Very good football game out there today. Again, I thought our kids competed hard. Came up one play short. Had opportunities throughout the game, which we know they're a good football team. But I thought we played really well in stretches and not well -- we've just got to -- offensively, I thought we moved the ball very well, come out very well. Wished we could have got drives -- points in that last drive down there where we were at the 30 there. And I can't tell -- he said he went to step around and he said he tripped on somebody, Conner [Weigman] did. And get some points is there. There was a drive. We missed the third and one, which was critical. We missed -- didn't miss it, just whiffed him out, man outside. We were moving the football so well there at that time. Thought we could get down and get points. Defensively, at that time, they got the running game going early and ran. Man, they ended up running for a bunch of yards. We didn't get the run stopped most of the night. And all that, too, quarterback scrambles in some critical situations. We've got to do a better job in the pocket of getting those guys down, getting off the field with third and long. Then we had three in one drive -- three penalties in one drive that they converted there in the second half. We had them backed up on the five and stopped and got a scramble. And then had two interferences, and I think it was a facemask on that. And they got points and got in the groove. We got back and got the ball and scored again. Then we couldn't get the stop. They went ground. We moved back and just couldn't -- like I say, we've got to play better complementary to each other. I thought some guys in the game, McKinnley [Jackson] looked like he played a really good game. Did some really good things inside. Devon [Achane] played an outstanding football game, throwing and catching it. I thought Conner [Weigman] was -- to go out there and do what he did, I thought he was outstanding in the game. Showed a lot of poise, a lot of composure, what he did, how he did it, made throws. Gave us a chance to win the game at the end. The guy's got heart, toughness, charisma. Got it all. Like I said, I thought some of our receivers really made some nice plays in the game. What we did, we gave up -- we got to protect. We took some shots at the end. They got some good rush guys when they have to and can get there. And, you know, just didn't make the play. Had one more play we needed to make and had a shot with a minute to go and couldn't get it done with the pressure and things they did. Just got to get better and find a way and move on to the next game. Questions.
Q. Jimbo, before the last offensive possession, looked like Conner [Weigman] was talking to somebody. Maybe the trainers and you called him over. Was he getting evaluated for an injury?
They were talking to him to make sure he was okay when he got hit. And Lou [Duran] looked at him and said he was okay. And then I yelled back at Lou. I said Conner -- Because I didn't know who he was talking to. I said Lou, is he okay? He said, Yeah, I've already talked to him. He's good.
Q. You weren't concerned he had any kind of injury at that point?
I just asked Lou [Duran]. That's not for me. I yelled at him and he turned and come over. And then Lou was talking to go him. I said, Lou, is he okay? He said, Yes, sir. I just finished talking to him and he was good. If he was talking with the trainer, I always check with them first. And then he came back and, heck, he led us to a touchdown drive.
Q. I meant before the last possession, 44 seconds left.
Then we scored a drive. I asked Lou. I yelled. I didn't know he was talking to Lou. I said, Is he okay? Are you done? Yes, sir, I'm done.
Q. What consideration did you give to an onside kick at the end?
I would have, but I knew they were going to be -- we didn't want to kick it out of the end zone. We wanted to pin them back. We had three time-outs. Instead of giving that up, I thought the odds of trying to kick them back and put pressure on them and try to make them make a throw or a run, which we did -- we got the stop. Having three time-outs -- if we had two time-outs, I would have definitely onside kicked. But having three and knowing they would play the onside, we were trying to hit that thing down the five, ten-yard line and then trying to have it covered down there really low and short. We only needed a field goal. I thought the odds of trying to get a stop in three time-outs would be better than try to get them midfield. If we got them at midfield and used them and punted it, we would end up getting it where we got it. We didn't catch the punt. That was another thing. We needed to catch that punt. Even if we didn't return it, we needed to get -- got about a 15, 20-yard roll or something like that in what we did.
Q. Jimbo, with the run game obviously they've got some talented backs. But what was their offensive line doing so well up front?
Again, I can't answer that yet until I see the field. Inside zone stuff, a little tackle trap looked like, speed of the game, and fits. We said we made some adjustments. Early we went three down and they went through it. Then four down. Then we had a really good -- I guess until the second half. The first drive, half a quarter -- next quarter and a half we did really good the rest of the first half, very solid. Second half, I have to make the adjustment. We talked about the first half adjustments at halftime, and I have to see the film. I can't answer that.
Q. First few drives of the game you all went pretty quick at times. And then, of course, at the end you needed to go two minutes. Did you consider going --
We were tempo and getting things out. They may have checked us because of blitzes, but we had a high tempo the whole game.
