Dec. 19, 2011
Michael Zordich
Sr./Jr. RB
Q: How have the practices been going as far as intensity and execution?
A: Practice has been great, we've been getting things done and having fun out here. Sometimes it's really hard to be into it when it's the middle of December and you're not playing for three weeks. Everyone has been intense and I'm looking forward to January 2nd.
Q: Was there any disappointment about which bowl you got sent to?
A: I wouldn't say disappointment. We were just kind of shocked and awed. We weren't ready for that. We thought we're going to go to a bigger bowl, not to knock the TicketCity Bowl. It happened and we're excited about it and looking forward to it because at the end of the day we are still playing on January 2nd and it's going to be a lot of fun to be there.
Q: How did practice go on Sunday?
A: It was good, it was high intensity, lot of guys into it and everyone is executing well. We're just ready to go.
Jordan Hill
Jr./Jr. DL
Q: Do you have any plans to leave early for the NFL after this season?
A: Coming to Penn State as a freshman I never had any plans to leave early, I always planned to get my degree--my mom would be crushed if I didn't get that degree.
Q: A lot of players who want to stay in college, but want to go through the process and see what it's like, would you consider that?
A: Yes, without a doubt, [I will do that].
Q: Do you think the team unity is disrupted at all?
A: No, not at all. Everyone is so close that we can't let that stuff distract us. It's almost impossible to for us to let something like that break up the whole team.
Q: Can you talk about the night you found out you were going to the TicketCity Bowl, what were your thoughts?
A: I had mixed emotions because we've been to better bowls before, but I never really thought that we would be in the TicketCity Bowl. I was mad at the time, as everyone was talking about it I kept thinking to myself that this is the seniors' last game. You don't want to go out on a loss. I want us to go down there and get a win. We're playing a team that passes the ball a lot, which is a dream as a defensive lineman. It's in my competitive nature to play another football game, go out there and win.
Q: Is there a little bit of redemption for the defense after the Wisconsin game?
A: We definitely don't want [Houston] to put up any points on us like that. We do want to go down there and put on a good show.
Q: Can you talk about the challenge of going up against a Heisman Trophy candidate in Houston's Case Keenum?
A: We've gone up against one already in [Alabama's] Trent Richardson and another in [Wisconsin's] Monte Ball. We're just going to approach him like any other guy. We're going to have to get after him, we're going to have to hit him a couple times. I think if we just play our game and play with enthusiasm and play for the seniors that it shouldn't be that bad of a day.
Drew Astorino
Sr./Sr. CB
Q: Silas Redd said if the offense does its job and controls the ball and the clock, it will take the burden off you and the defense, is that key?
A: Right, we are going to need a team effort. Hopefully the defense is going to be playing well and hopefully the offense is going to be playing well. That's the only way you're winning ball games. We are going to need them to help us out and they're going to need us to help them out. They need to eat up the clock, we need to get them on the field as much as we can.
Q: Have things picked up the last couple weeks after the disappointing bowl announcement?
A: I think everybody's attitude is good at this point, we've been working hard in practice and having fun. It's been a lot of offense vs. defense work in practice, so there's been a lot of competition. We're not really thinking about the [bowl selection] anymore, we're just excited to play Houston.
Q: How has the team weathered the storm with everything that's gone on?
A: I think it's just the character of these guys. These guys have been awesome through everything we've had to deal with. We've stuck together and, you know, we just keep chugging and moving along.
Q: Which tape is better to watch: Houston's loss vs. Southern Miss or the 9-touchdown game by Keenum vs. Rice?
A: It's a combo, it really is. I think you take a little bit what Southern Miss did and you say, `Oh, this is working vs. this.' And then you look at a game like Rice and say, `Well, they exposed these coverages and this is what they did to get this defensive back beat.' So obviously I think it's a combo of both and you got to take the good, take the bad and bring it together. We do that all the time when we watch our own film. We watch our good plays and say, `Wow, this is good this is what I need to keep doing." Then watch our bad plays even more than our good plays and say, `This is what I need to stop.'
Q: What are the differences between Wisconsin's Russel Wilson and Houston's Case Keenum?
