Courtesy of the Los Angeles Times and Daily Bruin:
STARTING, PREGAME MINDSET?
Justyn Martin: “So, I prepped all week, you know, just in case, I didn’t really know too much about starting or anything, I was just kind of focused on the task at hand. You know, they told me, I’m going to get the reps at practice so I prepared as if I was going to be a starter and gave it my all, and the coaches did a good job preparing me.”
WHEN DID YOU FIND OUT?
JM: “It was kind of like a last minute decision. I didn’t really know too much kind of going in, I was, you know, same mindset regardless if I wasn’t going to play or if I was, we still wanted to play.”
EARLY RHYTHM?
JM: “I think coach EB did a great job just understanding, like, you know, what we're good at as an offense, and he called some great plays that put us in position to win. I didn't really have to do, like, too much thinking. How we prepped during the week was, you know, pretty much what we saw out there. So it was pretty easy to just go out there and execute the plays he called.”
NERVES?
JM: “No, I didn't have nerves. I was more excited. You know, it's like my first game in about three years, so I was really excited to get to this moment. And you know, we didn't get the outcome that we wanted, but I'm proud of how our offense played. I'm proud of how our whole team played, and they supported me throughout the entire week up to now. So I really appreciate all of it.”
BEST PREGAME ADVICE?
JM: “Yeah, so Ethan and Chase Griffin, really, everybody they were supporting me throughout the week. Garbs was just saying, you know, really, like, understand the moment. And, you know, not a lot of people get a chance to play in front of 100,000 people. So, I was appreciative of this opportunity to play at Penn State – a great, legendary college environment. So he was just saying, appreciate it. And, you know, not really get too sunk into, you know, it's your first start this and that. Just enjoy it, and play ball like you know how you have.”
FEMI, THE SACK? HOW DID IT FEEL? DEFENSIVE PRESSURE:
Oluwafemi Oladejo: “Yeah, it felt good. We knew we had been struggling in the last few weeks, so really trying to get after. It felt good. You know, I thought we left some more on the table. That's more improvements to work on, and some more work to do as we keep going.”
STEP FORWARD FOR DEFENSE?
OO: “Yeah, definitely, obviously, we knew this team would pound the ball. I believe they averaged 250 yards a game, so we knew we had to step up. Like I said, still have mistakes on the field. So a lot to correct.”
IKAIKA MALLOE CHANGES IN GAME PLAN?
OO: “Yeah, I think the whole staff did – offense and defense. I think yeah, he showed emotion, the whole staff did. You know, like we have been working day in, day in and day out. So a lot of people change things, how we approach things, what they're correcting us on the film, we just got to make it happen as players.”
OFFENSIVE TD LATE IN THE GAME?
JM: “Yeah, the biggest thing for us is finish, no matter what the score is. We didn't come out here to lay over, we came out here to win and play to the last snap. So that's just not how I am as a person, that's not how our team is. We're going to finish regardless. So actually, finishing the drive was good for us. And ending on a positive note, something proud of.”
CONNECTION WITH LOGAN?
JM: “Me and Logan, like he's been one of my guys since I got on campus, just helping me, you know, get used to everything. So, you know, it's kind of, it worked out that way, that he got a lot of targets, and he was just open for me. Going into this game, I really did want to feed my receivers, and I wanted to, you know, let them loose, but Logan, just, you know, was the one today. So it's kind of how it worked out.”
ENCOURAGEMENT AFTER GAME?
JM: “Yeah, I have a lot of support coming in. Just all the staff members on our team, you know, congratulated me and just, you know, said that I did pretty well. My teammates, they showed me support since day one, and they've been, you know, corralling around me, you know, family. I just have a great support staff all around and I just appreciate the coaches, you know, not giving up on me, and, you know, taking their time with me and pushing me to be the quarterback that I want to be.”
