Jack Miller, Yukon Cornelius, Amara Darboh
Jack, the offense didn’t score a whole lot but some people noticed the difference between last year against Michigan State and this year in terms of the offensive line holding its own. Was progress made there or does the frustration about not scoring that many points overwhelm that?
JM: “A little bit of both probably. There was some progress, especially when you compare it to the season before against Michigan State. We did a much better job picking up some of their blitzes, those type of things, and were able to move the line of scrimmage a little bit more than we did last year. Obviously the way it turned out kind of put a damper on it.”
With a record of 3-5 and just four games left to play how do the goals shift? How does the focus remain on just one game at a time? Also just kind of talk about the coaches message at this juncture in the season.
JM: “Being 3-5 it almost becomes easier to just take it one game at a time. When you’re winning you’re thinking of the big picture probably a little more. You’re thinking of what’s to come. When things aren’t going your way necessarily you buckle down and all you can really do is focus on the next game. That’s where we’re at. That’s the coaches’ message. That’s kind of been our approach throughout the season.”
BB: “Yeah, I’d agree with that. All of our focus has shifted to what’s in front of us: Indiana. The next game, that’s what we’re focused on.”
AD: “Yeah, both of those guys said it best. Just focused on Indiana right now and focused on practicing and trying to get better.”
Brennen, the way Michigan State was able to run the football…does that give an incentive to control an Indiana team that runs the ball also very well?
BB: “Yeah, they have a great back back there, their leading rusher. We definitely- we watched the State film and we’re going to have to learn from our mistakes. Definitely bring it in practice this week and be ready for that run.”
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The stake incident at Michigan State: what did you guys make of that? Do you think it was overblown or was that a show of emotion from you guys and from Joe in leading this team?
JM: “Yeah, I think first and foremost it wasn’t meant to be disrespectful to Michigan State in any way. It was an emotional thing and a motivational thing that happened. Yeah, it got overblown but that’s what happens when people are upset and those types of things so that’s over with and like I said, I speak for everyone and coach Hoke said it best, it wasn’t a disrespectful thing. It wasn’t meant to be disrespectful.”
Just a quick follow-up to that, were you guys surprised that it seemed to be taken that way from Dantonio’s comments after the game?
JM: “Um, not necessarily. I think any time stuff like that happens on your home field it can spark a little bit of emotion from the home team so no, not necessarily. That’s their prerogative to feel how they want to feel about it.”
Jack, you mentioned that it was overblown, this whole thing. It seems like this year there have been so many little things that have ended up being these massive stories. Is it difficult in the locker room when every little thing is magnified so much when it isn’t going well?
JM: “Yeah, that’s just the nature of it. People are upset. We’re upset, and so naturally things become a bigger deal than they probably really are. Kirk Herbstreit said it best with the whole Shane incident, if we were 5-0 at that point nobody would have cared, and I think it’s probably the same thing for a lot of these situations.”
To follow-up on the running game, coach Mattison talked about how they brought up an extra tackle and more beef up front. What was it that you saw that was frustrating when trying to stop the rushing attack there?
BB: “Yeah, I just think their o-line was able to get to our linebackers pretty quick so that made it hard. We didn’t stay in our gaps when we needed to. We weren’t as stout as we wanted to be in the gut of our defense.”
Seven drops in the game against Michigan State. I know you had one in the beginning of the second half that could have possible set you guys up in Michigan State territory. How do you focus to change that, correct that, and then obviously step up for your quarterback, who put the ball close to you guys?
AD: “It’s just [that] football is a game of momentums and we had a couple chances to make plays and we didn’t make them, but we’ve got to move on [and] focus on Indiana. This week in practice just make sure we follow through with our eyes and have a game-like practice and try to make sure we make those plays when the Indiana game comes.”
Amara, where do you feel you’ve made the most progress? A couple games before this you became a third-down target and came up with some big catches.
AD: “I try to improve everywhere: in my route running, being physical, catching the ball and everything. I try to be competitive also and it doesn’t always work the way you want it to but all you can do is try and give it your best.”
Feeling more comfortable out there?
AD: “Yeah, feeling a lot more comfortable. Being out there after sitting out a year it’s kind of good to be back out there and getting used to things.”
Is this season wearing on you at all? Jack talked about how small things seem to get overblown. Is it taking a toll on you with a month of the season left?
AD: “I would say it’s bringing us closer together because we’ve had some tough losses and it’s kind of forcing us to build a stronger brotherhood. You get to really know guys, and we’re trying to figure out what we need to do and keep working hard and improving.”
BB: “I’d agree with that. Definitely brings the team together. I’d say it gives us an opportunity to fight back against adversity.”
JM: “I’ve said it before [but] we’re as upset and as frustrated as anybody out there. This isn’t going the way we foresaw it, and it’s frustrating when you work as hard and as long as we do in the offseason to not obtain the goals that you have for yourself but this team is resilient and there’s a lot of fight in it and there’s no other option but to go out and compete every Saturday and do that for each other. That’s all we can do.”
Jack, the stake thing was probably a little bit overblown but Mark Dantonio’s comments were about this systemic disrespect that those players feel or an arrogance that they feel playing you guys. Do you guys sense that or do you have idea where that feeling comes from with the Michigan State guys?
JM: “I’m an Ohio kid so I didn’t grow up here around the rivalry necessarily. I do think that I know it’s a heated rivalry and there’s a lot of resentment between the two programs, but that’s what a rivalry’s about. I don’t think that in my time here there’s been any displays or anything like that to warrant a complete lack of respect, but like I said I’ve only been here four seasons and I’ve only seen what I’ve personally been around. Like I said, it’s part of the rivalry, I think.”
Brady said the stake thing came from a message Friday night in the locker room. What was the message? Did you have a guest speaker? See a movie? What was it all about?
JM:“It was- yeah, it was a story. Coach Hoke talked about this. I probably can’t put it any better than he did. It was a signal and a symbol for unity and team and staying together, those type of things and coach Hoke hit on it and like I said, I can’t do it any more justice than that.”