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INDIANA UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 21, 2015

Kevin Wilson

Bloomington, Indiana

COACH WILSON: Back through Western Kentucky here. Solid win for sure. I thought, again, I was pleased with our guys, our resolve of the team, leadership, perseverance, our thought process, again, like what's next, one play, next play, move on, keep playing. Guys are embracing that in preparation, whether it be from day-to-day-to-day of the process and week-to-week-to-week and it's carrying over into our play and the way we are playing.

We are solid in all three phases which we needed to be if you're going to be a consistent team and a good team, you've got to contribute in all parts. In the kicking game, we only had one punt but was a sky punt that was executed down to about the ten or 11-yard line by Toth, was our only punt of the day.

Punt return, had a 91-yard touchdown return. Our kickoff return was solid, nothing glaring, but solid. Our kickoffs were great. We eliminated a 44-yard return guy. We had one kick out of bounds we didn't like, but we took their returner out with some great kicks by Griffin.

PAT, field goal team was 100 percent and we had a block by Nick Mangieri. Special teams contributed ten points in a one-possession game, and Mitchell Paige and Nick Mangieri were our special teams Players of the Week which we needed.

Defense. We gave up some yards, 484 passing, 35 points, some big plays. But there's a lot to me again to continue to build on and not trying to find silver linings. We were 5-of-11 on third downs. We were 4-of-6, had two stops in the score zone in a one-possession game. And they had 84 yards rushing on 26 attempts. So that was good to see and a little bit better run defense even though they had a lot of passed yards, it's easier when it's one dimensional.

After the two first quarter punts, I think the comment was, we didn't stop their offense. I look at a fourth down stand. They had a two-play touchdown drive to the big screen, and they had a three-play drive where they really were just trying to draw us off-sides and go to half-time. We jumped on-side and we busted a play. And then we had an interception, an interception and a blocked field goal.

So it was 4-of-6 possessions with stops. And so they didn't have to punt. Stopped them on fourth down. You got a pick, you got a pick, you block a field goal. Those are stops. That's what one football game. It's a lot to build on and they had the one TD drive.

So really in the last 30 minutes of football we gave up one drive to a pretty good offense. I thought that was great responses by the coaches and defense.

Player of the game defensively, and is really the only player I gave a winning grade to, Jonathan Crawford. I think he was announced as Big Ten Player of the Week. That's nice. Like a lot of our young players, every time a young player seems to do something well, they don't show up for a while. And we're talking about being a good team. You heard Ricky Jones say, if we are good, we need to do it again. And we need Jonathan to keep showing up. Need him to keep showing up. Very young talent. Good player.

Our scout players did a great job against some old guys. We need some young freshman start to show up on this list, but Alex RodrÃguez and Sean Damaska, some guys who traveled, play on special teams, but they are kind of down the line a smidge where we use them a lot in our scout looks and it's nice to have the old guys. We need some young freshmen to grow for us there and help us.

Offensively we have 630-plus yards, 34 first downs, 20-of-27 passing, 284 rushing, great mix, good balance, not trying to be 50/50 but trying to execute in both phases is awesome. Thought we were much better in third downs, which was good to see.

Did have some score result concerns. I thought going into the game, prior to the game was we needed touchdowns. We had the mind-set of not that we think our defense is going to play poorly. But if you listen to old school Tiger Woods, he expects the guy to make the putt before he putts, so he thinks he's got to make it, instead of reacting to it.

Our thought was we have to score because we expect other teams to score. Be a lot of 13-9 college football games, especially games we are participating in, we think they are going to be, not shootouts. We just think you have to score points.

We had a turnover on the 27-yard line, a fourth down on the 22, fourth down on the 13, and then we end the game on the one-yard line so there's potential 28 more points, which gets you up to that 60 number which would be outstanding.

Winning performances by Devine Redding, Jordan Howard, Rick Jones, Wes Martin, second time for Wes, young freshman, good to see. Michael Cooper and Danny Friend. Danny is playing well and Mike is, too. Nate played well but his turning over in the scoring zone haunted him from having a winning grade.

Player of the game, Michael Cooper who is really playing strong for us, not just catching but blocking, tight end group is playing well and he and Danny, but Michael especially, and Jordan Howard.

Scouts, second time we have recognized Tony Thomas, again, an older veteran and Ryan Watercutter. That wraps up that game. Good win. Good test. Lot of respect for our opponent last week, and like I say just proud of our kids, played hard, prepared well, and good to get that victory.

