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PENN STATE UNIVERSITY MEDIA CONFERENCEAugust 26, 2014C.J. OlaniyanQ. C.J., at least on paper, it looked like you guys have an advantage your defensive front against their offensive front, talk about what you see from those guys up front at UCF? C.J. OLANIYAN: Like you said, they've got a young front now because the guys from last year graduated. We feel like a defensive unit, D‑line, we worry about ourselves and do necessary stuff to make sure we come out there and dominate no matter who we're playing. So we take into consideration the fact that the offensive line is young in some aspects, but we're still going to come out there and try to play our game. Q. We haven't had a chance to talk to you since you've been named one of the team's captains. First off, what's that mean to you to be a captain? Secondly, why do you think teammates voted you as one of their guys? What kind of stuff do you do to maybe lead them? C.J. OLANIYAN: It means a lot to me to be voted captain since I stepped foot on this campus and as far as the D‑line room. Every year there's been a D‑line there's been a captain, so it feels good to be able carry the tradition other. Going back to your second question, I just try to be there for my teammates whether it's emotionally, spiritually, trying to get them going out there in practice, try to motivate them and try to lead by example, not just by saying it. Q. Some of the younger guys on defensive line, who has been standing out to you? C.J. OLANIYAN: All the guys have been standing out. We've been coming in since camp started and coming in trying to do our best putting in 110%. I can't single out one guy because to me each one of them has been impressive. Q. I guess you're saying it's a business trip going to Ireland. Is that your mentality? C.J. OLANIYAN: That's the mentality of the whole team and everybody that's coming with us has to have. With the extra stuff that might be involved, we'll still have UCF in the back of our mind, and going in from the day we land there we're thinking about it's a business trip and we're out there trying to get a win. Q. What have you seen from Austin Johnson and Anthony Zettel, and how has the O‑line been gelling throughout camp? C.J. OLANIYAN: Between Austin and Zettel, I feel like they're going to be the top two defensive tackles in our conference. I'm excited to see them play in the first game because they've been wreaking havoc the whole camp. They've been out there just dominating. I think they're going to have a great year for us. Q. C.J., Coach Franklin mentioned he's definitely seen an improvement in your game since you've been here and he mentioned you were a family man. What's it mean to be able to go out there and play every day for something bigger than yourself? C.J. OLANIYAN: It just puts an extra pressure, which I like the pressure on me, to go out there and whatever I do as far as on the field, on the practice field, it's not just about me. I have to think about my family as well. As far as my daughter, like coach said, my fiancee, and me personally, family means a lot to me. I put my family on my sleeve every time I'm out there. Q. C.J., last year Penn State allowed about 26 points a game. By Penn State standards, that didn't seem like it was the most effective defense that you guys have played. When you look at the offense with some new personnel, how much is the defense looking to take a step back to Penn State standards? C.J. OLANIYAN: I know for us as defense, we have goals, certain goals we try to reach each game. Coach Shoop has a great game plan for us for this game. He's going to have a game plan for us for every game. If we do everything within the game plan and the framework of the defense, we're going to have a great year for defense and it's going to be our standards. Q. Have you seen a major jump in how Mike Hull's leadership has developed in the past year in terms of his vocal leadership? Or has it been more of it's been more common for guys to look to him? C.J. OLANIYAN: Since Mike Hull's been here, he's always done stuff by example, leading by example. This year starting off with spring ball and going into camp, he's become more of a vocal leader. He's getting after guys, letting guys know what they need to do, and picking guys up where they need to be picked up, which is going to be great for us this year. It's going to help us a lot on the field. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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