Trace McSorley | Quarterback | Gr./Sr.
Q. James Franklin said he feels like there's too much of a load on you right now. Have you noticed going into this week, and moving ahead collectively, there may be an effort to spread the ball a little bit more?
TM: So far not really. I mean, kind of same thing as I said after the game. I want to do whatever I need to do to help our team win. If that's carrying the ball however many times, throwing it, whatever it might be. I really haven't felt like there's been a big burden or felt like I'm shouldering too much of a load or whatever Coach was saying. As far as how we're going to continue, I'm going to have the same mindset, just moving on to do whatever the coaches ask of me, do whatever is asked of me by the team, whatever I can do to try and help us win.
Q. Is there anything about the Iowa defense that has particularly impressed you on tape? Have you seen anything that you think you guys might be able to exploit on Saturday?
TM: They're really good on defense. I think they've got one of the top passing defenses in the Big Ten. Their front seven really is extremely impressive, kind of how they play with their size, strength and ability, and their back end does a really good job of making you earn it in the passing game. They're not getting beat deep. Guys aren't getting behind them, so from an offensive perspective, they pose a lot of challenges as far as how you're going to block them up front with their ability and size and all that. You've really got to earn it on offense in the passing game and in the running game. That's what they did last year to us, made us earn everything.
That's something that is a staple of Iowa is they're really well-coached. They're going to do their job. They're not going to make many mental mistakes, have a lot of missed assignments. As an offense you've just got to be on your A-game when you come into a game like this. You can't let opportunities slip away.
Q. Over the bye week, Miles [Sanders] said that he felt that wheel route was coming. How nice was it to connect with him to open the game against Indiana and get him going in that aspect?
TM: I think that's something that we've kind of wanted to get Miles involved in the passing game a little bit more, when possible, and for him to be able to have that kind of production in the passing game, I think it opens him up and gives him confidence in the passing game to where he's able to get out in his routes a little bit faster and we can get him the ball.
With the type of athlete he is, we've seen the kind of force he can be in the running game, just handing the ball off to him, but if we can do that type of stuff where he's one-on-one in space out on a route, then that's only going to help our offense open up a little bit more. When we get him out and get him in the passing game, it opens our receivers up, gives them some more one-on-one opportunities and makes the defense stretch a little bit more in zones.
Q. Juwan wasn't able to play in the second half. Did you talk to him at halftime or sense any frustration from him that he wasn't able to go?
TM Yeah, you know, I think during the game, the type of competitor Juwan is, and really kind of any competitor that we've got on our team, is they're going to want to play in the game as much as possible. At that point, you had kind of known that he probably wasn't going to be able to return in the Indiana game. He was upset. He was frustrated. But he was doing everything he could to still be a voice for Cam [Sullivan-Brown], who was coming in for him, and be a voice for the other receivers. He was on the sideline the entire time in between drives giving confidence to the receivers, helping them as far as what was going on so they can understand their job and what they needed to do filling in for his spot.
He did a really good job, I think, as far as embracing the role he was thrust into with the setback and having that going into the Indiana game. He was frustrated, but he handled it really well.
Q. Can you remember the first time you met James [Franklin] face to face? In what ways has he changed since then?
TM: I think the first time I met him was probably at a junior day at Vanderbilt back when I was in high school. He's the exact same person. I almost think word for word the talk that he gave that day, I can almost guarantee you it's what he will talk at every junior day from here until he's done. He's the same exact person that I've always known him to be. I don't expect any of that to ever change.
Q. What about you? How much have you changed since that day?
TM: I've gotten older, some facial hair. I think, obviously, I've grown since then. I think back then I was probably 17 years old. I'm 23 now, so just gotten older and became more mature and obviously grown as a player in the time that I've been here.
Q. Teammates have said that you have a pretty good poker face in terms of not letting stuff get to you. At what point did you establish that? does that come from? How important is it for you as the leader of the team to have that?
TM: I think that's something that I've always had. Even my mom will talk about when I was a kid she would be like, 'don't you ever get mad and want to kick something?'. I was like, it's out of my control, so there's no point in that, I guess. That's just kind of always been how I've been. I don't necessarily know why. But that's just kind of my personality. The things you can't control, there's no sense in kind of getting upset about it or letting that start to affect you because then it does start to affect the things that you can control. That's something Coach Franklin talks about all the time in our program is just control the controllables and that's something I think I've been able to do pretty well when things don't go our way, or even when some things do bounce our way, being able to take the positives and the negatives that you can't control and work with them and just focus on things you can.
Q. In what way has Coach Franklin impacted you the most?
TM: I think as I've gotten to know him and our relationship has grown, buying into what he talks about with the core values and taking those and applying them to my life. I think that's been the biggest thing I've been able to do is taking the positive attitude, having a great work ethic, competing in everything, being able to sacrifice. Those are things I didn't have when I first met him in high school. Now that I've known him for six years, seven years, whatever it might be, and I've continued to grow and become an older person is I've been able to add those into my life and carry those off the field and use those outside of football.
I think that's the biggest thing that I've been able to learn from him is what he's been able to apply in my life since I've gotten here and became a player here and just been able to learn from him.
Q. How have you developed a level of confidence in those freshmen receivers even as they weren't necessarily playing in a stretch of games?
TM: I think seeing them in practice and seeing the type of plays that they're able to make in practice, even if maybe I'm not the one that's been throwing them the ball the last six, seven weeks, whatever it might be, I've been able to get some reps with them. Just seeing the plays that they're able to make and paying attention to the kind of work that they put in, seeing them after practice getting reps, staying and wanting to get extra film, and early on in the summer they were reaching out to me wanting to get work.
I think that stuff, and even though I wasn't throwing with them and getting a ton of chemistry with them during the year up until this point, I think those are the type of things that when you get a guy like Jahan [Dotson] who gets only so many opportunities in a game, where I feel completely comfortable being able to go to him and know that he's going to make the play because I've seen him do it, even though I'm not necessarily the one who's been throwing him the ball. I've seen him make those kind of plays and I've seen him run the routes and have a good understanding of our offense.
Q. Where have you seen the most progress in Pat Freiermuth's game since he got here? Would you have anticipated that a freshman would have such an impact on the offense at this stage of his career?
TM: I think Pat has done a really good job. He came in, one of the things that he did really well early on was just be physical at tight end. That was something that I know Coach [Tyler] Bowen really wanted our tight ends to be when he got here was increase their physicality. That was something that Pat bought into right away and since then that was kind of his identity that he developed early on. He was going to go and he was going to throw his face in there and he was going to hit you when he was blocking, and then as he's continued to grow and get more comfortable. You've seen him develop in the passing game and be able to show off his athletic ability as far as being able to go up and attack a ball, make contested catches when guys are draped all over him, being able to use his size and those kind of things that we've been able to see from him in practice and a little bit in games.
He's just continued to grow in his confidence and his abilities that he's out there playing now and you can see that. He's not thinking so much. He's lining up and going and that's something that you love to see out of a freshman, when they get that sense of confidence and they're not thinking anymore, they're just playing and playing fast and being aggressive.
Q. Coach Franklin said a little bit ago that Iowa's defensive line might be the best front that you guys have faced in the last two years. What do you remember from that game last year playing those guys?
TM: Their front seven is really impressive, especially when you watch them on film. It's a group of guys that play hard. They're big, strong, they're physical. They do a really good job of getting on edges of blocks and fighting through it, being able to use their size and their ability. I think they average probably 6'6", 6'7" or something across the board, all long arms, so when they're not getting the pass rush, they do a really good job of getting their hands up, understanding that they're basically throwing to like redwoods out there.
They're big, tall dudes, physical, and they're able to get their hands up and even affect the passing game when they're not getting rushes. They're really good, and like I said earlier, they do a really good job of playing within their scheme, holding their gaps in the run game and things like that. Like Coach Franklin said, they're a really good defensive front, and they're going to be a big challenge for us.
Q. I just want to read you something that Tom Allen, Indiana's coach, said after the game. He said, "I wanted to just shake his hand," meaning yours. "He's so good, I've got so much respect for him. Glad I don't have to see him again because he's a tough, tough kid, competitive, gritty, tough." Do you start to think about the legacy you're leaving behind when you hear something like that from an opposing coach? What does it say to you about what you've accomplished here at Penn State?
TM: I don't really think about it necessarily being like a farewell tour, but it's something that in the back of my mind I'm aware of. This is the last opportunity that I'm going to get to play these games against certain Big Ten teams against certain coaches, certain players, even only got so many opportunities left in Beaver Stadium. It's one of the things that I'm aware of, but my approach has always been to just approach the game with a good mentality, work hard, be humble as much as possible. When I was growing up, I kind of always thought that I always wanted to leave a mark on the people I was playing against. When you hear opposing coaches say things like that, especially from head coaches with the type of respect that they get across the league and around the country, if they've got that kind of respect for me, with what I've been able to do, it means a lot that my approach and my mentality is paying off and those kind of things. So hopefully I can continue to do that and leave that sort of legacy.
Q. Regarding Iowa's pass defense, they are one of the top teams in the nation in terms of sacks. What do they do unique with their pass rush? How are they able to get to the quarterback so often?
TM: I think kind of what I said earlier, that they're big strong guys but they're athletic. They do a really good job of fighting through edges of blocks and being able to get in and disrupt passing lanes. Their coverage does a really good job, I think, and part of that is because they're not letting guys get wide open downfield. They're not getting beat. They're keeping everything in front of them. It allows their guys to work a little bit. Kind of like I said, they're athletic and they're really good pass rushers, using their size and strength. It's not easy for a lineman to block their guys when they're on their edge and they're having to drive those out with the size and strength that those guys have.
They all play with a really good motor. If they don't get there first, they're not just stopping and trying to knock down the pass, they continue to fight to get to the quarterback. I think a combination of their ability and their motor up front and their front seven and then their back end, their ability just to blanket up receivers, and not let guys get open, and not giving clear lanes to receivers.
Q. We hadn't seen a whole lot of catches out of the backfield from Miles in the first half of the season. Why do you think that's changed? How important is he to the offense moving forward?
TM: I think we hadn't done it a lot, getting Miles involved in the passing game, but he's done a really good job of just staying at it in practice, wanting to get extra reps, catching the ball running out of the backfield, those sorts of things. He's done a really good job as far as just continuing to work at it, getting on the JUGS machines, whatever he can do to be a factor in the passing game.
I think being able to get him that kind of confidence in the actual game, playing against Indiana, getting him a bunch of catches, getting him involved in the passing game, I think it was a really good opportunity for us to be able to grow from there and continue to get him involved in the passing game. Like I said, the only thing it'll do is open up our offense more. For him, being able to understand that he can be a big factor in the passing game kind of like Saquon [Barkley] was for us last year, the type of weapon he can be in the run and pass game, he can do that same thing. The more we can get him involved, the better.
Q. If we would have said seven or eight weeks ago that you'd be sitting here fifth in the Big Ten in rushing at this point, would you have believed that?
TM: Honestly, I don't know that I would have believed that, given all the great running backs that are in our league. That's kind of one of the things that teams have done a good job as far as trying to take away Miles and some of the RPOs and things that we do. I've been able to just take advantage of what's been there, and in the passing game, dropping back, being able to make a guy miss and get north-south. A lot of teams that we've played, especially in the last couple weeks, have played a lot of man coverage. That's something that Coach Franklin and Coach [Ricky] Rahne talk about. When teams play man coverage, they've either got a spy for the quarterback or there's not anyone there for the quarterback.
That's something that we've always talked about when we see man coverage is, in our quarterback room, that if you see it go through your progressions quick but step up, go through your progressions, if nothing is there, take off and run because there's usually not anyone left for the quarterback in those situations.
Q. You've carried the ball 401 times and thrown over 1,000 passes and it looks like you've never been hurt. What's the secret to that?
TM: If there was a secret, I'd tell you. I don't really know as far as the secret to it. I think it's just kind of one of those things that when you're running the ball that much and throwing and kind of being involved in the game as much is just taking care of your body outside of football. Nutrition is a big part of it, getting enough sleep, if you need to get treatment, getting treatment, and kind of being able to understand the beating that your body takes through the course of a season and understanding that you need to be able to come in, get extra time stretching at night or whatever it might be; doing anything you can outside of football, outside of practice to be able to keep your body in good shape and investing in your body to be able to make sure that you can come in and take that kind of load. I guess that's something that if there's any sort of secret out there, I guess that would be it, just investing in your body outside of practice and outside of everything that you're doing on the field.
Amani Oruwariye | Cornerback | Gr./Sr.
Q. What are your impressions of the Iowa tight ends from what you've seen on tape? What sort of challenges could they pose for you this weekend?
AO: After studying them for a while on Sunday, we just noticed they're big, physical tight ends, old school, Big Ten-type tight ends that they're going to be keeping in a lot of the game. They can block. They're physical and athletic to go out and catch the ball. We're going to prepare for them, game plan just like any other week, and I think we'll be ready come Saturday.
