CINCINNATI - Head coach Scott Satterfield, redshirt junior quarterback Brendan Sorsby, redshirt senior running back Tawee Walker, and junior wide receiver Noah Jennings spoke with the media ahead of Saturday’s home game vs. Iowa State.
The Bearcats and Cyclones will kick off at noon at Nippert Stadium. The game will be broadcast on ESPN2.
Head Coach Scott Satterfield
Opening Statement
“I’m proud of our guys, our staff, and our whole organization for going on the road in the Big 12 and getting our first conference win of the season. We had to overcome a lot to do it. On the road, sellout crowd, a lot of diversity throughout the game and they stayed poised. They continued to play and make enough plays to be proud of. Looking forward to this week and hosting Iowa State, they’re an outstanding football team that's ranked and undefeated. We're going to be playing in front of a sold-out stadium here in Nippert. Very excited about that. I know our students are going to be off the chain in that end zone over there, and then everybody else is going to be loud. We're striping it out in red and black. We've got the most recruits that we've ever had coming to a game since we've been here. Highly-rated recruits, committed recruits, it’s going to be outstanding. We can't wait for Saturday at noon to kick this thing off against a really good football team. About Iowa State, Coach Campbell, I've known for a long time. I think he's one of the best coaches in the country, and his teams are always good. They're always ready to play. They're always coached well in all three phases. They’re defensively outstanding, one of the best defenses in the country year in and year out. They have a quarterback that started over 30 football games. That's outstanding. He's a winner. He makes things go for offense. Obviously a great challenge for us, and we're looking forward to it.”
On going for it on fourth down early in the game at Kansas
“We want to be aggressive. Going into that game, we knew Kansas’ offense was outstanding. [Kansas quarterback] Jalon [Daniels] is a great player. They're going to score points. You have to be aggressive. I was just watching the Iowa State game last year. We did that on our first drive last year as well, very similar. When you're playing teams that are really good, especially on the road, you have to be aggressive in your thinking. We felt good about the play and to be able to get those yards, and I think in this league, you have to be aggressive, I really do. I just think there's so many good offenses, so many good players that if you think you got a chance to get the first down, let's go ahead and get it.”
On the status of Dontay Corleone
“He's still questionable, but I do think he's trending in the right direction. I think he was close last week. I really thought he might have had an opportunity last week. We'll see how this week goes with him, I do think he's very close to being able to play this week.”
On going up against Iowa State’s defense, which runs a similar scheme
“I think theoretically we're the same, but there are a lot of differences and things that we're doing. Even Iowa State, going back the last three years that we've played them, depending on their personnel, they do some different things. Obviously, you want your kids do well, so there's going to be some little tweaks and some little nuances that'll be different. But for us, it’s just a normal week. On Tuesday and Wednesday, we're going to do a bunch of different plays, good on good. We're going to see that anyway, because we want to get speed on speed. But I think more than anything is what we take away having gone against this our defense in the spring and in August camp, you feel a little bit more comfortable. When they're playing their base defense. Other than that, you got to see what they're playing and react off of it.”
On looking at last year’s performance vs. Iowa State and what the team can take from that
“We did not throw the ball great last year vs. Iowa State. They gave up some running yards, I feel like when we try to take advantage of that, they did a really good job in the pass game. I think this year they're a little bit more balanced in their defensive approach, it's not just one side. I thought last year maybe they gave up the run and they were really good in pass defense. This year, I think it's a little bit of both. Still, they're a very solid defense. We're going to need to be able to hit some throws. We're going to have to be able to do that. There's no question, that really hindered us last year, not be able to hit some of those throws in the game. I think you got to be able to do both, obviously. But we're a new team. This is a different bunch. They're a different bunch. Their secondary is all new compared to last year. Our wide receivers are all new, so it's really two totally different teams. In that regard, they do have some linebackers back, some D-Line back, you know, we got some of our O-Line back, that kind of thing. But I think as far as the skill guys go back in the receiver room, they're different. So there will be a different kind of game plan.”
