Luck joined KLAC in Los Angeles to talk about handling all of the pressure and awkwardness that’s gone along with seemingly being destined to head to Indianapolis where Peyton Manning is still quarterback, if all the expectations placed on him before and during this season served as a distraction at any point, what happened in Stanford’s loss to Oregon this season (their only defeat of the year), if he’d say that this season has lived up to expectations, the difference between playing for Coach Shaw and former Coach Jim Harbaugh, and how his upbringing playing soccer around his dad benefited him athletically including on the gridiron.

On dealing with all the talk of the Colts being set on drafting him despite Peyton Manning’s presence on the team and around the organization:

“Yeah, I mean, one, first of all you have to understand nothing is set in stone. These could all just be words in the wind. So I don’t pay attention to it. I am just keeping my head down and trying to enjoy this week with all the college football award shows and prepare for Oklahoma State. And I’ll start worrying about the next level I guess when that time comes.”

If all the expectations placed on him each week as the future No. 1 overall pick were a distraction at times or ever too much to handle:

“No, not it wasn’t. I think I was lucky to be surrounded by a bunch of good guys in the locker room that cut me off of my high horse or made sure my mind was in the right spot when it came to stuff like that. So it wasn’t too much of a distraction at all.”

On what happened in the five-turnover loss to Oregon earlier this season:

“Well I think one, like you said, we turned the ball over. You can’t win against a very good team like Oregon if you turn the ball over. I think we got behind a little early, and maybe started to do some uncharactersitic things. But, you know, that being said, we learned a lot from that game. We watched some film, a lot of young guys learned some valuable lessons — I know myself, I learned some valuable lessons. I’m just proud of the guys for getting back on track and finishing the season strong against some good opponents.”

If his 2011 season lived up to his own personal expectations individually and for his team:

“Obviously you want to go undefeated like everyone does. And obviously we didn’t, just talking about the Oregon loss. But it’s been a success so far — a No. 4 ranking and hopefully an opportunity to move up if we can get a win in the Fiesta Bowl against a great Oklahoma State team. So after the Bowl game I’ll have a better answer for you, but today I think it’s a great success.”

On the different between playing for Coach Shaw and Coach Jim Harbaugh:

“To be honest, the day to day stuff and the structure of everything is very similar. We’ve got the same practice times, the same competitive juices that Harbaugh brought in — Coach Shaw has really tired to foster and grow with that. But like you said, their demeanors and personalities are really the only differences. Coach Harbaugh is a really emotional guy, always excited, jumping up and down, whereas Coach Shaw may be a little more laid back and sort of weather the storm. So it’s great to play for both of them, and it’s a lot of fun.”

On how his upbringing playing soccer due to his dad’s affiliation with professional soccer benefited him over the years:

“I’m a big believer in playing as many sports as you can growing up, so I played basketball, soccer, baseball, ran track, did all that good stuff through high school. And I definitely think it helps learning how to handle your body in space, or maybe seeing bodies in different areas, and it was fun for me as well. But I think it definitely helps.”

Listen here to Luck with Petros & Money on KLAC in Los Angeles

Another way that the Cowboys could have played for the national championship after the regular season was over would be to have a four-team playoff, which is what Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy, not surprisingly, argues for in the following interview before he says that his team could beat unbeaten LSU.

Mike Gundy joined The Dan Patrick Show to discuss not being in the title game, if Oklahoma would have made it in if it were in the same situation, a possible four-team playoff, preparing to face Andrew Luck, the performance this season of Baylor’s Robert Griffin III and if Oklahoma State could beat LSU.

Why aren’t you in the national championship game?:

“Obviously we fell short in some area in the voting. I don’t really understand all that. I’m really not smart enough to figure out all the percentages. I guess the loss at Iowa State in double-overtime must have weighed in a huge way and kept us out of the game. We were really disappointed because we felt like we had a great matchup. We wanted to take advantage of what people had said was the great defenses in the SEC versus the Big 12 offenses. … We thought it would be an awesome matchup and everyone in the country would want to see it.”

