Everything Alabama Football players said at Rose Bowl media day

LOS ANGELES — Alabama made its way to the Sheraton Grand LA on Tuesday morning for the Rose Bowl full-team media day. Four Crimson Tide players, Ty Simpson, Deontae Lawson, Kadyn Proctor and Bray Hubbard, sat on a stage and fielded questions for 45 minutes. 

Below is a full transcript of everything the Alabama quartet said, via ASAP Sports.

*** TY SIMPSON, QB

Q. Talking about the job not finished, Kobe Bryant, was that a mentality that you developed early on in the season?

TY SIMPSON: Yeah, absolutely. After the Florida State game, we got a lot of ball left, a lot to prove. That’s been our mindset all season: The job is not finished until the very last game of the season.

That’s our plan and our mindset going into every game, that we’re not going to end till January 19th.

Q. What is it about Kobe Bryant that inspires you so much?

TY SIMPSON: Yeah, I have a lot of respect for Kobe and (indiscernible) and Brady, just because of their mentality. Kobe is famous not only for basketball, but his mentality. I think as a quarterback, it’s important to have that mentality of coming in and not caring about anything except winning. I think that’s what the great ones do so well.

Q. Looking at the other team defensively, what are some of the challenges they present?

TY SIMPSON: Yeah, disciplined. Rarely do they mess up. It’s quite impressive how well they play together. Everybody does their job very, very well. That’s why they’re very high on the defensive statistics of the ball.

Also how hard they play. Their guys are flying around. There’s always one or two or three or four guys at the ball. It’s really, really impressive what they do so well. Hats off to them.

Q. Alabama 2026 or move on to the pros?

TY SIMPSON: I haven’t really thought about it much, to be honest with you, just because of the big game coming up, so…

Q. (No microphone.)

TY SIMPSON: Yeah, I was listening to Morgan Wallen coming in. Kind of my go-to all the time. Coach emphasizes starting fast, not waiting till the second quarter like we did last week.

It starts with doing our job. If everybody does their job, we communicate well, start fast, we’ll get things going.

Super excited, super blessed. God has put me here, our team. It’s been a dream come true. Thought about this when I was a kid. All the memories, the granddaddy of them all, this bowl game. Getting an opportunity to play is a dream come true.

Q. Talk about the journey getting here.

TY SIMPSON: It was hard. Not only for my journey, but the team in general. Started off the year, everybody counted us out, like I said. Just the resiliency this team has showed, my teammates, everything that we’ve had from adversity. Not just that, but the good ones as well, the good wins. It’s been fun. I’m excited to keep it going.

Q. (Question about the 2024 loss.)

TY SIMPSON: Absolutely, I think about it all the time, how we felt in the locker room, how it ended. Thinking about all the scenarios of the game to where we should have won and should have put it away. I think back to losing.

Just got back and guys who remembered it, making sure it doesn’t happen again, have that mindset of doing your job and enjoying the process.

Q. We’ve heard you’re into LEGOs. What is your favorite? How does that help you unwind?

TY SIMPSON: My favorite ones, I had Star Tower, which it took me about three days to do that over spring break. That was one. Then I have The Office. I have The Office in a glass case. Those are my two favorite.

I really enjoy it because it gets me away from football and gives me something to do with structure bit. Not only that, I can put it up and use it as a decoration or something like that.

I love LEGOs, honestly. It gets me away from football and gets my mind out of things.

Q. (Question about Fernando.)

TY SIMPSON: I haven’t watched him in-depth. I’ve seen some highlights. One, how tough he is. I’ve seen some crazy hits he’s taken when he’s in the pocket.

Two, I remember watching the Penn State game, just how poised he is. He’s a big guy, being able to take those hits, get hit again and again, then throwing a game-winning touchdown is pretty impressive. Hats off to him and everything he’s done this year.

Q. What do you think of Indiana, the team in general, their program?

TY SIMPSON: Yeah, as a coach’s son, I understand how hard it is to rebuild a program. But the job that Curt Cignetti has done, the players have come together and play for each other at the end, it’s been remarkable.

Everybody wants to talk about how they went from I guess a losing record to making the Playoffs two years in a row, it’s very, very impressive and remarkable honestly. The turnaround they’ve had, just how disciplined they are.

I know Coach Cignetti talks about Coach Saban a lot. I’m sure the values and principles are similar to Alabama. Hats off to their coaches and A.D., everything they’ve done, but also the players as well.

Q. What is it like going up against a team like that, all the attention?

TY SIMPSON: Yes, it’s what you want honestly, right? We talk about having our backs to the wall, being an underdog. It’s crazy to think that in 2025 Alabama is thought about this way.

We kind of embrace it as a team. I do especially just because everybody, like I said, wrote us off, didn’t expect us to get here. The point of proving people wrong is what we want. We’re all here for it.

Q. The win against Oklahoma…

TY SIMPSON: I know the week before the SEC Championship, we put our best foot forward. Everybody knew that. Due to the circumstances, that’s not an excuse. We had to prove people wrong again.

All the noise of just not being a good team, us not being tough, we shouldn’t be in the Playoffs. We come out with a win. Same thing here this week, being an underdog, playing against the No. 1 team, you got to love that. That’s why you play college football, why you come to the University of Alabama.

