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University of Minnesota Athletics
Press Conference Transcription (10.21.08)
10/21/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
Head Coach Tim Brewster
Football Press Conference 10.21.08
Game Week: Purdue
Opening Statment
"It seems like we’ve been off or a month and I’m awful excited about getting back to work. We had a great meeting Sunday evening and came together yesterday and had a very spirited practice. Our team is genuinely excited about getting back and coming to work.
"Coming off the bye week was something we needed. As a head coach in this league, the bye week becomes much needed. Our football team was in position where we needed this with a lot of guys banged up and a lot of guys playing a lot of time. I think it certainly served us very well and let us get our motors charged for the second half and the home stretch. Our coaches got a chance to get away and spend some time recruiting in Minnesota and across the nation.
"There is a tremendous amount of positivity about the Gophers out there and the wave we’re riding right now is exciting for our program. It’s exciting for all Minnesotans and is something we’re extremely proud of up until this point.
"Going back and looking at the last game against Illinois, it was a tremendous road victory. It was an extremely hard fought victory in their back yard against what I feel like is an outstanding Illinois football team. We believe they are the best offensive football team in the Big Ten, outstanding on the defensive side. We were the chosen homecoming opponent for Illinois and it was an extremely hostile environment for our young football team to go into. For our team to go into that environment and play the way they did was outstanding. I couldn’t have been more please with that victory to put us at 6-1.
"Right now, we’re ranked in the top 25 in the country coming out of the game and we’re obviously pleased about that. We’re not going to spend a lot of time talking about being ranked. Our motto this season has been one game, one play at a time since day one. It serves us extremely well and we’re going to continue on in that same vein. It may seem boring and a lot of people want to hear talk about bowl this, bowl that, but that doesn’t serve us at all. We’re not going to spend two seconds talking about anything other than Purdue this week.
"It’s worth talking about the most valuable players from the Illinois game. It was a great victory full of great performances in that game by our team. The offensive MVP of that game was DeLeon Eskridge. Obviously he had a tremendous game, a big run at the end of the game. For him to show the maturity that he has shown right now, as a true freshman, is remarkable.
"Our defensive MVP is a guy who is playing absolutely lights out. He’s our most inspirational player on the defensive side, Willie VanDesteeg. He obviously had a ton of tackles, had a sack, and that big forced fumble that Simoni Lawrence picked up and returned for a touchdown. He is so much of an inspiration to our football team. Our team, in particular our defense, is really feeding off how this guys is playing right now. I think he will continue to play at a high level. He is refusing to be blocked, he’s finishing plays, has tremendous heart, and has been relentless.
"Our special forces MVP is a guy who week in and week out is a guy who absolutely does it. He is a huge target by the opponents and they know he is our best special teams player, Nate Triplett. He goes down and breaks up wedges and makes tackles. He serves on every one of our special forces units and you cannot overemphasize what he means to our football team on special forces. He’s a huge member and his contribution is outstanding.
"Our scout team offensive player of the week is Jacob Glickstein and our scout team defense player of the week is Ray Henderson. Ray is doing a great job and his attitude is great. He hasn’t been on the field and he’s a guy who was a highly acclaimed transfer from Tennessee. There’s a lot of talk about Ray Henderson but he’s working hard. He’s doing what he can to get on the field and help us win football games. Right now he’s not out on the field much but he’s working hard. For him to be our scout player of the week shows a lot about what Ray Henderson is all about so I’m very pleased about him.
"Our hard hat hit of the week went to Ben Kuznia. He was outstanding and almost knocked the guy’s head off at Illinois on a tremendous play. Our great teammate of the week goes to Ryan Ruckdashel. Ryan was pressed into service late into the game and came in and played really well for us. He’s a great kid, keeps his mouth shut and goes to work each and every day. He is the consummate teammate and you guys know how important that is. I spend a lot of time talking about what a great teammate. They are why we are a 6-1 football team. These kids understand what it means to be a great teammate.
"Our extra effort play of the game is from another true freshman who’s playing great, Mike Rallis. Mike made a play all the way across the field with tremendous effort and has played a lot of secondary for us against Illinois as a true freshman. I’m very please with him.
"Our lunch pail player of the week is a guy who had surgery on a Sunday, came back and played Saturday, never missing a beat in practice. He’s tough and hard nosed and one of the most outstanding leaders there has been at Minnesota. Adam Weber is as fine a leader and kid as there is out there. He certainly deserves the award for his performance against the University of Illinois.
"That was a great victory, a great team performance, and a tremendous team victory. It took a tremendous team performance to go down there and pull that victory off. Like I said, I’m so proud of our football team.
"Moving on to Purdue. Purdue is the only thing that matters to us as a football team at this point in time. Purdue is an outstanding football team. They’re 2-5 and you can wonder how they’re an outstanding football team. They have a quarterback that’s thrown for over 10,000 yards in the Big Ten in his career. Curtis Painter is just an outstanding football player. They have a great running back in Sheets and a talented received in Orton. They have skill guys and good football players. They have a coach that’s been as good as any in America the past 15 years as a head coach. I think Joe Tiller has done as good a job as anybody in America. He’s gone to bowl games 11 out of 12 years at Purdue and did a great job at Wyoming. We’ve been chosen as the homecoming opponent for two straight weeks now. We like that. That’s a good thing for us. I promise you this, we are going to get Purdue’s best shot Saturday, Joe Tiller will have his team extremely emotional, fired up, and ready to come out to play. They’re playing for a bowl game and need to win out to get into a bowl game. We have tremendous respect for that team and everybody knows I coached with Tiller at Purdue in 1986. He’s a very close personal friend of mine and I know how he’s going to have that football team prepared and ready to play.
