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ROSE BOWL GAME: OREGON VS WISCONSIN

December 29, 2019

Eric Burrell

Pasadena, California

Q. Talk about being here, what's it mean for you personally and as well as the team.
ERIC BURRELL: It feels amazing. Obviously with Wisconsin having a history at the Rose Bowl, it's just another bucket list for me to check. And it's amazing being here. So I enjoy it but we're here for one thing only. So we're excited for this game coming up for New Year's.

Q. Could you talk about the journey from the beginning of the season and the expectations you had as a unit, anything that you've seen that you've set out to do?
ERIC BURRELL: I think overall, I think defensively I think we had a great year. But there's also some things we left out. We have unfinished business. There's a lot of things that we wish we could have done. But there's nothing we can do about that. I think we made it pretty far. We didn't make it far enough. But this is the next best thing for us. So we'll leave it all out there and finish 2019 off right.

Q. We hear the word "physicality" when it comes to your defense. How would you describe your defense?
ERIC BURRELL: 11 guys swarming to the ball every play. Doesn't matter who is out there. We'll do our best. Whoever makes the play, the other guys will celebrate it. I think we do really well, the physicality part of it. We just work off each other. When we're clicking, it's hard to stop.

Q. What does Oregon present, what type of challenge does the Oregon offense present?
ERIC BURRELL: I think they're a pretty talented team. I think they do pretty well on the offensive side of it. They do a good job getting guys in open space and do pretty good with screen plays. That's probably the best screen team that I've seen. But I think we've got a great game plan for them. So we're excited. So hopefully they give us the best and we'll give them the best.

Q. So the best part about being out here will be what as far as the attractions you guys have visited?
ERIC BURRELL: I don't know, to be honest with you. It's just really I'm thinking about the game the whole time. Obviously we're here for eight days. So it's just the Rose Bowl. Everybody talks about it. I mean, the whole family. And it's just this Rose Bowl game goes on for history. It's just pretty exciting being in this situation. I'm excited one last time to go out there with our brothers and just have fun.

Q. Talk about family and friends watching you on TV do your dream.
ERIC BURRELL: It's exciting, obviously. They feel good about it. But it gets to a certain point, I've got to do what I've got to do to make sure I get to the next level, make sure everybody on the team gets to the next level, have fun with each other, just do what we've got to do.

Q. Going through the Big Ten, how did it prepare you for this bowl game?
ERIC BURRELL: I mean, obviously it's a different play style. But other than that, I mean, at the end of the day football is football. So you just gotta -- all the difficult things, the situations, you just got to narrow it down to make it as simple as possible. And after that it's just let it all loose.

Q. Can you talk about your own personal journey, how have you been able to prepare to get to where you are today?
ERIC BURRELL: I mean, it feels good. I think I've been on a great journey. Obviously had a couple of setbacks with just injuries and surgeries and stuff. But I think I'm in the right direction. I've got the right group of guys around me, great head coach, great D coordinator, just everybody, the whole thing and just everybody working off each other. It's pretty exciting.

Q. You guys have played a lot of great quarterbacks, Shea Patterson and Justin Fields. Curious, in your view of quarterbacks, how is Justin?
ERIC BURRELL: He's a good quarterback, I'm not going to lie. They have a great offense. I think we have a great defense. And they're going to have some good schemes. So it's something we're not used to. But we pride physicality. So hopefully we can bring a lot more of that than they would with their offensive schemes. So like I say, he's a great quarterback. He can make all the throws. He can beat us -- he can beat people on his feet, too. So we have just got to have a great game plan. I think we do. I'm excited to see what he has.

Q. Is there anything specific in the way he can hurt you in the air?
ERIC BURRELL: I think he's just a good quarterback overall. He can make all the throws. It's not one particular thing I don't think. So like I said, he's a great quarterback and hats off to him for that.

Q. How is it different preparing for a quarterback like him that had a lot of experience, you guys have done that a couple times this season, Patterson, those guys, does it change how you prepare a guy that has so much experience?
ERIC BURRELL: I don't think it changes. Obviously it's a different conference, and you just have to prepare the same. Like I said, it's a big difference, but we pride ourselves on physicality. They pride themselves on speed and getting people on the outside, but I think we've got a great game plan for them. Hopefully we can contain that.

Q. When you started preparing for the Rose Bowl, was there anything that surprised you or stood out to you?
ERIC BURRELL: Yes, their O line is pretty good. Not going to lie. They're a good screen team. That's probably the best screen team I've seen. It's a quick release, and they get -- all five of them get out in front of the ball. So we've got to do a good job defending that. I'm pretty sure we're going to see that a decent amount of time. I think that's one thing that stood out to me the most.

Q. What about the physicality? I know a lot of people who just kind of assume Oregon is a finesse team. They start digging in, like wait a minute, this is different?
ERIC BURRELL: I think they're a physicality team. I think that's our bread and butter. If it's going to be a physical game, that's what we like to do. So I'm excited that they bring that out. That's what we want.

