Rose Bowl Defense Media Availability

Members of the Washington football team met with the media in Los Angeles, Calif., Saturday morning, Dec. 29., ahead of the 105th Rose Bowl Game. Read what defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake and the rest of the Huskies had to say.

DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR JIMMY LAKE

(On facing Ohio State and quarterback Dwayne Haskins) "He's definitely the best quarterback we've faced all year long. Can really do it all. He can make all the throws. You see him coordinate the offense at the line of scrimmage. Strong arm. Athletic, big, hard to tackle. And so it's everything we wanted at the end of the year. If we're doing everything that we expect ourselves to do, we want to play in a big-time bowl game against a big-time opponent we got what we wanted."

(On what stands out about Ohio State's running game) "Their run game starts with their offensive line. They're big, they're physical. They're nasty. You can tell they love to run block. They're coming at you downhill, blowing defensive linemen off the ball. So I think that's the first thing you see is just how physical these guys are. They've got two running backs that can run up inside. They can bounce it outside. They're sturdy backs. I always like that size of running back, that 5'10", 5'11", low center of gravity, 210, 215 pounds. And they've got two of them, two of them that are electrifying. When one gets tired, they can put the other one on the field the other one get on the sideline and drink some water and get ready for the next rep. Two talented running backs, All-Conference running backs in our conference."

(On Washington returning to the Rose Bowl) "It's huge. This program we feel we should be here in the Rose Bowl Game, we should always be challenging to try to get into the Rose Bowl Game. For us to be here now, after 18 years. Obviously two years ago, if we were in the final four, we would have been in the Rose Bowl, but you take that final four game before the Rose Bowl. But it's just awesome to watch this thing, when we took over and Chris Petersen took over, watch the culture change, watch the guys buy in every single year. I feel we've gotten better recruits in the building. Tim Socha, strength and conditioning coach, and their staff have got them bigger and faster. Our program is looking more attractive to recruits around the country, and we're in this position because a lot of the hard work that Tim Socha and Chris Petersen has done and all these guys, all these young men that have bought in."

LINEBACKER BEN BURR-KIRVEN

(On what makes Washington's defense successful) "I think it starts with the scheme. Coach Lake has done a good job of understanding what our strengths and weaknesses are. The D-line does a good job of letting me run around, Greg Gaines does a good job of keeping them off me. It's been a special year, but it just comes down to execution. We know what we need to do, the plays we got to make. There's things you got to do at linebacker, you got to make tackles. At the end of the day I'm just doing my job."

(On the match-up with Ohio State) "I think it's fun. You want to get to play the best competition in the country. When you look at the stats, put on the tape, they are one of the best offenses we have seen all year. Probably the best if we're being honest. Coach Lake, he's in the film room all day trying to find where the holes are, the weaknesses. It's tough when you play a team like this. You look at the film, you don't see something jump off the page, this is where we're going to attack. It's fun for us. You know you're playing the guys that are the best in the country, and that's what we want."

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN GREG GAINES

(On what makes this Husky team special) "I think it's just like we've been together for a long time. We're all in that like Coach Pete era now. We're all like those OKGs, and we all just fit together really well. There's no cliques in the locker room and no fighting or anything like that. Everyone loves each other. I think that's really the key to our success is we all just fight for each other."

(On the biggest challenge Ohio State presents) "I think keeping that quarterback contained is going to be hard. Dwayne Haskins is quite the athlete. He was on the Heisman ballot. That's definitely going to be one of the challenges we're going to face on defense for sure."

(On growing up in California and playing in the Rose Bowl) "My uncle was a big UCLA guy. He played football there back in the '80s, and I remember watching games, like at UCLA, and just thinking about like playing in the actual Rose Bowl, like the Rose Bowl game would be incredible. I've never actually been to a Rose Bowl, but I'm definitely excited, and I've dreamed about it for a long time."

DEFENSIVE BACK JOJO MCINTOSH

(On having a leadership role) "I would say being the leader on the team is not too hard. We've got a lot of good guys and a lot of guys play that role as well. If I'm not a leader on the team, somebody else is. I think everybody can play that role really good. I think we do a good job."

(On the match-up with Ohio State) "Good team. The film doesn't lie. They're a really good team, actually. I'm excited to play them. Good competition."

(On what stands out about Ohio State) "I just watched the offense, but they've got a really good quarterback and some really good receivers. That's what we're going up against. Those guys can make plays all over the field. So we're going to have to make plays as well. Those guys are going to attack us and come out strong. So we've just got to defend it."

DEFENSIVE BACK JORDAN MILLER

(On playing in the Rose Bowl) "It means a lot. Being from California, being from down here, you hear all the stories and all that about this game and I'm really excited to get a chance to play in one myself."

(On Ohio State's wide receivers) "They have guys that are good with the ball in their hands and they have guys that are pretty tall and make plays on the ball but they also have guys that are pretty fast. Like I said, they are pretty diverse across the board. There's no one thing that they are known for. They have everything and that's good. They have their balance. So it's going to be exciting."

DEFENSIVE BACK BYRON MURPHY

(On the competition within Washington's secondary) "The competition is great, because we've got young guys, like you said, Dom, Julius, they're coming out there to compete, too, because, obviously everyone wants to play. Then, like I said at practice going against each other who can get the most interceptions and stuff like that, who is making the most plays, and in the film room, joking around about it and stuff like that, so having younger guys is really good, because they want to play, so they're getting us better also, as we're trying to help them out."

(On sending the senior class out on a high note) "For me, personally, I know I gotta go out there and play. It's gotta be one of the best games I've played this year. This is the Rose Bowl. You're playing against a really good team, and that puts a chip on our shoulder. I can see everyone is ready. Like I said, these seniors right here, you always gotta make sure your seniors go out right, and me being a younger guy, I'm going to play my hardest for them."

Schedule

Players Mentioned

Greg Gaines

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