Everything Kirk Ferentz said about the Iowa Hawkeyes win at Purdue
In the face of the most national despair his program has faced in some time, Kirk Ferentz and Iowa have delivered a cool, calm, collected response just like he promised his team would two weeks ago following the loss to then-No. 2 Ohio State.
After back-to-back wins by three scores, all of a sudden Iowa is back in the mix in the Big Ten West race and there’s a newfound optimism surrounding the Hawks. Here was everything Kirk Ferentz had to say following his Hawkeyes’ 24-3 win over Purdue.
Opening statement
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“Good afternoon. Certainly that was a fun day for us. Really happy for our players. It was an important win for our team certainly and just really happy for our staff, our entire group of players. I think the guys did a great job getting ready and, you know, just happy with the outcome needless to say. I said last week that was the best we played and then today I think certainly we took another step forward, so happy about that. And our goal remains just to get a little bit better each and every week.
“Coming into the game, I thought the guys really focused. Any time we go on the road, it’s a little bit different than being at home certainly, so I thought they had great focus. I thought they played tough and competed, really played with great energy for the entire 60 minutes. Happy that we were able to control the game in basically all three phases. Happy about that certainly.
“Offensively, got off to a little bit of a bumpy start initially, but the guys came through. Had good run-pass balance, which is best for us obviously. I thought Spencer did a really good job distributing the ball around and good to see some runs after catch, too. That always helps. Some good passes. Both tight ends, certainly Nico and then to make yardage after catching the ball. That’s a real good thing certainly, so happy about that.
“Defensively, you know, just can’t say enough. It was just a really good game for our guys defensively against a really explosive, dangerous offensive football team. Thought our guys were wired in pretty good. Come up with a couple turnovers, you know, that was big. Gave up I think one big play and then to hold anybody to a field goal, that’s a good day’s work.
“On special teams, you think about the conditions. You worry about every phase and really start with one of the best things, we did nothing to really hurt ourselves and as a starting point, I thought we did some good things on top there, too, so good to see. Overall, good team win for us. Very positive step and really for us right now it’s a 19-day season. Three to go. Our focus stays the same. Want our guys to enjoy this one, look at it on tape tomorrow and then we’ll go back to work and see if we can’t keep improving. But, just happy with the growth and really obviously happy with the outcome of the game.”
If they had a strategy for the wind entering the game
Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK
“Just in general terms, you’ve got to be knowledgeable of the wind, you’ve got to be cognizant of it, you can’t be preoccupied with it. Thought our guys were smart that way. We knew when they had it. Played well on defense when they had the wind at their backs. And then offensively, I would not have predicted all of our points would’ve come into it, but I’m really happy they did. Again, I think that some of that’s mental toughness. Our guys just didn’t let it bother them.”
What the offensive change has been the past two weeks leading to back-to-back positive offensive performances
Joseph Cress / USA TODAY NETWORK
“I think we’ve all talked about it. It starts up front. We just the last two weeks now—you’ve got to see the tape to really know how we did—but at least there was, I don’t want to say we controlled the line of scrimmage, but I think we did some good things up there. The exciting thing for me is I know we can get better because we’re so young up there. Got a couple guys that have played, but every guy up there is capable of getting better. You can just kind of feel—and I’m sure you feel the same thing—when there’s a little bit of, you know, the quarterbacks feel it, the backs feel it and the receivers feel it and it was a result of that, just having guys being able to hold the line a little bit.”
If it was the plan to use Kaleb Johnson as much as they did
Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK
“We had a couple guys pretty limited in practice last week and they made it for the game, but we were a little bit depleted during the course of the week and Kaleb was not fortunately. So, you know, just happy for him and I’ve said it all along, he’s a great young guy. He’s got a great personality, great to work with, great attitude. He still doesn’t, like he’s still figuring it out as a back, but he did pretty good today for not knowing what he’s doing sometimes. A lot of really positive things there that are really exciting.”
How Kaleb Johnson's skill set fits what they want to do offensively
Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK
“I mean, we’ll make things work for whoever’s back there if they’re a good back. He just seems to really have a good feel. Hits the hole hard and then finishes some runs off today. It was great to see him finish that one today. I can’t remember the last time we had one like that, so it was really good to see.”
If Kaleb Johnson reminds him of any other Iowa running backs historically
Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK
“Not off the top of my head. I mean, he’s a little different. He’s a little taller and bigger, but he’s doing a really good job.”
What they tell a quarterback about dealing with the wind and how Spencer Petras excelled
Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
“I think both the quarterback and DB’s obviously have to be really cognizant, because you’re throwing the ball into it, it could get hung up. And so part of that’s play-calling, too. With just being smart about what you’re trying to do when you’re going into a stiff wind. Spencer’s got a pretty strong arm, so that helps minimize some of the impact that it has, but you still just have to understand that the wind is the wind and you’ve got to be smart about that. Just like a DB does when they’ve got it to their back. Just make a mental calculation, and you’ve got to be knowledgeable all game long, but you can’t be preoccupied with it or say, ‘Geez, we’re going into the wind. We can’t move the ball.’”
