LARRY FEDORA: We're excited, again, to
play at home in front of our crowd, and welcoming
a big team into our stadium. Our kids are excited,
and we're ready to get out there and play again.
Q. Your running back Elijah Hood
doing more with less in 2015, obviously he's
come on strong. Just what can you say about
his evolution?
LARRY FEDORA: Oh, I think the kid, for
one, he's healthy this year, and that was
something we struggled with last year for him. The
expectations were pretty high and he was
disappointed with the way things turned out last
year, just with all the injuries and what held him
back. He was excited to get going this year
because he is healthy, he feels good, and he has
really had a good year up to this point.
Q. And then as far as your defensive
improvements from week one to week two after
watching the film, what are some pieces on
your defensive side that you've been happy
with, some of the players out there that have
stepped up or maybe some things you've seen
change?
LARRY FEDORA: Yeah, well, we've
had -- in two weeks we've had some really
consistent play out of three or four guys. I would
say at the linebacker spot, (Jeff) Schoettmer and
Shakeel Rashad have played extremely well both
weeks, and then so have, in the back end, Donnie
Miles and M.J. Stewart have. They've had two
really good games. Then you go look, and the
defensive line have -- they've been solid. I don't
Q. What's the team's routine the day
before a home game? What do you try to do or
what do you do with the team?
LARRY FEDORA: We do the same thing
whether we're on the road or at home, actually. I
mean, we're going to go to class, and then when
they finish class, they're going to eat and then
they're going to come over for meetings, and we
walk the rooms, and then we usually have a team
dinner and maybe see a movie and then have a
few meetings and put them to bed.
Q. Has that changed over the years for
you or have you always done it the same way?
LARRY FEDORA: Pretty close to doing it
the same way over the years. I mean, there may
be -- we've added a few minutes to a meeting or a
walk-through or taken some time away, depending
on what time the game is, but basically the same.
Q. What concerns you most facing the
Illinois offense, and how ready do you feel your
pass defense is for that challenge?
LARRY FEDORA: Yeah, well, they do a
great job in their 10 personnel. They throw the ball
around really good, and they've got a quarterback
that can throw it in Wes Lunt. He throws the ball
very well. And then they get into their big
packages with two, three, and sometimes four tight
ends, and they create some problems for you in
the running game, plus their play actions, they like
to go deep in those situations, and it does, it
creates an issue for you.
Q. And how do you feel your pass
defense has shown -- what has the pass
defense shown you the first couple weeks?
LARRY FEDORA: In the first couple
weeks I've been pleased with the way those guys
have responded. Again, I said earlier in the week,
this will be the best team we've played up to this
point. We'll get to see where we really are
because I think our guys feel good about what
they've done, and I think they feel good about
where we're at, and now we'll see how we adapt to
this new offense.
Q. You were talking about Wes Lunt
earlier. Talk about him and just all the
weapons they have, and Josh Ferguson, as
well, their very good running back. Just talk
about them.
LARRY FEDORA: Yeah, we'll start with
Ferguson because he's what makes it all go. He's
a 205-, 200-pound back that's got great quickness,
can make you miss. He's powerful. Looks like
he's got great vision. I think he really fits what
they're doing with him. And he catches the ball
really well out of the backfield. I mean, that's
another thing that he brings to the table.
And then Lunt, Lunt is throwing the ball
really well. He's got a great arm, big kid that can
throw it. He's very confident in what he's doing
back there. He's not -- he doesn't have happy feet.
He's relaxed. He's doing a nice job.
Q. Talk about the big game coming up
against Illinois. What do you see on film that
might give you problems? What is the major
thing you have to work on from now until
Saturday?
LARRY FEDORA: Well, first of all, they
throw the ball extremely well out of their ten
personnel, so we've got to do a great job. Their
passing game is far more extensive in that
personnel group, and then when they get into their
two, three, four tight end sets they're going to run
the ball and they treat match-up problems for you
that way and then they throw the ball down the
field and play actions out of that. It will definitely
create issues for us.
Q. Talk about your No. 42, (Shakeel)
Rashad. What's it like having him on the other
side of the football?
LARRY FEDORA: Well, first of all, he's a
great kid. He's very, very intelligent kid, and he
really has a good feel and a knack for what we're
doing. Moving him to that linebacker position was
really good for us and good for him, also, and he
did a great job training his body to prepare for it.
Q. Did the coaching change at Illinois
affect your preparation at all? Did it change
anything for you guys?
LARRY FEDORA: No, not at all. I mean, I
don't think that -- I have no way of knowing what
was being done before, so all we know is what
we've seen with Bill (Cubit) and the staff that
they've got right now. It looks like they're humming
along pretty good. They've scored 96 points and
only allowed three, so again, that's hard to do
against air.
Q. Do you know Coach Cubit at all or
not?
