The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Video: No. 3 Football Sugar Bowl Offense Press Conference
12.29.2023 | Football
Texas offensive coordinator Kyle Flood, QB Quinn Ewers, OL Christian Jones, WR Adonai Mitchell, TE Ja'Tavion Sanders and WR Xavier Worthy spoke with the media on Friday.
Transcript from the Allstate Sugar Bowl Texas offense press conference.
OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR KYLE FLOOD: Good morning. Let me start by thanking everybody here who's associated with the Sugar Bowl. It's been a first-class experience for us. Certainly, playoff games are different than bowl games, but they have done a tremendous job of really making us feel welcome here in New Orleans. And we can't thank them enough for it. Everything's been great. We're looking forward to the game. It's a great opportunity for us and for our program. Having been there now three years with Coach [Steve] Sarkisian and kind of watching the transformation that's happened in our program, this is a tremendous opportunity for us now to kind of take the next step and have a chance to play for really what our ultimate goals are.
Q. One of the things that happened in late 2021 after that disappointing season when you guys were looking for more offensive linemen to rebuild the tame, this new collective came about, Horns With Heart. It's now become Texas One Fund. They've promised we're going to play linemen $50,000 each to play. How much is the growth of that collective and their focus on recruiting helped you guys build the team you have?
COACH FLOOD: I would start by saying in recruiting, we don't lead with NIL. That's not how we do it. I think teams that have done that have really not prospered. I don't think that's the way you build a team. I don't think that's the way you build the right kind of locker room. NIL is a part of college football now. So certainly, we've embraced it like everybody else has. But we weren't the only team in the country recruiting those players that had NIL opportunities for them. I'm sure other schools did as well. We felt like it was really important to add quality players to that room. We never set out to sign seven. We ultimately did. They kept saying yes, so we kept taking them. And they're all still with us, which I think is maybe one of the more understated things about the culture that Coach [Steve] Sarkisian has built at Texas. At a lot of places, they've maybe recruited players who are high-level players and for one reason or another, even though they're having success at that school, they've gone to other places. That hasn't been the case with these guys. They've all had a role for us, and they've all helped us get to this point. But I do believe ultimately the relationship comes first, because the NIL opportunities, they're everywhere now. Or at least there's enough of them around that if – if that was what it was about, it would be more like drafting than recruiting.
Q. So you've been with Sark (Steve Sarkisian) for a while now. He's known as a really good play caller. A two-pronged question here. What makes him a good play caller? And as the offensive coordinate for Sark, what is your part in play calling?
COACH FLOOD: I will say before I even get to that, I heard Frank Pomarico is going to be here at the game as well, so we absolute have got a Saint Francis Prep reunion from different eras going on. I've been fortunate now to be with Coach Sarkisian for seven years, seven seasons, from Atlanta to Alabama and now, obviously, here at Texas. I've always felt this way as somebody who works with the linemen and certainly heavy – heavily involved in the run game and the protections -- and that's kind of the world that I live in, more so than anything. I think my biggest job for him in terms of the play calling is to know what he likes. I need to know what he likes to call in the games, because that's really where I -- I spend my focus during the week, to make sure I'm giving him the options that he wants to call on game day. What makes him -- and I've said this publicly before. I don't shy away from saying it now. I think he's the best play caller that I certainly have ever worked with, and I think maybe the top play caller in all of football right now. But I think what makes him that is his ability to see the game in real time. It's not just about the game plan and what we've looked at on film. I think as the game is happening and as the teams that we're playing are adjusting, he's adjusting with them. And I think that makes him unique, his ability to do that at a really high level.
Q. I think this is your first availability since the news that Maalik [Murphy] is no longer with the team and Arch [Manning] is now the backup. Two-pronged question. How have things changed for him in the preparation of this game knowing he's the backup, and how confident do you feel in the progression he's made that if he's needed in this game, he'll be able to get the job done?
COACH FLOOD: I'll start with the second one and then I'll circle back for you. I think the biggest difference for him has been now he's gotten all of the reps with the 2s. Whereas, prior to that, he and Maalik had been kind of splitting reps with the 2s. When you get into the season, you don't always have the opportunity to get everybody the amount of reps that you would like to. So, I think that's the biggest change for him. We've got a ton of confidence in Arch. I think his progression throughout the year has been excellent. He's a real student of the game. And he's approached it like that from the very beginning. So I think probably the best thing for him and for us as a team was that when that happened, it was very easy for him to just continue to do what he was doing, because he had never -- he never approached it like he was the third quarterback or the backup quarterback. He approaches everything like he's the starting quarterback. And I think that's the key when you're in a reserve role of being ready when you're called upon.
Q. Obviously, you got a lot of offensive firepower on this team. If you talk about Ja'Tavion Sanders, he doesn't always get the numbers that maybe some other people do. How would you assess his talent and potential and where his place is in the game as tight end?
COACH FLOOD: I think JT is an excellent player and certainly a big part of what we do and a huge weapon. I think in the pass game, it's not as easy for the receivers and the tight ends in the pass game as it maybe for a running back. We can get the running back carries. We call the runs and hand them off and he gets his carries. In the passing game sometimes, we may have a play that we think is going to go to him but maybe just the defense plays a little different coverage, and the ball goes somewhere else. And that's where, for us, having weapons in different places, that's really what makes you explosive on offense. The games where maybe X (Xavier Worthy) or AD (Adonai Mitchell) got a little bit more attention. Those are games I think where JT is going to -- his numbers are going to go up a little bit. He's an explosive player. I will say what has made him different and made him more valuable to us as he's progressed over the last couple of years is his willingness to become a better blocker, because ultimately that's what makes you a complete player at that position. You don't want to just be a little bit bigger receiver. If you're going to be a tight end, then the blocking has to be part of it and you try to force people into base defense -- which this team, I don't know if we're going to talk about them in terms of their personnel, but they will play some base defense. The match-ups change when people put bigger players on the field on defense.
Q. Christian Jones has become one of the best offensive linemen in the nation. But two years ago, versus Kansas, he said that the loss against Kansas -- and that came in 2021 -- broke him. Do you remember that moment? And how would you say that Jones has evolved since then?
COACH FLOOD: Everybody in our program probably looks at that game where when you lose a game like that in overtime at home and it ends the season, we all kind of look at it and say, all right, what do we have -- where do we have to go from here? After you get over the initial disappointment, ultimately sometimes you have to break something to put it back together a little bit better. And that's probably the story of Christian's ascendancy as a player. We had to completely break him down and put him back together to get him to the point right now where I think he's playing at a high level. He's playing at a really high level, and he was willing to do that. So I give him really all the credit for being willing to buy in to what we were doing as a team, to what I was doing as his position coach, to really focus on the run-blocking aspect of his game, which he has, to the point now where, again, I know he's going to have some opportunities above and beyond what we do this season. But really, he gets the credit for buying into it more than anybody.
Q. Coach, talking about the Washington defense, looking on them at film, what stands out about them? What do they do particularly well? And what most concerns you Saturday?
COACH FLOOD: It's very much an NFL-style defense. I think that's the first thing I would say. They play with base personnel, meaning seven true front players, which is a little bit unusual in this day and age of college football. They'll play nickel defense through 11 personnel, which again is pretty standard. They've got excellent edge players. Their defensive ends are as good as anybody we've played this year. They play at a really high level. They really know their scheme. They don't have as many returning starters maybe as some of the teams we have played, but they have really all over the depth chart, fourth, fifth, sixth-year players. So, these guys have played a lot of football. They've got an excellent power in the middle. Their linebackers are elusive, very athletic. And I think from a scheme standpoint, when I say they're an NFL defense, what I mean is, yes, they've got their first and second-down packages and then on third down, it's completely different. They've got an extensive third-down package that really will challenge us in this game.
Q. Kyle, in the Alamo Bowl last year, you ran it 18 times for 51 yards. Can you talk about where your running game is now post Jonathon Brooks, where I think you're averaging 30 attempts, 200 yards rushing, and what you're seeing in particular from Jaydon Blue?
COACH FLOOD: Rushing attempts, certainly, we would like to have had more rushing attempts in that game for sure. When you get down and its gets to the fourth quarter and you are trying to catch up, unfortunately that becomes part of it. You end up throwing it maybe a little more than you wanted to. When we're at our best, we have balance. When people ask me to describe our offense, we are built on running the ball and play-action pass. That's really what we're built on. We can do a lot of other stuff, but ultimately that's how we build it from a starting point. It was a shame for Jonathon. He was having a great year. He's a phenomenal human being, so we were all disappointed when he got hurt. But we're fortunate that that's a really talented room. Whether it's Ced (CJ) Baxter or Jaydon Blue, Keilan Robinson, all these guys, Savion Red, they've all kind of had a role in making sure we've been able to sustain the running-game aspect of what we do. So, I think you're going to see all those guys in the game, they're all going to play. And we have got a lot of confidence in all of them. I think that has shown up, if you watched our games, since when Jonathon got hurt. They're all getting opportunities, and we have got confidence in them. Jaydon is a player, it's not really -- for us, I know you guys only get to see him maybe on game day, but we see him in practice every day. So, I look at it a little bit differently than that. But Jaydon is a make-you-miss player. He's got an explosive aspect to his game. Ced is a little bit of a bigger guy. But Jaydon is for sure a make-you-miss guy.
Q. We all know how talented AD (Adonai) Mitchell is, but you can't replicate experience and what he's done in four previous playoff games, scoring in each one. How much do you lean on that type of experience going into a game like this?
COACH FLOOD: The experience part will definitely be helpful to him. We've played in other big games this year. So, I think the experience of going on the road in Tuscaloosa, of playing in a Big 12 championship game, every time you have an experience like that, I think it allows you to be more comfortable in the beginning of the game. Certainly, he's played in big games and playoff games and championship games before. As a player, he's got -- he's got a skill set that we were lacking before he got here. What I mean is, he is the complementary receiver to X (Xavier Worthy) really that we needed to kind of make the field a little bit more open for both of those guys and for a guy like JT (Ja'Tavion Sanders). His role in what we do in the game plan is critical. I think he's got an air of confidence about him that I think is good for everybody in the locker room.
Q. At the beginning of the season, I asked you about Jake Majors, and you came back and said, he's a football cyborg. Is he still super important to the offensive line? And is there other linemen who have stepped up to that cyborg status?
COACH FLOOD: He is a football cyborg. He asks great questions every week, really like next level questions that a younger player wouldn't have the ability to do that. And I think he raises the level of expectations for everybody in the offensive line room. He's got very high expectations of himself, his standard of performance. And I think for the first and second-year players in our program that have a role in that offensive line room, again, he sets the bar for them. And he's a great person, a great example for me to point to on a daily basis of, hey, if you'll just attach yourself to Jake's hip and do it the way he does it, you're going to see the rewards, because obviously he has.
------------
Quarterback Quinn Ewers
Q. Quinn, your offense is really humming these last two games against Texas Tech and Oklahoma State. What did you guys do to stay sharp in that layoff of almost a month?
QUINN EWERS: Definitely weird. Been waiting a whole month to play this game. But I think it's good to kind of get back healthy and practice on things that we've had time to go back and really dive deep into what we need to work on. And it's been a good bowl prep for us for sure.
Q. Is there any part of you guys that just wishes you could have got to the next game ASAP, considering the fact that you guys playing so well?
QUINN EWERS: In the back of your minds for sure, you've got good momentum going. But we don't create the schedule, so it's hard to play those "what if" games.
Q. Where do you think you've grown most as a leader since you've been here at Texas?
QUINN EWERS: I think vocally I've changed a whole lot. Just the confidence that I have my teammates and the confidence they have in me, ultimately, helps overall the way that I'm able to lead.
Q. What do you bring from playing Washington before 12 months ago?
QUINN EWERS: Yeah, I mean, it's good playing those guys a year ago, but it's a different team. We both have different teams. But it's going to be a good at atmosphere, and I know we're fired up to get out there and play.
Q. Have you made up your mind about coming back?
QUINN EWERS: Not yet.
Q. What are you waiting for?
QUINN EWERS: Just trying to win a national championship right now. Not really thinking about that.
Q. What will go into that decision?
QUINN EWERS: I have no idea. I'm just trying to win a national championship.
Q. Can you explain the scripture on your arm?
QUINN EWERS: Yeah, Luke 17:21. I got it when I was in high school my junior year. It just kind of popped out to me. The Kingdom of God is in the midst of you. Whenever God made us, He put the abilities that rose Jesus Christ from the dead in us. So, He's in us. He's not just the God of the future. He's a God of the present and in the midst of all of us.
Q. Did someone share that with you to why you got it or just something that related to you, resonated?
QUINN EWERS: It just related to me, and I think it's a very powerful verse. I've learned more about it after I even got it tattooed on me.
Q. Coach [Steve] Sarkisian has always talked about you in terms of your calmness and how you handled the game. How do you do that, especially on this big stage?
QUINN EWERS: I think it just goes back to us trying to go 1-0 each week, no matter what kind of game it is. We're all human beings. We understand the multitude of certain games. But at the end of the day, we're just trying to go 1-0 each week. Can't get too high on the highs and too lows on the low. Just stay even-keeled.
Q. There's a lot of eyes on you as the quarterback at Texas. How much did being the quarterback at a place like Southlake/Carroll kind of prepare you for that spotlight?
QUINN EWERS: Southlake definitely helped a lot. It's the highest stage in Texas football to play quarterback, and they got a rich history there at the quarterback position. Just an honor to be a part of something like that.
Q. How would you describe Ja'Tavion Sanders' role in the offense? Because he doesn't have the numbers some other tight ends have.
QUINN EWERS: I think he's got a tremendous role in our offense. And I think that just goes to show how much of a team guy he is, because he's not out here complaining. Even though he's one of the best tight ends in the country, he's not out here complaining saying he's not getting the ball enough. He understands that it takes everybody to win. And he's not a selfish guy at all, which is really cool to see.
Q. A lot of people talk about Sark's (Steve Sarkisian) ability as a end-game play caller. What makes him so good at it, in your opinion?
QUINN EWERS: I think how aggressive his play calls are, and I think ultimately that he -- it makes him easier to be aggressive whenever he trusts us on offense. Whether it's out there, I think I've gained a lot of knowledge and understand when to check the ball down and when to take the shot. So, I think that just goes a lot into his play calls as well.
Q. Do you ever go through game film the next day after a game and go, oh, wow, that was a really smart call he made or anything like that?
QUINN EWERS: For sure. It's pretty cool to go back and see the calls and how sometimes it just lines up perfectly. He'll call it out before the game, and it's pretty cool to go through.
Q. Do you have a moment when he makes that call-out during the game, you're like, oh, I see what he's doing here? Or is it really just after? You're just there to execute the calls, or do you actually see it?
QUINN EWERS: I see it for sure. Even going back to last year, I see it.
Q. How pivotal was the Washington game last year, just in terms of your growth in kind of being willing to check the ball down, take what the defense gives you and being able to move the ball, having the patience to move to ball down the field in small chunks rather than going for the big shot?
QUINN EWERS: I think it started -- last year's bowl prep is when I really started getting a grasp of the offense the way that I do this year. And I think that just created a domino effect for this year, so it's definitely been huge.
Q. When's a time that you sort of learned, hey, Coach (Steve Sarkisian) trusts me when you had a play call or a situation where they gave you the ball the last couple of years?
QUINN EWERS: I mean, this year I felt a lot different about his play calls just because I've shown that I'm not just going to launch the ball down there. I'm going to take what the defense gives me.
Q. How much do you think your mechanics have improved since you've been at Texas?
QUINN EWERS: I think a whole lot. That's one of the reasons I came back to Texas also, is I have a lot more resources down here in Texas. Obviously, I grew up here. And I changed the way I threw a little bit and just made a little quicker. And my footwork has gotten a whole lot better with Coach [AJ] Milwee.
Q. You grew up a Longhorn fan. What does it mean to be the quarterback playing in the most important game of the university since 2009?
QUINN EWERS: It's awesome. It's humbling. Like you said, it's what I dreamed of. Couldn't be more thankful. Just fired up and ready to get out there.
Q. You were a fan before you became a Texas quarterback. Which game do you remember watching most?
QUINN EWERS: I mean, I remember the 2018 Sugar Bowl against Georgia. I was in Colorado watching that one. That was a good one. I don't remember the 2009 one.
Q. How old were you for that one?
QUINN EWERS: I was born in 2003, so that's six.
Q. Does your new backup quarterback (Arch Manning) got you on speed dial now, wearing you out 24/7 to get ready?
QUINN EWERS: Yeah, Arch is a great kid. And it's cool to be in the same quarterback room as him. His family has got a lot of history, especially in this state for sure. But he's learned a lot. He's grown a lot this whole year. It's cool to see his growth.
Q. How much did things change when Jonathon [Brooks] got hurt. Did you guys have to change up a lot of different things or just kind of rely on other people?
QUINN EWERS: We just really had to rely on other backs. I mean, Jonathon is just a great player. We all know that. And it sucks to see that happen top such a good guy like him. So, it's hard, but ultimately we just had to rely on other guys.
Q. How much has the offense dynamically changed with X (Xavier Worthy) getting some help with AD (Adonai Mitchell) being in that offense?
QUINN EWERS: It's definitely made things a whole lot easier for sure. People can't really go and double one guy because then the other guy will be open. It's definitely made my job a lot easier.
Q. Last year's game, if you took an overlay on the match-ups, specifically the match-ups last year versus this year, what differences do you see?
QUINN EWERS: Each year each team is different, maybe not even physically. Emotionally things change. The cultures change. But I'm just fired up for what we got on our side.
Q. How different are you this year than you were a year ago on the offensive side of the ball?
QUINN EWERS: I think everybody has just improved drastically, including myself. Like I was saying earlier, I'm able to just take what the defense gives me instead of forcing throws. I think everyone has a totally different understanding of the offense. We're a lot more comfortable within the offense.
Q. Quinn, can you just expound on Arch [Manning]? How has he grown up as a football player, whether it be on the field, film room, whatever it may be?
QUINN EWERS: You can just tell that he wants to learn as much as he can. He's always asking questions, just trying to do his best.
Q. Was he a pretty mature kid walking in the door, despite his age?
QUINN EWERS: I think he understands the opportunity he has in front of him, and he's definitely not going to waste it.
Q. Quinn, growing up a Texas fan, did you ever sort of realize the importance of the position. In Texas, I think it's Governor, Texas football coach, Texas quarterback in terms of the hierarchy. Did you ever sort of grasp what you hold and what position you are in the state?
QUINN EWERS: I understand but at the same time, I'm a human being like all you guys are. So, there's not too much to it.
Q. How old were you when you thought you could play at this level? 10, 12 or what?
QUINN EWERS: It's really hard to say. It's always been a goal of mine to play at a very high level, especially here. But I'd say probably middle school, like seventh grade, something like that.
Q. Going back to taking what the defense gives you and that process, the full-circle nature of that, is that a game like you had against Oklahoma State where you had a couple of deep shots but a lot of it is screens and getting the ball out of the space and letting your guys work on shortening?
QUINN EWERS: For sure. It makes my job a whole lot easier whenever those guys get the DRs after the catch or whatever it is. Getting the ball out quick is always nice on the quarterback.
Q. Six months ago you were in Thibodaux. Did you think, in your wildest dreams, when you're down there with the Mannings, that you would be back in south Louisiana only six months later?
QUINN EWERS: I try to live one day at a time, man. But, yeah, I'm a human. So in the back of my mind, I'm thinking about what if, what if. But I'm just truly honored to be here and with this team and couldn't be more fired up for Monday.
Q. I was talking to [Adonai] Mitchell and I said, usually freshmen like Arch [Manning] are quiet and kind of keep their head down. He goes, he's not quiet. He kind of makes himself known. How has this relationship been with you and Arch these six months that you've been together, I guess since January?
QUINN EWERS: I guess we have to be buddies. We're roommates everywhere we go. He's awesome. He's cool. Cool to be around. Just like a humble guy. I can tell he really wants to be a good player in this country. So, it's been cool to see his growth as well.
Offensive lineman Christian Jones
On intensity of practice yesterday and how it prepares them for Monday:
That's just us staying in the routine of things. That's how we practice, that's the expectation, that's the tempo. If we do that correctly then we have to best opportunity to win. Just sticking to the plan and understand that it just has to be that way.
On OL Jake Majors and his impact on the Texas offensive line:
I would say that it starts with the center. Understanding that he is the one setting the table for all of us. Reading the fronts, understanding the different rotations, all of that. It puts us in the best situation possible. He's like Coach [Kyle] Flood on the field. He's a general, he's honcho, and it all starts with him. We're very lucky to have him. If you're a young guy and you want an example, that's definitely the guy you would go to. It's great having him in the room. There are multiple leaders in the room: him, KB [Kelvin Banks Jr.], Hayden [Connor]. It makes the job way easier.
On describing head coach Steve Sarkisian as a play caller:
Aggressive. Attack-oriented. Wanting to win. Wanting to take the game to the opponent and not playing passive. No jabs, just straight hooks, haymakers. We know when he's dialing them up. On the sidelines during games, he's dialing it up. It's a really good feeling, understanding that he has that much confidence in us to go execute. You're able to play free and just let it all hang out.
On overcoming Jonathon Brooks injury:
We had to come together as a team and really rally and understand that our job up front has to become even more elevated. We have to be better, because we have to try to make it as visible as possible for every single runner. We had to give the quarterback Quinn [Ewers], or Maalik [Murphy] at times, as much time to make the right decisions. We've battled through some adversity, and I love it how our team bounced back and continued to find ways to win this season. A lot of people don't understand it, but it is what it is, and we had to deal with it. Now we're here, so it's been good.
Wide receiver Adonai Mitchell
On being in his fourth CFP appearance and his third consecutive college football playoff:
First, it has been great teams that I have been fortunate to play on and participate with. It was great teams and great leadership. Being able to lean on guys knowing that you are not alone while you're doing this. It is exciting and fun to have three 15 game seasons. It's all worth it the whole year round. Offseason workouts, to fall camp to summer workouts, everything led to this stage here I am excited for everything.
On what it has been like to play on Sarkisian's offense:
It is fun. I always feel like I am at the right place at the right time. I feel like we always make the right calls and the right decisions when it is time to make them. So, I don't have to be a hero, I don't have to play outside my body, I don't have to try another player's role. I just do my job, accept my role. The other ten players all do their job as well and that is ultimately what makes this a good offense.
On how this year at Texas has made him better:
Growing off the field. I thought when I came here that I was a complete player, I wasn't. I had a lot to learn, I had a lot of lessons to learn and experiences that I had to go through. Coach Sark[isian] and Coach [Chris] Jackson they really helped me get to this point that I am at today. I am grateful for them both and am just continuing to grow.
Tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders
On his experience in New Orleans for the CFP Semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl:
I've never been to New Orleans, so I've had some fun experiences. Some of my teammates from here have been able to show me around and talk to me a little bit about the area. So, it's been fun and with them able to come back home, it's been a nice feeling for us and them. I've never been to the Superdome either. The overall construction of it, it's crazy and it's a lovely dome.
On practices leading up to Monday's game:
We've been trying to emulate our midseason practices because that's what it takes to win these types of games. You need to have those types of practices, really physical, fast practices to get our bodies right and mentality right. So, that's been our motto. Hard, physical practices and we won't change from what we've been doing which has ultimately led us to where we are today.
On bouncing back after the loss to Oklahoma:
Everything's not going to be perfect, but that gave us motivation, you know? It flipped a switch in not only me, but my teammates and I think that showed throughout the rest of the season. We've gotten progressively better, and I think we still haven't played our best football yet.
On what it's like being a part of a lethal Texas offense:
It's a great feeling because Coach Sark[isian] says all the time that we can win any type of way. We're a versatile team whether it's offense or defense, special teams, running game, or passing game. All of us know that too and all of us know that we're playmakers. We do this for each other. We don't get jealous. If one person's number gets called and mine doesn't, I know they'll make their plays and the way they play is fine by me. It's a great feeling knowing that we have all these weapons and that we're so close as brothers. We're family and it's a great feeling.
On what it would mean to reach the College Football Playoff National Championship Game:
It would be a great feeling, not only for me, but our seniors. Sending them off with a National Championship would be a great feeling. It would be something legendary in Austin being able to bring that back to Austin since I was maybe two years old. Being able to do that and bringing that back to the city would be an amazing feeling.
Wide receiver Xavier Worthy
On the last meeting between Texas and Washington (2022 Alamo Bowl):
It's the highs and lows of football. It's what you got to love about football. I have definitely learned from it and had to overcome it. I have put that game in the past and overcome it.
On how he's developed into one of the top punt returners in college football:
All it took was a little bit of confidence. I feel like last year I didn't feel like I had confidence in that area. I feel like this year with the experience I have more confidence and am more comfortable catching the ball.
On what it took to get the Texas team from 5-7 his freshman year to the College Football Playoff:
The off seasons. The off seasons were so crazy. I don't want to get into that (laughs). Really, I think the culture and the team's morale changed. That was the biggest part that got us here.
On what it is going to take to win the next two games for a national title:
Togetherness. If we stay together and stay true to ourselves, we will be just fine. We don't want to get out of whack. We need to play our game. The game that we normally play if we do that we will be just fine.
On how they stay focused this week with the festivities and food in New Orleans:
We have a really good and experienced team. Everybody knows the goal coming into this game. We're not here for all that other stuff. We can worry about that later, after these games. Everybody has that message, and we are all locked in.
