Penn State Football
Visiting Head Coach Bret Bielema
Postgame Press Conference
vs. Illinois – October 23, 2021
Q: Bret, who is the one who gave you that ball?
A: (Holding game ball) "Josh [McRay] gave me this. I forget like I had no idea it was my 100th victory like I had no idea. I told the crew though, obviously a lot of those victories came from other places and hopefully this is a story about many more here, right, like I just, I love this atmosphere I think our players have bought in 100 times over."
Q: You come out jumbo, you get a lot of seven offensive linemen, two tight end sets, was that the plan coming in [to today's game]?
A: "Yeah, I just thought that for us, it was a better matchup if we got bigger. And that formation was actually put in before Monday so everybody's like 'Ah, he's putting seven lineman in!' But that was actually something we worked into put out last week, something I've used in the past."
Q: Your thoughts on the new format for overtime?
A: You know we practiced it a little bit, but nothing really like that actual [game]. Everything became a two point play. It really comes on you quick…The old way just kind of seemed to drag on and on. This kind of I could see why we want to make the fans happy right, it's a fan generated world we're living in, and I got to believe those two point plays [were] a lot of fun for the fans a lot of fun for us in a way it kind of gets the guys going.
Q: Will you remember the last two point conversion most or is there another moment you'll remember from this game the most?
A: I distinctly remember Isaiah getting in on that play like I just, you know, there's certain players that you know are in them and what he can do and he just wasn't going to be denied on that play. But also Josh McRay ripping off some of those big runs and breaking tackles and Chase Brown doing the same thing.