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CAPITAL ONE ORANGE BOWL: MISSISSIPPI STATE v GEORGIA TECHDecember 29, 2014Benardrick McKinneyMIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA Q.  Coach seems like he likes to have fun. Have you seen that? Was that something that attracted you to Mississippi State? BENARDRICK MCKINNEY: Yeah, Coach Mullen, he's a good coach. He's serious when it's time to be serious. He plays when it's time to play during practice. He jokes with us, but he knows when it's time to work. When we're having fun, he has fun with us like a good coach. Q. What kind of things does he do to loosen things up, give you guys a break? BENARDRICK MCKINNEY: Sometimes he just cracks jokes, like I was saying, at the beach yesterday he was smiling with us, playing with us, giving us the idea to have fun. Like I say, he's a good coach. Very fun. Q. Is he the kind of coach‑‑ I was just telling Preston over there, the Jets were in here yesterday and they talked about how much they enjoy playing for Rex Ryan. Is that the kind of feeling you have for him? BENARDRICK MCKINNEY: Yeah, he pushes us to the best of our ability. We come here a two‑star linebacker, a two‑star athlete, he pushes me to be the best I am. I wouldn't be in the position I am. He pushes everybody to the best of their ability, to be the best players. Q. Were you a two‑star recruit? BENARDRICK MCKINNEY: Yeah. Q. Were you really? BENARDRICK MCKINNEY: Yeah. Q. You've come a long way. BENARDRICK MCKINNEY: Yeah, a long way, long way. Q. How much of that is coaching? BENARDRICK MCKINNEY: That has a lot to do with coaching. Guys like Coach, me coming in, they pushed me and told me I had to be the leader of the defense when I was a freshman. That's a big role, a big step, me being a freshman and a two‑star athlete, how I'm going to be a leader of the defense, but they pushed it and enforced it on me every day, every day in workouts, every day in practice, and they put me in the right position to make big plays. Q. How many years have you been a starter? BENARDRICK MCKINNEY: Since I was a redshirt freshman. Q. (Inaudible.) BENARDRICK MCKINNEY: He's a great quarterback. He played in high school. He's been giving us a good‑‑ he's been giving us a good look at practice. He's been giving the offensive line, the running backs, great looks, so he's been preparing us to play the game. Q. Have you ever faced this type of offense before? BENARDRICK MCKINNEY: Never have, no. Q. Do you think if you only had like during the season one week, do you think that would be enough, or are you glad to have this extra time to study it? BENARDRICK MCKINNEY: We've been‑‑ we've had three weeks to practice this offense pretty hard, but we've been getting it, watching film, watching a lot of film, leadership, and getting guys running to the ball. Coach has been putting us in the right position to make the right calls to we can make the play. Q. How happy with you guys that the Orange Bowl is letting your fans bring the cowbells and play them during the game? Seems like at home you do pretty well when you have them. BENARDRICK MCKINNEY: Yeah, the cowbells are huge. It's very good to play under the cowbells. A lot of guys like to hear the cowbells, get the offense shook up, get them to jump offsides. It's a great opportunity to have the cowbells. Q. Does it make it feel more like home? BENARDRICK MCKINNEY: Yeah, it makes it feel like home, like we have the home field advantage, hearing the cowbells. Q. What's the coolest cowbell you've seen? BENARDRICK MCKINNEY: The coolest cowbell I've seen is in the industrial technology building we have. I'd say it's six feet tall and they bring it to every game. It's the coolest one I've ever seen. Q. What do they have on it? BENARDRICK MCKINNEY: It has like alumni on it, alumni names. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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