On the offense and spreading the ball around
“We have a lot of playmakers, and we need to figure out ways to get them the ball. As you go back and look, nine different guys caught balls on Saturday, Tawee [Walker] and Evan [Pryor] were our two running backs, we rotated both those guys, they're making plays. And at tight end, Gavin [Grover] came in and did a great job. He had a couple big catches when Joe [Royer] went out. We have some good weapons and we need to distribute the football to all these weapons. The last three weeks have done a good job with that, and that's what you want to continue to do the rest of the year.”
On getting into field goal range at the end of the first half at Kansas
“That was coming off the punt return that got called back. It was frustrating and we got backed up. We had one time out and we're thinking, ‘let's try to spread them out, hand the ball off, see if we pop one’. And we got a few yards on the first one, we ended up calling a timeout. On the next one, the safeties were a little bit deeper than normal, and Evan [Pryor] was able to get through. The safety was late trying to respond and he was able to pop the big one. That was huge for us, to be able to go get points right before half. We're up four, go get three right there, and now you're up seven. Then they came out and went and scored. They tied it up. They didn't take the lead. That's a huge difference in the game to be able to go get those points. We did it by running the football. At the end of the game, we did it too, when Tawee [Walker] popped up with the big 17 yards to get down to the two, that was huge as well. We feel confident in Evan [Pryor] and Tawee [Walker] to be able to get the yards. Especially if you have a timeout, like we did, then you get a good chance. That was a huge play.”
On Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht, who doesn’t throw many interceptions, going up against a UC defense that does not have an interception this season
“We would love for him to throw us a bunch, that'd be awesome. We have not gotten any interceptions, we want to create more turnovers. Antwan [Peek Jr.] got another one. He's got six forced fumbles in the last year and a half. I appreciate him creating turnovers for us. I’d love for other guys to step up and get some turnovers. We just have to continue to keep playing. Each of the players that are out there have to do their job in order for that to happen. You have to get pressure on a quarterback. You hope he throws in the coverage, or has to throw early. That's how you get some interceptions. We have to keep doing those types of things to put pressure on the quarterback.”
On the defense against free release throws
“We have to tighten up coverage. Obviously there are times that you're going to be a little looser and softer, but there's other times where you have to tighten it up. You have to match coverages and you have to mix it up, too. You just can't sit in the same defense and you have to be aware of where the receivers are. Those are all things we have to get better at, there's no question. We also have to align properly, have great eye control. Last week, on the first play, bad eyes and the guy went right down the sideline. We have to have better eye control. We have to get much, much better in order to help our pass defense, because that's where we're missing. I think the run defense has been very solid, It's the pass defense where we're going to get better.”
On Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht
“He hit some plays on us last year. Iowa State does a great job of scheming you up. You think you got it stopped, and there's a guy running free, wide open, and he's certainly going to hit him. I think he’s so much more than a game manager. I mean, he's a winner. And how are you a winner? Because you're able to make plays. He's got huge plays on third downs, on fourth downs. They like to run the football, and that play action game is strong. They have some really outstanding tight ends that are long and they're hard to defend. Rocco’s [Becht] a heck of a football player. He's like a coach on the field for them as well. He’s had so much experience with all of the starts he’s had. He's seen everything out there, and he's not going to be phased or rattled at what you're throwing at him.”
On the team’s ability to respond against adversity
“A big part of that is Brendan [Sorsby]. What we went through last year, we've been in these scenarios before. And I think a lot of our guys, the ones that were part of it, Gavin Gerhardt and Brendan [Sorsby], and these guys have been a part of that. They scar down, and you learn from these moments. I felt like our guys had so much more poise if something didn't go our way, or they just went and scored. That's fine. Let's go. We're rolling, and that's what you can see, that's what they're calm about our guys. A part of that is experience, and a part of that is belief. That is belief. I think what we created this offseason and throughout the season so far, is the belief that we can go get it done no matter what's thrown at us. I was glad we were able to do that, and our guys had to make plays. We've been in this scenario many times before, the last few years, and we're just one play short, and we're able to make those plays this time. Noah Jennings on fourth and 10. What an unbelievable play. But if you don't make that catch, we lose. As good as Brendan played and all that, we still lose. You have to make those plays to win. Somebody does. Peek is knocking that ball out. No one is making that catch. Those are big-time plays. That's how you win these types of games.”
