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PENN STATE UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

November 17, 2015

Christian Hackenberg

University Park, Pennsylvania

Q. How would you assess your progression this season, and what would you want to work on moving forward?
CHRISTIAN HACKENBERG: I think we all do a really good job of just approaching each week as a new challenge, continuing to try and build on the things we're doing well and the things that we're not doing so well and make sure that we try and fix those problems and improve in those areas. That's been my approach. I think that's been our team's approach this whole year.

Q. Christian, Saquon's had 108 yards receiving the last two games. How much of a relief is it to you or how much has it opened up the offense knowing you can dump the ball off and get 20, 30 yards sometimes?
CHRISTIAN HACKENBERG: He's done a great job in our screen game and he's done a great job of getting out when he needs to get out and protect when he needs to protect. We, as an offense, have done a great job of moving on and not forcing the football and being able to get it down to him and letting him make plays. That's been huge for us, and it's been great. It's been great for him just to get that going as well. Making sure he's making an impact in different areas, not just running the football.

Q. Christian, it's obviously Senior Day, and every Penn State fan out there would be wondering, have you given consideration if this will be your last game here at Beaver Stadium?
CHRISTIAN HACKENBERG: Not really. I'm just focusing on it one week at a time, doing what I need to do to make sure I'm the most prepared I can. And then right now for these seniors to go out and play as well as I can and make sure that as a team we're really rolling and doing what we need to do. It's a great challenge that we have this week against Michigan. They bring a lot of stuff to the table. So we're really excited about that, and I think that's where all of our heads are right now.

Q. Can you talk about what this senior class has meant to this program? What James did. A lot of people are talking about it this week.
CHRISTIAN HACKENBERG: These are guys I spent a lot of time with when I was doing visits and stuff. To me, it meant a lot. They took me under their wing, and it meant a lot to me to learn from them in terms of how they handled the situations and what they've been dealt. They deserve to be sent out on a high note. They deserve to be sent out the right way.

Similar to the last few classes that came through, they're very special, and they mean a lot to this program in the grand scheme and the history of this program.

Q. Christian, how did you spend your weekend off? I know you've talked in the past about needing to refresh mentally. Did you feel like at this point of the season you needed that, and were you able to accomplish that with the time off?
CHRISTIAN HACKENBERG: It was great. I went back home, spent some time with my family. It was really good. Hit the recharge button. Feel refreshed. Ready to roll.

Q. Zettel just told us he cried at the end of King Kong. Can you confirm that?
CHRISTIAN HACKENBERG: I don't know. I wasn't there. I can't really confirm or deny it.

Q. My real question for you is oftentimes this season and last season as well, there's been mention of criticism, there has been public criticism. Why do you think, despite the fact that you've been highly efficient this season, that criticism has somewhat continued?
CHRISTIAN HACKENBERG: It is what it is. It's part of being where you are as a player at this level and especially at a program like Penn State. It's part of the deal. So just focus in on what you can control and the things you have control over is ultimately what you've got to do.

I'm enjoying the process. So not really paying too much attention to it.

Q. Christian, Von Walker said a couple of weeks ago that, when you got here, I didn't know who you were, and he started picking on you right away and giving you a hard time. What do you remember about first meeting him? And what did it feel like to be treated as one of the guys from somebody like that?
CHRISTIAN HACKENBERG: I love Von. I loved him from the first time I met him, how hard he worked. He's a great personality, a lot of fun to hang out with and spend time with.

It's cool. I'm not the kind of person to really expect any special treatment. I really came in and put my head down and tried to work as hard as anyone else. So I think just having Von there, it was always fun. We always kind of went back and forth at it. At that time, he was playing offense. So we definitely had a lot of good times when we first got here.

Q. Christian, kind of looking ahead here a little bit, how do you hope you're remembered here at Penn State?
CHRISTIAN HACKENBERG: I just want to make sure, in terms of teammates' eyes, that they knew that I went out there and left it all on the field, played with a fiery competitor inside of me, and really, really let it all hang out. That's kind of how I try and play. That's how I try and live my life. So that, at the end of the day, is something that I hope happens. Ultimately, that's going to be determined by people outside of myself.

Q. Christian, what do you remember about the Eastern Michigan game, your first start here? What's the difference between you walking out of the tunnel that game and walking out of the tunnel this weekend?
CHRISTIAN HACKENBERG: That feels like forever ago, but it really wasn't. It was awesome to be able to come out as a freshman, have kind of a lot of guys around me make plays. It was a great experience. It's one of those things you really never forget. Your first college game at home, and then we were able to go out and win. So that always helps.

And now it's one of those things that doesn't change. Walking out of that tunnel is special every Saturday, and it's something that you look forward to, and it's something that is kind of ingrained in your brain as you move forward. It's something that is really special to each and every one of these guys.

Q. Christian, Baney and Zettel said the same thing. I'm curious if you'll go the same route. So far, what has been the most memorable game of your career?
CHRISTIAN HACKENBERG: Obviously, the Michigan game my freshman year was a lot of fun. So many ups and downs. So many balls bouncing different ways. That was always a lot of fun.

I loved the Wisconsin game that year as well. I think the Pinstripe Bowl was pretty fun as well.

Q. They both mentioned the quadruple overtime Michigan game as well. Why is that everyone's most memorable game? What was so special about it to you guys?
CHRISTIAN HACKENBERG: I think it was so draining and so many ups and downs. We could have lost that game many times, and we could have won that game that many more times. It's one of those things you look back at it, how everything unfolded, it was insane. Next thing you look down, and it was like 5 1/2 hours or something like that. It was really draining physically and mentally.

Q. Coming out of right field on this one, and Brandon bell was telling me you guys were in basketball class together this summer. The goal wasn't to be too competitive, but it didn't really work. What do you remember about that class? People on the team say you're a pretty good basketball player.
CHRISTIAN HACKENBERG: Yeah, we would go at it, and Coach Morris, who teaches the class, was loving every second of it. He made sure he kind of enticed it whenever he could. He pushed the right buttons.

Yeah, we went at it. It's just something that I wouldn't expect to end up any other way. If Brandon thought that was how it was going to be going in, then he had a different mindset than I did. I knew it was going to be pretty competitive.

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