|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
ROSE BOWL GAME PRESENTED BY VIZIO: OREGON v WISCONSINDecember 29, 2011LaMichael JamesPASADENA, CALIFORNIA Q. What do you think about Montee's running style? LaMICHAEL JAMES: He's a big guy‑‑ well, he's bigger. But he has really great feet. You know, he has a lot of touchdowns so he's doing something right. Some of the moves that he has to be a player like him, and the physical‑‑ I think is pretty nifty, too. Q. Said he was looking forward to meeting to you. He missed you in Orlando. LaMICHAEL JAMES: I have not met him but hopefully I will soon. Q. You had a class engagement? LaMICHAEL JAMES: I had school. When they have those award shows, that's our finals week, so it makes it kind of tough. Q. Your running style‑‑ LaMICHAEL JAMES: I don't like to take head eye on hits. I try to maneuver a little bit. I can be physical when I want to but I'd rather not take those hits. Q. Did you see the picture on Internet after Disneyland? LaMICHAEL JAMES: Yeah, I was in it. (Laughter). Q. What was your reaction when you saw it? Were you surprised? LaMICHAEL JAMES: Me and Kenjon and Trey, we were playing around so we were like, we should Tweet it and put it on Facebook. We had no idea it was going to blow up like that. We were pretty much having fun but it is what it is. Q. What has happening on that portion of the ride? LaMICHAEL JAMES: We were at the top. We were kind of Meting around. I have one of Kenjon, too. (Laughing). Q. Do you look forward to the match up‑‑ LaMICHAEL JAMES: The matchup with me is the defense. He's a great player. Our defense is going to probably have their hands full tackling him and keeping them out of the end zone and he has almost 40 touchdown, it's almost unreal. As far as us, me and Montee, it's totally‑‑ he has to go against our defense and we have to go against his defense. Q. What was this season like for you? Seemed like you were for lack of a better term, lost a little under the radar after you got hurt after Heisman and all that. Do you feel like people forgot about you a little bit? LaMICHAEL JAMES: I really don't know. I don't know if I really do care. One thing I care about was winning games so, after I got hurt, we kept winning so I didn't care about anything else. Q. Did you think you were going to be out or be out quicker or be out longer when you were first hurt? LaMICHAEL JAMES: I'm a competitive guy. I feel like I'm tough. I wanted to play the next week. I knew I wasn't going to be out long, if it was up to me. Q. Inaudible? LaMICHAEL JAMES: As far as the records, that stuff doesn't matter. I have a great team and they help me get to those records. So as far as winning a Bowl game, I want to win a Bowl game. I look at every game like it's my last game. I can go out there and break my ankle, turn my ACL, God forbid that happens. You have to look at every game like it's your last game and that's how I play them. Q. In the last two weeks, what is finally getting a BCS Bowl‑‑ LaMICHAEL JAMES: I don't know. I haven't experienced that yet. So you know, after the game, hopefully I'll experience it and you can ask me that question again. Q. One of the things Wisconsin's coach says, that you can snap a ball so quickly‑‑ how much pride do you guys take in scoring? LaMICHAEL JAMES: I think we take pride in it, especially against a great team like Wisconsin. They do a great job running the ball and I feel like if we score fast and often, then they have to throw the ball and obviously you know we want them to throw the ball. We don't want to give the ball to one of the best running backs in the country. Q. Sport center last night‑‑ LaMICHAEL JAMES: Yes. Q. Did you realize what was going on? LaMICHAEL JAMES: It was directly behind me. I was wondering what was going on. I didn't really catch the whole thing but I just caught a brief moment of it. Q. Seems like an appropriate guy to help in that situation, Eagle Scout. LaMICHAEL JAMES: Yeah, I think with Mark being 6‑7 and 400 pounds, I think that also helped, too. Q. A lot of stuff came down‑‑ what's the process like right now, the NFL, something you'll consider after this season? LaMICHAEL JAMES: Yeah, I would be a fool not to consider it. I considered it last year but doesn't mean I'm going to leave. Doesn't mean anything. I'm not going to think about that until next week. I have to talk about things like that with my family and see what's the best thing for me. The best thing for me is looking forward to playing against a great team like Wisconsin. My teammates they come out here and practice hard each and every day, and so for me to come out and say, hey, I'm going to think about going to the NFL right now is