COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN’S ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS DEPARTMENT
OPENING STATEMENT: I appreciate all that went into getting this victory. And offensively, defensively, special teams, each unit contributed. Offensively, obviously, we were able to score a lot of points but (we’ve) got to take care of four turnovers. That’s not really good, but they just kept going. I liked the way they responded and kept persevering. I think we were pretty good on third down and had a fourth-down conversion.
Defensively, off of those four turnovers, I think they got one score off of it. That’s a pretty good response. Special teams, you got to start with Zach Hintze. That was a heck of a field goal at the end of the half and obviously you saw the energy it gave guys. And credit to Purdue. That’s a good football team, and we got tested. But proud of the way guys battled and kept fighting and to get this win. It’s big.
On Zach’s (Zach Hintze) kick, do you go, does someone go to him before the game and he tells them, I can hit it from X number of yards? How do you determine whether to go for it there?
CHRYST: That would be a good way to do it. (Laughing). Kind of the way that played out we’re just, could we pop a couple runs, and we were just asking Chris Haering, the special teams coach, where do we got to get it to? And he thought if we got it around the 45 we would have a shot at it. So obviously we had two good runs and then got a little bit more with a quick throw to Q (Quintez Cephus), and you felt pretty good giving him an opportunity for that. Obviously, you don’t know what’s going to happen, but you felt pretty good. There’s obviously the concern of if it’s short and you got a return and you’re covering with a bunch of linemen. But felt pretty confident that he would get good distance on it and it was good to get.
What do you think the wildcat and the jet sweep and all those things gave you today offensively?
CHRYST: Yeah, I mean, I think it gave us some plays. And I think it gives you one more, just another gap to have to defend. And if you start cheating it a little bit, you’ve got a chance for some hits. And yet, I think that there was some really good blocking, some execution. It’s a different execution. Guys have to make it work. I know Brusser (Logan Bruss) on one, KP’s (Kendrick Pryor) on their sidelines, Bruss did a heck of a job and that’s not necessarily always an easy block. But it was good for us and certainly gave us some stuff tonight. And Cruick (Aron Cruickshank) was good. We got to be better, on the last one we ran and kind of where we turned the ball over, that’s not real good, but it was, today it was helpful.
What do you think the biggest difference was in the second half for the defense? Seemed like they just figured out some things Purdue was doing and were able to play a lot better.
CHRYST: Yeah, we were able to get some, felt like early, I don’t know if we were getting them into third down. And so I think we got them into some third downs and they were executing and they did a nice job. But I think that was part of it. And I think there was something to where you start seeing it. And early it was a couple of the, I don’t know how early the second one, the pass, the double pass, but there was some things that we lost our eyes on it and they executed it. But obviously every stop at that point was big and when they came up with them, like I said, I thought we did a nice job off of the turnovers. Those are big.
You called timeout in last couple minutes to take Jonathan (Taylor) off. What did you think of the ovation that he got and what were you hoping for in that moment for him?
CHRYST: Just, I mean, I know what our guys on the sideline felt and just thought it was the right thing to do.
You mentioned that your defense didn’t give up points over the turnovers and made some big plays, but are you still concerned that the play is not as crisp as you would like it to be, you and Jim (Leonhard) would like it to be on defense?
CHRYST: Yeah, I mean, I think that’s fair to say that you want to be at your best, right, and we’ve faced some good offenses. I think you always got to give them credit. And early, you kind of knew it, I mean, you’re playing in a world that’s maybe not real, right? I mean, they did it, but each week you’re tested differently. And I love the resolve. And there’s going to be things offensively, defensively, special teams, right, that we have got to continue to work on and clean up and need to do that. And you’re going to be facing a whole another type of offense, right, and we’ll be facing another team.
But yeah, I am proud of the way they kept playing. And absolutely, you don’t want to give up anything. And yet that happens and how do you keep playing in response is I think a big part of this game and I’m proud of the way they did respond.
How important was it for you to try to get Bradrick (Shaw) in there for even just a series knowing that he really hasn’t had the last few years that he wanted?
CHRYST: Yeah, I think the world of Bradrick (Shaw). And his journey has been, hasn’t been an easy one in many ways and yet, I think many of you remember — and he’s been a big part what have we have done, and it’s always good. And I love the way that — those were meaningful reps to him and I think they were to guys on the sideline. You hear it and you see it. And just appreciate him a bunch.
When you guys hit on that touchdown pass, first of all, you guys almost always run out of that. I don’t think you’ve ever thrown to Jack (Dunn) out that have formation. Was that a straight up call? Was that something by the quarterback? Did you anticipate that Purdue wouldn’t be expecting a throw to him there?
CHRYST: They’re never going to expect Dunner (Jack Dunn), right? But, I mean, it was a play — I don’t know how to answer that. It was a good play.
I was wondering, of course, Aron Cruickshank saw an increased role this week using the wildcat. Will we see more of him in the next couple of weeks on offense?
CHRYST: We’ll see.
Back to the defense for a second. You got the momentum with Zach’s (Zach Hintze) kick, but then Purdue came out and was driving, and I think that was the series where (Eric) Burrell came up with that pick. How important was that for him to come up with that there?
CHRYST: Well, it was a huge play, because just like you said, they had been going. And anytime we were getting a stop, those were big and then I think we responded with — I think that was the long drive that we scored on and so I think you probably look back at that, it was a pretty important sequence.
How would you evaluate Tyler Beach today and I guess line play in general, knowing you would be without your left tackle?
CHRYST: Yeah, I thought that he did a lot of really good things up front. I couldn’t tell you exactly, I’m sure he did well because JT (Jonathan Taylor) had another big game and we were able to rush the ball. I don’t know, we gave up a couple pressures I know on some normal down and distance passes, I don’t know where they came
from on it, but felt really confident with him and you appreciate that, that he was able to jump in and give us what he had and we did feel good with him going. So that was helpful for the team.