Q. Did you feel like Conner [Weigman] works better in tempo?
When you get in a rhythm and your whole offense gets in rhythm, that's the way you want to call it. When you get first downs and get completions, you can get into that. That's our whole goal to do all the time. We didn't change anything. That was our basic way we wanted to do things.
Q. Jimbo, understand game's just over. You haven't had a chance to evaluate. It's going to take a while. But the run defense has been an issue quite a while. What has been the problem?
Last week it was pretty good except for drives. I have to look. Sometimes it's a fit of a backer. Sometimes it's a fit of a safety. Sometimes it's a defensive lineman gets out of the gap. It's usually one of those three things. Sometimes -- one game -- I remember a couple games ago, our backer, we did not fit right. Even though they made tackles, we weren't fitting the runs the right way. A couple of times we got linemen stick their nose in two gaps, in the same gap. Or sometimes the safeties. Your safeties play a big part of that, too, and how you bounce things to them or how you fit inside. So we just got to do a better job and evaluate it.
Q. Are there things DJ [Durkin] could have done some, adjustments that could have been made?
DJ is a really good football coach, and we'll get it right.
Q. Jimbo, looked like Conner [Weigman] was pretty comfortable in the read game, getting the ball out of his hands pretty quick. What did you think of his decision?
We had a lot of RPOs, a lot of throws, a lot of runs, decisions. He did a good job of protection on the mic calls and getting the ball out to where he did. Red zone, third down, I thought he did a really nice job. He's got a great feel for the game. I said he's very instinctive. He's had enough at-bats at practice he feels really comfortable on the offense, and he's going to do a really good job.
Q. Did you change your play calling at all with Conner [Weigman] behind center tonight, or is it all the same?
There are certain plays he may like different certain calls and also dictated by what they're doing on defense. They blitzed him a lot early. There was a lot of blitzes and pressures, and we did a good job. He was getting the ball out and find the seams. And then they quit doing it and started dropping eight and doing things. We were more patient. He was checking it down. We got the running game going. Very similar but there's some nuances that are different because of things they like and what he can do a little different.
Q. Coach, was there something that was an issue with Haynes [King] that caused you to go with Conner [Weigman], or did you like what you saw at the end of the game last week with Conner?
No, I liked what I saw, and Haynes [King] was banged up. And we knew it. He could have been available, but it wasn't right to play him again this week. Felt very comfortable with Conner, like I said before. He's done it in practice and really getting the reps and jumped in there.
Q. Along the same lines, is Conner [Weigman] now the QB1 moving forward?
Yeah, should be. Looking for him to playing next week, and we'll get the other guys healthy and see where they're at. But I'm very comfortable with Connor playing and starting for us.
Q. You guys showed a lot of fight. And you have showed a lot of fight lately. But do you have any concern about this team sticking together?
No, honestly, I don't about that. I don't mean that in a -- not saying it just to say it. You see them in that locker room, and you see them together. And they'll take: We're going to figure this out. We're going to fight. I don't. We just got to help them find one more play, and they've got to help us find one more play to get over the hump. The disappointment is there, but I'm going to tell you, it's -- they've got -- we just had those talks, and those kids come up to talk to me all the time. They're very dedicated to each other and love each other. I really believe that.
Q. It seemed to me the guys really responded well around Conner [Weigman], responded to him really well. Could you sense some extra energy? Obviously, a young guy making his first start.
I think the guys want to do well for him and take care of him. And he has a very charismatic personality. Guys like him. And I say that. They like to play for him, and he gets the ball to them.
Q. Continuing on Conner [Weigman], from what you saw tonight, what do you think that impact with him in there is going to make for the remainder of the season?
Well, I hope so. You know, hope he learns how to prepare and keep preparing like he does. Connor loves ball. And he's very instinctive. He's a very good player, and hopefully, he'll continue to lead us offensively. And we moved the ball. I don't know what we had. I don't know what he threw For. 338. 480 yards, ran it, do it. You know, we moved the football and scored points. And very happy with him and what he's doing. I mean, guys like him and he's a very good player and I love coaching him.
Q. Is there any hindsight 20/20 on bringing Conner [Weigman] earlier in the season, or did he need this amount of time?
You can always say that. But at the same time, you've got to make sure when you put a guy in there, you could ruin a true freshman. We're talking about a true freshman. He had a bit of a fall and he had some other guys. Now, that does limit reps. You had other quality guys getting quality reps. If you don't have guys, you get more reps, more guys and you could have done that. But at the same time, you can ruin a guy a lot quicker than you can make a guy, when they're a freshman like that. Everybody wants to throw them in there. You've seen in the NFL when they throw them rookies in there, there are some teams that aren't doing as well and things. But I love him. I knew he's going to be a good player. I said it all along. Hopefully, it's the right timing for him to play and he keeps playing like he's playing. I love him to death.
