Toledo postgame press conference

Toledo postgame press conference (Central Connecticut State)

Linebacker Julian Fox

Question: I mean, just from week one to week two, how would you just evaluate the adjustments you guys made defensively? And just how good does it feel to get that first win?

Fox: It feels amazing to get the first win. After the Michigan State game, we watched the film and we played good, but we didn't play our best. And so just tuning in to the small mistakes that we made and just correcting those and being sound on fundamental football helped us get the results we wanted.

Question: Davon Smith Jr. had 140 all-purpose yards last week, but you guys held them under 50 tonight. I mean, just what was your guys' approach to really just stopping the run entirely and really just limiting it?

Fox: Well, our keys to the game for our offense is to run the ball and on defense is to stop the run. So coach harps on stopping the run and we knew he was a great player coming into this game and just the game plan that we had, the guys executed at a high level. The D-line did a great job, linebackers, everybody was playing as one.

Question: You guys took care of business. How did it feel to get right?

Fox: Well, now it's just on to the next, we have to watch the film on Temple. Well, first we're gonna watch the film and next game mentality. We’ve got 24 hours with this win, then key in to what Temple has for us. And so I'll just say, just trying to get better, not taking so long on this victory because we got another game next Saturday. So just swiping clear.

Question: How much did the energy of the Glass Bowl student section help?

Fox: That was amazing, just running out the tunnel, just seeing how many people were over there.

Wide receiver Rico Bond

Question: Rico, you didn't get a catch last week, but you take it 85 yards to the house this week. I mean, just talk about that play and just kind of the adjustments you made from week one to week two to really find your fitness offense.

Bond: So week one, I was battling an injury. So I really had to just deal with what was going on. And then so on that play, I saw two safeties spread out. So I knew it was cover two. And then we were going scan. So then we fake clapped, and I knew it was gonna be over. I was waiting for him to jump. I just piped it and scored.

Question: You guys commit the two early turnovers in the first quarter with the downs and the fumble on the kick return. But just talk about the way your team really just the entire team in all three phases really responded after that just kept that momentum the rest of the game.

Bond: Coach Jacobs teaches us a next-play mindset. So when Hammer fumbled, we weren't worried about it. I just told him next play and then we were just next-play mindset.

Head coach Mike Jacobs

Thanks for being here, guys. Really exciting night. Obviously, anytime you win a college football game, it's hard to win college football games, and especially consistently.
I just can't say enough about our student section and how they showed up for this team today. I really thought that they had a tremendous impact on the game, especially early. So I was excited about the way that the university showed up for us today.

I will say that just going into it, we talked a lot about all week about just executing our jobs, all 111 to the highest capabilities. We felt that although our effort was plus last week at Michigan State, that the execution piece really lacked, and I thought you saw significant growth from our guys today throughout the course, really in all three phases. I thought with the exception of a few things, I thought we really played well in all three phases today, and they all impacted the game in some facet, whether it be a big touchdown play, a catch and run, a turnover on defense, a punt block. We did some things really well that we'll be able to build on going into what will be a really tough Temple game.

Question: Emma mentioned it a second ago. How kind of weird was that first beat where Bryson, they have the fumble, the muff or whatever on the kick return?

Jacobs: I'm trying to have selective memory and accentuate the positives. Obviously, an inauspicious first play here in the Glass Bowl, but the great thing about that, though, is one, the kid didn't hang his head because he's as good as anybody in our conference at returning kicks, so I'm never going to shy away from somebody doing what they're really special at. He knows he's got to collapse the ball.

We've got to do a better job blocking in that instance, and then our defense did a tremendous job to hold him to a field goal, and really until late in the game, I really thought our defense was stout all day that way.

Question: I don't know if you've watched any of the extended drives for Oklahoma. You guys had the blocked punt there that you returned for a touchdown. How do you kind of coach that? How do you kind of teach guys to be able to block punts without extending drives?

