Nov. 21, 2006
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -
Having locked up its fifth straight Old Oaken Bucket victory and a fourth place finish in the Big Ten, Purdue has one more challenge standing in its way: a 4,200 mile journey to take on Hawaii, in Honolulu, this Saturday.
Purdue (8-4, 5-3) comes into the match having won four of its last six games and with a bowl berth locked up. Meanwhile, No.25 Hawaii (9-2, 7-1) has already accepted a bid to the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl. The Warriors come into the game, which kicks off at 11:05 p.m. Lafayette time, with the nation's leading offense, averaging more than 540 yards and 49 points per game.
On Tuesday, Coach Tiller, along with linebacker Dan Bick, wide receiver Greg Orton and quarterback Curtis Painter, met with the media to discuss the team's Old Oaken Bucket victory, this week's unique preparation, the high-octane Warrior offense.
Head Coach Joe Tiller
On the upcoming release of his book ...
"Actually, I got talked into doing that book by the publishers when they asked me if I had anything written down and if my children knew anything about where I'd come from, what I'd done and what my life was like. I thought `Maybe this would be a good way to do this'. So it was an attempt, really, to try to tell me story about where I grew up and progressed through the sport of football."
On previously playing Hawaii every year while at Wyoming and the quality of Hawaiian football ...
"It's a difficult place to go and play. You never quite knew what you were going to get when you went there as far as the quality of their team. Sometimes it would be a very good team and other times it wouldn't be nearly as good. And it didn't really seem to matter what kind of team they had, it was always hard to win there.
They play very good high school football in Hawaii and American Samoa. A number of players from that area don't just play at the University of Hawaii. They play at a lot of division I programs, especially on the west coast. You know you're going to face a talented team and usually it's a team with speed. When you play them on the island, you'd better pack a lunch, because you're going to play a good football team.
This is a team that is certainly explosive offensively. I don't think they've ever had a team as productive as this one is. We're going to go play a very good football team, a long way from home."
On the scheduling of the Hawaii game ...
"This game was originally contracted in 1994 and we came to Purdue in 1997. The game was originally scheduled to be played in 2002. I told (athletic director) Morgan Burke that we didn't want to play that game. And that was when we had an 11 game schedule. So it got pushed back. I told him again, as late as last winter, that we shouldn't be playing this game. Of course by then, the 12th game had been added. He asked what we should do and I told him to call them (Hawaii) up and tell them, `We're not coming. We're just not coming, go find another opponent'.
The reason I say that is there is no guarantee from a financial point of view. It is a value-less game for Purdue University. They provide you with `X' number of round trip tickets, `X' number of rooms and `X' number of money for meals. You come back from this trip and you don't have any financial consideration that maybe would help your football program. Our locker room needs to be redone. The floor of our weight room is disintegrating in front of our eyes. It would be nice to have some money to do something like that from this game. None of that will take place."
On the officials at the Hawaii game being from a neutral conference ...
"I told Morgan Burke, if he was going to play this game, he needed to look after the officials and get Big Ten officials. He said he would do that and that has been taken care of."
On if he felt the officiating was fair when he played at Hawaii with Wyoming ...
"No. I know that the WAC, at the time, used to assign local officials. It got so bad that the WAC decided that they weren't going to do that any more. My philosophy as a coach has always been, when you go on the road, you take officials with you and when they come to your place they bring officials with them. I think it's the best way to guarantee fairness for both teams."
On if there are any special things planned for the trip ...
"The only thing we're going to do, on Friday, is to take the team for an hour and a half and visit the site of the Arizona (Pearl Harbor). I think it's good for our young people to have an appreciation of what's transpired in this country to give them the opportunity to play this great game. That's the only thing we're going to do."
On if he would schedule a game with Hawaii again ...
"No. If I were a west coast coach I would. But not here. I wouldn't be fair to bring the University of Hawaii team here. It's a nine-and-a-half hour flight. We're going to leave at six o'clock in the morning to bus to Chicago O'Hare field for the flight. So for about 13 hours, these guys are going to be traveling and we have a very tired football team right now. We practiced last night and it was like practicing in slow motion. But because of the schedule, we really had no option."
