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ROSE BOWL GAME PRESENTED BY VIZIO: OREGON v WISCONSINDecember 28, 2011Nick ToonPASADENA, CALIFORNIA Q. (Inaudible) NICK TOON: Should be a good matchup. Looking forward to playing them. Q. After last year, this has to be motivation, a chance to get back, redeem yourself? NICK TOON: Yeah, you know, obviously tough loss last year. And did what we needed to do to get back there this year, very fortunate to be in a position to be able to be back in this game, yeah. To be back in the game this year. And you know really looking forward to playing. Q. Is there anything you can take from that game? NICK TOON: Well, you know, it's two different games, but I think there are things you can learn from each game. And we'll try to learn from the things that didn't go our way last year and try and fix them going into the game this year. Q. How much impact does your father have, your entire career? NICK TOON: You know, my dad's been very influential in my career up to this point. Both my parents, actually. Neither of my parents were very pushy. Didn't force me to play sports. And you know, I think that's part of the reason I've lasted as long as I have. I think a lot of kids nowadays are pressured into playing sports and doing things that sometimes they don't have an interest in doing. So both my parents have been very influential. Q. Were you the type of kid that‑‑ I mean maybe like me, I want to follow in my dad's footsteps, were you that type of kid? NICK TOON: You know, obviously my dad was a great player. And to even be mentioned in the same breath as him is an honor. And that's definitely something I wanted to do since I was younger and hopefully will continue to do here down the road. Q. In that way, you said he's been very influential, but is that influential in a way that a coach is influential telling you what to do on the field? NICK TOON: Yeah. Q. Or off the field? What do you mean by that, influential? NICK TOON: Well, you know my dad is‑‑ you know my dad. He's my father first. And he's provided fatherly advice and direction as far as life goes. I think a good parent is a life coach first. And my dad and my mom, too, have done a great job at that. But as far as football goes, he's been a good resource for me and someone I can go to to get advice that maybe not everybody knows. I played in the NFL for eight years, with one of the best to do it. And he's got a little bit of insight that some people don't have. So I've been very fortunate to have that resource. Q. Was there any pressure to kind of, to live up to what he accomplished; that happens to a lot of kids who follow in their parents' footsteps? NICK TOON: I definitely do think there was an expectation coming in and playing at Wisconsin, I don't think it would have been any different anywhere else. But it is what it is. My dad is my dad. And he's always been my dad. So that's‑‑ so that's the only thing I know. Q. As a receiver, just what do you feel like you really bring to the table as a wide receiver? NICK TOON: I think first and foremost, I catch the ball really well. I catch the ball in my hands. And I think that's kind of a lost art. A lot of guys nowadays, for whatever reason, are body catchers, use their body to catch the ball. And I think, obviously, a receiver's primary job is to catch the ball. And I think I do a pretty good job of that. I think I'm a good route runner. And polished route runner, and those are two very important things in the receiver position. And also think I have pretty good speed. Don't get to show it as much as some other receivers do and other offenses. But that's the way our offense is set up. But at the end of the day I've still had a lot of success in our offense and wouldn't have had it any other way. Q. Russell Wilson said that a lot of times as playmakers, like you, make him look good and sometimes he makes you look good. Which happens more often? NICK TOON: Actually I think it's balanced. Obviously Russ is a good player. I like to think I'm a good player. And instead of saying one or the other looks good, I think we both make each other look good. Q. How much does that help you as a wide receiver to have a quarterback that's very, very athletic? NICK TOON: It makes it much easier. You look at a guy like Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady, those guys, put the ball right on the money all the time. And as a receiver, when the ball is where it's supposed to be, it makes it much easier to catch it and make big plays. And sometimes make plays that maybe wouldn't have been made if the ball wasn't put in a safe area. Q. Do you guys‑‑ obviously you guys are going against really a young cornerback at Oregon. Is that something that you can maybe take advantage of, their youth and inexperience? NICK TOON: Yeah, definitely. I've been doing this for five years. I'm a fifth year senior. And there's definitely things