Cotton Bowl Welcome Press Conference Coverage
12/26/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
GRAPEVINE, Texas â€" The Spartans began their first full day in Dallas with a welcome press conference in their team hotel, the Gaylord Texan Resort, as MSU head coach Mark Dantonio and seniors Jack Allen, Shilique Calhoun, Connor Cook and Darien Harris talked about the challenge and opportunity awaiting them in the upcoming Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic against No. 2 Alabama.
The following is a complete transcript from Saturday's press conference:
COACH DANTONIO: "It's great to be back at the Cotton Bowl. We had a great experience here last year. In so many respects, I think that this Cotton Bowl really sets the bar in terms of how bowls are handled. So I appreciate everything that you've done.
"Looking forward to the opportunity, the challenge. That's pretty much what I have said throughout the time here. Very proud of our football team. Want to congratulate our football team as well for the job that they were able to do this year. And also congratulate the University of Alabama as well as they come in today as well. So with that, I'll take some questions. We'll sort of go from there."
Q. Can you talk about last year's dramatic win you had and the players coming back. Are you players automatically looking to get back to the Playoff?
COACH DANTONIO: "Well, this was our goal to be able to come back to a venue like this and to be in the College Football Playoff. This is, I think, the second year second year, I think, for the Playoffs. This is our third straight year in a Big Six or a CFP. But it's certainly the third big game that we've had in a row. Our goals are always trying to go a little bit farther.
"And last year the way the season wrapped up, big win in the Cotton Bowl. But at the same time, we weren't in the College Football Playoff, which our goal is always to win the Big Ten Championship, which I believe should put you in that Playoff, if you are fortunate enough to do that."
Q. Last year when you were here, it was the last game of the season. Now you are in the semifinals. Is the approach any different? How do you go about it in this setting?
COACH DANTONIO: "We're always going to take first things first. So our main focus is to win this football game. So for us, we're going to approach this like our bowl game that we normally do. Want our players to have a great experience. Obviously we want to win. Obviously we want to be at our best and not just on the field but off the field as well.
"But from - I think from our standpoint or my standpoint, it's let's get to that game and then we'll see how that week goes. We want to make sure we're prepared and focused on the task at hand and not get too far ahead of ourselves. So that's how we are going to take it. We were able to win our last four bowl games. Basically, we are going to use that same type format as we move forward here."
Q. Because you had quite a few days off before getting here, will you be physical early in the week or no?
COACH DANTONIO: "Yeah, we have to. I feel like we have to be able to do those things. I'm sure our players would be disappointed if we didn't. So we'll do what we need to do to get ready to play. And I feel like our guys have rested. So I think the first couple days we're going to have to do some things. It's sort of a Catch 22 situation. We don't want to get anybody hurt.
"But we need to go hard. I think you need to get your mind right because it's going to be a physical football team that we're playing so we need to be prepared."
Q. The guys this year seem to be a little bit different, not from your standpoint, but like Darien Harris. Is that a maturation of the team or the fact they know there will be another game?
COACH DANTONIO: "We're here the first day, so we're going to see if they are all about business as we get through the week. You know, our guys have always come to play, and we've always done a great job at the bowl site in terms of how we've handled ourselves. So there's an expectation, so we need to continue those."
Q. Can you speak to how Connor [Cook] is doing and what the time off has been able to do in terms of his shoulder?
COACH DANTONIO: "I think he's doing fine. He's here. He can speak to that. I think he's doing great. Played in a couple of games already, so there shouldn't be any issues there. He's practiced. That's where we're at."
Q. Do you feel like you can present Alabama something they haven't seen yet at this point?
COACH DANTONIO: "I can't speak to the other people that they've played. I can say that Connor Cook has been an outstanding quarterback for us. He has played very well on big stages. And we've won on big stages because of that, because of a lot of different things but that being one of them. So there's we have high expectations for him to play well, and I'm sure he does as well. Our football team does as well. And I think when your quarterback plays well, you always have a great chance to win a football game."
