Dec. 18, 2015 Mike Gesicki | 88 | So. | Tight End
Q: Talk a little bit about the importance of the time before a bowl game in terms of practice and growth.
MG: These extra practices are huge, another 15 opportunities to go out there, throw on the pads, and I think the huge benefit of these practices is that we are going starters-on-starters, ones-on-ones. I think going against that high competition, especially speaking of our defense - it has always been one of the toughest in the country - going against them every day in practice, it's a huge benefit for us.
Q: How has the time off helped you as well?
MG: The time off has been huge because we have been going hard since the beginning of August, with no breaks and only one bye week, this time off has been huge for us. And not just for myself, but for the whole entire offense and defense, the whole team. Between the time off and the ability to go against top competition in practice is a big thing for us.
Q: As a tight end, how tough was it to have a coaching change for your position?
MG: It was unfortunately, I love Coach [John] Donovan, he was mentor to me. I talked to him when it happened, just gave him a call to talk to him and thank him and wish him luck in the future. I know he's going to be successful wherever he goes. But it is a business, those kinds of things happen and now it's time to move on.
Q: Who has taken over coaching your position in practice?
MG: Coach [Ricky] Rahne and Tommy Galt, who has been a great resource for us, he's been here for us. [Tommy Galt] played tight end in college, so he's been a good resource for us and has been great to us throughout these practices.
Chris Godwin | 12 | So. | Wide Receiver
Q: Do you have a quick thought on your new offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead?
CG: [Joe Moorhead] is a good guy, he is very passionate about what he does and I am very excited about next year. But right now, my focus is on Georgia and doing whatever we can to win this bowl game.
Q: You have had a terrific year; can you walk us through the stages of the year you have had?
CG: The confidence I have gained this year, really started towards the end of last season, I started building that confidence and it progressed throughout the off-season as I was getting more comfortable being here, around my teammates and my coaches. Then when training camp started I just hit the ground running. From that point of time, my confidence was growing. By the time I stepped on the field, [my confidence] was just flying high.
Q: Was there any one thing, or one moment, where you felt you got over the hump?
CG: I really think it was just me getting comfortable with my teammates and the system we were running. A lot of my success this year is a credit to them and the hard work we've put in together. I couldn't have done it without them so they are the ones I'm thankful for.
Q: How big was last year's bowl game in terms of your development and your career?
CG: It was huge. We had a couple extra weeks of practice and as a true freshman, just getting some playing time and having a breakout game. Then to come out and have a breakout game, it was huge.
Q: If not for a couple monster years from Allen Robinson, your numbers would be tops for a single season. Does that put your season into perspective and what impact did your quarterback have on it?
CG: Well that's the first time I'm hearing that and knowing all the great receivers we've had and the rich tradition here at Penn State, that's pretty humbling for me. That's a pretty awesome feat. But I know I still have a lot of hard work to do. My quarterback, my offensive line as well as the other receivers have all had a lot to do with that. We work together as a collective unit to accomplish these goals and it's just the first step in a process of where we want to get to.
Troy Reeder | 42 | RS-Fr. | Linebacker
Q: Talk a little bit about the true freshmen getting playing time.
TR: When you look at those guys you see a lot of yourself, especially only being a red-shirt freshman myself, just one year out of the true freshman role. You know what they're going through, both physically transitioning over to college football but emotionally and mentally. It's a lot to pick up, college defense, it's not just line up and go tackle people, there's a lot that goes into it. Older guys ahead of me taught me what to do and how to go about my business and now the guys in my class are able to do the same for them.
Q: How much do you go against Trace McSorley in practice?
TR: Trace [McSorley] is a different type of animal. He's super athletic at the quarterback position. He brings a different style than what we usually go against, you know that dual-threat type of guy that makes plays. I think not only is he good running, but his ability to make plays out of nothing, we see every day in practice.
Q: Do you have any good Trace stories?
TR: He's sneaky athletic, quick, and has really good flatline speed. But when he gets out in space, he's a special player.
Q: Do you go against Tommy Stevens?
TR: Yes, Tommy [Stevens], too. Tommy is also another really athletic guy. He's taller and rangy and has put on a lot of muscle this season. He's used his red-shirt season really well in his development. So, I'm anxious to see how both of them grow.
Q: Is Trace a little like Troy Reeder? Intense?
TR: One thing I really value about Trace is his competitive nature. You can see it in practice, you see it in his high school experience. You know, no one in the state of Virginia had more high school career wins as a starting quarterback besides Russell Wilson. That's a pretty impressive stat. In high school he's played against great players and he's come up and instantly stepped into a leadership role, both in our class and on the team in general.
