On last week’s win over Purdue and Saturday’s match-up with Minnesota: “We were thrilled to get a victory Saturday. It was our seniors last game in Kinnick, that was significant. Purdue played an excellent game. Both teams competed hard, worked hard. Second week in a row it came down to the last play and we were thrilled to get out with a victory.’’
On his most vivid memory of Iowa’s games at the Metrodome, which hosts its final conference game this weekend: “I’m a coach so I’ve had more bad memories than good. I remember in ’84 that we mishandled a punt, gave up the ball, and a running back from Iowa ran it in on the next play. That wasn’t a great memory. I remember a couple of years later though that we missed a late field goal, they had 12 men on the field and we got a second chance and won. I don’t have a lot of attachments to buildings.’’
On the late start: “It’s part of the world right now. Told the guys earlier that we can’t get so entrenched in a routine that it impacts us. It probably impacts young guys less than old farts like me.’’
On if he is surprised with the play of running back Shonn Greene: “I’m not shocked with the way he’s performing. I am surprised that a tailback in his first year of starting is averaging over 6 yards per carry. To have the volume of carries he’s had and to be producing the way he’s producing is a credit to Shonn. He’s producing. The one thing that stood out a couple of years ago on our kickoff team was how hard he ran, how tough he worked. The most impressive thing to me is how he has handled his success off the field. He’s remained humbled.
On his Heisman possibilities: “I haven’t looked at the field out there. With all due respect to great running backs out there I can’t imagine anybody playing better than Shonn Greene.’’
On Minnesota’s turnaround: “We played them last year in our next-to-last game and they came in here with one win to their credit. Not that we were a great team, but they played the heck out of us all day. That game down to the final play also. Tim (Brewster) and his staff have done a wonderful job of coaching that team. They’re playing with enthusiasm and playing at a high level. We saw last Saturday in defeat (to Wisconsin) that they’re playing at a very high level.’’
Here’s what Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio had to say about Iowa’s Shonn Greene on this morning’s Big Ten teleconference. …
“Very tough, physical back. He runs well behind a very good line and they conceptually do some things to get the ball in his hands. He runs tough, he runs angry and he’s had a very solid season.’’
Jebus wrote on Nov 18, 2008 2:02 PM:
Thanks, Captain Understatement. "