Here's what Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz was talking about this morning on the weekly Big Ten teleconference:

On coming off the bye week and Saturday's match-up with Illinois: "It was a little bit strange not playing or participating last weekend. I think it came at a good time. We've had a chance to heal up a bit. We're getting ready now to play a tough and talented Illinois team this Saturday.''

On Illinois at 4-4 and the inconsistencies of the Illini: "They're like our football team. The things that have hurt them the most have been turnovers and penalties at inopportune times. That's been the story of the season. If you turn the ball over at an inopportune time or have a penalty in that situation, it makes it difficult.''

On if he expected Iowa's defense to be as solid as it has been: "I'd start by saying that there is still a lot of football left to be played. So far, the sum of our parts are better than the individuals. It starts up front with (Mitch) King and (Matt) Kroul. Then you get guys like Pat Angerer, a first-year starter. When you get guys to help like that, it is only a help.''

On if the rivalry means as much given the up and down seasons both teams have had: "We're moving into November so it's an important time for everybody in the conference. Last year, we didn't have a great record but it was still a big game for us. The border state thing, that makes it big. It's November and the games do mean a little more.''

On if the Big Ten is as good as any conference from a running-back perspective: "It seems like you face a good one every week you play. … You go right down the line. It seems like every week you're facing somebody who is pretty good.''

On how he feels about the direction of things off and on the field: "Off the field, I think we've had a great year. Off the field, most of our issues have been typical college-age incidents. I'm not minimizing anything, but I'm pleased with the way things have gone. On the field, our guys have been committed since March to improvement and working hard and they've done that. We've proven that you cannot win games turning the ball over. The good news is that we've learned from our mistakes. This has been a delightful team to coach. It's been a lot of fun.''

On revenge games and if things like that matter in games: "I think that's overblown unless something crazy happens in a game. I can't think of a recent example. If somebody did something disrespectful to a team, that's one thing. If a team beats you, that's what a team is supposed to do. It goes along the same line as pep talks, they mean something for about the first two minutes of a game.''

On 2:30 starts and if he'd prefer a routine: "The one thing I've learned about starting times is that there is no routine. It's just one more thing to worry about if you want to let it become an excuse so I don't.''

On Iowa's expanded high school football playoffs: "I haven't thought a lot about it. The positives are obvious. It gives more youngsters a chance to compete in a playoff setting and that is a good thing. There are negatives as well, and I'm sure they have been studied, playing x number of games in so many days and that type of things. I guess generally I think it's a good thing.''

On Shonn Greene's size and if he approached noseguard territory during his year away from the team: "We didn't have a lot of face to face contact, but the first time I saw him was in late spring. He wasn't in noseguard territory but he was bigger than he's playing right now.''