Running Back Royce Freeman:
How does it feel being in San Antonio?
Feels good. I was here a couple years ago when I played in the All-American Bowl so like right across the street.
Any good memories?
It was a good experience to play at a higher competition and we are here playing a great bowl game so we have some high-power competition.
Comparing preparation from last year to preparing for a national title?
We are going to do the best with what we got. A lot of guys still want to play and go out strong and we want to put the seniors out strong and whoever else is leaving, so we aren’t thinking of the stakes of the game. We are just thinking about as another game that we need to go and win.
How’d you spend your week off?
I think that’s the most time I’ve had in a while
How did injuries affect the season?
A lot of teams across the nation go through things like that all throughout the year. We can’t make excuses for ourselves. Just worry about how you’ve been playing lately and how to continue to do that.
On getting back into a routine
Yeah, it’s interesting seeing the guys again. Seeing their faces. A lot of these guys you see them every day, you get kind of shocked when you don’t see them for a week. So once we get our team schedule going and practices and meetings and everything, I’m pretty sure it’ll be going back to business as usual.
What have you seen in TCU’s defense so far in the early film work?
Very athletic. Good defensive front. To reiterate very athletic all over, fast to the ball, so I mean that should be a challenge.
They are considered to be fast in the Big 12 – are they reminiscent of some Pac 12 defense you guys have seen?
I think every defense is different in entirety. They can be similar but not exactly the same. They are very well coached defensively, so I mean they are on their p’s and q’s.
Darren Carrington had friend pass away – have you reached out already?
I reached out to DC. I played basketball against him and Markel Byrd. So, I mean I knew Markel and it was shocking. I really didn’t believe it at first. Him and Tyree, I reached out to both of them. It’s a tragedy but we all want him to know we are here for him and we know what he’s going through.
How are his spirits?
I mean he took it hard so sometimes you give people space and embrace him with open arms when you need to.
How does it feel being in San Antonio?
Feels good. I was here a couple years ago when I played in the All-American Bowl so like right across the street.
Any good memories?
It was a good experience to play at a higher competition and we are here playing a great bowl game so we have some high-power competition.
Comparing preparation from last year to preparing for a national title?
We are going to do the best with what we got. A lot of guys still want to play and go out strong and we want to put the seniors out strong and whoever else is leaving, so we aren’t thinking of the stakes of the game. We are just thinking about as another game that we need to go and win.
How’d you spend your week off?
I think that’s the most time I’ve had in a while
How did injuries affect the season?
A lot of teams across the nation go through things like that all throughout the year. We can’t make excuses for ourselves. Just worry about how you’ve been playing lately and how to continue to do that.
On getting back into a routine
Yeah, it’s interesting seeing the guys again. Seeing their faces. A lot of these guys you see them every day, you get kind of shocked when you don’t see them for a week. So once we get our team schedule going and practices and meetings and everything, I’m pretty sure it’ll be going back to business as usual.
What have you seen in TCU’s defense so far in the early film work?
Very athletic. Good defensive front. To reiterate very athletic all over, fast to the ball, so I mean that should be a challenge.
They are considered to be fast in the Big 12 – are they reminiscent of some Pac 12 defense you guys have seen?
I think every defense is different in entirety. They can be similar but not exactly the same. They are very well coached defensively, so I mean they are on their p’s and q’s.
Darren Carrington had friend pass away – have you reached out already?
I reached out to DC. I played basketball against him and Markel Byrd. So, I mean I knew Markel and it was shocking. I really didn’t believe it at first. Him and Tyree, I reached out to both of them. It’s a tragedy but we all want him to know we are here for him and we know what he’s going through.
How are his spirits?
I mean he took it hard so sometimes you give people space and embrace him with open arms when you need to.
