PURDUE UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

October 9, 2023

Ryan Walters

Press Conference

Q. What kind of stuck out to you after watching the game back?

RYAN WALTERS: Jeez, been a lot that stuck out. One, knew going into it that Iowa is a good team. They don't make a whole lot of mistakes. So when you make mistakes, they exploit and capitalize on those, and they definitely did.

You know, I did think that our guys fought all the way through. Obviously as unclean as we played, to have the ball with two minutes left and a chance to go down and win the game, you know, it just speaks to the fight that we had as a team.

Just didn't execute at a level high enough to go win that game. Played well enough to have chance to win it, but didn't play well enough to win the game.

Q. Looking at Ohio State, how do you prepare for one of the toughest games on your schedule?

RYAN WALTERS: Just like you do every week. You know, the beauty of the way that we prepare, you know, you prep and go to work in film study and everything the same every week whether you're playing for the Super Bowl or against West Lafayette, you know what I mean?

So that way you're not cutting corners and making it more than what it is. You're just diving into the details of your assignment, the scheme, the technique, and ultimately trying to put yourself in position to make plays and go win a game.

Q. Have you or any maybe players emphasized the last time Purdue upset Ohio State and keeping that in the back of your head?

RYAN WALTERS: We'll have a team meeting tomorrow, and I've got some creative ways to give the history of this game and what it meant the last time they were here, and so they'll definitely be aware.

Q. You've had some bad luck with injuries, which is part of football. Can you give us an update on Marquis, Tyrone, some of the other guys? Obviously Marcus looks like it's a bad thing, so...

RYAN WALTERS: Yeah, you're right. The injury bug hit us the second day of fall camp when Jahmal Edrine went down with a knee. You know, looks like Max will not be back. Marquis will not be back. Marcus, you know, won't be back this season.

Just kind of like you said, comes with the territory. It's a risk that we all signed up for when we decide to play this beautiful game.

We have a locker room full of guys that are obviously compassionate for the guys that are not playing anymore, but also they're eager for the opportunity for themselves to go play football.

And so it's always been the next-man-up mentality. We'll adjust as a staff in the areas we need to, but still very confident and excited to go compete.

Q. You didn't touch on Tyrone there. You expect him back this week?

RYAN WALTERS: I would be shocked if he played this week.

Q. And then I know people are going to talk about Ohio State and this big juggernaut program. I think you feel like this is more of an opportunity to flip things around against a top opponent than a challenge, right?

RYAN WALTERS: Yeah, I mean, obviously Ohio State is a national brand for a reason, right? Got a lot of respect for Ryan Day and what he's done in his career.

You go play to win the game. That's the purpose of competition. So you're absolutely right, we're excited to go play, to go compete, and it's been fun already prepping and game planning against guys that you respect in this profession and against players that you've got respect for that play the game.

Q. Last thing: Deion Burks I've seen on Twitter is trying to pull an NIL deal with one of his favorite restaurant establishments. Clearly this is a guy that takes nutrition seriously. What he's done to his body has probably led to what he's doing on the field on Saturdays, right?

RYAN WALTERS: Yeah, 100%. What I love about football, much like it is in life, what you pour into it you usually get out. He has poured into his body. He's poured into his film study, the way he practices. He's reaping the benefits of that time spent and that dedication to his craft.

I'm looking forward to him continuing to grow and continuing to learn how to affect the game at his position.

Q. Ohio State's offense is well capable, but struggled to run the ball a little bit. Have you seen anything different? You've obviously looked at them over the years and what Ryan Day tries to do -- and with a different quarterback obviously. They do anything differently?

RYAN WALTERS: Well, it's funny, this the first time I've played against him, so I haven't really had crossovers games where we studied what they've done traditionally in the past.

I know they got new faces from a year ago. But that's the thing about Ohio State. They just reup from a roster standpoint. They have got talented offensive line. They have got talented receivers. I feel like every year they're signing three, four, five star guys.

Their running backs, they have three of them that they kind of rotate in. They don't miss a beat. Whoever is out there, you know, they're there for a reason and they're talented as all get out.

I mean, I think as a staff, they do a good job of making it not overly complicated for those guys so they can play fast and use their God-given ability to go make plays and find creative ways to get guys in space and get guys touches.

So it'll be a good challenge, and I'm looking forward to it.

Q. Ryan, have you seen any chinks in Ohio State's armor at all?

RYAN WALTERS: I mean, they're undefeated right now. They had the tight one against Notre Dame. To their credit, Notre Dame had every chance to win that game at the end. Ohio State just kept fighting, kept fighting.

You know, weren't playing the type of game they're accustomed to playing, but just that speaks to their confidence and their will to win. Chinks in the armor?

No, not really. You got to execute, make plays, and you have to -- you can't pay attention to the logo, right? Like you can't get the brand or the history affect how aggressive you play. So that's what our guys got understand, is it doesn't -- as long as we make it about us and how we execute, how we play the game, you know, how aggressive our mentality, mindset is, then you go play, you go compete, and you let the game play out and try to go win it.

You can't walk into it and give them an edge from a mental standpoint because they got a Buckeye on the back of their helmet, you know what I mean?

So that's why I love competition. That's why I love football in particular. It's 11 on 11. The ball is snapped and the whistle is blown, and everything that happens in between that is completely up to your control.