A: Case, he likes to get out of the pocket, but his eyes, not that Russel's eyes aren't, but Case's are constantly down field. [Keenum] wants to stay behind the line of scrimmage, scramble and make it tough on the defensive backs for six, seven, eight seconds, which is almost impossible to cover. Another thing [Houston does] is send five wide receivers on routes almost every single time. If you're blitzing he's throwing it quick, if you're not blitzing then he gets to sit in the pocket for a long time, so we're going to need pressure on him and we're going to need lockdown coverage.
Q: This season has been a whirlwind, how will you remember this season?
A: Obviously it has been a whirlwind, absolutely, but at the same time I will remember this season as being apart of a bunch of [guys] that stuck together and never quit. That's how I'm going to remember it.
Devon Still
Sr./Sr. DT
Q: You're one of the captains, can you talk about what your roll has been and give all of us a perspective of what the last month and a half has been like?
A: For the last month and a half, my role has just been to try and tie this team together as much as possible. We also want everyone to know that our one focus is to go out there and play football. We have a lot of distractions out here and our jobs as captains are to keep those distractions away and focus on playing football.
Q: How has the team maintained a sense of normalcy with everything that has gone on?
A: I think it's been very difficult, but I think the four of us (including Quinn Barham, Derek Moye and Drew Astorino) has done a great job in keeping this team together. I don't see us falling apart.
Q: How has the coaching staff been in trying to keep things normal?
A: I think they've done a great job in keeping everything normal and also try to focus on football. They've also gone under a lot of scrutiny and they've done a great job to make sure we do what we have to do on the field.
Q: Can you talk about your life the last couple weeks with all the awards ceremonies and now being back on campus getting ready for a bowl?
A: I think I've lived a good life the past couple weeks. I had fun traveling to the different award shows. Unfortunately I wasn't able to bring [anything] home, but it was a great, once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Q: I saw a shot of you and Case Keenum together, how goofy was that now that you're facing off against one another in the bowl game?
A: I can't wait to see him again. Hopefully it's a different pose and I'm actually hitting him instead of standing next to him smiling. I can't wait.
Q: Was there an award you think you had a good shot to win or was it just a lot of disappointment?
A: I wasn't too disappointed in the Bednarik Award because I felt like [LSU's] Tyon Mathieu proved he was one of the best players in the country by all the plays he made on big stages. I wasn't upset about the Nagurski either because the guy, Luke Keuchly had 90 tackles, that's unheard of. Only award I was upset with was the Outland because I feel as though I proved that I was the best interior defensive lineman in the country and unfortunately I didn't get the award.
Q: How did the hard work through the summer pay off and the award nominations this year?
A: I think just being a finalist in the midst of everything going on that speaks volumes on what type of player I was and what kind of accomplishments I had this year.
Q: Some people think you're a one-year wonder, what happened that transformed you into this beast this year?
A: I think it was more time in the weight room and conditioning. I think last year was like a stepping stone for me, I was able to understand football more and understand offense formations and different blocking schemes. I took that into this year and it just took off. For everyone that thinks I'm a one-year wonder they just need to see what I do at the next level.
Jack Crawford
Sr./Sr. DE
Q: About the Houston game, Case Keenum is a big name, what about that challenge?
A: It's definitely a good draw, we didn't get slighted in anyway because Houston is a great team. We're going to be playing them and have a lot of support for Penn State [in the stands]. They're going to have a big fan base and everyone is going to be watching the game. It's exciting to play [Keenum], his numbers are so outrageous that we're going to try and get after him. We've been playing against almost all running quarterbacks, a lot of those all year, so to play against one that sits in the pocket is a little different for the defensive linemen. We're going to try and get after him and get after the ball and attack the offensive line.
Q: They may throw 50 passes, what's that like from a physical stand point?
A: It's tough, it's like running sprints for the defensive linemen because it's start and stop, start and stop. You have to keep going, that's what we're preparing for now. They have a quick pace offense, so we're going to try and get after it in practice and just trying to simulate what they're going to do, but there's no way to simulate the kind of speed they're going to run. We're going to have to be in good shape.
Joe Suhey
Sr./Sr. RB
Q: On being excited about the bowl selection:
A: Absolutely. We're playing a 12-1 Houston team. It couldn't be a better match-up for us. We're extremely excited to go to the TicketCity Bowl, extremely excited that they took us and we're just practicing hard and getting ready to go.
