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RUTGERS UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

November 19, 2018

Chris Ash

Piscataway, New Jersey

CHRIS ASH: Appreciate you guys coming. Before I start and before I forget, Happy Thanksgiving to you guys, and hopefully you have a good week, a good holiday. Last Monday together, and really appreciate your guys' support and help covering our program this year.

Just quickly on a Penn State wrap-up, we talked a little bit about it on Saturday when the game was over. It was a disappointing loss. After watching the tape, again, it was just some missed opportunities and turnovers that really hurt us in that game. But I thought there were a lot of positives to build on and take from that game. I thought we played very well on defense. We weren't perfect, but we played very well. It was one of our better games this season. One of our better games, I think, since we've been here that we played against a team like that that had been playing really good, offensive football.

I thought we ran the ball well on offense. You know, the sacks go against your rushing yardage, you take those out, and we had a really productive day with our tailbacks running the ball. I think that is something that we can build on here over the last couple weeks, we've been able to do that.

I thought special teams, we continued to cover kicks well. We had better net punt in that game, and we had to pin them with our kickoff coverage teams, so I think we're continuing to do some good things on special teams. Then I thought our seniors, a lot of our seniors that played in the game, we don't have a lot of them, but the ones that did, I thought played some of their best football. Especially the guys on defense. Isaiah Wharton played lights out and had one of his best games he's had in a long time. So really proud of those guys and happy for those guys.

Moving forward this week we've got Michigan State, another good football team. I've got a lot of respect for the program and the job that Coach Dantonio has done year after year after year there. I've been fortunate to coach in a lot of really big games against Michigan State as a defensive coordinator, and again, I've got a lot of respect for what he's done and his staff has done there. They're well-coached. They're disciplined. They can run the ball, they play great defense. They're good on special teams.

It's going to be another opportunity for us to improve, and we're going to have to play really good football, especially on the road against a good team. So with that, I'll open it up for questions.

Q. Do you, at 1-10, do you feel like you have the support of pat Hobbs and anyone else making the decision? I guess, what would be your confidence level that you will, indeed, be coming back after this season?
CHRIS ASH: You know, I'll be honest with you, I respect the question, but we're going to talk about Michigan State today.

Q. As you go into Michigan State, do you feel you and your staff have done a sufficient enough job developing the talent on this roster, both this season and in three years now?
CHRIS ASH: Absolutely. You look at some of the older guys that are here, the improvements that they've made, I think have been really staggering. We have a bunch of young players on the football team, and we've got to develop those young players.

But some of the seniors, the strength, the size, the plays that they're able to make, that's because of player development.

Q. I know you said after the game on Saturday that John will be back, and I understand that's a big thing for you guys, the offensive coordinator turnover you've had. Do you anticipate any significant staff changes?
CHRIS ASH: Guys, let's talk about Michigan State. I mean, that's where we're at. That's my focus. We'll discuss the end of the season when the end of the season is here. Our focus is Michigan State.

Q. Every loss hurts, every loss is tough for the team, but is there any more hurt and any more feeling of resolve after a loss like Penn State where it was a game that you were kind of in, and it was against a ranked opponent at home, feeling like, hey, we had an opportunity slip by and we're getting closer, we're improving?
CHRIS ASH: You're right. Every loss hurts, whether it's by 50 or it's by 5, every loss hurts. I am proud of the way that our players continue to work and fight and they continue to improve. That's where we're at. That's the circumstances that we are in.

So I am disappointed about the missed opportunities in that game because I thought we were playing some really good football. But I am also pleased about the continued improvement that I see out of our football team that we can build on, and that's really what we're trying to do.

Q. (Indiscernible)?
CHRIS ASH: Absolutely. Improvement is motivating, and that's why our players continue to be motivated and show up with a great attitude and give great effort, because they see and feel the improvement. I get it, not a lot of people want to say that or do see that, but we in this room, we do. The players are motivated by that.

Q. In terms of the quarterbacks, have you made any type of decision, presumably after watching film, as to who might start Saturday?
CHRIS ASH: No, it will be an end-of-the-week decision.

Q. I'm afraid we might not see you again before the end of the season. It's a general question, but I'm curious overall from where you started two years ago, do you feel like the program is heading in the right direction? Do you feel like you've made improvements that people will see in years coming in the future?
CHRIS ASH: Yeah, again, I'm not going to worry about and talk about the future a whole lot here. I'm worried about Michigan State.

But there are so many improvements on the inside that people don't see day-to-day. I am very excited about our future, the culture that we've established. The character of the individuals that we have in this program, the chemistry that we have in this program, the true brotherhood that we have here. Those are all things internally that you have to have before the external results come.

And I get it, everyone wants wins, I want wins too, I get it. But I came here to try to build from the inside out. I think that's what we're doing and that's where we're at. Do we need to make a big jump up? Absolutely we do.

Q. Is Art healthy? I know the strip sack, it seemed like his throwing shoulder --
CHRIS ASH: Art's fine.

Q. So the decision to take him out on Saturday was purely performance, not health?
CHRIS ASH: Yes, yes.

Q. I guess, how important is it to get a win at Michigan State to end the season on a high note?
CHRIS ASH: We're worried about continuing to improve. The wins are great. We want to win. But our focus is on the things that it takes to win.

We've got to play cleaner football. We've got to take care of the football. We've got to try to score some points. We're focused on those things. If we do those things, then wins will come, whether it be this Saturday or next year. Those are the things we have to focus on. We're not focused on, hey, we have to win against Michigan State. Do we want to? Absolutely. But we're focused on the things that allow us to try to get that done.

Q. Around the country athletic directors do come out and support coaches. Any disappointment that there hasn't been a statement of positivity?
CHRIS ASH: Guys, I'm focused on Michigan State, and that's the only conversation I really feel comfortable having right now. Thank you, guys.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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