Full player quotes from Alabama's defensive media availability at Rose Bowl
LOS ANGELES – Five Alabama players accompanied defensive coordinator Kevin Steele to the Sheraton Grand Los Angeles on Friday for the Crimson Tide’s Rose Bowl defensive media availability. The player reps were Justin Eboigbe, Deontae Lawson, Kool-Aid McKinstry, Malachi Moore and Dallas Turner. Below are quotes from their time in the print media room.
JUSTIN EBOIGBE
Q. How are you liking California so far?
JUSTIN EBOIGBE: What did Tupac say, I love LA (laughter).
Q. Where were you at at this time last year?
JUSTIN EBOIGBE: This time last year, was down at the Sugar Bowl, trying to cheer my team on. Doing a little bit of rehab and strength and conditioning. But still uncertain what my future hold.
It was a blessing to look at the year in review, how hard work pays off. Can’t do nothing without God, and just each and every day working, understanding there ain’t no tomorrow, everything happens for a reason.
And I just truly believe that. I told myself each and every day I would come back from it. And I truly meant that. I truly believed it. Each and every day in practice, each and every game I try to go out and prove myself right. And just understand that adversity that happened, it made me better. It made me mentally stronger. It made me physically better because I feel like I truly did come back better.
Q. I know you guys are excited to be here, but for you is it a little more special given what you just talked about last year?
JUSTIN EBOIGBE: Of course. Of course. Just the challenges of the season. I would say I don’t think nobody, after week two, thought we’d be in this position. Even after week three, I don’t think anybody thought we would be in this position.
But just truly each and every game, each and every practice, we just came together, understood that it’s us. Anything that we’re going to accomplish, it’s us. And I feel like truly we became close as a team through all the doubts, the adversity that happened, and we just truly understood that we still controlled our own destiny.
It came with beating Ole Miss at home, going on to beat LSU, beat Tennessee and controlling off it to and get to Atlanta, and going on to beat the No. 1 team in the country at that time [Georgia]. Understanding that we’re prepared for this situation, prepared for this opportunity, and we earned the right to be here.
Q. You’re watching film, what stands out about their running back [Blake Corum]?
JUSTIN EBOIGBE: He’s a patient runner. He’s a very good player. A lot of times in the games you’ll see guys get out of their run fits. He exploits it and he’ll take advantage of it.
So just understanding that we have to be disciplined, we have to fit the line, stay in our gaps because as soon as we get out of our gap, he’s going to explore and hit the gap that he was in. Just being disciplined on the team, understanding we are playing a great running back. We are playing a great O line, and we have to treat them as such.
Q. Take us back to your mindset, the Sugar Bowl, what extent were you in your rehab process, did you know you would be able to come back, but was it still up in the air at that point?
JUSTIN EBOIGBE: It was still hopeful thinking. At that point I was still doing like band workout, nothing weight-wise. I was just trying to run a little bit. It was like the first few weeks I was cleared to do band workouts and be able to run.
I was just grateful to be able to do that but also just grateful to have the opportunity to be with the team because it was something that was missing during the time that I was out.
So it was kind of like a little rehab in itself being around the team, being around the guys. So just grateful for that opportunity because it makes me think back on how far everything came.
I understand that always carry that with me because it’s something I can tap into in them hard times, understanding I came from that, where I was, and taking care of the moment, taking advantage of the moment. Any opportunity that’s given, take full advantage of it because you never know what may happen.
Q. Has there been a moment or game this year where you really felt that or you’ve been able to take a step back and appreciate that?
JUSTIN EBOIGBE: I would say just the first game against Middle Tennessee, being able to go out on the field, even, you know, people wouldn’t consider that a big game, but I was like, man, I’m here.
And then going out playing against Texas A&M, last time we played them we lost. Going on the road, being in a hostile environment, and being able to have one of my best games, not just one of my best games, I felt the defensive line, they had one of their best games. The guy over there had one of his best games. T.K., Tim Keenan, Jaheim Oatis, Tim Smith, just the whole D line, I celebrate things like that when other guys are going too.
Q. When you were struggling, quote/unquote, earlier in the season, do you hear from former players? How does that work at Alabama?
JUSTIN EBOIGBE: I mean, honestly, you can go on social media and, you know, see their response to what was going on, but we understand that’s all from a place of care.
They did the same exact things that we did: The hell of workouts in the summertime, the grind of the workouts in summertime, the fall camp practices and the grind of Tuesday, Wednesday practices during the week.
So they know what it takes. Everything that they say is from a place of care, a place of love.
We try not to — when we go out on the field, we try to live up to the expectation of what Bama is about. Because that’s where it is. People call it D line, DBU, linebacker U.
And we just try to live up to the expectation and be something that they can be proud of.
Q. It seemed like Coach Saban was really intentional about being publicly supportive of the team and how hard you guys were playing even though you still had a ways to go to become the team you wanted to be. How is that received in the locker room when he does that?
JUSTIN EBOIGBE: He always say he loves this team. And we truly do believe that because of the adversity that has been faced and everything that’s happened. Guys are uncertain about their position, the loss early on, the doubt from the media and all that, like he loves saying: Let all naysayers know.
So just his reception of him backing us and truly believing in us even at a time when we felt at our worse. If you saw the locker room after week 2, it was a very bad feeling.
Even coming out that week 3, with USF, it was still the same feeling. But the next week, just going on, Ole Miss, Tennessee, the second half against Tennessee, LSU.
