Daniel George | WR | So./Fr.
Q. This was your first game under Coach [Gerad] Parker's direction. I know you had a long off-season with him. How do you evaluate the overall receiver room through one week? What do you think you stand to gain the most moving forward?
DG: I feel like Coach Parker has helped the receiver room grow a lot in the time that he's been here. Definitely. The main thing I've noticed that he's helped us with is our energy and our mindset. Just basically projecting the energy he has onto us. It's just really changed the way we play and how we think about how we play.
Q. Going off that, how are you a different receiver this year than at this time last year?
DG: I'm actually 10 pounds lighter I believe, so I move a lot better. I feel I can I move a lot better than I have in the past. My hand placement and how I catch the ball has gotten a lot better than before.
Q. Is that something Coach [Dwight] Galt [III] wanted you to do? How did you transform your body to get to that number?
DG: That's something that Coach Galt and I talked about post-season in our meeting. Implementing everything he wanted me to do has helped me lose the weight, the right amount of weight. It's helped a lot in my game.
Q. You mention the Coach Parker's mindset. Can you describe that mindset?
DG: Coach Parker has a really strong mindset, so he has the next-play mentality. You make a good play, that's great, but you have to get back into it again. You make a bad play, that is not as good, but you also have to get back and get the next one and do better next time.
Q. That 95-yard touchdown you had last year, you caught it at the 35-ish or so with nobody around you. What do you think about in the next 60 yards of just running?
DG: I was just literally thinking, run. Don't get caught. But definitely, I was thinking about scoring and just keeping my feet, making sure that I get there without getting caught.
Q. Do you guys ever use the scoreboards to kind of reference anybody behind you?
DG: Not really. I feel like I don't. I just look at what's straight ahead in front of me.
Q. Justin Shorter told us in the off-season he felt like a big part of his game that was going to be improved was just straight up confidence and that was going to carry him forward. Coach Parker said the same thing. How have you seen Justin transition from who he was last year to where he is now as redshirt freshman and a starter?
DG: I feel like Justin really grew into his own in the Spring. He's grown to be more of a big receiver and plays bigger than before. When he first got here, he was more of a speed guy. Now he's using his speed and his size, which helped his game a lot and definitely boosted his confidence.
Q. How would you say you and Justin are different as receivers?
DG: I would say I play quicker than he is. He's more physical with his hands and stuff like that. I'm more elusive, I would say.
Q. What does a guy like K.J. [Hamler] bring to the room? Not just from a playing perspective, but he's got a big personality, too. What does that do to the rest of you?
DG: That just really helps all of us. If one person is down, his energy picks them up and keeps us all on our toes. Him being the older guy in the room, the wisdom that he has and the playing time, he just lets us know how it is and how it'll be when we get our time to shine.
Q. Does he talk as much during games?
DG: Definitely. He's a very vocal person at all times.
Q. So between plays? There were a couple plays you guys were running together at some point last week. So in between he's still talking?
DG: Yeah. Between each play he's saying, 'come on, D.G., let's go, D.G. We got to get it.' Every play he's in our ear.
Q. You guys looked like you were really pushing the tempo early on last week. How do you feel like that went? Is that something maybe we'll see more and more of every week?
DG: I definitely feel like as time goes on and the games progress, our tempo will get even better. That's something we really work on in practice, keeping the tempo and speeding up. If one person is tired, I feel like the depth at receiver is really good. If somebody is tired, the next person can come in and there won't be any drop off in our play.
Q. You came in with Will [Levis]. Getting a chance to see him in game action, what stands out about Will? Coach Franklin just said he needs to do a better job of getting down and not taking hits. In terms of who he is on the practice field, how have you seen him respond to coming up short in that QB competition?
DG: Will is a really mature person, to me, so I feel like he handled that really well. The main thing about him is his arm and his size. He can throw a really strong, tight zip. I feel like that's the main thing he has going for him right now. And his size as well.
Q. What can you tell us about Buffalo this week? What challenges do you see them being able to pose from your perspective?
DG: I know Buffalo is a really good team. They have pretty good DBs and they won the MAC last year with them. I feel like the main thing will be us staying focused and playing our game, living up to what we want to do on the field. That will be the main thing to help us get the win this week.
Q. What's going through your head about Will's level of toughness when he's running?
DG: I definitely agree that he has to get down and protect his body. It just showed me how strong minded he is, how strong of a player he is. And really, I want to get going. If a quarterback can do it, I know I can do it.
Q. When you met K.J. for the first time, what was that like? Can you tell us about it? Do you recall?
DG: Yeah, just like how he always is. 'Yo, what's up, man. I'm K.J. Hamler. How you doing?' He's just a really energetic person. I'm like, 'Oh, what's up? I'm Daniel'. Yeah, his energy is always at the top.
