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ROSE BOWL GAME PRESENTED BY VIZIO: STANFORD v WISCONSIN


December 29, 2012


Curt Phillips


PASADENA, CALIFORNIAS

Q.  How was Disney?
CURT PHILLIPS:  Not bad, yeah.  It was fun.  It was nice to see some of those big guys squeal a little bit.  It's fun.  It's good stuff.

Q.  How was your Beef Bowl experience last night?
CURT PHILLIPS:  It was fun.  A lot of guys take that personally, especially some of the big guys up front, so it's a lot of fun to see them get in there.  Obviously a great tradition, a great meal.  But just fun to be there with everybody.

Q.  How many steaks did you eat?
CURT PHILLIPS:  I just had one.  I leave the heavy eating to some of those bigger guys.

Q.  Then you have room for the side dishes?
CURT PHILLIPS:  Exactly.  I think I feel a lot better today because I only had one.  I think some of those guys that were pushing six, seven, probably don't feel too well today.

Q.  Do you feel safer behind your offensive line (inaudible)?
CURT PHILLIPS:  Definitely.  Any time you see that and then come to the weight room and see those guys looking like they do, it makes it that much more fun and I sleep well at night knowing that they're in front of me.

Q.  Have you had a chance to take advantage of the hotel room?
CURT PHILLIPS:  That's part of it.  It's a lot of fun.  They definitely take care of us here at the Rose Bowl.  It makes it that much more fun when you have free time you can get down there with everybody.

Q.  Do you have a favorite game that you play down there?
CURT PHILLIPS:  I enjoy ping‑pong.  They've got a ping‑pong table that gets pretty competitive down there, so that's a lot of fun.

Q.  Have you played Chris Borland in ping‑pong?
CURT PHILLIPS:  I have not.  I think I could take him.  I know him and Mike Taylor have some pretty good battles, but Mike hasn't beat me yet and I know Mike beats him.  So I'll go ahead and claim that one.

Q.  Just in general how has practice been going so far for you guys?
CURT PHILLIPS:  It's been good.  I think everybody has been really sharp.  It's been more of a business trip for everybody obviously being our third trip out here, guys aren't as wide eyed.  I think it's been pretty good.  Guys have rallied around Coach Alvarez and are ready to play.

Q.  Has it been a different experience coming out here (inaudible)?
CURT PHILLIPS:  Definitely.  I saw my parents, they got here last night and they were joking around, saying it's so much better not seeing you limping through this hotel.  So it does make it that much more fun.  Obviously I've enjoyed the experience every time I've been here, but to now have a chance to contribute makes it that much more fun.

Q.  How is playing for Coach Alvarez changed things?
CURT PHILLIPS:  It's awesome.  I couldn't have asked for more having a chance to play in the Rose Bowl for a Rose Bowl Hall of Fame coach.  It's awesome.  It's something we're looking forward to, and it's been everything that we expected.

Q.  When you went to training camp this year, did you envision yourself starting in the Rose Bowl?
CURT PHILLIPS:  I really hoped so.  I tried not to worry about the big picture, just take the day‑to‑day and make the most of that.  Obviously it worked out well, and I'm just having fun with it.

Q.  This is the thrill of a lifetime, having played in this game.  Are preparations going like you hoped, all hands on deck?
CURT PHILLIPS:  It's going really well so far.  I think guys have been really locked in.  It's been more of a business trip for us this year, having been out here three times.  So I'm glad and I appreciate the way that guys have come to work every day.  It's been going well for us so far.

Q.  Were you concerned at all when your offensive linemen got to Lawry's last night?
CURT PHILLIPS:  A little bit.  That's a great tradition for us, but I was glad to see that Travis Frederick retired and passed the baton to some of the younger guys.

Q.  We have confirmation that it was seven, but some people are saying eight.
CURT PHILLIPS:  It was seven.  I was actually sitting at the table with him, and they cut him off after seven.  He could have gone for eight.  I know some of the Stanford guys did eight, but the team wasn't going to wait on him to finish that eighth one.

