Brady Hoke Monday Press Conference: Northwestern Week
11/3/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football
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• Press Conference: Coach Hoke 
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J. Ira and Nicki Harris Family Head Football Coach Brady Hoke
Opening statement ... "Thanks for coming. It was good to win last week. It's always good to win; it's kind of redundant and obvious, but really for how these guys practice and how they prepare, it's always good to be on the right side of the scoreboard when they do that. I thought when you look at how from both sides of the ball they played together, and it was truly a team win. We came over a little adversity. Defensively, I really thought the guys played well up front. Tackles for loss: I think we had 12 so the negative plays helped. Offensively, 184 yards rushing which is 5.3, I think it was, per rush. It was nice to see us be able to end the game, posses the ball. They only had 53 or 54 offensive plays, so the opportunities weren't there. We set up some short fields with the two fumble recoveries, and that was very positive. You know, like anything else, it's nice that you're balanced, and that's what we were, but we got another game on Saturday at Northwestern, and we look forward to that. We came in and got some things done yesterday, when you look at it more from a health standpoint. It's exciting to go to Chicago and play Northwestern."
On OL Erik Magnuson's position change ... "I think that's something that we could stay with doing. Obviously, we were short a little bit. He's a good athlete, and that's why he's a left tackle. He can do some things, and that's why we put him in 81."
On the progression of offensive guards ... "I think Kyle Kalis, we were a little concerned early in camp because he had a back issue that had flared up. We were a little concerned about that, but I think because a lot of it is his toughness and how he loves to play the game. Happy with him, but he's going to get us a false start once a game it seems like; we've got to do a better job, and he's got to do a better job, and he is. The physicalness he's played with has been good. I think Graham (Glasgow), over on the left side; I think that has been very good for us. I think the development of all those guys has improved, and Graham is playing center a little bit, at times."
On his reaction to Dave Brandon stepping down ... "Well, I think the one thing is I have a lot of respect for Dave. From a reaction standpoint, he did a lot of good things for the university. Now I'm real excited to work with interim AD Jim (Hackett)."
On if he's spoken with Jim Hackett ... "I saw him after the game, briefly. Just briefly."
On what Jim Hackett said after the game ... "He was just happy with the homecoming win and all that kind of stuff."
On if he's concerned about his job with a new athletic director ... "I've never been concerned about a job, ever. I never will be because if I get concerned about a job then you get distracted from it. I threw brake drums in the assembly line for Dayton Walther during summer, and I was never concerned because I knew I was going to outwork everybody. For this, if I get distracted then I'm not being fair to those kids who haven't been distracted. I've never ever worried about employment."
On if last week's event impacted the team ... "I don't think so. This team has been close all year. They've stayed together all year. They've unified, united. They worked their tails off together. I don't think so."
On what offensive challenges Northwestern will present ... "Well, they've had some rash of injuries. (Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald) had some things happen in the preseason that you have to manage as a coach. I'm not going to speak for Pat. Pat's a great coach and a great man. He's very prideful of his university. They beat Wisconsin. Wisconsin is a pretty good football team. They went to Penn State and beat Penn State there 29-6. Penn State still has Christian Hackenberg, who's as good of a quarterback as you'll see. They've got maybe some other struggles, but you look at them on tape. (QB-Trevor) Siemian has really good film, really good tape. Justin Jackson, the running back, I think had 99 yards rushing last week, and I think he was going for either four or five games in a row of over 100 yards. He's rushed the ball. A lot of the offensive linemen are guys that we've seen before and you know, the last two years that game has gone into overtime. It's been a tough game for us, and we'll get their best."
On his relationship with Jim Hackett ... "When I was here before, I met Jim. I think since being here I've met him. I did the Southwest Michigan Sports Authority that he was a big part of."
On if RB Drake Johnson is in competition to start ... "I think he's always been in the mix. Here's what happened. You've got a guy who's missed a year of football. You've got a guy who started out a little lower than the other three guys on the depth chart. One of them gets hurt and now he's getting a lot more reps. He's getting a lot more reps within the offensive line, the first team because of Derrick (Green) getting hurt. I think he has continued to develop and progress, and they'll compete. They'll compete for it like they always do. I would say De'Veon Smith right now, he's fine. We'll see what happens."
On if forcing turnovers was emphasized prior to Saturday's game ... "Not really. It is sometimes how the game goes. I don't think we emphasized anything different than we do every week. You study backs, you study receivers. Sometimes they're a little loose with it so as you talk to your defensive group, if you get an opportunity you can punch it or strip it or do something like that. It sometimes happens in waves."
On if OL Erik Magnuson is receiving practice reps at left tackle ... "He is a guy that can play a lot of positions. First of all, he is extremely intelligent. He is also athletic enough to play guard and to play center, which is the only position we haven't repped him at, but he would be the first guy in at left tackle or left guard. I think that his future is at tackle, but we have to see how Mason (Cole) continues, how some of the guys who are redshirting progress. Juwann (Bushell-Beatty) is a pretty physical guy, and Logan (Tuley-Tillman) is coming a long way."
On DB Jabrill Peppers' status ... "He's better, but he is not where he needs to be. That is a good question. I will have something soon."
On holding Indiana scoreless at the end of the first half ... "I think it was very important. The energy the guys had, and the way they took the field made you very confident about how they were going to go out there and play. We talk about those situations being defining to some degree."
