Sept. 20, 2016
Derek Dowrey | Sr. | OL
Q. The offensive line seems to be moving forward and progressing as a unit, what specifically can you say about that progression?
DD: I think it's just time playing together. A lot of us have been through this the last couple of years and I think we've been getting better steadily, but I think now it's starting to show on the field a little bit more. I think that just comes with experience with each other.
Q. The offensive line has been progressing, but what do you think you still need to work on?
DD: It's never a finished product. We need to work on everything. No one's perfect whether it's in pass protection, run blocking, communication between each other, or [communication] to the quarterback. There's really nothing that we can't work on more at this point.
Q. Going to the run blocking, how much emphasis have you put on during practice of getting to the second level? Ryan Bates got that block to open Saquon's touchdown run up.
DD: It's always a big emphasis. I think we think about it as a progression. You have to take care of level one first, but level two is also a big priority for us. If we can get our backs into some space, they can do some special things. I think what you saw on that play, Bates made a great block, got the guy on the ground, gave Saquon enough room to make the next guy miss, and that's our job.
Q. Is it me or is your stance lower than everyone else? Have you ever heard that?
DD: I have [heard that]. Some guys will tease me a little bit about my stance. I don't know. It's just where I'm comfortable. That's really all I can say. Maybe it's because I have short arms so I have to get lower to be able to touch the ground. I don't know what it is, but it's just where I'm comfortable.
Q. What can you tell us about Connor McGovern? What's his progression like and how are you helping him along?
DD: Connor has a bright future here. I firmly believe that. Not a lot of true freshman can just step on the field. I know he had a spring to get going, but if I were in his situation, I wouldn't be able to do what he's doing. He's a very talented guy, smart guy, and is picking things up. My role is to help him progress as much as he can. Obviously, I've been here for a while. I've been with this team longer than he has, so I'm trying to get him ready to maximize every snap he gets.
Q. Talk about your thoughts going into this week and starting the Big Ten schedule at Michigan.
DD: The Big Ten schedule is very important, but I think it's the mindset of this coaching staff, this team, that every game is important. Last week was important, even though it wasn't a Big Ten game. So just the fact that it's the Big Ten season means it counts toward your overall record and your conference record, but to us it's just another game. We're going to go out there and prepare like we do every week like it's the most important game because the next game is the most important.
Q. We haven't spoken to him yet, but I'm curious, Sterling Jenkins seems like he has a really unique personality and he's pretty outspoken. What is he like?
DD: Yeah, Sterling's a great guy. He's a little goofy sometimes with the offensive line group. You have to get to know him a little bit to understand his goofiness. When I first met him, I didn't know how to interpret the things he was doing, the things he was saying, but now I know he's just having fun. He's a really good guy. I really like having him on the offensive line.
Q. The veterans on this team have been through a lot together. How much does your heart go out to Nyeem Wartman-White and what he's dealing with at this point?
DD: I love Nyeem...ever since I met him in recruiting when I was still in high school. I personally can't imagine what he's going through. But I know if there is somebody who can get through this, get past it, it will be him. He's an amazing athlete, amazing competitor, a great person, great teammate. I wish him the best. But I know he doesn't need that. He's going to go get it done.
Q. A player we're trying to learn a little more about is Ryan Bates. He's obviously stepped in there pretty quickly for you guys. Where do you think he is in his development and how do you help to continue to make him progress?
DD: Bates is another guy who I think has a bright future. A redshirt freshman who is playing well already. We're really proud of him and how he's kind of stepped up when we've needed him. As far as where he is in his progression, I can't really say. I mean, right now he's come a long way in a short amount of time relatively speaking. Who knows where his ceiling is, but to the mindset of the offensive line that you're never good enough, so no matter how well he's playing, he can always play better. So we'll see how far that takes him in his time here.
Brandon Smith | Jr. | LB
Q. Now that we know a little bit more about the status of Nyeem Wartman-White for the rest of the season, can you speak to just what kind of things his teammates have talked to him about?
BS: I haven't seen him too much, just in the training room a couple of times. He's had a smile on his face. You know, Nyeem's a great guy. He's going to keep working hard. He's going to stay committed. He's going to be a part of this team and be there and encourage guys. Like I said before, he's a selfless guy. He's going to keep being around and be a vocal leader on this team.
Q. You played a lot on the scout team last year. What is that like in terms of trying to replicate the opposing defenses every week? What do you learn about the game by doing that every week?
BS: It's kind of a unique experience in that aspect that you get to play in all these different schemes and different fronts. From that perspective you learn a lot more about the game. As far as fundamentals, you just play the same as always: knee bend, pads rolled over and hand strike. So from that perspective, it doesn't really change. They just hold cards up for us. So they kind of tell us where they want us to go a lot of times.
Q. You talked about this a little bit on Saturday, but I understand you chose Penn State over Penn and Princeton. Can you take us back to your college decision, what factors you were weighing and why did you ended up at Penn State?
