Capital One Bowl Practice Update No. 1
12/26/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 26, 2008
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ORLANDO, Fla. - Under sunny skies and temperatures in the high 70s, Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio sent the Spartans through a 2 1/2 hour workout Friday afternoon (Dec. 26), the team's first practice since landing in Orlando Christmas night. After practice, coaches Ted Gill and Dan Enos, along with players Brian Hoyer, Greg Jones, Brandon Long and Javon Ringer, met with reporters at the team hotel, The Peabody Orlando.
Senior running back Javon Ringer
On playing in Orlando last year and using that as an advantage...
I wouldn't say it's that big of an advantage. It helps that we're familiar with everything, even the stadium we're going to play in, but once you get between those lines, everything evens out and you just focus on your opponent.
On the matchup against Georgia's running back Knowshon Moreno...
Neither one of us can do anything without our guys up front. In order to win this game, we have to be dominant up front, on both sides of the ball. I'm pretty sure they're saying the same thing. If people are blocking for us, we can't really do anything out on the field. Coach Dantonio has really been stressing that a lot - he stressed it a lot at practice today.
On the success of Coach Dantonio in his first two seasons...
It's him, but you also have to include his coaching staff and all of the things they help us with, from the confidence they build us up with to the work they have us do in the offseason and during the season. They work well together, and that really helps us. They're very smart coming up with game plans and putting us in a position to make plays.
On playing Georgia, the preseason No. 1 team from the SEC, and if that's intimidating...
That's more exciting than intimidating. I can pretty much speak for the team when I say that's something we're really looking forward to. We like to play the best competition possible, and playing Georgia, it's hard to get better than that. I really feel fortunate to be playing against such a good team like them, but we're more so excited than anything else.
On the importance of winning the Capital One Bowl...
It would mean a lot. For the seniors, for the team, for the program. There haven't been many 10-win teams in Michigan State history. For us to have that destiny in our hands, that's really important to us.
On managing his practice time for the bowl game...
I know my body pretty well. I know when I'm working hard. I know sometimes when I need to pull back. With Coach Enos, he's knows how much I have to do to stay in shape and know the game plan without getting my legs too tired. We're able to balance it so I'm getting enough work in without wearing myself out.
Senior quarterback Brian Hoyer
On the matchup between running backs Javon Ringer and Knowshon Moreno...
Well, at least this year it's not me vs. Matt Stafford, like last year when it was me vs. (Boston College's) Matt Ryan. Now, I can put some attention on Javon (Ringer) because (Knowshon) Moreno is definitely a good back. Really, that's how our offense has been this year. If we can establish Javon, it opens things up. That will be a big key for us. Based on their offense, they need to get Moreno going too. It should be a good battle.
On Georgia and Matt Stafford...
We have had a chance to watch a lot of their film. I met Matt Stafford at a football camp we worked together at this year. Whenever they were on I would try and catch them and see them because he's one of the quarterbacks in college I like to watch. He has a really strong arm. I feel like we have a pretty good feel for them. Everyone talks about the speed in the SEC and you can definitely see that on the film. They fly around and they play fast.
Running backs coach Dan Enos
On plans for Javon Ringer on game day...
I don't believe there is a magic formula for him...We just want to make sure that he is in a great frame of mind next Thursday both mentally and physically. There is a balance in there but Javon knows his body better than anyone and he obviously wants to play very well. He understands that he needs to be in great condition with the size of the workload he could potentially get. Javon is going to be ready to go but we are not going to wear him out in practice.
On Brian Hoyer...
I think Brian Hoyer has had a wonderful career and has done a great job in his time here. I have never seen him waiver at all and I think that is a true testament to his character and his family. He is a strong person and he continues to come out and play and have a lot of fun in the game and I just hope that at the end of it everyone appreciates what he has accomplished and that we can get him a 10th win here. That is obviously a thing that only a few teams in Michigan State history have accomplished and I think that would be a great feather in his cap.
Defensive line coach Ted Gill
On Georgia...
They have a lot of schemes and they run plays a certain way. They double-team, they pull a guy here and there. They will complicate things a little bit for us by running things that way. Some teams like Iowa and Indiana run different schemes where they will double-team, and Northwestern also did some of those things.
On Georgia quarterback Matt Stafford...
Matt Stafford throws a lot of long balls. When they get the ball down the field that long, the protection has to hold up. We try to stress to our guys that we need to get there in a hurry. It will really give us a chance to do some different things on defense.
Sophomore linebacker Greg Jones
On preparing for the game...
I don't really think it's that complicated. They are just like us. They're just trying to have fun out here and have a good game. We are really just working hard. Coach really wants us to play hard. We really have a lot of motivation to play to the best of our ability and I think that we should be fine.
On Javon Ringer...
When I first came here he was a little bit of a mentor to me. We always talk after practice and he really is one of the guys that looked out for me. He really sets the tone so it will be hard without him but, at the same time, we've got guys coming in that will help set the tone.
