Video, Transcript: Kirk Ferentz Music City Presser

KIRK FERENTZ: Good afternoon. Clearly, actually blissful for our group. It was an ideal group victory right now and simply actually happy with them.

You already know, the work that they’ve performed this complete month after which clearly they did an ideal job down right here in Nashville and had an ideal expertise. Appreciative of Scott and all people with the Clear Bowl. It has been completely unbelievable. I stated clear once more. TransPerfect. I will get that proper. Son of a bitch.

No, simply actually blissful for our guys. Simply actually blissful for our guys. Particularly our seniors. What a approach to ship them off. It has been an ideal group, and I am unable to thank them sufficient for all they’ve performed.

Each one among these guys has actually embodied what it means to be a Hawkeye. You discuss concerning the guys which are seniors, the senior captains, or a child like Tommy Hartlieb, Dallas Craddieth, you already know, large deal with on particular groups. Only a actually particular group.

Bowl video games are slightly bittersweet due to that. It’s a must to say goodbye to these guys, however simply could not be extra proud.

Then the opposite side clearly an opportunity for some youthful gamers to step up and do some issues. You already know, one of many enjoyable issues with preserve teaching a few aim recreation, you watch youthful guys develop and develop. Noticed lots of that throughout the course of this previous 4 weeks.

You already know, coincidentally Jaz Patterson took it there on the finish and had a few good runs. He’s a younger man who simply quietly has been grabbing alternatives and doing an ideal job.

You speak about Cooper. Clearly, he had an ideal recreation. Joe Labas is perhaps as precious as Cooper simply in the truth that he did not make any important errors on the market, and that is simpler stated than performed. You already know, simply happy with the way in which he dealt with issues and obtained thrown into it fairly instantly.

So, you already know, simply blissful concerning the youthful guys’ improvement. Clearly, we now have a giant management void. I feel as a lot as something I feel this group of seniors, the contributions they’ve made leadership-wise simply invaluable. Simply blissful about every little thing on that entrance.

After which, sadly, I’ve some unhappy and tragic data to share with you. Jack Campbell’s grandfather handed away final evening. Was concerned in an accident right here. Mr. Smith, I can simply let you know this from private expertise, had a very large affect on Jack’s total life. He was very shut with him, helped mum or dad him.

I do know he was right here to cheer on his grandson. Very, very happy with Jack, and simply has an ideal mutual relationship, the 2 of them had. Our hearts are actually with your complete household, Jack and his total household, as they grieve. It is powerful to cope with (choked up).

I do know he was an ideal affect on Jack and an ideal Hawkeye on high of it, and actually appreciative of that. Sorry to drop that on you, however transitioning to questions.

Q. Coach, are you able to speak about that two pick-6s and the way vital they have been right now?

KIRK FERENTZ: Yeah, enormous. We knew what we have been up in opposition to. In some methods each of us have been trying within the mirror slightly bit. Stronger extra veteran on protection, each groups. For us taking part in clear soccer offensively is a place to begin. I used to be assured Joe might do some issues and get some issues going.

Defensively actually that was going to be paramount, and we have ridden that every one season lengthy. You by no means rely on the touchdowns, however the subject place half. After which the third ingredient was our particular groups play.

I joked with Tory. We must always have made him a captain earlier, I assume, however he could not have had a greater recreation. He punted nice, and it actually impacted the sphere place.

Then should you give our protection an opportunity, they could do some good issues, and each nice performs. Cooper is hardly a veteran, however he has performed. After which for X to get that one, that was nice for him in his first begin too. So that you get some younger guys getting some precious expertise and having an ideal expertise.

Q. Amplifying on Tory, can you start to elucidate what a distinction maker he has been?

KIRK FERENTZ: He has been excellent. Watching the expansion over three years might be the neater half, and that is one of many enjoyable elements about teaching. You already know, had a few video games the place he wasn’t as sharp. I do not know if I’ve seen him sharper than what I noticed right now. He was on it. Simply on it each time.

We had nice respect for his or her returners, each on kickoff after which additionally the punt. In order that was one thing we have been actually are centered on. Particularly No. 2. That is why Dallas is tackling, and that kickoff was so good.

Yeah, however Tory’s work is simply — lots of people it isn’t that large of a deal, however simply within the second half I feel it was, you already know, we punted down there and obtained the ball again. We gained 20 yards subject place. It was the primary second-possession within the third quarter.

So all these little issues that are not very attention-grabbing to individuals make a giant distinction in video games, after which when you’ve got a very good protection, it provides you an opportunity.

Q. On Xavier’s pick-6, it appeared prefer it switched from extra of a cover-three look versus extra of a cover-four. Do you assume that impacted the play in any respect? After which, after all, what he was capable of do as soon as he caught it, it appears to indicate what he’s able to doing.