Andrew Nelson | 59 | Jr. | Tackle
Q: How are you feeling physically right now after having been on and off the field for couple of weeks?
AN: I feel pretty good. Obviously like you said, I've been on and off the field this year for a number of different reasons, but I'm feeling good now and I'm excited about bowl practices and this upcoming bowl game.
Q: Coach Franklin said that the team is close to 100 percent. What have you seen from the guys?
AN: I just think that football is very difficult and hard on your body. Sometimes all you need is a good week or two weeks rest to really get back to 100 percent and that's what I thought a lot of guys needed. A lot of guys were a little banged up, with nicks and bruises, and they just needed some time to let those things fully recover. I think it will be good for our team, especially having those guys back who are really pivotal to our team.
Q: How much more do you appreciate going to go to a bowl game since it was taken away from you guys a few years ago?
AN: Obviously, a bowl game is a great experience because it extends that period of time you have in that season, or that year. This 2015 Penn State football team is going to be together for [another month] than we could have been and that's what's great. The bowl tries to do a great job of making it an awesome experience for the guys and it is fun. I didn't have the opportunity to go to a bowl game my freshman year but last year that was a heck of an experience for me and I think it was that way for a lot of guys. We do have an appreciation for that, because here, we know what it's like not to be able to go to a bowl game.
DaeSean Hamilton | 5 | So. | Wide Receiver
Q: How much did you guys need the time off after the end of the regular season?
DH: I feel like everybody on the team needs time off. Guys get banged up and they need rest after a long season. At this point last year, I know I was pretty banged up and I was glad that we had some time to rest before the bowl game. This time it's crucial for everyone to get their health back and get back to 100 percent to be ready to play in January.
Q: You went to the Pinstripe Bowl last year, it's a little warmer now (in Florida) this year for a guy who is from Virginia. How anxious are you to get down there?
DH: I'm pretty anxious. Going down Jacksonville is going to be a nice environment. The resort we are staying at is supposed to be very nice. It will be a fun week with all the guys and going to all of the bowl game festivities should be pretty fun.
Q: What have you seen from Georgia so far on film, especially the secondary?
DH: I heard that they were the No. 1 pass defense and [in the] top 10, scoring defense. Watching them on film I can see that they are pretty solid. I think their front seven is very good and their defensive backs are obviously very athletic -- I think those are the people who anchor their defensive and make plays for them. I think it will be a good challenge for us and we're looking forward to it.
Grant Haley | 15 | So. | Cornerback
Q: Tell us how the recovery process has been since the season has ended and what that has been like for you ...
GH: I know a lot of people are banged up, including myself. The past couple of days off are good so we can come back to practice focused on what's important.
Q: What's it like getting ready to flip the switch to Georgia?
GH: A lot of people are excited for this game and getting to go down to Jacksonville. [Georgia is] a great team and they have had their struggles with coaching, but they are going to come out just like any other team and they will be ready to play.
Q: Atlanta is not terribly far away, will you have any family there?
GH: I have a lot of people coming, so it should be fun. It's a really special opportunity because my family and friends don't get the chance to come up and visit Penn State so going down south is really important for me.
Q: Will you get the chance to go home for Christmas and then come back up here before heading down for the game?
GH: I'm going home next week, but I have to fly back up [to Penn State] because we have practice.
Q: You talked a little bit about being banged up, along with a lot of guys on defense. How do you describe how that effects the defense's overall effectiveness in terms of what you are able to do?
GH: I think we have to be able to fight through it, really take precautions and get into the training room. We need to do whatever it is we need to do get our bodies healthy for each week. It's a physical game, but you just have to really fight through it.
Angelo Mangiro | 66 | Sr. | Center
Q: Talk about your emotions being a college graduate.
AM: Yeah, second time. It is a great feeling. Penn State allows student-athletes to take advantage of not only the academic side, but also the athletics side. I am very grateful for all of the help staff here.
Q: The excitement level of a bowl trip to Florida that is what you come here for, right?
AM: Absolutely. Unfortunately, I had two of those years kind of taken away from me, but I am blessed and honored that I can go to the TaxSlayer Bowl in Jacksonville and play for the Nittany Lions one last time.
Q: The degree, the education, the connections that set you up for the rest of your life, how much is that overlooked when it comes to college football?
AM: I think it is overlooked a lot. People look at it like a business. I play next to an 18-year-old kid just out of high school and I have to go to class all week, then go to practice and do homework after practice. I think people lose sight of that.
Q: What could it mean for you guys to beat an SEC team in this bowl game?
AM: We want to beat any team we play, but Georgia is our opponent. They are a great team and just watching their defense, they have some really good players up front and overall a really, really good physical fast defense. We definitely have a challenge up against us.
