Oct. 28, 2008

Weekly Football Press Conference Quotes - Oct. 28 Kill, Adamski, Bryant and Kube discuss the upcoming Ball State game

DEKALB, Ill.-Northern Illinois head football coach Jerry Kill spoke at Tuesday's weekly press conference at the Jeffrey and Kimberly Yordon Center to review last week's win over Bowling Green and preview Wednesday's match up with Ball State. Joining Kill were center Eddie Adamski (Kildeer, Ill./Carmel), free safety David Bryant (St. Louis, Mo./Ladue Horton Watkins) and linebacker Alex Kube (Cary, Ill./Cary-Grove) Below are excerpts from the press conference.

NIU Head Coach Jerry Kill

On last week's game against BGSU:

"I think our team played hard. People are going to have to understand that Bowling Green is a team that was a bowl team a year ago. A lot of the games we have played are tough and they all go down to the wire. We were fortunate enough to play well against Toledo and get to them early. This conference is very difficult. Our schedule is very difficult and it's tough. After watching film, I thought that we played hard again and we made some mistakes. Just some mistakes where the receiver was not where they were supposed to be or the communication between the receiver and the quarterback we have to get cleaned up, and we will.

"As far as the offensive side of the ball, I thought we handled the line of scrimmage pretty well. I thought we were pretty physical, we ran the ball well, and we did a great job on keeping their offense on the sideline. I know their coach pretty well, and I know that that is something that he didn't want to see happen.

"Defensively, we made big plays when we needed to make big plays, we stepped up and held them to field goals, and we didn't turn the ball over. We did a good job in that area, and we had some kids step up. Then, of course, the kicking game did a good job. The snapper and holder did a good job and that's not an easy thing to do in some situations. We did what we had to do to win the game. We are excited about where we are at. We just have to keep plugging along and keep trying to get better and we certainly have room to improve."

On where the team is at right now:

"When we were in spring ball we were not a very good team. You guys know that and I know that. It's all about the kids. They have improved. I think our strength coach [Eric Klien] has done a great job, and I think that's kind of gone unnoticed. He did a great job in the summer and kids bought into it. The kids worked hard. I think our weight room conditioning has helped us. You never underestimate kids and their desire. You have to give them a lot of credit. They have worked hard to get where they are at. We were not a good football team in the spring and there is no two ways about it."

On Chandler Harnish's second interception Saturday:

"Both coach Pat Poore and I talked to him after that. Chandler plays quarterback like a linebacker. He is an intense kid. We had him in the spring as well, and I know there is a fine line on when to rip on a guy and when not to. We got on him about "what are you looking at?" or "what did you see?" That's what we do. Even though he is supposed to be where he is at, you got to make sure you know where you are at. We use those things to teach you. You are going to make mistakes and if you don't, you are not doing anything. It was a teaching factor. The film is good for the offense, defense, and kicking games. There are a lot of things that we can teach them on to make us better the next time that we go out. I think we just taught him and I told him that you can't be worried about making mistakes, you just go to go out there and play."

On playing week night games:

"I don't think that you make a big deal about it, and you just keep going. I am a routine guy though. The exposure on Wednesday night, being on ESPN2, playing Ball State, No. 18th in the country, it doesn't get any better than that. The tough thing is playing four week night games in one month, and I worry about the academic part of it. That's the tough thing. We will get back at five in the morning and the kids have to get to class at eight in the morning. That's a concern when you play four of these."

On Ball State, thoughts and concern's:

"They are undefeated. So we are going to play a very good team. They are very well coached. I have a tremendous amount of respect for their head football coach. I think he does things the right way. I think he's built a good team. They have a great quarterback. Not a good quarterback, a great one. He's a guy that will be playing in the National Football League. So any time that your leader is that good, it's a plus. Offensively, I think they have been very productive. Defensively, I think they have been overlooked all year, and I think their defense is very good. They are a very good football team and they deserve the ranking that they have earned. It's a shame that their wide receiver got hurt because he is a great player. You don't like to see that on anybody. I think their team has responded through that and played very well. It's going to be a challenge for us, but we are looking forward to it. You always want to go to play someone that you respect. Their kids are going to play hard, it's a great challenge for our program and we are looking forward to it. I think our kids responded very well when we went to play at Minnesota and Tennessee. I look for us to respond well when we go play Ball State. We will get their best, and hopefully we raise our level and match theirs and have a good football game."

Eddie Adamski, Center

On the different formations and styles of the offense:

"It is nice for us as an offense. It's nice that the defense doesn't know what we are going to do next. Different formations and different personnel are nice. Justin Anderson lining up as a quarterback to run the ball, it's a different change and a different pace. It's nice to have that."

Alex Kube, Linebacker

On the defense's thoughts on the long drive the offense put together to win the game Saturday:

"We were warming up the whole time, not sure when we were going to go back in. As a defense, you like it when you get to rest, you get a break and you really get some time to meet with the coaches and get a game plan on what you are going to do when you get back out there. You use it as a good time to get ready. You just know its best when the offense is out there and doing so many good things. It's good."

On the performance of the defense:

"I think that we have been working hard. We have been working very hard trying to become more of a team and just accomplishing more and more things and that is what we want to continue to do. We know that we have a tough one ahead of us and we just know that we have to work a little harder so that we can accomplish more things."

David Bryant, Free Safety

On playing an offense that runs multiple formations

"I am not sure that we have played a team that uses all the different formations and things that our offense does. I guess throughout the course of the season you do see a lot of different things from team to team, but as a defense it just gives you a lot more things to think about all the different formations and shapes you make with each formation, and it just kind of makes you play a little slower and think a lot. I think that is one of the things that have really helped out our offense a lot."