Q.  You kept your hands away from the plate?
CURT PHILLIPS:  We did.  We entertained the media while he was doing it because he was in the zone, had the meat sweats going for a little while.  But it was good.

Q.  Tell me about Stanford's defense.  When you look at it where do you think you can exploit it?
CURT PHILLIPS:  I have a lot of respect for the way they play the game.  I think they're very well coached, sound defense, tackle very well.  It's a unique challenge for us.  So I think that's something that having an extra month of preparation is good for.

Q.  How has it been to have Barry Alvarez back as a head coach?
CURT PHILLIPS:  It's awesome.  It's everything I expected it to be.  It's an awesome opportunity to have the chance to play for a Rose Bowl Hall of Fame coach in the Rose Bowl.  He's always been around the program, but to see him out there with a whistle has been really special.

Q.  (Inaudible.)
CURT PHILLIPS:  I think they're a very well‑coached team.  They play very sound, so I think we just have to make the most of those opportunities.  Obviously we're not going to get very many of them, so when we do we have to make sure that they count.

Q.  (Inaudible.)
CURT PHILLIPS:  You know, I think they come off the ball very well.  Obviously really big guys, smart.  I think they're very well coached and play very sound.  You know, it's something that‑‑ it's a unique challenge for us playing against an odd front.  We don't really see that in the Big Ten very often, but having an extra month of preparation is big for that.

Q.  (Inaudible.)
CURT PHILLIPS:  I think I just need to play my game.  I can't push and try to make too much of anything.  You know, Wisconsin we pride ourselves on our power running game so we've got to stick with that.  We can't get away from it, and obviously when we do go to the pass, we've got to make the most of that.

Q.  (Inaudible.)
CURT PHILLIPS:  You know, I think it has.  I think our whole team has bounced back really well from adversity.  I think that applies to me, as well, not having the opportunity to play early on in the season but finally getting a shot here towards the end.  I've tried to make the most with the opportunities I've been given and tried to live in the moment.

Q.  (Inaudible.)
CURT PHILLIPS:  I was super excited about it.  I couldn't have asked for more than have a chance to play for a Rose Bowl Hall of Fame coach in the Rose Bowl.  It's everything I expected it to be, and obviously he's always been around the program but to see him out there with a whistle, I'm just that much more excited.

Q.  (Inaudible.)
CURT PHILLIPS:  I don't know, I think there's much more confidence.  I think just the success that he's had on this stage, playing for a Rose Bowl Hall of Fame coach in the Rose Bowl, kind of the confidence rubs off on everybody else, I think it's been very business like.  I'd say that has a lot to do with us being out here three times and not being as wide eyed.  But it's been fun.  He definitely has a sense of swagger that he brings and it gives the guys a chance to rally around him.

Q.  (Inaudible.)
CURT PHILLIPS:  We did.  That was something unique for us.  We actually did a scrimmage.  He said that's something he always likes to do, kind of set the pads when we get out here, so that's fun.  The offense and defense is always kind of picking at each other, so having the ones on ones and a chance to tackle makes it that much more exciting, gets guys going a little bit.

Q.  You're so used to film study and (inaudible) how do you not (inaudible)?
CURT PHILLIPS:  I think the coaches here do a really good job of that.  Initially whenever we get into bowl prep we take a step back, give guys a chance to recover, get healthy again, and I think that is big that you don't burn yourself out.  We got away for a couple days with the Christmas break, but then once you come back it's full steam ahead from there.  Guys have really been locked in, and I think it's helped us.

Q.  (Inaudible.)
CURT PHILLIPS:  Right.  You know what, I think I got a lot more confident as the season was going on.  The first couple games I was a little bit shaky in there.  So for me obviously I wasn't close to being burned out maybe like some of the other guys were, so I decided to try to make sure I stayed sharp, kept throwing to some of the guys, but at the same time you do have to take a step back.