Q. When you look at their receivers and what they bring to the table, what stands out to you?
ERIC BURRELL: They're not afraid to block. So when I look at receivers and stuff, I'm, like, what is their favorite thing to do? Seems like they all want to block. That's good for us. We've just got to do a good job defending them well with the pass game. And then when it's time to run the ball for them, we just gotta get off the receivers and make the tackles.

Q. What's been your favorite part of the Rose Bowl prep this week maybe besides football?
ERIC BURRELL: Just hanging with the guys. It's always a good time with bowl games and you relax, have fun, go out, do what you love to do. Especially just going to LA and stuff. It's a fun experience. It's the first time for me.

So it was exciting coming here, but it's getting close to that time. So we've got to get ready to win a ballgame.

Q. All the stuff behind the scenes, how has that been, the Beef Bowl and Disney and all that stuff?
ERIC BURRELL: I think the Rose Bowl, I think they provided a lot. It was obviously fun going to Lawry's Beef Bowl yesterday. That was pretty fun. Going to Disney for the first time. That's something on my bucket list. And I get to say I checked off.

I would love to go back. Hopefully in the future I can take my kids and say, oh, they went too -- it was a fun time in LA. I wish we went to a basketball game. So that's another thing on my bucket list I think I got to accomplish but I think I'll get there soon.

But other than that, I think it was good hospitality. Everybody was welcoming, the players lounge. It's the whole nine. And it was a great (indiscernible). It was a great decision for us. It was exciting.

Q. If it's not three days before a big game (inaudible)?
ERIC BURRELL: I don't know. That's a lineman's job. I can probably do two at the most but I will be full after that.

Q. Coach Leonhard questions. He's had a lot of success. What do you think he does well to set you guys up for success?
ERIC BURRELL: He's a genius. That's the word I'm going to use to describe him. He puts the guys in the best position possible. There's things that he looks at that we would never (inaudible) unless you asked and he would tell you.

He's a good schemer. He knows how to put people in the right positions whatever guys you are going against, he knows their tendencies, what they love to do, what they don't like being in. And he just puts the best guys that you think makes plays out there. That's what he tries to do. He tries to figure out which way to help us -- what's our weakness, what's our strong points -- to put us in the best position.

Q. Are there any specific examples that come to mind, stuff he finds for you guys as players, weaknesses?
ERIC BURRELL: I wouldn't say that. I think it would be more so the plays he calls with the down and distance, what down it is. It's just a lot of things like that that he takes into account that you wouldn't think like a college athlete would.

I mean obviously he has experience under his belt and it's just he has three years in the coaching system. So I think he watches a lot more film than anybody would. His play calling. His play calling can define a lot. And you won't know that until you actually sit down with him and figure out the logic that he's going with.

Q. Is he the type of coach you want to play for, a guy that puts you in the right spots and trust you guys, gives you freedom?
ERIC BURRELL: Yeah, when I was coming in my freshman year I didn't know who he was. And then I did my research, and I'm, like, wow, this guy was very good. And when I came here he was an even better person. That's just who he is.

And he's a family guy, too. So it's just like the whole nine -- he's a great dude all around. So just take out the football aspect of it, yeah, he's just like a father figure to me, too, and just everybody, he takes good care of us, puts us under his wing. It's exciting just being under him and learning from the best.

Q. Wisconsin has won five straight bowl games, hasn't lost once since Coach Chryst --
ERIC BURRELL: News to me.

Q. But you're a part of bowl prep and have been for the last few years. What is it that you guys are doing in bowl prep to put yourselves in position for success?
ERIC BURRELL: I think we've just got a good coaching staff. I think we've got a good game plan these last couple of years. And we have fun. But we're here for one reason and it's just win the football game. So we do a good job emphasizing that and we practiced like we practice like any other game.

And it's just fun being around this group of guys. And I think we got a good group these last couple of years and we just have to finish 2019 off and enter 2020 as Rose Bowl champs.

Q. Coach Leonhard was saying this is probably going to be the best group you're going to face. How do you prepare for something like that?
ERIC BURRELL: Give it the best you've got. We've been here for eight days. All the hard work's done. We've got three days to get ready for it. Do whatever you've got to do. Get your mind right, body right. Watch enough film that you need to and when it's game time, it's time to go out there and have fun.

Q. What's been your favorite experience so far of being here?
ERIC BURRELL: Surprisingly, Disneyland. I didn't expect that. I'm thinking, oh, these kiddie rides and stuff like that. But that was one thing on my bucket list that I just love to say my dad came before when he was here.

And also just being in LA. I think it was those two things. I had never been to the West Coast. So this is really my first time being here. So it was fun. But, like I said, we're here for one reason and that's the Rose Bowl.

Q. What do you think it would mean for this program especially they haven't had success in the last two Rose Bowls for you guys to be back --
ERIC BURRELL: It means a lot. Obviously we have a lot of history in the Rose Bowl. Like I said it's a great two teams going at it and we pride ourselves on physicality. They pride themselves on the athletes they've got. And they give you your best shot and they won their championship. So I think it's a good matchup and we're excited to play them.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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