Oct. 8, 2008
Drew Astorino, Freshman, Safety
Q: As the nickel back, you're a probably going to have to deal with (Travis) Beckum a lot. What are your thoughts on that match-up?
A: They have a lot of good wide receivers and a lot of great running backs, a big offensive line. So, It should be a good match-up. They have a great offensive scheme. They run different plays all the time, so I think we are just going to do what ever we can to stop them.
Q: Do you think (A.J.) Wallace is gaining more confidence now that his hamstring isn't bothering him as much?
A: Yeah, A.J. is such a good cornerback. He has such great cover skills. He reads the offense so well. I think he's starting to play really well and hopefully his hamstring is perfect now and he can really start going as hard as he can.
Q: You've played six teams so far that like to spread the ball around and at a faster tempo. Wisconsin just wants to pound it at you. Is it going to be tough making that transition this weekend?
A: I think it's just a different style. Every week to week since I've been playing, I've noticed different teams, different offenses and these guys' offense they're just going to run the ball at you. They have a big offensive line and a couple big running backs, so I think it is going to be a little different but our team, our defense just has to adapt to that.
Q: Just to get back to A.J. Wallace. He's a guy that contributes on defense and on special teams, but I guess the hamstring injury slowed him down. What's his mindset been like this first half of the season and not being able to make an impact?
A: I think he just knew he got hurt and he's just been working really hard, rehabbing and doing that kind of stuff. I feel like he's had a great mindset on just working hard to get back to where he needs to be and start contributing to the team.
Q: What is it like for you personally not having Joe Paterno on the sidelines last weekend and other games?
A: It's a little different, but I'm more dealing with Coach (Tom) Bradley and talking to Coach (Kermit) Buggs. It's definitely different not seeing him on the sidelines, but I'm sure he's doing as much work as he can up in the booth.
Q: This is going to be your first game at Camp Randall Stadium. What have the guys told you about the atmosphere there, especially a night game? How do you prepare for that?
A: From what I hear, it's an exciting place. The guys that have played there before, they said it's a really fun place to play. It's fun to go on the road and see different places but I think we just have to concentrate on the job that needs to be done and try to take our mind off all the other things except what's going on in the game.
Q: Guys that have played your position in the past have said that it gets a little chaotic on the sideline with Coach Bradley; you may go in, you may not go in. What's it like during game day?
A: Maybe a little chaotic but, Coach Bradley knows what he's doing. He's sometimes between defenses and you don't know if you're going in or not but, I think he does a good job. He just makes the call and then me and Tyrrell Sales, we switch and we have a good routine with just calling each other out, so it's not too difficult.
Q: When you came to Penn State, did you think you would be seeing this much playing time and having this much impact by your redshirt freshman season?
A: I really didn't know what to expect to tell you the truth. I knew I had to come in here and work as hard as I can to hopefully see the field a little bit. I didn't know if it would be my freshman year or junior or senior year to tell you the truth. I feel really happy in the situation I'm in right now. I just thought I needed to come in here and work hard and really see what happens.
Q: What have you learned from Anthony Scirrotto, so far?
A: Basically everything I've learned, I've learned from Anthony. Just watching him last year especially helped me out, going to meetings, and he and I watch a lot of film together. He gives me little pointers that might help me out to be a little better of a player than just doing the regular things. It's doing the little extra things that Anthony and all those other guys do in the secondary so well. So, just watching him and talking to him basically about situations has helped me out tremendously.
Q: I see Jordan (Norwood) sitting over there. Can you talk about how tough is it to cover him in practice and the extra dimension he adds to he offense?
A: I was actually talking to a friend yesterday. We were talking about man coverage and he came up and I said that I would like to go up against him as much as possible because I might get burned seven out of ten times, but you're going against one of the best wide receivers, one of the most elusive wide receivers in the Big Ten, let alone the nation. So, he's definitely one of the toughest receivers to cover on the team and we have a lot of great ones. So, it's extremely hard.
Jordan Norwood, Senior, Wide Receiver
Q: Jordan, you were at Camp Randall two years ago when Coach Paterno broke his leg. How's Joe different now?
