PURDUE UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

November 13, 2023

Ryan Walters

Press Conference

Q. Seemed like third and short, fourth and short was your worst nightmare. Lost all these linemen, and last week your line plays maybe the best game of the year. You got Josh Kaltenberger back, but you've got guys playing out of their natural positions. What changed for that unit that you were able to have the success you had last Saturday?

RYAN WALTERS: I think couple things. You know, I think from a schematic standpoint our offensive coaches have done a good job of identifying what works with this roster and what is realistic to ask them to do.

Coupled with Hudson feeling healthy and being able to utilize him in the run game as well, and just our guys' willingness to go fight. That's what I was most proud of, especially up front.

Like you said, we've battled adversity through injuries, and like I said after the game, just playing musical chairs with who is at what position. Those guys' attention to detail and willingness to learn and put time and effort into multiple positions, to be able to communicate different looks based on what's called, they played really clean in the run game, and as a result we were able to get those short yardage first downs and run for 353. That's a big deal.

Q. Speaking of adversity, when a college kid hears blood clots, that's a pretty scary thing, especially if you rely on your leg for your position. Just kind of tell us about Freehill's process and patience to hopefully get back. Obviously had a lot of success for you the other day.

RYAN WALTERS: Yeah, you're right. Shoot, when we heard blood clots for the first time as a staff, in my mind -- I'm not a doctor -- but does sound like a big deal.

So had him see the specialist and gave him some time off. They also did a minor procedure and when he was healthy and felt comfortable enough to kick, he did.

Soon as it got to a point where there wasn't any swelling when he would try to have those days where he would kick consecutive, then he was ready to go. Glad he is available now. He's been doing a good job. I know he wants that one kickoff back that went out of bounds, but otherwise did a really nice job.

Q. Is your idea there to try to make the return man have to decide, do I let this roll into the end zone or...

RYAN WALTERS: No, it's not by design, believe me. We were trying to keep the ball in bounds. Nobody wants to put the ball in the air near the goal line and play more than me, I promise you.

So we'll keep working on that and try to get it fixed.

Q. What in the hell is the story behind this scary ass Chucky doll you guys come out to the field?

RYAN WALTERS: You will not be seeing the Chucky doll anymore, I promise. I didn't notice it until we were about to leave the tunnel and run on the field. By that time, I thought if I would've done what I wanted to do, it would've been a distraction.

So we have had that conversation and Chucky will be put to rest. (Laughter.)

Q. Ryan, where has this offense been all year?

RYAN WALTERS: You know, that's a loaded question, right? I think there are a multitude of reasons, not really excuses, but reasons why we haven't been able to consistently perform the way we have or the way we did on Saturday.

One is just, you know, the health of the roster on offense, right? You got a new scheme, you got new faces, coupled with injuries throughout the season and coupled with like the type of opponents we've played.

There isn't a team we've played that has a losing record, so the combination of those things throughout the course of the year and those things happening at different times, it's hard to be consistent and it's hard to improve when you don't have those consistencies throughout the week, week to week, to improve.

So I think, one, like Hudson being healthy and being able to utilize his legs, his improvisational skills, and then also having like the same guys up front communicating with each other.

Tyrone and Mock healthy together again, Garrett Miller is getting healthy as the weeks go, and then having consistency on the outside with the wideout group for multiple weeks in a row. It's all those things that kind of factor into being able to go perform and execute, right?

I always believed in the plan schematically week to week, and I just think we were able to execute that plan on Saturday. As a result, you know, sort of looked like we all believed it to look and really looked like in practice.

Q. You mentioned you haven't played -- nobody on your schedule has a losing record. What did you think the first time you realized that? I think one of our guys figured out the combine the record of your opponents is 71-39 right now.

RYAN WALTERS: I mean, everybody saw that pre-season, right? I think by various accounts we had -- like one publication would say it's the toughest schedule in the country; the other one was like Top 5.

I'll be interested to see where it is at the end of the season. We all knew we were going to be playing quality opponents week in and week out, we knew the health of our team was going to be important, and we all knew our ability as a staff to adapt and adjust to the roster and what was going on week to week was going to be important as well.

And so obviously the win/loss column is not what we wanted it to be at this point, but I do think we have improved as a roster, as a program, not only on the field, but just the culture, the way we operate, the consistency with which we practice, buy-in from the guys, just all the things that make up a program in order to have sustained success.

I think those things are getting put in place, and we're just trying to finish out the season strong so we gain some momentum and confidence going into next year.

Q. Nobody would dispute Mockobee and Tracy are two of your better playmakers. How often do you try to get both those guys on the field at the same time?

