LOS ANGELES - On early Tuesday morning, the entire Stanford Cardinal football team took part in the 2016 Rose Bowl Media Day.
David Shaw
Q. With all the distractions and so many things to do, have you had to go overboard or has everything been pretty calm?
COACH SHAW: Not really. We've got a pretty mature football team. We talk about compartmentalizing what we do. When it's time to have fun, we're going to have fun. We're going to enjoy everything that the bowl has to offer. When it's time to work, we'll work. And the two don't meet.
Q. They say experience is the best teacher, so your club is not in awe, I'm not saying you're used to this moment, but you know how to handle this situation?
COACH SHAW: I would say so, our older guys in particular. Our younger guys, this is a little new for them. All the attention, and the motorcades and all that stuff. But we've got some good guys setting the example that all that stuff doesn't matter. When we cross those white lines to go play, it's football. We've got to play our best.
And we've learned our lesson. You don't play your best, you get beat. You play your best, you have a chance to win. So that's been our approach for everything that we've done.
Q. Is this team a reflection of you?
COACH SHAW: You know, that's a hard one to answer because I think I've learned a lot from this football team, so it's not just about the team reflecting me as much as us kind of reflecting each other. These guys have gotten me to loosen up a little bit and enjoy the process more and enjoy the journey with them.
As hard as we've worked and as much as we've pushed and some of the down moments that we've been through, I think we've been kind of in this thing together. I think they're reflecting me to a certain degree, and I'm reflecting them to a certain degree.
Q. Did you think Kevin Hogan was going to have the kind of year he's had?
COACH SHAW: We had very, very high hopes for Kevin because, number one, ultimately, he is extremely competitive. He's very competitive. He's very athletic. We knew he had a high ceiling when he came as a starter, though we tried to nurse him along a little bit. Last year was rough on all of us, on everybody at every position and Kevin both on and off the field.
Then this year to watch him start the season with such maturity and such toughness and be the kind of leader that you want a fifth-year senior to be, it's been great. It's been truly special because we've leaned on him a lot, both on and off the field.
Q. I've talked to some of the players about your pregame speech. When do you really start thinking about that? Because there are a lot of people who would love to be in that locker room, because some people say listening to you before a game is like fire and brimstone, you really get them jacked up.
COACH SHAW: You know, it sounds so bad because I am such a methodical person in pretty much everything that I do. I don't think about that pregame speech until that morning. I typically don't write anything down. And I just kind of start to think about where we are in our journey. I think about the week of preparation. I think about what point of the season we are, and I tell them what's in my heart.
It's usually not very long, but it's geared towards them. Honestly, sometimes after the fact I don't remember everything that I say, but I convey it with my emotion, and I try to make sure that it's about those guys. And we are focused on the things we need to focus on.
Q. What is the toughest challenge of facing Iowa?
COACH SHAW: As all great defenses, the biggest challenge is no one's out of position. Some defenses you look at and say, okay, we can take advantage of this guy or take advantage of that guy because we think we can get him to go the wrong way, et cetera. These guys know where they're going. They hit their marks full speed. They know where their gaps are. They hit them full speed, and if they're hitting their gaps full speed, you better be buckled up because they're going to smack you. And our guys understand that, and our guys have a lot of respect for that.
Blake Martinez
Q. What do you think of the Iowa offense?
BLAKE MARTINEZ: I think the whole entire offense is amazing but I think their key component is their offensive line. Everything that they do, they work well together. Even if one guy makes a mistake, the other guy is going to make up for it and then that guy is going to go and find that person. It just seems like they all work together like a well-oiled machine and I've never seen them make a mistake on film.
Q. What do you think of their quarterback?
BLAKE MARTINEZ: He's a great quarterback. Actually throughout the first film study, I kind of noticed that he extends plays with his feet and looks to pass downfield. And there's times where he will take it and run it and he's able to outrun cornerbacks, linebackers and everything. So he has the speed to be able to scramble and he has the speed to be able to make plays and get the ball down the field.
