RYAN WALTERS:
Q. (Off microphone.)
RYAN WALTERS: You're talking about at quarterback I'm assuming.
Q. Yes, at quarterback.
RYAN WALTERS: No decisions on who is going to start right now. They both will play. Both have been sort of splitting reps with the ones and the twos and both have been doing a great job.
They add different elements to the offense and we can have success with both of them running sort of this style, so we'll kind of see how this next week plays out and we're getting more in depth into the game plan and go from there.
Q. From a defensive coordinator standpoint, is there a strategic advantage for you guys this week that Northwestern doesn't know who's going to play or how much they're going to play or when they're going to play?
RYAN WALTERS: Yeah, that's a good question because obviously like the information you have on Ryan Browne is how well he can extend plays and hurt you on the ground with his legs just because we've asked him to do so the last couple weeks.
And you look at Hudson's productivity the last two years, hasn't necessarily been on the ground, but we haven't really asked him to do so.
So the thing that I like about both of them is the game plan wouldn't really change much, so I think if I'm a defensive coordinator and I've seen the two names of Ryan and basically the last year and a half with Hudson, I would be more cautious about being aggressive in the quarterback run game with Ryan in there.
So does that mean they'll change what they do? I don't think so. They kind of run what they run. You look at the last two years for them as well and they played some quarterbacks that are athletic and do like the RPO game and the zone read game.
They don't really change much. They'll mix in a couple different calls or features, some calls that are already in their system a little more, but they play what they play. It's primarily split safety defense, so you have that extra half hat in the run game to be solid with the quarterback pulling the ball.
Q. Jason was just saying from his standpoint one of the keys to making this work is having a plan that both guys are bought into essentially. You mentioned last week you thought Hudson and Ryan had a special relationship in that regard. Can you expound on that, where this might work with them as opposed to another pairing there might be problems?
RYAN WALTERS: Yeah, those two guys, there aren't any egos. They both root for each other when whoever is in there. There was a play at practice where Hudson hit a long one and you see Ryan Browne throwing his hands up in the air behind the huddle.
Couple series later, Ryan escapes the pocket and hits a 60 yard run for a touchdown and Hudson is back there high fiving and putting his hands up. I think that's why it works. Hudson has been able to see Ryan's growth, not only on the field, but just from his maturity and the way he studies and actively participants in meetings.
I think Hudson has also appreciated the way Ryan has captivated the locker room. You know, his energy is infectious and gets the guys going. He can provide a spark from a mentality standpoint.
Both of those guys sort of have played well off each other this last week.
Q. I know when seasons aren't going the way people want they always look to the coaches first, how does a coach fix this. At the same time the players spend more time alone or with each other probably without you guys. What are some examples you're seeing of people stepping up and keeping the right attitude, the right vibe going to -- that you need for the final five games?
RYAN WALTERS: Yeah, I've been really impressed with -- obviously last week there was a lot of noise, right? Bye week and sometimes X or Twitter, whatever you want to call it, can get crazy. A lot of things are said that aren't necessarily true.
So when you're dealing with 18 to 22 year olds that can shake a locker room. The negativity, the whispers, all of that can -- I have seen shake a locker room.
But it didn't with our guys. They came out and had a great amount of energy this past week. Usually during a bye week, especially this time of year, I don't care how the season is going, it can be pulling teeth sometimes to get guys to practice the right way.
You know, not one time did we have to prod or pull or push them to go. We had a physical week of practice. We were padded up all three days, really focused on us improving as a team. So that meant going good-on-good for three days in a row.
When I say it was physical, it was very physical. Thursday got chippy. Usually when you see that, the guys have been bought in and are even more so now than when we started camp.
And so I just think it speaks to sort of guys maturing on the team. We do have a lot of young guys getting experience and some of those guys have spoken up. It's also the guys like Mo and Devin Mockobee and plenty of others that are like, enough is enough. Let's get going in the right direction.
We've made improvements incrementally, and now it's time for them to show up in the win/loss column. So I couldn't be more proud or happy with the way they attacked this week. Yesterday we had a Tuesday type practice for Northwestern prep. Guys were locked in, focused, and got after it.
As a coach, couldn't ask for anything more than that, especially giving the circumstances.
Q. I think your only experience using a two-quarterback systems or alternating quarterbacks was at Northwestern last year. What did you learn about having to handle that with Bennett and Ryan last year and how you can use that to your advantage?