Q. (Question about Fernando.)

TY SIMPSON: Yeah, I said it earlier. I haven’t watched him in-depth at all. I’ve seen some highlights just how tough he is, how big he is, how poised he is.

Of course, I know he’s like a double major not only at Cal but at Indiana. I’m sure he’s super, super smart. Heisman Trophy winner. A ton of respect for him on everything he’s done.

I think it’s awesome where his brother plays for Indiana, as well. I think it’s really, really cool. I have a little brother as well who wants to play college football. I want to have the opportunity to play with him. Seeing those guys, family being on the same team, I think is really cool, so…

Q. (Question about Indiana.)

TY SIMPSON: One, how tough they are, how disciplined they are. They rarely mess up. Everyone knows what to do and they do it very, very well.

Two, how well they play together. Everybody has their spot. Everybody knows where to go.

Three, how hard they play. There’s always multiple guys running to the ball. They rarely give up, whether their guy is across the field or anything like that. It’s always multiple guys trying to get the football, trying to get it out. That’s why statistically they’re one of the best defenses in the country.

We got to be on our Ps and Qs, got to do our job, go have fun.

Q. (Question about the 2024 loss.)

TY SIMPSON: Yeah, I remember that game, just having opportunities honestly to put it away. We just never did. We had a chance, and we didn’t.

Remembering, feeling that way in the locker room, just know everybody is upset and sad, knowing we had a chance to go and win it. The team that we win against won the championship.

I’m very grateful my time sitting behind Jalen and learning from him, him being a mentor for me, showing me all different types of stuff, how he prepares, what he does. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t sitting behind him and Bryce. I think about that all the time.

Q. Does the team have a chip-on-their-shoulder mentality?

TY SIMPSON: That’s how it’s been all season, just how we started off the season, losing that first game, everybody questioning us, not knowing if we’re a good team or not.

Like I said, being able to prove everybody wrong, have a little adversity, is what we want. Being backed in the corner, most people kind of sit down and don’t fight. These guys, this team, are fighters. We’re going to do everything we can to fight and claw and get out. That’s what we’ve shown through our schedule, through the season.

Here we are now in the Rose Bowl playing against the No. 1 team in the country. Very excited.

Q. (Question about resilience of the team.)

TY SIMPSON: This team are fighters. I said that earlier, just how resilient we are. We’re never going to give up no matter what the score is.

Two, our offense is very explosive. We just got to do our job. We got to understand that when everybody communicates, does their job, not make things bigger than what they are, we’ll go up the field. That’s what we’ve shown. We’ve shown spurts of it. It’s not as consistent as we want it to be.

Better late than never to get fired up. Very excited for the opportunity.

Q. (Question about defensive coordinators, having the band back together.)

TY SIMPSON: Yeah, ‘the band back together’, I like that.

Credit to Coach DeBoer, Coach Sheridan, Coach Grubb, Mitch Dahlen, who is at Oregon State now. Those guys have taught me a lot about ball, defense and offense in general, just expanding my ball knowledge.

They’ve all been coordinators or called plays at some type of level. No ego gets in the way. They’re always bouncing ideas off each other. They’re always on the same page.

I know that’s hard just because how it was last year with Coach Sheridan calling plays, now Coach Grubb coming in, Mitch calling plays. As a coach’s son, I know how difficult that is just kind of go behind the scenes.

Being able to go to the meetings every day knowing you have all those guys helping you is a quarterback’s dream.

Q. What does Coach Grubb do different than what you’ve done in the past?

TY SIMPSON: I think they have a lot of similarities, honestly, that people don’t really realize and understand. But I think with Coach Grubb, what he does so well, he tries to pair everything together. That’s what I’ve learned the most about, Hey, this is the intent of the play and this is why we’re running it, and this is what we’ve shown after that, our tendencies.

Q. (Question about Coach Sheridan.)

TY SIMPSON: Yeah, super excited for him and his family, Coach Sheridan. Ton of respect for him. He’s helped me get here.

We go way back. I remember when I was getting recruited by Indiana and by Coach Sheridan, him being there. Full circle him being my coach.

But not only am I super excited for Coach Sheridan and his family, but Michigan State, as well, because they’re getting a huge asset to their program and a great coach. Being able to have three coaches who have helped me go somewhere else to be coordinators, I take a little pride in that knowing our offense is that explosive and that cool to be able to have three guys go and call plays, so…

Just a ton of respect. I can’t thank them enough.

*** DEONTAE LAWSON, LB

Q. You guys are in kind of a weird position. I guess the experts aren’t really giving you a chance. You’re the underdogs. That’s usually not the case at Alabama. Is it fair to say you guys feel disrespected?

DEONTAE LAWSON: Man, I think — yeah, yeah, honestly, but we felt like that all year. We felt like everyone is against Alabama. That’s the chip that we use to play with on our shoulders just to keep that edge that we had every since is the first game of the season when we took that loss.

Yeah, it was definitely disrespect. We don’t take that lightly for sure.

Q. Did a lot of your teammates talk about it, or the coaches or anyone brought anything up about they’re the No. 1 seed, you’re the 9th seed?

DEONTAE LAWSON: I mean, nah. We obviously know they’re the No. 1 team in the country, for a reason. They’re a great team. We don’t really — it really doesn’t matter at this point. I think the best eight teams are still alive, and it just comes down to who is going to execute the best on Thursday.