totally selfish of me and I'm not going to do that. Q. Reasons that you should go to the NFL‑‑ what are the reasons why you should say? LaMICHAEL JAMES: Well, you know, people is going to talk about what they want to talk about but they don't really know me. They don't know what is best for me. College is the best time of your life. I play for a great running back coach. Coach Kelly is one of the great offensive minds. Only reason people make that jump is because they have a dream to pursue an NFL career and they chase the money. I'm not going to chase the money and I'm having fun in college right now, I love being with my teammates each and every day. Some of my best friends are on this team and I know if I go to the NFL, I'll never play with those guys again. I don't want to think about that right now. Only thing I can think about is playing with these guys right now. Q. Were you surprised that Matt Barkley decided to come back? LaMICHAEL JAMES: 100% not. He did it. Andrew Luck did it. Things are changing now. I know Matt Barkley, he's a team guy and I talked to Andrew and he's a team guy and I'm a team guy and I love my teammates. Not playing with those guys next year would be devastating to me so I'm just cherishing the moment right now. Q. Are you leaning one way or the other? LaMICHAEL JAMES: No. I have not been thinking about it. After the season maybe so but right now I'm just enjoying the moment. Q. Inaudible. LaMICHAEL JAMES: Have to run fast and try to dodge. They have some big guys up front, they have some great linebackers, so running fast‑‑ that's the only thing I can think of right now. Q. The running game has a hard time getting traction against Ohio State and Auburn, what were the reasons‑‑ what were the reasons for that? LaMICHAEL JAMES: I mean, I don't really know what the reasons are. I haven't run back and said, hey, we did this in this game and that game. If I did that, then I wouldn't be focused on this game. So I'm looking at all of the things we can improve on right now. Q. What are those things to improve on? LaMICHAEL JAMES: We just have to get back to the fundamentals, play our ball. I think we fell down a little bit on one of those games and we had to throw the ball. The running game is not going to be as good when you have to throw the ball so we just need to stick to the game plan and get the ball moving. Q. How much does this offense features a running style? LaMICHAEL JAMES: I think it fits it 100%. I think I'm perfect for this style of offense. If I was in any other style of offense, I think I would have success, too. I love this offense. I love playing fast. I don't want to sit in the huddle and wait all day to run a play. Q. Do you think you would be successful at Wisconsin, too? LaMICHAEL JAMES: Definitely. I know I would be successful in their offense‑‑ 6‑7, I can just sit behind him all day. Q. Bringing defenders to them sometimes‑‑ you just have to be patient‑‑ is that how you always run or something that you've developed in college? LaMICHAEL JAMES: Definitely had to develop it. I think it comes with experience. At first I was just getting the ball and running like a chicken with his head cutoff but now I know what's happening and I kind of know how to deliver the defenders to the offensive linemen. So it's working out in my favor right now. Q. Are you feeling good‑‑ LaMICHAEL JAMES: I'm 100% healthy. Q. Going back, you were around when everything was going on‑‑ what did that sort of teach you about some lessons in terms of good sportsmanship and that sort of thing. LaMICHAEL JAMES: First of all, I think their team can learn from that and our team can learn from that. It was a mutual event I think and LeGarrette got the worst end of it with the whole deal. Anything can be taken away from you in the heat of the moment. It just happened. He made a rational decision. Q. So can you expand on just what you learned from the whole thing? LaMICHAEL JAMES: Yeah, anything can be taken away from you at any moment. Q. The last couple of Bowl games, you had a shoulder problem, you came out in a key moment, there was a fumble with the BCS game‑‑ do you dwell on those moments? LaMICHAEL JAMES: I think most definitely the Rose Bowl one. I hurt my shoulder after having a long run, and the next play we fumbled the ball so I think if I would have been in there, it might have been different, or maybe not. Who knows. But I do think about that and National Championship game, that was a difficult game for all of us. We came back, we battled hard. I think if I would have got the ball a little more, it would have been a different factor. Q. Do you look back at film with Kenjon, you guys are so close, do you look at