Do you think if we were talking about Oklahoma, that they would be in the title game if they were in your shoes?:

“You’re right, Dan. Most people in my situation would say no and that you should never admit something like that, but I don’t think there’s any question that tradition plays a part. People recognize Alabama and their history and the national championships. … The truth of the matter is that they know who Alabama is, they recognize their tradition, [Nick Saban] was on television for two hours the day before. All those things, they worked to their advantage. There’s not anything we can do about it now, but I don’t think there’s any question that what you’re saying is true.”

Why can’t we have a Final Four?:

“I agree. The way to do it, in my opinion, is you take the next game, which one would be LSU versus Stanford and it would be Alabama versus Oklahoma State and that game has to take place in one week, this coming Saturday. We play those games and if you’re the higher ranked team, you get to play at home. … We play that game this week and then we go play the championship game at the same time because, I kind of joke about it, but the championship game’s not basically until March Madness anyway. … People say, ‘Well then the team that’s fifth in the poll will complain.’ But, for the most part, if you’ve gotten into the top four, if you look back over the history of the BCS, people across the country would be OK with it.”

Who did you face this year that prepared you for Andrew Luck?:

“I don’t know anybody. A lot of people think he’s going to be the first player picked in the draft, so obviously he’s got a great future. We played very well against Landry Jones and I’m not trying to put him in the same category as Luck, but Landry had put up some big numbers. … He’ll be the closest thing that we’ve competed against since Bradford, who played at Oklahoma.”

Who would get your Heisman vote?:

“As of right now, and again I haven’t watched a lot of tape — it’s really unfair for me to make that comment — but Robert Griffin III has been very impressive.”

Is it because we’re old enough to remember Baylor as a punchline and what he’s meant to that program?:

“What’s impressive is last year he ran big numbers up in the preseason, and then as he got into the meat of the Big 12 schedule, his numbers fell off the table. This season, in every game he’s played, and I may be a little strong there … but with the exception of playing Oklahoma State, he’s run up big-time numbers. And he had 400 yards passing against us, but we forced him into three turnovers and didn’t let him run the ball.”

Do you think you could beat LSU?:

“Yes. Yes. … What I was really looking forward to, and this is just my opinion, this is nothing personal — and my media guys here are holding their breath whenever I talk — … but my honest opinion is, the best way to beat a team of the caliber of LSU … you need to have a big-time quarterback to beat a team like that. And we’re fortunate that we have a guy on our team … that most people would consider a big-time quarterback. … That’s a long answer for yes, I think that we certainly had a chance to win that game.”

Listen to Mike Gundy on The Dan Patrick Show here

Barkley’s completion percentage is a few points lower than Stanford’s Andrew Luck, but Barkley has nearly 200 more yards with two more touchdown passes and one fewer interception. It’s an interesting argument from Kiffin in what’s become an increasingly interesting Heisman Trophy race.

Lane Kiffin joined The Dan Patrick Show to discuss why he wasn’t surprised the Trojans beat Oregon, battling the Ducks’ tempo, his halftime speech, Chip Kelly not using his timeouts late, where USC should be ranked, why he would vote for Matt Barkley for the Heisman Trophy, and comparing Barkley to Andrew Luck.

How surprised were you that your team started the game against Oregon like it did?:

“We weren’t surprised at all, really. We felt that we had a great week of preparation and our players were very confident. They’ve played especially well this season, especially the last four or five weeks, and we really felt if we executed well that we’d go up there and win. It was good to see it come together. The surprising thing was, going back over it, we actually didn’t play very well in the fourth quarter at all, or coach very well. Luckily we had built up a big enough lead to hold on.”

How did you guys disrupt Oregon’s tempo?:

“I don’t think we disrupted it, I just think we tackled really well through three quarters. We really played good assignment defense, and when the ball broke we tackled and limited big plays, especially in the run game. … It got to us in the end, but early on we were executing well and tackling.”

What kind of halftime speech did you go with?:

“At the beginning of halftime, before we went to make adjustments, just to calm them down and make sure they knew this is where we were supposed to be. We’re supposed to be ahead, we expect to win. … They came out and responded great in the third quarter. … Unfortunately we screwed up after that.”

Were you surprised Chip Kelly wasn’t using his timeouts?:

“If you saw the game, I actually used a timeout during that period. Our guys were gassed. We had so many injuries that we were at the point that we weren’t rotating guys. The two freshman linebackers were up to 78 and 79 plays, respectively, between the two of them. … I actually used a timeout to help us a little bit. I’m sure he noticed how tired we were and wanted to keep the tempo and they do a great job of that.”

