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ROSE BOWL GAME: USC VS PENN STATE

December 29, 2016

Michael Hutchings

Pasadena, California

Q. Couple days away. How is your excitement going into last couple days for preparation?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: I think as we're getting closer, I mean, we're getting more excited. Early on, used to just have bowl events and all the activities. But as we get closer, practices, it's getting ramped up a little bit.

I think everybody's excitement is showing at practice in our preparation. So I think that's just always nice to see, that everyone else around the team is still feeling the same way.

Q. Coach Helton was talking about how the first couple of weeks, you installed the game plan and this week is all about reviewing it. How different is that as a player compared to preparation during the season?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: I think it kind of is similar to the first game of the season. You get that entire camp to kind of work on your skills and then the last two weeks of camp to go over the game plan. That's what this is, when you have a big amount of time before the game, two to three weeks. I mean, we've already went through the game plan twice. This is our third week.

So, right now, we're just -- I mean, we're flowing with what the game plan is, time to hone in our technique and fundamentals right now. We know the game plan.

Q. You know you're not supposed to mention the first game of the season?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: No. I was just mentioning, comparing what it's like going into the game. Just with that time gap.

Q. Ask you the question we had to ask Penn State yesterday. What's it like, you're going to be down one guy who is kind of in the rotation. How do you guys make up for Olajuwon not be there? How is that going?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: Luckily, at that position, we've been rotating all year. We do feel bad that we lost Budda, but at that position, I mean, we've been rotating a lot all year. I think guys will be able to step in and step up easily.

Q. Who will do that?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: Hopefully, Connor Murphy, 'Wole, those guys have come in and spelled throughout the season anyways.

Q. Since the last game, how much film have you watched on Penn State since you knew you were going to play them?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: I mean, we've been doing it the last two or three weeks. This is the third week we're going through the game plan. The last two weeks, we did our usual game routine, just with no game on a Saturday. But the past two weeks, we've been going over film and breaking down the game plan. I feel confident going into the game.

Q. One thing we heard is that Clancy has the ability to take something away from somebody and do it in a way they haven't seen. Is that consistent with what's going to happen this time?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: Hopefully. I mean, this is a little different. I mean, they have an explosive quarterback and running back duo. We haven't seen that recently in the past few weeks. That could add a variable for us. Hopefully, we go out and play the same defense we have the last six, seven weeks of the season.

Q. Yesterday, T was mentioning Penn State is not the proverbial Big Ten team that's slow. Do you see a lot of speed?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: Yeah. If you looked at them, you'd think they were a Pac-12 team. Similar offense to all the Pac-12 teams, just with a little bit more explosion, honestly. Big offensive line. And, I mean, they kind of fit into what we have played the past few weeks, just, I mean, guys are -- they're good.

Q. Is there an offense in the Pac-12 that most resembles theirs?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: I mean, the entire conference runs a spread offense, so we've seen it the last few weeks, besides Notre Dame. Similar offenses the last five to six weeks of the season. It's just different with these guys with a lot more talent on our team at all spots.

Q. How similar is Trace to Sam Darnold? Do you think it helps going against Darnold and [indiscernible] early in the game?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: I think they both can make plays. I mean, they can create plays. And that's super similar with both of them. They use their feet to move around the pocket and they can extend the play. So, I mean, going against Sam and stuff like that in practice is great. But for what we're going to see, I don't know how much you can mimic that in practice.

Q. Do you remove Alabama from the equation? Do you think Penn State is probably better than any Pac-12 team you guys played this season?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: I mean, we haven't been on the field with them. But by the looks of the film, the fact that they won the Big Ten Championship and, I mean, they made it to the Rose Bowl, those are all factors to say that they're pretty good.

So, I mean, we're not going to take anything away from them. We fully respect them.

Q. Do you feel a sense of playing in those big games, Alabama, Washington, it's kind of prepared you for the bright lights of a Rose Bowl?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: Definitely. I mean, the Alabama game was huge. I mean, we're kind of prepared to go in and deal with this. I mean, luckily, we're at the Rose Bowl. We've already had one game there this year. I'm hoping that atmosphere doesn't surprise any of our guys, knowing we've been there already.

