Back To Bowl Media Day Coverage
Dec. 11, 2009; UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -
Senior Defensive Tackle Jared Odrick
Q: What has the last couple of weeks been like for closing in on the end of your career here?
A: It has been a great experience here for me. Coming in as a freshman and just hearing all the things that Coach (Larry) Johnson had wanted me to accomplish and knew that I could accomplish was kind of intimidating walking into a big University and a big stage like this. Throughout the process I was coached by some of the best coaches in the country. I had some great teammates along the way to help me get where I am. It has been a great experience. Now, there are a lot of things going on, just getting prepared for this bowl game, finishing finals, and finishing up some of these last credits. But it's nothing that I can't handle and I've enjoyed the process and all the steps needed to win this bowl game.
Q: When you won Big Ten defensive player of the year, were you surprised?
A: At the moment I was caught by surprise, but it's not like I am sitting at home saying, "Oh, I hope I get Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year." It's definitely a surprise, but it wasn't something that I got blown away by. I am definitely honored and it was great to see that I got some respect from the coaches around the league.
Q: Do you think that the number of double teams you faced this year was a factor in you getting the award?
A: Yea. Like I said before, the coaches are the ones that gave me the accolades. They saw that I had to face some double teams, which is a lot more than the past couple of years. I probably faced more doubles teams than anyone in the Big Ten. I was hoping that people would notice that, but I was just trying to play my role this season.
Jared Odrick and Assistant Coach Larry Johnson |
Q: Can you talk about the impact Coach Johnson has had on your career?
A: It started when I was a junior in high school. Through recruiting and through coming here, I just believed in him and what he brought to the table in terms of helping me get to the next level as a man and as a football player. He has come through with everything he has said through recruiting. Everything has come true. I was talking to him yesterday after practice and he laid out the certain steps that he said he wanted me to do and wanted me to go through here at Penn State. I have been accomplishing all of them.
Q: What specifically have you learned from coach, anything you can take with you for the rest of your life?
A: One thing he stresses is that who we really are and our true character is what we do when nobody's around. That has really struck me deep because that was unique and I had never really heard anybody say that until I got here. It is so true and who you really are and how hard you're willing to work when no one is looking and no one is watching and its just you by yourself.
Q: You talked a couple weeks ago about the possibility of maybe playing in the Orange Bowl, now you're going to Florida not the Bowl you thought or maybe hoped, a little disappointment there?
A: Not at all, actually, because No. 1 I get to go see Mickey and Minnie. I haven't been there since I was nine. No. 2, we get to play LSU. I've been wanting to play an SEC team like that ever since I got here and to be able to play a powerhouse like that, who have consistent 10-1 seasons or just a great SEC team, I can't wait to play them.
Q: What do you remember from your vacation when you were nine?
A: I remember it was Halloween and I was a pirate for Halloween, I was there with my mother, grandmother, and one of my friends. I was 9 years old and I remember it being a good time.
Q: Can you talk about your relationship with your mom?
A: My mom is my life, I probably wouldn't be sitting here today if it wasn't for her. I definitely wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her and all the things she's done for me.
Q: Is there anything specific you admire most about her?
A: Definitely her work ethic. Her work effort is second to none. She has no excuses for herself when it comes to her job. Working at the VA for 20-plus years, she was dedicated to that and she's been dedicated to me in my athletic career. She has never missed a game of my collegiate career ever. She hardly ever missed high school games and even younger than that she drove me everywhere whether it was AAU basketball or across the country, she drove me here and got me plane tickets there. She worked her butt off to make it happen.