Where should USC be ranked?:

“I don’t know. I don’t watch enough to know what all the other teams do. That’s the voters job. They do watch that and don’t have any bias based on other things.”

Are you a top-five team?:

“We could be. We were for three quarters. … I think even though they had the nation’s longest home winning streak, if you’re a top-five team, when you have a chance to knock ‘em out up 24, you do it.”

If you had a Heisman vote, who would you vote for?:

“Matt Barkley. No question, because I think what happens is he get less credit because of probation and sanctions. It should be the other way around. How many of these other guys don’t have a bowl game to play for? He’s potentially missing two games of stats … with a conference [championship] and then a bowl game. To me, really, what he’s gone through, with all the transfers leaving, we played 43 scholarship players at Eugene the other day. I think that actually should favor him even more, and for whatever reason I think it hurts him.”

Compare Barkley to Andrew Luck:

“I think that they’re both no-brainers. They’re both great players, both top-five picks. The one thing Andrew does, he runs a little bit better than Matt. But, if you look at what’s happened here late, it’s hard to argue with Matt’s numbers in these big games. You go into South Bend and the Stanford game. Matt didn’t fumble on the 3 in the Stanford game, or not stop Andrew on that last drive of regulation. If you take those games and then this Oregon game and compare the stats between the two, they’re both great players, but the stats favor Matthew.”

Listen to Lane Kiffin on The Dan Patrick Show here

Stanford’s resume would get a big boost this weekend when it hosts Oregon in a battle of top-10 teams. Win this one and the Cardinal have just Cal and Notre Dame standing in the way of an undefeated season.

David Shaw joined KNBR in San Francisco with Murph and Mac to discuss the emotions heading into the big game, Oregon’s athleticism, Andrew Luck’s play this season, those who have criticized Luck, if there was a shift in the locker room after beating USC, the balance between passing and running and concerns over Oregon’s speed.

What are the emotions like going into this game?:

“I think it’s great. We’ve been talking all year with the players about, if you play well early in the season, you earn big games late in the season. This is one of those games that both Stanford and Oregon have earned. We’ve earned the right to play in a big game in November and that’s awesome. I told them to relish it, enjoy it, but, the team that prepares the best is going to win. … If you win this one, the games only get bigger.”

Are the Ducks more athletically gifted than USC?:

“I think it’s just different. I think Robert Woods played against us at about 80 percent and was still phenomenal. He’s a special, special receiver. I think LaMichael James is just a different guy. He’s got another gear. And he also runs tough. And then De’Anthony just gives them that other guy. Oh yeah, there’s another guy.”

How do you feel Andrew Luck has played this season?:

“I think he’s having a great year. We don’t play the stat game, as I always say, but his statistics are great for a team that strives for balance. That’s what we do, we strive for balance. We’re not going out trying to break all kinds of passing records like other teams are trying to do and trying to throw the ball three out of every four plays. That’s not how we win football games. At the same time, you watch the guy play … and five times a game, you say, ‘Wow, did he just do that?’”

What’s your reaction when folks say Andrew Luck may be overhyped or not the best athlete?:

“Here’s the problem, and I’m not taking a personal shot at anybody. But two things, number one, when you’ve got former quarterbacks, former quarterbacks hate giving other quarterbacks a lot of credit. That’s the bottom line. It’s been true since they starting playing football. … The second thing, both of those guys [Phil Simms and Shaun King] honestly do a great job on TV … but there are guys who are paid to evaluate players and talent. Those are the guys that you should be seeking. … Andrew Luck, last week in practice, throwing off his back foot, threw a ball to the post 53 yards in the air. That’s just stuff that you can’t make up and you can’t fake it.”

Did you notice any change in the guys or in the locker room after coming away with a victory against USC?:

“I think the big thing is, when it was tight, when it was close, when we were down by 10, the guys never blinked. They know that we’re always in the game, we always have a chance.”

Do you have a breakdown of how much you run versus how much you pass?:

“I don’t know the percentage, honestly. I do know that we’re averaging a little over 200 yards a game rushing and 280 passing, or whatever it is. The fact that we can do both, that we can operate in any kind of a game — whether it becomes a passing shootout or a defensive struggle game — that we can survive.”