On kicker Stephen Rusnak and punter Max Fletcher
“The special teams played excellently on Saturday. We had three punts over 50 yards and no retursn. Excellent job of flipping the field, that is huge, and then knocking down some field goals. The last couple years before half we’d be right there, right before the half, and we hadn't made them; we missed them at Texas Tech last year, Pitt last year, those are differences in the game, to win those games. This year, we knocked it down. Of course, we got the outcome we wanted. I’m glad Stephen [Rusnak] is here, and he's continued to kick well.”
On if he feels as if he “stole” the game at Kansas with Dontay Corleone out
“No, I don't think we stole the game. Our guys went out and played, and we ended up getting the win. We love to have Dontay [Corleone], he's a big part of our defense. I was proud of him on Saturday, too, just right there on the sideline, being a great leader. He's pulling everybody together. You can see that he felt his energy on the sideline was awesome. Hopefully, he'll be able to get back in there this week.”
On defensive linemen Jalen Hunt and Mikah Coleman
“Jalen Hunt is the guy that we thought could really fill that void when Dontay [Corleone] left, to be able to play at the nose, but also play on the edge, and then Mikah [Coleman] as well. I do think Jalen was the key, being able to have him back this year to be able to play in that scenario. We needed him. I thought he did a good job. He put pressure on the quarterback, making him be off the spot a few times. I think he'll continue to play well and get Dontay back. Now, you get both of them out there, it's hard for their offense.”
On fans at Nippert Stadium making Iowa State uncomfortable
“Whenever we go on the road in the Big 12, like last year, we went to Iowa State and Kansas State and to Colorado, those stadiums just stand out to me because they were packed, they were sold out. They affect your offense, like Arrowhead this year. They affect what you do offensively. We have to create that same environment here in Nippert. This stadium is awesome. It's loud there within that bowl. When our crowd gets into it, when it's third down for Iowa State, they need to be going crazy, to try to throw them off of their rhythm and their cadence that they're trying to do on offense. That is a definite advantage for us, and then certainly it will feed off of that.”
On playing back-to-back games at noon
“Whatever time they tell us to play, our boys will be ready to play. We have no control over when TV says we're going to play. I know the fans would love to have a night game here, maybe at some point we will. But whatever time they tell us to play, we need to be that place, packed, loud, rowdy, be ready to go, so we get a big win.”
Quarterback Brendan Sorsby
On the final drive and eventual road win
"It was real fun. Thank goodness I didn't get to see the third down (deep incompletion that was nearly intercepted) where I sailed it because I was taking a high-low shot, but all I heard was the 'oohs' and 'ahhs.' Usually when you hear the 'ahhs,' you know you'll have another chance at it. That drive was awesome, and there was a little bit of adversity there like the rest of the game, but we found a way to persevere and come out on top. We've been in so many close games since I've been here, and it felt good to win one of them."
On how many times he had watched Noah Jennings' one-handed, game-saving catch afterwards
"A lot, a lot. It's crazy how truly a game of inches football is. He didn't straight-up palm it since it was behind him, but he reeled it in somehow. That was another one of those passes where I didn't see it because I got hit low, but hearing the crowd reactions, I knew he pulled it in. Credit to him, he's a real good player who's made some good plays for us."
On his mindset during an offensive slugfest
"Both defenses were doing good things, but sometimes it's just the offense clicking and putting points on the board. I thought we had that sense going into halftime that we would have to keep scoring. Going into the week, we knew what kind of offense they had. They do a bunch of different things, they're explosive and Jalon (Daniels) is a great quarterback."
