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PENN STATE UNIVERSITY MEDIA CONFERENCENovember 19, 2013Ty HowleQ. Ty, Bill Belton is a pretty laid back guy. I'm just curious, have you ever heard him yell? I'm just curious if there is a part of Bill Belton we don't get to see? TY HOWLE: Obviously he's laid back. Bill's a fiery competitor. He's a guy that wants to win and you can see that from the way he practices and the way he plays. Just because someone yells doesn't necessarily mean they're fiery or not. I can tell you he has a fire about him. He comes and works hard and he competes, so I mean that's all we need to see rather than a hurrah‑type guy. Q. Have you had time to process that this is going to be the last game? Who do you think is going to be the most emotional of you seniors prior to the game? TY HOWLE: I don't want to point anybody out. I mean, I don't know. Obviously, I'm going to be emotional. It's been a long time here at Penn State, and this is what I've known for the past five years. As far as this week goes, I'm trying not to think about it but I'm focusing on playing Nebraska and going out and getting this win. But it's obviously going to be on all of our minds. It's bittersweet. We're looking forward to the opportunity to play Nebraska and play in front of Beaver Stadium again. But it's going to be tough knowing this is our last opportunity. Q. You guys as an offensive line have strung together a few really good games. Do you guys hang out a lot off the field? If you do, how important is it for that aspect of it to carry over to what you do on the field in terms of gelling together and playing together as one offensive line? Like coach has said this year, there is a difference between playing as individuals and playing as one. TY HOWLE: Yeah, we hang out quite a bit off the field. John Urschel, myself, Miles, Adam, Garry, Donavon, Angelo, we're all constantly around each other whether it's in the locker room in the building or going out and grabbing some food together or whether we're having a hog outing where Mama Hog, Coach Mac's wife Cooks for us. We're constantly together and that does help us being able to gel and play together and working on our communication. Q. How often do you guys (No microphone)? TY HOWLE: No, no. Whatever the compliance thing is. You know what I mean? I don't know. We had one before the season and one‑‑ you know, you've got follow NCAA rules, but we go over there every once in a while. Q. What would it mean personally for you to leave here this season and if you win this game it clinches the winning season as opposed to if you were to go 6‑6? TY HOWLE: Obviously it means a lot. I'm a football player. I came here to win. That's one of the reasons I came to Penn State because at Penn State you're going to win. It means a lot. But also process means a lot. How we went through the season and how game by game we've grown on the field and as a team. It's probably the most important part so. Q. Bill said earlier that Garry Gilliam isn't going to come back next year. How did you guys find out? Obviously you're with Garry every day. I'm sure you brought it up at some point. TY HOWLE: Honestly, that's something him and Coach O'Brien have talked about. You know, we didn't know that he wasn't until recently. That is his decision. We all support it and wish him the best. Obviously, him and Coach O'Brien figured something out, and that's all we know. Q. Can you talk about the challenges Nebraska brings to you this weekend? TY HOWLE: Yeah, defensively Nebraska, they're that old throwback Nebraska team. They're tough, they're aggressive. Their front four will get after their quarterback. I mean, their linebackers and their whole front seven gets after the quarterback. They've got a lot of sacks on the season. They have a tough run defense. Their secondary, they've been good all season. You know, it's going to be a good challenge for us and a great opportunity for our offense and for our team to play this week. Q. Ty, your senior class was one that really had to go through all the Sandusky scandal stuff two years ago and the sanctions the year and a half ago. Is that something you still think about or is it something that you've kind of put out of your mind? What are your thoughts on all of that? TY HOWLE: We've put that behind us. This whole season we've been focused on the next game and this season. So I mean, honestly, we don't ever really talk about it. We don't ever mention it. But I know going through it it's shaped a lot of us and made us stronger. So we're happy for the opportunity we've had here at Penn State. Q. You said earlier today on the conference call it was a culture shock coming up here compared to what you're used to in NorthCarolina. I know the McWhorters being from NorthCarolina, I guess I'm getting at some of that Southern cuisine, was that kind of like a taste of home for you when you had been up here for a while? But the McWhorters come up here ‑‑ I guess how does her cooking measure up to your mom? TY HOWLE: (Laughing). Oh, you're setting me up for failure with that question, man. Q. I kind of had a question there. TY HOWLE: No, it was awesome when Coach Mac and Mama Hog came up here. They definitely brought some southern roots up to Penn State. She makes some good barbecue, so I'm not going to compare it against my mothers or anything like that. But Mama Hog can cook and so can my mother. Yeah, it was really nice getting that connection last year and even more so this year. So it's been fun. Q. How does your preparation change going against a Nebraska team that likes to blitz inside the linebackers as opposed to a Minnesota that has a dominant defensive lineman? TY HOWLE: Everything changes week by week. You're game planning for the team you're playing. But as far as fundamentals and building from the ground up, we're going to do the same drills that week. We're going to stress our fundamentals and that's what Coach Mac does and Coach O'Brien does. But obviously we're going to prepare for the situations that are new each week with facing that team. So I mean we're going to game plan to be able to produce against that team each week. Q. One thing Coach O'Brien said when he was in here was this game is important because he wants to get the win for the seniors. Have you gotten that from not just the coaching staff but underclassmen as well? TY HOWLE: Yeah, a lot of guys have talked about it with me as far as asking me how I felt about this being the last game. Our younger guys are not only talented, but they're a great group of guys. I think they feel like they want to go out here and win. Not only for the seniors, but for our team as a whole. That's who we're playing for. We're playing for each other. Honestly, me, I want to get this bin for the seniors and coaching staff. But I want to get this win for the younger guys as well because they're the future. They're the ones that keep building upon these experiences. I'm excited to see how it goes and looking forward to the opportunity on Saturday. Q. (No microphone)? TY HOWLE: Yeah, you know, you get such a close connection with those guys and you realize last year at this time I was thinking I've got one more game left with Motts, and with Z, and with Farrell and all these guys. You're like I've got to make sure they go out on a good note. We enjoy this last chance we had to play together. Q. Do you individually since 2009, what is your personal high point of your five years? What do you think the whole team as a program over the last five years? TY HOWLE: My personal‑‑ I mean, to tell you the truth, I can't point out any specific point in time. I've had a great time over these past five years. Obviously, I was asked earlier on in the conference call today what are one of the more memorable wins. That's Michigan and Wisconsin from last year. That was kind of the build‑up for those seniors and had a good time. So those have been some of the more memorable points as far as wins and stuff like that. But what I'm going to remember a lot is all the time I spent in the locker room and in the building with all my teammates. That's going to be something that I cherish moving forward. Q. The pancake block isn't an official stat and they don't keep it in the box scores. Do you guys have a running tally? Do you kind of try to keep track of that in the game or throughout the season? The offensive line among yourselves? TY HOWLE: No, Coach Mac keeps track of them. He calls them domination blocks, same thing. At the same time, you get the guy on the ground and you're on top. He keeps track of them every week. But we don't really get an official stat or tally of it. Q. What is your favorite restaurant? TY HOWLE: Restaurant? Back home there is a place called The Pit. It's a barbecue place. That's my style. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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