Post-Game Quotes: Penn State

Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker

Opening statement …
Thanks for being here. [There is] a lot to say about this team in the performance today, it was a really gutsy performance for our guys. Our seniors, we were really playing hard for those guys, being undefeated at home in the Woodshed, there was a lot to play for, [this was] a rivalry game, playing for that trophy, giving the team 10 wins. I think this was the ninth time in the history of the program to get to 10 wins. It was so important to our guys, you can tell just by the way they came in on Sunday at the beginning of the week, getting back from Columbus. It was really [about] circling the wagons and we really dug in and eliminated the noise out there, the distractions, and just really, really focused on the task at hand. I just can't say enough about this group. This group of guys, this group of coaches is a really special, special group and it's an honor and privilege to work with them, and they're resilient. They fight like heck out there, and you can tell they play for each other. I mean it's important to them. So I'm just very proud of the team and very proud of the staff and our fans on a holiday weekend, to show up like they did today. They really gave us a boost, gave us a lift, and they were deep and thick and I really appreciate that, our players appreciate that. That was a perfect way to send our seniors out. So with that, I'm very grateful. Very grateful to be the head coach for this group of guys and this is a special place. We're not done yet. We got one more, we're gonna get some guys back, gonna have a chance to get some guys healthy, which is going to be very important. These guys love to play football and they love to play for Michigan State so it was a good day.

On making adjustments based on player illnesses and injury …
We had to shuffle some lineups during the week and have contingency plans and we weren't exactly sure who's gonna be able to answer the bell, but we knew that the guys that could play, we knew that would they would play if they could, and we knew that we would get everything that they had, and it's been a 'next man up' mentality for the last three or four weeks and the guys have really, really embraced that. They've done what they needed to do to prepare to win a game like this, which was a very, very important game. It meant so much to everyone. So we dealt with some illness and we've battled through some injuries. Like I told them at the beginning of the week, this is tough sledding, and at the end of the day, you know, no one cares how many guys you got out, how many guys are sick, [still] gotta find a way to get it done. Do it as a team, rally, it's a binary result production situation, you either get a one or a zero and that's what it really comes down to; the guys really wanted to get this one. So I'm super proud of them.

On how the team re-centered and refocused after last week …
Well, you know we started in the locker room at the Columbus after the game, and said we're not making excuses. We didn't play well enough and we're going to learn from it. We're going to stick with our process. We're going to block out the noise and focus on the task at hand. We're going to prepare and we're going to work on whatever adjustments we need, and get back to work and that's what we did. It's a 'keep it real' session with our guys, and we knew what our challenges would be. We had a plan of attack and our players executed the plan. But at the end of the day it really comes down to mental and physical toughness. That's a big part of how you get guys back; you got to have some intrinsic motivation and pride as individual coaches and players to help each other out, [that's] the power of the team. We really tapped into that this week. And then you get into the game, it's about who wants it more. [Asking] what do you want, and what do you want to do to get it? Our guys played extremely hard, and my hat goes off to them, I have a tremendous amount of respect for this group of players.

On playing with mental fortitude despite injuries late in the season …
Yeah, we talked about that at the beginning of the week, we said here's what we're playing for, and that we have an opportunity, to get our 10^th win and to have some time to get guys, get guys healthy, and we'll be a better version of ourselves in that bowl game. There were guys fighting to get back this week and [who] were able to make it, but I anticipate getting in some guys back for that bowl game that are going to help us. We're going to be a deeper team, because we've asked some guys to step up and go into games and make plays and so we're certainly motivated. If anyone is looking at our team now, they'll see a resilient team, a team that plays hard for each other. It's an exciting team to watch and we have some big-time playmakers. Kenneth Walker is an elite-level player. And we're going to have some guys back, some key guys back in the bowl game. I think we have a very exciting and attractive team. Our fans are tremendous and they travel well, and we're hungry and our fans our hungry.

On the amount of fourth-down conversions this year and the recovery of the onside kick …
We do the hands team every week, and Coach Els does a really good job emphasizing recovering onside kicks, attention to detail and alignments and everything. We go out there and we say, 'go win the game.' So that was outstanding execution. And Jayden Reed comes up with big plays every week it seems, consistently all season. He's a very good player, and he's very competitive. And fourth down conversions are a big part of the game. Obviously we had some with our specialists from kicking and things like that so we were in a position where we needed to go for it a few times. But you've seen us this year, we've done that. We're not afraid to put it in there if it's the best thing to do, and get it to our playmakers. You've got to get a win in one-on-ones.

