NIU Head Coach Thomas Hammock Speaks on Kentucky Football

Hammock gave the Wildcats great respect on Tuesday afternoon

Northern Illinois head coach Thomas Hammock held his fourth game-week press conference of the season on Tuesday, as his 1-2 Huskies prepare to make the trip south to take on the No. 8 Kentucky Wildcats. 

Here's everything that the fourth-year head coach had to say about the Cats: 

On Mark Stoops and the program...

"Strong football team, strong football foundation. I have a lot of respect for Coach Stoops just watching him from a far, how he's been able to build his team, how he's been able to develop his program, the type of players he has in the program, the way that they play, the style that they play, you can obviously see his fingerprints all over the program." 

On Kentucky's offense...

"Offensively, they have a quarterback that is dynamic, a future draft pick. They got a big offensive line, they got skilled wide receivers and they got tight ends that can make plays."

On Kentucky's defense...

"Defensively, is really what you see they hang their hat on. This is a strong defensive football team, with their front seven and on the back in their ability to effect the game by taking the ball away."

On Kentucky's special teams...

"Then special teams, they play really really good on special teams. No. 9 (Tayvion Robinson) is a kickoff returner, punt returner who's very dynamic and explosive."

On what playing Kentucky means to the team...

"You don't get these opportunities as a football team very often. When you get an opportunity to go play in a hostile environment on national TV, and show what you're made of and show how you stack up. Our team will be excited to play. At the end of the day, it's about how we play and how we are able to execute."

On how NIU can win...

"If we can play clean football, protect the football, have the ability to stay on the field a little bit on offense and minimize explosive plays on defense, you know, we can go in there and we can go battle."

On the challenge of playing Kentucky...

"When you play these type of opponents, they're gonna have big athletes that can play. One thing about college football, is everybody punts their pants on the same way. Everybody puts their jersey on the same way and you just never know what may happen, but you have to go out there with the mindset and the belief that you can get it done, and that's how we have to approach this game." 

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