"We’re going to do our job and preparation. Each week, our deal is about preparing and doing the things we can control to put ourselves in position and go on the road and win our second conference road game. That’s all we can do. We’re going to give them tremendous respect, we’re going to make sure we understand it’s one game, one play at a time and that should put us in position to win football games."
Do you see the ranking going to the players’ heads?
"I think that anybody who has spent any time with our players and coaching staff understands that nobody will have a big head. It’s my job and responsibility to see that out team stays in the now and stays focused on what’s important. If you went and watched us practice yesterday afternoon, I don’t think there was anyone who you would see with a big head. Our team understands that 6-1 can be easily taken away if we don’t have our mind right. We’re going to make sure we’re ready and focused on Purdue."
What’s the biggest improvement or change you’re seen in Willie VanDesteeg this year?
"I think he’s healthy and that’s the biggest thing. He’s always had tremendous desire, he’s always had great effort and has been a good football player. He was outstanding as a sophomore here at Minnesota and last year he was hurting and couldn’t play the game the way he wanted. I just see so much love for the game from Willie. He cannot get enough of it. He’s an inspiration to our team."
Will Marcus Sherels play this week?
"Marcus Sherels went full-go yesterday and we anticipate he will play against Purdue."
What is the update on how David Pittman will be used?
"He’s going to help us. We have five games left this season and I think David Pittman will be a big part of what we do. He’s starting to get healthier and obviously has had some health issues. He’s a good football player and he will help this team win from this point forward."
Do you think perception about the Gophers has changed this year?
"I don’t care about perception, I care about reality. I care about what’s real with our team and wins and losses are real. We just want to do the things good football teams do. If the perception is we’re a good homecoming opponent, then that’s ok.
"I think that there’s a tremendous amount of positivity about the Gophers, I truly do. Across the nation and particularly in Minnesota. I really sense the kids in this state are feeling the Gophers and understanding that if they want to win championships and do great things, they don’t have to leave the state of Minnesota and that’s extremely positive for all of us."
On cornerback Troy Stoudermire:
"Troy Stoudermire Jr. is a very multi-dimensional athlete and we are going to utilize him in a lot of different ways. He is a kid that when he touches the ball, good things happen for the most part. I think he has excellent ability on defense. I think we are going to continue to look at different ways in which we can utilize his ability, which his ability is immense.
"He is a special talent and gifted football player. I game makes sense to him. That is a very simple concept in football, does football make sense to you. When you talk in football language to a kid, does it make sense to them. When you talk to Troy, football makes sense."
On the kicking game:
"I don’t think you can overemphasize Justin Kucek. Has he not been outstanding? I don’t know if there is a better punter in the country than him and we certainly don’t believe so. He just does a great job week in and week out getting the ball down inside the 10, inside the 20 year line. He just does a great job punting the football and turning the field over forcing the opponents offense to go the distance. We have a great saying on offense, “reserve the right to punt.” Punting is a positive thing, it is a good thing for us. As far as Joel Monroe is concerned, we don’t want to miss p.a.t.s, but has had a good year. He has a solid year and he is kicking the ball pretty well. I am pleased with Joel Monroe."
On quarterback Adam Weber:
"I would go much further then solid with Adam Weber. I think he has been outstanding. When you look at how he was taken care of the ball, he still has only thrown two interceptions of the year. We have talked to him about valuing the football and reserving the right to punt. He is making tremendous decisions and the thing I get most out of him is his leadership ability. He is just an outstanding leader. You talk about calmness under duress, he has tremendous calmness under duress. The kid is really unflappable in a heated situation. That is something I think all of the great quarterbacks have. He is doing a great job with his feet when we need positive plays with his feet, he goes and gets it for us. I think one of the most hidden statistics in football is quarterbacks first downs with their feet. How many first downs does the quarterback get with his feet. We know that he is a designed runner in our offense but he is still off schedule passing plays, pocket brakes down and he goes and gets first downs with his feet. I think the physical part of it is a small part of what has been great right now, it is his leadership ability and his ability to command the offense. His understanding of the offense is really good. We are very fortunate to have a player of his abilities running our team for us.
"Again is goes back to a simple question, do you love football. You look at somebody in the eye and you can sense when they answer whether or not you truly have the burning desire to be great. I think without question those two guys that we talked about (Willie VanDeSteeg and Weber) have a burning desire to be great football players. I think it is special what they have.
"Adam has developed into an outstanding football player. Mike Dunbar has done an amazing job with him and helping him become a better student of the game, understand the game and concepts and we have challenged our whole football team to become better students of the game and they have.
On the environment at Purdue:
"Again, it is a tremendous challenge for our football team to go into a place like Purdue. I coached at Purdue, I understand the environment their very well and it is going to be a very hostile environment for our young team but we have been to Ohio State, Illinois, and we are not going to see anything that is going to surprise us on Saturday. Our football team is going to be ready to go."
On wide receiver Eric Decker:
"I think without question, there is not a better wide receiver in the country. If he is not the Biletnikoff award winner he needs to be on a very short list for the top receiver in the country. When I look at Decker, you look at the whole body of work; how he blocks, catches, how he runs routes, his leadership ability. I just can’t image another receiver out there that is doing the things that he is doing for his football team."
On the health of the team:
"I think we are going to be has healthy as we have in a long time. The by-week has really served us well and we have spent a lot of time in the training room. Yesterday, I felt a lot of enthusiasm with our football team. I feel good about where we are at right now."
