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Weekly Football Press Conference Quotes -- Sept. 15, 2015

Sept. 15, 2015

DEKALB, Ill -- Northern Illinois University head football coach Rod Carey spoke at NIU's weekly press conference at the Jeffrey and Kimberly Yordon Center to talk about Saturday's upcoming game against Ohio State. Joining Carey were quarterback Drew Hare, tailback Joel Bouagnon, cornerback Paris Logan, and linebacker Boomer Mays. Below are excerpts from the press conference.

NIU Head Coach Rod Carey

Opening Statement
"I'm really happy with the win go back and look at the film its never as bad as you think it is its never as good as you think it is its always somewhere in the middle. Certainly way more positives than there were negatives coming out of that game on how we played in all three phases of the game. Give a lot of credit to Murray State there a good football team. I think from about the five min mark in the second quarter on I think we had pretty good effort and really controlled the football game. Which I was happy to see, I wasn't happy with the fast start again we talked about that after the game. But we will work to improve on that this week in practice and have already started with our Sunday practice on that. With how we're starting getting out and doing it.

"As it comes to Ohio State, they are a good football team. I think there's been enough written about them and said about them. They're exactly what you expect an Ohio State team to be. They're big, they're physical, they're strong, they're well coached, they don't beat themselves and they're expecting to win. I think that when you have those things in your program, I think that's a mark of a good program. I like to think we have a lot of those things in our program too. I think it'll be a fun challenge for our guys, one I know they're looking forward to it. We'll get here and meet as a team here, then go out and practice and get ready to work on it."

On game planning against a team with so many weapons
"Well, they absolutely have playmakers all over the field when it comes to their offensive football team. I don't know that it's any more difficult because you're not going to change who you are. You're going to be who you are. I think that's what we're going to go ahead and do. So you try to take away some of their strengths, try to make them go with the ball somewhere they don't necessarily want to go. Sometimes that works, sometimes that doesn't. Just like in all games. You're still not going to change who you are going into a game like this."

On if Ohio State is the best team he has seen
"Yeah, it's real similar to the Florida State team. You know, similar but different. They run a different style offense. Defensively, it's a different scheme as well. You know, listen, we played Florida State. We haven't played Ohio State yet. so I'm going off of what we played and what we see on film. So there's always the little you don't quite know yet until you see it live and in person. But I would say this is right there with as good as team as we played.

On handling the environment at Ohio State
"Well, I think when you go into an environment like this, which we've been fortunate enough as a program to play in a few environments like this, although this is probably one of the top five environments for college football in the nation, I think we understand that you have to talk about it and you have to understand where you're going and playing. There's some things that you have to do a little different. You got to use some silent cadences and things like that because it's going to be loud on offense. Communication on defense is going to be at times an issue because it's going to be loud at times when where on defense. Probably not as loud, but it's going to be loud. But, other than that, as soon as you get the first hit out of the way and you get that first sweat going in the game, the field is still the same size."

On defending Braxton Miller
"You're going to account for a guy like that that they use lined up out wide, lined up in the slot, lined up in the backfield, lined up at quarterback. You're going to account and going to know what he's doing. But it's not like because they move him around so much it's not like you tilt your entire game plan to him. You just can't do that one because it's too many positions. They have other weapons on offense too."

On if he's ever seen a player used like that before
"I think I've seen parts of it before but probably not to this extent. Listen they're doing exactly what they should be doing with him he's a dynamic football player with the ball in his hands. Give them credit they're doing it the right way."

On Ohio State's performance between it's first and second game
"I think Hawaii came in and played them pretty good when Hawaii was on defense. I think Ohio State's defense kind of had their way with Hawaii's offense. Just looking at it but it's a good football team I mean they were playing at home for the first time and I think they have good juice and energy. In the first game I think they played well too."

On how much you prepare for Cardale Jones and J.T. Barrett
"Well their skill sets aren't that far off. Physically, there is a big difference. You know, Jones is a lot bigger than Barrett, but the offense doesn't change a whole lot. They might like different routes with one guy compared to the other, but the offense isn't going to change that much. So you certainly know physically it's different trying to bring down number 12 than it is Barrett, but I don't think there's anything special that you're going to do that way because there again, the offense doesn't change."

On if the Huskie will pay extra attention facing Joey Bosa
"Well you do. He's an All-American for a reason. There's a reason that, in the NFL, pass rushers are paid the way they are because they are highly valuable. Sometimes you have to tilt your protection to them in a number of different ways, and have to account for a guy and that will open up some other things. So we definitely are going to have a plan. Part of the plan is done already on how to deal with that, but at the same time, you're going to be who you are. There's a fine line and a weight and a balance to everything. You're going to be who you are because we've gotten into a situation where we are doing what we do right. But then you have to make smart coaching decisions too and pay attention to special players like that."

On if he just feels the Huskies will do what they do and see what happens
"I don't know that I'll say the last part, but yeah you're going to do what you do because that's coaching. Listen, we put in all this time in fall camp in our schemes right and our skill development? So to think in one week that you're going to change that because of an opponent regardless of who you're playing, that's not good coaching. You're going to be who we are and that's not going to change this week."

On the benefits to the coaches and players playing in a game like this
"Listen, our players want to play against the best and this certainly qualifies as that. I think every college football player wants to do that and thrives for that. So I think there is a benefit that way. Certainly, media-wise, the exposure, I think those things are on more of a national scale. I think we get good media coverage right here in our world with all you guys. You guys do a great job. There's probably elements of that and all those things."

On getting off to a better start
"We have to change up practice a little bit. We have to change up with how are arrangement of practice is and maybe move a drill that you did later up earlier or early later. Those things just to kind of snap, you know re-emphasize what where trying to do in games and try to snap them in."

