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ROSE BOWL GAME: OREGON VS WISCONSIN

December 30, 2019

Chris Orr

Pasadena, California

Q. Just your reaction, has this week been full of surprises for you?
CHRIS ORR: Yeah, it's definitely a lot larger than I expected it to be. But you start to get more of an understanding of the rich history of this game, of the Rose Bowl Game, the importance of it, how much it means to everybody in the nation, the world of college athletics.

Q. Obviously you guys have been, you specifically, have been in front of the cameras a lot with some of the media sessions you've had, Disneyland and everything, the Beef Bowl. What are some things away from the camera you've been able to do as far as hanging out, learning about the history of the game and stuff?
CHRIS ORR: We went to a movie last night, "Bad Boys For Life." And we went to the Grand Central Market last night. That's just a couple things we did outside of the publicized events. But other than that, we know about this game, the weight that it holds. We have a history with this game. We know how important it is to our program, to the entire state of Wisconsin.

We already knew that coming in. We're not taking this lightly at all. We're enjoying the activities when it's time to do that, but outside of that we're keeping our focus on this game.

Q. Among the challenges you guys have, as you guys run up against a senior-heavy offensive line. And there is one sophomore on that line and he's no slouch either, right?
CHRIS ORR: Yeah.

Q. What are the challenges of Sewell and some of the seniors on that line? What have you seen from them?
CHRIS ORR: They're athletic maulers. They can move, get up to the second level. It's hard to just run around them. They're strong at the point of attack. They can move guys. You can see them move people out of the way.

It's definitely going to be a tough challenge for us, but this is exactly what you want. It's one of the biggest games in the nation. You want to face the best. So it's going to be fun.

Q. A word being thrown around a lot in the interviews is "physicality." Is that something you're comfortable playing as far as that type of style?
CHRIS ORR: We love that. That's what we want. We love when people want to come play physical against us; we want to play physical football. That's exactly who we are, our ideology. That's our identity, being the most physical team on the field. Whenever somebody else raises that temptation with us, we welcome that, we enjoy that.

Q. You've been out to California before?
CHRIS ORR: Yeah, a couple times, been to California a couple times.

Q. When you heard you guys were going to the Rose Bowl, what were some of your thoughts?
CHRIS ORR: I was excited, overwhelmed with joy, because of the history that we have with the Rose Bowl and also the importance that the game is. It is the best bowl game in the nation, without a doubt. If you're a college football fan you know all about the Rose Bowl. You know about some of the magical games and magical plays. I was excited to be part of that rich history.

Q. How have you prepared for this game to not get too hyped in a game where you overrun a read and it's going to be a house call out the back door?
CHRIS ORR: You just approach it the same way as any other game. You understand the weight that the game carries, but at the same time you're still playing football. It's still a football game.

Once we run out of the tunnel and everybody takes their pictures, once we get between those lines, you're still just playing football, no matter who is watching, no matter where it's at it's football.

Q. Breaking down you guys on film, I love how you blitz the backs. What's your thought when you both of you are coming, either A gap, and the center has to make a choice here?
CHRIS ORR: That's exactly what it is. The center's going to have to pick one. If he tries to somehow take both of us, run through his arms. But the center has to pick one and then we're matched up against the back and we have to win. There's no excuse for it. You have to win. That's a mismatch.

The same way as if -- I'm sure if we were on a slot receiver, they would expect him to beat us. So it's exactly what it is. If you get in that situation, you need to win it, come through for us.

Q. When you think of the Pac-12, what are some of your thoughts? And after watching Oregon, are they the same?
CHRIS ORR: No, they're actually different. When I think of the Pac-12, I think of air raid, a lot of athletes on the field, trying to get the ball into their best athletes' hands as many times as possible and spread the ball around as much as you can because you have those weapons all over the field.

And when I looked at Oregon, they had that concept of getting the ball out to their athletes, but they also want to be physical. You can see that in their style of play. Their run game is pretty north/south when they're not trying to get around the edge or anything like that. They want to run and hit you in the mouth. I love that. It's going to be a fun game.

Q. Your linebacking corps, how would you define -- I know there's a lot of you, but the three of you at least get a lot of play?
CHRIS ORR: I would say nasty.

Q. Why is that?
CHRIS ORR: Nasty and tenacious. When you watch our plays, none of us give up on a play. Everybody's battled through something at some point throughout the season. We want to be physical. Whenever we're taking on a block it's physical. And there's just no quit. There's no end to the fight with us. So that's how I would describe us is nasty.

Q. Oregon has 218 stars on their O line. You guys have a boat load on yours. What's are your thoughts on best on best?
CHRIS ORR: It's going to be fun. That's exactly what you want. When it comes down to the end of the year, for a few guys, the end of our careers, our college careers, that's what you want. You want to play the best, want to play one of the best. Want the best against the best. You can't ask for anything more. As a competitor you want to face the best.

Q. What's the meaning to you as a player at Wisconsin, "Jump Around"?
CHRIS ORR: "Jump Around". Okay. It means home, means love and energy and hope. I guess for other teams it means the end. You just know you get a surge of energy whenever "Jump Around" comes on. The entire stadium is shaking. A couple times, I was in the booth before and the TVs, you would think that it's about to come down, think the place is about to come down. I think of love, joy, electricity, hope, hypeness, whatever.

