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ROSE BOWL GAME PRESENTED BY VIZIO: STANFORD v WISCONSINDecember 28, 2012Kevin HoganPASADENA, CALIFORNIA THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. Your story is pretty remarkable. Have you thought much about how far you've come? KEVIN HOGAN: No. I'll think more about it after the season. Right now, we're all pretty focused. We still have our ultimate goal still ahead of us on Tuesday. It's been a good season, but it's still going on. We can't let our focus go. Q. How would you describe your emotions at the start of the season? KEVIN HOGAN: It was tough. As a competitor, you always want to be out there. As a kid, you want to be playing the game. But I was actually thankful for the opportunity just to be able to compete for the job as well as get a few plays here and there early in the season and throughout the middle of the season. Just being able to have that opportunity to be out on the field, whether it be a play or two, was very good. Q. Was there a moment you realized, I can do this? KEVIN HOGAN: It was fun. I was having a lot of fun out there being with the guys on the field. We were moving the ball. It felt really good. Yeah, the thought crossed my mind during the game that I can do this. Gave me a little bit of confidence. I guess moving forward, that really helped. Q. What's different now? KEVIN HOGAN: My timing with the receivers, I'd say, is the most different. Before, when I wasn't getting as much work with the guys, it would be a little shaky here and there. Now I think we have a real good chemistry with the perimeter guys, as well as Stepfan, and I'm getting more comfortable with the offensive line. Q. (No microphone.) KEVIN HOGAN: At first I would have said that was my mindset, maybe trying to force a big play here or there to stand out. After week three or four I'd say, just playing my game. If they give me a play here and there, do whatever they ask, make the right read. As the games went on, just try not to force it, try not to be out of character. This offense prides itself on not turning the ball over. Just protecting the ball as best as possible. Q. Who is your favorite Redskins quarterback? KEVIN HOGAN: I couldn't tell you (laughter). Q. (No microphone.) KEVIN HOGAN: I have not actually. I had some crab cakes one time. They didn't satisfy me, so I told myself never again till I'm back in D.C. Q. (Question regarding the receivers.) KEVIN HOGAN: We'll shoot each other a text after each game, just congratulations. We've talked on the phone one or two times. He's in a busy season. Maybe after the season when he comes back, we'll try and get together and maybe talk. But just that text after every game is really how we keep in touch. Q. (No microphone.) KEVIN HOGAN: I shouldn't say everything (laughter). He's the ultimate manager of the football game. He really knows how to manage it, whether it's bad plays, whether it's the pocket, whether it's the protections. Watching him in the huddle, he had no problem telling his best friends, Be quiet, among other words (laughter). Just watching him manage the game and lead the offense was the most important thing. Q. Do you notice people trying to compare the two? KEVIN HOGAN: I've heard it, but I try to stay away from all that. We're different players. He's an amazing player. I try to be like him. He's like an idol. But I wouldn't want to be compared to him. I think that does him an injustice. Q. Did it take a little bit of pressure off of you that you didn't have to be the guy following him? You didn't have to be in the position that Josh was in. KEVIN HOGAN: I guess. I mean, I wouldn't know. I haven't really felt that much pressure, so I wouldn't really know what the difference is. Q. How much did it help you to sit back and watch Josh run the offense this year and get a feel for the personality of the team and the offense and have those first seven weeks to take everything in? KEVIN HOGAN: Those weeks allowed me to develop, still learn the offense, learn how to manage the game. Those weeks, you know, I don't know how many practices, but it really helped just getting in the playbook, getting more accustomed to the offense. Q. What was holding you back early? Was it the overall concepts? KEVIN HOGAN: I think my knowledge of the playbook probably held me back. Q. It's big. KEVIN HOGAN: It's challenging, yeah. But maybe just the playbook. The coaches knew I wasn't ready. I wasn't ready to go in at the time. Just throughout the season, studying it more and more, knowing I really needed to focus on that really helped. Q. Do you have any recollection of the Tuesday after the Notre Dame game? I know you weren't starting at that point. KEVIN HOGAN: Yes, I remember the captains came into the locker room and they got us all together. This was the first time it's happened since I've been there, where the captains have called the team together. They just told us that we're a very talented team, we can either lay down and let the season go, go .500 for the rest of the season, or we can come together as a team and fight. I think that's what we did. It hit us all very hard. Watching our leaders, the people who we came into Stanford idolizing, making our game after, it really helped our team as a whole. Q. (Question regarding family members.) KEVIN HOGAN: Nine, 10, something like that. I'll see them when they get out here. Q. When are they coming? KEVIN HOGAN: 30th, I believe, 31st maybe. Q. (No microphone.) KEVIN HOGAN: It's pretty cool. It's in the middle of downtown L.A., right across from the Staples Center, which is pretty cool. It was awesome last night being able to walk across the street to the Clippers game. Q. What are you going to be doing on Sunday at 5:00? KEVIN HOGAN: On Sunday at 5:00, I will be watching the Redskins (laughter). Q. You talk to Andrew on a regular basis. As far as the words of encouragement he's given to you, have you heard from him this month? KEVIN HOGAN: Other than a Merry Christmas, just try to keep it short this week. Every week we'll send a text after each game. He sounds excited. He's very busy, so I try to stay off his back as much as possible. Q. Are you getting more comfortable with each game and win? KEVIN HOGAN: Yeah, with each game I feel more comfortable. I feel more comfortable in the huddle, at the line of scrimmage, trusting my guys. I have some of the best guys in the country around me making my job very easy. With each practice, as well as game... Q. The concepts of the offense, how did that help you? KEVIN HOGAN: It definitely helped. We would do the drills where he sets up a progression and we go through the concepts. That helps a lot in the back of your head. As soon as you hear the play called, where you're going to start each time. Q. Do you do that every practice? KEVIN HOGAN: We'll do it most practices, yeah. Nearly every practice. Q. As far as learning the playbook, do you have to learn it early in the week? Is that an adjustment you have to make? KEVIN HOGAN: Start watching film earlier, seeing what plays might work before the game plan even comes out while you're watching film. Just seeing what you might be able to do against a certain defense. Then the game plan, start working on it on Monday. Tuesday, it's all steam ahead. Q. Did you have to learn to watch film? Is there a correct way? KEVIN HOGAN: I definitely had to learn how to watch it. I think last year I caught myself just watching the play as a fan of the game, instead of watching each detail here and there. Coach helped me a lot on watching the film and it's helped a lot. Q. Do you watch more film in your free time then? KEVIN HOGAN: Yes, definitely. You have to. It helps a lot, so why not do as much as you can. Q. Do you load it on your computer or iPad? KEVIN HOGAN: We all have iPads. It's pretty convenient. You can slide it in your backpack. Whether you're walking to class or to the locker room, you can watch plays here and there. Q. How much film do you think you watch? Is it a lot? KEVIN HOGAN: Yeah, we watch a lot of film. I'll pay attention more to certain things. I'll watch our practices more. So I'd say I watch more film. Q. Can you quantify how many hours you watch per week? KEVIN HOGAN: As a team or... Q. On your own. KEVIN HOGAN: On our own I'd say three, four hours away from watching it when we're together in the film room. Q. That's between classes? KEVIN HOGAN: Late at night before I go to bed. Q. Before you wouldn't put in that extra work or was it less? KEVIN HOGAN: Less. I'd still watch a lot of film, but... Q. You're dissecting a game plan before the coaches give it to you? KEVIN HOGAN: Yeah, that's one of the things they teach us. When you're watching film, you have to pause it at a certain point, see where the defense is at, imagine concepts, see what might work, write down an idea here or there. That really helps while watching film. Q. (No microphone.) KEVIN HOGAN: Definitely. I'd go into the film room. I'd be in study hall last year. He'd be in there watching film. I learned things from him. Q. You would watch film with him every now and then? KEVIN HOGAN: A couple times, yeah. Q. What has the experience been like so far? KEVIN HOGAN: It's been so fun. They do a good job down here at the Rose Bowl. We got to go to Disneyland. We had a great meal at Lawry's last night. It's been great. At the same time, we're remaining as focused as we can, just knowing that we have a big game ahead. Q. Is it a little bit surreal that you're at the Rose Bowl? KEVIN HOGAN: Maybe it will hit me after the game. Right now, it's another game. Wisconsin's a good team. We're just going to try and treat it as a normal week as much as we can. Q. (No microphone.) KEVIN HOGAN: I'd say my major weakness was the playbook. I had to get in the playbook as much as I could, watch more film, just so when I was out there, I knew what to do. I think that helped a lot, just my development by learning the playbook. Q. (Question regarding the offense.) KEVIN HOGAN: I think we use more play‑action, more bootlegs, get the ball to the fullbacks, to the runningbacks on the fly. That opens up the field downfield, opens up the big plays. Just being able to do play‑action with Stepfan, get the ball downfield, really helps. Q. (Question regarding offensive linemen.) KEVIN HOGAN: Oh, definitely. I don't get to see it while I'm playing, but when I'm watching film, seeing David Yankey, Kevin Danser pull around the end, and blow up some linebacker or defensive end, it's awesome seeing these guys run. Even when we do screens, they're out running in the open field, seeing Sammy chop away, get these defensive backs downfield, it really shows how athletic they are. Q. Is it nice knowing your blindside is pretty protected? KEVIN HOGAN: It's very nice. I have complete trust in this offensive line. I know they have my back. It's very good knowing that I don't have to peek over my shoulder or watch the rush. I can watch the guys downfield and get the ball to them. Q. (Question regarding momentum.) KEVIN HOGAN: I don't think so. I think this just gave us more of an opportunity to get better as a team and focus on weaknesses we might have had. But just the extra practices, being able to focus on one opponent has really helped. Q. How so? KEVIN HOGAN: I mean, you feel like you get a better game plan, you get a better sense of what they're going to do. You come together more as a team. We've had a lot of team bonding over the past month. We're staying together. Just the more practices, the better timing I have with the receivers, how comfortable I feel in the huddle. Q. What stands out to you about Wisconsin? KEVIN HOGAN: They fly to the ball, hit hard. They do a good job in the run game as well as the passes. They're a sound defense and very physical. Q. (Question regarding the linebackers.) KEVIN HOGAN: They don't let a lot past them. They're big, strong guys. Very good tacklers. Don't see them missing tackles. Their defensive line does that. They clog up a bunch of our linemen, which forces pathways for their linebackers to come through. Q. Terrell says you're not as fast as those guys in the secondary. Is that true? KEVIN HOGAN: That's a tough question (laughter). I'd like to think I am. Q. Are they more or less susceptible to a quarterback scramble? KEVIN HOGAN: I think they do a good job. Their defensive line does a good job, like, taking up our linemen, making our linemen play them. That keeps their linebackers free. Watch them contain Taylor Martinez when they played Nebraska. You're always going to be thinking about that, that they always have an eye in the backfield watching the quarterback. Q. (No microphone.) KEVIN HOGAN: I don't know. I feel very confident in whoever our center is. I've gotten snaps with each and every one of them, feel very comfortable with each of them. As the line as a whole, watching these guys who I may not have seen because they're on scout team. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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