On if it is a fun challenge of going up against a team of this caliber
"We haven't altered our process for this week in any way shape or form. Our process has been pretty successful. I wouldn't necessarily attach an emotion with it because that's something that we do all the time. We are going about the same way taking into account all the different factors that we do when we put in a game plan in all three phases of the game."

On if he knows/met Urban Meyer
"Nope. Never have. Never have, don't know him, haven't met him."

On what he would like to see on Saturday
"Well, I think you have to go ahead and try and make it a four-quarter football game. I think that's all we ever ask for, no matter who the opponent is, at NIU. We want the ball and an opportunity in the fourth quarter. If we get that, we feel good about our opportunity and our chances."

On if upsets give him confidence going into the game
"Yeah, well that's the one thing about us. Now, I would be shocked if there is anybody on our team that doesn't expect to win every game that we play. And that's who we are. It's what we are, so I don't think that's any different this week.

On if that's a new attitude that has changed since you've been here
"Uh, no. I think its probably been cemented a little more since we've been here."

On playing at Ohio Stadium when he was a player at Indiana
"Yeah I did. As a senior, we went there and played in 1993, forever ago now. Yeah we played there, and then in `98 or `99 as a GA at Minnesota. We went down and played them there."

On what the experience was like as a player
"A lot different. I haven't been there since 98, 99 but I hear they've added on, taken out the track. All those things, it was a very different environment, what 22 years ago I believe. Oh that makes me feel old."

On if the atmosphere was intimidating
"Uh, 22 years ago they were a good football team too and we were having a good year that year as well. I don't remember it specifically being intimidating. A good venue though for sure. What you expect out of an Ohio State venue. I don't know exactly what it is now or how much it has changed but I'm hearing it has."

On if he will bring up NIU's recent success against Big Ten teams
"No, not really. That really isn't anything. Each week is so different and you live in a one-game world as a football coach. That's the only thing that is important to you. Those things in the past don't have much bearing other than everyone knows you don't have to talk about it you've been there before. You've been in this situation before."

Paris Logan, Cornerback

On the excitement of going up against skill players from Ohio State
"Like you, said I think it's going to be a fun challenge. We just got to focus on the stuff that we can really work on, small things like details, footwork, make sure we are reading our keys. "

On if he's seen anything like Ohio State's offense since being at NIU
"I would agree with what Boomer said, we've definitely seen it, but obviously the skill set is kind of different. So, like he said, we just got to focus on what we do well."

On playing in front of 100,000 people
"I'm going to say it's different for each player. Me, I feel like I like a lot of people, a lot of eyes focused on you makes you play better, settle on your technique. I think it depends on what kind of player you want to become and the kind of person you are."

On being a huge underdog
"I really don't focus on stuff like that, like what people say on the outside. Like Coach Carey said, the only people that matter is the people that is playing on the team. We know the expectations that we have set for ourselves. I think we just got to block that stuff out and you're always going to have doubters, so just focus on what you do."

On if NIU's recent success against Big ten teams helps heading into this game
"I don't think about it as much. Each team is a different team like you said we've had success, but it's a new year, it's a different team. You never know what you're going to get out of the team."

Boomer Mays, Linebacker

On the excitement of going up against skill players from Ohio State
"It's going to be a fun challenge, but it's more just about us at this point right now because we're working on the little things that we do."

On if he has seen anything like Ohio State's offense since being at NIU
"Yeah, we've seen it before. Obviously, they are very good at what they do. So we just got to make sure that we're taking care of all of our jobs and lean on one another."

On if Ezekiel Elliot the best caliber running back that you've played against
"We've seen running backs that get to holes and cut. I mean it's a different running back so we have to take each game into consideration. The team, their style, their play, we just got to show up to play."

Drew Hare, Quarterback

On how to practice getting a faster start
"I think coming out and every little thing, even just in warm ups. We've been getting ready for fights. How you come out for that is telling how you're going to come out in a game, so I feel as we get back to it we really need to emphasize that."

On if playing against Northwestern and Arkansas help prepare you for Ohio State
"I think it helps us a lot. Just saying that we've been in those kind of situations before, playing in bigger stadiums against bigger schools. This week it's a challenge for us and we know that going into the game so it should be fun."

On if recent success against the Big Ten helps this week
"I don't think we focus on it too much. We have had past success in this conference, but that really doesn't mean anything going into this week. It's a totally different team. It's the defending national champions. It's a lot different. "

On if he needs to be aware of Joey Bosa
"He's a great player. I mean, he's not the only one I have to be aware of. I have 10 other guys on the field I need to know where they're at and how they're playing different things. He's a great player, but it's a great defense, so I got to worry about a lot of guys."

On if there will be any changes due to noise concern
"This week, we haven't totally set the game plan for that yet. I'm sure we'll have a plan ready for if it's super loud for us and we'll have our regular plan as well, so I'm sure we'll be ready for both ends."

On when he realized Kenny Golladay was a special player
"Probably the first day I threw to him. Just looking at the guy and watching him run deep routes you knew he was going to be something when he got the ball in his hands. So far, so good."

Joel Bouagnon, Tailback

On playing in front of 100,000 people
"I like a bigger crowd all that stuff. I'm not going to get scared or shy away from it. You got 100,000 people in front of you, it's your time to shine and play the best football."

On if a game like this is why he came to NIU
"I don't think I came here for a game. You have a great family here at NIU. It's a great team. It's great to be around. I definitely love being able to play in these big type of games but I don't think it's the reason you come to NIU, but definitely when we're given the opportunity to play those big teams, we embrace it. We get ready for it."

-NIU-

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