Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern 41, EIU 0 • Postgame Quotes
Northwestern vs. Eastern Illinois
Ryan Field
Sept. 12, 2015
Postgame Quotes
Head Coach Pat Fitzgerald Press Conference | Offensive Players Press Conference | Defensive Players Press Conference
Head Coach Pat Fitzgerald
Opening statement…
It was a great team win. I think from a standpoint of what we wanted to get accomplished today – goal number one was to win and come out injury free. From a standpoint of all three phases, be efficient and I thought, for the most part, we did that. We played a lot of guys. I believe everyone who was eligible to play, played today. We had Tom Hruby in the backfield. As you know, he is our hero. He is a special man and a special American. It was a pretty special week for Tom. He had a baby boy this week, so we were trying to put an exclamation point for [him]. It was a great team win, and we will move on to another great opponent. We get to travel on the road for the first time and see our focus and discipline when we get on the road.
On third down defense…
Right now, third down wise, we are able to be pretty efficient with execution of the call and our ability to get the pass rush. Obviously that has been the key. Also, putting them in third-and-long situations gives advantages to the defense. It is a product of the scheme and then the guys executing it.
On offensive line and rushing offense…
We worked with [the offensive line] all week. It was their opportunity to step up. For the most part, there was some positive play from those guys. I am going to reserve judgment until I watch the tape, but to be able to runt he ball the way that we did and not turn the ball over until the end of the game was a pretty effective game offensively.
On using multiple RB…
After we had a three-score lead we wanted to give Justin [Jackson] some rest. We knew they were going to load the box. Last year watching Eastern [Illinois] on tape, I know they only won five games, but we were really impressed with what they were doing in all three phases with their talent. Once we got a big lead, we wanted to make sure we were smart with Justin.
On passing game…
There are a lot of things we need to improve on offensively, and one of them is throwing the ball. I thought what was most impressive about Clayton [Thorson] was when he did get out of the pocket his decision-making was excellent. He didn’t try to force anything. There was one play that was a little muddy, and instead of trying to force the ball, he threw it away. He made some really good choices in the scramble drills – which we practiced this week – to get us some first downs. It was a very efficient day for him.
On RB depth…
I see them every day in practice, so I know what those guys can do. I have said since we started camp that in my mind, we have three established big ten running backs that can do a lot of things. I like where we are at position. I think getting Austin [Carr] some carries today was good for him and it was good experience. A lot of guys played and got some valuable experience.
On never being satisfied…
Potential is exactly that – its potential. And I want production. I believe that we have to continue to have a Chicago mentality, which is to roll your sleeves up and get to work. I challenged [the team] hard on Monday about proving to ourselves that we are mature enough to handle success. And show up with the expectations we have on ourselves, not externally. There is a standard that we have and want to live up to every day. When we can do that consistently, our play will be consistent. Credit goes to [the team]. They want to continue to improve.
On next week’s game against Duke…
This challenge coming up next week will really tell me where the team is. Going on the road, only being able to take 70 [players]. We had a lot of fan support these past two games and now we have to go into a hostile environment. It is going to be hot next Saturday and will be one of those tests. All hands on deck. We have to see if we are ready to go out and play against an outstanding opponent on the road. We have a lot of work to do, but I like where we are at through two weeks.
Senior OL Geoff Mogus
On responding from criticism last week…
Last Tuesday was pretty rough. It was one the toughest practices we have had all year and we had to respond. We tried to be fast, we had to be physical. We had great focus on Wednesday and Thursday and I think it showed today.
On adversity with the offensive line…
We are pretty tight as a group and we have guys who can step up and carry the flag. It is not much of an issue. We have guys that can step up to play.
On being held accountable…
We have to be physical, push the temp and play fast. We have to cut it loose. That is what it comes down to.
Junior WR Austin Carr
On Tuesday practice…
I think he really wanted to keep the intensity high. After the Stanford game he talked about dealing with success and not taking our foot of the gas pedal. So on Tuesday, intensity was really high tempo and he had the scout guys fired up and it really helped the starters throughout the practice.
