Wednesday coach interview this week is with Brian Ferentz. Again, rough summary of what he has to say, not a complete transcript.
Opening Statement.
Excited for the seniors on Saturday. Excited they can do it in front of fans. Excited to see if we can take a step forward this weekend.
Q: Asked about QB and Petras with 17 starts. How do you proceed when he's healthy?
Easy the last two weeks. Now Spencer looks better and it makes it challenging. One of the struggles he had when he was coaching RB was distributing playing time. Different than OL. Ride the hot hand there. Not going to do series here and series there. Have to go with what you see now. No final decision has been made, but probably being made later today. Kind of fun being coy about who will be the quarterback since we don't do that. Confident in both guys. Can't say enough about Spencer and then what Alex has done since stepping in at Wisconsin.
Q: Transition to Alex from Spencer? Offensive game plan?
Most important part of that game plan is are we going to adjust how we game plan? The answer is we don't have to do much of an adjustment, but can use him to move around more (With Alex). Then hopefully we get him running the ball a bit more too.
Q: What has been the biggest challenge has it been with the offense and the numbers vs. the wins and moving the ball?
We have been winning, but not moving it consistently and that's certainly frustrating, but at the end of the day it' s about winning football games. We have to try and win games. Would love to be lighting up the scoreboard. Thinks there have been some growth in the offensive line in the last two weeks. Want to do things with more consistency. Feel like we are seeing that more now. Found some big plays in the second half and need to really sustain some drives. Have to eliminate some of the three and outs.
Q: What do you see from Keagan Johnson?
Just looking at the offense and to him. Just have to be better this week. Seeing his targets and production increase. Talked about him blocking in the second series last week where he really buried the cornerback. Liked to see that.
Q: Asked about the stretch play
Offensive side is execution based. Starts with the quarterback. Have to get out of the dead plays. Then it's blocking. Offensive lineman and receivers that have to block. If that breaks down then it's blown up. Talks about Keagan TD and how it was poorly blocked and yet he made a play but it wasn't because of the blocking. Brings up the first run last week that went for 15 yards. Ran it later and off by a little bit and it's only 4.5. Says everyone has a hand in the run game now and that starts with him too.
Q: Asked about Linderbaum and his development. How good is he from an Iowa perspective?
Said he wishes he could take credit for him or others, but he can't. He's in the conversation with Gallery and Scherff as far as his ability. It's not about his talent, prepare, or play, the thing that puts him in that special category is the kind of teammate he wants to be and that he comes in every day wanting to get better. When you take a person like him or like Scherff and Gallery with their natural talent it's special. All credit goes to him and everything that comes to him is deserved. His focus always is on the next game.
Q: Asked about Linderbaum's tenacity in blocking...Can you coach it?
You try, but that is a decision a player makes and that's rare. It's a competitive gene. He has tremendous respect for our wrestlers and you see that from Coach Brands. They just want to go out there and compete and dominate. You either have it or you don't and you better enjoy it and enjoy the show.
Q: Asked about Tracy and his frustration. Talked to Brian all the time. How do you deal with that and what are those conversations with him?
Really not going to talk about private conversations. Said he wants to help the football team and help them win. When it spills out to social media, he says he doesn't worry about twitter because it's not a place. Try to show him empathy because he wants to help him. He is a valued member of the team and that will continue. What happened on social media is no consequence to him.
Q: Asked about jet sweep motion and impacting the second level of the defense? What goes into that decision? Is it opponent based?
Mainly opponent based. More of an element in recent years for Iowa. Try to impact the way guys are moving and impact their eyes and what they see. Said last week Minnesota was very base in what they do. Similar to Iowa. Not going to get their eyes in the wrong spot and the way they adjust doesn't feel like it gave them good looks for Iowa. If you feel like you can gain an advantage then you do it. Last part is the guy who gets the ball a threat? We feel like we have several guys who can help us there.
Q: Asked about more play action?
Felt like out of the Wisconsin game he wasn't pleased with their identity. Wanted to get back to things we do well and that's play action. More moving pocket type stuff. Then you can also incorporate more jet and motion into it as well. B
Opening Statement.
