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ROSE BOWL GAME PRESENTED BY VIZIO: STANFORD v WISCONSINDecember 29, 2012Zach ErtzPASADENA, CALIFORNIAS Q. Can you talk about what you saw in him after last year's bowl? ZACH ERTZ: I think he was crushed. But we didn't make enough plays in the red zone to win that game. I think he learned a lot from it, and I think that Oregon game this year was kind of the turning point. I think he was completely over what happened in the Fiesta Bowl. Q. Did you see how he came out though wearing the Fiesta Bowl hat around and he kind of wanted to show that, look, this isn't going to end me here? ZACH ERTZ: Yeah, I thought that was pretty cool. I mean, something like that at the end of the game, missing the field goal is tough for any kid. I think to see him kind of embrace it and learn from his mistakes like anybody would ask him to is something that shows a lot about his character. Q. Are you a senior? ZACH ERTZ: I'm a junior. Q. What is your major? ZACH ERTZ: Industrial engineering. I'm kind of looking forward to some days off after the game. Q. When do you guys go back to school? ZACH ERTZ: School starts the 7th, I believe. So like a week off. Q. (Indiscernible)? ZACH ERTZ: I'm from the east bay. Q. So you didn't go very far, did you? ZACH ERTZ: No, it's like an hour away. Q. What part? ZACH ERTZ: Alamo. Q. (Indiscernible) works in the media. So he's from Fremont? ZACH ERTZ: We have one guy from Fremont on our team. Q. Well, you didn't go very far. ZACH ERTZ: Yeah, exactly. Q. Do you have practice today? ZACH ERTZ: We have practice at like 2:00, 2:30. Is it raining? Q. It was down there. ZACH ERTZ: Oh, gosh. I don't like to hear that. Q. How was last night at the Improv? ZACH ERTZ: Yeah, that was hilarious. I don't think I've ever laughed so hard. We came back and hung out in the hotel. We were exhausted from the day. The Improv was hilarious. It might have been the best bowl event I've ever been to, so it was good. Q. Is your family here? ZACH ERTZ: They're coming down today. They'll be here for two days and then the game. So it will be good to see them. Q. Can you talk about your improved blocking and how you went about working on improving it this season? ZACH ERTZ: Yeah, Pep Hamilton does a great job every off‑season saying that if you can't block, you're not going to be able to play in this offense, and that goes for tight ends, receivers and obviously the offensive line. I kind of wanted to improve on that the most, because people were saying that was my biggest weakness, because they kind of knew I could do the receiving side of the tight end part. But I wanted to prove to everybody that I was a complete tight end. Q. Awesome. Talk about the program. What does Coach Turley do as a general? ZACH ERTZ: He's great at what he does. He was national strength coach for a reason this year. He's a big guy on the flexibility part first, then the strength is second. I think that showed for a lot of guys, especially myself. Q. A big building block for what you guys do on both sides of the ball (Indiscernible)? ZACH ERTZ: About the tight end position? Q. Yeah? ZACH ERTZ: Usually if you're a tight end, you're one of the bigger guys on the field. Myself, Levine, and Ryan were all recruited to play tight end. Levine and myself have stayed here. I think it's just big athletes on the field. A lot of guys can run. And a lot of guys are big, and fast and strong, so it's a combination of a lot of things. Q. I saw your trademark, you guys are a really long team. What is it about that mentality in the Pac‑12? ZACH ERTZ: I don't know if it's the length that sets us apart. We kind of think of it as an attitude, especially up front. We all like to think that we're a physical team. And that kind of starts with the coaches to set that mentality in spring ball and fall camp. I think that's what's been the key cog in this whole thing. Q. What is it about Coach Shaw where he's been able to pick up and go one step further winning the conference title where Coach Harbaugh wasn't able to? ZACH ERTZ: I think Coach Harbaugh did a great job laying the foundation for the program. But Coach Shaw is a heck of a coach. He's very good at what he does. I think he's lost four games in the past two years, and I think it kind of shows that he's got the whole team buying into what we're doing around here, and that goes a long way. Q. (Indiscernible)? ZACH ERTZ: Yeah, it started after Toby left, then after Harbaugh left and then after Andrew left. Every year people say we're not going to be good, but we're trying to show people that we're not a flash‑in‑the‑pan‑type program, and Stanford's going to be here for years to come. Q. How has Josh handled (Indiscernible)? I can't imagine in the history of Stanford there's been a guy that's beaten Cal and SC in the same year and then lost his job? ZACH ERTZ: He's been good. Josh is a very mature person. I think he kind of looked at that role and helped Kevin. So Josh is kind of here to help him out and help him understand the intricacies of everything. Q. (Indiscernible)? ZACH ERTZ: Whatever the coaches want me to do, I'm willing to do. And that's the same way for a lot of guys. For Levine, and Jared and Jamal will do anything to help the team win. Q. (Indiscernible)? ZACH ERTZ: They've been doing a lot of different stuff throughout the year. Some things I didn't even think were possible with the corner and safety. We've kind of seen it all and learned