What did Boise State coach Spencer Danielson say about Penn State Monday?

The first news conferences ahead of a College Football Playoff quarterfinal matchup between Penn State and Boise State are in the books. The leader of the Nittany Lions, James Franklin, and Broncos coach, Spencer Danielson, both met with reporters on Monday. The latter had high praise for the former, especially what it is able to do in all three phases of the game.

“Think the world of their team,” Danielson said. “Don’t know Coach [James] Franklin. But think very highly of him. A ton of respect for him, what he’s done over the years, what he’s done this season. I mean, they’re a touchdown away from being the Big Ten champs and probably being the number one overall seed in the in the playoffs. So ton of respect for him as a coach.

“I have followed his journey for a long time. He’s done a phenomenal job, really, in all three phases, they’re playing their best football. And what they were able to do against SMU on Saturday, I mean, that’s very, very impressive. I mean, about 12 minutes left in the fourth quarter, they’re able to rest their guys in a Playoff game. That’s a testament to their team.

Read on to see more of what Danielson had to say about Penn State ahead of kickoff, which is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on Dec. 31 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. ESPN will televise the game.

On the Penn State offense

“Offensively, they put you in a lot of conflict,” Danielson said. “I mean, their new offensive coordinator, Andy [Kotelnicki], does a phenomenal job shifting motioning bunch of different personnels, and they’re very, very talented across the board. So we got to do a great job with our communication or eye control, just to deal with all the pre snap issues, along with a lot of schematics that attack you. I think we’re going to defend two of the best running backs we’ve seen all year. And I don’t even know if it’s close. I mean, these two backs are elite. Not only they have the top end speed, but they can also break any arm tackle you come with.

“They got one of the best tight ends the entire country. Going to be a first day draft pick. And, it’s deserved. What I love about Tyler [Warren], number 44 is he’s not just a pass catcher, which he is. He’ll line up at wildcat. He catches a ton of alls, but he’s also man, he is extremely physical at the point of attack in the run game. And they got multiple tight ends with him. They got a bunch of receivers that got a ton of juice to stretch you vertically. And, I mean, they’re quarterbacks andNFL type kid. I mean, he’s long. Can run when the pocket breaks down. Do have some design runs we got to be ready for. And he can make the big boy throw. So offensively, they put you a lot of conflict. We got our work cut out for us.”

On the Nittany Lions’ defense

“Defensively, I mean, it was on full display what they did this weekend versus SMU,” Danielson said. “I mean, one of the best fronts we’ve seen all season. Obviously, everybody knows about Abdul Carter number 11. An elite edge rusher, and talk about a young man that’s relentless to the football on both sides. Number 33 [Dani Dennis-Sutton] as well. I mean, relentless to get the quarterback. Kobe King, number 41, their linebacker can go sideline to sideline. Really like their safety, [Jaylen Reed], number one. So they’ve got a bunch of players on defense that are absolute relentless. They’re extremely talented.

“They play really well together, and it’s really hard to get them misaligned, even on shifts and motions different things. I mean, they’re very well coached. Coach [Tom] Allen’s done a really good job with that unit. They get lined up, they’re on the same page, and then they pin their ears back, and they’re on the attack, one of the top run defense in the country, one of the top defense the country, in regards to points scored against them. So we got our work cut out for us in that end.”

What does Danielson think about the Penn State special teams?

“They’ve done a really good job, and they got elite returners, punt return and kickoff return, and they’re going to obviously be aggressive,” he said. “I mean, phenomenal call by Coach Franklin versus Minnesota on the fake punt that went for 50 to essentially ice the game. They’re going to be on th attack special teams wise, and they’re extremely physical in special teams.

“Number 0, one of their defensive players [Dom DeLuca], does a phenomenal job in all three units. We got to know where he is at all at all times, and they played their best players on special teams. So we got our work cut out for us as a phenomenal opponent that we’re going to meet down in Arizona. We’re excited to go put the ball down.”

How much does having former Penn State special teams coordinator Stacy Collins on staff help the Broncos this week?

