game week it's game week um well great to have you guys here today um you know the uh University obviously had some um some news this morning that um you know that I'd like to at least start off commenting on first but uh you know the first thing I'll say you know really my only really comments really I care to have at this point is just that uh grateful and appreciative of you know this last seven years you know working with Heather L uh she's done you know a great job she's got great energy and I appreciate everything she's done there and and again I wish her and her family you know uh all the luck you know U personally and professionally as far as you know um you know her next move uh she's she's a strong strong person and we land on her feet um you know I know Chancellor Gable is committed to Excellence in athletics uh committed to Excellence in championships and pit football um so I got you know a ton of trust in her and what she's going to do here in the fut the future here at pit um and then you know with Jen tcan who's been here is you know a lot longer than I have U but she's been here for my you know 10 seasons um so we've got a you know uh great relationship as well and I trust that Jen will do an outstanding job you know leading the entire athletic department as well as uh football and I'll probably sit down talk with her uh later this afternoon so but we're here for some football and uh you know really want to you know focus on football focus on this football team and focus on this gigantic uh rivalry game that we're going to see here at 3:30 on Saturday in Pittsburgh so uh with that you know just kind of close on Cincinnati uh quickly um obviously was a great come from behind Victory um couldn't be prouder had a great team meeting last night with our guys couldn't be proud of Just The Way um they took care of business and and you know the business on on the field is is is is what we do um that's that's why we play this game that's why we coach this game um but you know the resilience our kids showed you know uh fighting through adversity you know we say adversity you know our guys are used to dealing with adversity and you know um you know I can't tell you our sideline was as good the week before on the sideline in the second half as it was this this week um you know the excitement on the sideline the the belief looking those guys in the eyes uh knowing that uh we were going to win that game in the fourth quarter it was just belief you know and I can't tell you I've seen that you know always uh I told him last night the last you know 20 20 point deficit that that I remember being involved in was you know Baylor uh in the uh in the cotton bow and we came back and won that one too so uh they don't happen every week they don't you know they don't happen every day um and uh it is hard to come back from that deficit and that tells you what kind of football team we have so uh obviously you know I thought the you know the end of the third quarter you know um maybe that last series offensively last series defensively in the third quarter and that fourth quarter um as a whole was dominant by our our football team um and that's again you you talk about how you start it's really how you finish uh we stuck to our guns and you always talk about belief and what we're doing and how we're doing it uh we left a lot of plays out there in in the first half um that you'd like back offensively defensively and special teams in All Phases so there's a lot to clean up but I feel good you know when you walk off the field with a win and you know you have a lot to clean up and you have a good team meeting the next day to you know start the clean up um you know there's nothing better than that uh to be honest with you you know you make those kind of mistakes in the first half coming here with a loss uh it's never fun but you know credit goes to our players you know the men in the arena uh they got it done and and you know it's it's a tribute to these guys that sit in the front rows our seniors uh our captains and our leadership group that uh you know again passes on the message and gets it done um obviously a gigantic you as I said earlier you know really really big rivalry game here and again there's there's maybe not many you know more important rivalry games in the country and you know you guys can talk about the River City rivalry uh we all know that's not really a rivalry uh this weekend um if you don't know anything about rivalries uh this is the one um this is is the one that people in Pittsburgh live uh live for people down down south live for and um again they got a great football team Neil Brown's a heck of a football coach uh you know he's calling the plays I think schematically um he he's very similar to to saterfield you know last week just I think I got a ton of respect for him as a football coach as a a scheme guy uh he does really good stuff they will challenge you uh on you really in all three phases of the game uh they'll be very multiple on defense running a bunch of different fronts and coverages um none that we haven't seen thus far um you know we may even see some three safety stuff who knows uh but they do a great job there um and uh again you know I think one thing to note just you know when you think about who they are and they've got two games in obviously already like we do uh they got 11 transfers into two deep on defense so they've got a lot of new guys over there um that I think you know when you look at that they're going to get better every week and and fit into their scheme then offensively you know all starts with a quarterback uh Garrett green uh um you know I think you know him and you know Donaldson in the back backfield with uh Jahim um you know white in the back field as well I mean you know they like to run the ball they're going to throw rpos we're going to see all that and they got really you know I think talented receivers out there you know they got deep ball guys they got intermediate guys they got guys that can make plays um and you know we'll see we'll see a bunch of rpos um we'll see deep balls um we're going to see it all we're going to see everything they got and you know I think you throw you know you can throw every record out we could be on to they could be on too it doesn't matter this will be a you know this will be a you know knock down drag out battle uh at Acure Stadium