Michigan State University Athletics
Player Analysis: Cal
8/27/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 27, 2008
Video | Justin Kershaw Podcast | Ross Weaver Podcast
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Members of the Michigan State football team met with the media after Tuesday's practice to talk about the season opener at California Saturday night. The Spartans and Golden Bears meet at 8 p.m. ET at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, Calif. The game will be televised on ABC.
Senior quarterback Brian Hoyer
On opening against a Pac-10 school...
We are excited to go and play a top quality Pac-10 opponent in their home. We know it is going to be a tough game; they are a great team. We need to go in with the business mentality and take care of our business and not mess around at all and be focused from the time we get on the plane to the time we get back.
On how time change can affect the team...
I don't see a problem with it, we just need to stay on eastern time. It will just be like playing an eight o'clock night game for us. Obviously it is a long flight out there, so hopefully we will get there early on Friday and get accustomed to that time zone and just stay on eastern time once we get there.
On adjustments made in practice to prepare for Cal...
I think going into camp we knew that the first game was not going to be an easy game. We tried to prepare ourselves as best as we could and just try to be ready for this game. We have tried to prepare like this is a bowl game. It is just as important. We have had a lot of time off but we have prepared as best we could because you can't worry about kinks when you are playing a team like Cal.
On the Cal defense...
They are impressive. When you look at the strength of their defense you obviously need to look at their linebackers. (Zack) Follett, Worrell Williams, those guys are tough individuals and they can bring it on every play. They have some guys in the secondary, I think three out of four are back, so obviously they have a lot of experience. We are just trying to get prepared. We have heard multiple things and we don't really know what's going to happen. We are just trying to prepare for everything.
On excitement of opening the season...
I'm just trying not to be too anxious. Just go and take it one practice at a time and one play at a time and take everything day-by-day. When you get over-anxious you get to excited. I am just trying to lay back and relax and take it day-by-day.
On having uncertainty about Cal's game plan...
I think any first game you play is like that. People are always going to do new things. The way we look at it is that somewhere in some game we have seen what they do. We have seen stuff in practice and we have seen it against other teams. When it gets down to it, you may need to make adjustments on the sidelines, but that's football. We will stick to our base stuff. We are not going to let what they try to do dictate what we are going to do.
Senior strong safety Otis Wiley
On going to California...
To be honest, we are flying out Friday, so you don't even have time to look around. Of course it's California, but we just want to go out there and have fun on the field on Saturday.
On Cal's offensive strength...
It's speed. The linemen have speed; they come down and block you about 20 yards off the ball and they hustle. Their running back is very good. We are looking for that and working on it right now.
On preparing for this game...
It's been a long time. We have been going through camp, watching film and the previous players and knowing that they lost their top three receivers. It's hard when you have to compare them to the past. It's a lot of stuff, but with the speed that they have, it is a whole new ball game.
On potentially playing against two different quarterbacks...
We prepare ourselves with both quarterbacks, so we got two different looks and we get to study both of them. When we go into practices we are still trigger pointing that. Both of them might play, we don't know, so it's better to game plan for both of them.
Sophomore linebacker Greg Jones
On preparing for Cal's speed...
It's just like to coaches expect and have been telling us, we need to be ready for it, and that is how we have prepared. We have plenty of fast guys as well, so we will be ready for their speed.
On preparation for Cal despite not knowing who the starting quarterback will be...
They could switch up by the time we get there, so it didn't matter who was starting or not. We are just getting ready to play a football game, so it didn't really matter at all. We just want to be aware, anyone can go out there an run to make plays, so we just need to be aware of what's going on.
On going to California...
It's just a great experience. Not too many people go out and do something like this with my friends and my teammates. I'm really excited; I can't wait. We are treating it like it is another bowl game. We are going to have a great time out there, but really we just want to focus on the game. We want to fly out there and make some plays.
On rebounding from the Champs Sports Bowl...
I think everyone wants to get that taste out of their mouths. I don't think anyone wants to look back on that. Every game last year we were so close, we just couldn't punch it in. So we really want to go into Cal and get that taste out of our mouths. The goal is to make it to a January Bowl Game and just get over that hump.
Senior Defensive Tackle Justin Kershaw
On being named one of the team's captains...
I was honored because I was voted by my teammates and coaches. That's what meant the most to me. I have been here for five years now, so this is really an honor that my teammates would pick me.
On Cal's speed...
They are a fast team. Their center Alex Mack is the first person off the ball; he looks like a defensive lineman playing center, so we have really had to get ready for them. Their tackles are fast, their running back runs a 4.4, they are fast and we just need to play fast and we will be all right.
On difference in preparation from this year to last year...
I think you prepare the same no matter who you are playing. It's the first game and you don't want to get caught slipping. We are going just as hard as we went for UAB last year, even though Cal may be in a more prominent conference. We still have to approach the game with the same intensity either way.
On preferring to start against a strong opponent such as Cal...
I prefer starting off strong. I want to play the best team there is. I mean a road game at Cal on ABC, that's what college football is all about. I appreciate when we open up against a good team - you want to give them your best shot.
Senior Running Back Javon Ringer
On any added pressure heading into the season...
I don't go about my day and my life with pressure on me. I just pray and take it day-by-day. I don't feel any added pressure at all. I just continue to live my life.
On possibly returning kicks...
I don't mind it at all. It's just another way to get the ball in my hands. Honestly my only concern about it is living up to the way that Devin Thomas did last year. As long as I can do even half the job that he did, I'll be doing all right.
On carrying a lighter workload in camp...
I don't think that there is any concern with that at all. I feel healthy, I feel good, my body feels good and I don't feel beat up and the wear and tear from camp. I feel excited to really let loose against Cal.
On preparation for Cal's defensive scheme...
The main thing we have been doing is watching a lot of it in film. They are a good defense and regardless of the defensive scheme that they run, they have good athletes. We have been watching how different players react and that is the thing I have been studying the most.
On how the offseason speed work will help...
We did do a lot of speed work and overall work this summer and hopefully it will all show. It is going to be nice weather and a fast surface, so hopefully we can go out there and play fast. We are looking forward to a fast, hard hitting game and that is what I'm expecting.
On keeping the team focused in a hostile environment...
We're going to need to go out there and approach it like we have a mission and purpose. We need to keep everyone focused because we are going away. Every year that I've been here, we have had a home game, so it is going to be a little different going away. I feel like us, as the seniors, me and my fellow captains just need to make sure everyone stays focused. We can't pay too much attention to the atmosphere we are playing in, but just keep the focus on the opponent.