Q.  (Inaudible.)
CURT PHILLIPS:  Definitely not.  That's an awesome tradition getting to go there, but I was excited to see Travis Frederick kind of take a step back and retire from that and kind of pass it on to some of the younger guys.

Q.  (Inaudible.)
CURT PHILLIPS:  It definitely is.  They're a very sound defense.  I think they're very well coached.  Watching them on film, you definitely have to be aware of that, have to get the ball out because they're coming after you.  I think it's something that our guys up front will take personally, try to give us a little bit of extra time, but they are very good at that.

Q.  (Inaudible.)
CURT PHILLIPS:  Right.  You know, that's tough.  That's something a lot of teams in college football nowadays don't run an offense like we do, and it's something that fortunately we see‑‑ they'll probably see an offense like us in practice going against their offense.  So it does present a unique challenge.  But there's a couple games that we really focus on more as far as formationally, but at the same time you've got to rely more on recent games, you can't really worry so much about formations and stuff like that.

Q.  (Inaudible.)
CURT PHILLIPS:  Yeah, obviously we're all surprised.  It wasn't something we expected, but at the same time I think it's part of the game.  I think everybody understands with success you get opportunities, so we're excited for him to take the next step in his career, but for us, I think guys really embraced the change and wanted to make sure it didn't affect us in a negative way and have done a good job with that.

Q.  (Inaudible.)
CURT PHILLIPS:  Right, they definitely are.  I think they're a very well‑coached team.  The guys play very well, very hard.  So I think being an odd front, it's a little bit of a unique challenge for us.  We don't really play that very much.  I think Utah State is probably the most similar schematically that we've seen.  But just defensive front size obviously Ohio State, Michigan State, and then Penn State towards the end of the year had good fronts, but I think this will definitely be a challenge for us.

Q.  (Inaudible.)
CURT PHILLIPS:  Right.  You know, I think we've kind of found our identity here towards the end of the season.  Guys have started playing well together.  I think that's something that's big.  When that happens you have more confidence.  Guys feel good with the scheme, so I think just trusting that, and then just your month of preparation is really big, giving you a chance to really see what's going on so you can trust what's happening out there on the field and play fast.

Q.  (Inaudible.)
CURT PHILLIPS:  I don't know.  You know, I try not to worry about that, but it's something that you definitely are aware of, the pressure that they're getting.  At the same time I think it's almost more on the guys up front.  I think they take it really personally when the team gets pressure like that.  It's going to be a challenge for them and something that they take pride in.

Q.  (Inaudible.)
CURT PHILLIPS:  You know, I think we're a much better team than our record indicates.  Obviously we lost some very close games that could have gone either way.  Overtime times, as well.  But I think that's going to help us in a game like this.  Obviously it's going to be a very good game, and if it does come down to the wire, we've been in games like that.  But at the same time we're not really worried about any of the talk.  I think we hopefully silenced a good bit of that in the Big Ten Championship game the way we handled that.  I think we showed what can happen if we come out and play the way we're supposed to play.  So I'm not really worried about that.

Q.  Why are you a better team than (inaudible)?
CURT PHILLIPS:  Sure.  You know, yeah, I think the five games that we lost, it was by a total of like five points or something like that.  The two overtime games we definitely had opportunities to win all those games, and we just didn't capitalize on it.  I think our coaches did a good job of putting us in a position, we just didn't make the plays.  It's something that we learned from.  It's very frustrating, but at the same time you've got to put it behind you and it seems like we've been clicking pretty well here the last few weeks.

Q.  (Inaudible.)
CURT PHILLIPS:  I think it is just making the most of the opportunities that we were given.  All season long, we've been put in good positions, we just haven't necessarily made the plays.  In that game, it seemed like it was all clicking for us.  Our offense capitalized on a lot of things that our defense has given us, obviously the pick six, but it was just exciting.  Everything seemed to be clicking well for us.  It was one of those days.