On touchdown and scholarship…
Did I score? It hasn’t hit me yet. It feels like a long time coming. You are a little guys – three or four years old – watching the guys on TV do that, and when it is your chance, it happens so fast. I remember crossing the goal line and wanting to embrace my teammates. They put in so much work for that. Obviously, it feels really good. It happened so fast, but it feels so good. It has been a really big week for me and the support around me has been incredible. My teammates were the first to find out because there was an announcement after practice; it is a huge blessing to have received a scholarship. It is a privilege and an honor. Collectively, we played great. The support I have received from my friends, teammates and family has really lifted me up and lifted my spirits.
Redshirt freshman QB Clayton Thorson
On establishing a run game…
I think that is something we always want to do – establish the running game. When that happens, it opens up a lot of things in the passing game. I think that is what we did today and I think we executed very well. Those guys up front did a great job and those running backs did great.
On low scramble plays…
We worked that in practice every day. That is what you have to do as a quarterback. When the play breaks down, you have to go out and make a play. The [running backs] found holes and that was huge – them getting open. It was a big part of the game today.
On offensive confidence…
I think it is great for us as an offensive. This week and last week we have had a great running game and our passing game has come off of that. I have to do a better job of distributing the ball, but it was good for us to get the ball rolling a little bit. Duke is a very good team, and we are going to have to come out ready to play because we know they will. During practice this week, we have to pick it up another notch. We always talk about going 1-0 every week and that is what we have to do.
DB Matthew Harris
On his interception return for a touchdown…
It was good blocking by my teammates. It was a missed sack by Deonte, but if he had not rushed the quarterback, I would not have been in the position I was in, so all credit to our defensive line and to our defense because we went out there and played today.
On how the team responded to coaching during the week…
This was a test of our maturity. Every game we go into, we want to dominate. That is our mentality but we do have some mistakes to clean up. I missed a couple tackles today, and that is what I am going to get fixed. All of the little things – that is what is going to make us a good defense, a good team. Instead of focusing on all the highlights of the game, we need to focus on what we need to improve.
On not allowing a touchdown through the first two games…
We are not trying to live up to a standard. We are just trying to set goals that people did not even think were possible. It is cool that we have done something that has not been done in awhile. At the same time, we have to focus on what we are going to do next.
DL Ifeadi Odenigbo
On the defense’s dominant play…
It feels great. It feels great for about a couple hours. We have to focus on the next game. We have something really special right now. Our defense is doing something really well and we just have to keep building off it and never be satisfied.
On the play of the defensive line…
After the loss to Illinois last year, one thing as a D-line, we all decided to get a lot stronger. As a unit, I believe we have gotten a lot stronger. It makes it a lot easier when you have a guy like Matthew Harris who is locking his guy down.
On not allowing a touchdown through the first two games…
We take a bunch of pride in that. We have something special. When we put on that black jersey, we know that we have something. That is one thing our coaches let us know. We can always do better. It is about being perfect. We expect to have a shutout.
Eastern Illinois Head Coach Kim Dameron
On EIU’s improvement from last week…
Looking at a few things, we had fewer penalties. For the most part, we took care of the ball. We got careless with it a couple of times and they made us pay for it. It was ugly trying to run the ball or throw the ball at that defense. Their defense really played well. Northwestern is a really good defense and they showed that. The thing we were looking for this week was for us to get better. It was hard to tell we got better anywhere with the score, but we played a pretty darn good football team.
On Northwestern’s talent…
They are pretty good. They will win a bunch of games. I truly believe that. They don’t beat themselves and their athleticism on defense is much improved from just what I can remember Northwestern defenses being. Offensively, they have got really good backs and receivers. Their offensive line did a good job. It was a totally frustrating day. I am hoping when we go back and watch the film that we will be able to find some positives.
On Eastern Illinois’ competitiveness until the end…
I think we kept competing as a team and that is always big when you are playing against someone that out-classes you in that way and you get down. It is easy to say ‘well heck with it, I will just pack it in’ but I do not think we did that. We can take that positive out of it.”
On whether or not Northwestern will be the best defense EIU faces…
It should be. Of course, Jacksonville State goes down and plays Auburn 27-20. That should be the best defense we play all year. But Jacksonville State is going to be athletic, and Eastern Kentucky is going to be athletic. Next week against Illinois State, we are going to see a heck of a defense. It is going to keep coming now. We have to get some things right. We have moved the ball a little bit at times, but we get close to the fringe of the red zone and we seem like we freeze up or something.