Q. When you heard the words Rose Bowl, take us through the emotions how excited the team was to play this game?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: I think the Selection Show day was huge for us, just to know how far we'd come and just to hear the Rose Bowl selection for us I think was a big deal just because of what that September was like for us. And for us to bounce back in October and November was just huge for the Selection Show day. I know all of us were watching it. As soon as it was selected, it was time to get to business.

Q. Does it make it more sweet that you guys started 1-3 and now you guys have won nine straight and dug yourself out of that really dark September?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: I think so. I think that really shaped the season and it really showed guys we need to do more to get to where we need to be to be able to get over the hump and win games. I think we fully put in the time and the effort and guys really started catching on and we saw results and we just stuck with it.

Q. How much did Clay Helton have to do with that, keeping you guys steady and consistent in winning those games?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: Coach Helton is the same guy every day. Whenever your leader is really stable like this and really steady, it just kind of keeps everybody else at the same level. Outside of the facility, there's a lot of media talk, a lot of news. They were talking down on us. Inside that facility, there was no panic. Guys just stuck with it because our leader was really strong.

Q. What is so unique about this team, compared to other teams you may have played for in the past?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: I think just the preparation is huge. Guys come in between classes, I mean, after practice, before practice to put in the extra time that's needed to get to know our opponents.

I think the maturity, each week our team matured and guys were just using what we did in practice and taking it to the field. Each week, we saw the guys get better up front, defensive line, even at the linebacker level and defensive back. So all guys got better, and I think it was clear every week, because our defense came out with a better show every week.

Q. About the Beef Bowl, how much do you know about what's going to happen tonight?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: I don't know. I heard. Is it the team that usually eats the most is supposed to win? That's all I know right now. So I'm going in kind of blind.

Q. Are you going to eat as much as you can tonight?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: No, I wouldn't go that route. I'm not going to go with the myth.

Q. Why not?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: I don't need to be full like that. I need to be fast on game day.

Q. Totally. Have you been to Lawry's before?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: Yeah.

Q. Good, right?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: Yeah, it's good. I think it will be fun to go with the guys.

Q. Two questions. For this team, the Rose Bowl, what are your thoughts when you hear those two words?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: Just legendary, grandaddy of them all. Everything. You grow up as a California kid, you watch the Rose Bowl. You watch USC, I mean, definitely for our age group, all we seen was USC in every Rose Bowl. We have a bunch of Rose Bowl memories. So to be playing in that is huge for me.

Q. Give me the keys to stopping Saquon Barkley. Strong run game that Penn State that brings. What are the keys?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: Both of them. They have a great quarterback and running back duo with Trace and Saquon Barkley.

I think it's something that we really haven't seen this season with that strong of a tandem. I think us having to game tackle Saquon and everybody being around the ball, we're going to have to swarm them and show them something they haven't seen before this year and have an aggressive style of defense. We do bring that to the table. Hopefully we'll bring it on the 2nd.

Q. You guys have been on such a role offensively and defensively. Can you talk about the confidence this defensive unit is playing and why you need that confidence going up against an offense like this?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: That's one thing I don't like about the time off because we were rolling and I'm hoping we do bring that to the table. We have a confidence about us to accept any challenge that comes on the field for our defense.

And, I mean, we fully can take on that persona and I think our offense does too. So hopefully, we come out on the 2nd without missing a beat as we did in the second half of the season.

Q. They're notorious for being a second half team, which you're well aware of. Talk about how that maybe puts a premium on shutting them down early, taking them out of the game.
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: I think it's clear how strong they are in the second half. I mean, that just proves to us that we have to play a full game. Sometimes we start off fast and sometimes we plateau. Hopefully we'll have to have a full game. We've been stressing it in practice and finishing practice stronger because they do play such good football in the second half.

Q. These two programs are connected in so many ways. Obviously, the on-field things, where you came from. You're also connected for a lot of the off-field stuff that happened. Talk a little bit about that and maybe how that impacts the game, if at all?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: I don't think it really impacts the game for the players, but it's just great to see two programs that, last time were in the Rose Bowl, played against each other in '09 and go through some ups and some downs in the program.