How impressive the defensive performance was against Purdue
Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK
“I was really impressed with the way our defense played, and I’m not, I sure as hell will not stand here and say I saw that one coming because these guys move the ball really well. I think a big key of it to me was the run never got out of control. We were able to (slow it), because they do run the football. I know they’ve got a passing reputation. They run it and have run it successfully, and, when they can do that, boy, it just makes it really that much harder to defend them. So, we never let that get out of hand. And then I thought—I keep using that word team, but it’s really how we play—you know, all three areas going together.
“Same thing on defense. Good mix of, you know, we had good coverage. I think one of our first pressures or sacks, good coverage. The guys up front kept digging, they were able to get there. And then later on, you’ve got guys busting free and that takes pressure off the coverage, but just good complementary football. It’s really a team effort. We’ve got good leadership, good veterans and those guys have got a really hungry attitude. They practice well and then they carry it over to the game field. You hope it’s going to happen that way, but there’s no guarantees.”
Why Iowa's story has flipped wildly throughout this season
Joseph Cress / USA TODAY NETWORK
“I think we’re maturing a little bit. We were pretty good on defense early and did some really good things on special teams early and our problems are well documented. More than well rehashed probably, but our only choice was to keep working as I’ve been saying each and every Saturday and every Tuesday. And that’s really all I know in sports or life. You go back to the drawing board and make sure you’ve got the right people working and then hopefully give them a good plan and then we work.
“There’s no way to predict these last two weeks would have come out the way they did, but they did. I think it’s the result of our guys staying focused and working on the right things and believing in each other, too. That’s a big component. As we said two weeks ago, I think I got asked in this conference about, ‘You think anybody on the defense would say something bad about the offense?’ These guys believe in each other, they care about each other, so, yeah. That’s the fun part about being part of a team.”
His thoughts on Charlie Jones' performance
Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK
“He played a good game. He’s a good player. Same as they were yesterday. He’s a good player.”
Why the offensive line has started to click
Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK
“Yeah, I wish I could tell you it was an easy answer—and we’re not out of the woods, let’s just go on record saying that— but, yeah, you just keep, we keep looking at things, talking about things and we’re doing it all week long. Not just on Saturdays or Sundays. So, you try this, you try that. Again, we’re not there yet, but at least I think we’ve settled things a little bit. Jack’s stepped up. Seems like he’s been doing a really good job and just we’ve got six, seven guys right now that are all contributing, doing a good job.
“Hopefully, we can get to seven or eight as we move forward, but it’s a day at a time. A lot of it happens during the week. The guys practicing and paying attention to film and taking pride in what they do. You know, taking ownership and trying to move it forward. You can only move it so fast, but it’s a real credit to our players. It’s the kind of guys we get to work with every single day.”
How much the past two weeks' performances say about Iowa's camaraderie
Joseph Cress / USA TODAY NETWORK
“Yeah, that’s what you’re trying to build with a team. So, you’ve got an idea, coaches all have ideas of what it will all look like, what you want it to look like, but the players make it go. And so, we’ve got enough quality guys in our program, enough older guys that they’re helping the younger guys understand. Because the older guys have been through hard times. You know, Jack Campbell’s been through some hard times in football, been through some hard times in life, too, so that helps those younger guys.
“And then a guy like Kaleb doesn’t know what the hell’s going on anyway quite frankly. I know he was disappointed we lost, but you’ve got those two different groups. That’s where the player leadership is so important just to let the younger guys know that, hey, we’ll get through this. We’ll live through it. One foot in front of the other and keep pushing. That’s the best part about sports. That’s what’s going to really serve them well when they’re adults. Right now, they’re just playing a kid’s game.”
On injured Iowa players' availabilities moving forward
Joseph Cress / USA TODAY NETWORK
“The guys that were here I think are going to be okay, and hopefully Brody can go next week. We’ll see. I thought he had a chance this week. Just couldn’t make it, so we left him at home.”
Sam LaPorta finally getting his first touchdown
Noe Padilla/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK
“Yeah, so I just mentioned Campbell and I’ll say the same thing about Sam. This guy, all he’s done for four years is play football and he’s got a great attitude every day. He’s just so positive and competes as hard as anybody on the field out there. He’s been that way since he showed up, so we just don’t have as many guys like that offensively. But, yeah, what a football player. Happy to see him get into the end zone. That was great.”
LaPorta tracking down Marv Cooks' records
Lou Capozzola-USA TODAY NETWORK
“I mean, yeah, Marv’s I think pretty sure he’s an All-American, right? I mean, so that’s pretty good. And Marv’s a great story in himself and then an All-Pro with the Patriots, so that’s pretty good company to be keeping. That’s for sure, so I’m happy for Sam and happy for Marv obviously.”
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