BAD BOY MOWERS PINSTRIPE BOWL: MINNESOTA VS. SYRACUSE

December 22, 2022

Brevyn Spann-Ford

Yankee Stadium

Minnesota Golden Gophers

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We are joined by Brevyn Spann-Ford. Questions, please.

Q. Have you made a decision on if you're coming back next year or not?

BREVYN SPANN-FORD: Yeah, I'll be announcing it next week.

Q. Whether you're coming or staying, after the bowl game?

BREVYN SPANN-FORD: No, before.

Q. What can you say you've seen defensively from Syracuse knowing there's going to be some changes out there with the personnel?

BREVYN SPANN-FORD: It is definitely new for us. That's why it's been nice getting the extra practices in and extra time for film study 'cause their linebackers and their stunts up front are going to do a lot of things we aren't really used to.

We've been working every day, making sure that we're working on every twist and stunt we could possibly see from them.

Q. I asked Mariano about the good pizza places in Minnesota. Give me a spot in Minnesota, a good place to eat?

BREVYN SPANN-FORD: If I was just kind of directing someone that's never been here, I'd definitely say get to Jucy Lucy. There's a couple different places around the city that you can get a good Jucy Lucy from. That's a Minnesota staple in my opinion.

Q. What is that?

BREVYN SPANN-FORD: A burger with the cheese inside the patty. It originated here. That's up for debate where it started, but that's what I would say.

Q. What are you looking forward to most about the bowl game experience in New York?

BREVYN SPANN-FORD: I think it's just going to be a really fun time for our team. We've heard nothing but great things about the Pinstripe Bowl. I've never been to New York personally. Closest I've been is Rutgers. It's really exciting, you get to see all the places you see in the movies, Broadway, stuff like that.

I think the whole team is really excited to get out there.

Q. Mo is wrapping up his career in the bowl game. Looking back, what were your first impressions and what has he meant to you over the years?

BREVYN SPANN-FORD: When I first came in, I was always around those guys 'cause they're only a year older than me. I was kind of there. I'm not too big on just like forcing myself into being around people.

Soon we kind of like felt each other's humor. You get around people, you realize when you got like the same humor as someone. We have similar humor. All of us kind of got closer. Chris, those guys, all got closer in my class. It feels like it was just yesterday really.

But Mo is a tremendous dude. I always say he's more valuable as a human being than he is as a football player. He's a special player, but when you get to meet him in person, he's a great dude.

I can only speak highly of him.

Q. You've had a front row seat to Athan's development here. What have you seen behind the scenes or in the huddle of how he's taken the most of his opportunity this year?

BREVYN SPANN-FORD: He's definitely a character. He's a funny dude. That's the first thing I really noticed about him, goofy sometimes. When he gets on that field, when the lights are on, he's a different dude. He's always locked in, does whatever he can do to learn from Tanner, Cole, Coach Rocco, Coach Fleck. He's a sponge when it comes to learning stuff like that.

He does a great job. He'll make a mistake in practice, but he's not going to make the same mistake twice. That's what's important about his development.

Q. What is the goofy side of him?

BREVYN SPANN-FORD: He's a jokester. A young dude, just getting into college. He's really fun to be around.

Q. What have you seen from Jameson Geers, some of the young tight ends?

BREVYN SPANN-FORD: Jamo, especially, he's come a long way since he's been here. He's a great dude. Comes from a great family. He works incredibly hard. I think that's the one thing I really, really love about Jamo is he's going to work his tail off to get better at whatever he needs to get better at.

He's worked tremendously hard this season, gotten on the field a little bit. It's only going to go up for him. I tell him every day, Keep sticking to it. He's going to be double the player I was here, so...

I'm very excited about him.

Q. In the Wisconsin game you displayed your hurdling skills. When did you decide to do that?

BREVYN SPANN-FORD: It's not really something planned. Just kind of happens I guess. One thing I've worked on in the off-season is running with the football. Obviously in our room we weren't very catch-heavy in my first couple of years. Whether it's doing running back drills with Mo, anything I can do to improve my running with the football.