Is there any concern that your defense won’t be able to keep up speed-wise?:

“Their speed is a major concern. It’s the tempo of their offense and the speed of the guys running the offense. … We’d love to control the clock, but at the same time, you’ve got to control the clock and score touchdowns. It’s not just keeping the ball away from them, because they can score in a minute and a half.”

Listen to David Shaw on KNBR in San Francisco here

All of that said, Kiffin did temper some of his anger in the following interview, mentioning several times that those things weren’t correct, but that the Trojans had other opportunities to win the game and didn’t.

Lane Kiffin joined The Dan Patrick Show to discuss putting USC’s heartbreaking loss to Stanford behind him, watching film of the game, the plays that he keeps watching over and over, the final play of regulation, the play of Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck, how his quarterback played and the potential to keep Matt Barkley around for another year.

How do you put this kind of loss behind you?:

“You have to. It’s no different than the week before, coming off a big win in South Bend where there’s a lot of questions about would they come back for another physical game and our players did. They responded. You can’t keep sitting around dwelling on it. We’ve got to move on.”

How many times have you watched the game?:

“A lot. I don’t watch the TV copy, I watch the other film. … Those are the hardest games, where one play can make a difference. Both teams played great. Both teams played their hearts out and the game could’ve went either way. Those are the hardest ones to deal with because it’s just one inch here, one thing here or there and the game changes.”

What’s the play that you keep replaying?:

“Well, the end of the game and just Marqise Lee makes a great play and his foot’s out of bounds by two inches and then it’s first-and-goal from the four and … it looks like we’re going to score and go to another overtime. Unfortunately the ball pops out. That and really I just with the T.J. McDonald penalty wouldn’t have happened just because it makes Andrew Luck go to a fourth-and-seven in their own territory there with two minutes left in the game. It would’ve been an interesting play.”

On the end-of-game situation where the clock ran out but you attempted to call a timeout:

“It was wrong. Don’t tell me one thing and have a communication process that’s supposed to take place with officials and then that didn’t really happen. I was disappointed with that for our players that they didn’t get the right opportunity to have a chance to win it. But even with that … we had a bunch more opportunities to finish the game off and, unfortunately, we didn’t.”

What did you think of Andrew Luck?:

“Same as always. I’ve said perfect and he really kind of was outside of one play.”

And how about your quarterback, Matt Barkley? It felt like he really rose to the challenge and took this game like it was his bowl game:

“This wasn’t our bowl game. We’ve still got a huge game versus Oregon. The game before was a huge game in South Bend. … We’ve had some big games and we’ll be having some more big games. But I do think he did play really well. I don’t think he treated it any different. … Really we’re just a couple inches away from having a big statistical day. … I thought he managed the game really well. … Matt did everything that he could.”

Can you use the fact that probation is over and you can be bowl eligible next year to keep Barkley on campus?:

“That’s going to be part of the conversation and he knows that already. We joke about it and stuff. He’s going to have, obviously, a big decision to make. He can go be an early first-round pick, which he will be. Or, he can stay and have a chance to come here when it was at it’s brightest, coming off of seven straight BCS bowls, and then the dark clouds … and then ride us back to the top. It’s going to be a big decision and we’ll support whichever way he wants to go.”

That’s got to be tough for you, because you know he’s NFL-ready but would love for him to stay:

“I think Matt, just being around him for two years, I think Matt understands that I have the best interest for him. I would never tell him to stay when he’s going to get drafted where I think he is. … Matt’s just a different person. Matt is the type of guy that will really think about this and will possibly stay because of the factors of being a special USC guy that comes back as a three-time captain and four-year starter. … The money and fame isn’t what it would be to a lot of kids.”

Listen to Lane Kiffin on The Dan Patrick Show here

Barkley definitely has a point. As he puts it, it’s not like he’s going out there to defend Luck, or vice versa. That said, it’s always about the quarterbacks in football and when you have two of this caliber playing against one another in a game of this magnitude, that’s the easy storyline.

Matt Barkley joined XX 1090 in San Diego to discuss coming off a victory at Notre Dame, how good it felt to beat that rival on the road, the hype surrounding this weekend’s game against Stanford, the Barkley vs. Luck storyline, if he enjoys seeing his name in lights and standout receiver Robert Woods.