I didn't know as a freshman and sophomore. And you know that's just kind of the natural maturation process of a football player. Each year and each game we play you mature a little bit. So typically the older you get, the more experienced you are and more knowledgeable you are about what's going on in the field and how to take advantage of some of the things that some of the younger guys may not know. But with that being said, they are still very talented and all of their secondary's made a lot of big plays this year. So can't take them lightly. And looking forward to getting the opportunity to go out and compete against those guys. Q. You're obviously not looking ahead of this game. What do you think‑‑ in terms of professional football. What do you feel like? NICK TOON: Definitely I'm very confident in my ability. I know I have the tools and the ability to go on and have a lot of success at the next level. If it's in God's will for me to go and stay healthy and play a long time, I know I have the capability to do so. Q. And before that happens, how much do you want (inaudible) NICK TOON: That's the most important thing. You know, the most important thing is to win every week and the Rose Bowl is the next one on my schedule. So hopefully we can finish it out here strong. Q. What makes Russell unique as a quarterback, the size, the athleticism, the stats he's compiled? NICK TOON: Well, you know, the athleticism and stats speak for themselves. He's obviously a great football player. He's had a lot of success this year, but I think one of the things that may be overlooked some of the time is he's a very smart player. He's got a very accurate arm. And he makes pretty good decisions. He's a football player. He's a great quarterback. Q. What about his personality or his makeup led you and the other players to vote him as a co‑captain a couple of months after he transferred in? NICK TOON: Well, I think one of the most important qualities as a quarterback is your leadership ability for more often than not the quarterback is kind of the Commander‑in‑Chief of the offense, and he did a great job of that during camp. And I think it's important to have the respect and the backing of the rest of your offense and the rest of your team as you're having your quarterback as a leader. And I think obviously he did a great job of that during camp, displaying his ability to lead the team and when it came time to vote the team captains, they felt that he was the best guy for the job. Q. Any specific instances or examples of his leadership that stand out in your mind? NICK TOON: You know, there's really examples of it every day. I don't have really one instance that sticks out more than others. But he's always one of the first guys to point out a mistake, try to get guys going you know offensively and defensively during practice, and obviously he's a great leader during the game. So I think all those things kind of add up into making him a great leader. Q. I know this was a difficult year for him emotionally since his father passed. How did you and your teammates help him get through that, and how‑‑ what did you see in his makeup that helped him as he was mourning? NICK TOON: You know, I think, obviously the death of a parent or a sibling or anyone close to you is never something that you really get over. There's a mourning process. But after that's over, you're going to miss them, and I think for Russell, I think he was‑‑ he did a good job of not letting that affect his demeanor on the field or off the field. I'm pretty close with him. And it hasn't been something that I think at least he doesn't show it that bothers him a whole lot. Obviously he misses his father, you know. It's hard to lose a parent or a sibling or anyone close to you. So it sucks but he's done a great job of not letting it get to him. Q. One final thing, since obviously Wisconsin hasn't had a quarterback like him in your tenure there. How does his presence and how do his skills, how do they complement the running game, and how does that make your offense more effective? NICK TOON: Well, Russell's he's a very unique player because he's so athletic and he's really a true quarterback. I think whether he‑‑ at the quarterback position, whether he didn't have his quarterback skills up to the level they are or if he didn't have the athleticism that he had, he would still be a good player. But he kind of has‑‑ he kind of combines both of those skills as far as quarterbacking skills and athleticism to make, I think, a really great‑‑ really great player. And I think that's kind of what separates him from some of the other guys that are either purely athletic or purely a quarterback. And I don't think he gets enough respect for his true quarterbacking ability. I think he's really a great true, passionate quarterback. Q. Did you play catch with him? NICK TOON: Yeah, I do. He just got up here we went out on the field messing