NIU head coach Thomas Hammock just met with the media so here are some notes on what he said.
The Huskies are coming off a 38-28 loss to Vanderbilt over the weekend.
** Calls the Vanderbilt game a tough one. You win or you learn in football. NIU learned a lot as the game unfolded. Things didn't go their way and they didn't respond well at times. But they had plenty of opportunities and didn't get it done. After the game his son ran up to him and you realize, as men, you have to take responsibility because you've got other people who are looking to you for leadership in tough moments and adversity. His son hugged him and said he was proud of him. That was a moment for him. He walked into his locker room and said this game is squarely on him. He took full responsibility for the result. "That's what men do."
** Spoke with some players after practice and you realize as a coach their number one job is to impact young people. That's before anything else. If you can impact young people's lives everything else will fall into place. These young men need to see people react to adversity well and have leaders who show how to take responsibility.
** Calls Kentucky a strong football team with a great foundation. It's a top-10 team. Watching how Stoops has built from afar and seeing the type of players they have, and how they play, you can see his fingerprints all over it. Calls Will Levis dynamic and a future draft pick. Says it's a big o-line, skilled receivers, and tight ends can make plays. They hang their hat on defense. Strong defensive team with their front seven and on the back end their ability to affect the game by taking the ball away is good. Tayvion Robinson is explosive in the return game. Hammock said you don't get these opportunities often so if you can play in a hostile environment on national TV you'll see what you're made of. Says at the end of the day it's about how they play. If you play clean football and hard you can live with the result.
** Said they need to stay on the field on offense and limit explosives defensively. Says it will be a battle and everybody on the plane needs to play their best.
** Said a Utah team they played his first year was really good too. Expects Kentucky to have big athletes who can play. One thing about CFB is "everybody puts their pants on the same way...everybody puts their jersey on the same way... you never know what can happen." That's how Hammock says they have to approach the game. Whether they're 3-0 or 1-2 they're the same team. Four or five different plays they could be 3-0.
** Hammock says "finish" is the key. Finish plays. 4th and 5 play they had the QB sacked. Squeeze and you finish the play. There are details of performance that change games. They went for it on 4th and 1 and the tight end's job is to come back and block the play. They didn't do it. That's the kind of football they have to play. It's obvious on their Monday morning accountability tape, guys in team meetings were saying they have to make that play or handle that responsibility. If you just do your job, contribute your piece to the puzzle, they can have success. Playing within your unit and not as an individual.
** Not sure about QB Rocky Lombardi. He's questionable after an injury against Vandy and they have the rest of the week to see how he progresses. His backup operated the offense well enough. No procedure penalties, got in and out of the plays. In practice he's continued to work like he's worked all year. He works it like a starter.
** Turnover margin has to be in their favor. Have to affect the quarterback to have a chance to create turnovers. Hammock says Levis is very dynamic. His ability to throw the ball in these windows and downfield throws, he hasn't seen too many quarterbacks similar to him. Has great confidence. It's going to have to be team defense.
** Eager to show what NIU and the MAC are about on national television. They worked with crowd noised piped in right behind the offense. They can't beat themselves jumping offsides or mistakes. "As a player, the better you play, the quieter the crowd will be."
** Hammock says Kentucky's ranked in the top-10 for a reason. As a competitor and as a player these are the moments you want, that you live for. Go out there, embrace it, and have fun. Kentucky is built the right way and both the personnel and toughness gave him a lot of respect for the program. NIU won't back down and quit. They should have confidence in their preparation, not their record. Everything from January to this point to get you ready to play. They knew adversity would hit at some point.
The Huskies are coming off a 38-28 loss to Vanderbilt over the weekend.
** Calls the Vanderbilt game a tough one. You win or you learn in football. NIU learned a lot as the game unfolded. Things didn't go their way and they didn't respond well at times. But they had plenty of opportunities and didn't get it done. After the game his son ran up to him and you realize, as men, you have to take responsibility because you've got other people who are looking to you for leadership in tough moments and adversity. His son hugged him and said he was proud of him. That was a moment for him. He walked into his locker room and said this game is squarely on him. He took full responsibility for the result. "That's what men do."
** Spoke with some players after practice and you realize as a coach their number one job is to impact young people. That's before anything else. If you can impact young people's lives everything else will fall into place. These young men need to see people react to adversity well and have leaders who show how to take responsibility.
** Calls Kentucky a strong football team with a great foundation. It's a top-10 team. Watching how Stoops has built from afar and seeing the type of players they have, and how they play, you can see his fingerprints all over it. Calls Will Levis dynamic and a future draft pick. Says it's a big o-line, skilled receivers, and tight ends can make plays. They hang their hat on defense. Strong defensive team with their front seven and on the back end their ability to affect the game by taking the ball away is good. Tayvion Robinson is explosive in the return game. Hammock said you don't get these opportunities often so if you can play in a hostile environment on national TV you'll see what you're made of. Says at the end of the day it's about how they play. If you play clean football and hard you can live with the result.
** Said they need to stay on the field on offense and limit explosives defensively. Says it will be a battle and everybody on the plane needs to play their best.
** Said a Utah team they played his first year was really good too. Expects Kentucky to have big athletes who can play. One thing about CFB is "everybody puts their pants on the same way...everybody puts their jersey on the same way... you never know what can happen." That's how Hammock says they have to approach the game. Whether they're 3-0 or 1-2 they're the same team. Four or five different plays they could be 3-0.
** Hammock says "finish" is the key. Finish plays. 4th and 5 play they had the QB sacked. Squeeze and you finish the play. There are details of performance that change games. They went for it on 4th and 1 and the tight end's job is to come back and block the play. They didn't do it. That's the kind of football they have to play. It's obvious on their Monday morning accountability tape, guys in team meetings were saying they have to make that play or handle that responsibility. If you just do your job, contribute your piece to the puzzle, they can have success. Playing within your unit and not as an individual.
** Not sure about QB Rocky Lombardi. He's questionable after an injury against Vandy and they have the rest of the week to see how he progresses. His backup operated the offense well enough. No procedure penalties, got in and out of the plays. In practice he's continued to work like he's worked all year. He works it like a starter.
** Turnover margin has to be in their favor. Have to affect the quarterback to have a chance to create turnovers. Hammock says Levis is very dynamic. His ability to throw the ball in these windows and downfield throws, he hasn't seen too many quarterbacks similar to him. Has great confidence. It's going to have to be team defense.
** Eager to show what NIU and the MAC are about on national television. They worked with crowd noised piped in right behind the offense. They can't beat themselves jumping offsides or mistakes. "As a player, the better you play, the quieter the crowd will be."
** Hammock says Kentucky's ranked in the top-10 for a reason. As a competitor and as a player these are the moments you want, that you live for. Go out there, embrace it, and have fun. Kentucky is built the right way and both the personnel and toughness gave him a lot of respect for the program. NIU won't back down and quit. They should have confidence in their preparation, not their record. Everything from January to this point to get you ready to play. They knew adversity would hit at some point.
