COACH FERENTZ: Certainly we're very pleased for our football team. It was another very positive step forward for our team and to finish September 4-0. We're really pleased about that. So I think the guys have worked hard, certainly week-in and week-out. They showed up today ready to play. And, again, we are really pleased about finishing this game or this month in a strong fashion, and we'll turn our sights toward Big Ten play as we get going tomorrow.
One thing we tried to share with our football team is the value of every step along the way and how important each step is. Every game you play presents its own set of unique challenges, so thought the guys did a good job of this week of preparing. I thought our practices overall went pretty well. They showed up today with good tempo on the game field. We had some plays that weren't so clean, but overall the effort and the attitude of our players really helped us move forward.
We are to happy to get the victory. Plenty of things we'll work on and look at tomorrow and work on as we move forward.
Q. How about C.J.'s performance in the first half, 15-15.
COACH FERENTZ: I didn't know it was that clean until a few minutes ago. Can't do any better than that, certainly. He had good help along the way. The receivers did a great job. I thought Tevaun made a beautiful catch on that one sideline. So some really good plays. Good to see that, good to see other guys getting involved, George Kittle did a really nice job, and got Jake Duzey back out there. So good to get other guys involved.
Q. Where you concerned about the team focus?
COACH FERENTZ: It is. Anytime you get that opportunity. I don't mind telling you I was a little nervous going into the game. You're nervous about every opportunity, certainly. But looked at the paper this morning, and basically a lot of the write-ups were the game was in the bag. References to our '09 season, and those kinds of things can get people to lose their focus a little bit. Along that line I was playing younger players too.
But if you get that chance, it's something we love to do anytime we can, but it requires our team showing up, playing hard and taking care of business and giving those guys that opportunity. So it was really good to get some guys in the game.
Q. How about the play of Jordan Canzeri?
COACH FERENTZ: Jordan's really been playing well. You talked about Jordan and Tevaun, I mentioned him a minute ago, both guys being seniors, I think our whole senior class is doing a nice job. They're playing their best football and leading our football team, which is a good start.
When I think about Jordan, the first thing I go back to is last week and his blitz pick-up. Those guys were coming hard from Pittsburgh. He did a lot of good things touching the ball last week, but I think his pass protection enabled us to really -- it was a key part of our victory. So the point I'm making there is he's really playing a well-rounded game, which is great to see.
Q. Your offense looks like they feel they can score on every drive. Is that just your quarterback or all the way across?
COACH FERENTZ: I think C.J.'s certainly a part of that. But right now the attitude of the football team has been good. Our work ethic has been good. I get to see every practice, you don't. The practice hasn't always been so good, or at least the production part of it, but it's not because of a lack of trying.
But as I mentioned just a minute ago, the way the seniors are doing a good job, and we have a lot of guys trying to make contributions and good efforts. That's where it all starts. So if you get the guys that have played some stepping up, you get guys like George Kittle who played a little bit last year, but prior to his injury, I thought he was really doing a good job, August on through. A lot of guys that are emerging along the way too, and obviously. CJ is one of those guys.
Q. What do you know about this team that you might not have known or weren't sure of a month ago?
COACH FERENTZ: Well, you're never sure how you're going to run the whole race. When we looked at our schedule, that's how we broke it out. The first seven-week block, we had four weeks in September, and obviously shift over to conference play.
So today, for me, it was a really positive thing to see. Not that we were perfect today, but we showed up ready to go. I thought we had a good week of practice. So they've been focused on the right things. So week-in and week-out, that's where it all starts.
The other part right now we saw a real opportunity to improve. I think we have improved in four weeks time. No question about that. But ultimately we can keep going here as we push forward.
Q. What were your conversations like with Coach McCarney after the game and what was that like to go up against them?
COACH FERENTZ: They're probably more fun before the game just because we got to talk about a lot of good times. We had a lot of great memories and lot of great times together on the staff as did the entire staff.
So that part is fun. I can't believe Dan's been out of the state nine years. That's amazing to me as well. But after the game, that's always hard, win or lose. It's just hard to have good visits after the game, but it's great to see Dan again. Really happy for him.
Q. Along those lines, Coach, what did you say to McNulty?
COACH FERENTZ: Normally I just get off the field, but I got to know Andrew a little bit for his time at City High. He was a teammate of our youngest son. Just I think he's doing a great job. He really competed hard today. He's been doing that ever since he took over last year. He's a really good football player, a class young man.
Q. How is Boone Myers health?
COACH FERENTZ: Yeah, I think the guys that are out of the game are going to be fine. You know, we've had some nagging injuries with a lot of players. Boone's one of those guys. So, the big thing we want to do is make sure we weren't going backwards and Cole Croston jumped in and did a great job. We've had confidence in him all along.
