What Boise State Said About Penn State at Fiesta Bowl Media Day

The Broncos scout Penn State's Drew Allar, Tyler Warren and Abdul Carter ahead of the Fiesta Bowl.

Boise State Broncos running back Ashton Jeanty arrives with his teammates at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport for the Fiesta Bowl. / Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

SCOTTSDALE, Arizona | Boise State coach Spencer Danielson said his team simply moved its entire routine from Idaho to Arizona for four days to prepare to face Penn State in the Fiesta Bowl. Just like his counterpart, Nittany Lions coach James Franklin, Danielson is a "process over perfection" coach who believes in his team.

"We are here for a reason," Danielson said. "We have worked our tails off from January to now. Starve distractions; feed your focus on everything."

Danielson and the Broncos spoke a lot about being the underdog to Penn State for the Fiesta Bowl. It feeds their season-long slogan ("Please count us out") and fuels their preparation. But they also had glowing reviews of Penn State, notably a defense that will attempt to curb running back Ashton Jeanty. Here's a sampling of what Boise State said ahead of the Fiesta Bowl.

RELATED: What Penn State said at Fiesta Bowl media day

Head coach Spencer Danielson

On the team's strategy: Yes, we have to start fast. You see for our team, this is just college football in general. A lot of that comes into how we prep. And that's why on Tuesday night, there's not going to be a lot of talking from me. It's, 'Hey boys, go cut it loose, because you've earned the right to go play your best on how you've prepped. Yes, they have got guys on their roster that have played in a lot of, quote/unquote, big games. We have been in playoff football since game one. So we have played in 13 big games that everybody said, 'If you lose this one, if you lose this one, if you lose this one, nothing is going to happen for you.' Our guys have been in that mentality for four months, or whatever it is. So we're staying true to that.

On "Please count us out:" Definitely didn't plan on it becoming a shirt. I can promise you that, Jay.
That's what I believe in, and that's what Boise State has been built on. The first Fiesta Bowl in 2007 where the country, me included as a high school senior, watching Boise State Broncos beat Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl counted out. And that's what draws people to Boise State. I talked to our staff and our players. I said, 'Everybody in this room, me included, has been counted out at some point in their life.' At some point in football, someone said, 'You can't do this.' And then you say, 'You know what? I am going to prove you wrong right now,' and you work your tail off to earn the right to do it. That's what our team is.

Boise State Broncos head coach Spencer Danielson speaks to the media during Fiesta Bowl media day. / Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Running back Ashton Jeanty

On Penn State defensive tackle Zane Durant: I know the interior guy’s kind of get overlooked. But to me, Zane Durant, 28, he's baller. Me and [running backs] coach [James] Montgomery, we've been talking about him since we've been game-planning. He's a great player. He's going to give us a run for our money.

On how he reads defenders as a game progresses: After the first probably five to 10 carries, you notice how the defense is playing. You notice who wants to tackle, who doesn't want to tackle.

Defensive end Jayden Virgin-Morgan

On how Penn State quarterback Drew Allar avoids sacks: The fact that he's mobile and he's a bigger guy. A lot of people try to tackle him above the waist. One of the biggest things we've been working on is tackling through the motors, trying to get him down as easily as possible. Just having to be able to tackle a bigger guy and the fact that he is elusive and he can get out of the pocket, makes it a lot more difficult. One of the biggest things is getting through his motors, which is his legs.

On Penn State's offensive line: There's some really athletic offensive linemen. Their protections are different. It's a lot harder to get around. Also, I think the quarterback is harder to take down, because he's a bigger guy. He's elusive as well, so that's one of the harder things for myself.

Defensive coordinator Erik Chinander

On Penn State's Tyler Warren: Obviously, he's an elite player. Won some awards, which he definitely deserves. Really good in the run game, makes some unbelievable catches, runs great routes. I think he can do a lot. I mean, they put him as a Wildcat quarterback. He can throw the ball, run the ball. Just a really, really good player, and I think that he makes every part of their offense better.

On Penn State's offense: Not only [Warren], but I think that their coaching staff and their offensive coordinator does a great job with a ton of pre-snap shifts, motions, unique formations, lining up in wildcat, shifting to something coming back to another thing. There's just so much eye candy out there that you've got to get through all those layers before you even get to the DNA of their offense.
They do a really good job with Tyler Warren, but they also do a really good job just in general with their shifts and motions and how they format things week to week.

Offensive lineman Ben Dooley

On Abdul Carter: He's a great player, and we respect everyone. We gave him his due time. He's a phenomenal player. We have a plan for him. I'm excited to go play against him.

Quarterback Maddux Madsen

On who stands out with Penn State's defense: Obviously, Abdul Carter is a guy that's legit. Seeing No. 41 [Kobe King] play, he's legit. And even their safety, No. 1 [Jaylen Reed], he's legit, too, when it comes to playing ball.

Defensive lineman Ahmed Hassanein

On scheming against Drew Allar: He's a much bigger body. If you watched the film, like, they don't get him down. He's a big quarterback and a heavy quarterback to get down. Our goal is just to aim low and target low on him and, at the end of the day, just be relentless and having fun. That's what it's all about. Just put the ball down and don't get down on yourself.

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