Q. With your room, we got a chance to see Weston Carr out there. I think he is 23. Most of you are 18, 19 and 20 in that room. Does he bring any kind of extra accountability because this is his final year and because of the chance he took on coming to Penn State? What stands out about Weston?
DG: Weston, he really focuses on like the little details that we can't, I wouldn't say we can't, but we don't notice as much because of the experience he has. So things like coverage-wise or how a DB plays off or plays man, he sees those type of things, lets us know, and it helps all of our games together.
Q. In terms of experience, with Jahan, another guy you came in with, we've seen him rise up and become a starter. What does he do, in your opinion, to really separate himself? What do you think he did to give himself a head start in game action?
DG: I definitely think it's the way he carried himself in practice. Just really focusing on his skills that he knows he's really good at. Like his speed and his hands. I feel like he used those really to separate himself from the other receivers last year, which really helped him skyrocket.
Q. Your 2018 class was all over the field on Saturday. On Sunday when you come in after a 72-point win and you kind of got to be the guys who say 'let's get back to work', how was that transition? How do you think the team responded after such an impressive performance?
DG: I feel like it was more than just the class of 2018. I know we're definitely coming into our roles on this team more so this year. I feel like just the team as a whole took the win really well and we realize we have to focus. It's next-game mentality. We have to focus on Buffalo now, even though it was a great win.
Q. From the start of the camp until now, what's one thing you've learned about this offense that you didn't know before camp started?
DG: Team-wise, I feel like it's definitely our culture. I notice how good our culture is now compared to last year. It wasn't really new. It's not something I learned, but it's something I noticed has gotten better over time.
Q. Who's the biggest trash talker on the team?
DG: Biggest trash talker is Micah Parsons.
Q. Do we need an explanation on that?
DG: No. I feel like just based off his game. He knows how good he is and what he can do, so he's just really confident about it. I wouldn't say it's arrogant. Just confidence more so. Just brings energy to everyone. Once he says something, obviously someone has something to say back.
Jonathan Sutherland | S | Jr./So.
Q. You were active all across the board on special teams last week. Wanted to ask you how do you think things translated from the off-season work with Coach [Joe] Lorig? And to have Jordan Stout out there just booming it out of the back of the end zone or putting them back in the end zone, how much of a boost does that give the team overall?
JS: Right. I think a lot of the success we've been seeing on special teams so far has been our approach that we took into the Spring as far as the way we've been going about our meetings and our periods during practice. I think the preparation has definitely put us in a better position.
Q. Wanted to ask about Lamont Wade as well. Obviously, we know he put a foot in the transfer portal and then took it back out and stuck with the team. How have you seen him switch gears after that? How rewarding was it to see him out there getting his opportunity on Saturday?
JS: There is no bigger person in front of the team, and Lamont obviously had his personal reasons of why he entered the transfer portal. He thought it was the best decision to make for him in that moment. Obviously when he came back, everyone was thrilled. At the end of the day, it's a brotherhood. I'm happy for him. He put the work in and deserves everything he's been getting.
Q. I want to go back when you were a recruit. Was it different to visit for a night game compared to noon or 3:30?
JS: When I was a recruit, I don't think I had a visit during a night game. I couldn't relate to that.
Q. Going back to Lamont for a second, when he decided to stay, are you talking to him during that time frame in the portal? Are you still in touch?
JS: Of course. He was still enrolled in classes, still going to school here, so, yeah, I was definitely in touch with him.
Q. How did he tell you he was staying?
JS: I mean, obviously he had to have a lot of conversations with the coaching staff and his family back at home, but when he finally made a decision he let us, the team, know as a whole.
Q. I believe you and [Dan] Chisena are the only two guys on all four special teams. When you look at that, how much pride do you take in that? Obviously, you're special teams captain. How does that tie in?
JS I mean, it's a great honor and we take a lot of pride in that, being on all four special teams. Just like offense and defense, special teams is a phase of the game that can decide if you win or lose the game. So, we take a lot of pride in that and how we approach that.
Q. You committed to the same class as Sean Clifford and came to campus the same year. What are some similarities that have not changed about Sean? What are some things that are noticeably different about who he is mentally and physically?
JS: An aspect of him that haven't changed is definitely his work ethic. He's been a guy that as soon as he stepped on campus, he's been working and his preparation and approach to the game has not the changed at all.
Obviously, now being in a role of leadership and starting as our quarterback, he definitely took that and I feel like he's really excelled in his leadership and just taking charge of the team.
Q. Did you know that Brent Pry went to Buffalo? Q. Do you think maybe some of the guys in the offense might be using that, a little trash talk in practice this week?
JS: Yeah. I'm not sure, but we got practice at 4:00 today so we'll see.
Q. Coach talked a little bit earlier about going in Beaver Stadium to practice under the lights to get used to that. Besides the lights, what are some of the things that are different from a player's perspective at night compared to a game earlier in the day?
JS: I would say the overall environment. Obviously being under the lights, it definitely gives you like a whole other vibe.