Q.  (Inaudible.)
CURT PHILLIPS:  What do we need to do to win?  I think we just have to play our game.  Obviously they're a very good team, but we can't get rushed, but at the same time we have to play with a sense of urgency.  I think for us offensively obviously their defense is very, very sound, very well coached, so we're not going to get that many opportunities, and when we do we have to make sure we make the most of them.

Q.  (Inaudible.)
CURT PHILLIPS:  I think it's very important for us.  Any time you can establish a running game like we hope to do, it definitely opens up some opportunities in the play‑action game.  Obviously we haven't thrown that many times in the past, but I think it's almost an advantage for us because there's not that much on film, they don't have that much to study and it's something that obviously we've practiced, we just haven't necessarily done it in a game.

Q.  (Inaudible.)
CURT PHILLIPS:  I've been extremely impressed with their progression.  Obviously we knew that they were very talented all along, but they've kind of really settled in here towards the end of the year and found their identity.  I think they've definitely gained some confidence.  Obviously at the beginning of the season with some new guys filling new roles and new coaches, new scheme, kind of feeling each other out.  But it seems to be rolling pretty good here towards the end of the year and I think they're going to take this challenge personally going against a very good Stanford defense.

Q.  (Inaudible.)
CURT PHILLIPS:  Yeah, I think so.  Obviously Melvin Gordon has really come on strong here towards the end of the year.  That's been big for us.  Some of the runs, it wasn't even a bad look and he just made something happen.  That's special when you have a player like that that can get you out of some trouble.  But I think it's been there all season long, it's just been a couple things, guys falling off a block, missing a cut, missing a throw, and that's just something that didn't happen in the Big Ten Championship Game.

Q.  (Inaudible.)
CURT PHILLIPS:  I've heard a little bit about that, but at the same time, you can say what you want about inexperience, having a month of preparation is going to be really big for both of us, I'm sure, just to study the game plan, and it's just going to be exciting.  I'm sure he'd say the exact same thing.

Q.  With the running game that you guys will have (inaudible)?
CURT PHILLIPS:  Oh, it's definitely a factor.  Having a running game like that makes it easy for any quarterback.  For me personally I don't think it matters necessarily which quarterback is in the game when our running backs are running like they do and our line is blocking like that.  It definitely makes it easier to settle in a little bit and not that much is put on the shoulders of the quarterback.

Q.  What do you think about this stage?
CURT PHILLIPS:  It's a lot of fun.  I couldn't ask for anything more to have a chance to play for a Rose Bowl Hall of Fame coach in the Rose Bowl.  I grew up watching this game as a kid and dreamed of playing in it.  I'm trying to live in the moment, have a lot of fun with it and take it all in.

Q.  (Inaudible.)
CURT PHILLIPS:  We were very surprised whenever that happened, but it's just part of the game.  Any time you have success like that, you expect coaches to get opportunities, and that's part of it.  You understand that when you come in.  But I think guys did a very good job of really embracing adversity and making sure that they didn't let that affect us in a negative way and really rallied around Coach Alvarez.

Q.  (Inaudible.)
CURT PHILLIPS:  He did.  It's definitely helped.  It's a lot of fun, just the swagger and the confidence that he brings, having success on this stage in the past is big for us.  I think guys have really rallied around him well.  He does have a little bit different plan.  We go out there.  We don't practice as long.  As long as we get the amount of work in that he thinks we need to get in, he's not going to keep us out there for a long amount of time and I think guys respect that and will go to work for him.

Q.  (Inaudible.)
CURT PHILLIPS:  It would be big.  Obviously Coach Alvarez' success here is something we take pride in.  We want to continue for him.  He's never lost the Rose Bowl.  But for us having been here three times now and not come away with a win, it's big for us.  We take this one personally.  It's more of a business trip.  We want to do whatever we can to get a win.

