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ROSE BOWL GAME: USC VS PENN STATE

December 30, 2016

Adoree' Jackson

Pasadena, California

ADOREE' JACKSON: Being in the shoes that we have and with his experience, all the great players that came before us, and just understanding what it takes to get to this position, what it takes to get there and how to prepare, and I think they've done a great job of preparing them.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: Cereal, I guess. I don't try to eat too much. I eat some Reese's before the game. That's my favorite candy. The cereal is Fruit Loops and then I eat a king-sized Reese's before the game to get ready.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: Just the excitement that he brings and all the knowledge and tools that he brings to the table for us to understand not just about special teams but every other position on the field and then about life in general. He brings life lessons out there on the field to help us develop and get better.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: Just everything that we went over throughout the season. This is about how much can you repay knowledge that you have sitting in the meeting room. We always talk about take your notes and be like a professional, and we just clear some things that were not happening in camp that we may not have talked about prior to this game and just went over everything, so it was like a 56, 30-question test that we had. I know I got like 100 percent, though, for sure.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: No, it's just about knowing the hard work will pay off, and him being the type of guy that he is, the hard work that he brings, the enthusiasm and the energy that he brings to the table, to coach special teams and wanting to see us get better, not just for himself, but for us so we can excel outside of football, outside of USC, means a lot. So you know he's not putting you in a position to fail and you want to do as much as you can to show him that he is appreciated.

