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Check out senior DB Justin Harrison's responses to fans' questions during Friday afternoon's chat.
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| Moderator: Good afternoon, and welcome to the chat room--located in Los Angeles, this time around. Justin will be joining us in just a few moments... |
| Moderator: The players had practice and weight lifting this morning, and returned to the hotel a short time ago. They'll be headed soon for the Beef Bowl and Lawry's Prime Rib restaurant. Watch for more about that here on the website later on tonight, along with plenty of interviews from today's Rose Bowl press conference and from after practice. Justin has joined us here in the hotel lobby...or rather, chat room. So we'll go ahead and get started. |
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| Chapin: What has been the most exciting part of going to the Rose Bowl so far? |
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Justin Harrison: Just coming out on Christmas, traveling with the team. This Christmas has been so different for us from those in the past. It's great being here to compete along with my teammates, rather than being home and watching all the other teams in the bowl games. |
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| Jeff (Kewanee, Ill.): Justin, how have you guys tried to keep your routine the same as when you prepared for a game back in Illinois? |
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Justin Harrison: The easiest way to do it is just to make the adjustments. A game of this magnitude is different. We have to have the same frame of mind when we prepare, but we also have to make adjustments with the practice site and schedules, etc., and the fact that the game is on a Tuesday, not a Saturday. |
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| Patrick (Glen Ellyn, Ill.): First, I'd just like to say good luck to you and the team. My question is, after watching film of USC what do you think is the hardest thing about defending their offense?
Go Illini! |
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Justin Harrison: The hardest thing about defending them is not getting caught up in the hype--not getting caught up in the USC tradition or mystique. We just have to play the guys on the field. |
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| Denise Benn (Washington, D.C.): Through all the trying times on the football field, and now as a senior having the season you've had, what has this taught you about life in general? |
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Justin Harrison: That hard work pays off. In life, there are hard times. We get tested---we find out if we can perservere through those hard times. If we can keep going, we'll be successful. |
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| S. Prillaman (Vista, Calif.): Can you assure your Illini faithful fans that the team will bring the same confidence and intensity against USC as it did againslift Ohio State? |
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Justin Harrison: Yes, I think we can. We love to go out and prove ourselves every time we get a chance. With the stature of this game, the build-up...all of the players and Illini Nation are looking forward to this game. |
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| (Naperville): Justin, what has been the biggest difference on the vast improvement on the defensive this year compared to previous years? |
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Justin Harrison: The experience we gained in the past, the way we mesh well together, the time we have put in together is paying off. The younger guys have picked up on this, and we've been able to set the tone for the success we've had so far. |
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| Rocky (Champaign, Ill.): Is the defense excited to get some Booty, (John David)? |
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Justin Harrison: We're excited to play. We haven't gone live for 70 snaps for awhile. We anticipate playing very well against a very good team that obviously has some great players. |
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| Daphyne (Bloomington, Ill.): Justin, Did you think that you would ever have an opportunity to play in the Rose Bowl or any bowl with this Illinois team? |
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Justin Harrison: This year I had a great feeling about this team. I really felt we'd be able to play in a bowl game, with all the hard work we had put in. As the season went along, I thought we would have a chance to play in not just a bowl game, but a great bowl game. |
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| Allsport (Bloomington, Ill.): So we know you and your older brother were both very good athletes. But I hear you've got a pretty athletic little sister, too. Who's the best athlete in the family? |
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Justin Harrison: Age has started to restrict my brother and me. My sister is a three-sport athlete, and matches up well with us, as far as what she's doing at a young age. But I think she is probably the best athlete of the three of us. |
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| Eugene (Moline): Having delivered so many BIG hits the last four years, is there one that sticks out in your mind? |
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Justin Harrison: Not really. You tend to forget some of them. Much of the time I get hurt more than the guy who is getting hit. But I do remember in one of our games against Northwestern, that some receivers were pulling up and avoiding getting hit by me. That's as impressive (or more impressive) than an actual hard hit. |
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| Steve (Saginaw, Mich.): Justin, thanks for coming to Illinois and being part of the foundation for this year's great team. I will always remember your 72-yard return of an interception as a freshman.
Do you have a preference when it comes to pass defense? I mean, would you punish a receiver with a crushing hit, or go for an interception? Thanks for your answer, and good luck against the Trojans! |
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Justin Harrison: I always want to go for an interception. The quarterback is always trying to hit the receiver, of course, but I always hope I can get in position to make an interception. |
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| Caleb (Rantoul Ill.): How are you guys playing and practicing with all these things about you not having a chance against USC? I would be ready to play and show them how wrong they are!!!! |
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Justin Harrison: We love being the underdogs. We know that we have the heart and determination to win. We work as hard as we can to prepare to win, and we're very confident that we can get a win against Southern Cal. |
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| Moderator: Sorry to cut this short, but the buses are about to leave for Lawry's Prime Rib and the Beef Bowl...can't miss that! Thanks to all of you who have submitted questions all season long in our chat rooms. Go, Illini, beat the Trojans!! |
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