On Toby Gerhart being up for the Heisman:
“Yes. I believe so. He means so much to our team. He’s a shining star to our team and that’s what an MVP does. He means the world to us. He’s probably the first one to point out his teammates and say they lift him up and make him a better player.”

On expecting a physical game vs. UCLA:
“That’s the way we’re seeing things. This is the best defensive line we’ve played, there’s no question about it. This is the best three linebackers we’ve played against and the best secondary we’ve played against. Without a doubt this is the best defense we’ve played against.”

On the talent of the Pac-10 Conference:
“Being in the conference, it’s apparent. It’s obvious. I don’t see the other conferences daily on film but it’s tough to imagine that there’s one out there that’s better.”

On Kevin Craft:
“I always had a lot of respect for him. I always thought he was their best quarterback. I always figured that he would be the quarterback that we’d be seeing. He’s resourceful. I think he’s very talented. He’s athletic, he’s a smart guy and he made some really big plays for them last year. And I’m not just talking about our game although he did very well. He threw for two touchdowns, including the game-winner, and 200 and it seemed like 50 yards or something. But other games too. I’ve seen him in hanging in the pocket and he made big-time throws. Just from my perspective, I really believe he’s their best quarterback.”

On Stanford’s special teams:
“Specifically with Chris (Owusu) and his ability to return the kickoff and make big plays, that’s been a real boost. It’s changed the complexion of two games for sure because they happened on the opening kickoff and we’re playing from ahead, and it affects field position for the rest of the game. That’s been good because we’ve had good field position. When teams haven’t kicked to him, they’ve had a short kick or a kick out of bounds and that really sets you up with good field position.”