Q. What is it that Indiana does offensively that is going to be a challenge to you guys?

DEONTAE LAWSON: Yeah, they’re very efficient. You know, obviously the quarterback, he is elite. They got a great running game. Their backs run hard. They got elite receivers on the edge. They like to take their shots.

Just an efficient offense. Rarely makes mistakes. Just find a way to get the ball in the end zone. So it’ll be a huge challenge for us.

Q. Does Mendoza remind you of anybody you faced in your career?

DEONTAE LAWSON: Nah. I wouldn’t say he reminds me of anyone. He’s probably the — honestly the most elite quarterback that we faced since Coach De Boer been here. He’s just elite. We got to try to affect them early and it’ll pay off for us in the end for sure.

Q. Just fun, rapid fire questions. The easiest ones of the day. Morning or night workout?

DEONTAE LAWSON: Morning.

Q. Would you rather have a show or an award named after you?

DEONTAE LAWSON: Award.

Q. Favorite road trip snack?

DEONTAE LAWSON: Probably Life Saver gummies.

Q. Song that gets your mind right?

DEONTAE LAWSON: I got a lot. Probably NBA, Young Boy, (indiscernible.)

Q. Yep. If it you could steal one of your teammates skills, who would that be?

DEONTAE LAWSON: It’ll have to be Kadyn Proctor just because.

Q. Bit of an upset there. Emoji that you use the most?

DEONTAE LAWSON: Laughing.

Q. Everyone does the laughing emoji. Describe the Rose Bowl in one word.

DEONTAE LAWSON: Historic.

Q. Do you have any New Year’s resolutions?

DEONTAE LAWSON: Just being a better me.

Q. When you look at this season you really accomplished a lot in the last several weeks as far as (indiscernible). Over the course of the season to where you are to be able to be strong… national championship?

DEONTAE LAWSON: I think it’s the trust that we have, just knowing everyone is going to do their job, and honestly I think it goes by how we practice, the way, we fly around in practice and just hold everyone accountable.

No matter if you’re first, second, or third team, just it’s just a certain standard that we pride ourself in, and that’s been showing up in the game. It’s just been giving us opportunities. Coach always said we create our own breaks by giving tremendous effort. That’s what we trying to do.

Q. How have you all been able to block out some of the noise? Obviously a lot of controversy about Coach De Boer, and now you guys are finally where everybody wants you to be. How are you all staying connected and staying close-knit and still focus on the mission at hand?

DEONTAE LAWSON: Man, I honestly think that started in the offseason. You know, we knew it wasn’t going to be just a fairytale season or anything like that. A word that we pride ourself on that’s our theme is (indiscernible). You know, that’s what we set in stone in the offseason, and as the season went on we been in situations where we could have broke and we just haven’t.

Man, we just know the people that we got in our program, and we always say the people in this building are the only people that matter. That’s the only opinion that matters. So I think that’s the huge thing that we start with.

Q. 50 Cent Many Men. You guys come out and that’s been a theme. What are some other songs that get you guys going?

DEONTAE LAWSON: Man, I think to be honest with you, we listen to a lot of things. We listen to NBA, Young Boy, just whatever they got on the speaker at that point. I’m sure couple of players probably cued some songs up and they know they get the team going.

I would say those for sure.

Q. Last from me. Who are some of the football players that you watched… (No microphone.)

DEONTAE LAWSON: Yeah, man, to be honest with you, growing up I actually played running back, so Adrian Peterson was somebody that I used to love watching his highlights. I thought I was going to be the next AP or whatever. Defensively for me definitely CJ Moseley. Just watching him and him being from Mobile, Alabama, you know, just really putting on for the city, having a fantastic NFL career, retire, just — that’s just somebody I look up to. He’s a great role model for sure.

Q. You’ve had about a week of film, preparation on Indiana. What stands out about their offense?

DEONTAE LAWSON: Man, quarterback. I mean, he’s very efficient. Doesn’t really make a lot of mistakes. The running backs, they run hard. They got a solid athletic tight end. The receivers are good.

So I mean, they got elite players all across the field. You know, it’ll definitely be a challenge for us. Them, they just do the same thing over and over and wait on someone to make the mistake. But that’s going to be the key to the game, who can do their job the longest for sure.

Q. What does it take from yourself and the unit to force some mistakes?

DEONTAE LAWSON: We got to affect them early. You really got to just change the way they think, change the way that playcaller calls the plays. I mean, that comes with you got to apply pressure early. You got to affect the quarterback. That’s going to be the biggest key to the game to be honest.

Q. How much does having a gutty win, comeback win in hostile territory prepare you?

DEONTAE LAWSON: Man, I wouldn’t say it kind of prepared us for this moment or anything like that. That just — man, we you always knew we had that in us. We know we’re a resilient team and the game is not over until the clock is at zero. We’re going to keep fighting and that’s just our pride and that’s the belief in this team.

We got full faith in everyone on this team. We know we can get the job done if we continue to fight.

Q. (Regarding 2023.)

DEONTAE LAWSON: It’s kind of like a full circle moment for me kind of. Even starting the round one playoff at Oklahoma didn’t go the way that I would’ve liked it to go in 2024; came back and got the job done. Then get another chance at the Rose Bowl. Man, it’s definitely — I’m definitely blessed to be here and it’s just — I definitely use it for motivation.

