Nov. 29, 2016 Evan Schwan | Sr. | DE
Q. Does it help when it comes to big games that you have been in sort of a pressure situation for the past few weeks, where if you win you can continue on this path? Does that help at all when you're faced with a game where the stakes are higher and higher?
ES: Yeah, it does help. Having the mentality that we've had, which is being 1-0 each week, has been the reason. I attribute that to why we've had the success that we've had.
Q. What is the biggest football game you've ever played in at any level?
ES: Honestly, I would say the Ohio State game is probably the biggest one that I've played in because I feel like that game kind of propelled us to where we are right now.
Q. With you being focused on Wisconsin, day-by-day approach, do you try to stay away from the sports shows, SportsCenter, keep that out of your head?
ES: Yeah, I do. A lot of the times especially now with the new facilities we have, we have these huge TVs in our hydro area. They play the Big Ten Network and ESPN throughout the entire day.
I just try and shut out all of that. I try to stay off of social media, Twitter, Facebook, whatever it be, and just focus on the task at hand, which is being 1-0 this week, playing Wisconsin.
Q. With a lot of people talking about the College Football Playoffs, you're not focused on it, but a lot of talk about you guys being squeezed out even if you win. Do you talk about that amongst your teammates?
ES: No, not at all. Right now we're focused on Wisconsin and being 1-0 this week.
Q. Watching Wisconsin film, what have you seen so far from their offensive line?
ES: This Wisconsin offensive line, they're big, they're physical. It's the typical corn-fed Wisconsin boys. They have a really good, physical back. It's going to be on our defense, and I think more specifically up front with our defensive line, to come out and strike our keys. We're just going to have to gel really well on defense to have success.
The success we have on defense will hopefully enable our offense to do some good things, just be able to play good complementary football.
Q. Do you worry about them playing two quarterbacks?
ES: Throughout the entire season we've played teams that have had the same situation, where they'll put a guy in who's a bigger guy that can kind of run you over. They'll put a speed guy in to do certain jet sweeps. We'll prepare for that accordingly.
Q. You've told us before that when you were a freshman, you never imagined being in a position to play in a game like this after everything that's gone down here. Now that you are in that position, you and some of the guys who stuck around, what is it like that you're getting to play in the biggest game the program has seen here in a while?
ES: It's a great feeling. I was standing on the stage with the guys that stuck around after we won the game this past weekend. I put that Big Ten East Championship hat on. We were reminiscing a little bit.
But our work's not done. We have practice today. We have meetings at 3:15. I just can't wait to get ready for Wisconsin. We've been getting ready for them really the entire season.
Q. Is there a team that Wisconsin offensively is similar to that you've seen this year? If so, what team is it and what makes them similar both schematically and the type of players they have?
ES: If I were to compare Wisconsin to any other team, I think it would be Michigan State actually. They do a lot of the same kind of 11, 12, 22 personnels. They like using a tight end with a wing off, do a lot of trades and shifts.
I'm happy that we got to play Michigan State this week because it's going to prepare us for the game that we have this week. Like I said before, having their big offensive line, we're just going to have to come out and play a hard, physical game, try and make them one-dimensional.
Q. Jason Cabinda said the other day this is as excited as he's seen Happy Valley since he's been here. This is your fifth year. How would you describe the atmosphere right now? Any specific examples that have shown you how up the students and community have been since Saturday?
ES: Yeah, there's a huge buzz going around right now. Before I got here, I always heard that wherever Penn State is playing well, Happy Valley is that much happier.
You see it walking around campus. People that I have never met in my life will say, "Hey, great game," that kind of thing. I'm very, very appreciative of them supporting us throughout this entire ride.
Q. A little different question. A lot of your teammates have described you as an interesting guy, a character in the locker room, different than everybody else in the way you conduct yourself. How would you describe yourself?
ES: I think I'm pretty normal actually. I don't know what my definition of 'normal' is. People think I'm an interesting person. Especially because I have a tattoo of a moustache on my finger. Hopefully that doesn't affect anyone that wants to hire me in the future.
I feel like normal, what is normal? I don't know what that is. I'm me. My mom and my parents have always told me, "Just do you," that kind of thing. They raised me to be my own person.
One person might think, Oh, you're weird, you're interesting. Another person might think it's normal. I think it's all based on perspective.
Q. We've been talking about Ryan Bates, his development. What do you remember about him from camp? It's easy to forget he is such a young guy.
ES: Bates is a really, really good, smart kid, especially him being so young. Him and I have created a really good relationship, especially in practice because we have had to move him as a tackle. Being a defensive end, not just me, but Garrett Sickels and I have tried to help him with our experience, kind of giving him a different perspective on, "Hey, if you do this, this is what an end is going to give you." Also just motivating him before every game. He'll come to me with questions. I'll come to him with questions because he has been playing well. I like to get a tackle's perspective.