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ROSE BOWL GAME PRESENTED BY VIZIO: OREGON v WISCONSINDecember 30, 2011Eddie PleasantPASADENA, CALIFORNIA Q.  You started off nine guys get stuck in an elevator, then you've got LaMichael James on a roller coaster. It's been a little bit of a different Bowl week, hasn't it? EDDIE PLEASANT: It's been crazy, a couple crazy things going on. One good thing is that Martin got to save somebody's life. I'm happy I wasn't on that ride, but for the most part everything has been pretty fun. Q. What's worse, getting stuck in the elevator or LaMichael James in the picture? EDDIE PLEASANT: I'm going to take the picture because I'd rather be stuck in that little picture he had. Q. But the picture lasts forever? EDDIE PLEASANT: Yeah, you're right, but they were stuck on the elevator for two hours, and there was like nine dudes in there and they couldn't even move. I'd rather take a quick picture and be embarrassed for a little bit. Q. Three years in a row, what's it like now when you walk into a room like this? Is it normal? EDDIE PLEASANT: Yeah, you know, like you said, I've been through it three years now, so just another process we've got to go through, but it's nothing different that we haven't been used to. Q. When we talk to your team, it's always about the team. Mark always puts it that it's Groundhog Day for you guys. Still Groundhog Day? EDDIE PLEASANT: Not so much. We're in a different environment, practicing at some different places. But for the most part it do get like Groundhog Day. We do the same thing every day, over and over and over again. Only thing that has changed, we came from Oregon and we came out to California, but for the most part it is like Groundhog Day. Q. You are aware how difficult it is to interview you guys? EDDIE PLEASANT: No, I just answer the questions. Q. But it's coach's philosophy at the end of the day. Is there anything I could ask you that would be like interesting, that you would like divulge real stuff about what goes on? EDDIE PLEASANT: Probably not. I don't know, probably not. We like to keep a lot of the inside stuff within our team, you know what I mean. But as long as we're not getting in trouble with the questions we answer, that's how we've got to keep it. Q. Wisconsin's offense, talk about that. EDDIE PLEASANT: They've got a great quarterback, good running back. Speaks for itself, he's a Heisman Trophy candidate. They've got some great receivers and a big offensive line. That's a good football team; they wouldn't be here if they wasn't. So we've got our hands full and we've got our work cut out, we've just got to be ready to go. Q. (Inaudible.) EDDIE PLEASANT: Tackle the quarterback, tackle the running back and just do our job, read our keys and don't try and do too much. Like I said, the quarterback, he's a good runner, a good thrower. You can have everybody covered and he'll scramble and he'll find a way to make plays. Everybody has got to do their job. He's a great physical runner. We've got to rally around to him. He loves to make one guy miss. He don't come down with one guy tackling. So we've got our work cut out, we've just got to rally to the ball. Q. Did you watch the Alamo Bowl? EDDIE PLEASANT: Yes, I did. Q. Not a whole lot of tackling. EDDIE PLEASANT: No, it looked like a highlight reel if you ask me. Q. You guys talked a little bit about it in the press conference on the first day, but defense has kind of helped the Ducks win a couple of football games this last year, but it seemed like the year before you guys were totally fired up. Have you found any ideas about how to turn it around this game? EDDIE PLEASANT: You're right, we did start off a little stronger last year. We had a lot more turnovers, a lot of takeaways. But we had a lot of young guys out there this year, took us a bit to get started. But for the most part I thought we did a pretty good job. By that I mean we've got some young corners, some guys that never even started before, and to finally be in a position that we're in right now at the end of the season to be in the Rose Bowl, I feel like we did a pretty good job. Q. Have you seen those guys progress since the season has gone on? EDDIE PLEASANT: Yeah, like I said, the corners are very young. They're freshmen. That's probably not the weakness of our defense, but that's the most inexperience of our defense right now. Yeah, I think they did a great job. We wouldn't be in the position that we're in today if it weren't for some of the players on our team that didn't play last year. Q. The scheme is so complicated, too. Is your role as the leader on the team to get these guys up to speed? EDDIE PLEASANT: That's just how we do things around here. Everything is fast. Coach K does a great job of putting that in our head that we do everything fast. We're not the biggest team, so we know speed is going to be our key to win a game. It's not really up to the leaders talking and getting everybody riled up, it's more Coach Kelly. He instilled in us that we've got to be fast to win games. Q. (Inaudible.) EDDIE PLEASANT: They do some great things every game that we watch. Like I said, they've got a great quarterback, great running back, they've got receivers that go up and snatch the ball. Every game they do some great things if you ask me. Q. In terms of watching the offensive line (inaudible). EDDIE PLEASANT: They've got one of the biggest linemen in college football. They've got a good, powerful running back. When you've got a combination like that it's hard to stop somebody like that. Then they've got another running back that comes in. He's more of a quick type guy, but like I said, they've got a big, physical, real big line, physical