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TOSTITOS FIESTA BOWL: STANFORD v OKLAHOMA STATEDecember 28, 2011Markelle MartinGLENDALE, ARIZONA Q. As a defensive player, do you want to take extra special pride in trying to shut Luck down so you can put Brandon up on the stage a little more? MARKELLE MARTIN: I think before every team you want to do that. We understand what we have to do first. I just think we got to stop the run. I think that's something they harp on us and something we have focus on. Q. They are different offenses and different quarterbacks. In preparing for this and watching him on film, are there some that you see in practice? MARKELLE MARTIN: There are some power plays and placement of the ball, something we see every week. So I think that's something we see and rep every day. But I think they are completely different. Q. They are probably going to be more physical than I think any of you guys have faced this year. They may be more physical than anybody in the country. Did you guys‑‑ and Coach Young called it playing basketball on grass for the last three months. How do you get prepared? You got a month to do it, but were practices any more physical? Is that not necessarily‑‑ I'm wondering how you get prepared for a style of offense that you haven't seen played at this level? MARKELLE MARTIN: We have the same style and structure that we take into practice. Normally where we are kind of go live, I think the linebacker does more of inside run than usual for them. Outside of that, it is the same structure. We know when the time comes, we have to turn it loose. Q. You lead the nation in takeaways. Are you aware you have might have to be more patient to wait for the takeaways in this game? MARKELLE MARTIN: You understand you have to be patient. Whether the time comes, you can't force it too much. We just have to be patient. They don't turn the ball over and we live on turnovers. Something has to give. Q. Can you compare their offense to anything that you have faced so far this season? You have seen so many spreads and really not a pro‑style offense? MARKELLE MARTIN: It is kind of hard to‑‑ I think the closer we can get to is A&M and what they try to do with us in the second half and they tried to run the ball and we wanted to come out pounding the game. Outside of that, I don't think there is a team in our conference that does what they do. Q. What type of challenges does that present that you haven't seen? MARKELLE MARTIN: Just have to read the keys. They are a physical team. They are going to move the ball up the field. If you can be calm and patient and just understand it, that's what they do. We are going to get our chance, you will be all right. Q. Jamie said at some point schemes kind of go out the window and you got to tackle the guy with the football. Is that how you approach it? MARKELLE MARTIN: That's exactly how you have to approach it. Somebody is going to be singled up to make the play. That's just something we are aware of and we are going to pay attention to that. Q. When you look at Oklahoma game, it was probably the best defensive guys you guys have played all season and the Texas Tech game was a couple games before that. Do you feel this defense is starting to find itself a little bit and has emerged over these past couple of weeks? MARKELLE MARTIN: Me personally, I think the defense has been doing the same thing the whole season. I think they have been forcing turnovers. At certain points, we run well. Certain times we pass well. It is the same thing we have been doing all year. Q. Two, three games into the career when you guys were getting all the turnovers, were you like, okay, this is nice, but we need to step up. Maybe stop allowing so many yards. At some point in the season, did you say this is kind of where our defense is at? We create turnovers? MARKELLE MARTIN: I understood it was something we were harped on. Just being an older guy and understanding the situation, certain types of offense we had, our defense has to come from within. I just understood what was going on. We would like to get off the field faster. Q. That's their MO. They like these long, methodical‑type drives. The yardage thing is probably going to be a bigger deal in this game. I know you guys have been trying to force three and outs all season. But is that even more important now? MARKELLE MARTIN: When we get the yardage brought up, yardage doesn't mean that you win the game obviously. For us being the defense on 80‑play games, we are used to it so we are prepared for it. We have done it all year. Q. How much did the break help you guys to get those legs recharged up before this game? MARKELLE MARTIN: I think it was more of a mental, just to get away and see family. You were anxious to get back and get to work, you heard a lot of talk at home. So just ready to get back and taking care of the things I needed to take care of and get back to football. Q. Your last two ball games, do you consider them having been two of your better games of your career, or are they remembered at that because you had such spectacular games? MARKELLE MARTIN: I don't know. I just go out there and have fun. It defines the moment of the game. Lucky for me I had the opportunities and I made the most of them. That's what we preach. Go out there and make your plays. I think we have a couple guys doing it. Q. The combine is in about six, seven weeks. Have you decided where you will train? Will you go back to Texas? Will you do it in Stillwater? What are your plans for the Combine? MARKELLE MARTIN: Right now, we are focused on the Bowl game. I have to take care of that first. The clock is running right now. If I take care of this Bowl game, everything will fall into place. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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