On quarterback Adrian Martinez...
“Well, we have a week to help to see where Adrian (Martinez) is. But, we feel comfortable if we have to go with Noah (Vedral) and Luke (McCaffrey). Both of those guys got lots of reps today, and they have been repping a lot all through the fall, so if it ends up being them we’re fine. But we will wait to see where Adrian (Martinez) is.”

On if Martinez would need to practice for a certain amount of time to play in the game...

“He needs to practice a little, but he has had plenty of reps, so we will make those decisions down the road. Adrian kind of depends on when and if he is able to look efficient in practice.”

On what stands out about Minnesota...
“First of all, they’re undefeated. They played well at the end of some tight games. I think they’re big and physical up front. They've got some big tight ends that help them in the running game. Their quarterback has been really efficient. They have two really good wide receivers. They’re going to smash you and run some RPO’s (Run-Pass Options). They’re going to take shots. They’ve been putting up a lot of points. Defensively, they’re a lot more sound than what we saw last year and more athletic. They’ve definitely improved. You can tell it’s year three of his tenure up there. They’re starting to look like the team he wants them to look like. It’s going to be a good challenge for us and a great opportunity.”

On what the two programs have done right since they met last year in October...
“I don’t know. I can’t speak for them. I know the whole thing is a process. You have to keep getting better inch by inch and day by day. It’s pretty obvious that they’ve continued to improve. I think we’re on the right trajectory as well. We’ll probably have this game and a lot more tough games and big games against these guys.”

On Minnesota's young offense...
"Anytime you're young, there's going to be ups and downs. The one great thing we did Saturday is we didn't turn it over and that was probably the difference in the game. Young offenses can make plays. They can also make mistakes. We need to limit those mistakes. We had a couple that cost us a drive here and there if there's a drop or a penalty or things like that. If we limit mistakes, we're going to have a chance to win games. You can tell their young players are really good. Some of our best players are young guys. There's a bright future ahead. But I think the key is be efficient and be yourself."

On the forecast...
"We'll see. I'm hoping for a nice, pretty, brisk fall day. If it turns into something else, we just have to make sure we have the right plays and ball sheet to operate in whatever kind of environment we're playing in."

On Noah Vedral...
"I knew the family first and foremost. I played with two of his uncles on both sides. They're good friends of mine. Especially Jon Vedral and Matt Vedral. Great athletes, great players. We like the way Noah threw. Liked his athletic ability. He's a really good athlete in high school. Basketball, football, track and field. [There were] several times he ran the [hurdle] times that he had. We knew he had the speed that he needed. He's just got the right mentality. We saw something in him and he hasn't disappointed us. He's been a really good player, and if it is his turn to play on Saturday, I feel great about him."

On Minnesota’s receivers...
“Yeah, I think they have several good receivers, (Tyler) Johnson would probably be the leading one, but there’s a lot of guys you have to pay attention to. They do a good job of running those guys deep and completing some deep balls. They do a great job on RPO’s that if your eyes aren’t right or you’re not in the right place could turn into big plays. So, they definitely have some weapons on the perimeter and our DBs have to be on their game, but really everybody does because there’s a lot of things that go in to take away that run pass option."

On if the low scoring games are on the offense not performing or on the Big Ten defenses...
“It’s both. We have a long way to go offensively. We have to create more things, get more weapons, there’s a lot more things that we need to make our offense better. This is a good league and a lot of these teams are good. You know this is a grown man’s league. You better have some grown men blocking and carrying the ball. Better have athletes on the perimeter so you can take advantage of it when people are loading the box. Northwestern has a good defense. Pat [Fitzgerald] does a great job, he has tough kids. They’re going to be in a lot of those games this year.”

On if his dad talks about his game at Minnesota...
“Dad talked to me about every game he’s played. Might need help figuring out which one that was. There was actually a picture in my grandpa’s office, his shop at the dairy farm just between here and Malcolm, of five still frames of dad’s touchdowns against Minnesota, so I’ve been seeing that since I’ve been able to walk because I’ve seen it at the farm.”