on Saturday and U you know they'll be ready we'll be ready um and uh you know excited for it our I know our team's excited for it questionsa being here how how can you say about how she supported you from when she came in and took over the the athletic department and you know obviously you know negotiating yeah I mean like I said you know you know I talked about you know her appreciation already I really don't want to get into a whole lot of you know I want to talk about her football team it's Football week right I mean um you know I've been I've been locked up in a room there and I had you know really no idea um everybody's leave me alone thinking you know but uh you know I'll answer your question Chris I mean she she's been outstanding um and supportive uh like I said you know I can't thank her enough and her family um Dave Eli Eli's a you know a supporter he loves football he loves pit they love they love pit um it's you know um it's it's what it is so you know really supportive coach I know you just want to talk about football me just is one question we're not going to address any more administrative questions so if you have a football question we'll entertain that his coach said he made his comment about today's news we're going to talk about the football game you'd like to talk about Cincinnati you'd like to talk about West Virginia we'll take that with all du respect questions Pat what have you learned about bringing a transfer quarterback up to speed I mean you've had it you've done it the last couple years and I this time you got a freshman coming in and obviously Eli looks like he's you know picked things up relatively quickly and what was you learned about the process of getting a transfer quarterback and putting him in when he's out there week one I think everyone's different you know you go all the way back to Nathan Peterman you know everyone's a little bit different uh uh you know and there there's transfer quarterbacks all over the country um it's you know the number one transfer uh um position in the country but uh you know I think every you can't sit there and say this is what I've learned because of him or him or him like they're all different uh you know there's when you look at you know people uh they're all individually different they have different characteristics and uh you know I guess maybe the one thing I know is you know just you know be detailed you know as far as I you I'm going to make sure I dot the eyes and cross the te's as far as what we're doing in that range I mean um you know I don't want to you know I want to make the right move and and be careful about everything we do period what did you learn about Eli over the course of that game Saturday you know I think you know anytime you start off and you're moving the ball down to field and you go down there and you throw a pick okay how are you going to respond I mean there's the first adversity and you know I think it's tough on a quarterback he's got the toughest job on the field you know um and uh you know he's got the the job and you know how did he respond to that you know uh may had a couple up and down series but like in the end um I think you know just put go to the second half and look at the video tape I learned that you know he's tough inside and and he can wipe it off and he's moving on and and he did one hell of a job in the second half I think I know the answer question good they don't even ask it I'm just kidding I don't want to speak for you so I need you to say at any point in that game do you think of making a changeing quarterback no no no again I think when you do that um you know when when you do that um again I always say you know make you know stick with your decisions and and go with it and obviously we made the right decision coach Bell made the right decision um and um you know you know it's not easy right and and you have to you know you have to kind of stick with what you you feel you know and and and what you saw in practice every every day in practice how was K you know during the bad times anding the good times demeanor he oh he's got a great demeanor he's all he's all Mr positive he's more positive than me I can tell you that kade's you know like oh would be okay Coach I'm like holy cow which I was as young as you and and uh and as positive but you know that goes to stress with the head coach but no he was I mean again here's a great thing you know these iPads make things a little bit different okay they really do the iPads are game changers I mean the National Football League doesn't get to use them they got still pictures and what do you get out of a still picture you know um you know so the video and showing him as the game goes on like hey you see I got it coach I got it I mean those are the things that you we didn't have a year ago um that I think uh really helps out our offense but no Kate's Kate's you know he's outstanding he's positive and you know and he's you know you talk about adversity they struggled early in the game but like it didn't slow him down either just like a quarterback it didn't slow him down you um just mentioned the iPads and I know you mentioned it after the game on Saturday um about making adjustments in game uh particularly on like defense um do you think that you guys come back without the use of the iPads and having that technology yeah there's no question I think I think we still get good eyes you know we get we have great eyes in the box we have great eyes on the sideline we got someone looking at the left side of the line someone's looking at the left guard someone's looking at the center we got enough people that are they have a job to say this is what happened on a play but you know to your to you know to your questionand like I think the difference is when the kids can see it okay even when we gave up the one touchdown pass you know on a pressure and and and Javon McIntyre you know his footwork wasn't good I'll just leave it at that um and uh he and his footwork looks good 99% of the time but you know I grabbed him right after you know without seeing the video cuz I heard what Cory coach Sanders said Up Up In The Box and said he you know his footwork you know he did something wrong we call it torch doesn't matter but he didn't do it right uh with what we asked him to do and uh and John's like coach I did it right but you know you know the eye in the sky