What’s it like coming off the big victory at Notre Dame?:

“Huge win in South Bend and I think it’s what we really needed as a team. We’ve had flashes of greatness on offense and flashes of greatness on our defense at times this year during different games, but I think Saturday we came together as a team and really got a victory that you can say the offense and defense really finished the game out. I think it was great momentum going into this week and we really need it.”

How much does it add to the enjoyment that Notre Dame is a rival, it was a night game, they busted out the new helmets, etc.?

“We knew all that stuff going into the game and I was happy that we didn’t let it affect our preparation or how we got ready for the game. … You can easily be distracted by all that goes around. I was proud of our guys of how we didn’t let that get to us and stuck to Trojan football. But, afterward, we were really happy. It was one of the funnest locker room environments that I’ve been in this year.”

You’ve got Stanford in town this week as well as ESPN. You know this game is going to be hyped:

“Yeah, it’s going to be way more than this last week with Notre Dame with College Gameday and all the hype that it usually gets with a big Pac-12 matchup and Andrew Luck coming to town and all that stuff. But, again, I think it’s going to be huge for our team to just focus on USC football. When we’ve been able to do that this year we’ve been really successful.”

What about the game being billed as Matt Barkley vs. Andrew Luck?:

“I don’t have an issue with it, I just think it’s kind of funny how people will pit me against him. … When during this game am I going to be going against him? I’m going against the Stanford defense, right? I can see how all the hype is built up with two good quarterbacks, but he’s not going to stop me on defense and I’m not going to stop him when he’s on the field.”

But doesn’t it feel good all week just to see you and your name in all the promos?:

“I haven’t seen any of the promos, I don’t know. I don’t like to get caught up in all that stuff surrounding a game. I think it’s great coverage for USC and the Pac-12, but I think once you start getting caught up in that, you lose focus and you lose what you’re trying to get accomplished this week.”

How good is wide receiver Robert Woods?:

“He’s a special player, a really fabulous receiver. He’s grown up even recently. He had a great freshman year and he’s even gotten better this year.”

Listen to Matt Barkley on XX 1090 in San Diego here

Don’t tell any of that to David Shaw. He’s heard all of that already. Shaw heard it when his dad was a coach at Stanford, when he was a player at Stanford and when he was an assistant coach for the Cardinal.

Now Shaw is the man who gets to try and help Stanford overcome all of that. He already had a key role in that as Stanford lost one game this year with Shaw as offensive coordinator. But with head coach Jim Harbaugh moving to the NFL, it’s Shaw’s job to try and keep the good times rolling.

David Shaw joined KNBR in San Francisco with Murph and Mac to discuss exactly what this job means to him, helping Jim Harbaugh change the philosophy at Stanford, the offense that helped carry the Cardinal to a one-loss season, how Stanford has recruited some of the top classes and Andrew Luck returning for another year.

On how much the job means to him:

“A third of my life has been associated with Stanford University. My dad coached for three years here in the 70′s and then came back again, so I was a coach’s kid here. … I went to school here, was here for five years and am now beginning my fifth year back at Stanford.”

How he was a part of the process as Jim Harbaugh changed the philosophy at Stanford:

“Coach Harbaugh breathed life into this program. This thing was flat-lining; it was gone. He pounded it on the chest, he breathed life into it. He made some people uncomfortable, which is kind of what you have to do when you need to change things and change attitudes. I take absolutely no credit for that. … I was with him and a step behind him.”

The development of the offense that led Stanford to a one-loss season:

“I had helped Jim and we had brought this offense up from San Diego. … We all had a hand in what happened and you still can’t take anything away from the players. Those guys gotta play. One of the best things we’ve done over here is we’ve recruited the right kind of guys — that are tough, smart and competitive guys that aren’t going to back down from anybody.”

How they’ve built some of the top recruiting classes despite Stanford’s standards:

“The thing with us, and it goes back to a conversation Jim and I had before he got the job. We had talked about it and you get Stanford to a point of respectability. Don’t talk about being great. Get Stanford football to the point of being respectable and the kids now, that would be great here, they come looking for us — the kids that can be great in the classroom and be great on the field. This is the one place we believe can give them that opportunity.”