On the challenges the Hawaii offense presents ...
"It's a play in space offense. The ball is out quickly into the perimeter and in the secondary. It's a run-and-gun offense and they're going to light it up. They have a very good quarterback and talented receivers. So we're going to face an offense with a number of skill players that can really run and are good, and a quarterback who is a veteran guy that knows how to run the offense. That's why they're leading the nation in scoring. That's no accident."
On the similarities between the Hawaii offense and the Purdue offense ...
"We have one back in the backfield and a bunch of receivers on the field and so do they. It's similar from that point of view, but there are subtle differences in the offenses."
On the weather in Hawaii and if it will affect the team ...
"I hope it doesn't I know from having been there before that it's high humidity and the heat index is such that it'll be a challenge for our team to stay hydrated and deal with the weather. When you're coming out of snow country, it's in the 30s here today; it's a huge change for us. You just hope they deal with it well enough to finish the game and not dehydrate of cramp up. That's our biggest concern."
On defensive end Anthony Spencer ...
"Anthony has had a great year. I think he's a national player, in the sense that he's achieved much more than just about any other defensive end in the country. He's playing as well as anybody. The biggest difference in Anthony Spencer this year is that he's been healthy. We just nominated him for an award for overcoming adversity. He's had several season-ending injuries, but this year he's been healthy and playing at a high level."
On the changes in the team's routine this week ...
"There's a dramatic difference in our routine, starting with our Monday practice. I think our guys are in good spirits. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. They practiced hard (on Monday), but they just looked slow. They looked a little leg weary. That's not uncommon. We're going into our 16th consecutive week without a break, when you talk about training camp and then getting into the season. We've been at this for a while. Normally, yesterday would have been a day off. I think when you play without a bye and go through a 12-week schedule, we've managed our team well. I hope our guys adjust to the routine now."
On Hawaii's receivers ...
"They can flip it out there to any one of those guys. They're all capable, good receivers. This is probably as gifted an offensive team as we've played since coming to Purdue. It might be the best offensive team that I've ever seen. Out west, there were some great BYU teams with Lavelle Edwards that were pretty impressive. But this Hawaii team is as prolific an offense as I've ever seen."
On what Curtis Painter has done well this season ...
"He has better command of the offense. He has demonstrated that when he gets hot, he's very, very good. He's physically strong. He hasn't been hurt this fall. I think his physical toughness is a benefit to him. And I think he's learning. He's starting to move some defenders with his eyes and do things that an accomplished, veteran quarterback would do.
We put a lot on him. We put a lot on our quarterbacks at Purdue in terms of calling the game at the line of scrimmage, and we always have. That's a lot for a young guy to learn. I think he's growing in the position."
On what the motivation is for the game to be played ...
"I don't know the motivation for it. The game, in my opinion, would have been more palatable if we had an 11 game season instead of a 12 game season. It would have been more palatable if we would have been like Notre Dame and had a bye in the fifth week of the season. It would have been more palatable if there was a big pay day at the end of the rainbow, so to speak. This may end up being a net-dollar loss, because I don't know if all expenses are covered.
Quite frankly, I think Hawaii is having a difficult time scheduling games because of their arrangements. Michigan State called them up and said they were not coming (in 2007). So they have to go find another opponent."
On what he has heard from other Big Ten coaches about playing at Hawaii late in the season and the questionable officiating in the past...
"(Former Northwestern coach) Randy (Walker) and (former Michigan State coach) John L. (Smith) talked about it to all the other coaches and their advice to every coach in that room was `Do not go there and play'. Michigan State's game was unbelievable. They had two touchdowns called back. They would have won the game going away. And they needed that game to become bowl eligible."
On how he sets his personal feelings aside and prepares for the game ...
