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00:00 Well, proud of our football team.
00:04 We knew Boston College was gonna give us a challenge.
00:06 They wake up our players when they almost, a few floors, stayed at home last week.
00:10 So because of that, I thought we practiced well.
00:13 We knew the sense of urgency they needed to take to come out and win.
00:15 To be quite honest, it starts at card marks.
00:20 We had a great showing.
00:21 Our players feel that.
00:22 They love it.
00:23 I think we can get them more ready to play.
00:25 We came out and we're firing on a lot of cylinders, scoring points, and
00:29 being productive, defense started pretty hot early on.
00:32 And of course, some things cooled down after that.
00:33 But really proud of the start we had.
00:35 And a lot of guys made some big plays.
00:38 A few other guys stepped up and made more plays than they had in the past.
00:41 And we're gonna have to continue to do that.
00:43 Just certain guys continue to merge, continue to work hard.
00:47 You never know when your time's gonna come about.
00:49 On defense, while there's some good things, there's plenty of things to shore up.
00:53 So it gives us an opportunity to, as coaches,
00:57 see what we can do to help them perform more efficient all the time.
01:01 And then as players, maybe we gotta play harder.
01:03 Maybe we gotta do this or that.
01:04 There's just things we gotta shore up as we move forward
01:08 to some really tough football games coming up.
01:09 >> Question.
01:12 >> Jeff, all the touchdown passes for Jack is one thing.
01:14 But he had a streak there where he had 15 receptions in a row.
01:17 That was fourth most in school history.
01:19 What made him look so poised in the pocket today to play,
01:21 probably as comfortable as he's played here so far?
01:23 >> Well, I think so.
01:24 I thought it was a great day for Jack.
01:26 He had a really good week of practice.
01:29 I say all the time, this guy works at it, puts in the time, he's committed.
01:33 He wants to do well sometimes, and he wants to do so well, I think he presses.
01:37 So we kinda worked on relaxing and trusting what you do in practice every day.
01:43 Throwing conviction, standing on balance, and trusting the protection.
01:46 You know what?
01:47 In my opinion, not only did he play great, but he made throws up the field.
01:50 These weren't easy little screens and things like that.
01:52 These were throws up the field, vertical shots, hitting them all in the money.
01:56 Our receivers ran good, precise routes, had good protection.
01:58 But I thought Jack wasn't sharp as he's ever been.
02:02 >> Jeff, with the victory formation run,
02:05 kinda misdirection play before the half.
02:09 How many of those kind of situational plays do you like to keep in your
02:14 back pocket for, to pull out like that?
02:18 >> Well, that's one we have put in.
02:21 My first year at Purdue, it helped us win the bowl game and
02:24 score right foot in the half, got a field goal with one by three.
02:26 We ran it one time before.
02:30 We practice it once a week.
02:33 And you know what?
02:34 We have a selection of trick plays.
02:36 Our guys love practicing them.
02:37 Sometimes we ask for their input.
02:39 We wanna make it fun.
02:41 I'm not gonna lie, my family's been on me,
02:43 cuz I haven't run many trick plays in games.
02:46 So that's kinda the perfect opportunity.
02:48 Believe it or not, there's a strategy to that play.
02:52 And you can't really run it with under 20 seconds.
02:54 Because really, you're gonna get some yards, hopefully, and get in range.
02:59 But you need a little time to maybe get in field goal range or get a touchdown.
03:02 So 35, whatever we had on, was actually perfect.
03:06 We executed to perfection, got down in field goal range, took a penalty, but
03:09 we ended up scoring a touchdown.
03:11 And that was key.
03:12 So I just think they're fun to do.
03:15 Our players enjoy it.
03:16 Like I said, we practice it once a week, cuz as coaches,
03:18 we don't wanna screw it up.
03:19 But we definitely have a handful every week that are at least on the table,
03:23 ready to use.
03:24 It's just a matter of whether I get to them.