BS: So all three choices were obviously very good academic schools. The Ivy Leagues have a good reputation for academics, obviously, and I really liked all three a lot. I liked the coaching staff of all three programs. I knew if I came to Penn State I'd be a walk-on and the road to playing would be a lot harder, and I was really passionate about football. So that was a pretty big factor in why I wanted to go to Penn for a while. Ivy League education, probably would have played a lot sooner, but at the end of the day, my faith is really important to me, and I just spent a lot of time in prayer, and it just seemed like thing after thing was showing up pointing me towards Penn State. That's ultimately why I decided to come here.
Q. I have to ask you, did you end up going out Saturday night?
BS: No, I did not.
Q. No, you didn't celebrate with the team?
BS: No, sorry to disappoint.
Q. We were told you were being told you had to by the coach?
BS: He did tell me that in the locker room, but unfortunately for the guys, they got really excited when he said that. I had a lot of family up and sometimes you're just too tired to even think about that anyways. I give credit to the guys who can.
Q. You had a big day against Temple. Coach Franklin mentioned earlier that he thinks that you don't get the credit for your athleticism that you should. I believe he called you deceptively athletic. Do you think you get credit for your athleticism?
BS: I don't know. It's kind of hard to answer. As far as measurable things, I'm pretty average, but I think I'm able to use what I do have well. The things that I can control, I take control of. I work hard with Coach Galt, and our strength staff to improve the measurable parts of athleticism. As far as determination and drive and just finding a way, that's something I can control while I'm playing. I just try to take full advantage of that. Whether it's noticed or not, I can't control that.
Q. Coach Franklin talked about playing in big games and that being one reason players come to Penn State. You've talked about the other reasons. Talk about the competition coming up and starting Big Ten play and what it's going to be like for you guys?
BS: It's going to be awesome. I've now been fortunate enough to travel to Michigan since I've been here, and it's going to be an awesome environment. We always look forward to Big Ten play, great competition. Michigan's done a great job these past few years. They're a great team. We really respect their ability. But needless to say, we're still going to prepare and go in there expecting to give a great performance.
Q. Do you remember when you first thought you might want to be a doctor?
BS: I don't have a specific memory that made me think I want to be a doctor. To be honest, I'm kind of back and forth like every other week because it's really hard with like the pre-requisites. I think, "Man, why am I doing this?" But I see a lot of value in human life, and I hate to see people struggle. I want to be a part of people getting healed. So that's been something that's really drawn me to it.
Q. After James Franklin started speaking about you a little bit on Saturday, he did mention he cracked the joke that you are the married guy on the team...How did you meet your wife, what was that whole journey like?
BS: Yeah, my wife's name is Andrea Cole, and we met in high school. Her and one of my best friends and I started a morning devotion prayer group at our high school. We met half an hour, once a week before school, so we spent a lot of time there together.
Eventually, I started going to her youth group instead of mine, because my youth group was my dad and I. So he wasn't too upset. Drastically hurt the percentage of people coming. So we just started spending a lot of time together. We started dating my sophomore year [of high school] and dated for four or five years. She went to Messiah College, down in Mechanicsburg, so we would see each other every other weekend maybe. I just decided it was the right time to get married. So I asked her father last winter and we got married two summers ago.
It's been awesome. I'm really busy with school and football, and she's just done an amazing job being patient with my time constraints and supporting me. So I have an amazing wife.
Q. Looking ahead to Michigan this week. What do you see on film about Jake Butt. What are some qualities he has that makes him a successful tight end and what are you looking to do to stop him as a line backing corps in coverage?
BS: He's an impressive player and a guy they like to get the ball to. He's a good tight end and we respect him. We're going to have to do what we do every week and read our keys and get to the right spot. Handle our responsibility and if all 11 guys are doing that every play, we'll like the way it turns out at the end of the game.
Q. You are maybe one of the least threatening people we've talked to this year. What makes you angry on the field? How do you go from this very friendly guy to someone who is going to hit Michigan players repeatedly on purpose?
BS: I don't know. It's just because I'm never angry at people. It's hidden in there somewhere, but I don't know. I'm either going to get hit hard by them or I can hit them hard. So at the end of the day I'd rather not get beat up out there.
It's just fun. It's just having fun, flying around, playing as fast as you can. That's what the game's all about. It's a game and it's fun. So I'm just trying to do the best I can to be physical and play fast and hard.
Q. What do you know about Michigan Stadium and kind of going into a hostile environment like that? Do you know anything about special teams?
BS: I've gone to some away games that were pretty hostile. I think it just gets the guys even more excited sometimes when people are jeering you and mocking you and all sorts of things. You know, you can either get distracted by it or it can increase your intensity and your focus.
I'm really looking forward to it. I've of always liked going on the road, and when we get booed it just kind of gets me even more excited to play. So hopefully everyone's going to take that approach to it and get fired up for the game. It's going to be an awesome environment. They have a big stadium and a lot of passionate fans, so it's going to be an awesome day.
Q. As a former scouts team standout, who would be your pick to play Jabrill Peppers this week?
BS: I'm going to leave that one to the coaches. There's a lot of guys who could do a great job.