Spartans Arrive in Texas for Cotton Bowl Classic
12/26/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football
Cotton Bowl Classic: Day 1 Photo Gallery
DALLAS - The Michigan State football team arrived in Dallas on Friday morning as the No. 8 Spartans resumed preparations for the 79th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic against No. 5 Baylor.
The Spartans were greeted at the team hotel, the Hilton Anatole, by the Townview Magnet Center Big "D" Marching Band and representatives of the Cotton Bowl Classic.
After a team meeting, Spartan head coach Mark Dantonio and co-captains Kurtis Drummond and Travis Jackson met with the media at an introductory news conference.
The Spartans then conducted a two-hour practice in shells at AT&T Stadium, site of the 79th Cotton Bowl Classic, which is set for Thursday, Jan. 1 at 12:30 p.m. EST.
Michigan State and Baylor both attended a welcome dinner at AT&T Stadium following practice to conclude the first day of the bowl trip.
Below is transcript of Friday's news conference:
Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio
COACH Mark Dantonio: First of all, we're very, very excited about the Cotton Bowl experience and arriving today. Big challenge for us waiting in the Baylor Bears. The players are ready. They came down. Some guys are still flying in from around the country here. So we'll have them all here, hopefully, by 4:00. We will practice today. We are just looking forward to it. It will be a great day, a new great experience. A lot of history and tradition here. And we will try and represent. I'll take some questions.
Q. Coach, talk about your captains and what they have done for your team.
COACH DANTONIO: Our captains have been instrumental. They have been some of our guys have been with us for five years. Both of these guys are fifth year players. They have won 52 games in that span of time. They have been tremendous for us. Really have been the backbone of our football team, our senior class. I expect them to continue to lead.
Q. There have been some heavy hitters in the Cotton Bowl dating back to 1937. How does it feel to add your name to the list with Bear Bryant and Gene Stallings and some of those big coaches?
COACH DANTONIO: As I said earlier, tradition here is very unique. It's got a national reputation, Cotton Bowl. Great players have played in this game. To have Michigan State down here being part of this venue is very exciting for us and something that, you know, after we had lost our second football game, is something we needed to try and become, one of the powerhouse six football teams. We needed to try to do that. So the next step is just winning. And, again, it will be a challenge.
Q. What was the tone like on the flight down? I know some of your players are flying independently. But a lot of players and your staff, what's the tone right now?
COACH DANTONIO: You know, we flew on a 747. I think everybody had a almost our entire team had a first class seat with a lay down type of deal. It is first class in every respect.
The tone is, it is time to get back to business. The tone is focus, attention to detail. All those different things that go along with winning. That's what we got to do. We want to make a life experience like we have at every other bowl game. At the same time, I think we understand what lies ahead of us, the challenge that lies.
Baylor is an extremely explosive football team. They have a great, great football team, great players, great philosophy in what they are trying to do offensively and defensively and special teams. You know, they're an 11 1 football team for a reason.
Q. How does the practice shift? What did you get done in East Lansing, and now what happens onsite as far as what you guys are working on?
COACH DANTONIO: I think the main focus in East Lansing was trying to rep our guys. This is a mental conditioning game. You got to be mentally conditioned as well as physically conditioned. So, when you watch their film, especially offensively, the fast rate of speed and that type of thing really puts you at odds with a lot of things schematically. So we have to be able to play fast. That's been our key to success, and we have to continue to be able to do that. Easier said than done. When a football team runs 30 plays in the first quarter against you, which is almost their norm.
So the conditioning aspect of it, physically and mentally, the reps, playing a different combination of routes and runs and they give you a lot of run pass conflicts and things of that nature, so they got it going on. There's no question.
Q. I know there has been a time where you experiment with other guys, different positions. Is that something that continues this week, or do you focus more in on the game?
COACH DANTONIO: No. You know, now, we have to dust the rust off a little bit, knock the rust off. And then we've got to be fresh when we play. So we will work out here three hard days and ease back and make sure we have our legs on next Thursday. I think that's key, have your legs, throw a lot of deep balls, a lot of running. There will be a lot of action.