Q. The first USC game, Coach mentioned everybody who played in the two Rose Bowls, to stand up. Do you remember that moment and did that give you a sense of what you accomplished in the context of the program?
BLAKE MARTINEZ: Yeah, definitely. When that moment happened we just all kind of looked around, we're like, hey, we've done this, we've been able to kind of achieve that level of play. So why not keep doing it throughout this season and why not bring that back to the Stanford football that we needed to do.
Q. What do you look forward to besides the game obviously?
BLAKE MARTINEZ: I would say Disneyland, because I love Disneyland. I've been to Disneyland probably like ten times and it's just the greatest place on earth and every single time I get there, I'm running left and right making sure I get on every single ride possible. Yeah, it was a great time.
Kevin Hogan
Q. [On being at the Rose Bowl...]
KEVIN HOGAN: I mean it's awesome. It's our goal to be here each year, and just trying to meet those goals, and to get back down here for a third time is remarkable. And just shows the guys we have on our team and coaches we have and the hard work we put in.
Q. Is there anything more special about being a senior this time around compared to the first two times?
KEVIN HOGAN: Yeah. I mean, I'm enjoying this with my senior class. So I think it shows all the work that we've put in through our four years that we've been through a lot. We've enjoyed success. We've suffered from defeat. And to come after having the disappointing season that we did last year, it's such a great feeling just knowing that we got back to work, we put in a great season, and we're back with the opportunity to reach our goals again.
Q. Coach had put you on the Mount Rushmore of Stanford quarterbacks. What's the No. 1 piece of advice you would give to one of those guys, whoever wins that job next season?
KEVIN HOGAN: Just to go out and be yourself. Don't try and be me. Don't try and be Andrew Luck. I couldn't try and be Andrew. I'm not Andrew. They're going to be their own quarterback. And find what things they do great within our offense.
There's not going to be pressure. I mean, they're great players. We have a great team, great coaching staff that's developed them and prepared them. So they're going to be great players, and I think whatever you want to call it, the Mount Rushmore, I think that you're going to see plenty of other quarterbacks that are of that caliber coming up.
Q. Did you have any idea what kind of career yours would turn into, especially coming off the heels of an Andrew Luck era at Stanford and here you are going out as a senior like this?
KEVIN HOGAN: No. I don't think you can ever -- you dream about it. You definitely dream about it. But you can never assume that you're going to have success or as much success as we've had here at Stanford. And it just shows the hard work that we've put in, countless hours and fight that this team has.
So I'm excited that as a senior we're able to get back to the Rose Bowl. I mean, this game means so much. It's the game that you dream about as a kid to play in, and I'm so glad that I'll be able to go out with this being my final game.
Ronnie Harris
Q. How have you been with the distractions here? It's a big city, all of distractions, how are you dealing with that?
RONNIE HARRIS: I've been here for a week. Been down here with everyone. When it's time for business, we're in a business mindset. We're down here for a reason. We're here to win the Rose Bowl, everybody is kind of locked in and wants to win it for our seniors, for Stanford and for ourselves. We've been through a long journey. We're looking for a Rose Bowl victory.
Q. What are your memories of the Rose Bowl, always in the afternoon, stuff like that?
RONNIE HARRIS: I think my most prized moment of the Rose Bowl is definitely USC versus Texas. Arguably one of the best games. I remember watching that back home in Atlanta. I wasn't really familiar with the Rose Bowl, just being a young boy, but when I watched that game I told myself, man, that's the stage I want to be on. That's exactly where I want to play. Just a great game all around.
Q. Can you talk about what it's like for you guys to be here and how excited you guys are to be here?
RONNIE HARRIS: The excitement is everlasting. This place is a great place. They always treat you with the upmost hospitality, not a better feeling. I don't think there's another better Bowl game that I've been to. This has so much history, so much wealth and you want to go out here on Friday. You know, you're feeling it. Starting to feel it now, kind of feel anxious and you want to go out there and get that win.
