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PLAYSTATION FIESTA BOWL: PENN STATE VS WASHINGTON

December 28, 2017

Dante Pettis

Glendale, Arizona

Q. There's a lot of pressure when you're returning kicks in the game. Do you feel more pressure now that you're playing on a big stage with something like the Fiesta Bowl or does it not --
DANTE PETTIS: I don't think it really changes, because once you're out, maybe before the game or whatever, but once you're out in the field it's kind of another football game.

Q. When you're game planning against Penn State, what sticks out to you on their defense, what you'll really have to look out for?
DANTE PETTIS: We probably have to get the ball out pretty quick because they get a lot of penetration up front. So it's just going to be on the receivers to open and run the routes the right depth and all that stuff.

Q. You guys are a lot like Penn State. Your records are the same. You both have the playoff aspirations this year and it didn't quite work out. How did you guys overcome maybe the initial disappointment of realizing, okay, we're not going to be in the final four this year and move forward? Into this game, how do you move forward with that disappointment?
DANTE PETTIS: Just to look at the season we had and where we were two years ago and, okay, this is the kind of program that we should be. This is where we should be as a program, playing in these elite bowl games and from there it's really just, okay, if -- we made the last two years, like, we've got to keep this thing going.

And so it's really just being appreciative for where we are and kind of that hunger for just continue to get better.

Q. Sort of kind of ironic that last year a lot of people felt you were the team that beat Penn State out for that last playoff spot. Sort of ironic that you're playing them again now this year, right? Do you sense that as sort of --
DANTE PETTIS: Honestly I didn't even know that that was a thing last year. But I mean if it is, I guess it will be a pretty interesting game then.

Q. Do you see this as being a lot of points scored on both sides of the game like this?
DANTE PETTIS: Honestly, I have no idea. In those bowl games, anything can happen. There's times where games are in the 40s. Times where they're right around 10. So it's like anything can happen in the bowl games.

Q. The chance to end your season though with a win in a big bowl game like this, especially given the fact that maybe it didn't work out quite the way you wanted it to work out, is that a big deal to at least end your season with a win in a New Year's Six bowl?
DANTE PETTIS: Yeah, definitely. And obviously we want to be in the playoffs and everything, but we still had a great season. And a few plays here or there we would have been in the playoffs. But, like you said, we're in one of these major bowl games, a New Year's Six game, and that's something that everybody dreams about doing. So to get a win on this stage, our last game, it would be pretty special.

Q. A lot of people seem to think because you play in the Pacific Northwest you don't get a lot of media hype and attention for whatever reason. Is this a chance to maybe show that you do deserve some of that attention, given that you said your program is on a national level there?
DANTE PETTIS: Yeah, I think so. I mean you said it, there's a lot of -- something about the West Coast, Pacific Northwest, I don't know what it is, but we don't get that much media attention. It's whatever, we're still going to play hard. We're still going to play up every day and we'll be on that bigger stage it will be a good chance for us.

Q. (Inaudible)?
DANTE PETTIS: Yeah, first night we went to the Suns game -- second night, I guess, we went to the Suns game. That was exciting. Very good game. Last second alley-oop based off the inbounds. That was crazy. Then we went to Topgolf last night. That was pretty fun too.

Q. Are you a golfer?
DANTE PETTIS: I try. I try.

Q. (Inaudible)?
DANTE PETTIS: It's definitely a lot hotter. So that's real nice, playing in warm weather for a little bit.

I'm from Southern California. So kind of not the same weather but it's similar. So I'm kind of used to it. But it definitely is nice to be back in warm weather for a little bit.

Q. I saw your Instagram story (indiscernible). Jake Browning (inaudible). What do you think is going through his head (indiscernible)?
DANTE PETTIS: I think he's real excited about it. He loves talking to the media and stuff. So he's definitely very excited to be over there right now.

Q. Talk about the game. When you're indoors, fielding punts -- I know in baseball you had trouble, like, outfielders, like, contrast and stuff. Similar thing with punts?
DANTE PETTIS: Definitely. The lights have something to do with it, too. And depends, like, how high the roof is and stuff. There's a lot of stuff that goes into it. But I mean if you track the ball off the punters foot normally you have a pretty good chance of following it the whole way.

Q. Just need a couple of reps --
DANTE PETTIS: Yeah, exactly.

Q. What does it mean to be the NCAA's all-time leader? Not many people can say that in many categories but what does that mean?
DANTE PETTIS: I mean right now, honestly, not a whole lot. In three years, hopefully that record still stands and I'll be able to look back on it and say that was a pretty special thing.

But right now we're still in the season. Got one more game. It's not really something that we look at and all that.

Q. One game at a time?
DANTE PETTIS: Yeah.

Q. When you're preparing for different coverage unit (inaudible), do you look for tendencies they might have as you would for defense? Or what's your preparation from that standpoint and what are those tendencies you look for?
DANTE PETTIS: Normally you look at first the way they're set up, the formation they punt out of. And you look at do they rugby punt, roll out and kick it or or are they a pocket punter. And then you see how they cover and whether it's some guys get done really fast or they don't really care about protection too much or they stay and protect a lot and get out late. There's a lot of different things you can study a punt team.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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