Q.  (Inaudible.)
CURT PHILLIPS:  It is unique definitely for us.  We don't see much of that in the Big Ten.  I think Utah State was one of the few teams that truly played primarily an odd front.  So it is a challenge, but having an extra month of preparation is really big for us just to study that, get used to the movement up front and the blitz packages are different up front, too, so it's going to be a little bit of a challenge.

Q.  (Inaudible.)
CURT PHILLIPS:  I haven't.  I've submitted all the paperwork.  I've turned everything in. I'm not sure how the holiday affects, like, the delay with that.  I was hoping to know before the game, but I haven't heard anything so far.

Q.  (Inaudible.)
CURT PHILLIPS:  You know, I think it is an advantage having been here before and having gone through this preparation.  I think it's important initially to kind of get away, get guys healthy a little bit so guys don't get burned out.  But at the same time once you do come back, guys have really dove in head first and been all in.

Q.  (Inaudible.)
CURT PHILLIPS:  It's awesome.  It makes my job easy playing with those guys up front, and then we've got three running backs that are pretty special.  Obviously Montee is the big name there and it's fun to play with him, but all those guys definitely take some weight off my shoulders.

Q.  (Inaudible.)
CURT PHILLIPS:  It's been fun.  You know, I'd be lying if I said the whole process wasn't frustrating.  But I think it's‑‑ obviously the whole time, my whole goal was not to have any regrets with it.  I try to be as prepared as possible, but there's‑‑ it's a lot of fun to finally get a chance to play.  I'm just trying to live in the moment and have fun with it.

Q.  Can you talk about the journey from coming here as a freshman and playing time?  What was it like to find out you'd be (inaudible)?
CURT PHILLIPS:  Right.  You know, it was really tough.  I came in with really high hopes.  I felt like I was pretty capable coming in, unfortunately had a chance to play early, but the injuries were something I definitely didn't expect, something that any player obviously dreads, but I think it makes it that much more special whenever you do get a chance to come back.  Obviously I didn't know through the whole process if I'd get that opportunity or not.  But I'm extremely thankful that I did.  It does make it all that much more fun when you're back out here with the guys and you've had to face adversity to get back.

Q.  (Inaudible.)
CURT PHILLIPS:  Right, I haven't.  I've turned in all the paperwork.  I'm not sure what the timeline is with it.  I was hoping to know before the game.  I know my roommate got his back pretty quickly but I don't know how the holidays affects that, kind of the timeline with that.

Q.  (Inaudible.)
CURT PHILLIPS:  No.  Obviously Joel is a very good player, have a lot of respect for Joel and the things that he's done.  But I don't really make those decisions as far as who plays, so if it's something that they feel that he can help us and give us a better chance to win, I'm all for playing whatever role necessary.  But at the same time if there's anything I've learned through five years, I've been in a lot of quarterback competitions, you can't look over your shoulder.  You can only be concerned about yourself and the things that you can improve.  You can't look over your shoulder at all.

Q.  (Inaudible.)
CURT PHILLIPS:  I think so.  Obviously the Rose Bowl, that's what you come to Wisconsin to play in.  Since I was a little kid, I've grown up watching the Rose Bowl and dreamed of playing in that one day.  So I'm extremely excited about that opportunity.  Obviously things haven't necessarily gone the way I've planned the past five years, but to have an opportunity to play in this game is something that makes it all worth it.

Q.  Have you been able to travel with the team the past few years?
CURT PHILLIPS:  I have traveled.  I've been here both times but I haven't been able to contribute at all, haven't practiced.  It's just kind of been from a rehab standpoint.

Q.  (Inaudible.)
CURT PHILLIPS:  It was frustrating.  Obviously the experience is a lot of fun, but it's something that is big for me now having seen two NFL quarterbacks play in this game, how they prepared, how they approached every day I think is definitely an advantage for me now getting a chance to do it myself.