from it each game depending on what teams are going to do. Q. Wisconsin has had some problems with the middle guys (Indiscernible)? ZACH ERTZ: Yeah, I mean, Wisconsin's a very good team, but I think we have a good game plan. I'm just looking forward to seeing how it plays out. Q. Does it matter that you guys played here a month ago? Will that help your cause or make a difference? ZACH ERTZ: I don't think it helps us as much as per se Wisconsin who played here in this game last year. The Rose Bowl's going to be a completely different environment than it was a month ago when we played UCLA. When we played them a month ago, there were about 65,000 fans. At this game, there's almost 100,000. So I don't think that has too much to do with anything. Q. (Indiscernible)? ZACH ERTZ: I think everybody's just going to react differently. Whether you're a senior or freshman, it's going to be an exciting environment. I think leading up to the game is going to be a lot of butterflies. But after that kickoff happens, it's going to be just a normal game. Q. Can you talk about any unique stories or experiences (Indiscernible)? ZACH ERTZ: Last night we went to the Improv show, and they had like the open mic at the beginning before Red Grant came, and Stepfan Taylor and Anthony Wilkerson did their "I go to Stanford, Brody" song. And the whole team was having fun and going along with it. Q. (Indiscernible)? ZACH ERTZ: It was fun seeing all those people out there. We haven't had that environment since training camp with all those people at practice. We didn't do too much. We didn't show a lot just in case they sent somebody out there. It was fun to see everybody out there, and I think we still got our work in. Q. Who wins a one‑on‑one basketball game, Luck or Hogan? ZACH ERTZ: Probably Kevin on that one. I've got to support the guy that's here now. Q. How good was Andrew? ZACH ERTZ: He was very athletic. I don't know if you saw his combine numbers, but he had a 36‑ or 37‑inch vertical. He's a good player. I mean, he can jump a lot. He can jump very high. So he goes after a lot of rebounds. He's just a hustle player, I would say. Q. Are there any similarities between Andrew and Kevin? How does Kevin emulate Andrew? How do you see him in the huddle? ZACH ERTZ: I think Andrew is very calm out on the field. He kind of rallied the troops a lot of the time because he was a senior and everybody knew how good he was. But Kevin showed a lot of the same qualities, very calm and poised out there. And I think that goes a long way for this football team. The whole team comes to the bowl games, so I think we have 120 guys, I think. Yeah, so it's a lot of players. Q. What year are you? ZACH ERTZ: I'm a senior. A red shirt junior. Q. Have you thought about the NFL? ZACH ERTZ: I haven't really thought about it. We'll talk to my coaches and parents after the season and see what we want to do. Q. But you're eligible? ZACH ERTZ: Yeah. Q. I was talking to one of the other fellas that because of an injury, he's eligible to play one more year? ZACH ERTZ: Yeah, okay. Q. You know, it's a choice. ZACH ERTZ: Yeah, if you leave Stanford, that's a very tough decision. Q. What is your degree in? ZACH ERTZ: It's called management science and engineering, but it's basically just industrial engineering. I like it a lot. I figure you might as well challenge yourself while you're there. Q. How many people are you losing for sure? ZACH ERTZ: Six or seven, so not too many. We've got a lot of guys that kind of have to see what they're going to do after the year. We'll see how many guys we end up losing. Q. I want to ask you about, in previewing this game, two different style offenses (Indiscernible). How different are the two schemes? ZACH ERTZ:  From what I've heard, the offensive schemes are very similar. They like to run the power running game, the gaps game, and we kind of pride ourselves on being a power running team too. From what I've heard, it's very similar to us. The defensive guys have said it's kind of like a mirror image of what they see in training camp. So I think they're very similar. Q. Do you think that's helpful to prepare for? ZACH ERTZ: Yeah, I think it kind of gives you an extra edge. I think it's more advantageous for the defensive side. I mean, their defense sees our offense all training camp and spring ball too, and our defense sees same thing. But defensive‑wise, I wouldn't say there are many similarities. They run a four down front, and we run a three down. So in that regards, I wouldn't say there are too many similarities. Q. (Indiscernible)? ZACH ERTZ: Yeah, I think it's going to be a good, entertaining game. I think both teams will have their opportunities. I think just the play makers on the outside have to kind of make a play. Q. (Indiscernible)? ZACH ERTZ: I got the 37 inch TV. Q. Is that the most popular thing? ZACH ERTZ: Yeah, I think so. I think a lot of the guys had the iPad, because we got the iPad minis for the Pac‑12 Championship. Q. What else did they have? ZACH ERTZ: They had another tablet, an Android tablet, some head phones and luggage and some of that small stuff. Q. Is there a way to explain how you guys have been so successful in close games? ZACH ERTZ: I think Coach Turley does a great job in the off‑season of kind of preaching the finish mentality. We want to finish every game strong. He preaches starting fast and finding a way to finish. That's kind of his main thing. That kind of sets the tempo for