Press conference notes: Braun and NU prepare for stingy Iowa defense
MORE ON THE WILDCATS: The 3-2-1 after Week 10
EVANSTON-On the Monday after an exhilarating 33-27 win over Maryland, interim head coach David Braun addressed the media as his team prepares to take on Iowa at Wrigley Field this Saturday.
The Hawkeyes just announced that their offensive coordinator, and the son of their head coach, Brian Ferentz, will not be returning for the 2024 season. But even with an offense that has received national ridicule, Iowa is a formidable team this year that has scored just two fewer points per game than the Wildcats.
The Hawkeyes stand at 6-2, 3-2 in the Big Ten, and sport one of the best defenses in the country, allowing just 14.5 points per game.
Braun talked about finding a way to win at Wrigley, broke down the defense's goal-line stand against Maryland on Saturday, and highlighted some of the young players who have stepped up due to injury.
Here are our takeaways from Braun's press conference:
Sullivan to start on Saturday: Braun was the bluntest he's been about the Wildcats' quarterback situation since Ben Bryant went down with an injury against Penn State a month ago, naming Sullivan the starter for the first time at his weekly press conference.
"[Ben] is working his butt off and we anticipate getting him back at some point, but anticipate that Brendan Sullivan will be out there for us this week," he said.
Sullivan will start his fourth straight game, dating back to Howard on Oct. 7. He had the best game of his career last week against Maryland, with more than 300 total yards of offense and two passing touchdowns.
"I think we did a really good job last week of getting [Sullivan] comfortable," Braun said. "We performed much better around him on offense. With the play calling, I think we did some really good things to get the ball out of his hands on time, which allowed for him to get into a rhythm and play his best football."
This week, Sullivan will face one of the best defenses in college football. The Hawkeyes rank sixth in the nation in scoring defense. The over/under for the game is set a historic low of 29.5.
Iowa's defense menaces across the board, but maybe none have the ability to flip a game like junior defensive back Cooper DeJean. DeJean has 38 tackles, two interceptions and also a punt-return touchdown. A second return for a touchdown was infamously wiped off the board two weeks ago against Minnesota.
Braun bemoaned the failure of his mentor and former boss, Matt Entz, to seal the deal and recruit DeJean up to Fargo, N.D., instead of losing him to the home-state Hawkeyes.
"My first conversation was with Matt Entz at North Dakota State," he said. "We offered [DeJean] and I really would have appreciated it if Matt Entz could have closed him so we didn't have to deal with him now...
"All kidding aside, [DeJean] is such a model for what the Iowa program has stood for... He is a dynamic, talented, instinctual football player, and [he] will be absolutely critical piece of our game plan."
Wrigley can't come soon enough: Despite a sterling 4-1 record at Ryan Field this season, Braun is extremely excited for the opportunity to play at Wrigley Field this week.
"First pro baseball game I ever went to was with my dad at Wrigley Field," he said. "Mark Grace, Shawon Duston, Joe Girardi, Ryne Sandberg.
"All those things, an opportunity to be part of a football game at Wrigley Field? What a unique, special experience to say that I'm getting the opportunity to coach in that game."
Of all the memorable moments from this season, this one will be right up there with the best of them for the first-year coach.
"I've had a lot of these moments in the last year, but it's just another pinch yourself moment."
Braun broke down the goal line stand vs. Maryland: One of the biggest sequences of the game was Northwestern stuffing Maryland three times at the NU 1-yard line in the second quarter. The Wildcats forced a turnover on downs and kept what could have been a game-winning touchdown for the Terps off the board.
The Terps mixed it up on all three plays. The first was a true handoff to a running back, the second an attempted tush push with quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa, and the third, on fourth down, was a pass that was knocked away by linebacker Xander Mueller.
Braun, who remains the team's defensive coordinator and play-caller, elaborated on the game-turning stand.
"It's really difficult, you're picking your poison," Braun said about defending run or pass in short yardage situations. "Honestly, we anticipated on fourth down that it would be a pass, but you start to ask yourself, 'Are we willing to call a defense that plays to a pass then they hand the ball off and walk in for a touchdown?'
"We're going to make them earn every inch. Credit to Xander for making a huge play in that situation for us, and the rest of the defense for getting ourselves to that point."
Northwestern's defensive line is down several key players and succeeded in those goal-line sets without key defensive tackle Brendan Flakes and starting defensive end Richie Hagarty. The Wildcats already lost DT Matt Lawson for the season in the opener against Rutgers.
Even at full strength, it's really difficult to practice those kinds of short-yardage, high-stakes plays. Braun was ecstatic to see his defense come through in the clutch.
"What the D-line has been able to do this season is such a reflection of what you hope is happening all over this team right now," he said. "It's banked reps from double repping in fall camp. It's investment paying off in terms of our development...
"In terms of those situations, you have to be really careful of how you practice those high-intensity scenarios. It's really hard to replicate. The only time we really practice those scenarios live is maybe an isolated practice or two during fall camp. Then in scout team sessions, it's at about 80%, so you keep people on their feet and healthy."
Braun is ready for daughter Blake's first Halloween: Halloween is on Tuesday and the Braun family will be ready, thanks to David's wife, Kristin.
"I'm not very creative but you can count on Kristin Braun," Braun said. "[She's] got that all lined up, it's going to be a fun week for the family."
Braun's sons, Lucas and Austin, who went last year as the Wet Bandits from "Home Alone," will be Mario and Luigi this year from the wildly popular video game. Newborn Blake, who was just born this past July, will be going as Princess Peach for her first Hallween.
Braun might not be dressing up, but he did say his kids need to keep their head on a swivel when it comes to their candy.
"I'll tell you what, I have a sweet tooth," he said. "I'll put it this way: when I get home, their candy will probably be hidden."