|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
ROSE BOWL GAME: OREGON v FLORIDA STATEDecember 30, 2014Marcus MariotaPASADENA, CALIFORNIA Q. You're in the golden age of athletes from Hawai'i. Did that have any impression on you as a kid growing up? MARCUS MARIOTA: Yeah, definitely, growing up in‑‑ for me, I love watching Cole Brendan (ph), I love watching the Jed heads (ph) play in the stadium. I love watching even Manti Te'o, guys like that. For me, I think they really opened up doors, they really opened up opportunities to see that there are chances and things that you can do off the island. Just some of the people that I watched going up. Q. Has Shane reached out to you? Any others? MARCUS MARIOTA: I currently talk to Shane and Manti. It's not frequently but off and on and they both show their support and it means a lot to me. Q. Any advice from them? Particularly Manti, because he went through a crazy thing like this a couple years ago, and yours probably won't be as crazy. MARCUS MARIOTA: When he texted me during the process, he just said, enjoy it and stay true to yourself and always remember where you come from. It's kind of the same thing that Shane says to me. I think the biggest thing they both tell me is that your representation of not only yourself but where you come from and your family and your friends. Those are some of the things that I took to heart. Q. What's been the arc of Byron's progression as a receiver since spring ball? MARCUS MARIOTA: He's come a long way. First he was having a hard time with different formations and figuring out where to line up. Now he's telling where the young guys to line up and he's the guy that's kind of leading that charge outside. I mean, his ability as a runner is what makes him so effective as a receiver. Once he gets the ball in his hands, he's such a dynamic playmaker that he has a chance to score every time he touches it. Q. So you do things to really get him open in space with the other guys? MARCUS MARIOTA: Well, no, not necessarily. But we do have to find ways to get Byron the ball, and with his versatility as a receiver and we have opportunities to bring him back in the backfield really makes him a huge asset for us. Q. How do you feel like he's embraced that role? Was it begrudging? Was he all in right off the bat? MARCUS MARIOTA: I think it took him a little bit. I'm sure he can answer that question a little better. But once he found out his role, he took it in stride and really just changed and became such a team player and he's made so many plays for us this year, it's a credit to his ability to work hard and work through a little bit of adversity. Q. Inaudible. MARCUS MARIOTA: Yeah, I'd be like to you if I didn't tell you I was looking forward to this being done. But again, most people are generally respectful and this process has been fun and for me I'm just looking forward to playing the game now. Q. Have you progressed since the three weeks since the Heisman, imagine the first interview are probably trying to answer everything as long and detailed as possible. Not that you're doing a bad job‑‑ MARCUS MARIOTA: Are my answers a little shorter now? (Laughter). I think in the beginning before the Heisman and the awards ceremony, I think I was, I don't know, a little more fluent, but once that we kind of finished, you just get so tired. And it was a lot of obligations, but I mean, for me, I don't know when I will ever be on Dave Letterman doing the Top‑10 or stuff like that. That is all an experience and I enjoyed it and for me, this stuff is if your Honor in some sense but I'm glad, like I was telling‑‑ I'm glad it's done. Q. Were you more nervous for the Heisman speech or Letterman Top‑10? MARCUS MARIOTA: Heisman speech by a long shot. At least on Letterman they give me cards I could read. Q. Have you gotten to the point where you feel like you don't have to appease‑‑ MARCUS MARIOTA: Could you repeat the question? Q. Have you gotten to a point where you have learned that you don't have to appease like every out‑of‑left‑field question? MARCUS MARIOTA: Right, and you've really just got to give them an answer that you think is right. But again, people are going to ask questions to try to get you to say something but for the most part, just stay true to what the team motto is and stay true to who you are, you will answer the question effectively. Q. Inaudible. MARCUS MARIOTA: Definitely, I think some of those big plays was because of their aggressiveness. You know, they are always trying to make the big play and sometimes they gambled and it hurt them. They are such good athletes that they are able to compensate and make up for some of those things. When it comes down to crunch time, they do make the big play. For us, we just have to make sure that we are on our game plans and executing our stuff so that if that opportunity arises, we can finish. Q. What's your relationship with Jeff like? MARCUS MARIOTA: I mean, he was my roommate. He's been one of my closest friends since he's arrived, as funny as that sounds. He's like another set of eyes for me. He always tells me what he sees and for me, that helps me a lot. It's not only that. He's over there, if a bad drive happens, he's just like, don't worry about it, you'll get the next one, stuff like that. He always kind of keeps my head in the game. Q. And he plays buffer when fans come up‑‑ MARCUS MARIOTA: He tries to. For the most part, people are respectful and Jeff, if it's a little kid, Jeff will make it a point to help out the little kid. So for me, I'm just glad to have him around. Q. How much has it helped for you to have a good friend and high school teammate like Bronson be along with you, the whole ride from freshman year? MARCUS MARIOTA: Right, Bronson and Ava and Defo and Davis and all the kids from Hawai'i, it's