Coach James Franklin kept It real as usual at his October 31st press conference:

“We had our annual Halloween party at the office last night. I shouldn't say party. It's like, what is it, like 35 minutes of all the families and all the kids kind of walk around from office to office and get candy, which has been awesome. Then we go to the training table. But that was great.

“Getting into the summary of the Indiana game. Turnover battle, we won. That's been probably the most consistent storyline of the year and something that I take a lot of pride in, and I think we have done a really good job of that. Explosive play battle, Indiana won that. Our defense did reach their goal; offense did not. Third down battle, we won that. Sack battle, we won that. Drive start battle, we won that. Penalties, we did not win that.

“Some more summary of the game. When you talk about players of the game, on offense, was Kaytron Allen. On defense, was Dani Dennis-Sutton, and special teams, Tyler Warren.

“Just want to say this and be clear about this. Obviously, stats play a factor in this for us in our winning grades each week, but really it's about how they grade. Had a player talk to me this week about how the staff does it. The offensive staff does it; the defensive staff does it separate; I'm not involved in that. You got to be productive, but you also got to have a winning grade and feel like; let the stats alone, play winning football from a coach's grade perspective.

“From a D-squad perspective, on offense we had Golden Israel-Achumba and Amiel Davis. On defense, Jace Tutty and Jake Wilson. Jace Tutty and Jake Wilson have really been awesome all year long. And then Finn Furmanek, local guy, doing a really good job for us on special teams.

“Just a few last points, positives. You know, obviously we won. I thought we were resilient. I think right now our special teams, over the last couple weeks, is really playing well. I think it starts with our specialists, Gabe [Nwosu], Riley [Thompson], [Tyler] Duzansky, and [Alex] Felkins, and I would throw [Daequan] Hardy in that as well. I think that group is really playing much more consistent and making plays. Hardy is a weapon for us right now. I thought as a team we made plays when it mattered most and won the middle eight. That was an important stat in that game as well.

“Opportunities for growth, we were tackling too high. We need to wrap and consistently wrap and tackle lower. And then we got to protect the football from a decision making standpoint and a fundamental standpoint.

“Getting into Maryland. Obviously, I’ve got a lot of history with the university. I was there I think for eight years. Was kind of my first big break in the profession. I've got tremendous respect for the university as a whole and the athletic department. Was there for a long time two different times. Was with Coach [Mike] Locksley, and got a lot of respect for him and what he's been able to do throughout his career. We were at the University of Maryland I think from 2000 to 2002 together, three years if I'm remembering that correctly.

“You kind of break them down on offense, another guy that we're familiar with is Josh Gattis. We were together for six years. We hired Josh from Western Michigan, at Vanderbilt, were there three years, and then three years at Penn State, so know Josh very well.

“Josh is running the offense, doing a great job. They're an 11-personnel, spread team. Guys that we have respect for is their quarterback [Taulia Tagovailoa], obviously. Wide receivers, No. 6 and No. 1, Jeshaun Jones and Kaden Prather, and running back, Roman Hemby. We got respect for those guys. Other guys as well, obviously, but really kind of runs through their quarterback who has been playing there and been productive, owns every record that university has.

“Defensively, Brian Williams. I've known Brian for a long time. He's done a really good job at Maryland, and really throughout his career. We got to know Brian when we were at Vanderbilt. We recruited a young man by the name Jakari Thomas out of Godby High School, and Brian was the defensive coordinator at the time at Godby High School in Florida. Guys that we been impressed with are, No. 11, Ruben Hyppolite, middle linebacker. Their linebacker, No. 1, Jaishawn Barham. As you guys know, we recruited him very heavily. Got a lot of respect for him and his family. And then safety, No. 2, Beau Brade, has done a really good job. Been playing for them for a long time.

James Thomas, special teams coordinator. I don't know him very well, but Braeden Wisloski, we been impressed with him, as a local kid who's a kickoff return guy for them and has a touchdown on the year.”