KIRK FERENTZ: We play largely zone, and hopefully not too apparent with what we’re doing. Yeah, it was a very good heads-up play. Once more, Bowe each groups have been taking part in with new quarterbacks, so not making these important errors was large. After which our guys capitalized the ball. It sailed slightly bit, and he was there. Then endlessly it looks like.

Our guys have performed a very good job. We do a very good job of turnovers and making them offensive alternatives, if you’ll, and that is coached. These guys know the place to go, the place to get. Did a pleasant job of getting behind his blockers. Our guys noticed hustle when there’s a turnover. They’re making an attempt to make it extra than simply getting possession. It is good teaching.

Our defensive workers I feel does an ideal job. Flipping over to the offensive workers too, I feel, once more, we knew our challenges right here, and to navigate it the way in which we need to was actually — it was a very good effort by all three phases.

Q. How a lot have you ever seen Xavier develop over these previous couple of months?

KIRK FERENTZ: I am not saying he is Cooper, however should you bear in mind, Cooper was not a family title a yr in the past. At the least in November. So, once more, that is what we get to look at is you watch guys get confidence. The world we’re residing in now, it is simply going to occur earlier than it used to.

I used to redshirt guys so regularly, however these days are gone. You watch him doing issues on particular groups, and that is normally the place particularly with the perimeter guys, you begin getting a very good really feel a few man. He has been doing that. He has been — he’s attentive. He has an ideal perspective and works laborious, and that goes again to January when he confirmed up.

So for him to get his first expertise, I simply requested him if he was nervous. I did not need to discuss to him earlier than the sport. He stated, no. That is what he got here right here for, to play. So it was actually good to see him step in there.

And Koen Entringer has performed a pleasant job too. He had an harm in December in any other case he would have been in right here slightly bit too.

You have got three guys again there. You do not need to lose a man. Kaevon went right here, however good to see youthful guys step up and go.

Q. Seven straight seasons, not counting the COVID yr, that you’ve got received at the least eight video games. What does that imply to you?

KIRK FERENTZ: I will consider COVID too as a result of it was effectively over 61% or no matter % that’s. Yeah, I feel it is vital. Successful in faculty soccer just isn’t straightforward. I feel it is vital should you take a look at the opposite 4 groups which have performed it.

Oklahoma dropped out. It was six coming into the yr. We’re nonetheless there, and people different groups, you do not see us recruiting in opposition to them too usually.

So it simply says so much about our gamers. Like I stated, these seniors, you already know, really feel an obligation to this system to uphold the usual, and that is what the sport is all about. Guys getting that message. It is fairly easy, nevertheless it’s laborious when you may have 120 guys present up day by day with a very good perspective and put it on a stage working. These are habits that can actually assist them down the highway, no matter they do professionally, being a mum or dad, being anyone that is a member of a group in an organization, a faculty, no matter you’re doing. It is a fantastic half about soccer.

Q. Sam stated the extra you set into this system, the extra you get out of it. How would you type of intensify what he means by that?

KIRK FERENTZ: I agree. Fairly good instance is the three guys that — I do not know if Riley was right here, however the three senior captains. And Kaevon similar manner, after which Tory.

That is life, although. It is you get what you get. What you give, you get it again. Usually. Generally it takes some time, however you get it again, and I’ve all the time believed that, I assume.

Q. What did you see from Joe Labas in his first profession begin?

KIRK FERENTZ: If you happen to had seen him two weeks in the past, I will get in bother once more. I obtained in bother final yr with this one, however should you noticed him two weeks in the past, whoa. The primary couple of weeks have been actually bumpy, however final week he settled down slightly bit. Simply an instance, teamwork and being a very good teammate.

Petras was with him each play, and Carson needed to get within the huddle with him each play even final week. So simply guys serving to one another out. His development, that is development he would not have gotten till the chance opened up. He had an ideal perspective. He has actually labored laborious. I assumed he did a very good job right now.

I do not thoughts telling you, we have been nervous concerning the 25-second clock. Let’s simply begin there. Getting the ball snapped earlier than that. I do not understand how shut you watched pregame, however we had a middle/quarterback alternate, after all, on the primary play. That stuff is not actually reassuring generally.

He performed with poise on the market, and he has slightly juice to him too, in order that’s enjoyable to see.

Q. Kirk, we have talked rightfully so about Jack Campbell. However Riley Moss is a man that perhaps wasn’t going to come back again. He ended up coming again. I assume I noticed the emotional second you two had on stage, however what has Riley Moss meant to you and this system?

KIRK FERENTZ: So, yeah, final yr, no matter, December or no matter, it was once we had that little break and the blokes got here again. Each inside, like, 5 minutes of one another, Campbell and Laporta stroll in my workplace and say, I am again for subsequent yr, we’re not going wherever. Nice.

