Back To Bowl Media Day Coverage
Dec. 11, 2009; UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -
Senior Quarterback Daryll Clark
Q: A couple of guys I talked to today said you guys haven't gone very much into film yet, but from what you've seen on TV an watching them through the years, what do you expect from the LSU defense? What do you think they bring?
A: Well, I've watched a lot of film on those guys, and they definitely fly around and they have a lot of skill on the defensive line as well as the secondary and they're well disciplined. They definitely make a lot of plays, and I think this year they held Florida to 13 points, so they're definitely going to be a handful. Once we start to break down film a lot more, and the coaches will do a lot more breaking down of what we can do to attack their defense, we should be fine. It's definitely going to come down to execution and focus in this football game.
Q: For players as young as this group is and he's so much older, what has it been like playing for a guy (Joe Paterno) like that? And how do you put it in perspective?
A: I really can't, it has really been unreal. It took me a long time to realize that I was playing for Coach Paterno when I first got here as a freshman. It really started to hit home as games started to get up under our belt, and we started winning football games. We come out of that tunnel every Saturday and just to look across the field and see him over there, and realize that you're playing for his football team really means a ton. I've been here for five years, and we've developed a really, really strong repore throughout the seasons I've been here. He's done a great job with the younger guys and getting those guys incorporated in our offense, defense, and whatever we needed to use them, especially for special teams, which are very important to him.
Q: There may be a perception that he's (Joe Paterno) just not plugged in, maybe worried about something like maybe what happened to Bobby Bowden is going to happen him. How do you feel about him being able to relate to today's younger players?
A: I think he's done a great job with them. He's done a really great job with trying to relate to this generation or what have you. He laughs, he jokes with us, he makes sure we understand when it's time to be serious. He's not a guy to sit in the tower and just scout the entire practice, if there is something he doesn't like he's down there in the thick of things. He'll stop it, he'll correct it, and he's put a lot of responsibilities in our other coaches, but at the same time he makes all the final decisions.
Q: This is your last game coming up. Is there something you're looking forward to the most for your last game at Penn State?
A: Well, there was a lot of talk about what bowl we'd play in, who we'd play. We wanted a really good football team, a really notable game, and we got it. We're playing against LSU a really good SEC team. That's what I really wanted, no matter where we landed, obviously the ideal would have been BCS, but we're still in a really good bowl game and we wanted a really good football team, and that's what we wanted.
Q: How are things going with your transition out of college, are things different now for you?
A: Maybe a little bit, I'm starting to move all my things out, and packing all my clothes together, so when I leave next week and take it all home, that'll be pretty much it. We'll go from there when the whole bowl game is over with.
Q: Can you talk about Evan's (Royster) evolution and how he's helped make you a better quarterback and vice versa through the years?
A: I've always liked Royster. He's always been a patient runner, a very quiet guy. When we asked him to do something he definitely did it for us, with him being patient and him running so hard, he did a good job of opening up play action for us, and enabling us to get the football down the field and not only that he has really good hands, he's played wideout for us a little bit this year. He does a pretty good job with pass blocking as well so you need an Evan Royster-type back in order to be successful in both running and passing game in any offense.
Q: How weird is it packing up your clothes at Penn State? You've been there for at least five years?
A: It's really weird now packing not to come back for awhile. It's one thing packing to go home for the holidays or what have you, but this is pretty much it so this is definitely a place I'm going to miss. Coming in playing football with the guys and being around the coaches and going to class with the regular students everyday. All I've been doing is really just thinking about it, and I guess it'll probably set in once it actually happens.
Q: Daryll, you're obviously going to pay more attention to LSU's defense, but watching Jordan Jefferson on film, can you kind of talk about what you see from the young quarterback who's still 19 and is going through his first fall season as a starter?
A: I though he managed the games that they played this year very well for a young guy. He's definitely a raw talent and makes plays with his feet and he has a really live arm as well. For him to step in with that type of situation that he had to handle, I thought he did a really good job. For him to be playing in a really nice bowl, for him to lead a successful offense through a successful season speaks volumes about what he can do for the football team.