around, caught some balls, ran some routes. After the first couple of passes I knew he was the real deal. After we were done throwing, we were probably standing on the 30‑yard line, and he was like how much do you want to bet I can hit the crossbar. I'm like man there's no way. He was like all right. He wound up, threw the ball, first throw, hit the crossbar. Q. 30‑yard line? NICK TOON: 30‑yard line. We'll say 70, make him sound better. That was pretty crazy. Q. For you as a receiver, you guys have the passing game, most people take a back seat to the running game. How happy were you, a receiver, to have (inaudible)‑‑ NICK TOON: Anytime you have a talented quarterback it's a good time for a receiver. Obviously Montee had a lot of success this year. Very proud of him. He's a great player and he deserves everything. So I still think‑‑ could have thrown the ball a little more this year, but we had a lot of success as a team, and that's really what's important at the end of the day. Q. But you knew what you were getting into when you signed with Wisconsin. Just seems like his arrival‑‑ Scott was very efficient. But this is a legitimate arm. When you're out there, is there a difference in the routes you guys run? NICK TOON: Oh, yeah, I mean obviously Scotty was a great player. He led us to the Rose Bowl and Big Ten championship last year. And that's not easy to do. Now he's on an NFL roster and that's not easy to do either. He's a good player. Scotty and Russell are two different types of players. So it's hard to compare them in the same breath. But Russell's done a great job. And he's a different player than Scotty was. And each player has their strengths and weaknesses. And Russell has a very strong arm. He's very accurate. And he is very athletic. So we're able to do a few more things than we were last year. Q. (Inaudible) NICK TOON: Yeah, I was sold after the first couple of balls I caught. I watched him kind of, his little highlight tape or whatever on YouTube. So before he got up there, I knew he was talented. And I knew kind of what people thought about him. And as soon as he threw that first ball, that stuff was all confirmed. Q. What about for you, how do you see your career has evolved? NICK TOON: I've had a great time here. I think I wouldn't have gone to any other schools. Wouldn't have had it any other way. Obviously had some adversity. Everybody has adversity in their career. But I think that stuff has made me a better person and a better football player, and you know strengthened me for another adversity I'll go through in the future, because life is filled with adversity, and you gotta learn how to deal with it. But I'm still in a great position. Hopefully things continue to go well, you know, getting an opportunity to play at the next level and obviously a childhood dream of mine, and most of the guys that leave high school to go play college football. So, no, most importantly, January2nd, get that win, and we'll move on from there. Q. Is this different than last year? Is this a different experience for you guys this year? NICK TOON: Yeah, it's the same and it's different at the same time. Obviously we're playing a different team. It's a year later. We've been here before. So it's not‑‑ we were here last year. So it's not the first time we've done this stuff. So I think all that stuff is good. I think anytime you're doing something new, there's a little bit of a surprise factor, and you don't know what to expect. And that's not the case this year. So hopefully that will benefit us in the outcome of the game. And hopefully we can go out there and get the W this time. Q. Montee Ball, what makes him such an effective running back? NICK TOON: He's a touchdown machine. He's very athletic, and he's a playmaker. All those things add into being a great player. And we've all seen it firsthand this year. Q. You mentioned he's a touchdown machine. Is that one thing that separates him from other good backs? NICK TOON: Yeah, I definitely‑‑ I don't think Montee gets enough credit. Obviously we have a great offensive line and that's really helpful as a running back. But Montee has made a lot of plays, made a lot of plays on his own. Offensive line has helped him a lot this year. But there's been a lot of times where he's made someone miss in the backfield or at the first level, and made something happen on his own. Definitely I don't think he gets enough credit for that, and it's not easy to score touchdowns. I don't care who you are. So when you are scoring 38 touchdowns in a season, you're a pretty good player. Q. He has more agility than people think, doesn't he? He's not just a power between the‑‑ NICK TOON: He's very quick. Very explosive. Like I said, I don't think he gets enough credit for some of the stuff that he does. But I think he'll be all right. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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