Q. How does it feel to be your last game?
RONNIE HARRIS: It's kind of a surreal feeling. Right now I'm trying to suppress it and not feel it too much. When those whistles blow, it's going to be a good time to lead my team up the field and walk off the field with the W.
Q. This team seems like it's unlike any other that you've had, Blake and Coach Shaw says they've had so much fun. Why? What is the cause of that? Your leadership?
RONNIE HARRIS: I think there's something in the water at Stanford. They do a great job recruiting the right guys, Stanford men. These guys like no other, I can't explain. You have to be a part of us. We have so many inside jokes. So many times, usually like on a weekend where people go out and party, we're sitting down with each other, cracking jokes, playing video games. We are a tight-knit, close group. It comes out every time we step on the field.
Q. What is it like being one of the older guys this time? Do you appreciate the moment more?
RONNIE HARRIS: Father Time doesn't stop. It's amazing to see myself from my freshman year to my fifth year senior. I'm trying to pass as much knowledge as possible to these younger guys. I don't think, for me, I'm worried about myself. I'm just worried that I send my senior class out the right way and that we bring that Rose Bowl victory back to the Stanford community. I know how much it means to them and how much it means to this group. It would be great to go ahead and get that win again.
Joshua Garnett
Q. [On the best things about Coach Shaw...]
JOSHUA GARNETT: Just the way he's able to just command the team. Everyone respects him. When Coach Shaw says something, you listen to him. Really for a guy to go out there and who the team just loves to be around, team loves to hear him. The team loves to go out and practice. The team loves to work for Coach Shaw, and you definitely feel the excitement from him when you score or do anything. To have a guy that's your commander-in-chief like that, that you can rally behind, really is what's made him so special. Aside from his play calling and the way he's able to steer the game.
Q. [On the game plan against Iowa...]
JOSHUA GARNETT: I think the key is to just kind of rely on your technique. With a team like Iowa, a great team like Iowa, with a really great defense, especially from offensive perspective, I think the key is just to rely on your technique and strength. A lot of times you'll see they'll finish until the whistle blows. So kind of matching that intensity with them and really making sure to stay on your blocks is going to be a key to success this week.
Q. [On the Rose Bowl experience...]
JOSHUA GARNETT: Oh, yeah, might be even more exciting to be a senior to know that you're going to start in the game and be in the game and have a dramatic impact on the game this year. Kind of just enjoying the last experience with your teammates is definitely exciting.
Q. What is your favorite part of the Rose Bowl?
JOSHUA GARNETT: I think just hanging out with my teammates and going to Disneyland one last time and hanging out with these guys who I won't be on the team with next year or hanging out in the hotel, playing Madden or video games or Rock Band in the playerslounge and just kind of bonding with my teammates.
Q. Aziz doesn't seem like a very shy guy. Is he as talkative on the field as he is off the field?
JOSHUA GARNETT: Definitely. If you lose to Aziz one-on-one, you'll definitely hear about it. You'll definitely know you've lost. It's definitely a great testament to his character. When he can win and not just talk and be a great pass rusher. The guys we go against, how much knock back they get in the run game, it's definitely great for us. Definitely, when they start talking a little smack, definitely gets everyone fired up and motivated and makes practice fun for us. Definitely we're good friends and get to know each other better.
Q. Absolutely. And I got to ask you, yesterday Desmond King said that in a Bowl game two years ago, he pancaked La'El Collins of LSU, and he says, if he ever meets you one-on-one, he will do the same thing. Do you have any comment on that?
JOSHUA GARNETT: Yeah. We all saw that, and we all had a good laugh about it. We're all excited for the game. We definitely all realize that, when you kind of call individual players out, it kind of takes away from the mystique of the game. It kind of takes away from the team atmosphere we built all year, kind of what we've done all year as a team to get here. It's not about myself. It's not about Desmond. It's not about one-on-one matchups between guys. It's about the team. No one player, no one play is going to win the game. It's going to be a team effort. Yeah, that's pretty much it for that.