Northwestern University Athletics
Transcript of Coach Fitzgerald's Weekly News Conference
11/13/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 13, 2007
Northwestern Football Weekly News Conference
Head Football Coach Pat Fitzgerald
Opening Statement . . .
"We're excited for the opportunity to finish the season. When we start two-a-day camp, and you look forward to the season, it seems like it's going to be a marathon, and now we're down to one last sprint, and it's going to be our greatest challenge of the season. We are playing a football team that is as on fire as any team in the country. If not the most improved team in the country, definitely the most improved team in the Big Ten, and playing extremely well. It is obvious to us the challenge that's at hand. I'm excited for our seniors, to leave Ryan Field as winners, and now they have one more opportunity. Against your Big Ten rival, your in state rival, and the Sweet Sioux Tomahawk, there's a lot riding on the game, and we're excited for that opportunity."
On the play of Illinois against Ohio State last weekend . . .
"I think there were a lot of things that were extremely impressive. First of all, their poise, to be able to go into an extremely hostile environment, and to play and execute the way that they did was extremely impressive. Also, to watch the way that they played up front on the offensive and defensive line, they controlled the line of scrimmage very well, and that allowed Juice [Williams] and their playmakers on offense to make plays. Then, on defense, their linebackers were flowing quick freely, and their secondary made some big plays. Then, in the kicking game, they have great speed and tremendous talent, so it's just going to be the biggest challenge that we've had all year,"
On if Illinois' play on Saturday was a blueprint for what NU needs to do . . .
"When you watch the way that they played, I thought that they executed very well. To watch the game that Juice had, I believe it was just an outstanding game, and I believe that he probably played within their offense, I'm not reading all their quotes, but I though he played outstanding. He made all the right decisions, he put the ball in all the right places, and I can't say enough positive things about that. And then, as I watched the game, as far as a blueprint for us, the games are a little bit different. What I mean by that is that our offense is obviously different than Ohio State's, and our defense is a little bit different. But the way that [Illinois] executed, the way that they played smart, and the way that they were able to control the ball was the most impressive.
On what the rivalry means to him . . .
"What's important for me this week, and for every week, is the opportunity to go out and coach our players. One more opportunity to play this season with our seniors, the opportunity to go out and play one last game with significance is important for me and for our program. You only get so many opportunities with young men, and we just met with the seniors, and it's been a great group, it's been a great run. And that's what this game means to me, I'm not looking at rivalry or anything of that nature, it's just one more opportunity to be with this football family and the way that it is today, and with our senior class. It's going to be an emotional day for me, as far as that goes."
On the importance of the Northwestern-Illinois rivalry . . .
"I think every game in the Big Ten is a big game for me, and this is just the next one. For us, it's a football team that has one three in a row, they are operating at a very high level, as efficient of an offense that we've played all year, and defense, they are extremely aggressive and physical, and it's going to be our greatest challenge, and that's the way that I look at it from watching them for the last 36 hours. It's going to be a challenge, our guys are fully aware of that. We are going to have to play our best game to win this game."
On the status of Omar Conteh . . .
"Omar worked out today, he looked great. I'll know a lot more after tomorrow's practice, but he looked great working out. [Playing this week] was the plan late last week, and should continue to be the plan this week."
On Conteh's presence in the red zone . . .
"Omar brings a lot to the table, not only on offense, but also on specials teams, he's been a great special team's player for us for four years. It's just great to have a player of that caliber back from a depth standpoint, and also from a playmaking standpoint. He just gives us another weapon for our offense and for C.J. [Bachér] to utilize, and we hope that everything goes well tomorrow, and that we can get him involved in the game, not only on offense, but also in the kicking game."
On the approach taken before the IU game, and whether it was different than usual . . .
"I think in [C.J.'s] opinion, yeah. I think in my opinion, no. We just talked about doing what we do. We didn't over emphasize anything that we don't normally emphasize; we didn't under emphasize anything that we normally emphasize. We went and stayed the course, and did exactly the same thing that we did the week before, and I'm glad to hear that [C.J.] heard my message, because that's what he did, he just went out and operated and executed the way that we attempt to do things. That's hopefully what you try to do as you go on throughout the year, is play your most consistent football here in the last half of the season. I believe we've done that, and now we've got one more opportunity, and it's going to be our stiffest challenge."
On first meeting Eddie Simpson . . .
"We didn't meet each other [at the Touchdown Club meeting] then, due to NCAA rules, I wasn't allowed to talk to him, but that was the first time I saw him in person. Earlier that day, I was at his high school, and his coaches were telling me about this defensive end that we have that can do a lot of things, he might be a safety, he might be a linebacker, we're not quite sure what he is, be we think he's a division one talent. Eddie's from one of the storied programs down in Houston at North shore [high school]. He played for a great head football coach in David Aymond, and when Coach Aymond speaks, you listen. So, I watched the tape, and when I brought the tape back and showed Coach Walker, he looked at me and said, `Why didn't you know about him earlier?' I said, `Coach, I'm not the only guy, not the only guy in the country to know about him.' But, yeah, that was the first opportunity that I had a chance to really get an eye on his talent, and then after that we had the opportunity to get him up here, and have a chance to be in his home a couple times, and get to know his family, and the rest is history."
