Coach Speak(s)! Iowa Week

Coach Brohm stepped to the mic this week following the win against Maryland and before the game against Iowa. Let’s see some highlights shall we?

On if Rondale Moore will practice:

You know, I wouldn’t go that far yet, but you know, he’s out a little while longer. So kind of week-to-week. Probably wouldn’t say that yet.

On the offensive line play against Maryland:

I was proud of our offensive line. A lot of times, you take a lot of blame when things are not going well and when things are going good, the skill players get the credit. Those guys gave up one sack and that was on Jack, holding the ball too long. Could have gone rid of it. Could have thrown in the flat on the little roll-out there. So that was good to see.

Now we did a few things to help our guys, and I think that did help, as well, but I do think our guys played hard. Without question, Grant Hermanns has had his best game. He definitely stood out. I think Matt McCann was solid again and those two have to be our best players each week and that did happen.

The others, I think with the competition, with a few of the adjustments we made and the fact that they play hard and play confident, I thought they did a good job and I was proud of their performance.

On the interesting story of Sam Garvin coming from IU to play at Purdue:

Well, it’s interesting. I think -- my memory’s not great but I’m pretty sure it was our first year I got here. First January, and we kind of said, we’re in the picture late, and we kind of brought him and his family in to convince him come walk-on. Thought he had a great visit. Had some people in our corner working behind the scenes and next day, said he was going to IU (chuckling). I said, well, probably didn’t go as great as I think.

I think he was so entrenched with IU at the time, they had recruited him, a lot of friends and buddies going there, and he maybe knew things and he felt more comfortable with that, is what I was told.

It was after one semester, he, in his opinion, made the wrong decision and transferred over to us. You know, so I think his parents went to Purdue. Maybe he felt he made a mistake. He’s done a great job. Works hard. Gives us everything he’s got. Is thrust in the role and I just hope he continues to take advantage of it.

An update on the linebacking corps:

[W]e have some concerns. There’s no question the lack of depth is a strong concern right now. I think Ben Holt has played a lot of snaps. Cornel is injured. Jaylan Alexander is playing a lot of snaps. He’s doing some good things. It’s good to see.

But the back-ups, we had to force Saunders into action who had not played yet. First time in the game. Did a solid job, I think he has a bright future. We had worked Derrick Barnes in the back end and to use him at lineback, and Branson Deen went out on the defensive end, so we got short-handed there. So we kind of kept him at his position, but yes he has to be able to play both.

To me, he is someone who has cross-trained at both the hybrid defensive end position and the linebacker position. So yes, we have to make sure we have a couple different options ready.

On Cory Trice following his two interception game:

Like I said, he’s got some rawness to him at the position, but he’s tall, long, athletic. Plays with no fear, practices hard. Goes hard. Hasn’t missed a practice. Competes every day and those are the type of players that normally excel.

So I think it was great to see him excel and make some plays for us and making the two interceptions was huge. The one changed the momentum of the game, the one he returned for a touchdown. I’m very proud of his performance and I think it’s due to his work ethic, his ability to stick to it, his ability to be unselfish and move from safety when he probably would have played a lot of safety for us.

But we needed -- we thought of all the people, he had some athleticism at corner that maybe the others didn’t and that’s what stood out, but he’s done a very good job.

Brohm is 2-0 against Kirk Ferentz, why?

Well, no secret formula to that. I think -- I know went down to the first year, and we hit a couple big plays. They pressed us. We hit a couple big plays over the top, our defense played well and we found a way to win. Just one of those games.

This past year at home, we found a way to score early, which is important against them because they want to control the football and they want to run the clock. We got a lead early, which helps. It’s always going to help against the way they play the game, so just kind of things went our way and we had some luck on our side.

You know, that is the key against Iowa. You’re going to have to find a way to get a lead and make them play a little bit different brand than they want to, because when they can play Iowa Football, they have a good chance of winning and Coach has done a good job there. They are consistent, steady every year.