A: He's not too different, I don't think. I'm not sure if he's going to be on the sideline this Saturday or not, but he hasn't changed much at all. He's still passionate about the game, passionate about wanting to win and he's pushing us that way this week also.
Q: The last couple weeks not being able to play, how was that?
A: It's been tough. I think `going nuts' is probably the right phrase to use. I wanted to play last week and the week before, but it was probably in my best interest not to and I'm kind of ready to play this week and glad that it looks like it's going to happens.
Q: What was the initial injury and how did that happen?
A: It was Monday of the week we played Illinois and just running I felt my hamstring go on me and I had some knee problems before that.
Q: Are you pretty sure that you'll be able to go this week?
A: Yeah, I should be able to.
Q: What's the biggest difference without Joe Paterno on the sideline?
A: I think he kind of keeps things a little quieter on the sideline. You'll see Coach (Mike) McQueary kind of out of control on some things sometimes and he'll tell Mike to calm down and he'll tell everybody to calm down. I mean it's really comforting to see him on the sideline and kind of have that re-assurance sometimes, but he can still do his job from the booth also.
Q: Jordan, what have the doctors and trainers been doing with you to get that hamstring well?
A: A lot. I was in there for about an hour and a half, maybe two hours this morning. I'm about to head back there in a little bit before practice. A lot of leg exercises, leg lifts and stuff, running in the pool, icing and a cold bath, electric stem and stretching. It's a lot of work that I want to put in because I want to get back out there and they're kind of motivating me, too.
Q: How much do you enjoy going to Camp Randall, with the atmosphere and passion Wisconsin fans have about college football?
A: I'm going to love it. I can't wait to get out there; can't wait to see the atmosphere, can't wait to hear their fans yelling at us and hopefully we'll be able to quiet them down a little bit. It should be a great game and great atmosphere and it's what Big Ten football is all about and what college football is about, really.
Q: Where does Wisconsin rank, in your favorite places to go on the road and play?
A: It ranks up there. There and Ohio State are some of my favorite stadiums to go to just because of how loud it is and the challenge to stay focused, things like that, and I kind of enjoy that challenge.
Q: What dimension does Evan Royster bring to your offense?
A: He brings not only the running dimension but he can catch the ball, too. He's a great running back and that's something that we definitely need, any team needs really. He just gives us another weapon that defenses have to look out for and fortunately with him it's running the ball from the backfield and catching the ball from the backfield and even splitting out sometimes, too.
Q: Coach Paterno said Wisconsin likes to put eight in the box. How important will it be for you guys to open up the passing game and maybe keep their defense back?
A: I think that will be important, just as important as any other game because that's what we do offensively. We run the ball and we pass the ball so we'll be sure to get both of those facets going early and that's something our offense needs to do every week.
Q: You and the other guys have played a good bit since your freshman year. What has is been like the past two weeks, when you're a senior on the sideline knowing that you're probably not going to get in?
A: It's tough. Everybody that's out there that's playing are guys that I have worked hard with this off-season and for the most part the past three or four years. So, it's tough to not be able to be out there on the field, but it's not hard to stay in the game mentally and cheer those guys on and congratulate them as they are going off the field and things like that.
Q: Before the Illinois game, we heard about some of the anxiety that builds up on game day when it's a night game. What's it like on the road, easier or tougher?
A: I think it's about the same. Either way we are sitting in the hotel room going up and down the stairs to meals and meetings and things like that so, it's really a long day. There's usually a couple naps in there and you're just kind of making sure that you stay focused and make sure that you are ready to play.
Q: This morning on a conference call, Navorro Bowman was talking about his love of basketball and how much he likes to play. I'm sure you've gone against him. How good is he on the hardwood and could you beat him one on one?
A: He is a great basketball player, there's no doubt about that. We actually played growing up when I lived in Maryland; we played against each other all the time. He played for a summer league team in the D.C. area and I played around Annapolis and we would play all the time and we kind of reminisce about that everyone in a while. When it comes to one on one, I don't know. He might back me down a little bit but we'll have to see, I don't know.