[Upchurch/Fuller]

Chris Wormley, Ryan Glasgow, Wilton Speight

Wilton, what are your thoughts on Florida State and playing them?

“Yeah, pretty cool. I saw that the last team, the last Michigan team, to go to the Orange Bowl was Tom Brady’s team that went to overtime with Alabama, so that was a cool little piece of history that I saw. Really athletic team in Florida State. Lot of studs on that team and real well coached by Coach Fisher, so I’m excited to hit the film with Coach Fisch and figure out the gameplan for what we’re going to do.”

What was the rollercoaster of emotions today? Did you wake up feeling you still had a chance to get into the playoff and when you found out, how did you guys cope with that, deal with that, move forward from that?

WS: “I think we all woke up hoping something might still happen. We knew Clemson or Washington had to lose for us to really have a solid chance, but it’s not done by computer; it’s done by people with brains and emotions and thoughts, so we thought there was still a chance. But we put ourselves in this position to leave it up to other people. Four points away from sitting here up in front of you guys undefeated. It’s tough, but at the same time we’ve got a lot to prove. We can really make a statement in Miami.”

RG: “Yeah, I agree with Wilton. I think that this game in Miami is going to be a statement game. We want to leave this program on top and [with] a step in the right direction. Chris and I are leaving, but Wilton has two more years here to lead this team. So yeah, we want to make it a statement game. We want to show that we’re in the top four teams in college football.”

CW: “I agree.”

Wilton, how’s the shoulder, collarbone, whatever’s going on? How healthy were you last Saturday?

“I was healthy enough to play, to be able to try and make as many plays as I could for the team. This week off has helped. We didn’t practice this past week; coaches were out recruiting. We’ll start back up on Tuesday. Not sure the extent of how hard we’ll go this first week, but the week off definitely helped. I’m getting healthier every day.”

[After THE JUMP: “I think we’re gonna be hungry, we’re gonna be angry, and we’re gonna want to take it out on a team, and Florida State’s the next team up.”]

Without getting specific, will you be back to what you were before by the bowl game? Do you expect to be where you were before the injury?

WS: “Uh, not—I’m not—not to sound like Coach Harbaugh, but I’m not a doctor so I don’t know the extent of what’s going to happen or whatever, but I know I’m getting better every day. Keep rehabbing, I’ll meet with the doctors again this week, and we’ll see.”

Bonus quotes from scrums after the podium session:

Chris Wormley

You mentioned Cook. I’m sure you haven’t had time to watch a whole lot of film on him yet, but is there anything that stands out about him?

“Yeah. He’s probably going to be an All-American and a top draft pick and all those things play into what we’re going to have to do to stop him. He’s athletic, he’s big, he’s fast, he’s strong. He’s everything you want in a running back, so we’re excited for the challenge. We’re excited to attack what they do well and exploit what they do wrong, so it’s gonna be fun. We’re excited.”

Is this game against athletes—Florida State has a lot of pro prospects—a chance for guys like yourself to make a good last impression on NFL scouts?

“Anytime you play a top team like Florida State or Ohio State last week, it’s always good to have a good game against them, against top guys, top O-linemen, top quarterbacks, top running backs, so it’s going to be fun. It’s going to be a chance for guys to increase their draft stock and play very well.”

In the search for motivation after not getting into the playoff, is that something that helps?

“Yeah. I think we’re gonna be hungry, we’re gonna be angry, and we’re gonna want to take it out on a team, and Florida State’s the next team up. So, like I said, we’re excited for the challenge.”

Ryan Glasgow

Jim always talks about ascending and taking the next step. Last year you guys were 10-3. This year you’re sitting there at 10 wins. Is this sort of your opportunity to take the next step and keep the program progressing?

“Yeah, kinda. I was thinking about that last week that we have chance to leave the program this year better than it was last year. I’d be disappointed and a lot of the seniors and the whole team would be disappointed if we were 10-3 just like we were last year. 11-2, even though it’s not where we wanted to be, is a step up from where we were. Improving every year is all you can really ask for.”

Do you like the idea of playing against a 1600-yard rusher and maybe playing to your strengths a little bit?

“Yeah, sure. If they want to pound the rock, let’s do it, then. We’ve got some really good linemen up front, some linebackers that’ll fit gaps, and some DBs who will help in run support.

“It’s a challenge. It’s probably the best rusher we’ve seen all year. The best offensive line—I haven’t really had a chance to watch, but if you have a 1600-yard rusher, you must be doing something right up front. So yeah, let’s do it, then.”

Wilton Speight

You talked about making a statement in this game. Other than talking to us, have you guys already talked about that?

“Absolutely, yeah, in the group chat. I think everyone was kind of doing their own thing this weekend in terms of we didn’t have a game or anything like that. Some people got to go home and see their families, but we all stayed connected through the games last night, watching them, just texting back and forth, and then today with the selection show. But yeah, guys are focused. We know that we put ourselves in this position, so we can’t be bitter about it, but we can certainly go out and make a statement.”

You’re losing your top three targets this year. How important is Christmas Camp for the younger guys?

“Yeah, Coach Harbaugh and Coach Fisch preach that it’s big for positions like wide receiver. It’s big for other positions as well, but Darboh and Jehu are gone, and then Jake’s gone. I know Jay Harbaugh’s got the tight end room focused and a bunch of guys are chomping at the bit, Ian [Bunting] kind of being that next leader in line. Yeah, the wide receivers are hungry. Coach Fisch has them focused. Jehu and Amara have three more weeks, four more weeks, and then they’re off to the NFL, so it’s what can the rest of the guys do to step up and show these guys in the next month that it’s going to be their time next year.”

With this camp coming up, what are some of the details you want to work on?

“Just certain things like stride length. I want to go back in the next couple days and look at where my vision was in terms of dropping back in the pocket kind of overall and the progression of that this whole year. That’s probably something I’ll do with Coach Fisch, and then do what we always do: watch NFL film. I was watching the Steelers game and Ben Roethlisberger was doing what he always does, so probably watch a bunch of Ben and Tom [Brady] cut-ups and just try and emulate that.”

Ryan said you’ve got a chance to come back and lead this team. Do you now take ownership of this team? I’m sure you did already as a quarterback, but do you take another step there?

“Yeah. I mean, obviously I embraced the leadership role that kind of comes with being a quarterback this year, but I’m going into my fourth year now. Guys like Wormley and Jake and Strib and all the older guys are leaving, so someone’s got to step up, and I know Mason [Cole] will. I’m sure a lot of other guys will, too. But yeah, I’m looking forward to taking that next step.”

Does that start in this camp, too, with the younger guys for you?

“Yeah, for sure. Receivers, quarterbacks, everyone. Peters, Brandon Peters, was redshirting this year. This is his first step of okay, let’s move on past this redshirt year and figure out what kind of player I can be. Unfortunately I didn’t have that after my redshirt year; we didn’t make a bowl game so I couldn’t use that time. I’m gonna make sure to bring him along, too.”

On the shoulder injury: Is that the only thing you’ve dealt with this year?

“Uh…no. No. I mean, you better count your blessings if you just deal with one little thing or one major thing throughout the whole year. It’s a grueling season and especially we had a target on our back all year. We got everyone’s best shot, and they’re coming for me, they’re coming for the other key players, and so everyone deals with stuff throughout the whole year.”