I just remember when the clock hit zero and I saw the confetti fall and I’m standing on the bench just watching Michigan celebrating or whatever, so I definitely don’t want to feel that feeling again.

You can say motivation if you want.

Q. Indiana is a disciplined team. Only turned the ball over 8 times. How do you create takeaways in it game?

DEONTAE LAWSON: Man, that’s the key to the game for us. We have to force some takeaways. I think the biggest thing is we got to apply pressure. We got to apply pressure, affect the quarterback, and put him in tough positions to just make the one-on-one throw.

At the end of the day, somebody got to make the play, and that’s what we have to do. That’s what we pride ourself in. That’s what we’re practicing. We’ll get it done.

Q. We talked to a couple Indiana receivers; they said you guys disguise stuff really well. How important is that?

DEONTAE LAWSON: Man, it’s critical. You know, even with an elite quarterback, he sees the disguise pretty well. We got to be extra dialed in to making him mess up honestly.

It’s crucial. I mean, if you could mess him up to get him through a read that wasn’t there, that produces the take away that we need, yeah.

Q. (Regarding New year’s resolutions.)

DEONTAE LAWSON: Just want to keep being a better me to be honest. Not really. I’m sure it’ll get me, but not really.

Q. Rose Bowl week. You have been in Alabama for four years. How would you put those four years into words if you were talking to one of your buddies back home?

DEONTAE LAWSON: Honestly, it was five years.

Q. Five years.

DEONTAE LAWSON: This is my fifth year. Man, definitely a rollercoaster of emotions. Man, I’ve grown so much and my mind is — I feel like my mind is so strong.

Honestly, man, it’s just truly a blessing. To know that 17 year old kid walking in here thinking he was all that because he five star or whatever, but actually being humbled and knowing that you have to put a lot of work in to achieve the goals that you want to.

Sitting here now, 22 years old and playing in my second Rose Bowl, it’s truly a blessing.

Q. What do you think the 17 year old had no idea was in front of him back then that you would tell him now?

DEONTAE LAWSON: Man, to be honest, that 17 year old would never expect to tear his ACL, come back, and just —

Q. How about the coaching change, too.

DEONTAE LAWSON: Yeah, that’s huge, too. I think my mindset. Ever since my injury my mindset has just shifted in a way. I’m actually grateful for that moment.

Q. So Indiana has been so good all year long. People have talked about them. You watched the film though. What makes them so efficient offensively?

DEONTAE LAWSON: Their discipline. The O-line works together well. The backs run hard. I mean, the quarterback, he’s elite. They got weapons all across the field, so we just got to be detailed and disciplined in everything we do.

You know, we’ll give them a challenge for sure, too.

Q. Assignment football, fill-in gaps, making Fernando uncomfortable. When you get a chance to play a Heisman typically it’s everybody gets excited to play Alabama, does it put the a chip on your shoulder?

DEONTAE LAWSON: Man, you always want to just — I wouldn’t say chip, but you always want to go against elite guys. You just want to go against elite guys and see if the hype is real. I’m sure the hype is real because he’s the Heisman, but, yeah, it just give us a little extra boost.

Q. Based on the film is he the best quarterback you’ve faced this year?

DEONTAE LAWSON: Yeah, he’s definitely the best quarterback we faced.

*** KADYN PROCTOR, OL

Q. I was talking to Bray over there, and he was talking about a word that describes this team, and he said unbreakable. What was the message? What was the meaning, especially for you guys, throughout the season? Has that stuck as the theme all year?

KADYN PROCTOR: I feel like it has for sure. We’ve gone through some ups and downs, and we didn’t get that first bye, so that’s really you got to be unbreakable. No matter how low the lows are, you’ve got to pick that up, you’ve got to pick each other up. And Coach has done a really good job reminding us that we’re unbreakable. At the end of the day, we’ve got to go 1-0 and really just focus on our job.

Q. What is it about this Indiana front seven that impresses you? I know they’ve been able to get to the quarterback and disrupt. What have you seen?

KADYN PROCTOR: I’ve seen just disrupters everywhere. They’ve got All-American guys. They’ve got Big Ten guys, All Big Ten guys. You see that on film too. They play hard. They play with a lot of effort, and they’re a really great team at the end of the day.

Q. Being from Big Ten country in Iowa, to see a school like Indiana play in a Rose Bowl, do you kind of, as somebody who’s from the Midwest, kind of see that and you’re going, you know what, good for you?

KADYN PROCTOR: I mean, as the opponent of the team —

Q. Probably not, yeah.

KADYN PROCTOR: Yeah, probably not, but for Midwest, I suppose so. We’re happy for every team, you know. It’s a hard season. It’s a long season. So you understand the grind, and they understand the grind. I know they’re blessed to be here, and we’re blessed to be here too.

Q. I know you may not want to tip anything off right now, but is there a possibility you’re catching a pass in the Rose Bowl?

KADYN PROCTOR: No. It’s strictly O-line play, man. That’s what it comes down to. We can’t really do too much of that crazy stuff. We’re in the College Football Playoffs. We’re focusing on that. I’m the offensive line, man.

Q. Got the big man Kadyn Proctor with us right now. Crimson Tide, Alabama, you guys are in the Rose Bowl. It’s in the song; it’s in the fight song. How does it feel being in Pasadena?