the team throughout the year. Q. So is there something to be said when you guys are able to get close, like San Jose State? ZACH ERTZ: San Jose State's a good team though. Q. I know they are. Did that help you for the other games? ZACH ERTZ: Yeah, I think throughout the year we've had close games. I think nine games we've had seven points or lessor something. We're 7‑2. Q. (Indiscernible)? ZACH ERTZ: It's crazy, to be honest, just to realize that at the end of the game or just to put ourselves into the opportunity to be in those tight games. I think a lot of guys have stepped up and made plays to allow us to overcome our early deficiencies. Q. Is part of the mentality finding a way in the last five minutes? ZACH ERTZ: Oh, yeah. We feel like that if it's a one‑possession game at the end, we have the play makers on this team. Whether it's offense or defense to kind of get that last stop or last score. I think that says a lot about this team. Q. What's it like playing on a team that generates so many things off the offensive run? ZACH ERTZ: We have some studs on that offensive line. I mean, David Yankey is one of the best in the country, being an All American. Sam Schwartzstein is kind of the leader on the offensive line. He gets everybody doing what it they're supposed to be doing on and off the field. And Kevin Danser, Khalil Wilkes and Cameron Fleming have shown flashes of greatness this year. And seeing all of them grow together has been special. Q. Is it cool having an identity that you have? What makes that interesting? ZACH ERTZ: I think we kind of pride ourselves in being a physical football team. If we were to run a spread offense, I don't think we'd be able to call ourselves a physical football team. I think on the west coast, there are not a lot of teams running the schemes that we do. But we view it as an opportunity to be great. All of those teams are kind of similar, but we're different from everybody else. Q. You've got your teammates, No. 11, Toilolo, how much has he helped you develop your game at tight end being a teammate of yours? ZACH ERTZ: Yeah, I think Levine's a heck of a player. I don't know that he's gotten the recognition as much this year. But I think he's one of the best tight ends in the country. The things he can do blocking‑wise is very impressive. Being able to move like he does, and how big he is something that's kind of freaky, to be honest. Kind of going against each other in the off‑season, is very good for the both of us.  We're competitive people in the off‑season, and once the season starts, it's all about friendship and kind of supporting the other person. Q. The Badgers had that Indy package where they have some guys standing up, and some guys moving around. They showed that a lot in the championship game. What are your thoughts on that? How tough is it for an offensive line to break that down where you guys have players coming at you? ZACH ERTZ: Yeah, it's tough. They've got a lot of guys moving and they don't know where they're going to come or who is going to come. I think that affects a lot of teams, but I think we have a good game plan going into it with what they do. And I'm looking forward to seeing how it unfolds. Q. Is there any team you've played against where you've seen something like that? ZACH ERTZ: I think a lot of teams have it. Each team we've played with kind of have it, but I don't think they used it as much as Wisconsin did in that championship game specifically. Throughout the year, we've seen a lot of fronts. Q. (Indiscernible) what have you guys done to prepare for that? Where do you see them fitting into this game? The tight end that you're going to have to deal with going across the middle. Talk about their play and physicality? ZACH ERTZ: They're good players. No. 44 is a good player. He's strong, fast, and physical. So that's something to kind of look forward to and see how we kind of deal with him. But I think we've got a good game plan. I think it's accounting for those guys, those three guys specifically, and we just look forward to seeing how it goes. Q. Are you looking at this as a grind it out kind of game? You talked about two running teams and this is going to be a physical game? ZACH ERTZ: Yeah, it's what the Rose Bowl is supposed to be. Two power running football teams, and I think Wisconsin's a very physical team. But we like to think of ourselves as physical too. I think both teams are going to stick to what they do and hopefully get the big plays when they need to be made. Q. Kind of talking about this week, it's a lot of distractions, a lot of different things going on. Your head coach talked about how you guys implemented a lot of the game plan before you left the Stanford campus. How much easier has that made it for you guys as a team? Are you getting out and enjoying different things that are available? ZACH ERTZ: Yeah, I think it helps a lot. I think being in the BCS games the past two years it's kind of done the same thing. I think that's been helpful for a lot of the guys. Through the first three days, we kind of had some fun. But as the week progresses, everybody's focus is going to be on this game. Q. What's it like waiting all the way until January 1st? If you had a choice, how many weeks off would you have? ZACH ERTZ: I like the New Year's Day game. I think it sets the tempo for the next season. Yeah. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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