PURDUE UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

November 11, 2024

Ryan Walters

Press Conference

Q. How will that position be handled this week. Is it going to be open competition?

RYAN WALTERS: Yeah, absolutely.

Q. Just talking about the schedule you guys have faced, I asked Jason this as well as Kevin, about just facing these teams week in and week out, I think Florida may be the only school with a tougher schedule, and the issues that poses and the challenges it poses, too.

RYAN WALTERS: It definitely poses challenges. As it stands right now, we will be on pace to play four of the top five teams in the country. But that's what you get when you play in this conference. You want opportunities to see where you stack and go compete against the best. Like nobody is complaining about playing good teams and elite teams. Like if the goal it to be an elite program, that's how you get there is you've got to learn the lessons and you get to see firsthand what it takes, what's required in order to be in the elite status.

Q. You've talked about how you love every guy on this roster, but this senior class, they're guys that were either here and believed in you when you were hired or guys you found in the portal who believed in you. How special of a group is that to you? What's the takeaways of this group?

RYAN WALTERS: Yeah, completely. Words can't describe the amount of admiration I have for this group. Like you said, they either chose to be here and stay or believed in what we're doing as a program to be added to this class.

I think obviously this season has not gone the way any of us would have envisioned or wanted it to, but regardless of the outcomes on Saturday, all of those guys to a man continue to show up, put in the work, prepare the right way, and then go compete and play hard on Saturdays.

Extremely grateful for that. When you're 18 to 22 and the noise can get loud in a place that's passionate like West Lafayette and the Purdue community, that hasn't affected them the way you would anticipate it would. That just speaks volumes to their character and really the foundation that they've laid in terms of the standard in which you need to prepare and the way you need to work.

Q. Obviously there's a lot of variables that go into giving up a sack. Sometimes it's blocking, sometimes it's just what the defense does, holding on to the ball too long. Is there maybe a constant you can combine with all of that, which has obviously been a drive killer at times for you, just taking an untimely sack?

RYAN WALTERS: Yeah, there's a combination of a number of things. One, you're playing against an elite defense, and you might lose a one-on-one match-up. There might be a scheme scenario where you've got to get the ball out quickly and you're hot off of a blitz. It could be a misread that leads you to hold on to the ball too long. There's a number of possibilities that would lead to -- could potentially lead to a sack.

I think all three of those aspects have showed up at times.

Q. By extension, how would you evaluate Hudson's performance on Saturday, maybe especially in some of those getting rid of the ball in a timely way?

RYAN WALTERS: Yeah, I'm sure there's a couple throws that he would like back and a couple reads he would like back, and again, you also have to look at it as that is an elite defense and that has posed a lot of people problems. The No. 4 team in the country didn't get in the end zone either against them.

I think Hudson had some good reads and found lanes to extend drives, as well. He showed some toughness there, too.

Like I said, there are plays that he would want back, and there are plays that he made to keep drives going.

Q. Obviously you're coming up to the last three games of your second year. What are maybe the most important things you've learned from these first two seasons as you're looking forward to how maybe I can make the team better in year three?

RYAN WALTERS: The most important things I've learned? Man, I mean, there's a lot. A lot I've learned. We could be sitting up here all day talking about it.

I think I've learned the importance of remaining poised and consistent to keep the locker room galvanized. I've learned about the importance of having strong leadership on both sides of the ball in terms of coaches and staffs that put together plans. I've learned the importance of getting off to a fast start, whether that's the start of the season or the start of games and how much momentum plays a factor in games and in seasons, like I said, when you're dealing with 18 to 22 year olds.

But yeah, there's a long list of things that I've learned.

Q. That concept of, for lack of a better team, coaching the coaches, has that been different than you expected it to be? Has it involved more than you thought it would involve before having done it for the first time?

RYAN WALTERS: Yeah, again, that's a scenario where I need to do better. Obviously you make a -- when you make a decision to run a side of the ball after four games into your first year, it's hard to coach the coaches because you're game planning and you're involved that way, and then again, year two, four games in, make a change at coordinator, now it's hard to see big picture. That is what I've learned, is that in order to effectively do my job for the program, I have to remove myself from the inundated Xs and Os and coach the coaches and have my influence on the entire roster and be the head coach. I'm looking forward to that going into next year.

Q. Hudson Miller is 6'2", 220, 230, does not look like a guy that would play the position he does at this level. Each week he's gotten more and more reps on Saturdays and now he looks like he's in a position where he might play a lot of reps this week. How has he elevated up the depth chart and proven that size doesn't matter, it's more heart and will and understanding to do the right things?

RYAN WALTERS: Yeah, he has been extremely consistent. He's got the heart of a lion. You can't tell him that he's little. He'll take offense to that.

But he plays the game the right way, and he's what you want your locker room to embody in terms of toughness, the no-excuse attitude, and just his willingness and drive to get the job done.

You look out there, and you can't believe he's making some of the plays he's making just because of the stature, but like I said, he's got the heart of a lion.

Q. Back to the field goals again, were the snaps and holds fine, he just missed the kicks?

RYAN WALTERS: Yeah, snaps and holds looked good to me.

Q. When will you decide who's going to kick Saturday?

RYAN WALTERS: After Thursday's practice.

Q. Quarterback-wise is there a plan this week like last week, Hudson is QB1, obviously, but if you get a chance to play Ryan, you will with this package?

RYAN WALTERS: We'll keep those decisions in house, but yeah, if I was Penn State, I would be preparing for both.

Q. What about the blocked punt? It looked like it was just an issue of the protection up front, it wasn't on the punter?

RYAN WALTERS: No, it wasn't on the punter. Just ID'd the wrong guy in protection.

Q. Just talk about Penn State specifically. Obviously a great challenge. Their defense is one of the best and they're an elite team going for the College Football Playoff. What do you see?

RYAN WALTERS: Yeah, just like you said, elite defense, and they're an elite program, elite team that is competing for a playoff berth. I've got a lot of respect for Coach Franklin and what he's been able to do in his career. His teams always show up and play clean. He comes up with good ideas. I think offensively they get really creative, getting in unique formations week to week, and they're good about getting the ball to who they want to get the ball to. Obviously the tight end is the elite of the elites. He's very versatile, tall, long, has great ball skills, can run. He's physical.

On defense, they fly around, they pose problems up front. It's one of the better defensive lines in the country. I think their linebackers are very athletic and get sideline to sideline, and their secondary plays well together, and they don't give up explosive plays.

They look like a top-5 team when you turn on the tape.

Q. Going back to seniors who have bought into you, Ben Freehill had some health issues last year and struggled during those. It seemed like he was pretty solid at the end of the year and then this year he's sitting behind a freshman. How much poise does it take to understand you've lost your job to a freshman in terms of field goal kicking and extra points? I guess he's still doing the kickoffs.

RYAN WALTERS: Yeah, those guys have a really good relationship and rapport together. I think now that Freehill has been focused on the kickoffs, he's gotten a lot more consistent in that area and done a nice job there. I'm looking forward to the competition this week.