KADYN PROCTOR: It feels great. Obviously being here once and experiencing that. It was fun the last time we came here, just to come back with a new team and new guys that get to experience this with me. We’re just really blessed to be here. Happy to be here, happy to play against Indiana, a great team.

It’s been a long season. This is what we work for. We’re happy to be here.

Q. You’re the one guy here that I’ve got the NIL purchase for with that thick and sexy shirt or whatever it is. I got that thing, man. You are a heck of an athlete. I know some of that is God given, some of that is developed. Give us an idea what does it actually take to have the agility that you have?

KADYN PROCTOR: It’s kind of been instilled in us at Alabama to just work hard. I mean, in anything: in meetings, in practice, off the field, in school. Like I’ve seen that that’s been the biggest benefit. So for what I put in is what I get out. I’ve definitely seen that through my time here.

That’s really all it is, like you said. There’s some genetics in there, but I really do work hard, and I really try to just be the best player and person off the field and on the field that I can be.

Q. Your entire group up front, there’s been a lot of conversation about the offensive line, the run game and the pass game and protection. How would you describe your offensive line?

KADYN PROCTOR: I feel like we’re security, and we’re unbreakable at the end of the day. We’ve all had some breakdowns. At the end of the day, that’s really just what it is. You’re not going to be perfect. So people have to understand that, and people have to understand that we’re going against the best front sevens in the country week in and week out.

It’s tough playing for an offensive line in the SEC, but I feel like we’ve been doing a really great job. If we weren’t doing a really great job, we wouldn’t be where we’re at today.

Q. How do you adjust over the last three games, from the Auburn game to the Georgia game to the Oklahoma game till now, certainly it’s an offensive look each week.

KADYN PROCTOR: I wouldn’t say so for real.

Q. Protection-wise.

KADYN PROCTOR: Protection-wise, yeah. We’re not really focused on that. We’re just focused on putting work in week in and week out. Coming every day and going 1-0, that’s who we’ve always been. Just put your head down and keep working.

Q. Brief experience at Iowa when you went back for a couple months. What did you learn? Is there anything you would have done differently in retrospect?

KADYN PROCTOR: It’s kind of behind me, you know what I’m saying? It’s been some years. I don’t really got too much to say. I just know that I’m back where I need to be at the end of the day, and I’m happy right now to be here and play in the Rose Bowl with University of Alabama.

Q. How did you grow as a person since you came back to the University of Alabama?

KADYN PROCTOR: I would say Alabama just really does a great job at making us the best men on and off the field. With school-wise, we have advisors that really love us and put love into us. They’re happy to help in any way. I would say the coaches do the same thing.

I’d say that’s really what’s built me up to be the man I am, having that love and you putting that love out to the world too, man. That’s what you need.

Q. How did you become closer with Kalen DeBoer? How did that relationship develop?

KADYN PROCTOR: I feel like it started off with me coming back from Iowa and really just apologizing to him because I know I was stubborn and wasn’t really giving him a chance to really talk to me. When I came back, I just said I’m sorry. That’s really how I started off.

He respected me for that, and I respect him as a coach. He loves us, and he’s just a real genuine guy. I’m really thankful for him.

Q. Do you feel like you had to make amends to your teammates at all, apologize or work with them when you came back?

KADYN PROCTOR: I mean, if they asked me what was going through my mind, I would tell them, but at the end of the day, it’s all about ball, man. You’re not really worried about the outside factors.

Yes, I can own up to my mistakes, but at the end of the day, we’re ball players. I love these guys, and I have really great relationships with them. So pretty easy to come back. I’m just glad they accepted me.

Q. They’re the No. 1 seed; you guys are the 9 seed. You guys are pretty big underdogs, which is unusual for Alabama. Do you feel maybe disrespected by kind of how you’re being viewed outside your building?

KADYN PROCTOR: I wouldn’t say we’re getting disrespected because we didn’t do what we needed to do in some prior weeks. That’s what you get if you don’t prepare the right way, you’re not focused and locked in. We lost three games, that’s what’s going to happen.

I know that we’re going to learn from these mistakes, and that’s why we’re where we’re at right now.

Q. You were here for the last Rose Bowl trip, right?

KADYN PROCTOR: Yes.

Q. Is it a unique situation that you guys are considered the underdog in these types of games where before rarely you guys were in this position?

KADYN PROCTOR: It doesn’t matter at the end of the day. You’re playing ball, and if the 1 seed or the 16 seed is out here, it is what it is at the end of the day. It’s ball. It comes down to whoever is prepared more at the end of the week, and that’s all it is.

Q. Does Indiana’s defense remind you of anybody you’ve faced in your career?

KADYN PROCTOR: I would say like this season they kind of remind me of Vanderbilt, just having gap sound, technical guys that know their assignment. I would say them.

Q. They’ve never been a 1 seed before. Is it at all hard for you guys, especially a team like Alabama who’s used to being in that position, to get motivated for Indiana being No. 1 versus Ohio State or Georgia or one of those teams?

KADYN PROCTOR: No, it doesn’t matter. Like I’ve been saying, it is what it is at the end of the week. Seeds don’t matter. You watch the film, it’s just like any other week. You watch the film. You see what you need to work on. You see what they’ve got going on and going through their game plan. It’s ball at the end of the day.

