Q. You had a little trouble in the first half getting some rhythm going but in the second half you really picked it up….
CRISTOBAL: We had a 17-7 first half and 31-0 second half. We were inconsistent in the first half. There were opportunities there to be had. The sloppy plays were really at the end of the first half when we gave up a couple of sacks. We had some challenges with some of the movements and stunts and extra guys that they brought, but we have to be better at that obviously. I thought we got better at it as the game went on. There were some bright spots in the first half but not nearly enough. We need to take more control of a game like that early on but I am encouraged by the second half and our ability to dial in and focus to finish the game.
Q. I thought your defense really controlled the ballgame…
CRISTOBAL: Yeah, in the first half we gave up 33 plays for 191 yards and in the second half it was 29 plays for 80 yards. We played 80 guys tonight. A lot of guys saw significant playing time and a lot saw their first playing time. We weren’t trying to rest guys. We were just banged up at certain positions so we had to play guys. I think as the game went on they started getting in the right type of groove. They were understanding how to get a signal and apply it on a play by play basis to play very physical. We played much better football in the second half.
Q. The defense was very opportunistic. Noah Sewell and Verone McKinley are really leaders on that defense…
CRISTOBAL: Without a doubt. Verone man. What a great leader. What a great player. He epitomizes our culture. He just doesn’t stop. All he wanted to talk about was next week and being 1-0, about eating the right stuff, about waking up and getting to film early. Guys like that drive a locker room. Noah is really kicking that to another level as well. He is feeling more comfortable leading. I can’t say enough good things about Verone. He is different and he is special. We’re very blessed to have him.
Q. What’s the status of Anthony Brown?
COACH CRISTOBAL: He took a pretty good shot there at the end of the half. We were just making sure he was okay. We expect him to be okay and he looks good so we expect him to be healthy for the week.
Q. What’s your evaluation of Ty Thompson?
COACH CRISTOBAL: He did a nice job. He got the ball out, was accurate with the ball and made the right decisions in the run game. He was playing some real, relevant time as well. I’m proud of him. I’m proud of [Jay Butterfield] getting in there as well and both of those guys looked really sharp. They looked like they look in practice on a daily basis. So we’re not surprised that they were able to execute and run the offense the way they did. I’m fired up about those guys and looking forward to seeing all these guys in practice tomorrow.
Q. Do you start to develop more depth in a game like tonight?
COACH CRISTOBAL: First of all, tremendous amount of respect to our opponent. They have a really good football team, good football players and they compete really well. When the game reaches a stage where some of the other guys are playing, those guys need to get reps. We were calling the game like we needed to and we felt like those guys performed nicely. Offensive linemen fit double teams really well and got their man blocks done. Receivers ran good routes and caught the ball well for the most part. They were functioning like we expect them to and like they have in practice. So it was very valuable time for a lot of guys. And a lot of guys are seeing action on special teams as well. Special teams has been loaded up with a lot of guys that have really been spending their first year on campus. And they’re not just on there because we’re trying to give other guys rest. They’re on there because they’re fast, athletic and explosive players and we need to get them on the field. And we continue to get better on our coverage teams and in the kicking game. And those things are things we are really enthused about.
Q. How did you feel like you guys did on the lines?
COACH CRISTOBAL: Below average. I thought there were moments where we played well - and I thought in the second half we really picked it up - but it was not up to our standard. I think we know that. Opponents change, but the standards don’t. They had some challenging movements and stunts, but we have to be able to adjust. I thought our guys did. I thought our effort was good. I didn’t see a lapse in effort. I didn’t see anything but guys dialed in and being intense in terms of their approach in the huddle and during timeouts. They were locked in. We all got a little bit frustrated, but we just kept going. We just kept talking about this play and playing the next play the best we can. We’re learning and we’re growing. It was nice to see us turn that mentality into one that goes forward when things weren’t going so well.
Q. What impressed you most about Ty’s second half?
COACH CRISTOBAL: I thought Ty was very cool. He didn’t flinch at all. I’ve seen sometimes quarterbacks turn when you tap them on the shoulder and their eyes get big. That wasn’t the case with him at all. There was no flinching. He knows the offense. He is very composed and very confident. He did a really nice job.
Q. Three picks from the secondary tonight, two by Verone McKinley and one by Bennett Williams, how did the secondary help you tonight by making those big plays, and what can you say about Verone’s knack to cause interceptions?
COACH CRISTOBAL: Well, this guy is a student of the game now - he understands it inside and out. Not only what we are doing on defense, but what the offense is doing. He understands formations. He understands route running and studies receivers really well, as well as formations and splits really well. This guy has a different level football IQ, and then you see the way he has worked on his body. He is fast, he is explosive and he is a ballhawk. He has great ball skills. I kid with him every once in a while that I have got to get him on offense for a play or two. He has been a game-changer for us, and the best part about that is that he is not satisfied. He is hungry and he wants more. He wants to take on more and that leadership role is strong. I can’t say enough good things about Verone McKinley.
Q. How hard is it to come back down to work and stay focused after a big win like last week?
COACH CRISTOBAL: I was pretty fired up about the way we approached everything, from practice on Sunday to the end. When you leave a game like that last week, when you go in the locker room, you can have fun and celebrate a little bit, but before you leave that locker room you make sure that you get the guys to start generating thoughts about moving forward. That showed up in practice the next day. I thought guys were focused and I thought the week was physical. The guys that had to play tonight - that were forced into starting roles or had significant playing time - I thought that they invested the right type of reps and mentality throughout the course of the week. It showed up in a lot of their plays – inconsistent albeit – but there were also some really bright moments and a lot of stuff that we can build off of.
oregon.rivals.com
