9/29/2021 football Edit

Q&A with Rutgers Football quarterback Noah Vedral

Chris Nalwasky • TheKnightReport

Beat Writer

Rutgers quarterback Noah Vedral met with the media after practice on Tuesday inside The Bubble.

See what he had to say below about stacking up with Michigan, the run game, the play of the offensive, his thoughts on Ohio State and more.

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Question: Was rallying against Michigan a big moment for this team where it showed you can play with the big teams in the conference?

Noah Vedral: "I think that moment could have happened against a lot of teams. I think what we learned right there is that you just like never say die. That's really what 'chop' is. You can be down a million, you can be up a million, but it doesn't matter. The scoreboard, you're not really supposed to look at it until the game's done, then you can look up and see how we did. But I thought we learned a lot about what chop meant that game. You're going to halftime down a pretty big amount, and you come out and you just keep chipping away, chipping away, chipping away. We played a good second half."

Q: What does Ohio State look like on film? There's been a lot of heat on that defense and a lot of faces have changed, but do you see the same Ohio State?

Vedral: "Yeah, from a talent standpoint, they're still very talented. I think Ohio State's been that way and they're gonna be that one for a long time. So they're very talented group. They've got size, length, and speed. They always show a bit of a challenge there when you're dealing with very talented human beings, but our coaches have built a great game plan for us and we're just getting started on Tuesday practice executing that."

Q: What kind of atmosphere do you expect on Saturday?

Vedral: "I'm excited. I'm really hoping knight nation comes out. We're excited, 3:30 game at home, come out, spend the day out here. We hope that place is rockin'."

Q: Do you have a lot of family coming?

Vedral: "I'm hoping. I'm still kind of waiting to see. I've got two siblings in college now and two in high school playing sports. I know my mom and dad are coming but I'm still waiting here from aunts, uncles, grandma, grandpa. My brother's running cross country at Creighton in Omaha and my sister's pole vaulting at Kansas. I'm the one way out on the East Coast. I'm the odd ball."

Q: How are you feeling physically?

Vedral: "We're holding up good. I think myself, personally, I'm holding up pretty good. I think the weight we put on this offseason and the weight room program really helped me. Some of these shots that probably took a toll on me last year, I'm holding up better and better. I always say like if it heals by the next week I'm good with it. That's just playing football. You got a bruise, you got a jam, you got to whatever, you got to cut, as long as it heals by the next week, you'll live with it. That's what we've been able to kind of limit it to this point."

Q: Is that something you've put an emphasis on this offseason? I know you can't control what happened against Maryland, but everything else.

Vedral: "Yeah, absolutely, and part of that too is a little bit of a mentality thing. As soon as the function returns and an injury and it becomes just pain, adrenaline helps with it. You get a little bit of medicine and stuff and you just kind of like chop through it. But yes I mean the more I can do to physically be strong and eliminate those things from the game that obviously makes it a lot easier."

Q: What do you think of the offensive line and the way they've progressed through four games?

Vedral: "We've been working on it. We've had some some bumps and bruises and injuries that really hurt us but I thought the guys have responded really well. Obviously none of us are perfect and we're all still learning together, but I've think they've done a great job battling and given everything they got."

Q: Has it been amazing to see what Hollin Pierce has been able to do?

Vedral: "The kid's worked very hard. I have to tip my hat to him. I'm really, really happy for him. He's gotten so much better and I mean the sky's the limit for the kid."

Q: What kind of advice did you give or can you give to guys like Hollin or Troy Rainey, starting for the first time at Michigan and on the road?

Vedral: "I think the best thing you can tell him is just chop your job. You're playing in the Big House against Michigan which is big and fast. I think the best thing you can do -- I remember when I got to play a little bit as a freshman -- just zero in on your job. If you just follow your job, your rules, your techniques, it'll take you where you're supposed to be and you'll do your job. Embrace and enjoy the moment, look around, and take it all in, but when it comes time to do your job, just really really intensely focused on that and you'll get through it."

Q: Along those lines, how important was it to get that running game going the other day?

Vedral: "Huge. We got a whole stable really of talented running backs and our offensive line has just continued to progress and take steps forward for us every week in that regard. In that game it was a big deal for us in the second half especially."