Next is Wake. Wake Forest comes in at 2-1. Coming off a road victory at Army. They have been on the road two times. We'll be back for their homecoming game, so I'm sure they will have a great crowd at Groh Stadium. Coach Clawson, Dave's done a great job, from Richmond, took a stint at Tennessee and what he built at Bowling Green, took Richmond high -- big into the playoffs at the FCS level. Had a tremendous program at Bowling Green.

You see a lot of similarities between his Bowling Green development and what's happening right now in Winston-Salem, and not just him, his staff. His defensive coordinator has been with him a long time, playing great D and offensively know what they are doing. Recruited well. Playing-lot of young players, very much improved from a year ago.

This will be our first of five road games. Playing on the road each year is always different and how your team embraces that challenge. And they make it bigger than it is; can they create their own energy and synergy to play.

They are outstanding defensively. They are ninth in the country in total D, 39th in rush D, and that's pretty good when you just played Army that runs the ball every play in a wishbone attack. So those numbers are skewed. If they had played a normal football team, they would probably be sitting about 12th or 14th in rush D.

Seventh in pass D. 23rd in score -- they are fifth in fewest big plays allowed and they are seventh in third down defense giving up 19 percent. They played really good defense, which is the same thing Coach Echo and his staff did as they came out of Bowling Green.

Quarterback-wise, Wolford, a kid that we recruited. Know him well. Saw him at Jacksonville when he came out of high school. He is completing 70 percent of his balls and is right now 237 yards a game, and he got hurt last game and had very poor stats. Hurt an ankle. So he was really throwing for about 280, 290 a game, so 70 percent clip.

He's got the ankle injury and who knows the extent. He did walk off the field. He did play after he hurt it. I know he's a competitor because having recruited him and know what he's about and his high school pedigree. Played as a true freshman a year ago.

They did have another true freshman they went to, a kid by the name of Hinton, is an athletic kid who is completing 60 percent of his passes, and he was their leading rusher last week, is more of a run threat quarterback. So you have got to prepare for a little bit of both which is always difficult in your preparation time.

It will be very, very challenging. Got very good young backs. Tight ends transferred from South Carolina, an upper level player, can do a lot of things for them, young at receiver. Still guys that are young like our guys are. Their O-line is making a lot of strides, too.

In the kick game, if you look at last week, they had a long kickoff return, about 60 yards that was negated with a good block in the back with a good returner. Didn't do a great job with their punt team -- punt looks, kicked a 47-yard game winning field goal, last play of the game with a big time hold because the ball skipped three yards short, and to get the hold and make the game win was a huge job for their guys.

For us, though, good challenge on the road, very good opponent. BCS team. We are looking again for us, we have got to continue to get better. We need another good week. We've got to learn how to play on the road. We have to keep eliminating the big plays and we have to keep finding ways to get more points offensively. We have got a lot of improvement to do. We have already addressed that with the team last night. We are healthy coming out of the last game and we need another good week.

Questions?

Q. The tight ends, their play has picked up each week in terms of receptions. In the passing game, is there a point where you -- where would you like to see them in terms of the overall input they have from a catching standpoint?
COACH WILSON: Well, we don't have like numbers where we, like we are trying. I think we feel the more people we can get involved, the more difficult it is to defend. And so whether it be throwing the ball to tailbacks, throwing the ball to your slot receivers or throwing outside to the tight ends. We are not sitting there like slashing how many catches each guy gets.

But we are playing those guys that are on the field more. There's more two tight end groups on the field. So sometimes just statistically they are out there more. One of those passes the other day that was caught, a lot of times that's the slot receiver but because the personnel grouping was in, ended up being a tight end. Sometimes because that group has improved mathematically, statistically they are on the field more. Because you're running the ball you have got some play-actions. Sometimes there are nice check downs. We had a great third down conversion that was checked back to the tailback. It's third and 15 and you check it down and you run to try to get it.

We trust them. Danny Friend is catching. The most athletic guy is Jordan and he's back playing more and we'll keep -- we're throwing, I think probably Cooper and Friend have the most catches. I haven't seen the numbers. I bet that's right. Is that right? And they are probably the least -- they are No. 3 and 4 on the athletic chain of tight ends. If you say who is the best pass catcher, you would say Fuchs one, Corsaro two. Yet the leading pass catchers are three and four.

