Opening statement
"2-0, pumped up about that. Found a way to win a couple of football games that we were favored. That has been the message to our football team. We split our season into quarters, so this game coming up this week is pretty important to us."

Regarding injuries
"Finishing up regarding last week's game… we had a couple of injuries. A.J. Bush injured his hamstring a little bit and we will see how it goes this week. Most of you had a chance to see Edwin Carter's big hit. Great play and as good of catch and touchdown passes as you will see. Unfortunately, he had a significant knee injury and will be out the rest of the season. We have a couple of guys that went down with minor injuries and hope to get more guys back this week."

M.J. Rivers stepping in
"Some young players stepped up. Of course, M.J. Rivers came in and played well. He really stepped up and gave our team a chance to play the football game."

Offensive Player of the Game
"Mike Epstein played well on offense of the line of the football. Whenever you can run the ball it is pretty good. We did some good things on the offensive side."

Defensive Player of the Game
"Defensively when you take the ball away like that on fourth down stops, you have a chance to win the football game. Jamal Woods was our player of the game, on the defensive side. Active throughout, he plays his role well – playing defensive end, defensive tackle, etc."

Special Teams Player of the Game
"Special teams contributed to that win as much as anything. Chase McLaughlin was our special teams player of the week. Of course two big field goals to hit and really kicked the ball well on our kickoff with quite a few touchbacks."

On performance against USF last year
"South Florida really got after us this year. We did not show up and play good football in all three phases. We are given another opportunity to play better football and compete a lot better than we did last year."

How team is preparing for upcoming USF Game
"On the top of the list, we need a great week of practice to get ready for them. Have a similar approach offensively, so we have had a little bit more of practice to get ready for that offensive attack. We are excited to get ready and go up to Chicago to play at Soldier Field."

When did you determine that M.J. Rivers II was your backup?
"It has been a process going throughout. Starting off with training camp with guys competing for the starting position. A.J. (Bush) won that, but there were more competition going on in the other spots. Matt (Robinson) did some good things during training camp. For a period of time, we thought M.J. (Rivers) should get the next reps. Glad we did because he played well."

What does A.J. Bush Jr.'s week look ahead?
"We have to get to the practice field and see a little bit. Whenever you cannot finish a game there is a concern, but he is making progress."

How are players such as Tony Adams and Ricky Smalling doing with the recovery process?
They are progressing well. Ricky (Smalling) was close to playing last weekend. Tony Adams has been out for a while, but we have seen a lot of progress in him."

Two games in, what have you learned about your team?
"We finish well. I have learned we have not played a full game yet. Hopefully this week we will peak at the right time, starting off right away. What we learned offensively is that we can move the ball. I think everything we want to be as a football team, we have seen signs of but need to be able to put that together."

With how M.J. Rivers II played, does that give you some comfort if A.J. Bush Jr. is not 100%?
Yes it does. When you go through practice, you have an idea of how someone will play based on what they have done. With M.J. (Rivers), he can throw the ball. That is his background with what he did in high school."

What have you seen from M.J. Rivers' decision making?
"I think having poise and confidence is inmperative. If you are prepared and love football, a lot of good things happen. He came to the University of Illinois to eventually play football. None of this is shocking."

Will any of the players that were suspended, be available this week?
"Getting closer. New week coming up this week. We will talk to you a little bit more about everything as the week plays out."

How has the injuries and suspensions impacted your team?
"It is always about the next person up. Whatever reason a player cannot play, you are developing not just your starters, but also the bottom of your roster. Whether it be scholarship players or walk-ons, we are just looking for the best guys that have proven to us that they can help us. When given an opportunity, you need to perform well."

You have been using all of your running backs. If one has a hot hand, will you be using them more?
"All of our running backs bring something more to the table. It is based on the type of game we need to have. It can change by quarter, game, or week. Just as a general rule, we go in playing all three of our guys."

What improvements did you see from Isaiah Gay in week 2?
"When you are lighter, it makes things a lot better. Although if you are heavier it takes a little bit to get used to. I think he handled it better. He did not play as many reps, but played a lot harder. Isaiah Gay is a good football player that we have to keep in the rotation."

What is your feeling about the targeting rule? Will you playing Cam Watkins in the second half?
"First off, we want the game to be as safe as possible. If you lead with the crown of your helmet, targeting can be called. We saw that play that Cam (Watkins) made over and over again. Did not necessarily agree with it at the time, but we sent it to our league office and they will give us a ruling on this. Sometimes it is hard to avoid some collisions. We teach our guys to sprint tackle and use their head to the side. Sometimes that is not the case and we get punished. Cam (Watkins) will miss the first half of this game and someone will step up."

What has Michael Marchese meant to your team?
"Initially, he had a special teams role on the team. Every time you are given an opportunity, you need to do well. We will find another way to give you more reps. Michael (Marchese) plays well and is a physical guy. We are not setup to make big plays and always need to have the ball in front of us. It is always great to get an interception. We need to work on Michael (Marchese's) running skills a little. When he gets that close to the end zone, he needs to be able to get it in."

What have you seen from Jamal Woods' him in his development?
"When you get a chance you make the most out of it. That is what Jamal (Woods) has done. We have played him at the defensive end position, tackle, and has lined up a few times at the nose position. When you play hard like that, we can find a place for you."

How are you going to respond to the challenge of the USF offense?
"A lot better than last year. They pose a lot of problems. Running the same scheme, but with a different quarterback. Last year they had a more athletic, make you run first option to the position. This year, the quarterback is mobile enough to run. He would describe himself as a passer that will occasionally run. We know what we are getting into. It is a big challenge for us in a lot of different ways."

What is key to a team that you know is pretty fast?
"The key is to play as fast as we possibly can and keep the ball in front of you. Speed can hurt you when you can run away. We just need to be as sound defensively as anything."

It looked like Mike Epstein came back to form last week against Western Illinois. How does it feel like having him the player he was his freshman year?
"It feels good. As long as Mike Epstein is here, he will be a great football player. That is what we will expecting from him."

What kind of player personality wise, makes the best back-up quarterback? Does M.J. Rivers II have some of those traits you are looking for?
"You need to be a student of the game. A back-up quarterback does not take a lot of reps, so you have take mental reps as much as anything. When your name is called upon, you need to step up to the plate. Preparing as a back-up is harder than a starter based on those things and limited amount of reps. When you are young player like M.J. (Rivers) to be ready like that, you really don't know what you are getting until they play."

What does M.J. Rivers II bring that challenges the defense?
"He can throw the ball as much as anything. He makes good decisions and has a good game plan on the plays. Situation wise, you need to be able to deliver the ball to your receivers and he did that."

What have you seen from Kendrick Green in his first two touchdowns?
"Improved play week to week. He is a bigger body athlete and can move around. Has a great future ahead of him. His play will get better and better each week based on the experience in the position."

What is your feeling about going back to Chicago and Soldier Field?
"I have been to Chicago many times. There is a lot of history at Soldier Field. Besides that, we are excited to face a team that we played last year."