PURDUE UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 23, 2024

Ryan Walters

Press Conference

Q. The last two weeks?

RYAN WALTERS: Not winning the game. It's been -- I think it's been different reasons why we have faltered in those two weeks. As a competitor, you're playing to win. So when you don't, it's frustrating.

I feel like, as coaches, we have to do a better job of putting our guys in successful positions. Then as players, when opportunities are there to make plays, we've got to make them, and we've got to play complementary football.

Q. Just as far as the outside noise, how do you block that out and kind of keep that tunnel vision?

RYAN WALTERS: Well, during the season I don't really open Twitter or read articles unless it's for recruiting purposes. I try to encourage our guys to do the same. Obviously I've got a couple friends that think it's funny to send me tweets to rib me a little bit.

So you know what's being said. You know what's going on. I'm not naive to it. That's part of being in this profession, being in a competition arena, like you have a fan base that is as passionate as ours is, you're going to hear frustration and rightfully so.

It's not unexpected. When we turn this thing around and win some games, you'll start hearing the other side of that noise, and that can be just as toxic as well. To me, when you're in the throes of a season, you don't pay attention to the noise, you pay attention to the guys that are in the building.

Q. Last year the defense averaged better than one turnover per game, and this year you have zero through three games.

RYAN WALTERS: I'm well aware.

Q. How do you provide more opportunities where you can get -- we saw what it did for Oregon State the other night, get those momentum changing plays for your defense?

RYAN WALTERS: First we have to put teams -- obviously it is easier to generate turnovers when teams are throwing the football. You get sack fumbles, you get tipped balls, you get quarterback pressures, and obviously you get the ball in the air. Once the ball is in the air, it's kind of up for grabs.

We haven't forced people to throw it. The first game we were ahead. They were trying to get out of the game, and they just kept running it. Obviously the last two weeks we've been behind, so it's hard to generate turnovers when offenses are able to play conservative football.

So I think it's twofold, us being aware of where the ball is when we're going in to make tackles, and as a football team, trying to get a lead, I think, would generate more opportunities when offenses are forced to be more aggressive.

Q. How reliant is your defense right now on your offense staying on the field -- I mean, your defense is playing a lot of plays the last two weeks.

RYAN WALTERS: Yeah, like I said, we've got to play complementary football. We've got to look at when we're using tempo offensively, how do we generate easier third down conversions. There's a lot of things that we are evaluating right now.

Q. It seems like some things improved against Oregon State, some things didn't. What are some of the areas that you can build on?

RYAN WALTERS: One, I think -- and I told this to the team, like they play the game the right way, and I think that's why I'm frustrated. We ran the ball really well obviously. On defense I thought we played well for the better part of 3, 3 1/2 quarters.

We had inopportune mistakes offensively early that defensively we were able to sort of put the fire out, so to speak, and play complementary football that way. We didn't just take advantage of the opportunities when we had them as a team, but I do think we played -- we challenged them to be tough and physical and to play with enthusiasm, and I thought they did that for the entirety of the game.

Obviously I was infuriated after the game, doing a lot of self-reflections, and then you get on the plane and you get the laptop and you start watching the tape, and it's like, okay, there are things that look familiar here. There are signs of what I've envisioned us to be. There are plays and strings of plays throughout the course of the game that looked familiar, like what we've seen in camp and in spring ball.

So that part gave you hope and encouragement so it does feel like we're close. But we're in a position right now as a program where we can't overcome these self-inflicted catastrophes, you know what I mean? Like when you stop a team on the fourth down conversion to start the game in their territory, you've got to come away with points. You have to.

When you have a turnover and we're starting to get things going -- or when you start to get things going on offense and it's a two-score game, like on defense, you've got to get a stop. You have to, you know what I mean? The last two weeks, we just haven't played crisp that way.

Just keep putting our head down and keep continuing to work. Got to see improvement this week.

Q. Now that you've kind of had these back-to-back tough games, is there things that you think are -- that haven't resonated yet that will that you're kind of telling your guys, or is there stuff that maybe you're going to all out change? What's the mindset there?