Like I told coach -- I want both offense and defensive coaches last week during the game, they said, "Who is at" -- and I go, call the play: It was a big Randy Walker deal. You can't call plays thinking about who is in the game. If you put him on the field, he's got to do the play, so call the play. You know how to attack the offense or attack the defense. Don't worry about who the corner is. Don't worry about who is rushing. Call the play. We are running the offense and those guys are on the field and getting in the mix and it's good to see.

Q. How difficult is it kind of game planning for an uncertain quarterback situation?
COACH WILSON: Well, the schemes won't change blocking. It will be the emphasis of a more athletic quarterback. The Wolford kid runs a little bit. He's just a little bit more of a pass guy where they are going to do more of a traditional run game with pass. With Hinton it's more a run game with quarterback run. Now he does complete 60 percent of his balls, so you can't just put everything up there. And it's not an option attack.

It's still a running game where it would be like in our world, you go from a different player but from a Sudfeld at quarterback to a Zander Diamont at quarterback; you have a guy that you're going to probably do a bit more running because he's more athletic.

Q. Does Jordan remind you of anybody you've had at running back in years past?
COACH WILSON: Only seen three games. He's got a good line. He's experienced. He's not a rookie. He's a little bit bigger than most guys we've had. He's a little bit like Steven Houston in that for a big guy he's got better feet than you think. Like Steven, for a big guy, nice, quick feet and wasn't just a lumbering guy.

So you make some nice, subtle cuts where that three-yard play gets you five because he can field some creases and all that. And you know, there are some guys that -- got me thinking here. Haven't thought about it. He reminds me of Jordan. I'd like to see more of him. Only got three weeks. Have another good one this week.

I think the way he's playing, he's helping Devine play better and they are feeding off each other. Helping the young backs. It's a good deal.

Q. He was saying he's frustrated he has not pumped that long run. Is there anything that you can coach with technique?
COACH WILSON: Sometimes that's receivers back side blocking. There's some times where it's there and if you just had a little bit more back side effort.

So sometimes you can say it's him and say he didn't have breakaway speed. A lot of times, it's just a back side receiver, a back side tight end, a guy on the second level doing his job. So quarterback carrying out a fake that holds the safety two more steps, all of it just kind of adds up. So sometimes it's teammates. Not that we are doing bad but sometimes the team gets him in the end zone as much as him.

Q. Your defense has been opportunistic lately. The seven turnovers, how critical is that to your 3-0 start, what they have been able to do?
COACH WILSON: We wouldn't be 3-0 if we wouldn't have them. There's several factors in games but turnover ratio is a good part of it. The team we played last week was plus four, plus five coming in. So they were very -- so to do that against a team that were taking care of the football very, very well, they had only had one turnover in their first two games.

So I think that showed some signs that we are recruiting better athletes that are longer. We've still got to find some ways to get pressure on the quarterback at a better level. And I think again we are getting some really good -- I think the way Coach Shelby, we are giving up some plays and youthfulness and just the ability to process and have some growing pains. I think Coach Shelby and Coach Joseph are doing a good job working together and I think that group is learning to play and they are growing. There's some athletes but it's a long way off. It's good to see but we have a lot to tighten up.

Q. Three straight ballgames to start the season, your second half has been more of a dominant presence offensively and defensively. Is there a common thread, adjustments? What can you say about the turn of events from first to second half?
COACH WILSON: A little bit of maturity as a team. We've got some old guys that there is not a bunch of ranting and raving in the locker room. Coaches go in for about six or seven minutes, talk about what they have seen. I think at coaches sometimes we eliminate a lot of stuff and get a beat, okay, here is what you're saying.

Years ago I had a coach say what two runs do you want; first down; well, tell me where the safeties and linebackers are and I'll tell you which two I like. Tell me where them guys I can't block. Who are them dudes and where are they at and tell me what formation, if you can predict where they are at for me, I'll tell you which ones I like. Because you have to get in the game and get a feel and get a flow for it.

Sometimes your base O and base D. Sometimes it's eliminating some clutter by the coaches and getting a rhythm of what's going on. I think we are a well-conditioned team and I think we are physically a strong team. I think we really buy in and just keep playing. That's all we talk about, like hey, next play, next drive, keep playing. It's not like anything like we have not emphasized.

But I think it's been -- we think it's really good because now we think our fans are staying to watch the second half because they think we are playing better. We have a much better second half crowd and we appreciate that and we want that in the remaining four games. I would encourage our fans to come back in after half-time and watch a good game. I think that's why they are doing it. Nothing earth shattering. They just keep playing and I appreciate it. It's good tough.

