He made some big plays on third down with his scramble ability and those were the things that we saw when we recruited Joe.

We practiced very well for that game, but I wasn't aware of the hangover from the BCS thing until the night before the game. This year, we've told everybody that the game on Thursday is the only thing that matters. That's where you get a chance to make a stand.

He had great composure and made great plays throughout the game. He was not apprehensive at all. He wasn't looking for some safe game to get his confidence back.

He was hounded hard by practically everyone.

At certain times, he's got to put his pads down and get us one or two yards. Not everything can pop outside for a touchdown. That's a fine line though, when you have a back that's special.

There's no question that since (the Bears) have grown up with (the Trojans), ... There's a lot of familiarity with the people involved. That raises the attention level, because you're playing with your peers.