Q: On the search for the new head coach:
A: That's a tough decision that as to be made by the committee, so we don't worry about it.
Q: About the current staff after taking over for Coach Paterno:
A: Coach Bradley has done a great job of maintaining that normalcy and coming out here, keeping the team together, running practices the same way that we always did. Just keeping everyone together and everything and I think the captains have done a great job of keeping everyone together, coming out practicing hard and again we're playing 12-1 Houston team. Couldn't be a better match-up for us. We've just got to get ready to go!
Q: On the excitement of going to the TicketCity Bowl:
A: I've never been to Dallas. I think this whole team is excited to go to Dallas and pay a great Houston team in the Cotton Bowl. It's just a great opportunity for us and we've got to stick together and work hard in practice and get ready to go play.
Q: On the current state of the team going to the bowl game:
A: I think everybody on this team would say they're as proud as ever to be part of Penn State. With this senior class and with this team just sticking together and keeping together, we have a great chance to go down and play Houston. We've got to get ready and go pay them.
Q: Do you guys feel like you need to score a lot of points to keep up with Houston?
A: Houston has a great offense, so our defense is going to need us to put points. We've been practicing hard and getting ready to go play that defense. They have a talented defense. We're going to have to get ready to go and put some points up.
Q: On going home for the holidays:
A: It's the first time since senior year in high school, so first time in five years. It's exciting to go home and spend Christmas with my family.
Quinn Barham
Gr./Sr. OT
Q: On the state of the team after Saturday's incident:
A: Everybody's moved on past it. The team is not divided. We're still together. It's just a matter of keeping guys together.
Derek Moye
Sr./Sr. WR
Q: Do you guys feel you really need to score some points in this game to keep Houston off the field and give your defense a break?
A: Definitely. I feel like Houston, when they've got the ball in their hands, they're fast-paced, trying to put points on the board. As an offense, the best thing we can do for our defense is to keep the ball in our hands and score touchdowns, put as many touchdowns on the board as we can.
Q: Are you looking forward to going to Dallas and why?
A: It would be cool to go to a Mavs game, but I don't really have Mavs' money. (laughs) ...The grassy knoll is right there, so we'll probably check that out. I've never seen it before. Obviously everybody knows what happened there with President Kennedy, and so it's a cool sight to look up.
Q: On how the team has weathered the storm the past few weeks:
A: I think we're doing a great job with it actually. We realize that the majority of stuff that happened had nothing to do with us and I think we did a pretty good job of not letting it affect us. I think that shows a great deal about the type of players that we have on our team.
Nate Stupar
Sr./Sr. LB
On Case Keenum: is this going to be a challenge for the defense and how much of a challenge?
It's definitely going to be a challenge. They throw the ball really well. They have a lot of good players that can make big plays. We've just got to stop their passing game, just fight it down after down. Just keep pushing and try and keep them out of the end zone and give the ball back to our offense and let them do their thing.
How much fun do you think Dallas is going to be and being back at the old Cotton Bowl, certainly there's a lot of history there?
Yeah, definitely a lot of history, it's going to be fun. It's always a good time with our bowl trips, going down with a group of guys that we love being with and going down there for a week. Doing some practice, hopefully it's going to be some nice weather down there and have fun playing against a really good team.
What was your reaction when you saw Houston's passing numbers?
It reminded me of back in high school when State College was playing Manheim Township with Pat Ballstic: All these numbers, touchdowns records and stuff like that. You've just got to prepare for them, and just come out there on Jan. 2 and fight and just hope things go your way.
Have you ever played a team like that at the college level?
No. I don't think we've ever played someone like this with this talent. He (Keenum) can throw the ball very well. He's very accurate. We've played quarterbacks that can throw and run, but he's remarkable. Coach Jay (Paterno) said that this is like Northwestern, but on steroids, so we'll see how well we practice and get down there and see what happens Jan. 2.
How tough is that if a team is throwing the ball 55, 60 times and you have to stay on the field for a while?
It's going to be your last game at Penn State. What do you think your emotions are going to be like?
