The NCAA has its rules. It's our job to abide by them.
— Ezekiel Elliott
I'm a great pass catcher. I'm excellent in pass protection, which is the most important thing. You can't play, you can't get on the field if you don't protect that franchise quarterback.
When you let those defensive backs know that you're a physical player, they don't really want to tackle. That's it. That's why you see me get a hurdle every game. Those guys don't want to tackle me when I get to the second level.
The way I approach things is that I'm a physical player.
Honestly, the type of runner I am, I'm a physical guy, and I try to set the tone early in the game, so you're going to see it a lot in the first and second quarter.
You can't go out and press. That's when you're going to make mistakes. Just act like you've done it before.
That's just how I live my life. That's how I was raised: to demand excellence out of myself.
I hate to lose more than I love winning, and I'm coming to Dallas to win a Super Bowl.
Once you make a mistake, it's kind of in your head what you need to do and what exactly is going on.
It just helped going to work every day, knowing that you're going to work with guys that believe in you; you're going to work for guys that believe in you. You want to perform for them.
Witten was my guy. I stayed in Wit's hip pocket and did everything I could to learn from him, learn how to be a pro.
If we go out there, and we play well and win football games, all the good stuff will come with it. It's not my job to worry about something I can't control.
This is a physical game, and that's how you have to play. When you do that, the defense eventually gets tired of tackling you.
I think actually it's kind of sad because something I looked forward to just getting to the NFL growing up was just being able to have more fun, the rules loosen up, being able to celebrate.
I think I do deserve more than 11 carries. I think I really do.
Trust your landmark and run through the smoke. It's going to open up eventually.
I think at Ohio State, we're professional athletes in Columbus.
I'm focused on going out and winning ballgames. Focused on getting better with the team every week.
I don't think, as a player, I have a weakness on the field. I've done a great job of becoming good at everything, so I think that's what separates me.
During the game, there has to be a moment where you have to set the tone. You have to let them know that you're a physical player.
Honestly, when I'm out there, I really don't even think about them as guys with names. I look at them as numbers.
I'm going to go out there and do what I do and play football, and everything will work out.
You don't want to attack one game more than another.
The money between the first pick and the 10th pick - that's a big difference! That's like a $10-million-dollar difference.
I'm a competitor.
The best way to learn is getting out there, getting reps, and making mistakes.
In playoff football, you've got to be physical. You've got to run the ball.
We've talked before what is important is week in, week out, getting wins and getting better.
My job is to go out there and play football. My job is to go out there and win football games.
Nobody's expectations are going to be more than mine.
I think they're taking a little bit of the fun out of this pro game.
I want to go play behind that great offensive line they have down in Dallas.
I think I've been doing a good job of just making sure that I'm taking care of my body.
I think I'm a guy who is going to come in and work hard from Day One.
I'm a great inside and outside runner.
I take pride in being a jack of all trades.
Every play, I'm trying to get as many shots on the opposing team as I can, so when you get to the fourth quarter, they obviously don't want to be on the field anymore.
I'm going to finish my runs hard, and I'm going to try to set the tone.
I think it's just a chemistry thing, feeling each other out. The more you play with each other, the better it's going to be.
We want to play a physical game and impose our will on people.
I live for the high expectations.
Once you make that first mistake, it kind of clears up everything, and everything can come to you.
You kinda got to embrace expectations, but it's not something I pay attention to.
It should be about this team, and it should be about these guys. It should be about our relationship. It shouldn't be about records.
Ohio means a lot to me. Kinda like a second home, just the memories I have here and the fans I made while at Ohio State with the things that I accomplished at that great university.
Whoever wins MVP, whoever wins whatever those awards are, that's not my decision.
I understand what's expected of me. I understand the lineage for the running back position of the Dallas Cowboys.
We should be able to have a little more fun. I think it's entertainment to the fans.
I just don't like how long the jersey is. I don't like to tuck it in, so I like to tuck it up under.
There's only one professional team in Columbus, the Blue Jackets, but Ohio State is a football state.