"We've talked a lot about an opportunity to win a game against a quality opponent on the road. Try to win a ninth game for the year. Another thing that's not been pointed out is this campus is rapidly emptying out. There's a mass exodus on this campus. The only reason I bring that up is, we've got kids like David Pender, Brandon Erwin, and Royce Adams. They've been here since August and they're 18-years-old. Their classmates are all going home for Thanksgiving and that's the talk. And our guys are here practicing. I don't think that impacts a junior or senior that much. But a kid that's away from home for the first time really has a hankering to go home. So, we're going to make some sacrifices to play this game. And we're going to play against a team that we won't see the likes of offensively maybe ever again."
On Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan ...
"He's very good. He's a big time player. He's extremely accurate. He has good size for a quarterback. He can run, he doesn't run a lot because they have guys open, but he can run. He's the complete package. He's a real-deal guy."
Linebacker Dan Bick
On playing with a shoulder injury throughout the season ...
"My shoulder's been holding up pretty well. It did a lot better than I thought it would do. I've been treating it with the trainers here and it's holding up pretty well. At this point, going into the 13th game, it's not a conscious thing anymore. It gets sore maybe the first hit of the game, but after that I don't think about it."
On how you prepare for an offense as potent as Hawaii's ...
"You watch a lot of film. They have an impressive passing offense. Getting ready for a team like that, you have to know what kind of formations they are going to be in and know where the ball is going. Watch a lot of film and taking reps during practice. That's how we're going to be ready."
On excitement of making the trip ...
"I'm excited. I think it's a great opportunity to play, especially with the offense that they have. I try not to think about the excitement of actually being in Hawaii. It's a great place to go play. But Coach Tiller made it very clear that before the game it's all business. We'll have a little time to ourselves after the game to enjoy the scenery. At this point I'm trying to stay focused on the game and I think that's going to be one of the most difficult things."
On Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan ...
"I don't think he's anything like what we've seen this year. Their offense is very spread out. It's hard to tell if they run two of the same pass routes in a game. They can spread the ball across the field and if he doesn't see anything open, he can tuck it and run a little bit. He's very athletic and he knows what he's doing. He'll be a big player on their offense so we'll have to keep an eye on him. And they play eight different receivers."
On the Hawaii offense ...
"They pass 80 percent of the time. I've never seen anyone pass that much. I've never played against a team that passes that much. That can be deceiving because, when you're in the heat of a game and concentrating and they keep passing and passing and passing, you want to drop into coverage immediately. Then they run on you. So we'll have to stay focused."
On the motivation for the game ...
"We want to beat this team. Obviously, we have an opportunity to have ten wins this year, which is a goal that we wanted to accomplish. Only one other Purdue team has done that. This game is one step in that direction."
On whether he has any family or friends going to the game ...
"No. My family was going to go, but they decided to go to the bowl game instead. My mom actually said they were thinking of taking a vacation out there and I told her they were not going to go to Hawaii without me. If they're going to Hawaii, I want to spend the time with them."
On the team getting away from routine and if there is a sense of excitement amongst the players ...
"In general, people are very excited about it. We've been through a long season and week by week, we've been here or traveling somewhere nearby. Going out to Hawaii is a change of scenery and climate. I think people are generally excited to go out there and I think that's one of the hardest things we have to deal with this week. As leaders, we have to be sure everyone is focused on why we're going out there, to play a football game."
On Anthony Spencer's NFL prospects ...
"I think Anthony is one of the most talented players, if not the most talented player, that I've ever played with. That just comes from his work ethic. He's one of the hardest workers on our defense, he's flying around all the time, and he loves the game. He just loves playing football. I don't think he's a selfish person or a selfish player. He's always out there trying to help. It's going to take him to the next level."
Wide Receiver Greg Orton
On the turnovers last week and how they are going to straighten things out heading forward ...
"We put the previous play behind us. We did have turnovers and we made some mistakes. But we came to the sideline and corrected them and had to move forward from there. The main thing with the offense, we've beaten ourselves some this year."
On Curtis Painter's development this season ...