Q. Did you ever wonder why he (inaudible)?
ADOREE' JACKSON: You know, I'm actually happy that they do. I really don't get to play that much offense, so when I get the ball in my hands, that's an offensive rep in my opinion, and I've just got to do as much as I can and make my opportunities count.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: I think it just goes off of, like I said, either catching a ball or dropping a ball and then making plays after you get the ball in your hands. It's one of those things where you seem when we were at the UCLA game, RoJo was stuffed at the line. He could have easily just ran in between there and got a gain of no yards, but he bounced it outside, found another hole and did what we had to do. You look at the Arizona game, JuJu could have ran out of bounds easily. He stayed in bounds, broke a couple tackles and the next thing you know he's in the end zone. So it is about everything just clicking at the right moment. We had explosive plays in other games, it just didn't click and just didn't go the way we wanted to, and then now we seize every opportunity that we have.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: I don't think we're underrated. I just think the offense don't get all the credit. I'm proud of that. They're putting a lot of points up on the board and doing a lot of great things, and offense sells tickets so everybody sees the offense. We don't mind. We're still winning games and we're doing what we're supposed to do, so us not getting the credit is not a big deal for us. We know we're doing our job and somebody is going to recognize it and we recognize what we're doing out there on the field, and so does the offense, and that's how they're able to put up so many points on the board.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: It was just us doing our job and understanding what was at hand and not trying to get too big into the game. We knew who we were as a team and what we were capable of doing, and we just had to go out there and show the world.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: Just very explosive, very disciplined. They do a lot of great things well offensively and defensively. I see us similar in the ways that they have a great coach that rallied us together and have great players and believe in the coaches and trust the process.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: I'm not sure. I mean, I'll probably take a look, but I think every one of those guys' game, I see what they do and then try to implement it in my game. I try to tell them a little bit of both, but it's close, or I would say comparing myself to them. That's a big step. But I feel like I'm me, if you get what I'm saying. I try to take what they have and try to put it in my game to make myself me, so the next person, whoever may look up to me, say they want to be me.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: I would hope so. If I didn't go offense, then that means I'm not playing.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: Their running backs open the game up. Like you see the running backs that we have that open our pass game up because everyone is focused on stopping Ronald Jones and everybody is trying to stop their running back. And they get so carried away about run stop that they forget about the pass and they have playmakers on the outside who go up there and get the ball and make plays.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: Like I said, once you open up the pass game, you've got to just have a quarterback who can get the ball there and make the receivers look good or the receivers make the quarterback look good, and they're on the same page with that.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: I mean, it's the same thing that we do. They're throwing it up, we're going up and battling for the ball, too. At the end of the day, that should be their mindset. They should have that mindset. It should be a hundred zero ball throughout the game. I wouldn't expect our offense to go out there and say, oh, it's a 50/50 ball and that means they're not confident and stuff in catching the ball, so that's good that they have that feeling.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: Yeah, I mean, it helps they always think they don't catch every ball, and I'm always thinking I'm going to get a pick or intercept the ball or bat a ball down. So it's always beneficial to go against guys like that at practice who have that mentality and that much hunger in them to be great.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: It's just about us trying to have fun as much as possible out there on the field, understand that don't be too tense, don't be too tight out there in the game, just relax, and play the game that you're capable of playing that you know you've been playing your whole life. Just go out there and put on a show and have fun, and once you're having fun, a lot of good things may happen.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: I don't think it's important for me to do offensive work when we've got those guys out there. I'm a defensive guy, so I feel like that would be more of my goal is to affect the game as much as possible on defense.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: Very good receivers. They go up there and battle for the ball, run great routes, great releases. They do a lot of things well out there on the field.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: Yeah, every receiver is different. They all bring something different to the table. I wouldn't say none of their receivers are the same. They all have a different attribute that makes them unique and special.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: I know he went to Notre Dame and ran track. I played against him three years, I think, my sophomore, junior, senior year, once I moved out here, and that's pretty much all I -- only thing I remember about him is that we played him my senior year. He scored a touchdown with a minute left. We were undefeated at that point, and we ended up coming back and going into overtime and then winning the game, but a competitor, fights to the end, and he just loves football.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: I mean, if I was able to play back in Illinois, I would understand his feeling. I know my whole family would be out here supporting me, cheering my on. We'd probably get every ticket that the other Penn State players get. Just to have that home field, home moment. I could only imagine what that would feed like. I wish I could do something like that, go back home and just go with my family and be able to perform for my state.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: Yeah, I just know that God is with me in every situation that I go through, and I know that nothing is not an accident. Everything he does is putting a plan. He already wrote it down in his book. Whatever happens in the game, I know he already has that written down, so I'm just a firm believer I've got to go out there and play my game and not worry about everything else that's going on around me. Understanding to have the faith in him, good things will happen, just give him the glory at all times.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: I think the highlight that I seen, obviously when they beat Ohio State, the blocked field goal, and then I think the only other one I seen was, again, the Big Ten Championship game, I think 88 caught a pass in the back of the end zone. I don't know if it was one-handed or not, but yeah, that's the only two highlights that I've seen. I really don't follow other teams like that. I mean, I seen -- I watched Florida play because I've got a couple friends there. I watched Michigan play and LSU, but other than that, I really don't know a lot of people on that team that I would say like are my -- like I say, I talk to on a daily basis or we're cool like that. Yeah, I didn't really get to see them play a lot.

Q. What do you see on film from the Penn State offense?
ADOREE' JACKSON: Very dynamic, they can run the ball, throw the ball well and have a great quarterback. They use their weapons well out there on the field.

Q. Anybody in particular that stands out in your mind?
ADOREE' JACKSON: You've got both of the receivers, the slot and the running back and the quarterback. The whole team. They all stand out. All pretty good players and do different things well.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: I'm just looking forward to playing in this game, the Rose Bowl. I know it's a big game. It's the opportunity to be made out there on the field, so that's the challenge I'm looking forward to. We had a month off, both teams, and now we're both going to come out there, being considered probably the hottest teams in the nation right now, how we're going to come out there and perform.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: It feels like a blessing to know that I can go out there and affect the game as much as possible as I can, and just to know that I've got a lot of people behind me, the other teammates that I have, who's going to set me up for that position. A lot of people see me on the highlight reel, but on the kick returns, the punt returns, whatever it may be, the interceptions, there's other guys in front of me that's doing all the dirty work I should say and making my job look easy. If I'm able to make those plays and affect the game, it's because those guys did a lot to help me get there.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: For me I just -- I pray before the game. I ask the Lord to take the nerves and jitters away from me before every game and let me go out there and play loose and free and have fun and play the game that I'm capable of playing. I think having prayer and having faith helps me stay loose and calm before the storm.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: We had a meeting after the Utah game, making sure that we didn't go in that position again. We didn't feel that feeling that we felt again, and to understand that we're a team, we're a family, don't worry about the outside and believe in ourselves, and that's the best thing we could have done is believe in us, and that's how we've been able to rally.