RYAN WALTERS: Yeah, I think that was just part of whatever Graham and the offensive staff thinks is conducive to what we're seeing from the defense. If you had them out there at the same time too much, then they both get tired. Like to have one of those guys fresh and going in a game.

It does add some problems for defenses if they have to worry about both of those guys out there at the same time.

Q. I know no coach likes to get ahead of themselves, but there is I guess a shot, even 5-7 maybe you guys could get to a bowl game. Has that thought crossed your mind at all?

RYAN WALTERS: A little bit. You know, right now my thoughts are all on Northwestern. It would be beneficial if we lucked into that.

Obviously got to close out the season the right way to get that opportunity. If it comes, I mean, that's added practices that are vital to the progress of your program, so would definitely help.

Q. Ryan, at some point almost every week you've been asked about how your team's mood was, energy after losses. I think it's fair to ask the same after the win. Any difference? Energy the same?

RYAN WALTERS: I mean, yeah, you win, right, you put a lot of effort and sweat equity into trying to come out victors in a field of competition, so everybody was obviously excited to see the results of what you worked hard for throughout the course of the week.

Then again, Sunday was like, okay, you put the game to bed, reset, let's go do it again. You get back, refocused, and not riding the high of success. You know, it's back to putting your head down and going to work and getting to know your opponent.

Q. Speaking of your opponent, what have you seen from Northwestern that you guys need to focus on?

RYAN WALTERS: Yeah, I've been really impressed through the year. They hit adversity more than anybody else did right from the jump with the coaching change and all the things surrounding that program.

So I was ultra impressed with the culture. You can tell those guys are rallied behind that staff, and you can tell that by the way they play. They play really, really hard. They play with discipline. They play with detail. They play with a toughness and a physicality.

So I've been impressed with just that on both sides of the ball and special teams, just the effort and physicality with which they play.

Offensively, you know, they operate primarily out of 11 and 12 personnel, but they'll mix in an extra tackle here or a tight end. They'll put two quarterbacks in there at times and give you a little bit of variety.

They play extremely well and together up front. I think the running back runs really hard. The quarterback's got a good arm and he's consistent. They got some wideouts that have some speed. The guy that transferred from Michigan in the slot can blow the top off the defense.

Then the two guys on the outside that do most of the playing are very consistent and don't drop a lot of balls and run clean routes. So I'm impressed with the scheme they have on offense.

On defense they really rely on the second level. They've had a lot of experience. Most of their production comes from that group, and I think schematically it's designed that way. They play with poise and fundamentals up front.

On the back end they got one of their safeties is really, really physical and will get downhill in a hurry, and when he gets it the ball carrier he gets there with an attitude. Been impressed him.

So we will have to play the way we played on Saturday, with that same type of effort, same type of physicality, same type of confidence. So I'm excited to go compete on the road and try to get two in a row for the first time this season.

Q. Ryan, 11:00 a.m. kickoff in Evanston. Probably not going to be a super big crowd or great super electric atmosphere. Are you worried about coming out flat? Probably not going to be a classic college football atmosphere.

RYAN WALTERS: You know, the thought has definitely crossed my mind. Definitely going to address it. Any time somebody is keeping score you got to be ready to go and chomping at the bit.

We definitely didn't come off to a fast start this past weekend, but were able to rally and get stops when we needed them.

Yeah, I've been there. I've played at their stadium and I know what type of atmosphere to expect. But any time, like I said, the ball is kicked off and time is on the clock and somebody is keeping score, we got to be ready to go.

Q. They've obviously improved throughout the course of the year. You look at them last year under Coach Pat Fitzgerald and now with David Braun. How much have they morphed from the early in the season to now?

RYAN WALTERS: Not a huge different difference. Couple different guys are playing, but I know Braun had a lot of respect for Fitzgerald. Fitz was one of the more respected coaches in his conference, and you kind of saw the locker room rally behind Fitz and campaign for Fitz when that happened, and I guarantee you just by the way they play, that locker room, that university is chomping at the bit to get that interim tag pulled off.

So I've already explained to our guys what type of psyche this locker room probably has, again, with the physicality and effort that they play with and them continue to go improve week to week. You know they've rallied behind him. They're at five wins. They need one more with two games to go to get to a bowl game. We're going to get their best effort. There is no doubt. That is because they give everybody their best effort, especially here lately.

Like I said, I'm excited for a four quarter, tough, gritty, grimy, physical, detailed game.

Q. Just personnel-wise, Daniel Johnson didn't play. What about Dylan Downing. Went off on a cart last week.

RYAN WALTERS: DJ is a week-to-week deal with some of the things he's battling from an injury standpoint.

And Dylan, I don't think was as bad as we thought it was postgame, and so hopefully he'll be ready to go with some good rehab.