On Andrew Luck sticking around for another year:

“It didn’t shock me. I wasn’t sure what he would do, but it didn’t shock me because this kid is not like everybody else. This kid doesn’t have the priorities that most people have. This kid wants to be great in whatever he does, and when he’s ready for the NFL, the NFL will be ready for him. … He couldn’t imagine not being with [his teammates] next year.”

Listen to David Shaw on KNBR here

Phil Simms joined WFNZ in Charlotte to talk about whether Andrew Luck is the best quarterback in the draft, if it is possible that Andrew Luck is not the best quarterback in the draft, and what he thinks of Cam Newton at the NFL level.

If he thinks Andrew Luck is going to be better than Jimmy Claussen:

“Hey listen, when you say analyst we are talking about, you know, the guys on ESPN that is what it is. I mean they spread the word and when the draft happens, ‘Well the people in the NFL don’t know what they are talking about’, because these things change dramatically. Once everybody starts finding out how the NFL starts judging them all of a sudden, ‘Well I moved him down to the 13^th pick now instead of the first pick.’ Its just, I am telling you mind-numbing, it really is, but I forgot what you question was. I heard some people on ESPN saying maybe the best quarterback prospect since John Elway. Oh my gosh, I don’t know what else to say except extreme overstatements.”

Whether Andrew Luck is the best quarterback in the draft:

“Well, listen I am just going by what I see on TV and I haven’t even seen as much this year as probably I have in years past because of my workload or whatever. I did not get to see the kid from Missouri this year and I know he is going to come out in the draft. He has already declared and I had somebody in an NFL position tell me he really caught their eye. Last year I watched him a lot but he was hurt, couldn’t move, didn’t throw it very good and of course every throw they make there in Missouri is three yards long, so I would have to see more but I am just not sure. I am not looking at it going, wow absolutely Andrew Luck is the first quarterback, the first pick of the draft.”

If it is possible that Andrew Luck is not the best quarterback in the draft:

“Oh yeah I think it is possible I do. Let me again, I will ask you the question. You tell me what really sold you against Virginia Tech? What sold you? What plays? (HOST: The play that he rolled to his right and back and threw it about 25 yards down field.) Yeah absolutely his best play of the night. That was the one that caught my eye and I went, wow that was big time. That was a big time throw and everything and there was not one other throw in the game, like hey that really caught my attention. That was the only one. The rest by college standards and pro standards they were just normal, you know. I would expect any decent college quarterback to make the rest of the throws, and of course pro quarterbacks the difference was they would have never seen receivers that open and they would have drilled the ball. The one question, I will say this about Andrew Luck, of course we know he is smart. He has been taught every well. He ran a unique offense in college football because they played it like pro football. That is why everybody has a hard time defending Stanford because it is not the spread. It is not all of that. The wide receiver sweep and all of that stuff. They just line up and run that too. They have some tremendous play-actions and it makes it difficult for formations, but the thing is he moves around great when I really got a chance to watch him. His first two step are borderline explosive. I would say that his first couple of steps are as good as anybody, the best coming out in the draft. Even better than the quarterback at Auburn, Cam Newton. I think he is quicker in his first couple of steps than Cam Newton is, but the arm strength, the ability to really stick throws in there. I did not see that, had not seen that from him all year long.”

What he thinks of Cam Newton at the NFL level:

“Well I think he definitely, his size and his movement is tremendous. That will play a big factor in who drafts him and what style of NFL quarterback he will be. The only thing I have got to see more. I want to see him stand there and throw the ball more. They run an offense, I forgot what game I was watching, I think it was the Alabama game, and it’s the spread. Two guys go in motion, fake it, throw right, throw to the one receiver who is running the other way. You know fake the reverse, the guy goes on the other side, throw it down the side. In other words it is always, we got one of the 20-best players in college football here. Throw it to this guy. Very seldom do you see him even have to drop back, look at a guy and go to the next one. I don’t know that I have seen it. It is usually, look at the guy if he is not there move, somebody comes open make the throw. That is great and then some. I don’t know. When I talk about Cam Newton I just have to see more seeing him more in a real NFL environment. I would have to watch him throw in-person and see how much I liked it in-person before I can really evaluate him.”