Q. If they play it here at the end of the third quarter?
CHRIS ORR: I'm going to be excited it's going to be like Camp Randall. Our fans will travel well. They've been hoping for us to get back to the Rose Bowl for a while. We'll see a lot of red. If they play "Jump Around" the stadium will get to shaking. I know that.

Q. Oregon has a song, "Shout"?
CHRIS ORR: I heard that before. Nebraska played it before at one of their games. That can get loud too.

Q. The players get into it, but it's (indiscernible). They treat it as (indiscernible) the fans (indiscernible). If they play both songs at the end of the third quarter, are you going to try to keep your side louder than theirs?
CHRIS ORR: Yes, for sure, everything is a competition. I hope our fans outcheer their fans. We outplay them, everything's a competition.

Q. Wisconsin is now a regular in New Year's six bowls. What do you think moving forward this team needs to do to get to the next level?
CHRIS ORR: I think we just need to finish better in some of those big-time games, like the Big Ten Championship. We need to finish those games to come out on top.

And throughout the regular season, the same thing. When we get into those big clashes against some bigger opponents, we need to finish those games to come out on top. There's no doubt in my mind we'll be in the playoffs.

Q. (Indiscernible)?
CHRIS ORR: I don't know, I don't know who picked it, but I'm glad they picked it. It's a good one. Pretty much everybody seen "Bad Boys," either the first or second one, for sure the second one. So I'm just happy that they decided to make another one on top of that. So it was good to see.

Q. You've been waiting for this moment for weeks now. It's finally here. How excited are you to be sitting on this stage knowing how close you are to kickoff?
CHRIS ORR: I'm beyond excited. Anytime we have to wait a while to play a game, it just builds up the anticipation, it builds up some anxiety, positive anxiety for it. So you're just anxious the whole time, ready to hurry up and get out there and play football. And it seems like we've been without it for a while, but I'm happy it's getting closer and closer.

Q. You've been a part of a couple of big games now. How does this one compare? And is it better? Is it worse? What are your thoughts?
CHRIS ORR: It's definitely top two for me. It's battling for the number one spot for me with the Cotton Bowl. It's been great. I've never experienced anything like this before now. I've loved every moment.

Q. When you came here as a freshman, I know it's been a long path to get to this moment, could you envision yourself sitting on this stage?
CHRIS ORR: Yes, I definitely envisioned it. Especially after seeing the rich history we have with the Rose Bowl Game, the history of the Rose Bowl itself. I knew it was always a possibility for us to get here. And I definitely envisioned myself being here. I'm happy that we made it here.

Q. One of the things I've enjoyed about covering you guys over the years is seeing how much fun you have. What is it about this group that makes you so successful?
CHRIS ORR: We just love each other. We truly love each other. We're friends off the field. Really close friends off the field. People don't realize that. It makes it easy, when it's time to play football, to take the extra step for somebody else, to go eat up a block so somebody else can get a sack or take on the double teams so somebody else can get a tackle.

It's gets easy when you're friends. We truly are friends.

Q. How about your relationship in particular with Zack? How special is that to you? He mentioned you guys got (indiscernible). What has that friendship meant to you?
CHRIS ORR: It's meant everything to me. That's my brother, man. Whenever I was out for the season, he helped pick me up when I was down, and I did the same for him.

We've been there with each other throughout every step of our journeys respectfully, and I'm happy that it's kind of coming together in the end. I can't wait to go out there and have one last ride with him. That means everything to me. That's my brother.

Q. How much better has he made you?
CHRIS ORR: Oh, way better. Just the fact that -- we started up a little competition, who can get the most -- who can finish with the most sacks. Just by that alone, the competition makes you better, period, who can have a better game, who can have a bigger impact in this game.

That makes you better. It brings out the best in you.

Q. What's been your favorite part about this experience this week?
CHRIS ORR: Oh, my favorite part. Had to be getting the first cut at the Lawry's Beef Bowl. That was special to me.

Q. I just got done talking to Zack. He said you had the hottest takes and he loved to argue about LeBron and everything else. What do you like about arguing, or do you just like arguing with Zack or --
CHRIS ORR: It's not even that I enjoy arguing, it's just that when I feel like I'm right about something, I guess I don't really let it go. It's that kind of person I am. Until you prove me that I'm wrong, I guess.

I wouldn't say I like arguing. But as far as LeBron, he's one of the most hated athletes for no reason. Like he does everything right both on and off the court, and he's one of the best ever. He is the best ever. That's why when people say, oh, he sucks, I'd be like: Tell me how? Why do you hate him so much?

Q. What are some other things you guys argue about?
CHRIS ORR: It will be little stuff like what did this character say in this movie, what's this word mean. It'd be little stuff like that. And I will feel like I vividly remember. Sometimes I'm wrong, but I'm right a lot of the time.

Q. You guys like to argue to argue?
CHRIS ORR: Yeah, probably. Pretty much.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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