Q. Miles Taylor too?
COACH FERENTZ: Yeah, just a lot of soft tissue stuff that popped up late in the week actually. So we worked several guys up before the game today and Miles, just we were worried about it, so we hauled him out. Though he did sneak in for two plays, which I don't mind telling you it worried me a little bit.
One thing we tried to share with our football team is the value of every step along the way and how important each step is. Every game you play presents its own set of unique challenges, so thought the guys did a good job of this week of preparing. I thought our practices overall went pretty well. They showed up today with good tempo on the game field. We had some plays that weren't so clean, but overall the effort and the attitude of our players really helped us move forward.
We are to happy to get the victory. Plenty of things we'll work on and look at tomorrow and work on as we move forward.
Q. How about C.J.'s performance in the first half, 15-15.
COACH FERENTZ: I didn't know it was that clean until a few minutes ago. Can't do any better than that, certainly. He had good help along the way. The receivers did a great job. I thought Tevaun made a beautiful catch on that one sideline. So some really good plays. Good to see that, good to see other guys getting involved, George Kittle did a really nice job, and got Jake Duzey back out there. So good to get other guys involved.
Q. Where you concerned about the team focus?
COACH FERENTZ: It is. Anytime you get that opportunity. I don't mind telling you I was a little nervous going into the game. You're nervous about every opportunity, certainly. But looked at the paper this morning, and basically a lot of the write-ups were the game was in the bag. References to our '09 season, and those kinds of things can get people to lose their focus a little bit. Along that line I was playing younger players too.
But if you get that chance, it's something we love to do anytime we can, but it requires our team showing up, playing hard and taking care of business and giving those guys that opportunity. So it was really good to get some guys in the game.
Q. How about the play of Jordan Canzeri?
COACH FERENTZ: Jordan's really been playing well. You talked about Jordan and Tevaun, I mentioned him a minute ago, both guys being seniors, I think our whole senior class is doing a nice job. They're playing their best football and leading our football team, which is a good start.
When I think about Jordan, the first thing I go back to is last week and his blitz pick-up. Those guys were coming hard from Pittsburgh. He did a lot of good things touching the ball last week, but I think his pass protection enabled us to really -- it was a key part of our victory. So the point I'm making there is he's really playing a well-rounded game, which is great to see.
Q. Your offense looks like they feel they can score on every drive. Is that just your quarterback or all the way across?
COACH FERENTZ: I think C.J.'s certainly a part of that. But right now the attitude of the football team has been good. Our work ethic has been good. I get to see every practice, you don't. The practice hasn't always been so good, or at least the production part of it, but it's not because of a lack of trying.
But as I mentioned just a minute ago, the way the seniors are doing a good job, and we have a lot of guys trying to make contributions and good efforts. That's where it all starts. So if you get the guys that have played some stepping up, you get guys like George Kittle who played a little bit last year, but prior to his injury, I thought he was really doing a good job, August on through. A lot of guys that are emerging along the way too, and obviously. CJ is one of those guys.
Q. What do you know about this team that you might not have known or weren't sure of a month ago?
COACH FERENTZ: Well, you're never sure how you're going to run the whole race. When we looked at our schedule, that's how we broke it out. The first seven-week block, we had four weeks in September, and obviously shift over to conference play.
So today, for me, it was a really positive thing to see. Not that we were perfect today, but we showed up ready to go. I thought we had a good week of practice. So they've been focused on the right things. So week-in and week-out, that's where it all starts.
The other part right now we saw a real opportunity to improve. I think we have improved in four weeks time. No question about that. But ultimately we can keep going here as we push forward.
Q. What were your conversations like with Coach McCarney after the game and what was that like to go up against them?
COACH FERENTZ: They're probably more fun before the game just because we got to talk about a lot of good times. We had a lot of great memories and lot of great times together on the staff as did the entire staff.
So that part is fun. I can't believe Dan's been out of the state nine years. That's amazing to me as well. But after the game, that's always hard, win or lose. It's just hard to have good visits after the game, but it's great to see Dan again. Really happy for him.
Q. Along those lines, Coach, what did you say to McNulty?
COACH FERENTZ: Normally I just get off the field, but I got to know Andrew a little bit for his time at City High. He was a teammate of our youngest son. Just I think he's doing a great job. He really competed hard today. He's been doing that ever since he took over last year. He's a really good football player, a class young man.
Q. How is Boone Myers health?
COACH FERENTZ: Yeah, I think the guys that are out of the game are going to be fine. You know, we've had some nagging injuries with a lot of players. Boone's one of those guys. So, the big thing we want to do is make sure we weren't going backwards and Cole Croston jumped in and did a great job. We've had confidence in him all along.
Q. Miles Taylor too?
COACH FERENTZ: Yeah, just a lot of soft tissue stuff that popped up late in the week actually. So we worked several guys up before the game today and Miles, just we were worried about it, so we hauled him out. Though he did sneak in for two plays, which I don't mind telling you it worried me a little bit.