Q. As far as the travel day, did everybody make it on time?
COACH DANTONIO: "Everybody's in good standing for the game, yeah. Got a couple people coming in late by design but not many."
Q. When you play against someone who shares the same philosophy you do, is there a danger of not thinking to yourself you know he knows what you know?
COACH DANTONIO: "Our paths crossed, obviously intertwined, 20 years, 15 years ago. So the game has changed I think in that time period. I think philosophies remain the same, so there are similarities there, general football philosophies.
"But the structure of who we are and who they are is different in a lot of respects. So there's always going to be changes. Always things developed, critiqued over the course of time that occurs.
"So we are who we are. They are who they are. There are similarities, I think, in his philosophies, basic football philosophies and a lot of technique philosophies. But we just try to get there, maybe in different ways sometimes. And I think that's the normal course of action as you go through time."
Q. You learned how to win big games. You have been doing it. How do you run into a big game situation?
COACH DANTONIO: "It should help us a lot. We have been on a big stage. This program has grown since 2007. We have had to do things and have a process to it. And so we've gone through the various stages of that process: Winning at home, winning away, winning at bowl games, winning a Rose Bowl, a Cotton coming from behind it in a Cotton Bowl. Now you have an opportunity to play on an even bigger stage.
"But we're playing against a football team that has done that as well. So when you get up there in the top four football teams really I could say the top 10 or 15, what sets programs apart usually are the inches. Regardless of what the score may look like, the inches set people apart. And you have got to find those inches and be able to transform that into wins for yourself.
"I think it's the way you carry yourself. It's confidence. It's your preparation. It's your attention to detail and those type of things. So we need to have all those things going in the same direction."
Q. Coming back to success and confidence, does that help with the juniors?
COACH DANTONIO: "I think it does. I think it gives us a sense at least they know the regimen of the bowl game, the structure of the bowl game. We know the people. We played in that stadium before. They have as well this year. But we practiced here.
"And I think that there's something to be said to beginning a year in 2015 and ending a year in 2015 at the same place. So there's a little bit of something to that, too, sort of ironic. As I said earlier, we'll see if we can complete that circle. So we'll see."
Q. We talked a lot about your similarities to Nick Saban and Jim Tressel. What are some of the differences from those men and those mentors, as you call them, that you hold as far as things you believe in and philosophies you have that are yours that you hold?
"That's a tough question to answer. I think I don't think I could that's an abstract answer. I can't we could sit here for hours and talk about both ends of that. So I'll defer on that one question."
Q. Connor Cook, how much has the success this year in the late game drives relied on Connor a little bit and depended on him?
COACH DANTONIO: "First of all, I think two guys made a decision to come back. Shilique Calhoun and Connor Cook made decisions to come back to get to a position like this. So it's great to see things come to fruition for those guys.
"Two other seniors who sit here, Darien Harris and Jack Allen, have had tremendous impact on this football team over four years. With that said, the question again, if you play well at the quarterback position, great success is going to follow you.
"We've had the luxury of having that. He's played on big stages, not intimidated. As I said earlier, many times the most impressive thing about Connor is if something goes bad, he's able to correct it later on in a series. I'm talking about something catastrophic. Interception for a touchdown or something of that nature doesn't bother him. He can move forward on that.
"I think that's what makes a great quarterback. If you dive too deep into your pain, bad things sort of happen, I think. So I think that's one thing over and over and over he's demonstrated. He has got great ability. He knows our offense better than I do certainly. But knows our offense as well as any coach on this football team and knows it inside and out and knows our receivers and has shown the ability to create and create loose plays and run with the football when he's needed to. So he has done a lot of different things for us over the course of the last three years.
"I don't think you can argue with his I think is it 34 wins? 34 4 over three years. But that's why you get to games like this. And there are other people on the other side that are doing special things, too, so that's why they're in this game as well."