doesn't lie I me to be able to go and he go you know cuz sometimes kids think they're doing it right but for him to see that it wasn't exactly the way we needed to be done and it could be eliminated you know those are the things and you know Sunday's too late you know uh for someone that can look at it and go I got you coach you're right you you know as opposed to you know because we can see it but you know do they believe it you know there there it's hard not to believe it when you see it on tape on a Sunday it's even nice to see it you know at at at 2:38 p.m. in the middle of the third quarter how many iPads do you have on oh boy Jerry that's me a tough question on the side I you know I think and let's I think we have a total of 18 and I'm not going to give you our split how many up how many down but we have a total of 18 coach total of 18 that we're allowed to distribute um and uh we kind of spread them where we we need them and you know like the old Line's going to get to right I mean you know coach can't show everybody we wish they had some big screens out there but uh I saw the Steelers in practice the other day having a big screen TV out there middle the field I kind of like that idea I'm going to steal that one here shortly you talked about uh Eli's apology after the game what does that say about his character I mean you guys can make that determination I mean he cares about the team you know just tells you he's I mean I mean obviously I mean you know you stated the obvious um you know you know and again when you get to watch the iPad you know going back to that again you get to see it I mean it just tells you what kind of kid he's he super kid like all of our guys are you know um but he's got the hardest job on the football team it's not easy you know playing on the road for your first time your your second start after a lot of success the week before and and uh and again I'd say he had a lot of success throwing for you know three TDS again and you know he made the plays when he needed to and that's what you want a quarterback to do is is is take you on the comeback right I mean and he made the throws he needed to make um and and did some nice things last year you commented uh at least against W fors and probably I think a few a couple other times about how teams on the road were simulating snaps against you guys and clapping a lot and that was a penalty that gave you guys a first down and a fourth down Scott s complain about that afterwards that is that something that you had talked with any officials about like hey look for this or do you think it was just finally called well in our first scrimmage um our first scrimmage in aasher stadium KY leis came up you know in a gap and kind of gave it one of these and you know they threw a flag so I mean we've discussed it there's a lot of things you can't do you know we had the officials come in talk to our entire team about what you can what you can't do um they've made it hard on defense I mean you know we're not even trying to move I mean Kean Camp used to you know when we stem our guys used to do this you know go from one stance to another stance uh from you know the a gap to the B Gap and you can't do that anymore you got to be very care you got to like move like a you know like you can't move you know and Kean was the only one that did it was just the way if he moving his arms that's a penalty nowadays so he can get called in our opener we had the same thing you know we got warned I believe uh in the opener and I forget who it was it might have been love lace you know early in that game maybe the first third down that they warned us about it um and I think they were warned about you know what they were doing you know whether it was you know barking out some Cadence as well as you know moveing their head real quick I mean I think it was you know they can't make those quick type uh motions and movements anymore on the D line again they've you know paralyzed us on defense so it's something we talk about all the time we we have to move slow but you know sometimes you got you you got to get lined up and you know it's that won't be the first time it's called all year um that's the rule and uh and obviously the officials did a nice job of administering that that was Cincinnati dead moving around too much yeah and I didn't zero in on it you know I saw first down I kind of got excited Jerry um but yeah that's what you know but you know they were you know yeah the offensive L play Ryan you know you know um I think I mentioned it after the game you know I think they did a pretty darn good job without jacobe being the lineup you know Jason CER um you know had a had a really nice game in there um and again I told you he came in you know came in that second half I didn't know if he was going to go and I'm like oh boy you know on to the next maybe your third guard right um and um and you know but he came out and says I'm you know wasn't like hey Jason we need you you know was there's no begging or like he said coach I'm ready to go you know he got a little therapy got a little you know tape job and and you know my hats go off to our you know medical people and and Chris Hanks our trainer um of getting them back out on the field and uh you know it's hard when you're 320 lbs you get a hammy I didn't think you could do that I mean when when you're slow like me you don't get hammies but uh but you know he's you know and I tell you what he was out there pulling and and running I mean he was he was uh that's impressive but the old line played solid I mean Branson Taylor had a you know outstanding game um as well at the left tackle spot so we we're happy with the offensive line that that's a good defensive line you know the Godfather is a good football player about that very you good uh in terms of sat Saturday's games or Saturday's game and with all the new coaches and players that you guys have you guys do anything special to kind of prepare them for the atmosphere or give them a history of the rivalry or anything like that for this Saturday you're saying yeah for this Saturday I me we're always going to talk about our opponent um you know we talked about them last night we always end Sunday with okay we're moving on to the next right and um so you know we're always going to prepare him you know compare you know prepare them for the noise that we're going to get this weekend