Oct. 8, 2001
On the Iowa State game: It's a very big game. They're an excellent football team. Last year they went to a bowl, and they've done an excellent job building that program. They place a lot of athletes on the defensive side of the ball. From an offensive perspective, they have a lot of firepower. They're one of the top offenses in our league. They're an offense that their quarterback, Seneca Wallace, is just an excellent athlete with great quickness. He presents a lot of problems not only from the standpoint of being able to throw the football but he's the kind of player that can break a defense down with his athleticism. We are very impressed with him. (Ennis) Haywood is obviously a player that has played in this league and has been very successful. He's a great back, and he's been one of the better backs in the Big XII and also the country. There are a lot of problems presented to us with this offense, and we're going to work very hard to come up with a great scheme on both sides of the ball and we've begun our preparation today.
On Zain Gilmore's increase of carries against Oklahoma State: Practice is a big deal in our program. He's just gotten better each and every practice. He's running harder, he's running tougher and he's using his quickness. We've been talking about him the last couple of weeks and in particular last Tuesday and Wednesday at practice. Coach Jones recommended that we play this guy more. He's looking a lot better. We decided on Thursday that we were going to get him in there.
On Brad Hammerich: I've been very impressed with him since I've been here. He's done a great job of working hard in practice. We spend a lot of time on our kicking game. Every Thursday we put him in situations to win the game with a field goal or a pat and he always does very well. He's just done very well at practice. He competes at practice. So am I surprised he's doing well in games? No, not at all. In fact, I'd be really disappointed if he didn't. For instance that 51 yarder he missed against Nebraska, we missed that by a foot and a half, but I won't hesitate again to go for that distance because he's going to make his share of those at that distance. He's pretty good.
On the teams effort against Oklahoma State: It was a great gut check. To persevere and keep going through those 3 periods with all the ups and downs and emotions and come out of that takes a quality football team to pull something like that out. I think you really grow from that remarkably to know that you have a chance at any time and any situation to come back.
On the increase of special team's blocks: It's amazing how something can become contagious. Turnovers are like that. It's amazing you get a game with 3 or 4 turnovers then you back it up with a game where you get 2 or 3 then all of a sudden the players expect the ball to come out. It happens like that. I think that's what happens with this. You get a block and then you get another block then everyone on that line is thinking I might get in there and get a chance to block. Every play everyday you never know when in that crease they're going to let you through.
On stopping Ennis Haywood and the Iowa State offense: I don't know if you stop the run. The thing is to reduce the amount of big plays. That's the first thing you want to do. We've got some challenges this week. They've got a quarterback who's a great athlete. They've got good receivers. They're very productive offensively. I just don't think you ever stop guys like that. I don't think you're ever going to. You just have to reduce the amount of big plays.