Link: Hank Ekpe talks Iowa prep, CJ Beathard, and more
Iowa
On if the team's better equipped to beat Iowa this year because of less injuries...
“I think we’re better equipped this year. Scott Ekpe, Steve Richardson, Andrew Stelter, and Shoobe Timms didn’t play so we only had three lineman. Wasn’t easy for them at the time, but now this year we’ve had the reps so it should be easier load to take off. Easier for them to take that load off this year.
On how much he was told about the rivalry before arriving at Minnesota...
“A lot since Scott was here before me. They definitely told me about it but it’s a big rivalry for this program so it’s great to be part of it and people coming here from all around the country. I definitely realize that and Scott told me a lot about this game and the Wisconsin game. These are the games that make you love to play college football.”
On CJ Beathard...
"He’s a good quarterback. He can scramble, just like the QB from Penn State. We have to go back to the drawing board and stay with our fundamentals, stay in our gaps and stick with our fundamentals. Last year there was a few times we didn’t stick with our gaps and he was able to break out and scramble. I feel like that’s the best thing we can do, stay with the fundamentals."
Ekpe has seven tackles this year, including 1.5 for loss.
Penn State
On if McSorley's scrambling ability is why the defense had no sacks...
"Yeah, I think so. He was a pretty good scrambler, and got in good positions for his team. I think we could’ve done better with our pass rush, and filled out hole more, stayed in position. It goes back to the fundamentals that Coach Phelps talks about. The noise and his pass rush is what hurt us most."
On if he was sad after the loss...
"Right after the game we felt that. But in life you go through it day by day. We reviewed the film on Sunday, and then we watched Iowa and that’s all we can worry about. It was a disappointing loss, but now we have to focus on Iowa."
On what happened on the last play of the game when Barkley scored...
"We played our gaps, it was just pretty much missed tackles. Nobody was out of position, we just missed tackles."
More quotes from Hank Ekpe:
On what the defensive line has done to limit big plays...
"As a whole, all get better at fundamentals. Specifically, our position coach Jeff Phelps has been preaching the fundamentals of things, staying in your position and doing your job. Doing your position and having your eyes in the right place. It seems like when you watch it you can blame this person and this person, but when you break down the film it’s just the fundamentals that we need to get better at."
Coach Claeys said the Colorado State game was your best game you’ve played, have you taken your game to another level?
"Yes sir. I feel like I’ve been put in the position to succeed these past two years, and I feel like what I can do to the best of my ability is flying around. I was flying around running to the ball, didn’t matter how many opportunities I got or how many tackles I got, just going out there and having fun. Going out there for my teammates. My coaches and my teammates, that’s all I can think about. As long as I go out there and do the best that I can, hustle around, and put my teammates in good situations."
Iowa
On if the team's better equipped to beat Iowa this year because of less injuries...
“I think we’re better equipped this year. Scott Ekpe, Steve Richardson, Andrew Stelter, and Shoobe Timms didn’t play so we only had three lineman. Wasn’t easy for them at the time, but now this year we’ve had the reps so it should be easier load to take off. Easier for them to take that load off this year.
On how much he was told about the rivalry before arriving at Minnesota...
“A lot since Scott was here before me. They definitely told me about it but it’s a big rivalry for this program so it’s great to be part of it and people coming here from all around the country. I definitely realize that and Scott told me a lot about this game and the Wisconsin game. These are the games that make you love to play college football.”
On CJ Beathard...
"He’s a good quarterback. He can scramble, just like the QB from Penn State. We have to go back to the drawing board and stay with our fundamentals, stay in our gaps and stick with our fundamentals. Last year there was a few times we didn’t stick with our gaps and he was able to break out and scramble. I feel like that’s the best thing we can do, stay with the fundamentals."
Ekpe has seven tackles this year, including 1.5 for loss.
Penn State
On if McSorley's scrambling ability is why the defense had no sacks...
"Yeah, I think so. He was a pretty good scrambler, and got in good positions for his team. I think we could’ve done better with our pass rush, and filled out hole more, stayed in position. It goes back to the fundamentals that Coach Phelps talks about. The noise and his pass rush is what hurt us most."
On if he was sad after the loss...
"Right after the game we felt that. But in life you go through it day by day. We reviewed the film on Sunday, and then we watched Iowa and that’s all we can worry about. It was a disappointing loss, but now we have to focus on Iowa."
On what happened on the last play of the game when Barkley scored...
"We played our gaps, it was just pretty much missed tackles. Nobody was out of position, we just missed tackles."
More quotes from Hank Ekpe:
On what the defensive line has done to limit big plays...
"As a whole, all get better at fundamentals. Specifically, our position coach Jeff Phelps has been preaching the fundamentals of things, staying in your position and doing your job. Doing your position and having your eyes in the right place. It seems like when you watch it you can blame this person and this person, but when you break down the film it’s just the fundamentals that we need to get better at."
Coach Claeys said the Colorado State game was your best game you’ve played, have you taken your game to another level?
"Yes sir. I feel like I’ve been put in the position to succeed these past two years, and I feel like what I can do to the best of my ability is flying around. I was flying around running to the ball, didn’t matter how many opportunities I got or how many tackles I got, just going out there and having fun. Going out there for my teammates. My coaches and my teammates, that’s all I can think about. As long as I go out there and do the best that I can, hustle around, and put my teammates in good situations."
