By Jordan Hansen
Each week, Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz meets with the assembled media. Here are the highlights.
- Ferentz feels as if the bye week was big. “The Big thing for us is what we do this month.”
- Sounds like most of the team is pretty healthy. Though as usual, Ferentz adds a caveat that at this point in the season, no one is completely healthy.
- Says it’s good to “step away from things” a little bit. Ferentz says it gave the players a chance to take a break. Says it was good for everybody. A “healthy” break.
- Feels as though there’s a good camaraderie on this team. Really isn’t worried about them leaving.
- Talks more about injuries. “Hopefully, they’ll be ready to go.”
- On Penn State: Talks about how expansion has changed things.
- Asked a question about being the underdog, answered it by talking about Iowa’s last four games. And how the Hawkeye’s schedule is more difficult.
- Says it’s going to be a challenge to combat Penn State’s defense, which has been good.
- On Saquon Barkley: “Where do you start with him?” Says that he is the type of player who has coaches on edge the entire game.
- “They’ve got a lot players that look the part and are the part.” Basically that the Nittany Lions recruit well, and those players often end up playing well. Better players, better results. Hmm.
- “The biggest thing is that when you go home, a lot of people want tickets.”
- The first thing that comes to mind for Ferentz during the 2008 Iowa-Penn State game was a holding penalty on the Nittany Lions. Defensive lineman Mitch King was held, it caused Penn State to move backwards and throw an interception, and the Hawkeyes got the ball back to win the game.
- Iowa’s former wins against Penn State get brought up, he reminisces a bit. This game has often been big and exciting for the Hawkeyes. Expect more of this.
- Ferentz says that Beathard is “part of the solution” when it comes to the struggles in the passing game.
- He says he’s not too worried about him or some of the criticism that he has taken on occasion.
- On Josey Jewell: “Everything that you want in a player.”
- Ferentz talks about how development is an “inexact science.”
- “This is the one time where we’re really focused about your team.” — Ferentz on practicing and how things work during the football team.