Q. What's inspired you to (inaudible)?
ADOREE' JACKSON: I think the inner kid that I have. As a kid I always wanted to do great things, always wanted to do this and that, and it's like me not wanting to let that person I have inside of me down. I want to achieve everything I want to achieve that I knew I could obtain, and I think that's what keeps me motivated.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: Yeah, so before the game, what I do is read Psalms 23 right before the game. I probably read it three times, and then I do my prayer there, say what I say, and then once -- we'll run out the tunnel, I do the coin toss, I go back to the field, take a knee and do another prayer. If you kickoff, a kickoff return and I'm just ready to go out there and play.

Q. That's your normal routine?
ADOREE' JACKSON: Yeah, that's my normal routine.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: Yeah, I pray three times -- I do Psalms 23 three times and I do the individual prayer twice, so after the Psalms 23 and then after I take the knee in the end zone.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: Just us believing in ourselves and believing what we're capable of doing, not worrying about the outside, what others may think. I know when we were 1-3, they thought that we were done for the season, we wouldn't make the bowl game and if we did, we'd go to the Vegas Bowl, but we knew what was up in front, we knew what we could have done or what we were capable of doing, and we just believed in ourselves, and that's how we changed the game.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: I think we're all going to go out there and have to do our jobs and not worry about the man next to us or the guy in front of us and understand that that's my brother, I trust him, he's going to do his job and he's relying on me to do mine, so if we all come together and do our job and all on the same page, then the game should be going well for us.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: That's pretty cool. I mean, they think highly of me like that. I wouldn't say they've got to worry about me. I know my teammates around me are ready to go for this game, and I don't really focus too much on one player then somebody else could have a breakout game and shine. So I'm just going out there doing what I know I'm capable of doing, just staying in my role, staying in my job. I'm not trying to do anything extra and let the game come to me.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: I think just about letting the game come to me and not being I guess you could say thirsty to make a play. I'm just out there having fun and enjoying the moment. I know if I'm too stressed about I need to score, I need to get in the end zone, I need to do this, then I'm overthinking, so I just let my mind race free and just do my natural instincts and just play ball.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: I mean, just to know that they're back home and cheering me on, I've been out here for six years now, I barely get to go back home because when I'm done with football and the bowl game I get a week off, I go right back home, then I'm right back in track, then I do summer school. So when I do get there and be able to get home and see those guys, my family, it just means a lot to know that they're still behind me and understand what's in front of me and what's on my table. I'm just thankful for them and everything that they've done for me, having my back, and I just don't want to let them down.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: She could be on the Food Network or someone that could get me a show.