On seniors with some big plays at the end (Harvey and Beesley)…
Yes, it's very special to see those guys make plays. The adversity of those guys and what they have overcome individually to be in position, to make those plays for us. Those are two guys in particular that you highlight that are very unselfish players. They play just not for themselves, but they play for the whole team. They play for the school, and they take pride in the green and white. Being Spartan Dawgs. And that's what you see with this particular team here, you know guys aren't just, these guys aren't just playing, passing through, you know to go to the NFL. It actually means something for them to play here at Michigan State, and play for their teammates, they take pride in it. So that's what you saw today I believe. You saw guys that it really means something to them to win that last game at home. And you know end on a high note and get that 10^th win. It may not sink into them now but as time passes, and they look back, they'll say, 'We had a really solid year. We did some really special things that helped lay a foundation for the future. That really shaped the culture.' That game out there, that was hard work. Mental toughness. Sense of urgency. Attention to detail. Teamwork. That's what you saw out there and that's what we're all about here. Each and every day. Those seniors embody that.

On offense, Thorne pick 6, way they answered…
Yeah, you have to move on. You can't act like it didn't happen, the pick six or whatever. You don't act like it didn't happen. You accept it. You own it. You learn from it. Then you have to quickly move on to what's next. The most important thing is what you do next. And our team, our offense, we were able to do that. To just keep choppin'. Move on to what's next. Focus on the next play, and execute. Whether it's a fourth down conversion or whatever, having the confidence that we can get it done and execute it. We played a lot of football this year. Played a lot of football and some tough opponents and in some tight games. We've had to make some fourth down conversions and some two-point conversions, recovering some onside kicks and things like that. We've been in some tough situations, and some tight ball games. There was no flinching at all. There was never a doubt, just keep choppin' and keep goin'.

Sense of urgency to defense after couple PSU strong drives…
Yeah, I mean it was really just do your job and count on the guy next to you to do his. We're very capable of making those easy plays. We want to make them earn everything that they get. And not give up explosive plays. Defensively when we don't give up explosives, we can keep lower numbers. We played much better in the second half, especially in our front. We really challenged our front this week to stop the run with a light box and safety coverage. They took on that challenge which kind of had the rush and coverage working together. You know I told them, we need everybody. Everybody's counting on you to hold account back there. But just keep showing confidence and play the next play.

On Payton Thorne's and Kenneth Walker's performances…
"Yeah, well Payton, every rep for him is just more experience, more experience that he just keeps stacking those experiences. He's a quick learner, very competitive. What works is that you know the pendulum is going to be swinging back and forth in these games, it's inevitable. But what works is poise, patience, and keep choppin'. Stay steady. Don't get too high, don't get to low. Just go to execute the next play. Good body language and stay focused on execution. He did that today and he's done that before. So, yeah Payton did a really nice job today in a tough environment. It was snowing and we threw the ball a significant time today.

And K9 (Ken Walker), he's just a player. So, it doesn't matter. We're an all-weather team but he's an all-weather back. Doesn't matter if we're on grass, we're on turf, we're down in Miami and it's hot, or snowing. Doesn't matter, he's going to get it done. He can get tough yards, he's shown that this season. That it's not just a bounce outside and try to get outside the corner and get out of there. He'll get up in there and get what he can get. Because you never know when you're going to pop one. And that really helps our offensive line. Those guys will block really hard for him because he's sometimes two, three, four yards, he'll get it up in there. Sometimes that's all that's there and you gotta take it and keep pounding. Keep throwing those body blows, you're going to pop something. And to be able to continue you do that. It's really good because it matches up with our play action and we don't become one-dimensional. So he's shown toughness and talent. Toughness and talent and that's important. He's not just a talented guy. He's tough and that's what great backs do.

With contract extension, how important to get it done, added significance this week and as an African-American head coach, what it means for the sport…
Yeah, I really haven't had an opportunity to reflect on that yet, because obviously the preparation for the game was our main focus and was my main focus. Really the only focus. That's what it was all about. I said from the beginning that I thought this was, I believe that Michigan State is a destination, this job was not a stepping stone. We want to bring a national championship to East Lansing. That's the goal and that's the plan. We want to be in that conversation year in and year out. Obviously there's a commitment to do that. In terms of black head coaches, there's very few, I think many out of 130, maybe 13 or 12. I'm not exactly sure, I know it's a small percentage. So everything that I do is and has significance and meaning across all different types of fronts. Everyone is watching. So, in terms of what all that means, I haven't really had the time to reflect on that because of the preparation and what goes into helping a team prepare for a Big Ten game like this. It's kind of a 24/7 type deal and you cannot allow yourself to be distracted in any type of way.

MSU Redshirt Sophomore QB Payton Thorne

About Jayden's catch on fourth-and-15...
It wasn't much about what I did, I just put it up there for him. That was all him, he made a great play and he got open as much as he could in that situation.

On rebounding after Ohio State loss...
After last week, the way we lost, we came together, and said we still got a lot to play for. We have to play for 10 wins, playing for our seniors, playing for a chance to be undefeated at home, and playing for a chance to play in a New Year's six bowl.