“He’s been able to talk through some of the things they did there,” Danielson said. “He’s able to talk through some of the personnel. Obviously, they hired a new special teams coordinator. They’re doing some similar things. They got a lot of new stuff they’re using. So not so much a help maybe on that phase. But Stacy Collins, I mean, the amount of prep he goes into to be able to game plan all special teams, he does all of it, from the field goal, field goal block to all the all four units. So being able to have an idea of their personnel, knowing kind of a little bit about who these players are, some of the things they did last year, they do have some similarities. They have evolved and grown.

“It is helpful, but we’re looking at it for face value for ‘Ok, how can we play our best on special teams? ‘And we have grown at the end of the season .We need to do a really good job winning the hidden yards of this game. It’s going to be hard. They’ve played really good on special teams, extremely physical, very explosive, but being able to pick his brain every week we play some special teams. It’s huge for me and game management as well. But it does help being that he was at Penn State, and he can have a little bit of an inside view to some of their personnel.”

On Nittany Lions defensive end Abdul Carter

“Going back through our season this year, I don’t think we’ve seen a defensive player like him,” Danielson said. “I mean very, very impressed with his game. Being able to transition from inside linebacker to edge, and the success he’s had, not just the statistics, which he has all those. He’s got 11 sacks, bunch of TFLs, bunch of tackles. I love the relentlessness he plays with. And he’s a guy that you better know where 11 is at at all times. And just to give you the best shot to block him, to get hands on, because even if you slide to him, even if you chip him, I mean, he’s so long, so explosive, as you know, one of the most elite get offs I’ve seen in a long time as an edge player.

“He’s a nightmare to deal with. And not only is he doing that in the pass game like, I mean, the amount of plays I’ve seen him run down from the back side by relentless pursuit is too many to count. So I love the way he plays the game. He plays it with his hair on fire. And he’s a guy you better know where he’s at at all times and have an answer for. He’s a game wrecker.”

On Penn State tight end Tyler Warren

“Tyler Warren is elite, and that’s not just my opinion,” Danielson said. “I’m very positive he’s going to be probably the first tight end taken off the board in the NFL Draft because of that. I mean, he can do it all. More times than not when you see a tight end, he’s a really good pass catcher, and you got to deal with that. Or he’s really dominant and physical at the point of attack in the run game. With Tyler Warren, he does it all. I mean, he is extremely violent at the point of attack, either at the front side of a play or on the backside rim of a play.

“He can catch every ball. I mean, he’s one of their top targets in all downs, and he can play Wildcat and throw the ball too. So, I mean, you talk about just an extremely gifted athlete. We got to know where 44 is at at all times. And even when you got him covered, he’s the type of athlete that he’s still not covered because of how tall he is, how athletic is. He can go up and get those jump balls anytime he wants.”

On the idea that not many people are giving Boise State a chance against the Lions

“That’s our mentality here,” Danielson said. “Not just for this game, playing the Fiesta Bowl, but that’s what Boise State’s been built on. We got to earn our right through our prep to go play our best against one of the top football teams in the country. But I believe in our team, and that’s why we talk about, please count us out. People do, media or people. Count us out.

“Because I know how we’re going to work, and I know we’re going to work to play our absolute best on the 31st. So, if nobody gives us a chance, if the point spread continues to grow, whatever. And I tell people to like, hey, use this as motivation. This team doesn’t need any more motivation. Like, we’ve been in playoff football since September, and it’s one week at a time, working to play our best, counting us out, or you can’t keep this up, or what’s going to happen. And our guys continue to work, continue to do what’s required of them, and continue to improve every every week.

“So all the outside noise of people, count us out. Awesome. We’ve been with the outside noise of everybody saying how great we are. On either side. You got to blow out the outside noise. And I believe that, like, Please count us out. And that’s what Boise State Football has been built on, is people thinking we can’t do something, and we work our tails off to find a way to prove people wrong. I believe in our team. We use the phrase put the ball down. It doesn’t matter the stadium. Doesn’t matter what fans are there. On the 31st put the ball down. We’re going to be ready.”