Q. Did all the players make the trip? Is everybody healthy? I know there was some contact in East Lansing.
COACH DANTONIO: Yeah, everybody made the trip. We've not lost anybody for the football game.
Q. Did you watch any I know you were supposed to be off, Coach. You said Baylor might throw it 16 times deep. Watching the film, are you still expecting that kind of a deep strike game from them?
COACH DANTONIO: Absolutely. I think that's their nature. Test you deep, test you running. They may go deep a number of times in a row. They're a big play football team that spreads you horizontally and then strikes at you vertically. They do it with I formation. They do a lot of run pass conflicts. They have got a great running back, great quarterback, their offensive line is extremely talented. Wide receiver. They had seven wide receivers go over 100 yards independently in a specific game this year. So they got a lot of guys playing, a lot of different numbers out there. Could be anything from empty to three wide receiver sets.
Q. Is Tony [Lippett] starting at cornerback?
COACH DANTONIO: Yeah, Tony will start at corner. Yeah. He will start. And we are looking forward to that. Obviously, he can't play the whole game there. But he will start and gives another viable player to play at corner.
Q. What were the most snaps? You did this with Gamble at Ohio State? Right? Is there a snap count on him? Do you remember how many snaps he got?
COACH DANTONIO: 113 was the most he ever played.
Q. How many games? Did he do that every game?
COACH DANTONIO: He hit 100 I think four times. Different time, different place, you know? Just a little bit different. The hurry up offenses and things of that nature were being done, but maybe not as certainly not as I think these guys (Baylor) are the trendsetters. They are the cutting edge of that.
Q. Any thoughts about playing at Jerry World, AT&T Stadium?
COACH DANTONIO: I have just heard from people who have been down there, wait till you see it. I talked to Bob Stoops and Kevin Sumlin and a lot of other coaches. And they just talked about how unique the atmosphere was. So we are looking forward to practicing over there and playing there. It should be a great experience for our football team. Again, when I think you go to games like this or any bowl games, you want to make life experiences for your players.
So from every coach and every player that's here, we want this to be the best.
Q. You called Bob Stoops just to ask about the stadium? Did Baylor come up at all in that conversation?
COACH DANTONIO: It comes up. But I saw Bobby in New York City. So he's a good friend of mine.
Q. Stoops won the Cotton Bowl not that long ago. So it's your turn, right?
COACH DANTONIO: Yeah, you don't come here to lose. But I'm sure they have the same feeling.
Senior free safety Kurtis Drummond
Q. Tell us about your year, getting here to the Cotton Bowl Classic.
FS Kurtis Drummond: I really describe it as the time of our life. We have success. We've had adversity. Had to overcome pain. We battled and continue to get better each week and looking forward to a great bowl game here and facing a great opponent with Baylor.
Q. Tell us about your thoughts about Baylor. What are your thoughts on your opponent?
FS Kurtis Drummond: Offensively, they are a team that gets a lot of plays off. Playmakers all around the field. Running back, receiver, quarterback, linemen, got all types of guys with accolades. First team All American, All Conference. That just speaks volumes right there. A lot of guys who are able to make plays with the ball and go after the ball. It is really looking at film, you see guys making plays, whether it is deep down the field, whether there is a guy catching a hitch route and taking it the distance.
Q. Tell us how amped up you are for playing at AT&T Stadium.
FS Kurtis Drummond: It is definitely an exciting experience for us. Teams are real excited. Guys are excited to see the atmosphere and perform well on a stage like this. It is definitely a great opportunity for us in this program, and guys are definitely excited for it.
Q. Obviously, bowl games are what players want to do, play for championships. Talk about your team so far. And you're a leader of the team and how your season is going.
FS Kurtis Drummond: It's been a fun season for us. It really taught us a lot about ourselves and our team and can we handle success and adversity. We have seen guys grow each week and really overcome what the previous obstacles that we faced. We seem to get better each week, which has allowed us to end up at a great bowl game here in Dallas and playing against a great opponent in Baylor. It is really a great blessing to be in this position. And guys understand that. We are down here on a business trip but we're trying to enjoy it as well.
Q. When you come into a bowl game like this after possibly playing in others - I know you have - what's your mindset as you work towards the team?