running back. We've just got to go out there and be ready to tackle. Looking forward to the challenge. Q. You've kind of psyched yourself up, haven't you? EDDIE PLEASANT: Yeah, very excited. Q. How much does it mean for you to be a part of this game? EDDIE PLEASANT: It feels good. Growing up in California, being a USC fan, seeing them play in National Championship games, Rose Bowl Game, you dream of playing in Oregon where things wasn't like this at first to come up here and change things, it feels good. Only thing is we just need to win this last one. We've been here twice and didn't get to win, so I'm looking forward to getting a win at this one. Q. (Inaudible.) EDDIE PLEASANT: Yeah, that's not even really the reason why, but it's just to have my last college game, I want to go out with a win. Q. Who got stuck in the elevator? EDDIE PLEASANT: Deion Jordan, Josh Kaddu, I don't know, it was like nine guys. I don't know, it was a few. Q. But not you? EDDIE PLEASANT: No, I wasn't in the elevator. Q. What did they say? EDDIE PLEASANT: It was horrible. I guess it was too many people on the elevator, and the first hour the people that worked at the hotel, they tried to fix the elevator, and they felt that they couldn't fix it so they had to wait a whole 'nother hour to call the people that built the elevators to come and fix them. Q. How long were they in there? EDDIE PLEASANT: Like two and a half hours. Q. That's like the worst nightmare. EDDIE PLEASANT: Yeah, it is. But I didn't have to go through it, so that was up to them. They was kind of mad, so I didn't really say nothing. I just let them be left alone. Q. What about the Mark Asper thing? Were you there? EDDIE PLEASANT: Yeah, but I was a few tables over. I didn't really see it until it was over to tell you the truth. Darron Thomas was just like, Mark just saved somebody's life, and I'm like, what? And I look over there and everybody is crowded around the table, but I didn't even see it. Q. What do you think about Wisconsin's offense? Tell me about it. EDDIE PLEASANT: Like I said, they've got some great running backs, a great quarterback, good receivers, a good offensive line. It's like a complete offense if you ask me, and they do a lot of great things, line is physical, running back runs physical, quarterback makes plays. It's going to be a fun game. Q. What do they do best? EDDIE PLEASANT: I would have to say running the ball. They've got a good running attack offense, but at the same time they've got some great receivers that go up there and make the plays. I feel like it's a pretty good all‑around offense. Q. So this whole thing about size versus scheme, are you tired of hearing that? EDDIE PLEASANT: Yeah, but it is what it is. We're not the biggest team, so we've got to use our speed, and they're probably one of the biggest teams. That's just the talk you're going to hear when these two teams are matched up just because we're so small and they're so big. Q. Is there an advantage or a disadvantage? How does that usually play out in your experience? EDDIE PLEASANT: I feel like it doesn't really matter. You've got to go out there and play football no matter what size you are. We all work out all season like everybody else does. It doesn't really matter. Q. How many of these have you played in? EDDIE PLEASANT: I've played in two, this is going to be my third one. Q. Is this team at least offensively comparable to that Ohio State team from two years ago? EDDIE PLEASANT: Yeah, I feel like we're better than that team a few years ago. We've got some great running backs, not saying that we didn't have great running backs back then, but we've got‑‑ I feel like we're better than two years ago. Q. Do you feel like you guys are better than two years ago? EDDIE PLEASANT: Yup. Q. What about Wisconsin compared to Ohio State? EDDIE PLEASANT: I don't really pay too much attention to the other teams. I just know that we're better than two years ago here. Q. This is it for you. What does that mean to you? EDDIE PLEASANT: Well, you know, it means a lot. I just want to go out my last game, being that it's a BCS game, just go out with a win. Q. So when you come to these, you've been in a few of these. Is it easier or harder to focus and keep your eye on the ball, seeing as how you've been through this before, this being your third time? EDDIE PLEASANT: I feel‑‑ it somewhat feels almost like a regular game. We've been playing in big games ever since I got here, and for me being a three‑year starter, it's just another game to me. Q. A lot of people are asking about you guys' focus. You lost the last two. What can you take from the first two BCS games that you were in and lost that you can do differently or better this time around? EDDIE PLEASANT: You can't really take nothing from the last BCS game. That was last year. It's a whole 'nother year. We've just got to move forward and start with practice today. We've been having practice for the last month. We've just got to stay focused and have a good practice today, good practice tomorrow and be ready to go January 2nd. Q. (Inaudible.) EDDIE PLEASANT: No, I don't think so. Their running back was a Heisman Trophy candidate. I don't think they have a lot in the mix. They've got a great quarterback, great receivers. I don't think so at all. Q. One of the things that's most impressive about them (inaudible). EDDIE PLEASANT: Yeah, their offense is pretty‑‑ it's a good football team over there. They're going to score points, and I think they're not too far behind us in scoring points, I guess, with our offense, though. Like I said, they wouldn't be in this position that they're in if they weren't a good football team. Q. (Inaudible.) EDDIE PLEASANT: They were doing