03:27 >> Coach, can you just kinda talk about the offense in terms of the balance
03:30 between Jehovah and DeWong?
03:31 You have an outside threat, Tim Coleman, Huggins, Bruce, Thrash.
03:35 Is that kinda what you envisioned for the offense?
03:37 Is that balance to be dangerous in both?
03:39 >> Well, these guys work hard, and I'm proud of that simple fact.
03:42 When there's one ball and you got multiple weapons, you know what?
03:47 I can't predict where the ball's gonna throw.
03:49 You gotta kinda game the confidence of your quarterback.
03:52 You gotta just stick with it.
03:53 You never know when your number's gonna be called.
03:55 I think we got a collection of receivers that all work really hard,
03:58 all can make plays.
04:00 They just continue to work and stick to the grind.
04:03 We're gonna have to use, as we progress to some really tough football games,
04:06 those certain guys are gonna have to emerge.
04:09 And I think they will, as long as they continue to do that.
04:12 We got some running backs.
04:13 Yes, Jehovah is special.
04:14 Those other running backs run hard.
04:15 They do a really good job.
04:16 And you take that and take an offensive line that should get more credit,
04:21 because they've been consistent.
04:23 They give protection, they open up holes.
04:25 I just think it's a great team effort.
04:27 These guys work hard together.
04:30 There are no egos.
04:32 Everybody wants to do well every week, but you know what?
04:35 Some days you may get a lot of touches, other days maybe not as much.
04:39 But you just gotta stick with it and continue to work,
04:42 because that's how you build a great football team.
04:44 And I like the effort that we've had to this point.
04:47 >> Jeff, back to the gadget plays,
04:49 you had an offensive lineman do a cartwheel during the game today.
04:53 What is the strategy behind that?
04:57 >> Well, we wanted him to do the splits, but he didn't quite get that.
05:00 So we did a cartwheel.
05:02 The play actually didn't get opened.
05:05 We were hoping it would.
05:07 Obviously, it didn't distract anybody other than our fans, maybe.
05:10 But we scrambled.
05:11 Actually, we fumbled a ball, we scrambled.
05:12 But you know what?
05:14 That's a play where you just kinda split the tackle out.
05:16 You sneak the tight end at the tackle position,
05:18 hope to get him down the middle.
05:19 And they pointed to the tight end, so they recognized that's a smart football team.
05:22 They recognized it.
05:23 With the tackle, each week we change up what acrobatic jump or
05:29 splits or sprint he's gonna do.
05:32 I didn't know which one was coming, so I'm looking forward to seeing it on film.
05:35 >> [LAUGH] >> You mentioned trying to work with
05:40 Jack on getting him relaxed.
05:41 Was there anything special you did?
05:43 In all the time you've coached him, is that as sharp as you've seen him?
05:45 I don't think he missed on any throw.
05:47 >> Well, he was sharp.
05:48 And quarterback is a unique position.
05:52 You just gotta be able to relax and have poise and
05:54 be able to do everything you normally do in practice.
05:58 When you know you're not gonna be tackled in the game,
06:00 when you could be tackled and hit really hard.
06:02 So I just think mentally, you gotta just be able to block things out.
06:06 So you just gotta train it, you gotta retrain it, you gotta retrain it.
06:09 It's like a golf swing, you just gotta keep retraining and retraining and
06:11 retraining.
06:12 He's played a lot of football, but today he was sharp.
06:15 These were vertical shots up the field, on the money,
06:19 through with great poise, trusted the protection.
06:22 So yes, it was a great performance, and now the bar has been raised for him.
06:26 So he's gotta continue to try to do that more often, be as consistent as he can.
06:31 And yes, we asked the quarterback to do a lot.
06:33 Now, we got some good weapons around him to help, and
06:36 we gotta make sure we use them.
06:37 But it was a really, really good performance by him.
06:42 >> Two more.
06:43 >> Jamari breaks free for a big play.
06:45 It feels like every game,
06:47 you've coached a lot of productive receivers in your career.