Excited for the seniors on Saturday. Excited they can do it in front of fans. Excited to see if we can take a step forward this weekend.
Q: Asked about QB and Petras with 17 starts. How do you proceed when he's healthy?
Easy the last two weeks. Now Spencer looks better and it makes it challenging. One of the struggles he had when he was coaching RB was distributing playing time. Different than OL. Ride the hot hand there. Not going to do series here and series there. Have to go with what you see now. No final decision has been made, but probably being made later today. Kind of fun being coy about who will be the quarterback since we don't do that. Confident in both guys. Can't say enough about Spencer and then what Alex has done since stepping in at Wisconsin.
Q: Transition to Alex from Spencer? Offensive game plan?
Most important part of that game plan is are we going to adjust how we game plan? The answer is we don't have to do much of an adjustment, but can use him to move around more (With Alex). Then hopefully we get him running the ball a bit more too.
Q: What has been the biggest challenge has it been with the offense and the numbers vs. the wins and moving the ball?
We have been winning, but not moving it consistently and that's certainly frustrating, but at the end of the day it' s about winning football games. We have to try and win games. Would love to be lighting up the scoreboard. Thinks there have been some growth in the offensive line in the last two weeks. Want to do things with more consistency. Feel like we are seeing that more now. Found some big plays in the second half and need to really sustain some drives. Have to eliminate some of the three and outs.
Q: What do you see from Keagan Johnson?
Just looking at the offense and to him. Just have to be better this week. Seeing his targets and production increase. Talked about him blocking in the second series last week where he really buried the cornerback. Liked to see that.
Q: Asked about the stretch play
Offensive side is execution based. Starts with the quarterback. Have to get out of the dead plays. Then it's blocking. Offensive lineman and receivers that have to block. If that breaks down then it's blown up. Talks about Keagan TD and how it was poorly blocked and yet he made a play but it wasn't because of the blocking. Brings up the first run last week that went for 15 yards. Ran it later and off by a little bit and it's only 4.5. Says everyone has a hand in the run game now and that starts with him too.
Q: Asked about Linderbaum and his development. How good is he from an Iowa perspective?
Said he wishes he could take credit for him or others, but he can't. He's in the conversation with Gallery and Scherff as far as his ability. It's not about his talent, prepare, or play, the thing that puts him in that special category is the kind of teammate he wants to be and that he comes in every day wanting to get better. When you take a person like him or like Scherff and Gallery with their natural talent it's special. All credit goes to him and everything that comes to him is deserved. His focus always is on the next game.
Q: Asked about Linderbaum's tenacity in blocking...Can you coach it?
You try, but that is a decision a player makes and that's rare. It's a competitive gene. He has tremendous respect for our wrestlers and you see that from Coach Brands. They just want to go out there and compete and dominate. You either have it or you don't and you better enjoy it and enjoy the show.
Q: Asked about Tracy and his frustration. Talked to Brian all the time. How do you deal with that and what are those conversations with him?
Really not going to talk about private conversations. Said he wants to help the football team and help them win. When it spills out to social media, he says he doesn't worry about twitter because it's not a place. Try to show him empathy because he wants to help him. He is a valued member of the team and that will continue. What happened on social media is no consequence to him.
Q: Asked about jet sweep motion and impacting the second level of the defense? What goes into that decision? Is it opponent based?
Mainly opponent based. More of an element in recent years for Iowa. Try to impact the way guys are moving and impact their eyes and what they see. Said last week Minnesota was very base in what they do. Similar to Iowa. Not going to get their eyes in the wrong spot and the way they adjust doesn't feel like it gave them good looks for Iowa. If you feel like you can gain an advantage then you do it. Last part is the guy who gets the ball a threat? We feel like we have several guys who can help us there.
Q: Asked about more play action?
Felt like out of the Wisconsin game he wasn't pleased with their identity. Wanted to get back to things we do well and that's play action. More moving pocket type stuff. Then you can also incorporate more jet and motion into it as well. B
