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CAPITAL ONE ORANGE BOWL: FLORIDA STATE VS MICHIGANDecember 27, 2016DeMarcus WalkerMiami Gardens, Florida Q. (Inaudible.) DEMARCUS WALKER: It's been very good. I'm very proud of the way we've been building and getting better every single week. Q. What do you make of Michigan's offense? DEMARCUS WALKER: Pro-style, a great offensive line, of course. The wide receivers are athletes, especially when they put No. 5 in there, so we have to go out there and just execute. Q. (Inaudible)? DEMARCUS WALKER: You don't want to make it too much of an emphasis on him because he still has other great athletes around him, so we're aware of where he's at, but we still play what's called -- Q. Do you feel like it's an advantage playing in the stadium earlier this year? DEMARCUS WALKER: No, I don't think so. Michigan is a great team. I believe they'll come prepared. Q. What has changed over two seasons? DEMARCUS WALKER: Just everybody buying into the system, Coach Lawing most definitely, and just going out there and wanting to make plays. Q. Do you remember when Coach got here that he spoke about guys (inaudible)? DEMARCUS WALKER: Yeah, just knowing how to utilize my talent and how to maximize my value, so I'm very pleased with where he played me at. I thank him all the time because my life has changed. Q. What is it about the system and what he's done with you that has caused you to -- DEMARCUS WALKER: I'm just very comfortable, know how to use my body type. He knows how to utilize my talent. Just stuff that I thought I wasn't able to do, he saw the potential and I've just lived up to that. Q. What kind of things? DEMARCUS WALKER: Just moving me inside on third down, how to play a 4 technique, everything. Q. Did you ever feel like you'd be in a position like this? DEMARCUS WALKER: Yes, because we got better throughout the season. We deserved it. Q. (Inaudible)? DEMARCUS WALKER: Yeah, at first in the beginning of the year, it was a struggle, but I just knew stuff wasn't going to change, so I had to better my condition, better my eating habits, and just train my body to play 80 to 90 something snaps a game. I would say after the NC State game I was used to playing the whole game. Q. There's a mental side, too, that you talked about. What exactly went into the physical change? DEMARCUS WALKER: Just when I knew that stuff was going to change. Coach Lawing needed me out there, so I just adjusted and we were able to produce, just even still playing so many snaps. Q. Did you pace yourself at the beginning, and by the end you were able to go hard all the time? DEMARCUS WALKER: No, I never paced myself. It's just last year we had a great rotation between Giorgio Newberry and Ricky Leonard. That was a great rotation. Then the next year I'm thinking the same rotation, but he's like, no, you're playing the whole game. Know what I'm saying? It was a hard transition, but just maturing and just knowing what's at stake, and they're going to be good coming out of it. I was able to make that transition. Q. Do you see every kind of offense imaginable trying to block people, two guys, three guys? What's the craziest one? DEMARCUS WALKER: Crap, there was a few games where I had three people on me to make plays, but it's just the heart and drive that I play with, and all the hard work pays off, so I don't care how many guys you put on me, I'm going to still prevail and get to the quarterback. Q. Even though you've accomplished a lot, you always seem to have a little bit of a chip on your shoulder. Where does that come from? DEMARCUS WALKER: Just coming from my background and just -- I love proving people wrong. Even though the stats I put up, the times where I take over games, people still doubt. I just smile and just continue working hard because I know that I can control -- Q. Do you kind of like when people doubt you or would you prefer everybody say -- DEMARCUS WALKER: It gets annoying when people doubt me. It gets very annoying. Q. Has it sunk in yet that this is going to be your last game in a FSU uniform? DEMARCUS WALKER: No, that's not getting me. I'm going to miss the great memories, but I accomplished everything I wanted in my four-year window, and not too many people can say that. Not only just personal accolades but team goals, winning a National Championship. Not too many people can say I won a National Championship and won two conference championships, so it's very good. Q. Michigan's quarterback, Speight, he's kind of a master of avoiding sacks. Can you see that on film? DEMARCUS WALKER: Yeah, he's a great guy, quick feet, has a feel for the pocket, can move around very well. It's going to be a great game. Q. Michigan said you're good enough to fit in with their defensive line. They said it in a positive way. DEMARCUS WALKER: I really appreciate that because it takes a real man to say that, and you've got to give credit where credit it due. Not a lot of people are like that nowadays. I've got only positive stuff to say about him, and hopefully one day we'll shake hands, after the game. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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