Q. Indiana has always been so good up-tempo and you're able to play at a slower rate and eat up the clock Saturday. Does that make you -- it's all been part of your offense, seems like the ground control -- was kind of more of a factor Saturday?
COACH WILSON: We have worked on that, and we actually did it in the first game where we huddled up one time and then we jumped off-sides early and I think we spooked ourselves out of it. And we are so accustomed to being up there, but we have practiced it. We do a lot of our defensive time where they are going to see huddle teams and there's a way we try to do it to not be cute, and you are trying to take some time off the clock.

We did this last year with a coach that we got a lot of respect for and his comment in the NFL was, it was a defensive-oriented coach. I said, "Do you think the no-huddle hurts your defense?"

He says, "No, not really." He said, "But what really hurts the defense is the teams that can play at different gears. If you're just a huddle team, if you're just a no-huddle team, when you can do both, that's harder to prepare for."

So we took that thought and we tried to practice it. Now, I don't know if we -- in my world, sometimes as coaches, I think you get ruts and comfort level and we haven't done it as much where I don't know how comfortable I am, because sometimes just like to get-up-and-go. But it has a place and it was really good. That was almost a six-minute drive and that was good, solid football.

At the same time, too, I mean, we have the ball in the one-foot line and we are running boot. And we got the ball in a two-minute drive and we are running boot. Nobody talks about those plays because they work. Well, if they don't work, it's a dumb call, right. No, we thought it would work. We took some fourth down calls. We felt like, hey, we need seven. Field goals are not going to win this game. And they didn't work, say, that's a bad call. It was a bad result.

We get a goal line stand the first play on the inch line and we are running the boot. But you've got a veteran quarterback and you figure they are all going to be up there, it's a four-minute drill, they got the ball, they have got time-outs. Great play by Anthony Corsaro, ball security, staying in bounds. That was a huge play. So there was a lot of good football there. To me, it's a sign of a mature team and that was good.

Q. Do you have to practice that -- kind of makes sense, I heard Coach Johnson one time, the team is so used to playing fast at times, to slow you down, guys almost get sluggish because they are not used to doing it, it does sound like something that you really have to --
COACH WILSON: You get lethargic. The linemen, get up there and get in their stance is too long. So we found instead of standing at the line and standing around and doing nothing, it's better to stay in the huddle and then run up like we are just running a play and then we get like in our rhythm. It's almost like you are just stalling, taking 20,22, 24 seconds off the clock, okay, call it now. Nate's got a feel for when to call it and get out of the huddle. And sometimes you've got to play your check -- it can be harder than you want it to be. But I think sometimes if you do go to the line, you get a little stale. And that's difficult.

Q. Having to win three close games so far, and take possession -- does that translate at all to playing in a road environment where you have to create your own energy?
COACH WILSON: Well, we are mature enough. Got a lot of young freshmen on the road. In time, you realize it just goes back to the field and the preparation and the dimensions of the field and the goal post and the old Hoosier line. It's the same setup. It's the same plays and you prepare for the opponent.

So hopefully you can get back to that point. I think the only thing that I'm really discussing with our coaches that we still have some young players that want to play, and because some of these games have been as close, we haven't played as many players as you'd like to play, and we have to keep developing some of the youthful players.

We had Donovan at receiver, we are not moving him but we think we can help us now. We thought we needed him. He's still going to be a quarterback as we move forward. It's not a position change but he's a very, very gifted athlete and we missed the summer with him.

And Brandon Knight has played a little bit. We wanted him to play more and Jacob Robinson, a little bit, we want those guys to play more. So to me these games have gotten close enough and I'd like to see our coaches -- but when it's a tight game, sometimes you go with a guy you trust. Now that can wear you out as the season goes along.

The issue is those close games have gotten us used to those situations. The poor thing is, maybe we haven't quite evolved with some of the youth guys I think we'll need, and we're going to keep trying to push guys to get them on special teams, get them on the field a little bit more if we can.

Q. Tegray in the first game back --
COACH WILSON: I think okay. I think there's a lot of rust. They didn't get winning grades. Like I say, any time you miss -- even though you've got talent, sometimes game one, players make a lot of improvement from one to two. They were by no means poor. Had a couple glitches and feel they will get back in rhythm, and just good to get them back there I guess.

Q. What about an injury standpoint, you come out the other day okay?
COACH WILSON: Yeah, we are good. I think Kiante Walton, got nicked up in the last game so we are really good there.