uh just like we prepar preping for the noise we had last weekend um and you know like you know preparation everything what you know it's the details of what we do um and uh you prepare for the music you're going to see the style music I want our kids to get every possible thing out of that that uh game they possibly can where they go in and say that was exactly right you know and I asked our um offens guys like was the noise louder in practice or at the stadium on game day and said coach no question in practice and that's what we want it to be you know is to be louder in practice so you go out there and it's nothing just in terms of of the history of the Rivalry and things like that do we teach them about the history I mean I think they know I mean I think we counted 73 players in this room were on that trip last year we took everybody you know that we could take you know obviously seniors graduat so they weren't in the room last night but we have 73 players that have been on that trip last year that were in that game um probably got another 46 or 50 guys that were you know here in in 22 when we played them at home so um but just you know yeah we're going to educate them on the Rivalry what it is and you know there was no education last week you know education for a rivalry game this week absolutely you had said something during the offseason about how you really learn of rivalry when you have a tough loss has there been a lot of talk about West Virginia leading up to this season even before this week because of that game no not not at all I mean um not I mean we didn't talk about um you know that at all I mean we we're focused on game one game two the focus last night you know at the end of that team meeting at 8:30 you know turn two to um West Virginia just last night but you know I told him just a story about rivalries you know um and protecting your family you know protecting your people in this room but we play for each other in this room and I you know I told him a story just when I was at Michigan State you I didn't really know what a rivalry game was I told him last night you know when I was in college you know our rivalry was you know rown versus brown you know in front of you know 7,000 people wasn't like you know was like okay and they were they were a good football team at the time but it was like you know it wasn't really a rivalry it wasn't much to it but I learned what a rival he was in 2007 at Michigan State you know when we played Michigan that's when I found like okay I get it now okay um it was it was real and you know shoot I think after that 2007 game I think probably won you know seven of six of the next seven and the only lost being one that they beat us I guess 12 to 12 to 10 kick four field goals was Ro Island versus brown Sherry I knew you were going to ask that question uh you got a brown shirt on that color kind of reminds me of the the brown bears uh who uh you know our defensive quality control coach is there now Phil de capita but uh it was you know I don't remember it wasn't that very good it wasn't very good okay let's put it that way Pat do you have a better like we see now do you have a better appreciation for what this game means than you did when you guys first played him a couple years ago I think anytime you're in that rivalry yes I think every year it adds to it right I mean I think every year there's a different flavor you know and you know I don't you know like I said I know from 2007 what a rivalry game was um you know you know just with that game and knowing you know what's on the line and and and the people you affect and the you know the pit fans and the pit faithful and then you know the panther pit everybody that's involved in that game everybody is into it um so you know but you know I think every year adds another flavor you know I I really do I think there just it's just another you know there's another scar um that uh that has to you know has to be repaired um regardless of what it is and and those that's that's hey this game this weekend is why you play the game of football this is why you coach football this is it what can you say about K's offense especially in how it tailored what it had to do this past week to defeat a defense like Cincinnati you don't always see with dropping eight and coverage things to give Eli opportun I mean he's sitting in his little office right now which no one's really sat in his office for like the last five years he sat in his office and he's staring at his he's got like two monitors I only got one monitor in my office I can't operate two he's you know Young Guy's got two he's looking at two different games G tapes I mean he's got all kinds of stuff he's got his script up he might have three matter of fact I can't even see him when I go on there he's covered with with screens um thanks to our our video and technology department you know Seth Graham but uh he um you know again that's what you do as an office coordinator like you every week is a little bit different depending on who you're facing what you have to do and and uh you know you you know we had a lot of new stuff in last week that we didn't have in so it's like you know so you know that's all part of it is getting you know that first half in it's not like anything we did the week before really mattered for the quarterback um or for the offensive line or for the receivers or all different stuff based on what they did coverage wise and like I said you know we'll we'll continue to brush up on that stuff this week as well you just add it to your rep chart if they come out and do this this is what we got you guys got it now got it you know we're good um but um I think that's the important thing to take away from it is is uh it's it's not easy and and I think coach Bell did a great job of adjusting and we'll have to do the same thing this week how early in the week do you guys like you guys sit down Sunday morning be like hey these are the notes that we have as far as the things that we want to see if we can make work against this next seam like when is when do that happen where you sit down with him and you guys go over like what's going to be the big thing you focus on Sunday morning it's all on closing the chapter on the next you know the first one is hey grading the tape on Sunday morning grading the tape you know getting all our goals you know all the things you know