things that you did‑‑ LaMICHAEL JAMES: No, you know, you can't take anything away from those guys. Those guys are good. That happens in football if you play enough. So things happen for a reason and it was meant to happen. Q. Have you made a decision on the NFL? LaMICHAEL JAMES: No. Q. What would be your incentive to come back? LaMICHAEL JAMES: I love coach and I love my teammates and I love being in Eugene. I love everything about it. I think once you go to the NFL, it's more of a business and right now I'm still a kid and I still love being with those guys. I'm going to discuss that with my family and see what we come up with. Q. The two Bowl games‑‑ LaMICHAEL JAMES: Not at all. I've got to win one. Q. Have you talked to Matt Barkley or Andrew Luck about what went into their decision? LaMICHAEL JAMES: No, I've not really talked to Matt Barkley. Maybe Andrew Luck a little bit. He's a team guy and he's just like me. Q. What did he tell you? LaMICHAEL JAMES: It's college. Once you get to the NFL, it's more of a business. Q. How much edge do you think you had in speed? LaMICHAEL JAMES: We are faster than them but we are faster than a lot of teams and if they don't let us get open, it doesn't matter. So we have got to get open first, showcase our speed. Q. When did you talk to Luck, last year? LaMICHAEL JAMES: Last year. Q. How is he different from other coaches and how you might be a reflection of his personality? LaMICHAEL JAMES: He's a tough coach but he's more of a player coach, too. He really teaches us a lot of life lessons on and off the field. Everything he does is more of a life lesson rather than we are going to do this on the field, be on time, always. If you're on time, then you're late and he's just that type of coach. He gets everything out of us every day. He don't let us come to practice and slack off. We go out there and we have to work hard and we guy into the system, you practice hard, you win the game and that's what we really believe in. Q. When someone screws up, someone is not on time, someone misses an assignment, you are down at half‑time, what's he like then? LaMICHAEL JAMES: Most of the time when we are down at half‑time, I think he kind of likes that situation. Only time he really yells at us is when we are up by 25 or 30. That's the only time I've ever seen him yet in half‑time. Q. Had you dislocated‑‑ LaMICHAEL JAMES: Yeah, I had dislocated both my pinkies. Q. How did that happen? LaMICHAEL JAMES: I did one of them a week before, or well, not a week before, a game before, and I did the other one that game. Q. In the BCS game last year? LaMICHAEL JAMES: Yeah. Q. So you are still looking for a highlight‑‑ LaMICHAEL JAMES: 100%, yes. Q. The photo earlier‑‑ LaMICHAEL JAMES: Yeah, Kenjon. Q. Have you been giving him grief about that? LaMICHAEL JAMES: We were together the whole day. I told you about it, we were kind of messing around, having fun. That's the type of thing I would come back to college for, just hanging out with Kenjon and my other teammates. We were just playing around. I said, do you think we should Tweet it? I Tweeted it‑‑ well, he Tweeted it, and if I had a Twitter, I would Tweet him, too. I don't have one and I thought about creating one just to do that but I'm not going to do him like that. Q. That thing was everywhere. LaMICHAEL JAMES: We didn't really think it would blow up like that, but it did. Q. Are you embarrassed by it or anything? LaMICHAEL JAMES: No. 100% not. Q. Are any of the other teammates lobbying you to come back? LaMICHAEL JAMES: Not at all. We don't discuss that. Like I told the guys before, it would be selfish for me to think about the NFL or discuss the NFL with them. We work hard each and every day. I can't do that. I have to think about playing this game. Q. The idea that you guys have not won the big game, has Jim talked to you guys about that at all, that this time you have to win the game to make a statement? LaMICHAEL JAMES: Not at all. We made it to three BCS games. We haven't won one but we made it. We can lose and go to a different type of Bowl game, a less‑‑ lower Bowl game and win that one, and then, hey we won a Bowl game. We want to go out and compete and go against the best. Q. I don't know if pressure is the right word, but do you feel any extra motivation to win this game just because you've lost the last two? LaMICHAEL JAMES: No, I don't think so. We want to win the game obviously. We want to win every game and that's how we honestly feel. We are going to go and treat this game like another one. Q. Can you talk about what you've seen from Wisconsin and what stands out to you, what are the challenges? LaMICHAEL JAMES: Number 44 the linebacker. I think he's