Indiana University Athletics
Quoted: Game Four at Wake Forest
9/21/2015 3:31:00 PM | Football
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana football players and coaches met with the media Monday for the Hoosiers' weekly press conference leading into Saturday's 12:30 p.m. kickoff against Wake Forest.
As we've done every week, IUHoosiers.com complied five quotes and storylines to follow as the Hoosiers head into their final non-conference game looking to improve to a perfect 4-0.
Senior quarterback Nate Sudfeld: "I've always kind of liked going to road games. I love playing in front of our fans, but there's something special about going with just your teammates, your coaches. It's kind of an 'Us against the world.' There's kind of a level of camaraderie. The team gets closer on away games. You're just together in a hostile environment."
For the first time all season, Indiana football is headed on the road.
The Hoosiers (3-0) will play the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (2-1) at BB&T Field in Winston-Salem, N.C.
Indiana will be responsible for creating its own energy on the road to keep its four-game winning streak alive and stay undefeated on the season. Sudfeld said he's doing all he can to help teammates who aren't as used to playing on the road, but at the end of the day, he said they need to experience it for themselves.
Head coach Kevin Wilson: "I said (to an NFL coach), 'Do you think the no-huddle hurts your defense?' He says, 'No, not really." He said, 'But what really hurts the defense is the teams that can play at different gears. If you're just a huddle team, if you're just a no-huddle team, when you can do both, that's harder to prepare for."
Indiana's offense broke the mold of its typical up-tempo, high flying pace in last weekend's win against Western Kentucky to an extent, replacing it with a controlled pace from time to time.
Junior running back Jordan Howard and sophomore Devine Redding combined for 54 carries on the day. The Hoosiers' final drive ate up 5:56 of the clock.
By no means is Indiana abandoning the up-tempo play, Wilson said, but he and players both said they enjoyed the change. It's something IU will look to keep in its arsenal, knowing it can play at multiple speeds.
Defensive coordinator Brian Knorr: "Honestly, it's just another game. I think it will be different just going back to somewhere you've been for seven years in the past. Really just looking at that opponent, it's not any different than the first three."
Saturday's game is a homecoming of sorts for Knorr, but he's not about to get sentimental.
Knorr was Wake Forest's defensive coordinator before coming to Indiana before the start of 2014. He helped recruit a handful of the Demon Deacons' players and said about half a dozen of their starters used to be his players.
Though he has Wake Forest roots, Knorr and offensive coordinator Kevin Johns both said they don't anticipate it being much of an advantage. Players, schemes and plays have all changed in the last two years, making it hard to lean too much on Knorr's experience.
True freshman safety Jonathan Crawford: "I have a lot more confidence, and I know what I'm doing."
Crawford was named Big Ten co-Freshman of the Week after recording four tackles and two interceptions in Indiana's win against Western Kentucky.
Crawford, not one to overhype himself, brushed off most of the compliments he's received in the first three games. He credits his recent success to an increased comfort level and being in the right places to make plays.
Redshirt junior receiver Mitchell Paige: "I've never really lost anything that I've been playing in. We come in expecting to win every game and I think that's helped us a lot."
Coach Wilson said he wanted his players to buy in. So far, it's working.
Paige was just one of a handful of players who have talked about the added emphasis on winning this season. As a team, the Hoosiers have gone from trying to win games to expecting to, Paige said.
They'll expect another win this weekend to cap off what would be an undefeated non-conference season.
As we've done every week, IUHoosiers.com complied five quotes and storylines to follow as the Hoosiers head into their final non-conference game looking to improve to a perfect 4-0.
Senior quarterback Nate Sudfeld: "I've always kind of liked going to road games. I love playing in front of our fans, but there's something special about going with just your teammates, your coaches. It's kind of an 'Us against the world.' There's kind of a level of camaraderie. The team gets closer on away games. You're just together in a hostile environment."
For the first time all season, Indiana football is headed on the road.
The Hoosiers (3-0) will play the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (2-1) at BB&T Field in Winston-Salem, N.C.
Indiana will be responsible for creating its own energy on the road to keep its four-game winning streak alive and stay undefeated on the season. Sudfeld said he's doing all he can to help teammates who aren't as used to playing on the road, but at the end of the day, he said they need to experience it for themselves.
Head coach Kevin Wilson: "I said (to an NFL coach), 'Do you think the no-huddle hurts your defense?' He says, 'No, not really." He said, 'But what really hurts the defense is the teams that can play at different gears. If you're just a huddle team, if you're just a no-huddle team, when you can do both, that's harder to prepare for."
Indiana's offense broke the mold of its typical up-tempo, high flying pace in last weekend's win against Western Kentucky to an extent, replacing it with a controlled pace from time to time.
Junior running back Jordan Howard and sophomore Devine Redding combined for 54 carries on the day. The Hoosiers' final drive ate up 5:56 of the clock.
By no means is Indiana abandoning the up-tempo play, Wilson said, but he and players both said they enjoyed the change. It's something IU will look to keep in its arsenal, knowing it can play at multiple speeds.
Defensive coordinator Brian Knorr: "Honestly, it's just another game. I think it will be different just going back to somewhere you've been for seven years in the past. Really just looking at that opponent, it's not any different than the first three."
Saturday's game is a homecoming of sorts for Knorr, but he's not about to get sentimental.
Knorr was Wake Forest's defensive coordinator before coming to Indiana before the start of 2014. He helped recruit a handful of the Demon Deacons' players and said about half a dozen of their starters used to be his players.
Though he has Wake Forest roots, Knorr and offensive coordinator Kevin Johns both said they don't anticipate it being much of an advantage. Players, schemes and plays have all changed in the last two years, making it hard to lean too much on Knorr's experience.
True freshman safety Jonathan Crawford: "I have a lot more confidence, and I know what I'm doing."
Crawford was named Big Ten co-Freshman of the Week after recording four tackles and two interceptions in Indiana's win against Western Kentucky.
Crawford, not one to overhype himself, brushed off most of the compliments he's received in the first three games. He credits his recent success to an increased comfort level and being in the right places to make plays.
Redshirt junior receiver Mitchell Paige: "I've never really lost anything that I've been playing in. We come in expecting to win every game and I think that's helped us a lot."
Coach Wilson said he wanted his players to buy in. So far, it's working.
Paige was just one of a handful of players who have talked about the added emphasis on winning this season. As a team, the Hoosiers have gone from trying to win games to expecting to, Paige said.
They'll expect another win this weekend to cap off what would be an undefeated non-conference season.
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