Q. What makes Dan so special?
JOSH CONERLY JR: I feel like his approach in everything. In that everything that he pitches in recruit something what actually happens you know what I mean? Or that's what I would say.
Q. With all the videos this year, got to see a lot of behind the scenes stuff. People got a little bit more of a look at Dan Lanning as the man and the coach. What can you say about what he was that we don't get to see?
JOSH CONERLY JR: I think -- well, I mean, I think everyone still gets to see it. Dan is a great father. His kids get to come around the team a lot. They travel with us. I mean, so I feel like that's something that people don't see that should be talked about more.
Q. That's a good look at him outside of football.
JOSH CONERLY JR: Right.
Q. What is he like outside of football as a person? I'm sure you consider him a friend. Is he funny? You guys play games together?
JOSH CONERLY JR: No, I think Coach Dan is pretty cool. He's pretty about his business. I would say that. But he still is a fun guy. Pretty laid back and chill. I feel like that's how our team kind of is. Like when it's time to work it's time to work. But like when it's not, I mean, we got to spend time with each other and enjoy time with each other as teammates and as brothers.
Q. Coming into the second meeting with Ohio State, how do you guys view this game?
JOSH CONERLY JR: I feel like we view it like any other game. Obviously it's our biggest game of the season. We come in with the same mindset. Just going in there and trying to play to our standard; win at all costs.
Q. How much do you look at the last game and use that as a template for this game?
JOSH CONERLY JR: I feel like it's totally a new game. Obviously there will be stuff we probably do from our last game and a lot of stuff we change, too.
So I feel like it's pretty new template.
Q. What's it like blocking for a guy like Dillon Gabriel?
JOSH CONERLY JR: I feel like it's always really, really fun. I can say that.
Q. Does he make your job easier?
JOSH CONERLY JR: Makes my job really easy. I'll say that. His ability to scramble. His ability to just chill in the pocket as well. You never really know where he is, but once you hear the crowd, you know where he's at or if the ball is gone.
Q. Did he do anything or have there been any moments this year that really like, wow? Watch him on film or in the moment and you're like, wow?
JOSH CONERLY JR: Our first day of spring practice. He let like a, I don't know, maybe 65 yard bomb just fly. I was like, wow. Yeah, so that's what I would say.
Q. Do you have any advice for high school guys coming up?
JOSH CONERLY JR: I would say take it a day at a time. If you're not getting the attention you want right now, it'll come eventually. But it all comes with the work you put in. If you don't put the work in you ain't going to get nothing out of it.
Q. Do you have any funny (indiscernible) stories?
JOSH CONERLY JR: I wouldn't say. Not off the top of my head. I mean, I have some pretty fun visits and stuff like that, but I wouldn't say funny moment off the top of my head, yeah.
Q. If you were stranded on an island, what teammate would you want to be with and why? It?
JOSH CONERLY JR: What teammate?
Q. Yeah.
JOSH CONERLY JR: That's a good question. I would probably say Dave Iuli. I've lived with him my whole time in college. That's my right-hand man. That's what I would probably say.
Q. How feeling knowing you going to be stepping onto the Rose Bowl field?
JOSH CONERLY JR: We been there once before. It feels good. I mean, I'm glad we're all blessed with the opportunity to get out there and do what we love to do. I feel like it's a great opportunity.
Q. What do you think the ingredients might be to come out victorious?
JOSH CONERLY JR: Winning the turnover margin, winning field position, out-rushing our opponent. Yeah, that's about what I would say.
Q. What's the inspiration in your life?
JOSH CONERLY JR: My six siblings. I'm the oldest of them all, so they keep me going. I just want to set the best example as possible.
Q. What would you say to all your friends, family, and fans?
JOSH CONERLY JR: Shoot, that I love them and I appreciate all the support and love that they have shown to me throughout this process. You know, I'm going to go out there and try to get the job done for them.
Q. Who is your favorite player growing up?
JOSH CONERLY JR: Marshawn Lynch. I'm from Seattle, so I grew up watching him so for sure.
Q. Feel good to be here?
JOSH CONERLY JR: Yeah, it's awesome. Pretty cool experience.
Q. I'm going around talking to those of you that got a bit more recognition this year for what you've been able to do.
JOSH CONERLY JR: Yeah.
Q. Who on the team do you think hasn't got enough recognition and why do they deserve it?
JOSH CONERLY JR: I feel like Terrance Ferguson doesn't get a whole lot of recognition, and Jordan James, because they're both guys that come into every day and just do their thing on and off the field.
Q. (Regarding to finding yourself on the offensive line.) Obviously working your way up a little bit. What's been the key to finally breaking through to be a star on that O-line?
JOSH CONERLY JR: Really just being consistent. I wouldn't consider myself a star. I think we're all a great group. We all start together.
But, I mean, I feel like really for myself personally, it's just staying consistent, believing in myself and just staying the course.
Q. Obviously a lot of talk about your connection.
JOSH CONERLY JR: Yes.
Q. Just what sort of fosters that? What are you guys doing off the field? Where does that come from I guess?
JOSH CONERLY JR: I don't know if you seen it, but we was just running a blackjack game over there and it started in, what, two minutes maybe. I feel like our ability to find things to do and really just enjoy or time together is what really connects us.
Q. Yeah, absolutely. How much does having relatively young coaches play into that as well? I feel like it's all one...
JOSH CONERLY JR: Right. Yeah, I feel like it's because they are younger they have a lot more energy and they're able to put up with more. I feel like they had just gone through it themselves, a few of them, and that they kind of have an idea of what really brings guys together.
Q. What do you remember about the first time you faced off against this team? How important is it going to be to keep No. 8 upright?
JOSH CONERLY JR: Really just trusting our technique and just trusting in everything that we practice and things that we do daily, yeah.
Q. When you play a rematch, some people are saying it's harder to play a team a second time. Some people say it's easier. What do you think about all that?
JOSH CONERLY JR: I mean, I don't know. I feel like I always face the same team twice my entire life, no matter what the sport was, football, basketball.
Honestly, don't know how to answer the question. I feel like it's two totally different games. The first one is not like the second one and the second one is not like the first one.
I feel like as long as you go in there and try to play to the best of your ability I feel like the results will come out the right way.
Q. I know some people think the Rose Bowl is a cut above the other bowls. What's your impression so far?
JOSH CONERLY JR: We're here for business, here for the game. I mean, obviously you're in LA. That's pretty cool. So that's kind of what I think.
Q. What have you seen from Ohio State that's different from the first time you played them? Been a couple months at this point.
JOSH CONERLY JR: I think they kind of mix up a lot of things they do on their base downs. I feel like that they kind of mixed up a few things they do with their ends, and I feel like their whole defense works more together. They play a lot more -- they played a lot more together through the last six weeks or so.
So that's what I would say.
Q. I know you want to be playing your best ball at this time of the year. How do you think you're playing right now personally?
JOSH CONERLY JR: I think we've put some of our best games together. Especially offensively our last two games have been put together pretty well the first quarter through the fourth quarter. Really just executing and I feel like there is even more executing that can be done and that should be done.
That's what we're planning to do on Wednesday.
Q. I know it's been a long break for you guys. Is that good for you guys?
JOSH CONERLY JR: I mean, we've treated every week like it was a game week. Still practice the same. Came out there with the same mindset. So I feel like it's been really good for us.
I mean, it's kind of weird when you don't necessarily know who you're playing either. Once we did, I feel like it was easier to set our focus on something.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports