The Quickest Slant

Let's get into this.

Opening

— Pleased to get a road victory. Happy to get win. 'We'll start getting ready today for a really big football game.'

Big Ten West round robin and 'scoreboard watching'

— 'Nobody here's going to do that [scoreboard watching]. Really, the only game that counts to us is the one we're playing. I'm sure everyone else feels the same way. I'm not sure if that was by design or if that's how the schedule worked out or how it all happened. I'm not sure how our scheduling works most of the time. I'm sure it's one of those deals. I think everybody playing this weekend feels like they're involved in big games. We certainly feel that way.

On this morning's news from HawkeyeReport.com that freshman WR Derrick Willies' wishes to rejoin the Hawkeyes. Has he discussed this with you and would he be welcomed with open arms?

— [Pause.] Derrick, you probably know the date better than I do [Oct. 27], came to me several weeks ago, I believe, and said he was interested in transferring closer to home. That's the extent of what I know. He chose to leave the team, which we felt bad about, hate to have anybody make that decision. But we've moved on certainly and I assume he has too. We're trying to get ready for a big game right now.

He said he intends to rejoin your program

— That's news to me. Whatever site that was on, I must've missed it. We've actually been trying to get ready for this game.

Q on stopping Wisconsin's running game

— You just about have to play perfect football. They've traditionally been a good rushing attack football team going back to the early '90s. They've run with great success against a lot of really good football teams historically. Certainly, what we're seeing right now is the same thing. They've got a great scheme, but most importantly, they've got players who are committed to doing a good job and who are capable of doing a good job. A lot of their football team is veteran and they're offensive line certainly reflects that. They've also done a great job of replacing some really good players. Last year, the position they really got hit at was the TE position. They haven't missed a beat there. They're playing three guys who have done a really good job there. They graduate one back to the NFL, James White to the Patriots, and they have another guy who's even better, with all due respect to James White. They've had a tradition of great backs. I'm not sure I've seen a better one than the one we're going to see this Saturday. He's just an outstanding football player.

Playing the last two games at home

— It worked out well. Typically, we open up on the road in the Big Ten. That's just a tradition here at Iowa. We've been on the road the last two weeks. This is just one of the weird years where we've got five games in November. The first one was here and then it was on the road for two weeks. It's great to be getting back to Kinnick. Anytime we play in Kinnick late in the season, it's a really good thing. We're going to need every bit of help come Saturday. I'm not expecting the crowd to lead us, but we need to do something to get them juiced up as well. It should be a great Big Ten environment.

Wisconsin's defensive scheme, the challenge of moving the LBs around to pressure

— They do it two different ways. What you see on first down and second down, I don't want to say it's simple because it's not simple, but they do a wonderful job of doing what they do. Then on third down, who knows what you're going to get there. They do a great job there. They've done a wonderful job up there coaching. You go in and try to sustain success, that's tough. This is the second staff that's been there since Barry retired and both have done a great job. Can't say enough about what Gary has done up there. Can't say enough offensively about what they've done since the early '90s, but defensively, it's totally different. And then this year, that's where they had their graduation. They have a lot of new faces up front. I say new a lot of those guys played last year, but it's amazing. They're playing at a higher level defensively than they were playing last year. That's hard to do. They've done a great job transitioning. Credit there goes to the players and the coaches. It's a team effort. They're an outstanding football team.

Would you allow Derrick Willies back on the team?

— It's a hypothetical right now. I hope you can understand this. I'm really kind of more focused on Wisconsin. Late breaking news, I just heard it three minutes ago. It's probably safe to say that for the next 11 days I'll probably be thinking about the teams we're playing. That's where my thoughts are right now.

Today's schedule — They're talking at around 12:45. Ferentz videos and transcript here around 4. Players and stuff to follow.

Thanks for reading.

l Comments: (319) 398-8256; marc.morehouse@thegazette.com