Jacobs: Well, it's that fine line, right? You have to be super aggressive, and you've got to be fully committed to it. There's some techniques that we use based on what side of the ball they're on or what foot the punter is, and so I thought our kids executed a high level there. That was a big play right before the half to go up another score, but really excited about the way they played, and really the effort level in special teams today was significant.

Question: How was the idea of coaching in the Glass Bowl compared to the reality today?

Jacobs: It was special. If they're all like this, we'll all be happy for a long time, but it was really special. Listen, I had over 30 ticket requests today. I had a ton of friends and family here.

I get the most joy out of seeing our players play well and have fun together, and we've got a lot of guys. We were fortunate to play quite a few bodies today, and some guys got their first game action as well in the Glass Bowl, and so just really special all the way around.

Question: Did you prioritize your rushing attack this week?

Jacobs: Listen, Julian said it, right? It's not lip service. The five keys to victory every week: run the football, stop the run, protect the football, be opportunistic, taking it away, and then play elite special teams, and so we wanted to work hard to reestablish the line of scrimmage. That was something I didn't think we did a tremendous job of against Michigan State, and so as the game wore on, running back by committee, we did some good things. We got some timely runs from our quarterback room as well, and so I was excited about that group.

Question: How much confidence does it give you going forward?

Jacobs: Yeah, I mean, listen, any time you don't get the result that you desired the previous week to come out and execute at a really high level. We really like some of the cliche stuff about we don't care what the score is. Today was so much about what we did, how we did it, more importantly, and I thought our kids really responded to the task.

Question: You had A.D. Moreland shaking hands. Do you notice the support you have from the community?

Jacobs: Listen, Tom's been an incredible advocate for us ever since he walked on campus. I mean, it started with a phone call very shortly after he got hired to me, and a little bit different for me with the timing and me being so new as well, but I can tell you we're highly supportive. That was a big reason I chose Toledo, between Dr. Holloway and his commitment to athletics and football and certainly what Tom's done, and it's really cool for me, right? I'm very fortunate. I'll never forget my first win in Toledo, but I've had a lot of first wins. I've had a lot of wins, and it's a blessing, but to be able to be a part and be able to hand him a game ball for his first win as an athletic director in the football landscape is really special. I'm proud. I'm proud of our kids.

Question: What is your overwhelming emotion after the first win?

Jacobs: They practiced really hard this week. They were super focused. As you just look around some of the scorers in the country, a lot of these FCS teams are battling their tails off and really in close games or winning, and so I thought our kids stayed focused.

I didn't think they looked past any opponent or looked down on any opponent, and we executed at a really high level, and I felt the great thing is whenever you put the twos, the threes, sometimes the fours in the game, if the production doesn't fall off, then that really shows how locked in they are, and I thought our kids really, whoever was in the game, did a nice job tonight.

I'm really just proud of how they played, and I'll take away their effort as much as anything today.

Question: Speaking of that exactly, just how valuable is it for those second-string, third-string guys to get into the game setting, especially since injuries are bound to happen at some point?

Jacobs: You said it, Emma, right? It's a long season, and it's a physical game, and so you need to have multiple people ready. I was told one time by a mentor, you've got to have a pair and a spare, and so that would be three at each position, and the more that you can get them, there's nothing like game-speed reps, right? I can go the driving range as much as I want, but I've got to just play golf to get better at it, right?

And the best way to get better at playing football is to do it in a game-like setting, under the lights, in a full Glass Bowl, and just really proud of a lot of those young guys' effort today.

Question: And lastly for me, I know one of the biggest things that you guys were able to do and felt worked better in this game, and just how big was that as a confidence booster going forward?

Jacobs: Yeah, I think Cris Reisert is a tremendous offensive coordinator, and again, we were a bit off schedule in early downs in the first week, whereas this week we were in much more manageable. I thought John Alan played at a really high level, especially on critical downs, and then we had some wide receivers step up and make big plays.

We had a couple big runs that got us first downs, so listen, any time that you're over 50 percent on those, you're in good shape, so really pleased with that effort.

Question: Were you able to fulfill every ticket request?

Jacobs: I believe so, yes.

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