nice because it's like a little family from home. If you ever get home sick, that's kind of the first group you go to. For us, it's nice to have that. Gives you comfort and for me, my first year, that was probably huge for me. I was home sick and it helped me out. Q. I know you're a really good soccer player but I read that you're not really good at FIFA. MARCUS MARIOTA: People give me a bad time. I'm all right. I have my moments but everybody has been beating me the last couple days so I've stayed off the game for sure. Q. What comes to mind when you hear Matt Pierson? MARCUS MARIOTA: Smart, versatile. Someone that really took it upon himself as a walk‑on to learn and be the best player that he can be, and right now he's contributing. It would be tough to say we would be here without him because he's such a great player in the standpoint that he's been able to fit roles that we need him to fit. He's played well in those situations. Q. How has Coach Scott enhanced your understanding of the game as a quarterback, and what did you learn from him that you might not have known? MARCUS MARIOTA: His knowledge of defenses and different fronts and coverages and how they all intertwine and why defenses run certain plays and why they run certain looks, the different stuff like that I think he's really kind of helped my growth. He's really helped me understand why we run certain plays against these certain defenses and why these zones are‑‑ why we are able to attack those zones in certain defenses. Without that, you know, some of the stuff that I've been able to do this year wouldn't have happened. Q. So to what degree has he‑‑ how much of an impact has he made on your success this season? MARCUS MARIOTA: The majority of it. Without himself and Coach Helfrich, my growth as a football player wouldn't be where it's at right now. When I first got, Coach Helfrich was huge, little things like learning the offense and understanding what we do as an offense and why we do it. Coach took it another level and he helped me understand why we have certain plays against certain defenses and with that being said, you know, both those guys are two key contributors to why I was successful this year. Q. Seeing Helfrich‑‑ what qualities do you see in Frost that you see that he could be a head coach? MARCUS MARIOTA: He's a stern leader. He wants what's best for his players. He's very smart. He knows how to handle different game situations. He's just one of those guys you would love to play for. And I think the type of relationship that I have with coach frost, he kind of has with every single player on the team. And that's pretty special, especially as an offensive coordinator when you have kind of a close‑knit bond with guys on defense. With that being said, guys would love to play for him but I think for him, it's up to him whether or not he thinks he can do it. Q. What role did Darnell play for you? Kind of a fierce guy. Was there things that he worked with you on? MARCUS MARIOTA: He really was kind of the first person that introduced me to kind of no‑huddle. I ran a little bit with Coach Howe (ph) and Passes (ph) but he really took it to another level with our senior class, and you know, he really helped me kind of get ready for college. He told me that you've got to find ways to always get better, and it's always about the small details. That's stuff that I still use today in my life. You know with, that being said, he's contributed so much to me, and I'm grateful for it. Q. A lot of recent Heisman‑winning quarterbacks have had problems in the pros. What do you think you have to do when you get to the next level to make sure that you're successful? MARCUS MARIOTA: When I make that decision‑‑ I think in order to be successful, you have to find ways to improve your game, whether it's inside the pocket or out. I think most effective quarterbacks in the NFL today are good pocket passers and find ways to beat teams with their arm. So I think for anybody coming out of college, you definitely have to find ways to improve your pocket positioning, as well as finding ways to hopefully make a difference on the team. Q. Do you think over the last few years, just watching some of these guys and their trials and tribulations, kind of helps you more in terms of understanding the transition from college game to the pro game? MARCUS MARIOTA: I think that's tough. I don't think anybody really understands the transition until you're in it. So that's kind of tough to comment on. Q. You said that you're not thinking at all about the NFL. How do you avoid thinking about that, such a big decision and so much at stake? MARCUS MARIOTA: Just my teammates. That's the biggest thing. I think this team is really close, and when you have your best for your team in mind, it's easy to kind of knock out those distractions, especially individual ones like the NFL. For me I'm more focused on getting ready for this Rose Bowl game and whatever comes next instead of worrying about what the NFL has to offer. Q. What has the biggest difference between playing for Chip and Coach Helfrich? Is there a quintessential Chip moment and quintessential Helfrich moment? MARCUS MARIOTA: That's a good question. You know, Coach Kelly, I think he was very‑‑ gosh, I wouldn't say stubborn, but he was always finding ways to manipulate our offense into running the same plays over and over again. I think Coach Helfrich really uses different concepts and allows us to get in different situations. With that being said, they are so similar that it's kind of tough to say. Q. Are they really similar personality‑wise? MARCUS MARIOTA: I wouldn't say personality. But for the most part I think as coaching, they are pretty similar. Q. What's the difference in their personalities? MARCUS MARIOTA: Well, I mean Coach Helfrich I think‑‑ not saying Coach Kelly didn't love his players, but Coach Helfrich comes and his door is always open. He's always the guy that's asking how your family is doing, how you're doing. Coach Kelly did the same thing but I think not to the same degree that Coach Helfrich does and that's pretty evident with all of his players. Q. Can you tell‑‑ have you gotten that far in game planning? MARCUS MARIOTA: We have different things that hopefully we'll be successful. I'm sure coach frost can comment on that a little better. We're always going to have a few wrinkles for any team that we play. Q. What stands out what you watch them on film? MARCUS MARIOTA: They have so many playmakers. They always find ways to turn the ball over. Whether or not you drive the ball down, they find ways to get you off the field even if you're in the red zone. So they have a good defense. They are stern. They are going to make their plays. But for us we just have to make sure that we focus on our game plan and try to execute it to the best of our abilities. Q. Does winning the Heisman Trophy change the level of scrutiny on your play, do you think? MARCUS MARIOTA: I don't know. I think that's people's opinions. Not something I can really control. Q. Have you watched the Georgia Tech game? MARCUS MARIOTA: A little bit. That's tough because a lot of Georgia Tech's concepts are not necessarily our concepts so it's kind of tough to watch another team that's not running your same stuff. But with that being said, the way Georgia Tech ran the ball, it says a lot about how they are effectively running their offense. Q. Does that let you know that you can execute this, that, the other? MARCUS MARIOTA: I'm sure coach frost and Coach Helfrich are figuring out ways to do that. Q. Have you noticed that the monthlong layoff affects you, slow start or having to get into a rhythm after taking so much time off? MARCUS MARIOTA: Not really. I felt the last couple Bowl games, even the Fiesta Bowl, we started out pretty quick and then we kind of slowed down in the second quarter. But that was kind of typical of our seasons that year. So I don't know, I wouldn't be able to really comment on that. Q. How much are you anticipating this game? Are you just ready for it to get here? MARCUS MARIOTA: Yeah, definitely, I'm excited for it.  You're playing in the Rose Bowl. The history and tradition of the Rose Bowl; if that doesn't get you excited, I don't know what will. Q. Is there emphasis, do you have to keep the gas on the pedal because Florida State has been so good at coming back? MARCUS MARIOTA: For sure. If we go down and score, you have to think it's 7‑7, 14‑14 just because Jameis and that offense will find ways to get back in the game. He's such a good player that they are never down and out. We definitely have to make sure we finish every drive and try to score as much points as we can. Q. What was it like earlier in the season, I think I probably asked you this in Orlando, when you guys lost to Arizona, what was that like after that game and just trying to rebuild and refocus yourselves? MARCUS MARIOTA: The mentality was positive. The guys were motivated to get on to the next week. I think that mentality really kind of set fire to the rest of the year. Battling through a little adversity will always make you a little stronger and I think that's what happened with our team. Q. You said "set fire." Is that the reason you guys burned Arizona? MARCUS MARIOTA: I think we were rolling, and you know, we were executing kind of on all cylinders. It all came together against Arizona. Q. This is all new to all of us, sort of out of left field but from what you've seen so far, playoff, four teams, eight teams, what do you think? MARCUS MARIOTA: You know, that's tough. I think you're always going to get controversy whether it's four, eight, 12, 16. Obviously the teams that did well, they deserve to get in. But at the same time, you start getting into eight‑, ten‑, 12‑team playoffs, you start to run into another semester of school and guys are playing a lot longer. For us it's another opportunity to find out who the best team is. To find the true winner of college football is always the key, and in it's four or if it's eight or however many, then fine by us. Q. How much have you slept in the last month? MARCUS MARIOTA: How much have I slept? As much as I can. I've gotten a lot of good rest. Going home for me during Christmas was huge and I kind of slept the entire time I was home. Q. Flying back and forth to Hawai'i‑‑ MARCUS MARIOTA: No, it wasn't too bad. For me I can sleep on planes, so that was really helpful. Q. On game day, what's it going to be like? How many friends, family are going to be gathered around the TV? MARCUS MARIOTA: It will be pretty wild for sure. You know, a lot of my family is actually going to be here for the game which will be cool. But you know, guys, a lot of my high school buddies and all that, they will be together, so that will be pretty wild and cool to see for sure. Q. How many days were you home? MARCUS MARIOTA: I was home, so, from the 20th to the 25th, I didn't do much. It actually was raining pretty hard back home so there wasn't much to do. But when it kind of cleared up, I went to the beach for a little bit and for the most part kind of hung out with family and just kind of enjoyed some R&R. Q. How many family members do you expect at the game? MARCUS MARIOTA: There will be six. So my grandpa, my grandma, my mom, my dad and my brother and my girlfriend, as well. FastScripts by ASAP Sports ... FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
About ASAP Sports •
FastScripts Archive •
Recent Interviews •
Captioning •
Upcoming Events •
Contact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links |
|
ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297
|