Ryan Field
Sept. 12, 2015
Postgame Quotes
Head Coach Pat Fitzgerald Press Conference | Offensive Players Press Conference | Defensive Players Press Conference
Head Coach Pat Fitzgerald
Opening statement…
It was a great team win. I think from a standpoint of what we wanted to get accomplished today – goal number one was to win and come out injury free. From a standpoint of all three phases, be efficient and I thought, for the most part, we did that. We played a lot of guys. I believe everyone who was eligible to play, played today. We had Tom Hruby in the backfield. As you know, he is our hero. He is a special man and a special American. It was a pretty special week for Tom. He had a baby boy this week, so we were trying to put an exclamation point for [him]. It was a great team win, and we will move on to another great opponent. We get to travel on the road for the first time and see our focus and discipline when we get on the road.
On third down defense…
Right now, third down wise, we are able to be pretty efficient with execution of the call and our ability to get the pass rush. Obviously that has been the key. Also, putting them in third-and-long situations gives advantages to the defense. It is a product of the scheme and then the guys executing it.
On offensive line and rushing offense…
We worked with [the offensive line] all week. It was their opportunity to step up. For the most part, there was some positive play from those guys. I am going to reserve judgment until I watch the tape, but to be able to runt he ball the way that we did and not turn the ball over until the end of the game was a pretty effective game offensively.
On using multiple RB…
After we had a three-score lead we wanted to give Justin [Jackson] some rest. We knew they were going to load the box. Last year watching Eastern [Illinois] on tape, I know they only won five games, but we were really impressed with what they were doing in all three phases with their talent. Once we got a big lead, we wanted to make sure we were smart with Justin.
On passing game…
There are a lot of things we need to improve on offensively, and one of them is throwing the ball. I thought what was most impressive about Clayton [Thorson] was when he did get out of the pocket his decision-making was excellent. He didn’t try to force anything. There was one play that was a little muddy, and instead of trying to force the ball, he threw it away. He made some really good choices in the scramble drills – which we practiced this week – to get us some first downs. It was a very efficient day for him.
On RB depth…
I see them every day in practice, so I know what those guys can do. I have said since we started camp that in my mind, we have three established big ten running backs that can do a lot of things. I like where we are at position. I think getting Austin [Carr] some carries today was good for him and it was good experience. A lot of guys played and got some valuable experience.
On never being satisfied…
Potential is exactly that – its potential. And I want production. I believe that we have to continue to have a Chicago mentality, which is to roll your sleeves up and get to work. I challenged [the team] hard on Monday about proving to ourselves that we are mature enough to handle success. And show up with the expectations we have on ourselves, not externally. There is a standard that we have and want to live up to every day. When we can do that consistently, our play will be consistent. Credit goes to [the team]. They want to continue to improve.
On next week’s game against Duke…
This challenge coming up next week will really tell me where the team is. Going on the road, only being able to take 70 [players]. We had a lot of fan support these past two games and now we have to go into a hostile environment. It is going to be hot next Saturday and will be one of those tests. All hands on deck. We have to see if we are ready to go out and play against an outstanding opponent on the road. We have a lot of work to do, but I like where we are at through two weeks.
Senior OL Geoff Mogus
On responding from criticism last week…
Last Tuesday was pretty rough. It was one the toughest practices we have had all year and we had to respond. We tried to be fast, we had to be physical. We had great focus on Wednesday and Thursday and I think it showed today.
On adversity with the offensive line…
We are pretty tight as a group and we have guys who can step up and carry the flag. It is not much of an issue. We have guys that can step up to play.
On being held accountable…
We have to be physical, push the temp and play fast. We have to cut it loose. That is what it comes down to.
Junior WR Austin Carr
On Tuesday practice…
I think he really wanted to keep the intensity high. After the Stanford game he talked about dealing with success and not taking our foot of the gas pedal. So on Tuesday, intensity was really high tempo and he had the scout guys fired up and it really helped the starters throughout the practice.