Riley took it into January, and I actually did not assume he would come again, however I feel his determination was effectively thought out. I feel he had nice steering from his household.

This yr, no questionably has helped him in his future. He would like to play within the NFL. My large concern with him coming again, and I’ve informed the NFL individuals this, is, okay, you get a man again for that yr perhaps you are not relying on, so what’s it going to be like? First man on the market on the sphere day by day in spring ball and labored his tail off day by day. That is how he does issues.

Doing the pregame factor yesterday Louis Riddick simply commented about how impressed he was, and Louis performed defensive again. We have been collectively in Cleveland.

Once more, it is that instance of a man coming again with the fitting perspective and simply constructing on. I’ve all the time believed gamers enhance. Good gamers enhance if they’ve the fitting perspective.

That is what you’re speaking about with Riley. What an ideal man. That is the enjoyable half about soccer.

Q. New quarterbacks on each side, however in your protection pretty much as good as they’ve performed all yr to cap this off with a shut-out, the primary on this bowl’s historical past, how is that?

KIRK FERENTZ: I am not the neatest man on the earth, however one factor I’ve realized, if they cannot rating, you are not going to lose. I do know that.

If we might have written the script right now, it was excellent. Simply actually blissful. Once more, it is a testomony to the way in which our guys put together and simply the work that they put in past the apply subject. These guys are actually dedicated to it, and there is a customary. It is nice to see. I am simply actually happy with these guys.

Q. I have been masking your group for concerning the previous 4 seasons, and I by no means have seen you emotional like that whenever you hugged your gamers up on the rostrum and get fears tears in your eyes. Are you able to describe the feelings you have been feeling at that second?

KIRK FERENTZ: It is in all probability amplified slightly bit. The issues I talked about in December right here, all these items occurring that simply does not make sense in faculty soccer, fairly frankly. That is an entire dialogue for a unique day. There’s lots of issues that frustrate you slightly bit otherwise you marvel, you already know, what the hell is happening?

However the single better part about teaching is being with the blokes. When you may have guys like we have got, that is one of the best a part of the day. I give up {golfing} 30 years in the past, thank God for everyone. If I used to be good at golf and preferred golf, that might be like {golfing}, proper, however I do not golf, so I’d somewhat be round our gamers.

Once more, you may have guys which are shopping for in and simply focussed on the fitting issues. That is what makes it enjoyable. Makes it actually precious.

Q. Until I missed one thing, Van Nuys did not play within the first quarter. Was there any motive for that? After which do you assume he might be again subsequent yr?

KIRK FERENTZ: We’ll see. Time will inform. No main motive, and time will inform. We’ll see. Hope so. Hope lots of guys are again.

Q. Castro has constructed a repute of being a positive tackler, however right now he had some very nice performs in move protection. How would you describe how he has —

KIRK FERENTZ: They examined him. They went after him, and I assumed he performed nice. That man was quick, the man he was masking.

So we talked about X stepping in. Identical factor with Sebastian. He performed lots of snaps all season, however he simply retains bettering. He’s a troublesome, hard-nosed man, and he cares and works laborious. In order that was a troublesome matchup, however I assumed he performed effectively. He was an element within the recreation actually, and it is simply that subsequent man in, subsequent man up idea. Once more, the blokes purchase into it.

Q. That catch that Sam had and he broke six completely different tackles, it was type of like TJ a number of years in the past. That is in all probability even higher I feel to place you in a scoring place. How do you sum up a play like that simply by watching it?

KIRK FERENTZ: He’s all soccer participant. He was that manner — I inform the NFL guys, when he got here right here, he was fairly good at receiving and that type of stuff. By no means blocked.

However the man is simply all soccer participant. He really loves the sport. He loves competitors, and he loves doing it with a bunch of excellent guys.

So going again to him, you get a few of these guys, these guys are fairly uncommon. This group is fairly uncommon. Sam is true there. I imply, he’s simply unbelievable. What a soccer participant he’s.

You talked about TJ. That was the most important play within the recreation again in ’18 I assume it will have been, proper? ’18. The one-yard move that he took down as a result of, you already know, we’re type of up in opposition to it there. Shifted subject place, after which made them go the lengthy subject. That was an enormous play in that recreation.

I really stated final evening after I informed him, I stated, you already know, greatest play — greatest move play within the Orange Bowl was Tony caught a few three-yard little in-and-out and took it 50 or no matter it was. That is soccer generally. To have guys like Tony, TJ, or Sam, and that is how good issues occur.

Yeah, what a very good story he’s, after which it was becoming that Luke completed it off as a result of, boy, has he turn into a very good soccer participant.