get them the football in situations. It’s a little bit more of what was going on in the game and what they were playing defensively.”
On when they started seeing glimpses of Milton’s ability:
“We’ve seen it now…coming out of spring practice we were really impressed by what he did and was able to do. We talked about him in fall camp. He’s a guy that continues to flash. One of the pieces that he flashes with is his speed and it’s a component that maybe we haven’t had that elite speed here yet. He really showcased that on Saturday.”
On the scouting phase of Brock Purdy and how the staff knew they were getting someone special:
“Our recruiting process of Brock is really one of the most enjoyable recruiting processes that I’ve had. It’s similar to knowing Kyle Kempt at a very young age and the quality of person you’re getting in terms of maturity, what was expected of you at your high school football program, knowing your background and having real meaningful conversations at 17 or 18 years old. That’s hard to find these days. You could tell there was a great sense of maturity. Then, you got around the people that have made huge impacts on his life. His high school football coach. His parents. You watch him around his brother and mother and you realize he has a lot of those “it” factors. He’s got it together. You see what he’s done academically in the classroom and what type of student he was. You go around the school and hear people talk about him. Those are all collective data and you can at least start to paint the picture of the character of student-athlete you’re getting in your football program. We knew he was hitting on all those cylinders when he decided to come here. It’s a huge positive for us.”
On the importance of the defense forcing teams into 3rd-and-long situations:
“I think winning first down in a conference like this is really big. Both on offense and defense, because you really try to put yourself at the advantage when it comes down to that critical situation when it’s third and fourth down. Getting to those points on both sides, we were able to do a good job of. Finishing those points is the difference in beating teams like the one we played last week and a team like West Virginia. Those are our focuses as much as anything.”
On the steps needed to put Braxton Lewis on scholarship:
“You’ve got to have a scholarship, that’s the biggest thing. Once we’re able to get to that point, Braxton is the first guy on the list who deserves that opportunity. As soon as he got the opportunity, he’s played as consistent and good as anybody on our football team through five games. He defines what our football program is about. When you get your opportunities, you continue to take advantage of those. Year one when we got here…special teams. Year two…special teams and playing a little bit at safety. Then this year he’s had the opportunity to start.”
Opening comments:
“From my end, there’s not a whole lot left to really talk about from last Saturday. I said after the game our football team continues to improve. By no means are we a finished product and there’s a lot of work we need to continue to do to get better. The one thing I really like about this team is it’s gotten better every week. I appreciate that about this group.
“It’s a huge challenge for us this coming Saturday, obviously a really talented football team and team on both sides of the ball that’s playing at a really high rate as well as on special teams. It will be a big test for our football team.”
On how he prepares to face opposing defenses that now have film on Brock Purdy:
“We will just continue to grow offensively, as we continue to find an identity to who we are and we want to become. We’ve played five games and played four different offenses in a lot of ways, just because we’re continuing to try to give our football team the best chance to be successful.
“With Brock and getting his first extended action, there’s a lot to clean up and work on. We’ll have to continue to do that and get better. He knows that and is a competitor, a guy that wants to continue to get better as well.”
On what he saw of Purdy that led him to think he’d have success early on:
“A lot of it is just who he is. He’s a young pup that’s played one true college football game. He’ll continue to grow and there will be good days and days he’ll have to grind through it like any football player. Who he is and what he’s about has allowed him to have success at a young age. The biggest thing for him is staying level-headed and continue to grow, but he’s done that since he got here. He’s only gotten better every day at a young age and I think he’ll continue to get better.”
On how much time the team was able to practice the new wrinkles that were added Saturday:
“Offensively, we’ve been here three years and we have a vast playbook. We can do a lot of things. Our biggest thing is to always get ourselves to the point where we’re giving our football team a chance to have success on Saturday. With Brock’s opportunity to get in the football game, it certainly opened some playbook pages we were able to get to. Now, perfecting that in practice and in games are two different stories. The more you rep it game-like situations, the more you continue to grow. By no stretch of the imagination are we a finished product, in terms of some of those plays. It’s great to see our other 10 players be able to adapt offensively and do such a great job.”
On the breakout plays by Tarique Milton and Deshaunte Jones:
“What they were doing defensively as much as anything allowed the middle of the field to open up. Those guys were able to take advantage of it, and Brock was able to get them the football in situations. It’s a little bit more of what was going on in the game and what they were playing defensively.”
On when they started seeing glimpses of Milton’s ability:
“We’ve seen it now…coming out of spring practice we were really impressed by what he did and was able to do. We talked about him in fall camp. He’s a guy that continues to flash. One of the pieces that he flashes with is his speed and it’s a component that maybe we haven’t had that elite speed here yet. He really showcased that on Saturday.”
On the scouting phase of Brock Purdy and how the staff knew they were getting someone special:
“Our recruiting process of Brock is really one of the most enjoyable recruiting processes that I’ve had. It’s similar to knowing Kyle Kempt at a very young age and the quality of person you’re getting in terms of maturity, what was expected of you at your high school football program, knowing your background and having real meaningful conversations at 17 or 18 years old. That’s hard to find these days. You could tell there was a great sense of maturity. Then, you got around the people that have made huge impacts on his life. His high school football coach. His parents. You watch him around his brother and mother and you realize he has a lot of those “it” factors. He’s got it together. You see what he’s done academically in the classroom and what type of student he was. You go around the school and hear people talk about him. Those are all collective data and you can at least start to paint the picture of the character of student-athlete you’re getting in your football program. We knew he was hitting on all those cylinders when he decided to come here. It’s a huge positive for us.”
On the importance of the defense forcing teams into 3rd-and-long situations:
“I think winning first down in a conference like this is really big. Both on offense and defense, because you really try to put yourself at the advantage when it comes down to that critical situation when it’s third and fourth down. Getting to those points on both sides, we were able to do a good job of. Finishing those points is the difference in beating teams like the one we played last week and a team like West Virginia. Those are our focuses as much as anything.”
On the steps needed to put Braxton Lewis on scholarship:
“You’ve got to have a scholarship, that’s the biggest thing. Once we’re able to get to that point, Braxton is the first guy on the list who deserves that opportunity. As soon as he got the opportunity, he’s played as consistent and good as anybody on our football team through five games. He defines what our football program is about. When you get your opportunities, you continue to take advantage of those. Year one when we got here…special teams. Year two…special teams and playing a little bit at safety. Then this year he’s had the opportunity to start.”
