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PLAYSTATION FIESTA BOWL: PENN STATE VS WASHINGTON

December 27, 2017

Jason Cabinda

Glendale, Arizona

Q. How has the first couple of days gone for you guys how have you?
JASON CABINDA: We went to Fogo de Chao, all kinds of meats and food there. That place was excellent. It was really, really good.

Q. (Inaudible)?
JASON CABINDA: Yeah, I'm sure that the offensive and defensive linemen probably ate to their heart's content.

Q. (Indiscernible) treating you good?
JASON CABINDA: Yeah, everything so far has been really good. Treated really well. Feel really welcome. Actually met somebody who was at the, was it '86 or '87 Fiesta Bowl against Miami? I met somebody at this restaurant we were at. They were telling us how Joe Pa and his offensive line used to go to the restaurant when they came to the Fiesta Bowl. So it was pretty cool. Penn Staters are, like, everywhere.

Q. (Inaudible)?
JASON CABINDA: It was cool. Obviously it's just kind of how the deal is. They're going to miss some holidays playing football in college. You get used to it, but we try the make the most of it, at least with the kind of feel our team is, we're like family. So it still has a bit of a family feel.

But obviously it's not the best being away from your family. But we always make the most of it. Definitely didn't feel like Christmas with 70 degree weather and a lot of sun. Still good.

Q. Yesterday, kind of you guys got out here (indiscernible), get that first practice (indiscernible)?
JASON CABINDA: It's nice when you have so much more time to watch film, get extra work in, do the things you need to do to be successful on Saturday. So it's definitely nice not having to worry about school and stuff like that.

Q. (Inaudible)?
JASON CABINDA: They have a mature guy at quarterback. They kind of give him the green light to make a ton of audibles at the line of scrimmage. He's a very smart quarterback. I can tell he has a very high football IQ. He's good at identifying the defense, and what they're in.

I think having a ton of disguise and hides is going to be crucial to our success. I think this is probably one of the best backs we faced this year. He's a very good back. I think he runs hard. I think he has really good vision. He's able to get to the outside and kind of challenge the edge of the defense.

And then obviously No. 8, obviously he's big as a returner but also as a receiver as well, Pettis. So they definitely got some weapons. So we're definitely going to have to eliminate them and kind of reduce their damage what they can do to us.

Q. (Inaudible) how do you prepare for some of these unlike any other --
JASON CABINDA: It's tough. Obviously you have to look at teams that have faced them, that have done well against them. I think Arizona State had a good game against them. I like the way their defense played. But that's one of the things you can do is look at other defenses that had some success, were able to pressure them and kind of get them off balance, stuff like that, see what they were able to do well and try to apply that to your game plan and your defense.

Q. When you came into this program four years ago would you have ever been able to imagine that you'd be wrapping up your career in the Fiesta Bowl? The year before you were in the Rose Bowl. Talk about the program where it's come from to where it is now.
JASON CABINDA: You think about it all the time. I think first year going to the Pinstripe Bowl, it was the most exciting thing ever. We went into the season not thinking we were going to be able to go play in a bowl game. So we were just so appreciative playing in the Pinstripe Bowl.

You look at last year, playing in a Rose Bowl, this year playing in Fiesta Bowl. We really wouldn't have ever imagined it when we first came in here. So it's definitely a blessing and we're super appreciative, super grateful of these opportunities being able to do this.

But definitely it's been a long road, no doubt about that -- a long road, long journey, a ton of work has gone into it. But we're finally, we're harvesting the fruits now being able to play in games like this, so super excited.

Q. You played in four different bowl games, four different locales. How many people get a chance to do that? Have you thought about that, how special that's been?
JASON CABINDA: That's really cool, too. We've been in all different places, all different locations in the country, from Jacksonville, Florida to playing in California, now we're playing in Arizona. It's awesome -- playing New York. It's really cool for sure.

Q. What's your favorite thing about being here, Arizona, just besides football?
JASON CABINDA: I think the best thing about here is it's so different. I know I've never been to Arizona before. I honestly didn't even know what it would look like besides desert and cactuses. But actually seems like a really cool city, definitely a place I'd like to further explore. But it's cool.

Obviously the good weather is the best part about it. Being in 70 degree weather every day, that puts us in a better mood in general. So we're enjoying it, taking it all in.

Q. Have you become a fan of the cactus?
JASON CABINDA: I have. Me and Cam Brown were kind of messing around outside. We heard from somebody that some cactuses, I guess, they can, like, not throw their needles at you, but they're jumping cactuses. So we were trying to throw rocks at some of the cactuses to see if the spikes would move and stuff. So we were messing around and stuff.

Q. Who would have thought you would be able to play with cactus?
JASON CABINDA: Right. First time I've ever been near cactus ever, so that's pretty cool.

Q. Ever been to Seattle? Known anybody in Seattle?
JASON CABINDA: I've never been to Seattle. Don't know anybody in Seattle to be honest.

Q. Run across any of the Washington coaching staff on the recruiting trail or at any point?
JASON CABINDA: No.

Q. What did you know about Washington before you found out you were going to play them?
JASON CABINDA: I followed them last season. Jake Browning, he was a Heisman candidate at one point last year. So I was following them a little bit. I knew he was a really good quarterback, and I remember he was from the Elite 11 and stuff like that.

But I knew they were a good team. I knew they were a good team. They played really hard, they had a really good head coach. That's all I really knew. I didn't really need to be watching film of them or anything like that.

I didn't really watch film of them until we knew we were playing them and stuff like that. But they're a good team. They're definitely are what I would expect them to be. They're a good team. They play hard. They play physical. So -- really hard on special teams as well. So we're definitely preparing our butts off, and we're going to be ready when the time comes.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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