pretty good. It's hard to go out there and especially be a corner as a freshman to go out there and try to guard some receivers that have been playing college football for a couple years. But I feel like they're doing a pretty good job. They came around a long ways. Q. Did you worry at all when guys got hurt that you would have to back up? EDDIE PLEASANT: I wasn't worried just because with Jeremiah Masoli, he got kicked off the team, then we had to worry about somebody coming in. Darron did a good job. Same thing with LeGarrette. He got kicked off the team, but then LaMichael came in. It was just another time for somebody else to step up. Q. Is it an advantage that you guys go against great running backs every day? EDDIE PLEASANT: Yeah, I would say so. But they're different type of running backs. LaMichael and Kenjon and De'Anthony, they're more the fast type of guys, and Montee Ball, he's more of a powerful runner, so they're both great running backs, but they bring something different to the table. Q. How much time are you guys (inaudible)? EDDIE PLEASANT: Well, with the DBs we do it all the time, every day, so there should be no excuse to miss any tackles in the game. Q. With so much time between your last game and this game, how do you guys stay focused? EDDIE PLEASANT: I mean, we've been‑‑ what most of us have been doing it for the past three years, so we all know what it takes. We all know that each day is very important leading up to the game. You know, it's really not hard to stay focused. It's kind of easier to focus out here to me because a whole different environment. If I'm back at home I'm just chilling, so it wasn't that hard to me. Q. They keep you pretty busy here and have an event scheduled seems like every night. How do you guys all together just kind of‑‑ EDDIE PLEASANT: Yeah, that's one thing, the events they've got us doing is pretty fun, too, so that makes it a lot easier. But any time you can have team bonding, it's a good thing. But for the most part I don't think none of it has been a distraction. They've got the schedule pretty cut and everything has been pretty straightforward, so I think everything has been going along pretty good. Q. A lot has been made of Wisconsin's size. Are you guys tired of hearing about that? EDDIE PLEASANT: No, we've been hearing it for the last‑‑ ever since I've been here, so I'm not tired of it at all. It is what it is. Q. Do you have any advice to the younger guys about the long layover how to stay focused? EDDIE PLEASANT: They've been here. They know the taste. Some of our guys that are playing right now, they're red shirt freshmen, so they've got it under their belt, so they know what it takes. We don't have to tell them anything. Like I said before, this is like the 13th game and nobody is a freshman or a young guy anymore on the field. We're all vets out there. So no, we don't have to. Q. (Inaudible.) EDDIE PLEASANT: Yes, I am, at the tailgate but not going inside the game. They didn't give us that many tickets. But yeah, family members here, yeah. Q. (Inaudible.) EDDIE PLEASANT: The same thing we've been doing every game. We've got to tackle, eliminate the big plays that the offense complete. Go out there and have fun and everybody do their job. Q. (Inaudible.) EDDIE PLEASANT: No, see, that was just‑‑ I don't know. Yeah, I have, I guess you could say I've changed the way I tackle. Q. As you look back on the Rose Bowl against Ohio State, the Auburn game last year, are there things you need to do better this time? EDDIE PLEASANT: I think you've just got to eliminate any little mistakes. You can't have any mistakes playing in games like this with great teams because they're going to capitalize on them, so I think the main thing is we've just got to eliminate our mistakes. That's it. Q. Turnovers, things like that? EDDIE PLEASANT: Yep. Q. Didn't LeGarrette have like a touchback? EDDIE PLEASANT: Yeah, he did, yep, and that hurt us. That's just the main thing. We've just got to eliminate our mistakes. Q. What were some of the things that stand out in your mind from the Auburn game, just little things? EDDIE PLEASANT: Well, when it comes to doing things on special teams, guys mixing their blocks, little things we messed up on defense, you know what I mean, and of course that tackle when he rode off my stomach. But for the most part we've just got to eliminate mistakes, and we should be fine. Q. (Inaudible.) EDDIE PLEASANT: I think tackles. Their running back is physical. We all watch him, he makes a lot of people miss, and he knows he's contained because he makes a lot of people miss, too. Q. Have you guys changed your approach in this Bowl game, done anything different? EDDIE PLEASANT: No, we're on the same schedule, nothing has changed. This is a BCS game, it's a more important game, but nothing has really changed, no. Q. How does the long layoff impact you? EDDIE PLEASANT: I personally think it's a good thing. We get our bodies back, little injures we can heal up. I think it helps us out a lot. Q. (Question about the kicking game.) EDDIE PLEASANT: He shouldn't even be in that situation. They came out and put up 21 points on us, and I think we only had about three points. When you've got to play catch‑up, I don't think it's fair to put the game on the kicker like that, you know what I mean. We should have never even been in that situation. Q. I wanted to ask you, is LSU the best team you've played? EDDIE PLEASANT: Yeah, by far. Yep. By far, yeah. Q. (Inaudible.) EDDIE PLEASANT: Yeah, it does, but like I said, nothing you can do about it. It is what it is. You've just got to let it go. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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