Q. How motivated are you guys as a line to run the ball well? I know it’s been a story line all year. O-line would love to run the ball.

KADYN PROCTOR: You would love to run the ball, but if it ain’t going, we’re pretty good at pass protecting. That’s always what we want to do. That’s always the offensive line’s dream is to run the ball every play. But if we don’t do our job and we’re not technically sound, we can’t really do that. I know that’s what we’re looking forward to, trying to do that. That’s every game, trying to run the ball.

Q. After you showed your pass catch ability during the season, were you surprised you didn’t make the Biletnikoff finalist award?

KADYN PROCTOR: Not at all, man. It’s fun getting those opportunities for sure, and I’m blessed to be in the position that I am and for the coaches to trust me like that. But at the end of the day, I’m an offensive lineman. Got to stick with that.

Q. When they call the play, are you just — does your mind just start racing like, okay, here’s —

KADYN PROCTOR: No, can’t start racing, or that’s when you’ll mess up. That’s when you’ll mess up if your mind starts racing. You’ve got to be calm.

I know back in the Georgia game in another interview that I had done, I told them that Ryan had told me before the play, like no moment’s too big. That’s all it is. You know your assignment. You know what you’re supposed to do. You know your job. Go out and execute.

Q. I know it’s two different teams, Michigan two years ago out here, Indiana, another Big Ten team. Is there anything you can take away from that first trip out here that you can use for this, or it’s two different opponents, two different situations?

KADYN PROCTOR: Obviously two different teams at the end of the day. I would say it really just comes down to the person who locks in the most at practice. I know it’s hard being out in L.A. and doing all and seeing all these things, especially being in Tuscaloosa with not too much to do, it’s just a football town, and you come out here and you’ve got guys that are just in awe.

But at the end of the day, it’s lock in and do what you need to do. We’re out here. It’s a business trip.

Q. When you played Michigan two years ago, did Michigan as a Big Ten team, were they a different style of team that maybe you faced in the SEC? Do you remember? Or they were just a good team?

KADYN PROCTOR: I wouldn’t say so. They’re good teams. It doesn’t matter, SEC, Big Ten, Pac-12. It’s good teams put out there. They’ve got really good players, speedy edges, powerful D-tackles. It’s the same thing at the end of the day.

Q. Kadyn, you grew up in Big Ten country, correct?

KADYN PROCTOR: Yes.

Q. Did you ever think that Indiana would get to a level where you’d see them play in the Rose Bowl?

KADYN PROCTOR: I mean, I haven’t really thought about that too much because I’m not an Indiana fan or any fan of any team. So I never really thought about that.

But to see Indiana to make it, they’ve been doing some really great things this season. They’re definitely well-deserving as they have a really good team. They’ve put together some really good games, and they’re all deserving to be here.

Q. What kind of things does their offensive line do that stood out on tape to you?

KADYN PROCTOR: They’re really stout, man. You see their run defense, they stuff them. That’s what they want to do. They have really good pass rushers too, older guys. That’s what I see. They’re powerful guys. We’ve got to be ready for that.

Q. You likened them to Vanderbilt just a couple of minutes ago. Why? What’s the similarities there?

KADYN PROCTOR: Because of them being gap sound and being very technical in what they’re doing. I felt like Vanderbilt and them, they know the scheme. They know what they need to do at the end of the day, and they just go out there and execute, yeah.

Q. I guess, just being a guy from Iowa now your second time at the Rose Bowl, what does it mean to you to go from there to the biggest stage in college football?

KADYN PROCTOR: It means a lot. Not really having too many opportunities to go and do these things. I don’t know, that people don’t really get to travel out here. I know I didn’t get to travel a lot when I was in high school. So just to be out here with my teammates, I’m just really blessed to be here and to have this opportunity. It’s awesome.

Q. I wanted to ask you a little bit about what has been different about this season now that the band is back together with Coach Grubb and Coach Sheridan. I know that the offensive line group is a little bit different than — play calls and a new quarterback as your leader. But what have you noticed that’s different about the offense this year compared to previous years with the team?

KADYN PROCTOR: I would say we’re just really getting comfortable with the coaches. It’s hard coming in here the first year with Coach and really having that relationship with your players, but I feel like we’ve been doing a really great job locking in. At the end of the day, what’s really been the difference is just that camaraderie that you have to build.

*** BRAY HUBBARD, DB

Q. When you watch Indiana’s offense, what stands out? What do you think makes them really good offensively?

BRAY HUBBARD: They just play sound. They play clean across the board. I think that’s what’s most impressive. Obviously, Fernando does a great job of getting his playmakers the ball.

That’s one thing you have to prepare for. He can make every throw. His receivers are doing a good job when the ball is in the air, they attack it.

Q. The fact that he’s a Heisman winner, does it add a chip at all, any extra juice at all for you guys trying to stop the Heisman winner?

BRAY HUBBARD: I mean, yeah, but at the end of the day, it’s another game for us. We got to prepare, prepare to dominate.

Q. Their RPO stuff is really good. Are there things they do within that that makes it really good, or is it just who they have that’s running it?

BRAY HUBBARD: I think it’s both really. Obviously Fernando does a really good job of creating his (inaudible) and being able to get the ball out and what he sees. So we have to be prepared for that and (inaudible).