Q. From the 1-3 start to "The Granddaddy of Them All", talk about the year you've had.
ADOREE' JACKSON: I think it's about us understanding that adversity will hit and everything that happens is about how you hit adversity back in the mouth. I think us as a defense, we came together and understand that it was unacceptable about the things that we were doing out there on the field and we were pretty much trying to do somebody else's job, not filling our gaps, worrying about what somebody else is doing coverage-wise, and now we understood who we are as a team and who we are as players and know that the guy next to us will do his job.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: Well, it's to get off the field as much as possible and to get the offense the ball as much as they can so that they can use a lot of clock or tire out their defense so when we get out there, we're just on for a little bit of time so that the offense can get right back on and do what they're capable of doing. It's about us making sure we're doing our jobs and then get off the field as much as possible because they are an explosive team.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: I mean, when I moved out here, it was -- I didn't know where I was going to go to school. I thought I was going to go back home in Illinois somewhere or back in the Midwest or the south and play. I remember the Rose Bowl Game, USC versus Texas and then when they beat up on Illinois. Just being in here, having those memories as a kid and everything that it's about and everything that this team has been through and knowing all the sacrifices they've put and all the effort they've put to be in this position that means a lot. And we're going to go out there and represent and honor as much as we can and as much as possible and as much as God has allowed us to do and just try to put on a show.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: I mean, I'm very excited. We've been off the field probably about -- when was the last game, November 27th, so probably about over a month. Yeah, it's already been a month now, so we're ready to get back out there, ready to go out there, fight and compete.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: I'm just relaxing. I'm just waiting on the moment to come. I don't want to get my energy too much up. Just got to stay even level, and when the game comes, that's when I can crank up the volume.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: Just win, that's it. That's all I care about. I don't have to do much in the game. As long as we win, that's all I care about.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: I mean, action. Basically we talk before every game, and every game that we play, about the plays that I have and what I may be able to run, and that's pretty much how it goes. If he throws to me I'm ready and I know all my plays and I know all my assignments that I need.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: No, I don't think I ever made a New Year's resolution. Never. I've never been the type of guy to just say I want to do this and that for the new year. I just go with the flow and understand that God is in control of everything. I'm just going out there, trying to do everything I can that day, live by the moment, and go from there.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: My favorite album would be Drake's album, Views. My favorite song right now on that album would be You With Me, Redemption, and Child's Play. So those are my three favorite songs off that album, and I'm waiting on his album to drop next month, so I'm excited for that.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: I don't think I watch too many movies. I know my favorite show this year is probably The Bachelorette. I watched that a lot. That's pretty much it. That's my favorite show. I didn't watch too many movies, though.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: My first one would be when Sam fumbled the ball, ran to the left, stopped on a dime, ran all the way back and threw a pass to the tight end, they scored. I guess my other favorite moment was just playing that Alabama game, just that experience, and then my third one would be just being here now and for everything that the seniors have put forward and put through that they're finally here to play in "The Granddaddy of Them All" and just to go off on the right note.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: You know, my swag is always right. You know, I always look fly. I might come out with some bands, get on my Turner Matthews swag. I don't know yet. I've got to figure out what I'm going to do.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: My domino game is outstanding if you ask me. I'm out there sending guys like that to the bone yard, picking all the bones up. I'm dominating. They call me the domino fanatic.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: I can't tell you that. It's a secret. You're going to have to wait to see what I've got up my sleeves. I've got some tricks. I've got some tricks. What's going to be your first celebration when you get that pick? What you going to do? We acting a fool there. We acting a fool.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: I'm phenomenal. Every time I played you I won, so if we're speaking off that repertoire -- he left. He had to walk away. He didn't want to talk mad, to talk no more.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: Just win a National Championship I would say. That's pretty much what I want to achieve. Obviously win the Heisman, but the biggest goal is for this team to be back where I want it to be. I think that's one of the goals that I want to achieve. Even if I don't get to that but I know that I left this school off on the right note and I know I put everything I had out there on the field, everything I put out there for this school, we'll be back on the right track.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: I think we've been the same. I mean, we're still laughing, cracking jokes, having fun, doing what we've been doing now. It's just everything started clicking, so it may look like we're all on a high, but we're still the same team we was from camp, from the spring, when we were 1-3 and now 9-3.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: So we work every day in practice to try to get Chris Hawkins to catch some deep balls because he's going to be out there on the field. We're working every day because we know they're going to throw the ball, and we're pretty much excited about that. But we don't want to be too much thinking about that, we've just got to go play our game, what we're comfortable with doing.

Q. Are they similar to any teams you've played this year?
ADOREE' JACKSON: No, I think they're different. They all brings something different to the table, have a great running back. Only thing similar I would say would be like Washington, they had a great running back and great receivers and it was a balanced attack. That's pretty much what it is. They're only similar because they're balanced out with receivers and running backs.