Q. You've won three close. Mitchell Paige was talking about: My first year playing, but I see a team out there right now that expects to win. Is that something you've seen grow with this team?
COACH WILSON: I don't know that as much as I think we've got a team that expects to play hard. We talk more about preparing and playing hard and we'll look up and see what the scoreboard is because we have to play smart, take care of the ball and execute and do better this scoring zone and play better in D.

Some of the guys, it's really good to see -- for example, offensively, Ricky Jones is a guy that a lot of guys get frustrated and give up transfer relief. Now in his fourth year, look where he is.

Jordan Howard, dropped -- said he couldn't play anymore. Now look where he is. Nate Sudfeld, splitting time; I want to split time; I want to be here. All those guys, Jake Reed, fifth-year guy; and Michael Cooper, Arizona (indiscernible) keep playing -- now we've got Mitchell Paige, I'm a walk on and trust me, those winters and summers when you're walking on to year two and year three and not playing a lot it gets tough.

And really good teams have guys that buy in and stay the course, and I think that because the kids have bought in and stayed the course, that's why we are staying the course during the game because we don't have guys that have bailed out. They have saddled in, locked their jaws, Coach Mal (ph) would say back in the day, and they are kind of right there and they are playing that way.

And that's a credit to them because those are choices that they made a year, year and a half ago that they are benefitting from where we have had other guys just bail out, check out, go through the motions, give in, quit, whatever, transfer. Those guys and good football teams have guys that just keep developing. Jacob Bailey, Shawn Heffern. Zack Shaw was the first four-star recruit in his school by your deal, right? The first one? This is his first year truly starting in his fifth year, first one. I don't know where you guys rated him but you guys had him as a four and everybody made a big deal about him. Took time and perseverance, which is one of the things which I appreciate, the perseverance of our team. That's the quality of a good team and a good player, and that's a not common quality with a lot of kid.

We are getting to where as they have persevered through the program, now they are persevering through games. It's not real pretty, we are not real good, and we have a lot of stuff to improve on. But they have a great attitude and they care a lot. You heard Nate say, Dan Feeney cares a lot at a high level. We have a lot of that and that's what's helping us and we'll need that on the road and we'll need that as we wrap up the non-conference slate here.

Q. Comments about Wake Forest, do you have those in the back of your mind going into this week?
COACH WILSON: Well, first of all those are made at an alumni event. Contrary to other people's alumni events in the right way -- where I can't believe media people that report what happens in an alumni event.

Here is the deal. Like I'm not going back home because my home is here. Like I had a guy, one time, had a chance to take a job at my alma mater and somebody said, you going back home.

I said no, my home is here with Coach Walker. These are my guys. This is my time. This is our team here.

My first job was at Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Winston-Salem State. Spent a lot of time at Wake Forest with Whitey Jordan, a great line coach, on Bill Duley's staff teams, Al Groh's teams. Went to Boy State at Wake Forest. Was recruited at Wake Forest. When you grow up as a southern Baptist, there's a thing called a royal ambassador, and about the second or third game, you load up on the First Baptist Church bus, and you go over to that game as a fifth grader and a sixth grader and you sit in the stands and watch them play.

Been to Groh Stadium a lot. Got a lot of respect for the school, got a boatload of respect for Coach Clawson. When you grow up on Tobacco Road, it's like growing up in this state. You like somebody or not, you know what I mean. Ain't nothing personal. It's a great school, great place. I know they have tremendous players.

But for me to talk about alumni, I'm going to tell alumni -- we're going to go win the game. It's going to be a good challenge and tremendous deal.

And that was nothing slighting Wake Forest University or their football team. It's going to be a very, very good challenge, and like I say, I'm excited just to work with our team this week. And not really excited to see my friends. They are always welcome to come up here. So I'm not going back to see my buddies. Matter of fact, my dad is here with me right now. He's up here with us.

It's about us up here and us getting toward play. It's not a slight that was intended but when you let media people at an alumni event, geez, I never understood that but that's what we do. I love our media and I love our alumni. What else?

But trust me, coaching at Winston-Salem State, I learned more football in one year at Winston-Salem State than anyplace I've ever been. First year recruiting in an environment, teaching classes, taping ankles, coaching ball at 26, 27 years old, that was good stuff. That was big time.

And a chance to get back that region will be fun, but I'm really just excited to see if our team wants to keep working and see how much better we can go and now go on the road and play a really good team. All right. Thanks, men, ladies.

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