On what impresses him about Eddie . . .
"His motor. He played extremely hard; he was a very savvy football player. He played defensive end, they brought him off the edge, they dropped him in pass coverage, they locked him up man to man. They did a lot of different things with him. Then he was heavily involved in special teams. Blocked a few kicks, was very physical. Was just extremely impressed with the full package. Now, he was a little undersized for a linebacker at that time, he was about 195 pounds when we first started recruiting him, but he had the frame to grow, and he had the attitude and the want-to to get better, and that's what he's done over the course of his career."
On the play of Illinois' linebacker J Leman this year . . .
"He's extremely productive, and he's very instinctual. He sees things happen, you can tell he's a student of the game just from watching tape. He sees things happen, he's calling them out, and he's definitively a coach on the field. As you watch him play, he's very, very physical. He's a great leader, he's very passionate and emotional, and as a former linebacker, he's a lot of fun to watch, and our offense line is going to have our hands full. He plays sideline to sideline. He's an All-Big Ten level player, Butkus Award semifinalist for a reason, he's extremely productive, he plays within the framework of what they are doing, and he's just had a great two years, now back to back, of playing within the framework of their defense."
On if Leman is the toughest linebacker NU has seen all year . . .
"Without a doubt. He's very physical player, it's going to be a great challenge. We are going to have to know where he is at all times."
On mistakes made in the last games of the season . . .
"I see missed opportunities, that's what I see. In football, you see it every week, it's a game of inches, and when you have the opportunities that we've had the last month and a half of the season, we've taken advantage of most of them, and the ones that we have not, we haven't been successful. You don't know when those four or five plays are going to occur in a game that are going to make a difference, and the games that we've won, we've made those plays. I was real proud of the way that our guys came back on Saturday. We had opportunities to maybe put some more points up on the board than we did, but we stayed the course. I thought our sideline, and the way that we were talking was very positive, very upbeat. I think we stayed positive as a coaching staff, and our guys made plays, put them in positions to make plays, and that's why we won the game."
On Illinois running back Rashard Mendenhall . . .
"I think that he's the best back in the country. You watch the way that he's run, he's physical. They give him the ball in multiple ways, not only in the zone scheme but also in option. They bring him back in the backfield and pitch the ball to him, throw him the ball on screens, get him out and throw routes to him. He's as good as a player and as good as a tailback as there is in the nation. He's physical, he's fast, he's got great vision, he's just about the full package, as far as I see."
On facing a team with a feature back and mobile quarterback . . .
"Well, it's really three guys in the backfield, if you really watch the tape. I don't know how much sleep I'm going to get this week. When you watch them on offense, they've got weapons all over the place. Mike Locksley's doing a great job of involving all of their playmakers in multiple ways. When you watch [Arrelious] Benn come back into the backfield and they pitch him the ball, or they throw vertical to him, they also have him out on the field as a kick returner, we're going to have our hands full, it's going to be a great challenge."
On how playing IU helped prepare them for U of I . . .
"I think our guys, just watching the way they were going to watch the tape, and they already have, and the way that [Illinois] played against Ohio State, our guys have the utmost respect for the way that they've played, and the way that they go about their business. We've gone through some experiences from some of our earlier opponents that were similar, but nothing like the challenge that we're going to have on Saturday, so we're going to have our hands full, we're just going to have to go down their and do the best job that we can. Stay in the game, and make it a four-quarter game."
On the 10 Big Ten bowl-eligible teams . . .
"I don't know, you just asked me, that's the first time that I've thought about it. I know this week is ultra competitive, that's what I see when every given Saturday any team can win. You need to compete each day and prepare each like this game is going to be won in the last second of the game, That's what I've seen across the board: Each game in the Big Ten comes down to, typically, the last series or the last few drives, and I think there is great parity, but I think it is just ultra competitive. Each game is a great football game, and our guys are just excited to play Big Ten football, and just excited for the opportunities we have each and every Saturday, and it's going to be another one of those challenges. It's going to be a great game."
Closing Statement . . .
"We've got four guys that I'm very excited for that were named Academic All-District, hopefully on the cusp of being name Academic All-Americans: C.J. Bachér, Eric Peterman, Adam Hahn and Phil Brunner, and when you get Northwestern Football, it's not a surprise that I'm mentioning four names, and I look forward to the day when I'm mentioning 12. We've got great young men in this program that are not only great football players, but more importantly, understanding the value of the Northwestern experience and a Northwestern education, and to have those four guys, not only be extremely productive on the field, but be on the cusp of hopefully being Academic All-Americans, probably makes me most proud as a coach. They take care of their business on the field, but then they are prepared for life after football. We're very excited for those four guys, and we're excited for the opportunity for this game on Saturday."