On touchdown and scholarship…
Did I score? It hasn’t hit me yet. It feels like a long time coming. You are a little guys – three or four years old – watching the guys on TV do that, and when it is your chance, it happens so fast. I remember crossing the goal line and wanting to embrace my teammates. They put in so much work for that. Obviously, it feels really good. It happened so fast, but it feels so good. It has been a really big week for me and the support around me has been incredible. My teammates were the first to find out because there was an announcement after practice; it is a huge blessing to have received a scholarship. It is a privilege and an honor. Collectively, we played great. The support I have received from my friends, teammates and family has really lifted me up and lifted my spirits.
Redshirt freshman QB Clayton Thorson
On establishing a run game…
I think that is something we always want to do – establish the running game. When that happens, it opens up a lot of things in the passing game. I think that is what we did today and I think we executed very well. Those guys up front did a great job and those running backs did great.
On low scramble plays…
We worked that in practice every day. That is what you have to do as a quarterback. When the play breaks down, you have to go out and make a play. The [running backs] found holes and that was huge – them getting open. It was a big part of the game today.
On offensive confidence…
I think it is great for us as an offensive. This week and last week we have had a great running game and our passing game has come off of that. I have to do a better job of distributing the ball, but it was good for us to get the ball rolling a little bit. Duke is a very good team, and we are going to have to come out ready to play because we know they will. During practice this week, we have to pick it up another notch. We always talk about going 1-0 every week and that is what we have to do.
DB Matthew Harris
On his interception return for a touchdown…
It was good blocking by my teammates. It was a missed sack by Deonte, but if he had not rushed the quarterback, I would not have been in the position I was in, so all credit to our defensive line and to our defense because we went out there and played today.
On how the team responded to coaching during the week…
This was a test of our maturity. Every game we go into, we want to dominate. That is our mentality but we do have some mistakes to clean up. I missed a couple tackles today, and that is what I am going to get fixed. All of the little things – that is what is going to make us a good defense, a good team. Instead of focusing on all the highlights of the game, we need to focus on what we need to improve.
On not allowing a touchdown through the first two games…
We are not trying to live up to a standard. We are just trying to set goals that people did not even think were possible. It is cool that we have done something that has not been done in awhile. At the same time, we have to focus on what we are going to do next.
DL Ifeadi Odenigbo
On the defense’s dominant play…
It feels great. It feels great for about a couple hours. We have to focus on the next game. We have something really special right now. Our defense is doing something really well and we just have to keep building off it and never be satisfied.
On the play of the defensive line…
After the loss to Illinois last year, one thing as a D-line, we all decided to get a lot stronger. As a unit, I believe we have gotten a lot stronger. It makes it a lot easier when you have a guy like Matthew Harris who is locking his guy down.
On not allowing a touchdown through the first two games…
We take a bunch of pride in that. We have something special. When we put on that black jersey, we know that we have something. That is one thing our coaches let us know. We can always do better. It is about being perfect. We expect to have a shutout.
Eastern Illinois Head Coach Kim Dameron
On EIU’s improvement from last week…
Looking at a few things, we had fewer penalties. For the most part, we took care of the ball. We got careless with it a couple of times and they made us pay for it. It was ugly trying to run the ball or throw the ball at that defense. Their defense really played well. Northwestern is a really good defense and they showed that. The thing we were looking for this week was for us to get better. It was hard to tell we got better anywhere with the score, but we played a pretty darn good football team.
On Northwestern’s talent…
They are pretty good. They will win a bunch of games. I truly believe that. They don’t beat themselves and their athleticism on defense is much improved from just what I can remember Northwestern defenses being. Offensively, they have got really good backs and receivers. Their offensive line did a good job. It was a totally frustrating day. I am hoping when we go back and watch the film that we will be able to find some positives.
On Eastern Illinois’ competitiveness until the end…
I think we kept competing as a team and that is always big when you are playing against someone that out-classes you in that way and you get down. It is easy to say ‘well heck with it, I will just pack it in’ but I do not think we did that. We can take that positive out of it.”
On whether or not Northwestern will be the best defense EIU faces…
It should be. Of course, Jacksonville State goes down and plays Auburn 27-20. That should be the best defense we play all year. But Jacksonville State is going to be athletic, and Eastern Kentucky is going to be athletic. Next week against Illinois State, we are going to see a heck of a defense. It is going to keep coming now. We have to get some things right. We have moved the ball a little bit at times, but we get close to the fringe of the red zone and we seem like we freeze up or something.