Q. A few weeks ago I asked about the game planning going further downfield. You said you were not sure if that was really a game plan but that's what Connor did. What type of playmaker did you think he would be when you chose him?
COACH DANTONIO: "You mean back in 2013? I sort of got that feeling in the Notre Dame game, even though I know at the end of the game that we went in a different direction. It's good coaching. (smiling)
"We sort of got that feeling. We decided to make that move. And he had that opportunity at Iowa. It was his second start away from home, big game, Big Ten opener, those types of things. And he made plays. I think that's what sort of set him in motion."
Q. How much do you feel this team, especially in the late game situations, 22 yard drive, come back drives you have had all year, was relying on kind of your experience, your ability to make things happen?
QB Connor Cook: "I think Coach D said it perfectly. A lot of stuff does ride on the quarterback and the play. If you have a good quarterback who makes good decisions, who always puts the team in the right situation to win, usually you're successful.
"It's a complete team sport. There's so many things that boil into a late game drive, whether it's the protection by the O line, whether it's the way they're run blocking, the way the receivers are making plays.
"That ball that I fit into Burb (Aaron Burbridge) at the very end (against Iowa in the Big Ten Championship Game), that was a heck of catch. So it is me relying on them and me relying on the O line and stuff like that. It's not just my play. It's everyone coming in together and trusting."
Q. I know you've watched the defense in film work. How much have you seen of [Jake] Coker along the other side? How would you kind of compare? You have been a three year starter. This is his first year after bouncing around. How would you compare your experience to him?
QB Connor Cook: "I think he's a good quarterback. I think they wouldn't be where they're at without him. Obviously, they have a great running back in Derrick Henry, great playmakers all over the field. He's got great stats. He doesn't make too many bad decisions and throws the ball where he needs to throw the ball and puts the ball where it needs to go.
"And he puts his team very similar to me. That's the main goal I try to have going into each and every game: Put my team in the best position possible to win. And I think he does that as well."
Q. What did the three week break do for you physically?
QB Connor Cook: "Did everything. A lot of rest. That's the main thing. When you have an injury and stuff, yeah, you can rehab it. You can ice it or whatever, but rest is key. I was able to do that. Didn't really throw a whole lot. Went home and did some extra rehab stuff, lifted a little bit, strengthened it, and rested. I think it's the best it's felt so far. That's for sure."
Q. What's your impression of the Alabama defense, especially the pass rusher, the third down situations?
QB Connor Cook: "You turn the film and it looks like an NFL defense. They have got the size. They've got the speed. They've got the intelligence. The guys on their team know how to run the defense. They are very sound just like Iowa. Iowa might not have had the biggest guys out there, but they knew how to stop the run. They were in the gaps when they needed to be. They were right where they needed to be when they needed to be. That's exactly how Alabama is. They're talented not just in the front end but the back end as well with their safeties and corners."
Q. When you have a third down team, they completely bring in a whole new set of linemen. How do you approach that in the third and five, third and six situation as a quarterback when you know they're coming after you?
QB Connor Cook: "Get rid of the ball quick. Find out what coverage they're in and anticipate throws. Maybe throw guys open, throw it before they're open, and just try and get rid of it as soon as possible."
Q. Do you think this could be a game we joked about the 100 yard Mark Dantonio put in front of you. But as much running around as you may have to do, how much do you think you will have to rely on that hitting mobility? We have seen it from you.
QB Connor Cook: "It all just kind of happens out there. It's not like you go into a game like, ‘I need to run.' It's kind of like instincts and the things you rely on in a game situation. If I see an opening, I'll take it. We'll just have to see come game time."
Q. People talk about the grind of the football season.
C Jack Allen: "It's good to get a little time off. We got the last couple days off. At the same time, it is football and you are at the end of the season. And I don't know it's kind of ‘What do you expect this late in the season?'"