Q.  How big of an advantage is that, having been here and seeing the atmosphere?
CURT PHILLIPS:  It's definitely an advantage.  I think every time you come here, obviously it's an awesome atmosphere, you want to make sure you take it all in, but at the same time you aren't as wide eyed.  Every time you come to a familiar place it makes it that much easier.  Getting to see the preparation those guys had is the biggest part, seeing how they prepared, seeing how they approached the month off because you can get burned out if you get going too fast and you have to make sure you're locked in come game time.  I still talk to a lot of those guys, maybe trying to pick up tips and pointers along the way to make it that much better for me.

Q.  Have you heard the team is wearing red pants?
CURT PHILLIPS:  I don't know.  That's something with kind of the throw back theme of Coach Alvarez that we talked about a little bit, so I'm not sure, I'll have to wait until game day to find out.

Q.  (Inaudible.)
CURT PHILLIPS:  No, it makes it that much more fun.  Obviously the uniforms aren't that big of a deal to us, but at the same time it does make it fun.  It's something that it gives guys a chance to be excited about and obviously everybody enjoys looking good out there.

Q.  (Inaudible.)  Talk about what it's like to be going out onto the field?
CURT PHILLIPS:  Sure, I think it is big, especially for a quarterback to kind of run through all the scenarios in your head, especially the night before the game I try to run through the entire game plan, kind of envision how you imagine things happening.  It's fun.  As a kid you grow up watching this game, dreaming of playing in it one day, so I'm excited to get the opportunity and just looking forward to it.

Q.  (Inaudible.)  Do you still get chills on game day?
CURT PHILLIPS:  Absolutely.  Every time I come out of the tunnel I get chills no matter where I'm playing, but having a chance to play at the Rose Bowl, it is special.  So it makes it that much more fun.  The advantage of having been here a couple times will be big for us, maybe guys won't be so wide eyed, but at the same time it's an awesome opportunity and everybody really just takes it in.

Q.  You guys have used some pretty crazy plays.  Do you have a similar game plan where they don't know what to expect?
CURT PHILLIPS:  I think so.  Having that many weapons for us is big, it's definitely helped us towards the end of the year.  We've definitely found our identity.  But we've got a lot of play makers so we've got to make sure we can find a way to get the ball in those guys' hands.  In the Big Ten Championship Game I think it was big for us, it wasn't necessarily the tricks that did it for us but kind of keeps them on their heels a little bit and it's something guys can be excited about, giving a little bit of a different look, breaking some tendencies.  I would expect to do the same thing.

Q.  (Inaudible.)
CURT PHILLIPS:  I don't think so.  You know, everybody is really excited for Montee and just everything that he's done for us, and we really have a lot of respect for how much work he's put in and he really respects the process.  At the same time he's a straight team guy, he's not worried about anything individually.  Obviously we want to get him a win.  But that goes for all these seniors.  Having been here three times now and not coming away with a win the past couple times, it makes it that much more of a business trip and makes it that much more important to us.

Q.  (Inaudible.)
CURT PHILLIPS:  They're extremely good, have a lot of respect for their program and how they do things.  I think they're very well coached, they play very sound, very good tacklers, and it presents a‑‑ it's a unique challenge for us seeing the odd front, something that we don't really see very much in the Big Ten.  I think Utah State is probably one of the few teams that we play against that primarily runs an odd front.  But having that extra month of preparation is big for us to get used to that, get used to the movement and kind of the blitz schemes out of that.  It'll be big.

Q.  You guys are used to it now, third year in a row, but there's so many distractions with the Rose Bowl, but you're still here for the game.  How do you balance that?
CURT PHILLIPS:  It is tough.  You know, I think it's definitely an advantage for us having been here three times now, guys have seen it, they know the process, they know how things are going to flow throughout the week.  But I think it is important.  You've got to make sure you take everything in because it is a very special game.  It's something that‑‑ it's a once‑in‑a‑lifetime opportunity, but somehow we've been fortunate enough to be here three times.  Making sure you take everything in, but at the same time just staying focused on the game the whole time and not getting caught up in the atmosphere.