Q: What has some of the best advice you have gotten during your time at Penn State?
AM: That is a tough one. I have had multiple coaching staffs and multiple position coaches. I like to think that they each have had a specific tool that they brought to the table. I like to take that tool and put it in the toolbox and develop my own set of skills.
Christian Hackenberg | 14 | Jr. | Quarterback
Q: Have you had time to sit down with [new offensive coordinator Joe] Moorhead?
CH: Yeah, I sat down with him yesterday for a couple hours. I picked his brain about the offense. I was intrigued about the spread offense and everything that went into it. From what everyone thinks about the spread offense and stuff. I really never ran what was labeled as a spread offense ever in my life and I was curious about how it worked. It was pretty cool how he broke it down and the intricacies with it and how he teaches it to his guys and what he expects from everyone.
Q: You ended the season last year with a pretty good win in a bowl game and now you have the opportunity to do it again. Talk a little bit about that.
CH: I think being able to go to Jacksonville and play one more game is a lot of fun. It will be in a cool venue against a different opponent from a different league.
Q: Have you seen much film on Georgia's defense?
CH: Yeah, I started studying them this week. I think they are really athletic and they do a lot of things really well. I think they have some guys that up front that can cause some issues. Defensive back-wise, I think they are very gifted, they don't give up a lot of big plays, they get up in your face and compete. Ultimately, they are a pretty fast team, strong, physical, it is going to be a good challenge for us. I have a ton of respect for them and they do a ton of stuff, so you are not really sure what they are doing all the time, so you are going to be on top of your game with your keys and stuff like that. I think it is going to be a great challenge for us a unit and they are very talented, won a lot of big games this year and a lot of quality wins.
Q: What is like to watch film with Joe Moorhead? I hear his attention to detail is just great with him.
CH: [Joe Moorhead] is very passionate about his system and how he does things. He teaches it very well, very translatable to a lot different people with a lot of different backgrounds in terms of understanding offensive football. I think it is very cool how passionate he is about it.
Q: Was there anything that surprised you about the season Saquon Barkley had as a true freshman?
CH: No, I mean I've had a ton of respect for Saquon [Barkley] since the first day he got on campus. I think he earned that throughout the team pretty quickly with his work ethic and how he prepared. Great players make plays and I think he has done a great job at that for us throughout this entire year. I think that is the type of kid he is.
Carl Nassib | 95 | Sr. | Defensive End
Q: What was all the traveling like for you? How much fun was it?
CN: It was fun. It was tiring at points. I am not built for public transportation and it was tough sometimes.
Q: Who was the coolest person you met during throughout traveling?
CN: I met so many cool people. Courtney Brown was such a great guy. I met him in Indianapolis and we had a great conversation. I felt really honored to be in his presence.
Q: What did Courtney Brown say about you?
CN: He said he was proud of me. We talked a lot about different things and he was excited for me and gave me a lot of advice. It was great.
Q: Did you ever think you would be in this spotlight when you started on this journey?
CN: Well when I first got to Penn State, I walked by all the All-Americans [on the wall in the Lasch Building] and that was my main goal was to be an All-American. Every day that is all I wanted to be and I never expected for everything else to go along with it. That was the one thing that was my goal from the start. I am very proud to achieve that.
Q: You basically missed the last month of the season, how important is it for you to play in the bowl game?
CN: It means everything. I just want to put the Penn State jersey one last time. I just want to get out there and hit someone really, really badly.
Brent Wilkerson | 11 | Jr. | Tight End
Q: You guys are going to Florida for an entire week. What is everybody talking about and excited about for the bowl trip in general?
BW: We're excited about the warm weather and being able to play one more game with the family we have here against Georgia, a good team. We're just looking forward to going out there and proving ourselves.
Q: How closely were you guys looking at bowl predictions as the season went on? Were you guys hoping for the Jacksonville game?
BW: We were definitely hoping we'd get [a bowl game in] Florida. This is a top tier bowl and we're going against a top tier opponent, so we're very excited for the opportunity.
Q: With bowl practices, what kind of an opportunity is this for guys?
BW: It's a great time for everybody to get better. These bowl practices have been great for our team. They have been very competitive, probably the most competitive since I've been here, so we've taken advantage of those opportunities, and we have a couple more, so we're looking forward to taking advantage of those as well.
Q: How do you guys think you did as a position (tight ends) during the regular season?
BW: We always want to be better than what we achieved, so I think we were all disappointed in our production. We're looking forward to this last game and going out there and ending on a positive. We'll work hard in the offseason, and then next year go out and prove everybody wrong.
Q: Have you met the new offensive coordinator (Joe Moorhead) yet? What were your first impressions of him?