Phil Simms on WFNZ in Charlotte with the Mac Attack

Marecic joined Into The Night With Tony Bruno on FOX Sports Radio following Stanford’s Orange Bowl victory to talk about Stanford’s slow start in the early stages of Monday night’s Orange Bowl win over Virginia Tech, the Cardinal’s incredible second half performance that led to their 28-point win, his thoughts on the futures of Coach Jim Harbaugh and star quarterback Andrew Luck, being the only player in FCS football this season to have played both ways, how and why that unique opportunity presented itself and materialized this past year or so, and how he doesn’t care if he’s a fullback or linebacker in the NFL just as long as he gets an opportunity to contribute somewhere and continue playing the game he loves.

On Stanford’s slow start before pouring it on and burying Virginia Tech in the second half:

“Yeah, you know, Virginia Tech is a great team, they deserve where they are absolutely. So, you know, it’s a big time game, the energy is going to be high coming out of the gate. After the half, we just rededicated ourselves to the gameplan and were able to have a pretty strong second half.”

On if he thinks Coach Harbaugh and Andrew Luck will return next year:

“I respect any decision they make, but I lean towards them staying actually. They are just those kind of guys, and everything I’ve heard is they’ll stick around. But like I said, I have tremendous respect for any decision that they make.”

On being the only player in major college football that plays both ways, and on how that materialized:

“Well last year we had a couple of injuries at the linebacker spot, so I started learning the defense in case we had some more and I had to step in and play because of lack of depth. Then we switched coordinators on defense, and it just gave an opportunity to learn the system along with everybody else. So during spring ball I practiced a lot with the defense to see if things could work out, and it looks like things worked out okay. Give all the credit to the coaches, they’ve been so patient and persistent all year, and the guys around me on the field the talent is unbelievable. And these guys…tonight’s game is a perfect example, they step up in the spotlight. So everybody made my job so easy. It was just a blast for me.”

On if he thinks he’ll have a better chance at landing on an NFL roster as a fullback or as a linebacker:

“I’ll sneak into the league however I can if they’ll have me, if I’m good enough. I definitely have a lot more experience at fullback, so that may be the way to go.”

Listen here to Marecic on Into The Night With Tony Bruno on FOX Sports Radio (interview begins at 30:00 mark)

Translation to all of it?: I understand Cam Newton is the Heisman winner, thanks for the trip to New York City and I’ll see you in the NFL next season.

Andrew Luck joined 790 The Zone in Atlanta with Mayhem in the A.M. to discuss the line between the awards season and postseason, the layoff between the final regular season game and the bowl game, Jim Harbaugh, his thoughts on entering the NFL draft, bringing Stanford football to a new level, the Heisman Trophy ceremony and having to go up against Cam Newton.

On the fine line between the awards season and keeping his mind on the bowl game:

“It is a special opportunity and I am trying to enjoy being able to travel around the country and be up for various awards and meet the various players who are up for other awards. I’m definitely enjoying that, but not letting my mind stray too far.”

On the layoff between the hot finish to the regular season and the bowl game:

“It’s interesting. That’s the way it’s set up now, so we’re going to have to deal with it, but it is a little interesting.”

On what we might not know about Jim Harbaugh:

“He hates to lose. He’ll do everything within the rules to win. I think that’s why we’re successful and he’s very enthusiastic.”

On whether he’s NFL ready and if the draft is in his mind at all:

“I’m just honestly thinking about the bowl game. I’m going to wait til after to make a decision. I’ll sit down with my family after and really go over what I need to decide.”

On how proud he is that he brought Stanford to this level:

“I’m very honored to be able to represent Stanford University and be a part of the turnaround of the program and see us have some success. I’m very excited and honored to be a part of it.”

On going to New York to be a part of the Heisman ceremony:

“Absolutely awesome. When I found out I had the opportunity to go, I was excited to death. I can’t wait to get to New York.”

On having to go up against Cam Newton:

“I don’t really think about it like that. He’s a heckuva player and I think he deserves all the credit he’s getting.”

On the high-octane championship game that seems to be shaping up:

“[Oregon] is a very dynamic team. They keep the pressure on you as an offense because of how many points they can put up and their defense is very underrated. They’re a heckuva football team.”

Listen to Andrew Luck on 790 The Zone in Atlanta here