Q. What's the team's mindset right now? I know you approach every week the same, but it's got to feel a little bit better getting back in the win column.
AO: It's definitely a good feeling being in the win column, like you said, a lot more positive energy and confidence. Like you said, though, we've still got that 1-0 mentality. We know who's coming into our stadium. We know what they're capable of doing. We played a four-quarter game with them last year. We're expecting them to come out and give us their best effort, but I think we'll be ready.
Q. After being able to watch the film on Sunday, how do you think Jonathan Sutherland did in that second half filling in for Garrett [Taylor]?
AO: I think he did really well. I think he got some really quality reps. I think he's going to build off that. He obviously needs to just have a great week of practice this week to prepare. I know Garrett will be a good mentor for him this week. Like I said, he's a hard-working guy. He's always been a hard worker, so I think he'll be ready when the time comes.
Q. Can you think back to when you first met Trace [McSorley] and you both were Vanderbilt recruits, and when you first met James [Franklin]?
AO: We were both Vanderbilt recruits back in our senior year of high school. I remember meeting Trace going up to Vanderbilt a couple times, and we exchanged contacts throughout social media and stuff, and then we kind of talked throughout the whole process of the transition from Vanderbilt to Penn State.
Q. When is the first time you met James?
AO: When he was at Vanderbilt. I think it was either at Vanderbilt when I came up in the summer or he might have came to my high school. I can't remember which one was the first time. But yeah, I remember. It was a while ago.
Q. Has he changed?
AO: Not really, no. He's basically still the same person. Just that same hard-working coach, passionate, high energy, same guy.
Q. Going off of Sutherland, last year it seemed like a lot of guys were rallying around him on the scout team and really liked what he was doing in developmental scrimmages. Was there a play or moment that stood out to you where that you thought this kid is impressive?
AO: I don't think it was just one play specifically. I think since he came in, even when he redshirted, he was attacking practice like a veteran, being in the drills in practice, he was very physical, showed flashes. A lot of people would compare him to Marcus [Allen]. But we just knew he was always that fast, physical-type safety, and he's just always been like that.
Q. You've played a lot of good quarterbacks in your career. Where does Nate Stanley rank? What are some of the challenges that he presents to you guys? Does he remind you of anybody?
AO: I don't know who he reminds me of, but he definitely is just a guy we played a couple times, who is just that veteran quarterback who knows the ins-and-outs of the program. It's going to be tough because he's experienced so he's played in tough environments like this before. We're just going to prepare for him like we do any other quarterback every week, but I think he'll give us a good challenge. I think we'll be up for it.
Q. Do you think John Reid is fully comfortable back in his role? How do you think he's done over the last few weeks now?
AO: I think he's definitely back and comfortable. The past couple weeks, he definitely has played a lot better, up to his standard, but I think he's completely comfortable. He's being a leader. He's making plays. He's playing passionate, and that's just how John Reid is.
Q. Getting a big return from a guy like Johnathan Thomas, who hasn't really had his number called all that much, what was the reaction like on the sideline after that happened?
AO: We were just so proud and happy for him. Like you said, he's a guy who has had his head down and worked for the past five years, and sometimes it might go unnoticed, but for him to make a play like that is just exciting because we know how much hard work goes behind that. I know he was happy and we were definitely happy for him.
Q. We just got kind of the play-by-play from Coach Franklin on Jan Johnson getting his scholarship. Can you give us what it looked like from your perspective? What was it like to step away from everything and celebrate a teammate?
AO: It was huge. We were just in the team meeting room and he kind of started talking about guys owning their role on the team. No matter what it is, just own it, and he was just talking about how Jan used to be a scout team tight end and was, after multiple injuries, in that Michigan game in 2016, had to step up and play in that game, and just all the adversity he went through to be able to be the starting middle linebacker is just incredible. He was just spotlighting that and kind of led that into his announcement, but it was cool. It was a great moment.
Q. How was his run as a scout team tight end?
AO: It was pretty good. I don't know why, but recently he just keeps coming up to me telling me he used to beat me a lot while he was a scout team tight end, which I don't remember, so I guess he said he's going to pull up the film and show me, but that's just how Jan is.
Q. How do you think the freshman wide receivers have done in practice this year when you look at Jahan [Dotson] and Justin [Shorter] and Daniel [George]?