To be back here, I think, is just great to show what the program is like, just that tradition is always going to prevail over things that try to keep us down. It's great for both programs to bounce back from that.

Q. Getting back to the Rose Bowl is a huge deal for you guys too because of your legacy here.
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: Yeah, like I said, for both programs. The last time we were both here, we played against each other in 2009. It's great for two storied programs to be back here with all that's gone on.

Q. When Clancy was made the defensive coordinator, what were you hoping, given where you were at the previous couple years?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: I mean, just because I had him before, I knew what he was bringing to the table. What kind of defense he's bringing to the table, what kind of coach he was, personality and just me being familiar with him before from having him my freshman year. That was the biggest thing, knowing what I was going to get from my coach.

Q. What about the opportunity? Because it dramatically changed from the previous staff to this one, for you.
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: Yeah, but I mean every spring there's always competition and that's what it was this spring. I mean, just having to be a different defensive -- happened to be a different defensive coordinator but the same style of competition we go through every year.

Q. Did you feel you had that opportunity before?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: Yeah. I mean, everybody does. I mean, it's not like it's not fair. I think it was just, it was similar and just a different defensive coordinator.

Q. Look at Penn State on tape, what stands out to you? What impresses you the most?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: Their explosive offense. Great quarterback and running back duo. Probably haven't seen anything like it this year, just as strong a tandem as they are.

And, also, their offense is just not really a typical Big Ten offense. They're not big and they're not slow. They run a spread. They would easily compete in the Pac-12 just the way their offense is explosive. And they're a great second half team. That's really clear to everybody that's watched in the last few weeks. They play great football in the second half. That's something we really have to focus on too and play a complete game against them.

Q. How hard is that to do, to keep that in the back of your mind?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: I think it's something we have to keep in the back of our heads. I mean, we've stressed it at practice, trying to finish practice strong and keeping the level of intensity up, I mean, throughout practice because they do play such great football in the second half.

I know sometimes, we do start off fast as a team and come out in the second half a little bit slow. So that's something we can't let happen this game.

Q. You mentioned they were explosive plays. In the passing game, when you're looking at the wide receivers and quarterback in McSorley, what do you focus on and try to stop that, especially in the second half when the legs are tired?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: I think just mixing it up for them, just giving them different looks. That's the key to our defense is mixing it up and guys playing hard. That's the key to all this is keeping the level of play high, especially in the second half.

I mean, that's what's clear to me. They're well conditioned. They can play at a high level the entire game.

Q. Can you locate it on film, what changes for them in the second half?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: I don't think it's one thing in particular. I think it's just they come out and they make adjustments. I think guys, I think that comes with leadership on the team and maturity of a team that know what they have to do when they come out in the second half. That's a great sign of a good team, when they can come out and get it done and know what they need to do in the second half to make changes and come back from being behind.

Q. What's made Saquon Barkley so effective?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: He's versatile. He does everything. He blocks, he runs, he catches out of the back field. So I mean, he's three-dimensional. And I think overall he's one of the best backs that we've seen all year. I mean, we fully respect him.

Q. Has there been a back that would compare to him that you've faced?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: I mean, we've faced a bunch of good backs through the Pac. I mean, I can't think of them off the top of my head. But, I mean, he is one of the better ones we've faced this year without a doubt.

Q. With Steve being 50 years old, whatever he is now, do you guys go and ask him for advice, like other than football?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: I don't think guys ask him for advice other than football, but I think his age kind of rubs off on the rest of the team as far as us being mature and us being consistent. I mean, just with age, I mean, you're more consistent and a little bit more polished, and I think that's where he has rubbed off on our team and we do kind of lean on him for that.

Q. Have you seen him get more of a push later in the season, like into the back field?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: Yeah. I mean, I think the whole D-line's become a little bit -- him, Rasheem and Porter and Uchenna, from the Arizona State game on, they kind of were a tear through the Pac-12. And, I mean, they put a lot of pressure on the quarterback in the last few weeks of the season.

So I think, overall, just that whole defensive line, I don't know if it was Stevie. I don't know if it was the coach. Whatever energy they were feeding off of was great.

