Q&A with senior defensive tackle Harrison Phillips

How many times do you get held in a game and it's not called?

"As a defensive lineman I would love an offensive lineman to come in and say how many times I’ve been held. Let’s say I get 60 snaps a game, I’ll say probably 15 of them someone is doing something they probably shouldn’t be and should be called. So, a quarter of time."

Stanford mostly shut down Oregon State's run game outside of one touchdown drive. What went into the improvement from the Oregon first half?

"Part of that falls back on the coaching staff and that they were able to adjust following the Oregon game and see what worked for us well and where we have been successful. We went to a lot of that in the game (at Oregon State) as well as we put in some new stuff to prevent the run, knowing that their running back was so solid and was going to be a threat. "Defensively our attitude changed during the bye week a little bit. We got some time off, and were able to recover as well as bring our hard hats and lunch pails back to work. This defense is predicated on physicality and stopping the run. If we are going to be the defense we want to be and get the takeaways, we have to make a team one sided."

What have you seen from Luke Falk at Washington State?

"It seems like they’re going through some offensive struggles these last couple weeks. But he is unbelievable. We saw that last year when they came into our house and stole the show. I don’t think I’ve seen a quarterback as calm in the pocket and I think that kind of has been a little bit of a downfall, too. "He has a very great pocket awareness, but oftentimes he takes the sack. I love that. I know our DBs are going to be back there and making him have to hold it down a little bit so we can get home. We do watch throughout this year I think they’ve already given up 30 sacks and last year I think that’s what they gave up for the whole season. He’s able to make throws that no one else can make and he’s able to read defenses well, but I think the one downside that we’re going to try to capitalize is to get home."

How big a loss is it to not have Alijah Holder?

"That’s a huge hit. That really is. Alijah has been playing at a very high level this year. We’re talking he’s a first-round caliber corner whenever decides to take that route. Throughout most of the games when we’ve been in close ones, a lot of the times he’s the person who comes to my mind when I think, ‘Who’s going to change this game? Who is going to get a pick and have a defensive score for us?’ "What Alijah has done fantastically is force fumbles. He’s looking for that ball no matter how big the running back is or where he’s at, he’s always thinking about that ball. When he went out in that game, that was big to me because he’s our security blanket. I said my prayers and spoke with him. I tried to take it on myself and try to make a play."

Can you talk about the give and take with coaches during the game and any adjustments made against Oregon State?

"I don’t really get to talk to Coach Anderson. I talk to my coach and he talks to Coach Anderson up in the box. Coach Diron ... has been fabulous with hearing us out as a defensive line -- What can we do to help? How are we reading blocks? One of the things we saw is that they were pulling a lot more against us than they had in the past -- a lot of tackle and guard pulls. "A center would leave me and a guard would try to come block me. I’d get chipped or double teamed from the side. How we’re supposed to play that is I would get vertical and try to be as disruptive as I can up the field. But they were coming so flat it was really hard to do that. So I talked to coach … that what we have drawn up isn’t working. He relayed up to Coach Anderson. We played back into it and the very next time they did it (we got) a tackle for a loss."

What have you seen in the development of Eric Cotton?

"I think he has put some really good stuff on tape. I know at the beginning of the season they were saying that the defensive line is an area of question, but he really has stepped up. The other guys in the room, too -- we had a very competitive room in camp like other positions. We all demanded the best out of each other. Still each week we’re fighting for playing time. He’s a big guy and he’s probably the best athlete in the room. I’m glad he’s not playing tight end."

What has gone right for the team since your blocked field goal against UCLA and what needs to continue?

"Immediately after that play KJ (Costello) came in, stepped up very well and helped lead the troops that game and filled his role. Then Keller came back and we stacked some really good wins. I think that we were in that big questionable area of what type of team are we going to be this season? Can we respond? I think that the momentum from the UCLA game -- we showed our dominance and had a reality check as a team and realized, ‘No, we still are the top dog. The Pac-12 title game is still ours to go get.’ We got that hunger back in us again and it hasn’t left."

Did you ever play in snow in Omaha?

"We made it deep in the playoffs a couple times and in November and December it was very cold and we’d get some snow, too. I cannot say that I ever got used to it. There were practices I would have on two sweatshirts and sweatpants over my stuff, so I was a baby with the cold. I’m sure it can’t be as bad as I’ve played in."