Bobby Carpenter Quotations

There are some things I have to get done that would affect the way I do my job. My father's got to go through some things, and I did a lot of thinking and I want to spend some time with him. I'd just like to be there for him when he has these operations, and it would be difficult with the schedule, playing every other night.

We were committed to playing today. We knew we couldn't be hung up on last week's game. We knew San Diego State was going to be a good team and they showed that on the first play.

My hat's off. Ashton was hurting. When he came in he had tears in his eyes in the training room. That's the type of guys we have. You are willing to give it up for the team.

My goal for him is to get drafted by a team that's capable and wants to win the Super Bowl.

I'd like to be able to run well on a big stage like this. But I told myself I wasn't going to get drawn into that. I probably need another week and a half, two weeks.

He was doing a good job of recognizing it. He was throwing it out there and they were making plays.

He's a tremendous athlete and a very explosive runner, but he's not a guy who's going to put on a lot of moves. Once he gets in the open field he tries to run by guys. We will have to be fast and sure on our open-field tackling.

I think it definitely helps me. We're a commodity in today's game.

I remember watching all the game film of teams that have played Arizona State and seeing the big 42 right on the field.

Our focus all summer up until we started camp was Texas and Vince Young.

It feels like someone took your dog out right in front of you and shot it. And then you've got to go and bury it.

It definitely helps a lot. When we see each other in the halls, we're always talking. A.J. and Anthony are in my group. That makes it nice when you have guys in your group you can talk to.

That was like a breath of fresh air for us. We felt lucky to still be that close after how we had played. My thought was we're only three points down and we probably don't deserve it, so we better take advantage of our good fortune.

We've done about 30 or so of these. Now, it's finally winding down.

We came in after that first play and said, 'We know we're a better team than that.

But otherwise I was at Ohio State. I was in school for winter quarter, for one thing, and because it?s the place where I thought I?d feel most comfortable getting ready.

Seeing a lot of teams go to the 3-4, I think helps me. Looking around, it's tough to find a whole lot of guys who have the size and weight to play outside linebacker in the 3-4. You have to be a bigger, physical guy with good speed. That's something that's kind of a (rare) commodity in today's game. I think that's something I can bring to the table.

As a player, I just want to see all my friends go high -- and I'd like to go as high as possible as well. It's exciting that we might actually tie a draft record.

A lot of guys were on the sidelines apologizing. Usually when we give up big yards on a play, it's one guy's fault. But we were all to blame. We kept playing hard and if we do that and execute, I think we can stop anybody.

There was a time where never in my life would I bet the spread on Ohio State. Now I can't say that because they're going out and putting points up.

It's a defining point for us, and for Penn State. You can't ask for much more in a game. Two teams that it means a lot to, with good records and two historic national powers.

It's not quite 100 percent, but it's good enough if I had to play.

It's gratifying for a defense when we know we can affect a quarterback so much that we take him out of the game plan. Any time you see him show outward emotion, it's a definite plus.

It's tough with an injury like this because you don't know how hard to push it.

That's something we all kind of talked about when we started doing this. It's something that's really grown and gotten a lot of attention, even on the national scene.

Everyone always wants the most tackles, the most sacks, the most interceptions. When you compete with those guys, it makes you better. But it's all in good fun. Everyone's friends. I'm just as happy for those guys when they do well as they are for me when I succeed.

It's bittersweet, obviously. No way could I imagine missing my final game as a senior, but it wasn't in the cards...

Any time you can do that and the quarterback shows some outward emotion - some negative emotion - you know you are in his head and you've affected him. It's satisfying.

I knew I probably wasn't going to play so I had to do everything I could. You do everything you can to help your team win.

I'm just concerned with me being able to go out and perform the way I need to perform.

I played some inside my sophomore and junior year in our nickel package. I feel I'm best used on the edge. I can play inside. I enjoy it but I enjoy playing on the edge a lot more now.

The guys were so inspired. I knew there was only a small chance I'd play, but we had a great scheme on defense and our offense executed well. It was an amazing feat.