06:50 Does that remind you of anybody specifically?
06:52 I think Brian mentioned Charlie Jones, David Bell,
06:55 before, anybody come to mind for you?
06:58 >> Well, we've had a lot of good ones, just as a coach.
07:02 I've played a lot of good ones.
07:04 So I just think he's consistent.
07:08 I don't think he's missed one practice or rep since he's been here.
07:11 Now, that's a little bit of luck, which ain't healthy, but he does it.
07:13 He wants to be out there and get better.
07:17 He's a team player.
07:18 When he's not getting the ball, it's not like, hey, I'm open, why don't we throw?
07:20 I mean, not at all.
07:22 He just continues to work, and he's got experience.
07:26 It's his fifth year, it's last year.
07:29 He wants to go out with a bang.
07:31 He knows we're gonna try to throw the ball, and throw the ball vertically,
07:35 which can help people at the next level.
07:37 Cuz we're not just a bubble screen, fill-final line of scrimmage.
07:39 We wanna throw the ball vertically, and
07:42 let those guys show NFL scouts what they can do.
07:44 So like I said, it's a good collection of receivers that all work hard,
07:48 all have talent.
07:49 Of course, he's gotten a lot of balls, and he makes the big ones today.
07:53 So I think consistency is always what you're trying to build in all your guys.
07:58 And I just think these guys can stay healthy and keep working.
08:01 Hopefully, we can continue to improve.
08:04 >> Yeah, Jeff, it's a short weekend.
08:05 You're the team that's traveling.
08:06 What are the biggest adjustments of things you have to do to be successful on Friday?
08:11 >> Well, over the years, I think you have to have the right balance.
08:15 You wanna get a lot of work in and get them prepped and ready, yes.
08:18 But you also wanna let their bodies heal.
08:22 Mentally prepare them a little bit more early on in the week, and
08:27 maybe have a little bit less physical practice.
08:30 Because really, you want them fresh for the game.
08:33 I still remember being in the Stonebird area where physicality every week was used,
08:38 and occasionally would pull back.
08:42 But you know what, I just think these guys work year round now.
08:46 We didn't used to do that when I played.
08:47 They put in a lot of time and effort.
08:49 You can mentally prepare them and get their body right, and
08:52 then get enough work in.
08:54 But I just wanna be fresh come Friday night and understand that we're gonna have
08:58 to play our best game in order to win on the road against the state.
09:02 >> Jeff, you mentioned earlier this week that you guys had yet to achieve
09:05 a football game where you guys played consistent football for all 60 minutes.
09:09 While the defense today was hit or miss at times,
09:11 do you feel like you guys achieved today in playing a complete football game?
09:15 >> Well, it's hard to play complete.
09:17 I thought the first half we did some really good things,
09:20 so that was great to see second half, when you have to lead and
09:24 you're trying to work the clock, and defense is up and down a little bit.
09:29 It wasn't as smooth as I'd like, so I wouldn't call it a perfect game.
09:35 But you know what, when you play conference games, you gotta find a way to
09:40 win, if we can start like that in every game, I'll take that for sure.
09:44 So it's just about continuing to fix a few of the things that pop up
09:50 every time we play, how can we not let those repeat again?
09:56 How can we help the players be put in the best position to succeed?
10:00 Because I think it's on everybody, I mean, it's on me,
10:03 it's on our assistant coaches.
10:04 I talk about it a lot, like no, we gotta do things better, we gotta help them.
10:09 Their job's hard enough, we have to help them.
10:12 So we have to figure these things out as well, and
10:14 not just say that we gotta make the tackle.
10:17 No, okay, we might have to, what are we, what are we, what's he looking at?
10:22 I mean, we gotta just continue to evaluate and analyze, but
10:25 I think our coaches work hard, they put great effort.
10:28 Our players do the same thing, so we just gotta continue to work through it.
10:30 This is football, and
10:32 you just try to, every game score more points than the other team.