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PLAYSTATION FIESTA BOWL: OHIO STATE VS CLEMSON

December 27, 2016

Curtis Samuel

Glendale, Arizona

CURTIS SAMUEL: I can assume that they're going to try to game plan on certain guys. But if you put all three of us in the backfield, I don't really know what they can do. They don't know if it could be a pass or run. We could do a whole bunch of different things they got to worry about -- three different runners in the backfield.

That's a great weapon that we have. And it kind of confuses the defense a little bit, has them thinking a little bit.

Q. You give Coach Meyer a month to get ready he's got a record that speaks for itself. What's he been like this month getting ready for this game? And why is he so successful?
CURTIS SAMUEL: He's been great. We have some fun times, we have some laughs, but when it's time to lock in we lock in. But he just helps us understand the moment, really, just understand where we're at, how we got here. Don't never change. When you get to a bigger stage and just be at the state of where you was, but just to trying improve and execute on the little things.

But it's been fun with Coach Meyer. He's great at what he do, his record shows you give him some time he definitely is going to be able to pick apart the defense and I feel like it's great having him.

Q. Is there some comfort in the fact you guys played in this stadium last year? It's a little different NFL stadium and you had success in this stadium. Any comfort level for you there?
CURTIS SAMUEL: I guess a little bit, just because we played there last year. But no matter where we play I feel comfortable all the time. It doesn't really matter to me.

Q. Coach Dabo Swinney compares the way they use you (indiscernible) walk in. Is there anyone you table your game around, the varied things you do?
CURTIS SAMUEL: No, not really no more. I mean, when I was younger I used to think about Percy Harvin, but now as my game is evolving I don't really think about that too much about that too much. I just try to be the best player I can be and do all the things the coaches need me to do.

Q. Is there any particular facet you enjoy the most (indiscernible) the passing game, the running game (indiscernible)?
CURTIS SAMUEL: No, I find my game is pretty even. I love doing both whether it's running the ball or running down the field catching the ball. I feel excited about doing both of them.

Q. Every great player visualizes a game. Do you and how does this game compare?
CURTIS SAMUEL: Growing up, one of my coaches always told me, if you can't see it it will never happen. So usually before games I picture myself doing something spectacular. I picture the team doing spectacular even before the play. Even before the play is ran, I picture myself doing something spectacular. So it doesn't surprise me when I probably scoring a long run or catching a long pass because I seen it happen already.

Q. You talked about Clemson's defensive line. What else on the defense stands out to you?
CURTIS SAMUEL: They have good linebacker play. They play together. They send a bunch of different blitzes, come at you at different ways. Their DBs are sound. They don't make many mistakes. And I feel like that's what makes a defense good, not making too many mistakes and playing together.

Q. Do they remind you of anybody that you played with before?
CURTIS SAMUEL: Probably, I don't know, we played against a bunch of good defensive teams. So I'm not sure.

Q. With as many big games on the schedule as there is with Ohio State, how much does this compare to a normal week, or do you start to feel extra nerves, extra big stage here?
CURTIS SAMUEL: No. Not at all. I feel like this is as important as any other game we played this year, because if those games weren't important we wouldn't be here now. If we didn't win those games we wouldn't be here now. So, we played against a bunch of great teams this year so far. So I don't really feel no pressure in this game at all.

Q. What about the history with Ohio State, winning national championships. You want to be able to join that group to be a part of a national championship group?
CURTIS SAMUEL: Oh, it would definitely be great. My freshman year I was a part of it. But I did the little things, like special teams, which I'm proud I was able to be out there with those guys, just being able to contribute in some type of way. It didn't upset me that I wasn't out there running plays, but I was happy to do anything for those guys and just being a junior now and being able to try to accomplish something like that will be special and will be great for me just understanding that I had a big role in that year and being able to look back and just understand that it was a great year for everybody. And the guys that wasn't part of the team in 2014 was a part of it in 2016.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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