On the tough conditions...
As far as the conditions go, it was tough. The footing wasn't great, you saw a couple runs where he slipped and if he stayed up, he would've scored on a couple of them. Throwing the ball wasn't too bad, our ball boys and equipment managers did a great job cycling balls through, keeping them warm and keeping them dry. That's credit to them, they have been great all season, and they will continue to be great for the rest of the season.

On fighting through illness on the team...
This guy right here (Walker) sucked it up pretty good, he was hurting yesterday. He still isn't feeling great. Kevin Jarvis wasn't feeling great. Jacub Panasiuk wasn't feeling good. But there were a lot of guys who had the flu during the week, and maybe guys who didn't have the flu but did not feel good. We had IVs here a couple days ago. It was really a group effort on getting guys ready to go and battling through the adversity of this week.

MSU Junior RB Kenneth Walker III

On the offense coming together...
Everybody did a great job today; our offensive line did a good job protecting. Our receivers did a great job receiving in those conditions. We are playing for our seniors; we wanted to send them out with a win.

About the pick six and the instant response...
Things like that happen in a game. But we know to keep going and keep chopping through the negatives.

About what it would take for him to sit out...
I don't think I was going to sit out at all. I had my mind made up that I was playing. I wanted to play for my brothers in the last game.

About rebounding from last week's loss...
We watched the Ohio State film and said onto the next.

MSU Redshirt Junior WR Jayden Reed

About the fourth-and-15 catch...
That was a really big play that we needed in the moment. It all goes in the trust from the offensive coordinator, from the quarterback, to the offensive line, and to the receiver. At the end of the day, it is about trust. They had trust in me that I could make that play, and I'm glad I came down with it.

About pushing through this week after sitting out the second half at Ohio State with an injury...
What are you willing to do to receive what you have never had. It's all about being mentally tough; we got to send those guys out the right way. At the end of the day, it is a mindset.

About being healthy for the bowl game...
I've never played on that kind of stage; I'm very excited for that. We will have guys back that you haven't seen in a long time. You'll see the pieces put back together like they were earlier in the year.

About the onside kick...
We practice it all the time, but I never really get a shot at it. I got really excited, and I wanted it to kick it my way. Because sometimes I don't succeed in practice, but I fight every day and every time we do it, my goal is to never mess up. I made the play in the game, and it was very huge.

MSU Senior DE Drew Beesley

On the mindset of his last home game...
It being my last game in the woodshed, you could say I was a little more motivated to get this win. But not just for myself, but for the rest of the seniors as well. The snow was a lot of fun to play in. I made sure to savor every moment. I thank God for my amazing end to my MSU career.

About players being out this week with injuries...
It shows how tough we are and how resilient we are as a collective group. Guys were going through stuff, it's all about what you can do, and if you can't go it's the next man up. You've got to be prepared, and everyone prepared harder than ever.

On bowl game possibilities...
This gives us an opportunity to get back and get healthy again. Whoever we play in that New Year's Six bowl game. We are coming with that mindset, we are going to keep chopping regardless of any adversity we may face.

About rebounding after Ohio State...
We had a lot of motivation going into this game, so we forgot about what happened against Ohio State. We knew that that wasn't our best day of football. Being undefeated in the Woodshed and sending our seniors off the right way, I feel like both the older and the younger guys felt motivated and took it up a notch this week. We ended up being successful.

Penn State Head Coach James Franklin

On being successful in the pass game and trying to establish the run…
We were trying to mix the run game all day long. We were trying to help our offensive lineman in protection, but obviously we weren't able to run the ball consistently enough when we needed to.

On the defense struggling in fourth-down situations…
Obviously, not being able to convert on fourth-and-1 and give it up on fourth-and-15 against this type of opponent on the road is going to make it difficult to win and be successful. Obviously, it all starts with the running back. I thought the quarterback did a good job of extending plays and number one has made big plays all year long.

On the defense against Kenneth Walker…
I thought you know overall, I thought that we did a decent job of containing him for most of the game but there were critical stops that we needed at important times throughout the game, and we weren't able to make them.

On kicking the ball and those decisions in the second half…
Missed extra point and a missed chip shot field goal, again points were at a premium so obviously it impacts you going for it more on fourth down, those situations. We weren't able to execute.

On where you go from here in terms of recruiting and staff…
We will go out on the road recruiting on Sunday. We have meetings with the players. We will get started for bowl prep.

On rating the offensive line's pass blocking…
Overall, pretty good. Obviously, there were some plays especially late in the game where we were in obvious pass situations, but overall I thought we passed protected pretty good. We've got to run the ball better.

Players Mentioned

Drew Beesley

Kevin Jarvis

Jacub Panasiuk

Jayden Reed

Payton Thorne

Kenneth Walker III

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