RYAN WALTERS: Yeah, last year's circumstances were a little bit different just because you had a guy down, didn't know which direction to go; now you've got two guys that are available and healthy.
So like I said, I just think they have a lot of respect for each other and don't have any egos. They wouldn't bat an eye if I said, hey, so and so is the starter and he will take all the reps. They wouldn't bat an eye if I said you're going to split reps or you got a special package where you'll both be in there.
They want the team to win and trust us to make the right decision to give us the best chance to go do so.
Q. Obviously Ryan has talked about that experience last year when he was going to start this year. Now he's had two games as "the guy." How much more comfortable are the playmakers around him when he's in the game?
RYAN WALTERS: They're extremely comfortable. Obviously I thought we were able to move the ball against Oregon; obviously couldn't get points on the board. But, they operated well in the huddle. He's got a presence about him.
And they are comfortable and encouraged by what Hudson brings to the table as well, especially with what we're doing right now.
Both those guys will be able to do a fantastic job for us, and I highly anticipate both of them playing well when their number is called on Saturday.
Q. You have George listed back on the depth chart as a third tight end; obviously CJ. Are you getting back to where we've got the playmakers that hopefully this offense looks like we anticipated it would in the pre-season?
RYAN WALTERS: Yeah, like George is back unrestricted, as is CJ. So those guys are here and we're counting on them for a reason. Just good to see them back playing football. Injuries and setbacks can put you in a dark playing from a mental standpoint.
To see those guys smiling and enjoying playing football again, that's what you want to see. They've been in extra meetings and have really been busting their butt to get back out there.
Good to see them back out there on the playing field.
Q. Ryan, how come you didn't ask Hudson Card to run more earlier in the year?
RYAN WALTERS: I wasn't calling plays or involved in the offense early in the year. Now that I am, we're asking him to run some more.
Q. What are you looking for over the last five games?
RYAN WALTERS: One, like we need to win, right? I do think that we have made improvements to set the foundation for long-term success.
But those improvements and that type of progress has to show up in the win/loss column. That's the nature of this business. I'm fully aware of that.
That's what I want to see these last five games. We need to win, and in order to do so you got to play competitive football.
So that's what I want to see and that's what I expect to see.
Q. You feel you've got everything you need to succeed here?
RYAN WALTERS: Yes.
Q. Just as far as the quarterback play, you talked about using both those guys. In your mind, is there one thing you think one guy does better than the other and then vice versa?
RYAN WALTERS: Yeah, Ryan is bigger, faster than Hudson, and Hudson can throw a little bit better than Ryan.
I think they'll both kind of tell you that. Doesn't mean that Hudson can't run or isn't fast and doesn't mean Ryan can't throw or isn't accurate.
That's just the strengths of the two of them.
Q. Coach, at the beginning of the season a couple times you mentioned trying to take a nameless faceless approach to opponents. How did that hold up against a high-ranked team like Oregon and going into games like Ohio State and Penn State?
RYAN WALTERS: Obviously I thought in the Oregon game that the guys, they fought throughout the game. I didn't see anybody turn anything down. That is obviously the No. 1 team in the country, and you got to give credit where credit is due there.
But I expect us to go fight and to go try to win a ballgame when we play Ohio State, Penn State, Northwestern, Michigan, and Indiana. That's why you go play the game is to compete to win. Not just to show up or show face.
It's to try to go compete to win, put the plan together, prepare the right way, and ultimately on game day, not make mistakes that make it hard to do so.
So that is the mindset going into these last five games.
Q. Jason said during the bye week it maybe allowed you to unlock some parts of the playbook that hadn't been opened yet. With a mid-season change you're trying to learn things on the fly, he is trying to learn some things on the fly. What were you maybe able to implement that could be to your advantage now that you've had a week off with no game?
RYAN WALTERS: Without diving too much into the schematics, definitely have a couple wrinkles. Obviously like having a guy like CJ back gives you some different options that you might not have had prior to.
Really like the last two weeks offensively we sort of the set the foundation for how we want to operate, what type of plays we want to run. So just adding wrinkles off those formations, actions, motions, to just try to put certain defenders in conflict.
So that's what we've been ironing out. Still evaluating the roster and finding out how we can utilize certain guy's skillset. Let's not ask somebody to do something that we didn't bring them here to do, different things like that.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports