WHAT DO YOU SAY TO YOUNGER GUYS
“I like to tell them just to play like you’d play anybody. I don’t like to focus on who the team is, what the rankings are, all the stuff that’s going around on the media. It’s just get out there do your job and play as a team.”
DIFFERENCES OF A 3-4 DEFENSE
“It’s just a different scheme. Everybody plays it, a lot of times in third down. A lot of times teams pass rush with a three down defense. It’s something we’ve been focusing on, we always focus on that because you’ll always get that throughout the year. It’s not that much different.”
IS IT GOOD BEING COUNTED OUT
“Coming off of this offseason, I feel like it’s been one of the best that we’ve had since I’ve been here. I think that comes from last season. It’s not acceptable what we’ve done. Everybody in the locker room has a whole different attitude. We’ve been holding each other accountable. And then the excitement to get better all summer in the weight room on the field working technique has just changed completely. And the preparation we’ve put in during camp has been also one of the best I’ve seen since I’ve been here.”
ON DIFFICULTY OF KEEPING THIS GAME IN PERSPECTIVE
“We just have to take it one step at a time, that’s how I like to look at it. Come out here face Alabama on Saturday and this week of preparation is going to be crucial in doing so. And just knowing that it’s not the only game of the year, we have the rest of the season.”
ON GETTING PAST AN INTIMIDATION FACTOR
“See that’s another thing I don’t like to focus on. Maybe it’s my background coming from wrestling with coach Dresser and one of his main sayings is never take a back seat to anybody. And that’s something I’ll never do, that’s embedded in my heart I’ll never take the back seat. I’m going to practice and play Alabama just like I’ll play the next team.”
WHAT STANDS OUT ABOUT THE ALABAMA DEFENSE
“They’ve got a lot of good guys up front, their 2 inside guys, they’re new, I mean they’re not the starters from last year. They’re good players and I know we’re great players as well. And it’s going to be a battle from start to finish. We’ve just got to stay on the same page, communication is going to be key. It’s going to be very loud as you know down there. Just handling everything and focusing.”
IS THERE WORRY WITH 2 NEW STARTING TACKLES
“Those guys have really stepped up. You don’t see a freshman starting normally, I think the last one may have been Sergio Render, I’m not sure. Jonathan has really stepped up here lately, I trust in him, you’ve got to trust in your linemen. That’s one of the things we do, we’re a family up front. I’m going to treat them like my brothers, I’m going to be there for them when they make a mistake and I’ll be there for them when they make a great play. And that’s how we like to get through it.”
DOES VIRGINIA TECH NEED TO PROVE ITSELF AGAIN
“I don’t think there’s another option. I don’t want to be a team that’s considered a joke in the ACC or in the league. I don’t want to be that team. I want a team that’s going to be competing and everybody’s going to have to watch out for because they know they’re about to play Virginia Tech. And they know we’re going to come out there and compete and play BeamerBall and they’re going to have to be ready.”
ON COACH DRESSER’S MOTIVATION
“That’s just one of his sayings he always said, and no matter what. I can’t think of an individual that I was going against. But that and overcoming adversity you hear that out of him every week in preparation. And those wrestling backgrounds have really taken a toll what I do as a football player as well.”
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