Dillon Thieneman talks upcoming matchup with Northwestern

Dillon Thieneman is no stranger to playing against the Northwestern Wildcats. In his first two seasons, Purdue played Northwestern twice and in both games, came up just short. In those two matchups Thieneman accounted for 19 tackles and an interception. Dillon was asked about his thoughts leading up to Saturday’s early matchup (9 am local time).

Here are his responses at the media session:

Early Kick

Just to make sure to keep grinding day in day out like Our past success doesn’t determine our future. So just staying to the routines, staying to the schedule, doing what we need to do.

Playing against his old coach (O’Brien)

I’m excited to play against him. A little bit (of) texting back and forth. None this week, I don’t want to text him this week. I think just coming in, he kind of taught me what to look for. Being back in the post, analyzing the QB doing this, doing that. I think I’ll be excited to play against him now.

Ability to move around in the backfield with Lopa

I feel like just as a safety group, we’re really versatile, so we can play a lot a lot of positions. Kings more of a bigger guy, like six-four, so you can move around, you can do a lot and when we get in the box. I feel like we can just we can play fast; we can play free because we know we got we got some dogs up front that are going fight for us.

Impression of Jayen Limar

Physical player, hard runner, comes in every day, grinds, he’s got his own routine. He’s very, very consistent guy and I like going against him in practice I feel like we make each other better.

Three safety looks

I felt it gives us advantages to play a lot of different coverage and moving to different spots kind of confused the offense. I feel like they’re not going to know what we’re going to be doing because we can move. We can call so many different coverages and it put us (in) better (position) to play either the runner (or) the pass, depending on the situation.

Long trips and preparation

I don’t think we get to pick (seats on the plane). I think they’re just like, “you’re sitting here” and I’ll be like, “alright.” I feel like just staying active, make sure you’re stretched afterwards. I know when you get up there you can get some swelling in your legs, so make sure to just work that out. Stress that it’s a business trip, you’re not just going on a trip to go on a trip, you’re going on a trip to go win a game.

What he’s seen from the younger guys

I feel like I’ve just seen a lot of growth overall. Guys feeling more comfortable in the positions. With Aaron (Flowers) out there (and) with Brandon (Finney Jr) coming in as a freshman. Getting out there I know stuff can be fast, like the Bulls can be flying, but I feel like we’ve adapted (and) a lot of new guys are like stepping up.

Northwestern on tape

They (have) got a lot of different guys coming in so it’s not the same guys. (They’ve) got a different quarterback, different wide receivers, and got some transfers. Different tight ends. I think it will be a lot of similar looks that we could play against. Maybe I’ll recognize when I’m out there. My watching film, I’ve been able to see some stuff that’s been carrying over from last year.

On Northwestern’s quarterback

Where does this go?  Good, on the internet? Okay, all right. (Media laughing). I know he’s a transfer coming in so they’ve had a kind of a rough start with that first game but then they’ve been able to have some success there with the second game. I’m just curious how he’ll come out, we just need to be prepared for different things that they might do maybe some trick plays. (We need to)  just read our keys and stay in our coverages.

On communication in the defensive backfield

I feel like guys are asking a lot more questions. The safeties are talking between themselves and then talking with the corners, trying to get our sides lined up, and then communicate with the other side. We’re playing this over here, this is what we got on this side, so we know what we’re got on each side. In a certain coverage, we might have help back side, so we can maybe let one go. If not, we got to take it over or maybe we can help that side if (the) numbers line out. I know that’s probably not the best explanation, but there’s a lot of communication between each other. And then I feel like just recognizing patterns, recognizing what the offense is trying to do in certain formations.

Peyton’s pick-six and Dillon’s first interception

I say it’s awesome, Peyton got a pick, I was so happy. We’re all running on the field and I’m like, “we’re probably going to get a flag or something,” but that’s awesome, he got the ball. He made a great play, he was just going out there playing, being a football player. Maybe that might not have been his play to make, but he was just there. Then my moment, I think, was just my first game. I had a deep ball, middle of field pick, and it was just like, “oh, this is this is real, like I can do this.” It’s kind of the same thing.

Shared experience of playing as a true freshman

Yeah, I can definitely relate to him (Brandon Finney Jr). (The play) can definitely be fast. I know practice is one thing, but it’s hard to replicate a game in practice. I feel like we do a really good job here of making practice almost harder than the games. But just seeing Brandon just go out there and play fast, be physical, I feel like he’s been free. There’s a few moments here and there, like we all have those moments. I still have those moments, but he’s playing fast, he’s being a good player. I think he’s communicating, he’s doing all the right things.