Q. Another freshman of the year honor for Dillon Thieneman. Talk about his year so far and maybe how he compares to some of the defensive backs you worked with in the past?

RYAN WALTERS: Yeah, what's unique about Dillon, man, I was teasing O'Brien the other day. It's like he was created in a lab somewhere. You try to find things in his game, things in his personality, things in his life where you're like, oh, he needs to pick it up in this area.

We get the grade report and his lowest grade right now is a 99. So it's like, he takes care of his body the right way, he practices -- like every rep in practice he's finishing on the ball carrier with his inside foot up and hitting the same shoulder and wrapping up.

So you look at the game, Iowa has the No. 2 running back. He's talented as all get out, right, and made his return to play against us. There is a play where we missed some to the flat from a schematic standpoint, and they get him the ball and he turning up field and Dillon, like he does in practice, finishes same foot, same shoulder, and like he catches the guy on the sideline, lifts him up, and puts him down.

I'm like, dude, that's a big running back that's fast. This is a true freshman that's playing confident that way, but he's confident because of the way he prepares. He's always in O'Brien's office watching quarterback operation time, seeing who the deep threats are, getting formation tendencies.

At practices he's calling it out. He's practicing full speed. You go in the weight room and like Dillon could be in there by himself with a workout plan and you know he's going to attack every rep with everything he's got with no supervision because that's who he is, the way he lives his life.

And so have I coached anybody him before? No, I haven't. Not at 18. Not as talented as he is. Not with the work ethic and the hunger that he has.

If I was a betting man I would say he's got a long time to play football.

Q. Another true freshman started in the secondary last week, Derrick Rogers. How do you think he held up? And speak the challenge he has this week with Ohio State receivers.

RYAN WALTERS: Yeah, really I've loved his progression. My relationship with Duda, everybody called him Duda, that's his nickname, started when he was going into his junior year at Jones High School in Orlando. I coached Kirby Joseph who was also a product of Jones. He ended up being a third-round pick and is starting for the Lions now.

Duda, much like Kirby in practice, loved playing football. He was a wide out at Jones, and you knew when it was one-on-ones because Duda was yapping at the competition, and if he caught the ball you were going to know about it.

But just loved playing the game. And so when I saw that he was still available in the recruiting process, you know, he qualified late and people didn't know if he was going to qualify, so I'm like, man, if we get him in the building and get some structure around him, I think this kid can really thrive.

And so sure enough, he gets here, he's 151 -- and that's soaking one 151. Already he's gained 20 points. What I love about him is he loves ball. He's naive enough to where like the stage is not too bright. He doesn't know any better.

He knows there is a pig skin and the object is to keep it from getting in the end zone on defense and get it across the line on offense.

So I think the only play that he was pretty upset about was the dropped interception he had in end zone, but he has been covering his tail off. He has really embraced playing corner. This is his first time he's ever played corner, and I think he'll have a long career here, and God-willing he stays healthy and continues to thrive.

Q. I know you played a very good defense Saturday. Was Purdue's fewest yards gained this year. What can you do to get the offense back on track, do you think?

RYAN WALTERS: Yeah, you know, if you looked at -- you know, to me it was early down, negative yardage plays. You know, first and ten sacks. You know, first and ten TFLs. When we're good on first down and then playing with pace on second down, get us in third and manageable to move the chains and do that over again, that's when we're at our best offensively.

So we have had six games now of cataloged information that we as a staff have looked at, and like I've said to the staff at the start of the season, in my opinion, our staff's ability to adapt and adjust to our roster and to who our opponent is throughout the course of the season will be in direct correlation with our successes or failures.

So had poignant conversations on Sunday as a staff on just about the direction we need to head in order to close out these last six games the right way. We are completely capable of doing so, and I've got every confidence and belief we're going to get it done.

Q. Ben Freehill, looks like I don't know if he's still out. Maybe OC will be back.

RYAN WALTERS: Yeah, Ben Freehill is out and I'll wait on the injury report this afternoon to see if OC will be available.

Q. Just on couple things on Hudson Card. The interception, looked like at least on television that he might have dinged his shoulder a little bit. Again, it's game seven so guys are dinged up. How is he doing? Maybe as a follow up, just getting rid of the ball, and what are you working on from that standpoint? Seems easy when watching he's got to get rid of it, but there are some other factors come into play. How has that continued to progress?

RYAN WALTERS: Yeah, Hudson got dinged up against Illinois actually. He practiced on Thursday and his -- the nature of his injury was one that he wasn't in harm's way of further damaging the injury, but it was going to be painful.

I think that speaks to his competitive spirit and his physical toughness. So every time he was out there and got hit, didn't feel good, I promise you. So for him to go through the whole game and compete the way he did, I was proud of that fact.

Obviously there are plays that he would love to have back. He was very down after the game. I think it's just it is a growing process, right? I think he'll continue to mature and grow, and one of the areas that we talked about is, yeah, like not taking sacks on early downs or in the red area, right, so get you out of field goal range.

I think as a staff we can help him out in that area, and give him better answers and put him in scenarios where the ball is designed to get out quick.

So like that's one of the things that we've looked at that we need to adapt and adjust to give our quarterback the best chance to be successful on Saturdays.