Q.  I'm sure you're a little bit tired of talking about it, but all the things you've been through, to finally have the Rose Bowl to play, it's got to be amazing after all the work you've put in?
CURT PHILLIPS:  It does, it definitely does.  I think in life it makes things that much more special when they're not just handed to you and it's something that you have to work for.  So it's something that I'm extremely grateful for the opportunity to come out here and play.  It was something that I wasn't sure I was going to get, so I think having it taken away from you, you have that much more respect for the game and the process.  I try to live in the moment and have as much fun as possible because obviously it can be taken away from you at any point.

Q.  How are you today?
CURT PHILLIPS:  I'm great.  I'm having a lot of fun out here.

Q.  (Inaudible.)
CURT PHILLIPS:  Sure, it's a lot of fun.  The whole week of the Rose Bowl is very special.  They do a great job of organizing things for us.  Having a chance to go to Disney, then the Beef Bowl, it's something that you hear about all the time, and to have a chance to participate in that, especially three years in a row now, is something that's been very fun.

Q.  How many steaks did you eat?
CURT PHILLIPS:  I only ate one.  I leave some of the heavy eating to some of these big guys.  I think I feel a lot better today because I didn't mess around with a lot of that.  They look a little sluggish this morning.

Q.  Talk about the chemistry of the team going forward.
CURT PHILLIPS:  Sure.  I think this team with the adversity that we've faced throughout the year, it's been special for us.  It's definitely brought us closer together.  I think toward the end of the year we've found our identity.  We've been playing very well together, something that I think the swagger and kind of the confidence that Coach Alvarez brought whenever he was named the head coach has been big for us, guys have really rallied around him well, and they've‑‑ I'm really proud of the way that this whole team has prepared thus far, and I think it's setting us up to do something pretty special.

Q.  So you guys are on schedule to prepare for Stanford?
CURT PHILLIPS:  I think so.  Obviously they're a great team, have a lot of respect for the way that they do things and the way that they play the game, but I think it's something that‑‑ it's special.  I think this is football the way it's supposed to be played, lining up, coming at each other and just kind of see who's the bigger guy out there.

Q.  What's it going to take to be victorious?
CURT PHILLIPS:  I think as good of a team as Stanford is, we have to make sure that we make the most of the opportunities that we're presented with because obviously the way that they're coached, the way they play the game, you're not going to get that many opportunities, so when you do you have to make sure you take advantage of them.  But we just have to play our game.  We can't get caught up in the hype of the game even though it's a huge stage, but just kind of play our game and let it come to us.

Q.  What will you take out of this whole experience personally?
CURT PHILLIPS:  Just try to have a lot of fun with it.  I think for me personally it makes it that much more special whenever it was an opportunity that you weren't so sure you were going to get.  Obviously things didn't necessarily go the way that I had planned the last couple years, but to now have the opportunity to play in this game, it's awesome.  It makes it that much more fun, and I have kind of a new respect for the game out there, having it taken away from you at some point.

Q.  What are you majoring in?
CURT PHILLIPS:  I was majoring in Consumer Affairs, actually graduated a year ago now, so I'm getting my masters in Athletic Administration.

Q.  (Inaudible)?
CURT PHILLIPS:  Absolutely.  The whole time academics has been very important to me.  My family did a very good job of kind of instilling the importance of that.  But I think every kid comes in with very high hopes and thinks they're going to play football forever, so when you're faced with something like that, for me personally it didn't cause me to take a step back and really think about what I was doing and making sure I was setting myself up academically because football is certainly not going to last.

Q.  Now that you're here, was it all worth it?
CURT PHILLIPS:  It's absolutely all worth it.  It's something that I wasn't sure I was going to get the opportunity to do, but I think it makes it that much more special when something is not given to you and you have to work for it.  I'm extremely thankful for the opportunity, I just have a lot of fun with it, just trying to live in the moment and soak it all in.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports




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