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ROSE BOWL GAME PRESENTED BY VIZIO: TCU v WISCONSINDecember 28, 2010Tank CarderWayne DanielsCory GrantPASADENA, CALIFORNIA Q. Tank, this is for you. Can you tell me the difference between preparation this week for the Rose Bowl as opposed to last year for the Fiesta Bowl for both players and coaches, how the approach has been different? TANK CARDER: We've definitely approached it differently because last year was our first BCS and we kind of I guess you could say saw the light at the end of the tunnel. All week we kind of were like, oh, we're at the BCS. But this year we kind of know how to prepare a little bit differently and a little bit better to prepare for the game, and I feel like last year was just kind of not so much a surprise but I guess that could be a good word for it. Q. This question is for Wayne. When was the last time you think you guys were involved in a really close game in the fourth quarter? WAYNE DANIELS: San Diego State. Q. Really? WAYNE DANIELS: Really. Q. Okay, that's a stretch, but this team hasn't normally played in a lot of close games. The Boise State game last year was close, the Clemson game last year was close. Do you think you guys are mature enough or do you think that's a different feeling at all in terms of playing in the fourth quarter when the game is not already a 15- or 20-point deficit? WAYNE DANIELS: There's a big difference when you're playing in a game and you're up by a lot and the game is 13-17. I can't really tell you how it feels because usually when I'm playing in the fourth quarter -- but the biggest difference is the way you play. You play hard, but if it's there and you've got a reason to go get it, you play a lot harder than you do when you're leading by a lot. Q. Tank, Wayne, how important is it to have backups like Colin Jones who was a starter last year and got injured, didn't play, Tyler Luttrell came in and played great, was integral to the team last year. Colin has had a great year after having to step in. How important is that, and talk about the play of Colin this year. WAYNE DANIELS: It's definitely important to have backup. Whenever you have depth you can keep fresh legs in the game and keep people rotating in and out because you get into them long play drives, especially with the type of offense Wisconsin runs you can get into 10-, 15-play drives, and you get about that eighth play and your legs give up and you can get that second team guy to come in and play that has just as much intensity as the first team, so yeah, depth is definitely important in big games like this. Q. Cory, you've heard all week long about how big Wisconsin's offensive line is, how they're able to run the football and just kind of smashmouth people. As a defensive line what are you guys thinking about when you hear that? What are you all talking about amongst yourselves? CORY GRANT: We're talking about somebody who's going to be big, strong and physical. They're really big on a power football team, run a lot of powers, and they're running right at you, directly at you. We have to make anchor points, we have to defend the outside really well because the running backs there like to cut back and things like that. So we have to have good support positions. As far as what I think about, I think it's going to be a big challenge and I'm all up for challenges especially being down there in what they call the trenches. That will be fun, being a one technique down there taking on a double all night, so it's going to be a really fearsome game and I'm excited to play it. Q. Follow-up to that, Cory, do they remind you of anybody you've played this year? Everybody talks about how big they are. Was there anyone as big as that that you played this year? CORY GRANT: I'll give you two teams. As far as the way they come off the ball and how they power block, Air Force, because they come off just like Air Force does. And size-wise it would have to be BYU. Those are the only guys that really match up across the board to their height and to their size. But Air Force, of course, you know how their triple option, they always just dive in and they're always just double-teaming the whole game, just as the Wisconsin offense is. As far as power football, I'll give them Air Force, but as far as size-wise, I'll give them BYU. Q. Wayne, four or five years ago could you have ever foreseen TCU sitting where they are right now? WAYNE DANIELS: No. No, when I first got to TCU, we came when we were barely getting -- I could say 20,000. The most when I was a freshman, the most I ever seen our stadium packed was when we played Tech. So to come from there to where we are now I think is a huge accomplishment not only for the football team but for the University. Q. Tank, you've been a part of some pretty good defenses. Last year was pretty good with Jerry and some other guys and Daryl, and this year you guys did ridiculous things statistically. Which defense is better? TANK CARDER: There's really not a better defense. It's two totally different types of defenses. I mean, as far as the chemistry on it goes, starting at the beginning of last season we had people starting in new positions and we had to build the chemistry throughout the season until that last game, all the way up until the day before the game last we were building chemistry, and that's just like this year. There's different people at different positions. From the first game of the season we started building chemistry and creating love for each other and depending on that person to our left and to our right to make their play. I felt like it's just -- the chemistry just keeps getting better and has continued throughout this week to get better. Q. You lose a first-round pick in Jerry, lose another guy to the NFL in Daryl. Did you ever have a moment where you don't have those guys, were you worried or concerned about adequately replacing their production? TANK CARDER: Not at all. We had Tanner Brock who was coming up and we had Wayne was coming at D-end, and I felt like we were only going to get better. That's just how a team does. You can't look back to the guys that are leaving because it's just going to sit there on you. You can't do nothing about the guys that leave. You've got to build a new team with the guys that you have. Q. Wayne, how do you expect them to attack you offensively? Do you think they're going to show you those big backs to pound it the whole time or do you think they're going to mix it up against you? WAYNE DANIELS: I think for the most part they're going to try to pound it, but as an offense what they do is they pound it, pound it, pound it, then they play action. For the most part they'll probably try to pound it. Q. Really for all three of you, everything has been talked about their running game, but talk about their quarterback, Scott, what impresses you about him, Tank, and go down the line. He's been impressive. What is it about him that you like? TANK CARDER: He's definitely been impressive all year. He's a good quarterback, he can disguise what he's doing, and I feel like what makes him good is how he can make the run, make the run, make the run and then fake the run and do the play action boot and make the amazing pass for a touchdown or whatever it is. He's just a great quarterback and he'll be one of the greatest quarterbacks we've played this year. WAYNE DANIELS: Tank stole my answer. His ability to -- his play fakes are really good. From what I've seen, he's not an easy tackle. He loses defensive linemen very well. And he's really efficient. CORY GRANT: Along with the play action, he's really effective in finding the open man, even under pressure, because we've seen him in -- we've been seeing him chased by a lot of defensive players, but he keeps his composure and he finds the open guy. Secondly, I guess he has a good, I guess, leadership on the team because he has led them on long drives where they've just ran, ran, ran and then play action or sometimes just ran the whole way down. He's really good at guiding his team to long distances, so that's really good about him, and he's a pretty smart quarterback. End of FastScripts |
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