I have no idea. I had a lot of emotions at the Nebraska game, my senior day. My last college football game, I think it's going to be fun. I just want to go out with a big win for the team to make the team go on a positive note into next season through all this chaos that's occurred this year. You just want to end on a big "W" with a good taste in your mouth going into the New Year.
Are you excited to go down and play in the Cotton Bowl?
Yeah, it's going to be fun. Houston is a great team, 11-1 [sic]. We have a chance to get 10 wins and it's an opportunity for us as a secondary to prove ourselves since we didn't do that well vs. Wisconsin last game and we're excited. We're getting prepared day-by-day and we'll see how it goes.
How do you like being at home for the holidays?
Yeah, I've been living at home for a couple of days now since I live in State College and it's just nice to be around family again. My brothers are in town, my sister is around and it's going to be nice to be home for Christmas. I haven't been home for Christmas for four years and haven't been around family for New Year's and my family is going down for the first time. It's going to be nice. It'll be really good.
Silas Redd
So./So. RB
How hard is it for you guys without the naming a new Coach right now? Where do you stand on all that?
I don't know. It's different for some people. I can't speak for freshmen and seniors. I can only speak for myself, but we'd like to know now, but I'm not a part of the committee, I don't have anything to do with it. I've just got to play football.
This is a Houston team that averages 600 yards a game, but Case Keenum can't throw the ball if he's not on the field. How important is it for you, the running backs, the offensive line to have the kind of game where you control the clock and you keep those guys off of the field?
I think it's really important. A big part of our game plan is obviously run the ball and, like you said, keep that offense off the field and eat some of that clock. They can't score if they're not on the field.
Are you aware of the perception of Penn State that you guys kind of carry the banner a little bit. It's a little bit different, this bowl experience. Can you talk about that a little bit? I mean, it's not you guys fault, we know that, but perception is perception.
Absolutely, I understand that. We're just taking it as best we can, not trying to feed into it too much. Like you said, it's not our fault. Perception is perception. We're trying to hold our head high in this time, and like I said focus on beating Houston.
How healthy are you know? You were pretty beat up at the end of the year. What's your status? Do you feel like you're 100% or still not quite healthy?
I do. My collarbone still hurts and stuff, but I feel the best I did since it happened. My legs are fresh. I feel good in practice, so I should be ready to go.
What would you say your injury was? Was anything cracked or broken?
Nothing cracked or broken, just a sprained SC joint, which is basically my clavicle.
Are you full go at practice?
Yeah. I can do everything.
What were the sentiments of the team? When the bowl bids came out, there were mixed feelings. How did that all resolve itself?
Well, a lot of those emotions were just in impulse, hearing the decision that first day. Then, the next day we sat and everybody got together and we really talked about it and everyone shared their feelings and we made the consensus that it was the best thing to go to the bowl.
Chima Okoli
Gr./Sr. T
As you look in the rear-view mirror, is it more important for you to even show more support or feel that way?
Well, I feel like you should always love your University. I have friends that go to Miami, Virginia Tech, Ohio State, and they feel like that about their schools and I think you should. If you're putting your life on the line, which you're literally doing every time you play football for your University, you know what I mean. It should be something that you love through thick and thin. So, it's not like it's been taxed or I have to let everybody know that I'm proud to go to school here. I don't have to show that more than I already do.
Do you think the team's character has been pretty tested?
Not really. Like I said, fights happen on all football teams a lot and what it's turned into by a lot of the people in the media is different. It happened. We're moving on. That's it.
What do you think you've learned through the last six weeks?
Team really means team through no matter what you're going through. Because there are a lot of people that didn't believe we'd get to seven wins or six wins or whatever it was. I think it makes the team a little bit closer, closer knit, stronger as a unit.
How much would it help put a bow on it by winning the bowl game?
It would definitely help. It would get us to 10 wins, not a lot of teams can say they got to 10 wins. I think winning this bowl game is just a cap to a season filled with adversity, that no one could have expected, not even us. Finishing strong is the most important thing.
How about the Joe Paterno element? When you came here, I'm guessing that you knew there was a possibility that he wouldn't be coaching for your whole tenure. Can you speak to that a little bit?