BW: I actually met with him yesterday. We just introduced ourselves and went over the offense a little bit. It was pretty good. He seems like a high-character guy and energetic, and ready to get to work, so I'm excited.
Jason Cabinda | 40 | So. | Linebacker
Q: How excited are you to go to Jacksonville?
JC: So excited, it's going to be awesome! Warm weather, going down south to play a great opponent, we're really excited. I can't wait.
Q: What do you know about Georgia's offense?
JC: A very balanced attack. They have a good running back, and that's a guy we really respect on the offensive side of the ball, Sony Michel. They're balanced, they pass the ball and they run the ball really well. They're a smash mouth football team. That's the kind of teams we like to play. That's our game. We're really excited.
In terms of Sony, obviously he's a 1,000-yard rusher, and that says a lot. It's going to be a unique challenge.
Q: The popular thinking is that this game will be a defensive low-scoring battle. Is whoever brings the best on that side of the ball going to win this game?
JC: I wouldn't say that. I think we have a lot of guys on the offensive side of the ball that are going to make plays. Obviously, their defense is very good as well. I think every year, historically they've always had a really good front seven. It's just what they've always done.
But absolutely, I think a lot of games this year, it's how it's been, the defense steps up and makes plays. On our side of the ball we absolutely plan on taking care of things and making sure we get it done.
Q: Christian [Hackenberg] said he feels like some of the seniors have put the bowl ban in the past behind them a little bit. What are your impressions of the senior class and how they are approaching this bowl game?
JC: It's interesting, they came here never thinking that they'd be able to play in a bowl game, and now this past year and this year we were able to play in one. I think it's absolutely huge. For those guys, having that taken a way, they would have never thought stuff like that would happen. So I think it's something that we want to send those seniors off on the right note. I think they deserve it the most, the guys who kept the program afloat, so it's going to be huge to get a `W,' especially for them.
Q: Last year an up-and-down season ended in a big bowl win. Similar scenario for you guys this year. Would you say you have a chance to make a statement after a year that maybe didn't go as you hoped?
JC: Yeah, absolutely, I think both this year and last year kind of had its roller coaster in terms of wins and losses. But I think for us, the bowl game is an opportunity for guys to not only end on a positive note, but to setup the future for the next season.
It's going to be huge. Georgia is 9-3, so it's a very good football team. I think two of their losses are to the guys who are in the SEC Championship game, so they're a good team. This isn't any joke team we're about to play, so we have very high respect for Georgia and we're excited, and we're going to take on this challenge head on and get a `W.'
Brandon Bell | 11 | Jr. | Linebacker
Q: You guys were obviously able to go back to a bowl last year. It being the first bowl back it was huge, but now going to Florida, how excited are you guys for that one?
BB: I'm super excited. I was just talking to my dad. Back when I first committed, the whole idea was maybe I was going to get one bowl game my senior year, and now look, I'm going to my second one. So I'm very excited. The team is excited to play a good opponent.
Q: How are you feeling physically now?
BB: I feel a lot better right now. The season was long and kind of a grind every week, making sure I was going to get out there. But these last couple of weeks, I feel really good.
Q: What do you have left? What do you want to do in the bowl game? Is there anything for you personally, and goals you have?
BB: Individually and as a team, we just want to put a whole game together. A whole four quarters, just put it all together and have fun at the same time.
Q: Have you seen any film on Georgia? What impressions did you get the most, especially with their "second-team" running back?
BB: Like you said, the running back. The running backs actually all have some good history. Obviously, it's Georgia, so you know you are going to get some good backs. Like any SEC team, a big line, fast guys on the outside, so it's going to be a good battle.
Q: Coach mentioned containing guys from getting in one-on-one situations. What's the challenge there for you guys?
BB: Just playing team defense, running to the ball, getting back to the basics, pursuit, pursue and tackle.
Q: With the way the season ended can you talk about defensively and personally what guys have to prove and show from this game?
BB: I think we have to show some toughness. We've been challenge at some times, backs up against the wall a couple times, and I think we really have to step up and show some grit and some toughness.
Q: Is this an ideal opponent to do that against? Because everybody talks about Georgia and the SEC and all of that. They have a really good defense. Is it a pretty good opportunity?
BB: Definitely. They're a ground and pound kind of team. A mostly balanced offense. They're going to line up in the `I' [formation] with a fullback and kind of try and run it down your throats, so it's a perfect time.
Q: One of those games where whoever's defense brings it the best ultimately decides this one?
BB: Ultimately, whoever's defense brings it the best or whoever's defense breaks first. It's going to be a pound, pound and pound game I feel like. We'll see though.