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PENN STATE UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

October 31, 2017

Jason Cabinda

University Park, Pennsylvania

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Jason Cabinda.

Q. The Chad Johnson interaction on Twitter. What are your immediate thoughts about that? What does wearing that neck roll mean to you?
JASON CABINDA: That was pretty cool. I've known him for a long time, one of my favorite players that play in the league. That was pretty funny.

But in terms of the neck roll, I've been wearing it pretty much since I really got here. Kind of just works for me. I've been using it since. The fans are really into it. It's an older style neck roll. The other ones I didn't really like. It's kind of the only one I really liked and kind of worked for me, so...

Q. Who is your FIFA team and why can you beat Chad Johnson?
JASON CABINDA: Manchester City, because of Guerrero.

Q. Talk about the players meeting on Sunday, what was said, stuff like that.
JASON CABINDA: We just felt like there were some of the just things we had to kind of get off our chest. Making sure the mentality of the team was the same, we were still taking the same approach. Knowing there's a ton still left for -- a ton of football left, a lot still left to be accomplished. Kind of just reiterating those things really.

Q. Who called it? How do you decide?
JASON CABINDA: Me and Trace just texted back and forth and felt like we needed to have one, and Saquon. We kind of made that happen.

Q. Was that feeling just a direct result of the fact that you had lost? Is there something about your process with the team that led to those feelings?
JASON CABINDA: Not just directly because of the fact that we lost.

Q. What's the difference you see on Michigan State's offense this year compared?
JASON CABINDA: You said similarities?

Q. Primary differences.
JASON CABINDA: I just think their O-line is really gelling right now. Same kind of style of football. They're running the football. Very Michigan-type. I would say they're similar to the Michigan offense. I think their quarterback right now is playing better. I think this is his first year starting. He's having a good year, playing well. We're definitely going to have to watch out for him, make sure we're disguised, play with a ton of personnel, see if we can't peg his presnap, so...

Q. Obviously after losing Ryan, James talked about how a lot of younger guys got in on the D-line. How do you think they played?
JASON CABINDA: I think they played well. I mean, it's obviously tough any time you lose a veteran guy, guys are out, even for a series or two, it's tough.

Those guys prepared really well. They came in and played hard. They did what we were asking them to do. I think just as a defense in general we made too many mistakes, really mistakes we don't normally make. Just kind of the disappointing part about it.

We're going to get better. We watched the film, made corrections. It's time to move on to Michigan State. That's kind of what we're doing right now.

Q. Coach Franklin said you struggled with sudden momentum shifts this year, coming back on the field after a turnover, whatever. Why do you think that is? Can you put your finger on it? Why do you think it will be corrected?
JASON CABINDA: I mean, those situations, always sudden change, whether it's an interception, a blocked kick, some type of turnover on downs, any unfortunate situation. A lot of times you're put in bad field positions, are asked to make a stand. We got to make that stand, simple as that.

It's really a mentality and mindset. We have to get in our heads to get the momentum right back.

It's obviously tough playing an away stadium having a sudden change, the crowd gets involved. Increases that momentum shift, I'd say.

To us it's all about composure really. It's composure, it's mentality, it's just staying on track and executing really at a crucial time. We haven't been able to do that very well this season so far.

Q. As one of the leaders of this team, you mentioned the players-only meeting. How did your perception change after the meeting about this group compared to when you walked into that meeting?
JASON CABINDA: You know, obviously I didn't really expect anyone to have any type of like head-down mentality or being down. That's just not who we are as players. It's not who this team is.

Not seeing that mentality wasn't very surprising to me. I know the kind of kids we have, the kind of guys we have in that locker room. It was really to reiterate it, make sure the mentality was set, anyone who was doubting that, making sure we were all pulling the rope in the same direction, which we are.

To me it was really how little convincing it took to everyone to make sure we're in the same direction, because we are. I was very pleased knowing that.

Q. Franklin described the Land Grant Trophy as one of the most beautiful in college football. What is your opinion on it? Why do you think it's important for teams to have these type of trophies to play for?
JASON CABINDA: I mean, I think it's cool kind of playing for a trophy, adding a little something to the game, maybe a little more of an incentive to win.

For me, it's all about getting a dub. I could care less about getting the trophy. Winning is all I care about, to be completely honest.

Yeah, it's about a win. We want the trophy to stay here. That's how we want it to be. It's really as simple as that, it's about winning. That's what we're going to get done.

Q. Talk about being on the road two weeks in a row, what you are doing to prepare for that.
JASON CABINDA: Obviously being on the road you want to prepare for crowd noise, those kinds of things. The approach really isn't that much different. Doesn't matter where we play. Playing in Beaver Stadium is quite special. It's quite the advantage for us. In terms of preparation, the way we approach games, stuff like that, whether we're playing home or away, it doesn't change.

It's really all about execution, doing our job, knowing our opponents. Executing, that's really what it's about. Although, you know, places like playing in the Big House, playing away, you're preparing for crowd noise, besides that there's not really much of a difference.

Q. You talked about keeping that mentality after a loss like you faced. From your experience being on this team, what is the biggest learning lesson you've had to keep a team from not losing confidence after a game like that?
JASON CABINDA: I mean, I think the best thing about this team is we're very aware of what we're capable of as a team. We're very aware of our potential, how good we can be. I think that's the reason why we're not really losing any confidence. I think it's more feeling as though we just didn't play our best ball. It's more disappointing really than anything.

I wouldn't say any confidence has gone anywhere or anything like that. We're very, very aware of just how dangerous and how good of a team that we are. In terms of confidence, I don't think anything's really changed after that loss.

Q. You've seen over the course of this year there's been moments when you've known what's coming, pretty good idea what the offense is going to run against you, you check into that counter. As a defensive player, when you know what's coming next, what's different in terms of how that play plays out for you?
JASON CABINDA: Then you can anticipate. I think when you're playing defense, you're able to anticipate what's coming, that's when big plays happen. You jump a route, you get a pick. You knew how the offensive line was going to set, you're able to beat them around for a sack. When you study your opponents really well, you get a hang of what formations, what tendencies they have. When you're on the field, you're starting to see those formations, tendencies, you start to jump on them. I think that's when big negative-yardage plays happen, interceptions, sacks, TFLs. Those type of plays happen when you play anticipatory defense. It's important. That's really where film study comes in and things like that. That's when you're able to recognize those things.

Q. When you look at Kevin Givens, you can deploy him in many ways. What is the most freakish thing you've seen him do? His weight room numbers are crazy.
JASON CABINDA: He's probably one of the strongest guys on the team pound-for-pound. He's freakish in the weight room, on the field.

To me, it's his leverage. If I had to compare him to a player, kind of like an Aaron Donald. He just plays with leverage, low, he's strong, twitchy. He comes off the ball, drives people back. He lives in the backfield. He's always in the backfield, creating new line of scrimmage. That's why he's so effective both inside and outside.

In terms of freakish, I mean, we use him a lot in our loops. He's just very good at bending the corner, getting around, getting his hips back squared against the quarterback. He's very good at that.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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