The lessons that Coach Paterno already instilled in us are going to carry over. He's been my coach for four-plus years. At this point, he doesn't just disappear from anybody's memory. He's still here. His imprint is still here. The program that he built is still here and I think that's the mark of a good, solid program in that whether you're around or not, guys are still following the rules and guys are still "all-in."
Chima, there are some people, fans even, that are thinking where your heads are going to be on Jan. 2 that they're not expecting a great effort from you guys. What would you say to those people?
I haven't heard anything like that, but everybody's entitled to their own opinions. I know how well we prepare ourselves, so it's not an issue of not giving a great effort. They're a really good football team and it's really easy to lose to the No. 1 offense in America. There's no question of coming out there and giving it a half-effort. We're going to be at full bore like we always do.
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With the quarterback situation and facing their offense, do you guys have to keep the ball?
It's not really an uncertain quarterback situation, we haven't heard any word that there will be a change in the quarterback rotation, unless you guys know something we don't. You've got to keep their offense off the field, because they can score points in bunches and that's running game, that's controlling the clock.
Didn't you have yourself in the quarterback mix halfway through the season?
I did. I was out there, me, (Derek) Moye and Justin Brown, and I'm looking pretty good as the No. 2 dark horse coming into the bowl game right now. (laughs) My deep post is still giving me trouble, but once I get that figured out I'm going at it.
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What do you think you're going to remember about this season when you look back on it years from now? What's going to stand out?
A group of guys, who got thrown into the fire and came out stronger.
You've probably been asked this, but what's the last month-and-a-half been like for you guys?
The last month-and-a-half: it is what it is. Nobody could have predicted it. Nobody could have scripted it. To be honest, we have jobs to do. We're not media people. We don't select ourselves into bowls. Our job is to work as hard as we possibly can in the classroom and on the field to represent this University and I think that right now, that's more important than ever.
You guys had to know that you may not get the bowl game that you wanted to get, right? Or is that not right?
We were aware of it. We know what reasons drive them (the bowl selection committees). What can you do about it? Are you not going to play? Are you going to go out and lay an egg and get beat by 40? You don't want to do that, so we're going to go in there and we're gong to try and win.
What was that meeting like when you met to go over the bowl game? I know a lot of you guys didn't want to go. What was the mood in the room?
It was an opinionated room. At the end of the day, I think cooler heads prevailed. It's just tough when you feel like you've worked hard for something and you've overcome a lot of obstacles, winning in Columbus for the third or fourth time ever. You feel like you might deserve something, but at the end of the day we know financial reasons drive the bowls and you can't be mad at anyone for trying to make money for their game. Whatever bowl we're fortunate to play in, because once again a bowl game is a privilege, whatever game we're fortunate to play in happened to be the TicketCity Bowl against a really good Houston team and most of the guys are fired up for it.
What was your feeling initially?
I wanted to go. Dallas, I've never been there before. I've heard it's a fun city. I wanted to experience that.
Matt McGloin
Sr./Jr. QB
Q: Are you out for the bowl game?
A: As of now, no. I'll have no answers until after the concussion test.
Q: Did you suffer from a seizure?
A: Initially I hit my head on the ground. It was a freak accident. I don't remember anything else...I did suffer a seizure from it. I feel pretty well right now. We are going to do some concussion tests...hopefully I will be able to start practicing again.
Q: Did you take any concussion tests and how do you think this will effect your status for the game?
A: I took a test yesterday with Dr. Aukerman. I did very well on the mental part. But I don't think physically I am where I should be in terms of my balance, vision and things like that. But like I said, after you suffer a seizure it's going to take time. I'm willing to do whatever it takes for the team and the University to get back and be ready for the bowl game.
Q: Have you and Curtis made amends?
A: We are trying to get in touch with each other. It was a little rough yesterday. We were talking with the coaches so it was a little tough. I was also meeting with the doctors so I haven't actually seen him yet. I was at practice for only a little bit yesterday because of a doctor appointment. We are good friends with each other. We are just two emotional guys and it was a football fight that ended badly.
Q: Your status for that bowl game is now in question. What goes through your mind?
A: Well, it's tough. It's a tough pill to swallow. I'm going to do my best to get back to full health. I know the doctors will do their best. We are just going to take it one day at a time.