what do we do what do we do well what do we you know need to fix what we preparation areas and we do that offensively defensively special teams wise just so you know so we have a book on every opponent um for the for the next time you may play him where whether it's at Louisville or Cincinnati um but then Sunday you know Sunday like I'll meet with the offense you know spend three hours with them watching the game tape and and reviewing it talking about it then I'll well then I'll go you know while I'm doing that the defense is working on the next opponent and then we'll flip it then I'll watch with the defense and the offense so you know I would say probably around 3:00 yesterday the offense is starting to work on them but then soon as the kids come in here to meet then we go into Corrections and fix the tape up and then that's why we finish you know the evening with you know special teams in here you know closing the chapter on special teams and moving right on to the next opponent monitors he has in his office kind of OC you have to turn the lights his off home to your family I'm not doing that Palmer his daughter's going to come here with his wife and bring cookies in or something like that but uh you know no I don't have to I mean I'm never you know I'm never you know kicking anybody out of the office um you know those guys know what they have to get done you know it's get your get your job done so um you know they work at it and and uh you know and they're efficient too I would say that they're efficient too you got to have rest too you got to be fresh as coaches and players I think freshness is key too so you can't you know work all night and expect to be you know uh productive the next day coach Des been re historic Day on on Saturday for the University do you at some point do you get concerned about the wear and tear on on his body at some point during the game during the season to pull it back a little bit um all depends I mean what makes you great I mean he's a like I I've talked about how tough he is how physical he is um you know if you try to pull back on most players are going to be like coach like you know did you see what I did last week I want to do that again and it's all in your preparation it's how you practice okay so we're not going to slow him down um you know um you know he's going to do what he does and I think you know he's in the weight room he got you know he got recovery yesterday he's got a lift in there's nothing better after a game than a lift let me just tell you that I mean a lift after a game it's not easy to go in there but once you walk out of there and you tighten up your muscles you feel much better after a nice recovery and a lift guarantee pain in the fourth quarter what's that was he in any pain in the fourth quarter you know I never asked him I think at the end of that fourth quarter he was you know he was flying high I think he was excited what that I noticed he was did you I don't know I don't think he know that no he didn't limp in here yesterday I guarantee that final questions anyone can kante had his career high College against Cincinnati how important was his play and his leadership during the yeah you know I'm happy to see that and I didn't know that I'm glad you told me because EJ you know failed to tell me that I was talking about Desmond Reed but uh canate you know couldn't be you know I'm just busting EJ um um but I didn't know that but I kind of mentioned it last night like you had a career called it a career day when I was talking about canate in front of the team last night uh but I didn't know it was his best day but I mean he was you talk about playmaker I mean he catches I mean the two big passes set up both field goals at the second quarter and the fourth quarter um you know two touchdown passes as well I mean that was a career day regardless if you know yardage Wise catch- Wise I don't know what I don't I don't care about all that stat stuff but it was a career day for what I saw him do on the field and running you know Cris routes and I've said this all Camp guys that guy you know that guy has been you know like as as durable as reliable as as anybody in that you know in that room uh he's done it the right way he works at it he works at his trade he's got a routine that he goes through on Mondays not every player has a routine like a coach has a routine like I do the same thing noon I'm going to be in here with you but prior to this man I'm like I mean knocking things out he's got a routine like unlike most players okay I wish if everybody had a routine like him as far as you know watching third down watching first he's got his film review he does his homework he's a he's a pro and you know two years ago he came to office and I like he called a meeting he's like hey coach I need to talk to him like oh gosh what's going to go on you know and you know the conversation was coach I got to do a better job taking care of my body I'm going to take the next step and it's going to be about recovery I don't do a good job taking care of my body and you know and then from that day on like he's taking care of his body like a pro and that's you know Tri that's kind of how he is and everything he does appreciate the last one well just talking about that I mean what can you say about how he approached this week considering you know last week he had the punt fumble that was turn for a touchdown dropped a touchdown for him to lock in like that and to so have a career weekend yeah I mean again adversity right and you know he's got a lot of confidence we have a lot of confidence in him and and really everybody in this room that we put on that field we better have confidence and Trust they're going to get it done but you know to put him back there to be in a pump return situation again got got faith I mean he did some great jobs at faking like he was going to catch that ball um you know but you got you know he's a great decision maker again sometimes players try to do a little too much and that's what he did the you know did you know in the opener he was just wanted to go make a play he want to take one to the house okay he saw Dez do it I'm going to get one too um and you get a little greedy and you just got to you know just do your job don't try to do too much U but Kate's you know you love his attitude and the way he prepares coach thank you very much thanks everybody