Q. When you look at the offense, what do you see?
ADOREE' JACKSON: First off you start off with the quarterback. Without him, the plays wouldn't be made. And then you go to the running back, who opened up the pass game, and then when you look at the pass game, pretty much all the outside guys, all the skill guys is pretty much who stands out to me because they all bring something else to the table to help their team excel as well as they do.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: I only seen two highlights, the Wisconsin championship game and Big Ten seemed like 88 I think was in the back of the end zone catching a pass, and then a blocked field goal which was going on ESPN like crazy and the run back. The guy who ran it back is on our team, he's our manager, he was fired up talking about it all day, so that's how we knew about it. Other than that, nothing surprises me because I know they're a great team, they have great players out there, and it's just about all a matter of time when things would click.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: Not really. I think that we need to focus more on ourselves and not the winning streak that we had because at the end of the day, somebody's win streak gots to end, and it's just one of those things where we still are two dominant teams and we just need to focus on each other for both teams and not try to focus on past success because we're living in this moment now, and that would be all last year's work, so we've got to focus on the new year.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: Yeah, that's pretty much huge. It shows that a lot of players have faith and didn't care what was going on, similar to our team, starting off when I think USC probably only had 10 scholarships to give out at one point, and now all those people still came, believed, trusted the process, didn't leave, and now we're in the Rose Bowl, so it goes to speak to both teams' coaches who put them in that position and the players who understood what was going on and understood that they could overcome anything.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: It's always key because you have to believe, and we talk about believing in ourselves, and that's the best thing anybody could ever do, obviously believe in God, but once you believe in yourself and know what you can do, the ball can turn around very quick, and as you've seen, it did happen for both teams.

Q. Are you aware that they're a really strong second-half team?
ADOREE' JACKSON: Well, that's just about still doing our job and doing the little things, and not too much -- you told us how they are supposed to come on in the second half and do well. You get your job and your assignments, so just staying patient, understanding what you have to do in front of you, and understanding that your brothers will do their job, as well.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: Just depends on where I need to affect the game at and how can I affect the game. If it's defensively I wouldn't mind getting a pick, offensively scoring a touchdowns, or returning up front. I can't really tell you what would be more satisfying for me. I wouldn't know. I'm just excited to get out there, and I'm letting the game come to me and not trying to come to the game.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: It all started about us. We didn't really care what everybody else was thinking, what everybody else thought on the outside. We didn't feel like the seat was hot, because we knew we would get him out of that position or out of what everybody was thinking and we knew what we were capable of, and like I said, we just believed in ourselves and everything that we knew that we could do, and now everybody loves them some Coach Helton. We already did, and now it's everybody else seeing what he can do, and I think that's great to start the next season and the next year off right because everybody will be more familiar with him and understanding that it's all about bringing in great players and for the other guys to come in and to be able to trust him and what he does.

Q. Are you the type of players who visualizes (inaudible)?
ADOREE' JACKSON: I mean, I think every player visualizes what they can do, what their role is, what their job is and how they may affect the game, so you get that visualization out of your system, and then once the game comes, it's all about in my opinion letting the game come to you and making plays.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: It just means that we trusted in everything that we've been taught, how to have faith in not only each other but in God and understanding that tough times don't last but tough people do. We knew we were pretty tough and it was just time for us to put it out there on film so the world can see. They started to recognize us late in the season, and I think that helped us boost up to -- I don't know where we're ranked right now but being 9-3 and winning eight games in a row and just doing what we were capable of doing.

Q. (Inaudible.)
ADOREE' JACKSON: Honestly, I didn't even think of the sanctions when I came here. I just knew the type of program it was and the weight that it held and it carried not only for football but for my degree, and then being in LA fit me as a person and a personality, and I understood my game and what I could bring to the table, and I wanted to play three ways, and I knew coming here would help me develop, get better and get the exposure that I would obviously like, and I wanted to be the face of a school, and what other place to do that than SC.

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