really good. Defensive line, there are some big guys. That's all you see is physical guys. If they get a hit on you, then you are going to feel it. Q. Do they remind you of anybody you saw this year in conference play? LaMICHAEL JAMES: They are similar to Stanford, I think so, probably a little better defensively. But I don't really know because I haven't played them yet. Q. Compare to Ohio State? LaMICHAEL JAMES: No, they don't really compare to Ohio State. They are a little bit different. Q. In what way? LaMICHAEL JAMES: Many ways. I think Ohio State would probably have a little bit more team speed but like I said I haven't played them yet. When I looked at Ohio State‑‑ when you look at film, they are similar but after playing Ohio State they are a little faster than I thought they were and maybe Wisconsin will be a little faster than I think they are. Q. The losses of chip Kelly, first game of the season‑‑ Stanford had a bye. LaMICHAEL JAMES: Maybe so. I mean, I don't know if it's an advantage. I may have to ask those guys. Q. The other thing about Bowl games, particularly the Championship Game, all of the TV time‑outs, does that bother you or hurt you guys to get into a rhythm with so many stops? LaMICHAEL JAMES: Yeah, I can honestly say that we don't like that. We don't really like the TV time‑outs. Seems like there's so many of those when you're playing these big games. But hopefully we get the drive going and there won't be any time‑outs until after we score. Q. If you guys score‑‑ LaMICHAEL JAMES: We don't really care. We want to be last. We want to play fast. We want to be aggressive with the play calls and get the tempo going. Q. Do you ever get any grief from your teammates on defense just playing, can you please hold the ball‑‑ LaMICHAEL JAMES: No, not at all. I think our defense, they do a great job for us, and they never complain, and they play fast. Our defense don't get a lot of hype, but thinking about all of those snaps the guys play and thinking about how many times they have to go down there and cover the offense, so it makes it difficult for those guys, too. Q. The second play, got a concussion, some guy broke his chin‑‑ were those two of the better fronts that you had to face? LaMICHAEL JAMES: Probably so. I would definitely have to say LSU by far is probably the best team we've ever played. They are a great team. Q. How important is Darron to your offense? LaMICHAEL JAMES: He's important to us. He gets everything going, all of the play calls. He gets everybody lined up. He gets the tempo going and he makes all the right reads. Q. It's got to help, running and passing and covering for you‑‑ LaMICHAEL JAMES: Yeah, most definitely. Darron's a great player and he's really smart, too. Nobody really knows how smart he is except the guys on the team. He gets everybody in position to excel, and he can run it, but I mean, he's doing what he's doing well right now and that's getting everybody lined up and making the right reads. Q. Thinking back a couple of years before he was a starter, were you guys concerned about that position? Had you seen him in practice? LaMICHAEL JAMES: We weren't concerned. I don't think my teammates were concerned when I came in the game two years ago, either. So you know, Darron is a great player. We see him in practice each and every day and we know what he can do and once he got the ring to lead the team, we were all for it. Q. You talked before about his toughness, what's it like seeing him get hits and get back up over and over? LaMICHAEL JAMES: Most of the time I'm laughing at him. It's not really funny‑‑ well, yeah, it is. So, yeah, he gets up‑‑ he always gets up. Darron gets hit so hard. He gets hit harder than me and Kenjon. He just always finds a way to get up. Q. Is there any motivation, when you think about reasons why you might comeback, anything in terms of making a run at the Heisman, is that something that would be important to you? LaMICHAEL JAMES: No. No. Q. What kind of time line have you set for yourself for deciding what you're going to do? LaMICHAEL JAMES: I'll have to say maybe a week or so. Maybe two weeks. Who knows. I have a lot of time. So I'll just have to wait and see then. Q. How has practice been? LaMICHAEL JAMES: Practice's been really good. That's an important question right there, how is practices. Yeah, it's going really good for us. Everybody is practicing hard. I love the tempo right now. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
About ASAP Sports •
FastScripts Archive •
Recent Interviews •
Captioning •
Upcoming Events •
Contact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links |
|
ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297
|