Q: What did you think about the Big Ten MVP (Silver Football)? What was your reaction, were you celebrating?
A: Oh yeah, I was excited about it. Once I was told I was up for it, I was crossing my fingers hoping I would win it because there are a lot of other guys that are very worthy of it. When I was told I was co-winner with Brandon Graham, who deserves it as well, I was excited I gave some phone calls home, and made sure that they watched the Award Show up on Big Ten (Network) that night. I've really enjoyed it; it's been nice.
Q: What do you make of your prospects after college, what do you think your chance with NFL is? Do you think you're going to have a good opportunity?
A: I sure do hope so, I'm definitely going to work hard for it, it's been an all-time dream and I feel with everyone I've played with, and against. that has made it. It becomes more and more believable in yourself, that you can make it as well. I feel like I've worked very hard, and I've come a long way, and you can't stop now. It's fairly close.
Q: How do you want to be remembered by Penn State fans and the University?
A: A guy that definitely gave his all at every single game, and at practice as well. The fans don't see us practice at all, but with that I just feel that despite with the losses we've had and the heartbreak we've had. There has been a lot of good that has come out of these past two seasons. Just a guy that definitely represented his school in the best way both on and off the field, a gentleman that handled the scrutiny that a quarterback may face in the best way possible, definitely a team player, a very humble guy that always took the field with a plan to win.
Q: Do you think you have something left to prove in this bowl game?
A: Well, there's a lot being said about us not being able to win the big game or something like that. We've asked for a big game and we've asked for a worthy opponent, a really good opponent and we found one in LSU. First to win this game, we didn't win enough or do a good enough job to be BCS worthy, but we're playing on New Year's against a really good football team down in Florida, so that's something to definitely be excited for.
Q: How much do you think it'll mean to you and your legacy here to win this game. You've got all these records and awards. On the Big Ten Network show, they were talking the other day, about how you haven't won the big game, how much does that mean to you, how important do you think it is for your legacy?
A: It'll mean a lot, but that's not what I'm playing for. I'm not really focused on that. I don't want to play that kind of game. We plan on going down and winning and we plan on going down and playing well against a really good football team. If we don't, it will be really unfortunate, but that is not my intent for this football game.
Q: Do you think we'll see the full playbook in the bowl game?
A: I hope so, we might. I've been talking to Jay (Paterno) about it and we've had some ideas. At practice today, we'll start to unravel the playbook a little bit, we'll work accordingly as more film is broken down, so we can see how we can attack the defense. We'll do what it takes to get the win.
Q: The early part of this decade, the four years that preceded you had been a rough time for Penn State. What do you know about those four years, what has it meant to be part of that restoration?
A: I do know from talking to guys that played on those teams, like Terrell Golden and Michael Robinson, always talk about how rough it was. Those were guys that definitely gave it there all every time and for them to come up short in a lot of the football games was disheartening to them and the program. It was a lot guys that came in my year, with the intent to make an impact on the program so we wouldn't have to go through that type of thinking and for it to go as well as it did. We've played in a bowl game every year that I've been here. So that definitely means a lot to be a part of something and to flip it the way we did. Obviously, we didn't win every football game but we were a part of something that was very, very special.
Q: Go back two years ago. How much did you benefit from the role you played in the Alamo Bowl?
A: It meant a lot to me for that game because the confidence that I had, it really, really shot through the roof because I wasn't in the game after we were up three or four touchdowns. The game was still in the balance and the couple of plays I was in we were losing. For me to be able to make the plays that I did, really meant a lot. The play with Kevin (Newsome), we've run a couple of times this year and it didn't work out. But I'm sure he'll do well with it because he's made tremendous strides since he's been here. And it'll just work wonders with his confidence, for him to be put in and for him to actually do well with it.
Q: How important is this practice time for Kevin (Newsome) for next year?
A: It's very important. He's taking a lot of the reps. When we had practice yesterday he took most of them with the ones and the twos just from the defense to give him a couple of different looks so he can develop some confidence in the pocket and he's handled it very well. Now, we're going to start practicing really hard on LSU. I'm sure we'll work him into the offense. It all depends on how Jay and Joe want to attack this defense. He's done a good job with what Jay has thrown him.
