Capital One Bowl Update No. 4
12/29/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 29, 2008
Joel Nitchman Podcast
ORLANDO, Fla. - The Michigan State football team rested on Monday as head coach Mark Dantonio rewarded the team's hard work since arriving Orlando with a day off the practice field. Several players and coaches attended the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) breakfast in morning, which was held at the First Baptist Church in Orlando. The team did hold individual unit meetings and film sessions before breaking for the afternoon. After the meetings, assistant coaches Dan Roushar and Mike Tressel, along with eight players, met with reporters in the team hotel at the The Peabody Orlando.
Linebackers coach Mike Tressel
On Georgia quarterback Matt Stafford and how he eludes pressure...
I think a lot of the credit should go to him. He does a good job of feeling pressure and stepping up in the pocket. He's not necessarily going to take off and run, but he can buy himself a couple more seconds on just about every play. I've been in a situation where the offensive line has only given up a few sacks, and they deserve a lot of credit, but the quarterback deserves a lot of that credit as well...He can make the throw when he doesn't necessarily have the time to step up into it, when he's off-balance, when he's going one way and then sliding another way, he can make accurate throws in all of those situations.
On Matt Stafford vs. Matt Ryan, the Boston College quarterback who MSU faced last season in the Champs Sports Bowl...
It's interesting because their offenses are very different. Both of them have the ability to move in the pocket a little bit. Both of them have the ability to look you off, where they look one way and then throw another. They can throw from off-balance. They can make accurate passes when there's pressure and hits to be taken. But the offenses are different because of the vertical passing game that Georgia has. Boston College spread it out a little bit more. Ryan dinked it, dunked it, hit flat routes, things like that. The offenses are different, but their ability to make throws under duress is what's similar.
On sophomore first-team All-Big Ten linebacker Greg Jones...
He's still a true sophomore. I don't know when guys start to plateau, but the great ones continue to get better and better throughout their entire career. Here's a guy who only played linebacker one year in high school, he hasn't been there his whole life. The experience is still getting there, so he's still on the climb and hasn't reached that plateau, which is wonderful. A lot of credit goes to him for that. Also, he's in the middle now full-time, and he adjusted to that quickly. But middle linebacker isn't a position he's played for 10 years, but for six weeks. But you can see that climb, and when it becomes more natural, you'll really see him flourish.
Sophomore tight end Charlie Gantt
On having a day off...
When Coach D told us, we all said, `This can't be true.' But I think we needed a day off to recuperate, we've been practicing pretty hard since we've got here. We've been in full pads every practice.
On the Day for Kids held at Disney's Winter Summerland Miniature Golf...
It was a great event. I remember when I was that age, I was amazed to go out and see some college football players. It felt real good to go out there and to do something for the kids.
On the Champs Sports Bowl last year vs. the Capital One Bowl this year...
Last year was our first bowl game in a while. We didn't know what to expect. Now we know what to expect, and we're more relaxed down here. We're having a lot of fun.
Junior center Joel Nitchman
On the Day for Kids held at Disney's Winter Summerland Miniature Golf...
To make somebody have a great day like that is really cool. And truth be hold, my partner, she got me really good at mini-golf. She had a great time, and all of the other kids did as well, so it was a real great day.
On getting a day off...
Everyone has been flying around (at practice) the past few days. We've been focused on what we need to do since the season ended. The coaches have done a real great job of getting us the information we've needed. Today is going to be good, we're going to get rested, get our legs back a little bit, and get ready for tomorrow's practice.
Senior fullback Jeff McPherson
On his career and playing in his last game...
It's been a long and very fun ride for me. From being a walk-on and earning a scholarship, I'm very, very grateful for that. This last game means everything to me. We just want to go out there and play the best game we've had all season. We want to put everything together and execute the game plan. It's going to be a lot of fun if we can go out there and come home with a win. That's definitely the No. 1 thing I'm thinking about right now.
On the senior class...
I'm going to have to thank last year's seniors and their leadership. We learned a lot from watching them. We just wanted to reiterate all of the things they did. We take a lot of pride in everything we do every day. Also with the underclassmen that we have, we have a lot of leadership there. I'm sure in the future we're going to have a lot of strong leaders on this team.
On if the senior class has laid the groundwork for a championship...
It could be next year, or in a couple of years, but we definitely know we're headed in the right direction. With Coach Dantonio and the whole staff in place, we feel very confident in the future of the program. That would be satisfying to look back and know you were a part of something very special at MSU.