Q. I would imagine you haven’t probably watched a whole lot of him prior to the last few weeks. What kind of impressed you about him?

BRAY HUBBARD: He can make every throw. There’s a throw, I think it was against Iowa, he was on the left hash. He threw a hole shot across the field. It was probably 30 yards down the field, but across the field, so that’s a very impressive throw for a quarterback to make. It’s probably one of the hardest throws for any quarterback to make.

Like I said, he can make every throw, and that’s what the challenge is. He does a great job of running the offense and making sure all his guys are on point. So we have to play sound and be prepared.

Q. The guys that he has around him, what impresses you, who impresses you?

BRAY HUBBARD: They all impress me. They do a good job, like I said, of going up and attacking the ball. So we have to play physical on defense. We have to try and get the ball out. That’s going to be the key is we have to create turnovers and takeaways. That’s really the key.

Q. Is it hard to find an offense like that that is really clean, mistake-free? Is that rare?

BRAY HUBBARD: No, I don’t think it’s rare, but they do a really good job of it. In the SEC we play a lot of different offenses, and a lot of them are very clean, so we have another challenge this week.

Q. Is there an offense you’ve played that’s kind of comparable to Indiana in the SEC?

BRAY HUBBARD: Yeah, but no. I mean, everybody is so different. Obviously every team is going to be clean. I think Georgia was a very clean offense both times we’ve played them. Tennessee, they ran a very efficient offense. They were hard to stop.

I mean, really everyone in the SEC that we faced was very clean and efficient, so…

Q. You guys watch the weather at all? Are you guys monitoring that at all? If it rains a lot, how that would change things?

BRAY HUBBARD: No, not really. Not really. Not for us.

Q. It’s been a big topic outside. I wondered if you guys do.

BRAY HUBBARD: No, not for us.

Q. Morning or night workout?

BRAY HUBBARD: Morning.

Q. Would you rather have a shoe named after you or an award named after you?

BRAY HUBBARD: An award.

Q. Favorite road trip snack?

BRAY HUBBARD: I like the peanut-butter-filled pretzels.

Q. The song right now that gets your mind right?

BRAY HUBBARD: I listen to so many different songs, I couldn’t even tell you.

Q. Give me an artist.

BRAY HUBBARD: Josh Turner, because that’s what I was listening to this morning.

Q. If you could steal one of your teammate’s skills, who and what would that be?

BRAY HUBBARD: Red’s ability to just do a back flip whenever he feels.

Q. What’s your most used emoji?

BRAY HUBBARD: Probably the laughing face.

Q. Everyone says the laughing face. Describe the Rose Bowl in one word?

BRAY HUBBARD: The granddaddy of them all.

Q. What are your New Year’s resolutions? Do you have any?

BRAY HUBBARD: I haven’t even thought about it.

Q. You have something bigger on your mind.

BRAY HUBBARD: Yeah. National championship.

Q. Say that again.

BRAY HUBBARD: National championship.

Q. What stands out to you about this Indiana offense? What have you seen from them on film either recently or if you caught any of their games throughout the season as well?

BRAY HUBBARD: Yeah, they play very clean across the board. The thing I saw from their quarterback, he does a good job of managing the offense and getting the ball to his playmakers and not turning the ball over. They’re just efficient.

Q. You’ve had a lot of time now to watch the film since the Oklahoma game. Fernando is pretty good. How does he differ? How similar is he to some of the quarterbacks you’ve already seen?

BRAY HUBBARD: Yeah, I mean, he does a really good job. He’s very efficient. He’s a game manager. He does a great job of getting the ball to his playmakers. That’s what is probably most impressive.

When he gets the ball to his playmakers, I think in past games the receivers do a really good job of attacking the ball, so that’s something we’ve had to prepare for. They’re going to go and (inaudible). So that’s something we’ve been working on all week.

He has playmakers, like I said, all around him. Obviously he’s the Heisman for a reason, and he can make every throw in the book, so that’s what we prepare for.

Q. Anything the coaching staff has harped on this week as far as really paying attention so tendencies or things you can do to neutralize Indiana? They’ve been so efficient all year long. Are there any tells?

BRAY HUBBARD: Oh, yeah, every team has their tells. At the end of the day, they’re going to run what they’re going to run, but we just have to (inaudible) and play fast and execute.

Q. The Oklahoma game things were going so well. You kept that offense in check. When things are going well for four quarters, give us an idea of how it’s sustained, how you guys are able to put together a game plan, able to execute it, and really make it go for four quarters, how does that differ from a week where it doesn’t exactly come together?

BRAY HUBBARD: I mean, I think the key to it is starting fast and finishing strong.

Q. It’s that simple, huh?

BRAY HUBBARD: It’s that simple.

Q. Is there moments that can get away? Like, just have to be focused the entire time?

BRAY HUBBARD: I mean, that’s — you are there for one reason, to play the game for four quarters. You got 60 minutes to go in there and get a win and get out. That’s what we say all the time. It’s a 60-minute ball game. It’s not 30 minutes. It’s not a half. It’s a full 60-minute ball game. That’s what you have to be prepared for.

Q. What’s your New Year’s resolution?

BRAY HUBBARD: Win a national championship.

Q. Is that something that is on your mind constantly right now, winning a national championship?

BRAY HUBBARD: Yeah. We’re in the playoffs. That’s the main goal. That’s my New Year’s resolution is win a national championship.