Q. Was it confidence or attitude? How do you get that much better in the middle of the season?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: I think it's all of those variables, confidence, attitude, I think practicing hard and being consistent. Those guys really practice hard, especially those guys in the trenches. They beat each other up at practice. I think it showed in the games that they were getting better each week. Each week, they put more and more pressure on the quarterback and made our job easier in the back seven.

Q. You guys were on an eight-game winning streak. In previous years, there would be two or maybe lose a game, three in a row. Why do you feel like you guys have been able to sustain that level of play for that long now?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: I think it's just the consistency of our offense and defense both playing together. And I know each time you go on the field, either the offense or the defense may not be clicking. But I think that's what was the biggest difference is how well we fed off each other in those last eight weeks of the game and played well together.

And I think that's huge, because sometimes you're always not going to be clicking as a defense or as an offense, and one may have to help each other out. And that's what we did in the second half of the season.

Q. What would you say is maybe the one thing that helped you implement it when he took over that's had a tangible impact on the field?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: I think it's just the characteristics that he brings as a leader. If you saw him through the September that we had, he was still the same coach, still steady. And that was something for us to really lean on. Outside of the facility, guys were talking down. The media was on us. And inside the facility, there was no panic. I think that's the biggest thing for us, we know what we're getting as a coach and we know the confidence he has as a coach.

Q. Had he had a different temperament, do you think it would have rubbed off in another way?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: Yeah, the players do feed off the head coach. For us to get the same guy no matter what our record is, no matter what our performance is, is very key. He's always honest with us.

Q. How would you describe your relationship with Cameron? It's going to be an honor to line up with him one last time?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: Playing next to Cam is huge. It's always nice to have somebody extremely dependable right next to you. The entire fall camp and the season has just been great playing next to him. I'm always happy whenever Cam makes plays, which is often. So, I mean, just playing next to him is great. Just like having another, I mean, defensive coordinator out there with him on the field.

Q. How has it developed? How have you guys improved as a tandem?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: We've always been pretty close in the meeting room, ever since Cam was a freshman. I was always helping him out. Just getting a chance to play with him has been great. I think I was more excited about it. I think that's what I was most excited about was playing next to him, just because I know how dependable he is and how much time he puts into his craft and knowing how hard that he works.

Q. After having played both Alabama and Washington before they face off on Saturday in the national semifinal, what do you sort of think might be the keys that will decide that game one way or another?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: I mean, I'm not sure. I mean, they've both developed, I mean, a bunch. I mean, we played Alabama in the first game of the season, so I don't know how they have developed. I mean, it looks like they have over the season.

But, I mean, they're both two great teams. I mean, Alabama's defense has been tremendous this year. Their offense is great also. They've got great guys all over the field.

I mean, I think Washington has a bunch of tools all over the field that can give them some problems just with their speed and their offense that, I mean, it's a great spread offense. They have some weapons that can really go. I mean, John Ross is somebody that no one in the country has really tried to stop.

Q. The way the Washington receivers can get vertical and did on the one play where Adoree' slipped, is that sort of the closest thing to Penn State in terms of how aggressive down the field they are?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: I mean, they're a different offense. I mean, they have a great running back and quarterback duo that really balances their offense and they keep you off balance the entire game because they can do both things. They run the ball great. They have a great running back, but they can also throw it downfield.

We seen that in the second half of the Big Ten game, them going downfield and making plays. They have play makers at each and every spot. That's the biggest difference, going in and playing these guys is just how balanced they are at all the positions and how talented they are.

Q. When you watch a game like Alabama-Washington, are you rooting for Washington because it's a Pac-12 team or just looking for a good game?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: No. I think we're just watching the game. Even though we play both of them, I'm just -- at that time, it's time to watch as a fan and not try to get too caught up in it.

Q. When you were talking about being excited about playing the game with Cam, what was kind of your first impression when you saw him?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: I mean, Cam came in as a freshman, and he was tremendous. I mean, he came in early in the spring, second semester of high school so he was with us. I mean, it was clear that that's the level that he belonged at. I think everybody on our team saw it. So just right then, it was clear to see his talent.