AO: I think they've done really well. They've been asked to do a lot for just coming here, but I think they were prepared for it. We all prepare as if we're going to be a starter, and then when guys go down, it's a next-man-up mentality. They've been preparing well throughout practice.
Q. Pro Football Focus came out and said that you were a first-round talent. What do you think about that? How do you think your season has gone so far just in general?
AO: I think that's cool and all, but I think I've done all right. Like Coach Franklin always tries to say, we focus on the team goal and focus on that and the individual accolades will come, so that's kind of what I'm worried about.
Q. Last month, NFL.com labeled Noah Fant as the fifth-best prospect in college right now. Is he the best tight end you've ever faced?
AO: He's definitely up there with some of the best tight ends I've played against. I kind of compare him to how Mike Gesicki is. Very receiver-like, for a big body, that can go out and make plays on some skilled DB's. He's definitely up there as one of the best tight ends I've played against, so we'll have to prepare for him well.
Q. As a Tampa native, how have you taken Judge [Culpepper] and Jordan [Miner] under your wing this season?
AO: Just kind of showing them the ways of how it is being 18 hours away from home. Different weather, obviously, just trying to get them to adjust to the culture up here. I think they've done a good job of it.
Q. Is the Assassin [Jonathan Sutherland] the best nickname on the defense?
AO: I don't know what nicknames we have. I know Coach [Terry] Smith calls Garrett "Night Train". I don't know why, but that's just kind of something that stuck. I think Koa [Farmer] always does his little Land Shark thing, so that's his little nickname. But not too many nicknames.
Q. How have you guys maybe helped Jordan Miner along this year to make him feel like he's part of the team?
AO: Just when he's going through his tough times, kind of just encouraging him, supporting him, something that we can't all really relate to. We're just surrounding him with love and just keeping him around, keeping him engaged in practice. He's a guy that wants to be a coach some day, so he's just kind of getting the responsibilities of some of the coaches to get him jump started on that. He's definitely been positive and just bringing good energy to the team.
Q. Going off that a little bit, Ryan Buchholz, what has he brought? He's an older guy, played a lot of football for you guys. What has he brought from a different perspective?
AO: I mean, pretty similar. Just like you said, more experience. He played the game at this level already, so he's just another voice and another resource for the defensive coaches. Whatever he sees, he can give them feedback and help the D-line, the younger D-linemen as best he can.
Q. Franklin said he sees Micah [Parsons] taking steps forward. You hae a great vantage point on what Micah is doing on game day and in practice. What are the things he's done to put himself in a position to get starter's reps to play a lot of football?
AO He's just listening, he's being coachable. He's got guys around him that played a lot of football and they're helping him out. They're grooming him. He's taking it day-by-day, watching film, just listening to all the little tips and everything that they're giving him, and then he's just going out and putting it on the field. He's not going to be perfect every play, but as long as he goes all out, he's got the talent to make plays. I think he's doing a good job.
Q. Franklin also mentioned that he thinks there's too much of a load on Trace. How does he weather that storm? How do you think he remains calm through it? Do you think Trace is being stretched a little too far?
AO: I don't think so and I don't think he thinks so. I think he's the type of guy where he's like, whatever the coaches ask of him, he's going to do it. He's always been like that. I don't think he sees it as too much of a load, I just think he sees it as an opportunity. I think he sees it as we have some youth and they're going to lean on our fifth-year senior quarterback to make some more plays. I don't think he sees a problem with that.
Q. James Franklin said that especially the younger guys have to learn how to practice. What does that mean, going back to when you first got here? How do you learn to play and practice at this level?
AO: Coach Franklin does a good job of forcing you to do that. He kind of walks you through how practice is going to go, and then once you do some practices, your first couple practices, you see how the older guys are running every drill. It's just not having your helmet on the ground, just little practice tips that he tries to implement for the younger guys. He makes it very easy for you to adjust from high school to college and that's a good thing.
Q. What are the things that stand out to you about Micah physically for a true freshman? How is he dealing with not necessarily being the starter?
AO: I don't think that's affected him at all. I think he's getting some quality reps in there. I think he's, like I said, taking the coaching points that all the older linebackers are giving him and he's just making the most of his opportunities right now. He's a freak talent, he's going to be. The sky's the limit for him. As long as he just keeps working hard and keeps his head down, I think he's going to be special.