FS Kurtis Drummond: You really understand that, at the end of the day, some things are out of your control and you don't know what bowl game you will end up in. When you find out the bowl game that you are actually going to and playing for this program has typically been an elite bowl game or an elite program we are playing against. You definitely understand whoever you play against, it will be a good challenge and a good stage for you to really showcase your talents to maybe a different audience that has seen you throughout the year. It is definitely exciting to be down here in Texas and being able to play against a respected program such as Baylor.
Q. Also, not to mention, Baylor has a big offense. You are a free safety. I'm sure that shows some challenges there.
FS Kurtis Drummond: Oh yes. Each week presents its own challenges. But definitely, in the film, you see they have playmakers not only at receiver but for running back, quarterback that understand how to get to the ball. It is definitely going to be a challenge for us. But we are excited and looking forward to it.
Senior offensive lineman Travis Jackson
Q. Can you talk about your arrival and coming to another bowl game.
OL Travis Jackson: We're really excited to get down here, because the Cotton Bowl is just such a big deal. So being able to come down here and the hospitality and the first hour of being down here is just awesome. We are just excited to play in a big time bowl and be a part of the Cotton Bowl and play such a great opponent like Baylor is just a great way to end your season.
Q. This is your fourth bowl game. Talk about the overall experience that you have had in bowl games so far.
OL Travis Jackson: Bowl games are great. It is the way you want to finish your season. Coming down here, you have fun. But you are coming down here on a business trip to win a game. So we are just excited to come down here and play hard against Baylor.
Q. Talk about being a part of the 100th anniversary at the Rose Bowl last year.
OL Travis Jackson: That was really special. It was a great experience going out to California and doing all those things. We're just really excited to come to another class act bowl like the Cotton Bowl and be able to play here in Texas.
Q. Talk about playing against a team like Baylor who was just out of the playoffs this year.
OL Travis Jackson: What a great opportunity for us. If you don't get to play one through four, you would want to play five. And Baylor is a great team. Their offense is awesome, but their defense is overlooked. They're a really good defense, too. So we're going to have to bring our best to be able to compete with them, and we are excited to play them.
Q. What will you miss most about playing in college?
OL Travis Jackson: Definitely the teammates. Hanging with the guys. There's just the camaraderie. You got a hundred guys in a room that are all striving for the same thing, and you make a lot of great friends that way. So just definitely going to miss the guys.
Q. What's with the hat?
OL Travis Jackson: The cowboy hat? This is Coach D's. He let me wear it in here.
Q. Welcome to Texas.
OL Travis Jackson: I'm excited to be in Texas. I want to get into the culture, and I want to really enjoy it. I have heard nothing but great things about the people down here. I want to embrace that. So we'll start with the cowboy hat.
Q. Talk about Coach Dantonio.
OL Travis Jackson: Coach is a very special guy. Not only a great coach but an awesome person. And he's a role model for us, you know. You got someone who is older that, you know, not only coaches a team right but lives his life right, that's just that's huge for young men to see that. I can sit here and speak for three hours about Coach D because he's that special of a guy.
Q. I know you are a captain. Let's talk about your leadership role in the team philosophy.
OL Travis Jackson: Toughness. Coach D built this program on toughness. We always go out there and toughness and hard work. Those are the things that we really strive for. And then chemistry. You want to be selfless. And you want to give into the team, and you want to make sure we are always thinking about the team. Coach D does a great job of instilling that in us. As captains, it makes it easy when you have a great coach in Coach D.
Q. You have been through a bunch of bowl trips. Coach talks about these being memory making experiences, life experiences. What do you hope to get out of this experience here? Feels like football when you are outside. There are no beaches, some of the things associated with bowl games. It is a little different this time?
OL Travis Jackson: It is really exciting to come down to Texas where Texas is all about football. And the hospitality here has been second to none so far. And getting to play at Cowboy Stadium (AT&T Stadium) will be a really cool experience and a great opponent like Baylor. It is a great way to end your season.
We are excited to be down here, and we are going to enjoy it. We have to remember we have to compete big time against Baylor. We are excited to be down here, and we got a week to enjoy things. We got to get ready for the game.