And for me to get to play with him this year was just fun for me, and I felt like it was an honor to be right next to him. I mean, it was great. It made me want to study harder and put in more time just to make sure that I wasn't slacking on my performance, because I know how much time he puts into his work.

Q. What does the Rose Bowl mean to you, playing in the Rose Bowl?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: I mean, it's huge. Just growing up as a California kid, especially for our generation, we've seen a bunch of USC Rose Bowls in the 2000s, and I think that's just us getting to fulfill that dream that we watched as a kid is me playing in the Rose Bowl, that happens to be the grandaddy of them all. That's the biggest thing of all, going out and fulfilling my dream of playing in the Rose Bowl. Now it's time to get the win.

Q. You guys are the only ones to play both Alabama and Washington.
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: Yeah.

Q. What do you make of that matchup?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: I think it will be interesting. I mean, just the two different styles of play. I mean, Washington has a bunch of weapons at their skill positions. So, I mean, I think it will be interesting to see how Alabama defends it.

But, I mean, I'm not going to get too caught up in the game. I mean, I'm just going to watch as a fan and not root for either one.

Q. So you won't root for the Pac-12 team? Guys yesterday were saying we want the Pac-12 to represent.
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: Yeah, we always want the Pac-12 to represent. But I'm just looking to watch a good game. We played both of them. We know what both of them are capable of. I hope to see a good game.

Q. Have you tried to watch any of the other bowls?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: I've watched what I can. I haven't watched one full game yet. Bowl season, we've got stuff going on, practice during that time. So, I mean, we watch what we can.

Q. During the regular season, how much Big Ten football do you get a chance to watch?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: I mean, we usually get to watch every game because we play so late on the west coast. I mean, we get to see all the games, the SEC games and Big Ten games usually.

Q. When you found out you were playing Penn State, what did you feel about this team?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: When we found out, we had just seen the tail end of their season, which was a run and a bunch of wins. So, I mean, we seen a Big Ten championship game. And, I mean, that really showed what kind of team they were, coming back from that 21-point deficit. I mean, just knowing what they did in that game, we knew we had our hands full.

Q. You guys have to juggle a lot this week. I mean, you guys are practicing getting ready. You're going to Disneyland. Tonight you're going to the Beef Bowl thing. How do you juggle the distractions trying to prepare for a football game?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: You have two halves of the game. You have the morning and afternoon where it's all about ball and all about business.

The second half, the evening and night, we go do our bowl festivities and have fun for us. We do have to be about business when we come to the facility, and I think that's the main thing that coach has iterated and reiterated over the course of the week is we got ball and business in the morning, and then we go have our fun and get rewarded for our work.

Q. How much does that fun help balance the work?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: I think it's great. I mean, it's just kind of something to relieve the stress. And I mean, you don't have to think about the game too much this early in the week, as far as getting too deep into it. I mean, we went over the game plan the last two weeks. So, I mean, just having the relaxation part of it is key. Putting in the work we have over the course of the season, it's great to have the reward of the festivities.

Q. When Stevie showed up, tell me your expectations. What were your reactions?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: We really didn't have an expectation. I mean, we were just happy to get another defensive lineman as far as our reaction. But I think more so our first week of camp is when we seen we had more of a reaction in seeing what we really got when he approached the campus.

When he first came, we didn't know because we worked out. Help wasn't cleared until late. I think the first week of camp was really where we knew that we got a steal. And, I mean, he was tremendous.

Q. What did you see?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: I seen some talents I hadn't seen in a while. I mean, we haven't had any defensive lineman be this impactful for a long time. I mean, we had Leonard, who was a real difference maker in the game and Stevie is right up there as far as making a difference in the game and being a key role and having a key part to the defense. There's no team that doesn't game plan for him.

Q. Is there a play in practice where he can throw up a guy all the way, ten yards in the back field?
MICHAEL HUTCHINGS: I mean, it happens every day. It takes one or two guys. I think just in the first game, just seeing that Alabama couldn't really block him, it just said a lot. I mean, he took away a few different plays they wanted to run that they just couldn't run because of who he was in the middle. Then I think that was present for every team that we played. They had to change their schemes because of what kind of player he was.

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