"Curtis is our leader on offense. We look to him when we are in trouble. He's battled a lot of adversity and I think the main thing Curtis has is great composure. He's a real cool guy and doesn't let a lot of things get to him. That's a real key for us, to not see the leader get flustered in times of adversity. He's a great guy and he's evolved from that."
On how the offense feels about the possibility of a shoot-out this weekend ...
"Offensively, we can just take care of what we do and let the defense do their part. The object of the game is to outscore the opponent, so that's what we have to do. We can just focus on what we can do and keep encouraging the defense and help them stay motivated."
On Purdue's offense the past five games and the drop off in scoring ...
"We're on track still. We still have a lot of confidence. We had a few tough games in the schedule, but we came back from adversity good. We know what the problem is sometimes, with a lack of execution. All we can do is practice and get better."
On his thoughts on Hawaii's offense ...
"I really haven't seen their offense. I've heard from our defensive players about their receivers and how much they throw the ball and that they have a big running back. That's really all I've heard."
On the Bucket game not being the final game of the year this season ...
"It's kind of difficult. I think the coaches are doing a great job of preparing us for previous games and I think they're doing a great job of preparing us for this game. It's kind of hard mentally, but I think we're going to be alright."
On if the offense has to guard against pressing too much this week ...
"We just have to do what we do and encourage the defense to make stops. We have to limit the mistakes. They put a lot of points on the board. We're just going to have to try and match that."
On the mentality of the team given the short week and the long trip ...
"It's really just the same mentality. The coaches have us looking at it as just another game. It's definitely a business trip. It's to a great place, but it's still just a business trip."
Quarterback Curtis Painter
On how the season's experiences helped him during the Indiana game ...
"The ability to bounce back and be able to finish strongly was important. Going into the last few games, we really didn't have a strong first half. But going into the locker room, getting everyone together and getting back to the basics and the things than we knew we could achieve was important."
On his growth this season ...
"With each practice, each game, each situation, I learn a little bit more every time. The more experience the better and each game I learn something new. Hopefully, I can keep building on that and we can continue to be successful."
On preparing for matching up with such an explosive offense ...
"They're a very explosive offense. You look at their last ten games and their lowest scoring total is 34 points. We're going to have to score a lot of points, but that's something that we try to do every time. Hopefully our defense can get a few stops and it will turn out that we're on top."
On Hawaii's defense being different than Big Ten defenses ...
"They are a good defense. They've got a secondary that's extremely fast. They've got a good defensive line and they really try to confuse you and do a lot of different things. The focus is all on their offense, but they've got a great defense. Looking at the teams they've played, they've held a lot of them to low scores. That just shows how good their defense is."
On the unique preparations this week and how he adjusts to that ...
"It's just another game on our schedule. We don't feel that last Saturday was the last game of our season by any means. We've got one more game and it's going to mean just as much as any other game. It's a top 25 team and we're really going to have to be focused."
On Tiller sticking by him during tough times this season ...
"It's very important for my confidence. When I know that I'm not having a great game, he still has confidence in me to make plays. The coaches have confidence and the players have confidence. It's hard to get down on yourself when you know they have confidence. It builds you up and allows you to bounce back a lot quicker than if you knew the coaches were skeptical."
On what he hopes to gain from the Hawaii game ...
"This is just another game for us to get better. If we didn't have this game, we'd be practicing. But it's always better to face another team and see where you're at. I think it's good to get one more game-week in and see where we're at. It's a top 25 team and it's another tough challenge for us. It will help us a lot going into the bowl game."
On if he has any friends and family going to Hawaii for the game ...
"Actually, I have 17 people over there already. They're having a good time. I get text messages from them all the time about how they're laying on the beach and everything. They rub it in my face a little bit."
On if he has given himself the luxury of thinking about this year compared to last year ...
"I haven't really thought too much about that. Last season was a little bit different with no bowl game. This was the end of our season last year. This year, of course, we have one extra game plus a bowl game after that. Just the fact that we've been a lot more successful this year and we're able to play in a post season game means a lot."