RYAN WALTERS: You build on the things that you had success with. I'm talking on the defensive side of the ball. And you correct areas where you got exposed, and you look at why you got exposed there. Was it a schematic issue or technique issue? Are we asking somebody to do something that isn't realistic? I think we've addressed those areas of concern. I'm excited to see what that looks like on Saturday.

On offense we've got to do things that our guys are comfortable with and give our guys that need touches, to give them touches. And we've got to do things that allow our quarterback to play well. Huddy is a talented individual, and that talent has got to show up on game day.

Q. Maybe just a followup on that last point, I guess what are you seeing as you evaluated the passing game from these last two weeks that is insufficient that is maybe preventing Hudson from being able to do what he needs to do?

RYAN WALTERS: I think we'll keep those issues in house so we're not tipping our hand to our opponent, but there are definitely things that we've talked about, have addressed, and looking forward to seeing what that looks like on Tuesday's practice.

Q. Have you been talking to him specifically maybe just in the role as the head coach, and what is your message? Obviously starting off with a record setting performance and then these two setbacks. Do you feel like you maybe need to go to him as far as from a confidence standpoint, from a support standpoint?

RYAN WALTERS: Yeah, I've had one-on-one conversations with him. Like you said, I'm the head coach, and that's our quarterback. So absolutely, we've about conversations.

Q. Go back to something you said -- and Kevin said it too -- that concept of evaluating the scheme, and maybe there were guys who you were asking too much of those players. Can you explain that further, how you get three games into a season and into a second season and are having that issue?

RYAN WALTERS: Well, we've got new guys out there as well, right? We played three completely different types of opponents. So I think those three games are good evaluators for us because what might look great against Indiana State didn't look great against Notre Dame. Was it not great because it was Notre Dame? Or now we've had another opportunity against an Oregon State team.

Q. Ryan, I know last year -- and you being from Colorado, you talked about growing up with that hatred of Nebraska, but right now it's really about your team and it didn't matter who you're playing.

RYAN WALTERS: Absolutely.

Q. That said, right now you've gone through a nonconference portion of your schedule. How maximized is it now that it's Big Ten football from here on out?

RYAN WALTERS: Like I said, I'm excited. We were extremely positive and confident after the first week. The sky was falling after the second competition, and then you're disappointed but hopeful after the third.

So now we've got some cataloged information. We've been able to identify areas we need to improve. We're going to start getting guys back healthy and throw it into the depth chart, and this team will continue to improve throughout the season.

That's one of the things we've been harping on is we want to be peaking at the end of the year. So I fully anticipate us to do so.

Q. Just what you've seen about Nebraska? Obviously they've shown improvement. They lost a tough game this past weekend, but the quarterback is dynamic. They seem to be much improved from last year.

RYAN WALTERS: Yeah, they are. I've got a lot of respect for Coach Rhule and what he's been able to accomplish in his career. Obviously Nebraska is a place with a long storied tradition and a lot of passionate support. The quarterback, like you talked about, he's a starting quarterback at Nebraska as a true freshman for a reason. He's everything you want, big and confident. I think the confident piece sort of sticks out the most. He's not afraid to throw the ball in tight windows. He trusts his guys to go make plays. He can throw it from every different type of platform and get it there pretty accurately.

Up front they're big and physical. They've got talented running backs. They've got a few wideouts that can really go and make plays down the field and catch contested balls. They get creative with their personnel.

The quarterback we faced last year, he'll be on the field at the same time as the starter, and they get creative that way. So we'll have to have answers there. So they are improved. I think the roster has improved, and I think they're doing a good job of putting their guys in positions to have success.

Q. Just wanted to follow up on what you said about getting guys back on the roster. There wasn't necessarily any additions that jumped out from what we were given. Is there anything you can share about who you're expecting back?

RYAN WALTERS: We've got, like I said, I would expect Nyland Green to be back. Winston Berglund looked good today. We'll see how he does in practice. I think Salim is another guy that will be back. Who else was out there today? Yeah, I think those guys will practice this week.

Q. Especially as it relates to Nyland, some of the things you guys have been talking about defensively, how much does he help on that edge? And also, I guess, from an attitudinal standpoint in some ways?

RYAN WALTERS: A ton. He helps out a ton.