Q. Kane wears that cap over his chest. What do you think he keeps in that little bag?

BRAY HUBBARD: Who was it?

Q. Kane Wommack.

BRAY HUBBARD: I don’t know. I didn’t even know he wears one.

Q. What is he like as a defensive coordinator? Why do you guys feel like you’ve been so good at creating havoc on defense?

BRAY HUBBARD: I mean, he talks to us about creating takeaways. We have a certain we go through every day before practice to get the ball out, getting interceptions, blocking it out. We do it all. He harps on it every week, how to create takeaways. He puts it out there, and we go execute.

Q. Why do you think Deontae always seems to be there when you punch the football loose?

BRAY HUBBARD: I guess because we’re both into the boundary. He is always around the ball, and I’m always around the ball. I don’t know. I think it just happens.

We were talking about it. He was, like, Dude, every time you get the ball out, it happens to come to me. I didn’t realize at the time. I sat down and I was like, Yeah, you’re right, that’s crazy. So…

Q. A little connection there?

BRAY HUBBARD: Yeah.

Q. Just a quick question. Do you have any New Year’s resolutions?

BRAY HUBBARD: Win a national championship.

Q. Have you thought anything about next season?

BRAY HUBBARD: No. I’ve been asked, even by the coaches, and I’ve been straight. Win a national championship, that’s my main goal. I told somebody. I was, like, it’s not like we’re in some normal bowl game that you play on New Year’s Eve, whatever, and (inaudible). We are in the playoffs.

Q. (Inaudible).

BRAY HUBBARD: Obviously I’ve put a lot of good things on tape. There’s always things that you would like to get back, but I’ve put a lot of good things on tape. (Inaudible).

Q. What’s it like being here?

BRAY HUBBARD: We just got here yesterday. We got in here about — I forgot — probably 7:00, 8:00. We haven’t really seen much, but we were here my freshman year. It’s pretty cool out here. It’s definitely different from where I’m from in Mississippi in Tuscaloosa. It’s definitely different, so…

Q. I was asking the guys that were here back in 2023, what is it like being back here again? Is it a surreal moment? Is that game a motivating factor to win this game?

BRAY HUBBARD: Yeah, I think you could say it’s a motivation. We would have loved to get the national championship that year. We’re back here and playing in a historic bowl game in college football. We’re excited about it.

Q. What’s it been like watching Zabien Brown this season with the pick six so crucial. How has he really developed?

BRAY HUBBARD: Yeah, he does it in practice. He says it all the time and preaches it to us. Every week he says, do it in practice, do it in the game. He does it in practice all the time.

He’s got it on lockdown. It’s impressive. I think all his picks have been pretty much pick sixes. Even in Tennessee when I didn’t know it was happening. I was in coverage, and I just seen him running down the field.

Then the Oklahoma game, I’m dropping out. I just hear the crowd go silent, and I see Zabien just taking off. I’m, like, Oh, my gosh, he’s gone.

Actually, I saw the quarterback. I thought the quarterback was going to tackle him. He missed. So I was, like, Man, let’s go.

Q. Coach was saying after the Oklahoma game that you guys were begging to go to man coverage. Just how comfortable is it for this defense to recognize the switch when you can go into man coverage?

BRAY HUBBARD: Yeah, I think last week put a lot of pressure and got him uncomfortable, got him to move around in the pocket. That forced him and giving him different looks, disguise on coverages that we’re playing. Obviously that’s where we’re running this week.

Obviously he’s the Heisman for a reason. He’s done a really good job, so we have to do a really good job disguising.

Q. They haven’t turned the ball over that much. Only eight times this year. You are good at getting takeaways. How do you do that in this game?

BRAY HUBBARD: Yeah, just executing. Whatever is called, whatever is put out there for us, we have to go execute. We have to take punches with the ball. When the ball is in the air, we have to go get it.

Q. It feels like your DBs are fearless. Where does that mindset come from?

BRAY HUBBARD: I think that’s just in us. Obviously we don’t want to let each other down. We just go out there and are playing for each other. 11 bodies are representing. We just go out there, fly around, and try to take the ball out.

Q. Do you have a New Year’s resolution?

BRAY HUBBARD: Win a national championship.

Q. What’s the challenge going up against Fernando Mendoza, Heisman Trophy winner?

BRAY HUBBARD: Man, obviously he’s the Heisman for a reason. He can make every throw in the book. You see it on film. He makes every throw.

He’s got great talent around him with his receivers. They do a good job of when the ball is in the air, they go and attack it. Obviously he’s a game manager, so…

Q. He seems very poised and collected at all times. How do you (inaudible) —

BRAY HUBBARD: It starts early. We have to hit him early, but obviously he does a great job. There’s been times in games, the Big Ten Championship, you saw he got hit like the first play. He gets right back up and goes back.

Q. I was just talking about the underdog mentality being kind of flipped against an Indiana team. What’s that been like the last few days?

BRAY HUBBARD: We’ve pretty much been the underdog all year. Mostly after Week 1, everyone has kind of doubted us even though you look at rankings, we would be the higher rank than somebody. They’re like, well, I don’t think they can do this, but we just keep proving people wrong. That’s what we have to do every week.

Q. Do you like that?

BRAY HUBBARD: Yeah, I love it.

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