Q: What does he (Newsome) need to do to gain confidence with this football team?
A: I think the confidence is there, he just needs to get a lot of game time reps that'll come obviously. Off-season is very important for him to develop the timing. It's a chance for him to prove to everyone on the football team that he can be a leader at such a young age.
Q: As you were anticipating the bowl list coming out last Sunday, what were your thoughts about BCS or nothing, what were your thoughts going in and your reaction to the actual matchup?
A: Obviously, I was hoping we would get into the BCS, and it came down to a possibility of the Orange Bowl, Fiesta Bowl. Then when the teams came I was like, "OK, we're not going to make it so who are we going to play now?" There were a lot of tossups with a couple of teams, then we found out we were playing LSU a big time SEC team, so we were excited about it because we definitely wanted to play a tough football team, no matter where it was, and for us to have it down in Florida is exciting as well.
Q: What does it mean to you to hear people say, to list your name as one going down in Penn State history, what does that mean to you?
A: It means a lot, these guys have made the impact on the football team so strong, and for me to be mentioned among that it really means a lot, and when you hear it I think of everything I've been through and everything I've done to try to better myself and help the football team win football games. These are notable guys and for my name to be tossed up in the mix really means a whole lot, and as I've said, I've cherished every moment and every football game win or lose. My main plan was just to go out and give it your all every single time you had it because, I wasn't sure if I was going to have two years to play until last summer when I took care of the grades and was awarded that extra year.
Q: What were your expectations coming into it, could you have foreseen what's happened over the last couple of years?
A: Well I expected to be successful if I was to say that I expected to have the numbers that I have now, I'd be lying I really didn't know what was going to happen. Obviously, I wanted to win football games, every game I've played in, but yes those are individual numbers but without the wideouts doing what they're doing and the offensive line blocking, running and passing, and the running backs running hard to open up plays, in order to throw the ball down the field, those numbers aren't even there. Yes, those are individual markings but without the team those aren't there. So, I owe it to the team, the offense, and the coaches for putting us in those types of situations.
Q: You've talked about your relationship with Michael (Robinson). Do you have any kind of relationship with Kerry Collins, have you ever spoken to him much? Has he ever reached out to you at all?
A: I've spoken to him a couple times, maybe a handful of times on the phone. I remember talking to him once or twice last year when we made that run and he was just impressed with how everyone was playing and how we were winning these football games, and we're playing the Penn State way. If I didn't talk to him on the phone he would always send me a text message before the game to wish me good luck. I was thinking, "this is Kerry Collins," that really means a lot. He's still playing professional ball and for him to take the time out to drop a line really meant something to me.
Q: Did he do that all this year? Before every game?
A: Yes he did.
Q: How about when you broke some of his records?
A: Yes, he sent me some real nice, long text messages congratulating me for breaking the records. He said it was well deserved and everything and I really did appreciate it.
Q: Aside from all the numbers, are you pleased with how you held yourself as a captain this year. The past few years there have been a lot of off field issues and problems with the team, and this year with you and Sean and the seniors there doesn't seem to have been the same kind of distractions, do you take a certain amount of pride in that?
A: I definitely do, and I talk about it all the time. Yes, me and Sean, are captains but there are a couple of guys in the senior class that could be captains as well. They've made such an impact on this program and take pride in looking after each other. I feel like with me and Sean, we both work out every day and make sure everyone else is working hard as well. One of my main things a quarterback, I feel like every quarterback, needs to make yourself available to every teammate no matter who he is. I feel like I've done that thus far and I really feel like if you as anyone they'll tell you the same thing. As a captain, you have to be able to do it all, you have to be able to handle your business and you have to be able to speak when you feel like there is a situation that you have to. If there is a problem, you have to hit it head on and try to neutralize it. I feel like Sean and I have done that, and we've definitely made sure that everyone on the offense and defense have been prepared for battle every week.