COACH FERENTZ: Needless to say I am really pleased with the effort of our entire football team today. It was a good team win for us. Starts with the effort, focus and effort, and a week ago I wasn't so sure where we were, but the guys had a really good week. They came in Monday morning, focused and ready to roll and put a good week in on working on Indiana.
In a nutshell, two things that stand out in my mind: A combination of our older guys doing what we needed them to do; they really played good football and led our football team.
The other aspect, pleased with the young guys, between No. 3 and the youth of our guys up front, inexperience, those things were keeping me up at night a little bit, so anxious to see the film, see how they looked technically, but from the sideline looked like we held our own on both sides and gave us a chance to play good football.
I can't say enough about the big plays, Riley Moss, couple of interceptions, Belton with an interception in front of our bench, really well done, Tyler Goodson popping that run. That was outstanding. So all that was good. Last but not least, great to be back in Kinnick and to have fans. I tell you, we were all feeling it down there.
Just coming in today, night and day different from last year. It was probably the weirdest thing, like a science fiction movie going into West Lafayette and not to see people out there. To see people just out moving around and enjoying life a little bit and having them in the stadium was fantastic. So appreciative of that, and I'll open it up.
Q. Coach, what you can you say about your defense today holding Indiana to its lowest point total since 2013?
COACH FERENTZ: I don't want to say I'm surprised, but just really pleased, a lot of respect for them, their football team, all three phases. They're a big-play outfit, and they made some big plays, explosive plays between the quarterback and No. 3, those guys are really dynamic.
For us to do that, to play that way against them and our DBs really looked quick to the football and good anticipation. We're veteran back there, so I'm not going to say we expected that, but that really helps us if our veterans play like that. But a big part of it, too, is the guys up front getting pressure. It's not always about sacks, but if you can keep the quarterback uncomfortable, that factors in, too. Seemed like we were playing cohesively.
Q. They seemed to fit what you guys want to do defensively. They're a big-play outfit, not a high-percentage passing team, but still to do this effort against a team like this, what did you think of the way Phil called the game, called his defense and put them in position and Riley and everybody else being able to execute.
COACH FERENTZ: I love to complain about that flag in front of their bench right there, I think it was the first half, and then three somewhere in the third quarter, whatever it was, those two plays. Those are the things you worry about, giving up those chunk plays, and they're good at that hitting those. If you go back and look at them last year, they had a lot of luck with that.
So for us to play good defense, we're always trying to minimize, make people work, drive the ball and work it a little bit, but that doesn't work either if we're not playing good run defense and also getting a little pressure on the quarterback.
Q. What went into the game plan defensively to eliminate this offense?
COACH FERENTZ: Good team defense, and I know that sounds mundane, but it really is. That's how we play. If we can get a spark play, and picks are a spark play, obviously, but you're not banking on that, but when you get those that's super. Getting a sack is great, but it's not always about that, but playing with tempo and making the other team uneasy. I think our guys did that.
Phil and the defensive staff did a good job. They do a really good job, and the combination of all those things gives you a chance, and not giving up easy, big plays because they're demoralizing.
Q. You started like last year's home opener against Northwestern, you guys got up a couple scores early, and then the game starts to normalize a little bit, and this time you guys be continued to shut them down. Spencer was saying at halftime you talked about, we know what can happen. We saw Indiana lose to Ohio State last year. How do you feel like this team has evolved in that way from last season?
COACH FERENTZ: First of all, about Indiana, they were really impressive last season, there was no question about that. They're good in all areas; they're well coached. But the thing that stood out to me, the two games they lost they were down against Ohio State and they pulled it right back to a score, and the same thing in the bowl game, it was 20-20 after being down 20-6, I believe, so that tells you about a team's personality. Then you factor in, we haven't always been the fastest starting outfit in the third quarter. So we reminded the guys that this thing is far from over, and you factor in their big play capability. It's hard to relax. It's hard to relax on Saturdays.
In a nutshell, two things that stand out in my mind: A combination of our older guys doing what we needed them to do; they really played good football and led our football team.
The other aspect, pleased with the young guys, between No. 3 and the youth of our guys up front, inexperience, those things were keeping me up at night a little bit, so anxious to see the film, see how they looked technically, but from the sideline looked like we held our own on both sides and gave us a chance to play good football.
I can't say enough about the big plays, Riley Moss, couple of interceptions, Belton with an interception in front of our bench, really well done, Tyler Goodson popping that run. That was outstanding. So all that was good. Last but not least, great to be back in Kinnick and to have fans. I tell you, we were all feeling it down there.
Just coming in today, night and day different from last year. It was probably the weirdest thing, like a science fiction movie going into West Lafayette and not to see people out there. To see people just out moving around and enjoying life a little bit and having them in the stadium was fantastic. So appreciative of that, and I'll open it up.
Q. Coach, what you can you say about your defense today holding Indiana to its lowest point total since 2013?
COACH FERENTZ: I don't want to say I'm surprised, but just really pleased, a lot of respect for them, their football team, all three phases. They're a big-play outfit, and they made some big plays, explosive plays between the quarterback and No. 3, those guys are really dynamic.
For us to do that, to play that way against them and our DBs really looked quick to the football and good anticipation. We're veteran back there, so I'm not going to say we expected that, but that really helps us if our veterans play like that. But a big part of it, too, is the guys up front getting pressure. It's not always about sacks, but if you can keep the quarterback uncomfortable, that factors in, too. Seemed like we were playing cohesively.
Q. They seemed to fit what you guys want to do defensively. They're a big-play outfit, not a high-percentage passing team, but still to do this effort against a team like this, what did you think of the way Phil called the game, called his defense and put them in position and Riley and everybody else being able to execute.
COACH FERENTZ: I love to complain about that flag in front of their bench right there, I think it was the first half, and then three somewhere in the third quarter, whatever it was, those two plays. Those are the things you worry about, giving up those chunk plays, and they're good at that hitting those. If you go back and look at them last year, they had a lot of luck with that.
So for us to play good defense, we're always trying to minimize, make people work, drive the ball and work it a little bit, but that doesn't work either if we're not playing good run defense and also getting a little pressure on the quarterback.
Q. What went into the game plan defensively to eliminate this offense?
COACH FERENTZ: Good team defense, and I know that sounds mundane, but it really is. That's how we play. If we can get a spark play, and picks are a spark play, obviously, but you're not banking on that, but when you get those that's super. Getting a sack is great, but it's not always about that, but playing with tempo and making the other team uneasy. I think our guys did that.
Phil and the defensive staff did a good job. They do a really good job, and the combination of all those things gives you a chance, and not giving up easy, big plays because they're demoralizing.
Q. You started like last year's home opener against Northwestern, you guys got up a couple scores early, and then the game starts to normalize a little bit, and this time you guys be continued to shut them down. Spencer was saying at halftime you talked about, we know what can happen. We saw Indiana lose to Ohio State last year. How do you feel like this team has evolved in that way from last season?
COACH FERENTZ: First of all, about Indiana, they were really impressive last season, there was no question about that. They're good in all areas; they're well coached. But the thing that stood out to me, the two games they lost they were down against Ohio State and they pulled it right back to a score, and the same thing in the bowl game, it was 20-20 after being down 20-6, I believe, so that tells you about a team's personality. Then you factor in, we haven't always been the fastest starting outfit in the third quarter. So we reminded the guys that this thing is far from over, and you factor in their big play capability. It's hard to relax. It's hard to relax on Saturdays.