LARRY FEDORA: I do not know him. I've
never had the opportunity I don't think to meet him.
play at home in front of our crowd, and welcoming
a big team into our stadium. Our kids are excited,
and we're ready to get out there and play again.
Q. Your running back Elijah Hood
doing more with less in 2015, obviously he's
come on strong. Just what can you say about
his evolution?
LARRY FEDORA: Oh, I think the kid, for
one, he's healthy this year, and that was
something we struggled with last year for him. The
expectations were pretty high and he was
disappointed with the way things turned out last
year, just with all the injuries and what held him
back. He was excited to get going this year
because he is healthy, he feels good, and he has
really had a good year up to this point.
Q. And then as far as your defensive
improvements from week one to week two after
watching the film, what are some pieces on
your defensive side that you've been happy
with, some of the players out there that have
stepped up or maybe some things you've seen
change?
LARRY FEDORA: Yeah, well, we've
had -- in two weeks we've had some really
consistent play out of three or four guys. I would
say at the linebacker spot, (Jeff) Schoettmer and
Shakeel Rashad have played extremely well both
weeks, and then so have, in the back end, Donnie
Miles and M.J. Stewart have. They've had two
really good games. Then you go look, and the
defensive line have -- they've been solid. I don't
Q. What's the team's routine the day
before a home game? What do you try to do or
what do you do with the team?
LARRY FEDORA: We do the same thing
whether we're on the road or at home, actually. I
mean, we're going to go to class, and then when
they finish class, they're going to eat and then
they're going to come over for meetings, and we
walk the rooms, and then we usually have a team
dinner and maybe see a movie and then have a
few meetings and put them to bed.
Q. Has that changed over the years for
you or have you always done it the same way?
LARRY FEDORA: Pretty close to doing it
the same way over the years. I mean, there may
be -- we've added a few minutes to a meeting or a
walk-through or taken some time away, depending
on what time the game is, but basically the same.
Q. What concerns you most facing the
Illinois offense, and how ready do you feel your
pass defense is for that challenge?
LARRY FEDORA: Yeah, well, they do a
great job in their 10 personnel. They throw the ball
around really good, and they've got a quarterback
that can throw it in Wes Lunt. He throws the ball
very well. And then they get into their big
packages with two, three, and sometimes four tight
ends, and they create some problems for you in
the running game, plus their play actions, they like
to go deep in those situations, and it does, it
creates an issue for you.
Q. And how do you feel your pass
defense has shown -- what has the pass
defense shown you the first couple weeks?
LARRY FEDORA: In the first couple
weeks I've been pleased with the way those guys
have responded. Again, I said earlier in the week,
this will be the best team we've played up to this
point. We'll get to see where we really are
because I think our guys feel good about what
they've done, and I think they feel good about
where we're at, and now we'll see how we adapt to
this new offense.
Q. You were talking about Wes Lunt
earlier. Talk about him and just all the
weapons they have, and Josh Ferguson, as
well, their very good running back. Just talk
about them.
LARRY FEDORA: Yeah, we'll start with
Ferguson because he's what makes it all go. He's
a 205-, 200-pound back that's got great quickness,
can make you miss. He's powerful. Looks like
he's got great vision. I think he really fits what
they're doing with him. And he catches the ball
really well out of the backfield. I mean, that's
another thing that he brings to the table.
And then Lunt, Lunt is throwing the ball
really well. He's got a great arm, big kid that can
throw it. He's very confident in what he's doing
back there. He's not -- he doesn't have happy feet.
He's relaxed. He's doing a nice job.
Q. Talk about the big game coming up
against Illinois. What do you see on film that
might give you problems? What is the major
thing you have to work on from now until
Saturday?
LARRY FEDORA: Well, first of all, they
throw the ball extremely well out of their ten
personnel, so we've got to do a great job. Their
passing game is far more extensive in that
personnel group, and then when they get into their
two, three, four tight end sets they're going to run
the ball and they treat match-up problems for you
that way and then they throw the ball down the
field and play actions out of that. It will definitely
create issues for us.
Q. Talk about your No. 42, (Shakeel)
Rashad. What's it like having him on the other
side of the football?
LARRY FEDORA: Well, first of all, he's a
great kid. He's very, very intelligent kid, and he
really has a good feel and a knack for what we're
doing. Moving him to that linebacker position was
really good for us and good for him, also, and he
did a great job training his body to prepare for it.
Q. Did the coaching change at Illinois
affect your preparation at all? Did it change
anything for you guys?
LARRY FEDORA: No, not at all. I mean, I
don't think that -- I have no way of knowing what
was being done before, so all we know is what
we've seen with Bill (Cubit) and the staff that
they've got right now. It looks like they're humming
along pretty good. They've scored 96 points and
only allowed three, so again, that's hard to do
against air.
Q. Do you know Coach Cubit at all or
not?
LARRY FEDORA: I do not know him. I've
never had the opportunity I don't think to meet him.
