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ROSE BOWL GAME: OHIO STATE VS WASHINGTON

December 30, 2018

JoJo McIntosh

Pasadena, California

Q. What has been sort of the driving factor (indiscernible)?
JOJO MCINTOSH: I think we're so successful because of Coach Lake. He does a good job of coaching all of us. He knows the corner position, the nickel position and the safety position very well, and he makes sure that we're all honed in.

Q. As far as kind of the handing down of the mantle, where you go from somebody like Budda and then you take over, Taylor's there, and then the next wave of guys, what's the process of people stepping up as others move on?
JOJO MCINTOSH: Yeah, we like to say taking the flag. So you guys will always leave every year, but the next guy is always ready. We've got some freshmen right now that could play today if they wanted.

So we always got guys. Coach Lake does a good job of recruiting good guys that are ready to play. I think we do a really good job of just filling in.

Q. The young guys who really stands out to you at this point?
JOJO MCINTOSH: Dom Hampton. I think you guys might see him at the game. He does a really good job. Really all the young guys from all the position groups. Everybody impresses us. Everybody that comes onto this team has the skill set. And those guys do a good job.

Q. And what was your vantage point of Byron's pick-6 at the Pac-12 Championship game?
JOJO MCINTOSH: I was -- I was on the other side of the field, way behind him, and I seen him -- I seen the ball go up and him take it. And I was just running, like on the other side of the field, I was trying to catch up. So, yeah.

Q. Have you seen a replay of that?
JOJO MCINTOSH: Yeah.

Q. Is that one of the weirder interceptions you've seen?
JOJO MCINTOSH: Yeah, it's kind of weird, but that's ball skills, because he was paying attention. And that won us the game.

Q. Give me your thoughts for Ohio State's offense.
JOJO MCINTOSH: Very good offense. They have a lot of weapons. Quarterback is good. Receiving corps, they got some good linemen. It's going to be a challenge.

Q. What makes Dwayne Haskins as impressive as he's been?
JOJO MCINTOSH: He's just an elite quarterback. He knows how to throw the ball and he has good reads.

Q. Why should people watch the Rose Bowl on Tuesday?
JOJO MCINTOSH: Shoot, like they say, it's the "The Granddaddy of Them All." It's the biggest game of the year, besides the National Championship.

Q. Couple big games --
JOJO MCINTOSH: Yeah, yeah. It's going to be a good game. It's going to be a big one. Two great teams playing and going at it.

Q. What makes this a good game?
JOJO MCINTOSH: We've got two good teams. Good offense on both sides. Good defense on both sides. And we're going to battle, Pac-12 versus the Big Ten.

Q. What does Washington need to do to win on Tuesday?
JOJO MCINTOSH: Come out and play our A game. Come out like we did all season and just fight.

Q. You grew up watching this game; what are your memories of the Rose Bowl?
JOJO MCINTOSH: I mean, the biggest game I remember was the Texas-USC game. That's one of the biggest. But growing up watching this game every year and being from out here, always wanted to play in this game. It means a lot to be here finally. And it's a blessing. And everybody here, even if they're not from the West Coast, this is a big game. This is a big deal. And everybody loves it.

Q. Have you been to a Rose Bowl?
JOJO MCINTOSH: I haven't been to a Rose Bowl Game. I've been here plenty of times when I was being recruited by UCLA.

Q. Obviously a different atmosphere. What were your impressions back then?
JOJO MCINTOSH: Yeah, we played -- when UCLA was recruiting me, I came here. It was a little more quiet. I heard it was very different. I heard the Rose Bowl, it fills up and it's crazy. So I'm excited.

Q. What would it mean as a senior going out, beat Ohio State and (indiscernible) in the Rose Bowl?
JOJO MCINTOSH: That would mean a lot. That would be a very big win for our team. We know that we're playing a good opponent. So it will mean much more, yes.

Q. Is it much different going through the whole process in a different place than your normal -- where you go preseason or back home?
JOJO MCINTOSH: The coaches do a good job of like our schedule doesn't really change so much. We just have like an order of everything we do. It's good.

Q. What do you think it means to the seniors on this team that your last game of your college career will be the Rose Bowl?
JOJO MCINTOSH: It's big. I know a lot of guys on our team are from Southern California. This is something they grew up watching. So it's a very big game and we're playing a good team. It means that much more. So, yeah, it's going to be fun.

Q. What about for the program as a whole, the fact you guys haven't been here in 18 years?
JOJO MCINTOSH: It's big time. I know Washington has been trying to come back for 18 years. It's a big game. And like I say, we're excited.

Q. On Tuesday, how are you guys going to stop Dwayne Haskins?
JOJO MCINTOSH: We've just got to come out and play. He's a great quarterback. He has some good weapons. All around us, it's a good team. So we're going to have to play, just come out and be physical.

Q. I'm sure you watched plenty of tape on him. What's impressed you the most about his game?
JOJO MCINTOSH: He has a good arm. He can throw the ball. He can sling it. Looking forward to playing him.

Q. What about the team's wide receivers, do you think they're underrated this year?
JOJO MCINTOSH: Got some good wide receivers. All four guys, starting four guys, very good, talented, catch the ball, got some good speed. It's going to be a challenge.

Q. How hard is it preparing for a team when they do have different types of weapons, not just one guy in the back?
JOJO MCINTOSH: I mean, I feel like the Pac-12 we play a lot of teams with weapons everywhere. I think we do a good job defending it. And so it will be a good challenge.

Q. This whole experience as a whole, what's been the best part so far?
JOJO MCINTOSH: I guess just spending my last week with my guys, my last game, just enjoying everybody's company and whatnot.

Q. Have you thought about, had a chance to reflect on what it's going to be like to play in your last college football game?
JOJO MCINTOSH: I've been avoiding it. But, I mean, since I've been in the room, I think about it. But I'm just trying to enjoy it right now.

Q. What have you thought about all the hoopla and the different events, Disneyland, eat a lot of prime rib, that kind of stuff?
JOJO MCINTOSH: It's fun. It's cool having some time to just chill. But I think everybody's just excited to play in the game. I think that's going to be the most fun we have this week.

Q. Obviously you guys probably try and block out the noise, just focus on you guys, but as a college football, going up against a college football coach like Urban Meyer who's going to go down in the record books, what's it like knowing you'll be playing in his final college football game?
JOJO MCINTOSH: I guess it's cool. I don't really know what to say to that.

Q. Do you have any thoughts on him as a coach or his coaching style?
JOJO MCINTOSH: I don't really know him. I just know he's a great coach. He's been doing a lot of great things. I don't really know him personally.

Q. Get to see your family a lot?
JOJO MCINTOSH: Yeah, not every night. I've been seeing like friends every night, family sometimes.

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