November 17, 2015
Head Coach Bill Snyder
On comparison between Iowa State’s freshman running back Mike Warren and past running backs from the 1990s…
“Well, I had not thought of it that way. I know they had good players then and they have good players now. They have a plethora of starters who have been beaten out by a few younger players, who are really very good. Not that the older guys were not good, but it just elevated their capabilities, I guess.”
On what makes Mike Warren a special running back…
“Well, to me, he is a lot like the youngster we played against last week (Texas Tech’s DeAndre Washington) – both of them 1,000-yard rushers. He has good quickness about him, his change of direction is good. He can make you miss. He is a powerful runner as well if you do not tackle him the right way. He is going to stay on his feet and get the extra yardage. I mean, that happened to us just last week. I think I addressed the same thing in here a week ago about being able to do a better job about tackling, but I think he is good in that respect. He is a pretty good all-purpose guy because he can get out and they can throw the ball to him, and they use him quite a bit as a pass protector as well. So, he is not one-dimensional. He is a very confident player.”
On comparing this week’s game against ISU to games in the early 1990s…
“Well, I could not tell you there are not similarities. I just do not know. I have not really looked back or thought back in regards to those. I would probably have to look back into my files in order to recall some of the things that transpired in those ball games. You go back and look at a good number of years, it has always been, for the most part, a very competitive game. Last year, we had to have a drive toward the end of the game with about three minutes to go to get ahead. Then we had to have a nice hold by our defense in order to preserve the win. They have been competitive year in and year out and always will be that way, I think.”
On the progress of Iowa State’s team…
“Well, I think their coaching staff does a great job. Paul (Rhoads), I have a great deal of respect for him. I think they are a football team who works for it. When you watch them, you see them play hard, they are very sound offensively and defensively, and they do not put themselves in harms way. When you do that and if they carry that over in the practice environment, which I am pretty certain they do, then you are going to have that improvement day in and day out or week in and week out. I think, as you indicated, that is apparent that they have gotten better throughout the course of the year.”
On what problems Iowa State’s offense presents to the K-State defense…
“They have a balance offense in terms of throwing it and running it. The obvious thing is their running back (Mike Warren) is very confident, and he can get all of that yardage. He has 1,000 yards in what, 10 games? So, he is pretty productive. I think we have seen that. But, when you put the quarterback with that – the young quarterback had 150 yards against Oklahoma State this last week – so, he is a threat, whether it is scrambling or any facet of the quarterback running game as well.”
Junior Quarterback Joe Hubener
On frustration in the losing streak…
“I would say the toughest part is just staying positive. That is something you need to do when you are going through a stretch like this. You have to stay positive and keep working, know that if you do things correctly, things are going to pay out.”
On the offense getting off to a quick start…
“It comes down to execution. We just have to be disciplined in what we are doing and make sure we are executing across the board the way we need to execute.”
On Iowa State’s defense…
“They are a big two-high team, and we will see if it stays that way. What they do well is they are very disciplined with what they do. They do not get beat deep very often. You have to take what they give you. We will see how it plays out.”
Redshirt Freshman Offensive Lineman Dalton Risner
On having two of last three games at home…
“It is awesome, especially as a center. I love being at home because that crowd noise is always hard. Playing at home, I have that confidence and just know that the fans surround you and get quiet on offense and loud on defense. It is what we like and I am very happy that we have that advantage.”
On needing to win three games to be bowl eligible…
“I feel like we are talking about the same thing every week as well. I keep telling myself that I hope I can come up here one time and talk about different things and do things other than coming close and losing ball games. Everyone is on board and everyone keeps talking about how this generation has to have instant self-gratification, and I can say that this team is the opposite of that. We come back after each game, no matter what the outcome, and get after it on Monday. We had a great practice on Monday and are already getting into the film and getting ready for this next game. Coach Snyder said after the game that if you are not on board with this and want to give up, then that is okay, just do not show up on Monday.”
On senior leadership in practice and in games…
“Coach Snyder said to go look at all of the 16 goals and look at which one you need to work on. I looked through them and I know that I am a competitive guy and I do not accept losing. I am not going to accept losing and I am not going to give up on my team. If there is one I need to work on, it is no self-limitations because this whole year there have been times I have put limitations on myself. I need to do better at putting no self-limitations on myself, and I think that is something the whole team could do better at too. We need to be a team, and despite our record, we cannot put limitations on ourselves. We have played great this year and we could still go to a bowl game.”
Junior Linebacker Will Davis
On reviewing the 16 goals after Monday night’s practice…
“Coach Snyder talked to us before practice about how each one of the 16 goals can be applied to our situation right now and we need all of them. If every individual applied those 16 goals or even took one of them and apply it, it will help the team.”
On a specific goal that struck to himself…
“I think one for me was leadership; all the guys on the team have to show our leadership, especially me and all the older guys that have been there and have won games before. We really need to show our leadership and bring the team up from the depths.”
On looking forward to this game…
“Iowa State has always played us tough; it is a great game to play. They are a tough, hard-nosed team. They are similar to us. They do what they do well. It is a great challenge for our defense. It is going to be a physical game, it is going to be tough. Whoever wins on Saturday is the one who prepared the best during the week and was prepared the best on Saturday.”
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RYAN LACKEY
Assistant Director | Athletics Communications