Q. I watched every one of Alabama games. Other than Ole Miss, every game they played, the people on the field, you could almost just see like, "Oh, great, we're playing Alabama." You wanted them. Certainly you respect them. It's not a point of disrespect. How many big of an advantage is it that you guys think, "We belong here and we want you."
C Jack Allen: "For us, I think we played best when we are the underdog and nobody believes in us. You guys have probably heard that a hundred times. I don't know. It's when we thrive. They put their socks on the same way we do in the morning. There's no magic to it. They're just guys just like us. And I think we'll be ready to play."
Q. You talked a lot last year after the bowl game how much you guys loved this bowl. It wasn't just the game. You guys generally loved the experience. What is it about Cotton Bowl they do so right you have been in so many big bowls that makes this place the epitome of what a good bowl game is?
C Jack Allen: "I would say it's the people. Everybody is high class here. They treat you the right way. This is a top notch bowl. They just try to provide a great experience."
Q. Just your mindset, is there a little different mindset coming in this year versus a year ago?
"Yeah, I think there's more on the line obviously. But at the same time, it's still a game and we got to approach it like that, just do your job. If you beat the guy across from you, you'll be fine."
Q. How does it feel to be back where you guys started the year?
LB Darien Harris: "It feels great. Coach D always talks about completing the circle. It doesn't get better than this. Doesn't come to fruition more than this does. We obviously played in this game on January 1st of this year, which is kind of crazy to say. It will be the second time since I have been here that we have played in two bowl games in the same year, which is an interesting kind of concept to deal with. But especially the fact we're coming back here within the same year is great. We love the Cotton Bowl. We are glad to be back."
Q. How about mindset versus last year entering the game against Baylor? You knew it was one and done at that point. This year is a little bit different. How does that look to you in your mind?
LB Darien Harris "First and foremost, kind of like Coach D said, treat it like a regular bowl game at first. Understand we still have a week until the game, so you kind of got to keep your emotions in check and peak at the proper game time. At the same time, we understand it's a different situation, one that we haven't been in and Alabama has been in, understanding the fact this is a Semifinal matchup and there's a game beyond this one.
"And then, obviously, the two different styles of teams comes into effect. So there will be a lot of differences, obviously a lot of similarities as well being back at the Cotton Bowl. So it should be a great experience."
Q. And then just how long a break did you have personally between last time you had some good contact?
LB Darien Harris "We had about four days off, so last Saturday till we got here Christmas morning. So it's always nice to have a little time off. It is more of a time to be able to spend with family around the holidays. That's always nice.
"Everybody still worked out at their respective hometowns. I don't think anybody took any days off in that regard. I think the only time off was in terms of contact."
Q. You seem to be approaching this more like a business trip. Am I reading you wrong, or is that right?
DE Shilique Calhoun: "Of course it is business. We have pleasure mixed in. But, honestly, it's a bowl game. We are trying to accomplish another win, gain another notch under our belt. We are ready to play."
Q. You guys certainly respect Alabama. I do not mean this disrespectfully. Other than Ole Miss, I watched every one of their games. There wasn't a whole lot of teams that were excited to be playing Alabama. You guys are. You wanted them. How big of a deal is that?
DE Shilique Calhoun: "Of course we want to play against, they say, the nation's best. It's an opportunity to play against such a good team, good running back, good offensive line, good quarterback. We wanted this since they were on our schedule. Then they were no longer the game got cancelled, I guess. So this opportunity came to fruition. We were happy to have it. This was an opportunity to showcase our talent. We looked forward to it. It should be a good time."
Q. You have been to so many bowls. After the Cotton Bowl last year, you ranted how good of a bowl. What is it about this bowl that the average fan doesn't realize that makes it so special?
DE Shilique Calhoun: "The hospitality. They do a good job accommodating the players and making sure we have what we need. They are sociable. The people that are here are great guys. The hospitality is so amazing."