Besides that, football is football. Regardless if you play at day or night, the game doesn't change.
Q. How did you end up on all those special teams? Is that something you asked for? Or do they assign it?
JS: I just took pride in coming to work every day and trying to contribute to whatever I could possibly do on the team. I found myself in a position where I could excel on special teams. I just went with it and kept working.
Q. Which role do you have the most fun with on special teams?
JS: I would say probably kickoff, running down full speed. Definitely. I like hitting people, running full speed.
Q. As a unit, you guys gave up some yards on the ground last year. Coming into this week, how much are you looking forward to the challenge of facing a team that's going to want to try to pound it down your throat?
JS: I don't think we're going to change our approach. We approach each week the same, it doesn't matter who we're playing. We take pride and we try to rise to the occasion and try to fit it into our standards. I don't think our approach to Buffalo is going to change as it was to Idaho.
Q. There was a time not too long ago that you wouldn't have been able to have your hair a long as it is. Is there a story behind how you ended up like that? It is it important to you?
JS: I've had my hair for like ten years now, going on ten years. I feel like it's become a part of my identity at this point. When I was a kid my mom just braided my hair one day and I just went with it.
Q. On Saturday, we saw Jordan Stout with a 53-yard field goal. As special teams captain you're able to see a whole bunch of them this off-season. When were you most impressed with him? How far do you think he can kick?
JS: I mean, I was impressed day one, as soon as he stepped on campus. With his approach to working, he has a great work ethic and takes pride in the little details of his game. I'm not surprised, to be honest with you, with the success he's had so far.
Q. Comfortable saying what his range is?
JS: I have no idea. That's out of my area of expertise. I have no idea. I know he can kick the ball.
Q. When you kind of look at night games, what do you do you all day? Do you do anything else in terms of watching more film or other games?
JS: Definitely. When we have an increased amount of time to prepare, there are going to be guys who watch a lot more film, just discuss with neighboring positions with what they see and how they're going to approach the game.
So I feel like, yeah, with more time comes more preparation or film study and dialog of what we tend to expect.
Q. Who's the biggest trash talker on the team?
JS: I don't know. I feel like that's a question that I might need to answer later on during the season as we go through more games.
Q. We've heard a lot from the offensive linemen about how difficult it is in practice to deal with a defensive line that can go three or four deep. From your perspective, is any element of that to the running back group Penn State has? We saw five guys score touchdowns. When you're in practice and they put another guy in, and another guy in, it doesn't seem to be much a dropoff. What does that do when you're going up against them, defensively, knowing that whoever is stepping in has the ability to break one or break a tackle?
JS: I mean, it's great. We have a great group of diverse running backs who are qualified and experienced enough and have put in the work in. We're really confident in those guys. We see it during practice in their approach to practice, during the team periods, and during their individuals. They're all ready to play.
Q. When you got to campus you could probably lean on a lot of veteran leader on this team. Right now, though, six of the seven guys who scored were sophomores or freshman in eligibility status. When you look around, do you feel like this year is the start of a transition for the personnel and this team on the football field?
JS: Yes, I do believe so.
Q. What does that entail? We heard about the culture being a little bit different than last year. Is there anything definable that feels different about what you guys are doing on your first game day maybe versus what it felt like in the past?
JS: I would say we continue to take the same approach. Our approach to the game and approach to practices I don't think has changed since I've been here. But I do think we have a lot of young talent and guys who are mature for their age who are willing to step up to the plate, and that makes a difference.
Q. Anyone step up among those young players?
JS: Yeah, I mean, there is just a big range of group of guys. Keaton Ellis is one guy on the defensive side of the ball who comes to mind who's had a goodd spring, a good camp, and it's just translated to the fall. We saw that with his play.
Q. Going back to the Indiana game last year. What did that do for you confidence-wise knowing you could have success at the safety spot in a Big Ten game like that?
JS: Yeah, I mean, obviously stepping up to the plate was a great challenge, but it was something that I prepared for. Although I wasn't starting, I was still preparing throughout the game week as if I were to be starting. When it did happen, it wasn't really much of a culture shock to me, if that makes sense.
It was a great confidence booster just showing to my teammates and the coaches that I could step up and help this team get a win.
Q. What's the message been from Garrett [Taylor] on your progress, not just that game, but afterwards? How much of a mentor has he been to you?
JS: Yeah, he's been a great mentor to me on and off the field. He's always helped me answering any questions I may have. He's been in our defensive scheme longer than I have, obviously, so any questions I have he always answers them and he's been a great help to me.
Q. We've heard from coaches and players about the progress that the receiver room has made since Coach Parker came to campus. Is it noticeable every day on the practice field compared to last season? What do the wide receivers bring fundamentally and physically in 2019?
JS: I feel like we have a great diverse group of wideouts who each have their own talents in different ways. I definitely see that during practice, all their approaches to the game. It showed this past Saturday on production.
