Citrus Bowl Media Availability - Day 2

Tyler Bowen | Tight Ends Coach
 
Q: What can you say about Pat Freiermuth's development since he got here?
A: Obviously, coming in, he was a very mature player, being a post-grad guy out of high school. He's done what we ask all of our guys, just get better every week. He continues to do that every week. We can ask him to do a little bit more and he's handled that well. Nothing's been too big so far and he's continued to get better throughout the season.
 
Q: Has Pat Freiermuth exceeded expectations since he got here?
A: I wasn't here when he committed, but he's just gotten better. It's not just him. That group's gotten better every week. With bringing in two guys like [Pat] Freiermuth and [Zack] Kuntz, the group improved and the competition got better. I think you've seen that through every level. We've had a lot of contributors out of that group. Different guys, if you look early in the season, we had multiple guys contributing.
 
Q: Your group goes up against Yetur Gross-Matos every day. What has your group seen from him throughout the year?
A: In practice, you see exactly what you see on the field. Obviously, Yetur [Gross-Matos] is a physical specimen that has a lot of gifts. He's really been that way the entire time he's been here. He's just gotten a little better, he keeps progressing and now he's started to break out with his production. We see the same thing every day from Yetur that he's showing in games right now.
 
Q: In a matchup like this, how important can the tight ends be against this group?
A: I think anytime we're playing a 3-4 team, there's a little more on our plate. I always say that the tight end is a jack of all trades and we try to master all of them. We don't try to master none. But we want to affect the game in the pass and run and on the perimeter blocking, I think it's a huge game for us and a huge challenge.
 
Q: Did having [Mike] Gesicki at tight end change the way that you guys recruit and look at tight ends?
A: I think so. I've been a part of this system all the way back to Fordham as an offensive coordinator and as an O-Line coach. This is a system that uses the tight end very different than other systems. He is a prime receiver in the pass game, not just a decoy. That has changed overall and Mike [Gesicki] benefitting from his production over the last two years has put us on the scene from a tight end-recruiting perspective.
 
Q: With the emergence of Pat [Freiermuth] and Zack [Kuntz] pushing, how have the veteran tight ends handled that?
A: I think if you're with that group every day, you know they're close. They feed off of each other's successes. They're just as happy when any other guy makes a play or makes a block. They're a very tight-knit group.
 
Amani Oruwariye | CB | Gr./Sr.
 
Q: How does it feel to play your last game in your home state?
A: It feels great. A lot of my family that never got to see me play at Penn State has a chance to come see me play. Being in sunshine and palm trees is great for anyone. It's my last chance to help my boys get a W and go out on the right note.
 
Q: What's the mood with the team like this week?
A: It's just a bowl game. This is how we treat a bowl game, we have fun. We go to work and focus when we have to focus but at the end of the day, we have fun and enjoy the experience.
 
Q: How has this year gone for you? Did you exceed your expectations?
A: I knew I needed to take a step forward from a leadership position. I think I did that. I think members of the team look up to me as a leader. I'm happy I got to do that. Team goals, everyone has high goals, sometimes you might not accomplish those, but we have a chance to be the only team in Penn State history with three 10-win seasons in a row. That's huge. That's a big accomplishment that we can fulfill. I look forward to doing that with our team. There's still a lot on the table to play for.
 
Q: How did you develop this season, especially as you look to play at the next level?
A: I think my approach to practice and games has been professional, just watching a lot more film and being more particular in my technique and every little movement. I've been studying myself on film, making sure I'm doing everything right. Just building championship habits that will carry over to the NFL. I think I did a good job this year transitioning from being a role player and a guy who could lean on other guys as a leader and became that leader myself.
 
John Reid | CB | Sr./Jr.
 
Q: How important is it for the defensive backs to be involved in the run game this week?
A: It's ultra-important. We're going against a running back who can make plays and is one of the best running backs around. It's important for everyone to be involved in the run game.
 
Q: Do you feel you have much to prove at this level?
A: I always feel I have something to prove, that's just my mentality. I'm real competitive. I don't ever get satisfied. You either get worse or get better, its one or the other, you don't stay the same. I'm always looking to get better.
 
Q: How have you seen Amani [Oruwariye] develop as a corner this year?
A: For you guys, you have to wait until the game to really see it, but if you've been watching him throughout the spring and offseason, you saw him make plays. Now, it's just all the work finally coming to fruition. It's not necessarily surprising to the team but it's good when everyone else sees it.
 
Q: Who are the guys we haven't seen a lot of that we should keep an eye out for?
A: We have Donovan [Johnson] and Z-Mac [Zechariah McPhearson] really making strides. Trent Gordon is stepping up, DJ is stepping up. I think a lot of guys are really competitive and are bringing a lot to the room. There's a lot of depth and a lot of competitive-nature guys who are going to be competing to start. It's all really exciting when you have that competition.