Dec. 2, 2012
Head coach Todd Graham
On being selected to play in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl vs. Navy
"I'm very excited obviously. It's a great location for us because of our recruiting base. We go to the Bay Area and obviously California is such an important place for us to recruit, and it's where most of our players' families are, plus we have more than 17,000 alumni in that area, so it's a perfect situation for us. We have the honor of competing against one of the Academies. I've competed against the Naval Academy several times and I can tell you they'll be a formidable opponent - very different, difficult, well-coached and disciplined. I know our guys are excited about that opportunity to play such a prestigious academy and university."
On simulating Navy's offense in preparation for the game
"Obviously it's completely different and defensively it's tough. You can't underestimate their abilities. We've been working on it for a couple of days and it will take us a while, but it's hard to simulate it in any way, and much more difficult this week. I've spent a lot of time defending that type of offense, so I think we have a pretty god idea of how to do it. It's still not very easy because of the blocking and how they go about it, it's a very difficult scheme to defend. We're preparing for it - it's not easy, but we'll get it done."
On the military appreciation and ties between the military and Arizona State
"You look at the great history that our program has as far as the military and obviously Pat Tillman and the background we have here. It's a great matchup as far as that goes. It's close to Pat's hometown in the Bay Area, so it's going to be a neat experience for us. Having Jake [Sheffield] with us too, there will be a lot of appreciation and a lot of respect for their team going into this game. The things we've done - honor, character, discipline - those are some of the greatest progresses we've made this year, and playing a team that represents and embodies that is a perfect ending for this 2012 season."
On what the team is looking to take away from the bowl game
"The bowl experience is a great experience, but we're going for our eighth win and winning a bowl championship. It's another step for our football team to take."
ASU student-athletes on going to the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl and facing Navy
Quarterback Taylor Kelly
"I'm excited. They're going to be a good team and a good opponent for us. We have to watch a lot of film on them and study. They're going to be tough and hard-nosed and they're going to be coming at us. We have to go out and handle our business and focus on what we can do and don't get distracted with different things like traveling or going to a bowl game. We have to focus on our opponent and what we can do."
Tight end Chris Coyle
"It's a great opportunity for us. I'm so excited to be able to play one of the Academies. They're a really good team, and they're well disciplined just like we are. We have a lot of similarities and they're going to be playing their butts off the whole game. They're really tough kids and they're never going to get up, and it's going to be an exciting game. I think it'll be really good for us to perform well against them and promote ourselves on a national stage for next season. We have a pretty tough schedule and it'll be good to have momentum going into the off season so we can build on it next year."
Defensive lineman Jaxon Hood
"Everyone will be doing their job. No freelancing - just focus, focus, focus. They're probably one of the most disciplined teams in the country, so there won't be a lot of flashiness on the defensive side of the ball. Last year I would have told you anything is possible. I wouldn't have doubted it or said you were totally crazy."
Wide receiver Rashad Ross
"It's great because everybody from my area that has supported me can come and watch me play. We have to keep doing what we've been doing. This last game, as a unit, we were getting open. Against Washington State we excelled as a group. We just have to catch balls and get our hands better for this last game. Our timing is good with the quarterbacks."