Just we responded to adversity very well. I feel like that’s something that has built, carried in this team. It’s something that we have taken to get us to this part, to get us to this game here.
Q. Considering everything that you’ve been through, was it to take the lead in that aspect, hey, you’ve been worse through football games, maybe the defense in that manner?
JUSTIN EBOIGBE: Of course. I try to be somebody who tries to lead. Not only by words but by actions. You see me out there each and every day working, each and every practice. I never take a day off. I’m not going to take reps off. If I can go, I’m going to go because at the end of the day I want the trust and the belief of not only the coaches but the players that everything that I do, I earned it and it wasn’t just given to me.
So if I’m playing a lot of plays, just know that Monday through Friday, I was taking all them reps for a reason. I don’t look at it like trying to get my body right for the game. I’m going to show each and everybody that I work during the week to get this opportunity.
Q. Size-wise, how does this Michigan offensive line stack up against the offensive lines you’ve faced this season?
JUSTIN EBOIGBE: You really don’t know until the game. You be ready for that first hit. You never know how hot they might be. Because on film, somebody can look like they’re coming off the ball but until you go up against it, you really don’t know. But in the past they won the Joe Moore Award, right? So giving somebody the best O line.
Just the opportunity to go up against a great O line like that. But just understanding that one of the guys got hurt, I think Zak Zinter, but they were still able to go on to win the Big Ten Championship. And just understand that they’re a great O line unit. And it’s going to take 60 minutes to impose our will.
Q. How cognizant are you guys of J.J. McCarthy’s rushing ability?
JUSTIN EBOIGBE: Very. In practice, a guy, Ty Buchner, has given us a great look by scrambling around. So it’s been an importance on containing the quarterback, our scramble rules, running to the ball. Because this is it. You’ve got to lay it all on the line.
Same way how we try to get to the national championship, they’re trying to get to the national championship. So they’re going to come out with all the tricks. They’re going to leave it all on the line, and we’re going to do the same.
Q. Which team do you feel like is the real underdog in this game?
JUSTIN EBOIGBE: Do we still have doubters that we shouldn’t be here? So I feel like it’s us. Ever since week 2 I feel we’ve had the underdog mentality, and we proved a lot of people wrong, and we’re just trying to prove the people that still believe in us right and prove ourselves right because we earned the opportunity to be in this game, and it’s on us to show Monday the reason why.
Q. (Indiscernible) played in this game, but there are young guys in practice. What do you see from them (indiscernible) and a guy like L.T. Overton?
JUSTIN EBOIGBE: Just the maturity. Understanding they may not be able to play, but they’re going to give us right, whether it’s individual drills, giving us a good look or going on the scout team and giving the O line a good look. At the end of the day, you can still help the team by getting the guy who may be playing on Monday — it’s weird not saying Saturday — giving the guys playing on Monday a good look.
You can help the team out. Just because they may not be on the game field doesn’t mean that you can’t help out in the practice field, in the film room. Helping guys out, that’s what it’s about.
Everybody has a role on this team, and just because your role may not be of a guy like Kool-Aid that gets all the attention, you gotta realize that at the end of the day if we accomplish what we want to accomplish, each and every one is going to get a ring.
Q. How much tackling do you do in practice over the course of the season?
JUSTIN EBOIGBE: Not much because we try to keep guys up, and it’s all about keeping guys healthy. But it’s all about the fundamentals. The approach of the tackle, the wrapping up, but you gotta stay up because you don’t want to get no guys hurt. You don’t want nobody on the ground during practice. But at times during scrimmages we do a lot of live tackling, full go at it.
Q. The reason I ask is it sounds like Michigan, they do a lot of tackling in their 9–on–7s. I assume you guys do that when you do 9–on–7.
JUSTIN EBOIGBE: Yeah.
Q. How do you establish, keep those periods physical knowing you’re not full tackling?
JUSTIN EBOIGBE: Trust and belief. (Indiscernible) alive and full at it. And sometimes we do make mistakes. Guys do go to the ground because the runners, they are taught to run through a tackle and finish the play.
And the only thing we try to do is we try to keep guys healthy, but we can teach the fundamentals by the approach of the tackle and also wrapping up. Just because we’re not taking guys to the ground as full-on tackle, you can still practice the fundamentals.
Q. Do you like 9–on–7? Or do you know if it’s a day that’s coming up, it’s not your favorite?
JUSTIN EBOIGBE: I like it. It’s usually a Wednesday practice. But I like it all. The periods we look forward to is the team run, the good on good, “mano a mano,” the O line try and move us off the ball, we try to move the O line off the ball, and the backers try to make their run fits, the safeties coming down.
That’s what it’s about. I feel like that’s something that anybody on the Bama defense looks forward to. That’s going to be a telling sign of how our day is.
Q. Before this, what did you know about Michigan?
JUSTIN EBOIGBE: I mean, I knew it was a good team. I know they like to run the ball. It’s something we pride ourselves on, stopping the run.
Clearly undefeated. They’re a team that deserve to be here, and I have all the respect in the world for them.
Q. What’s been your impression of L.T. Overton since he’s been here?
JUSTIN EBOIGBE: Good guy. Coming in, learning the system. Trying to be successful in it. Great team guy. He’s on scout team right now. Of course he can’t play in the game right now, but he’s giving the guys on the O line and offense a look.
Q. How much do you think is skill set (indiscernible) able to provide, height, weight, size?
JUSTIN EBOIGBE: When he gets in the winter conditioning, summer conditioning, his body is going to change. He’s going to get bigger and stronger. But he’s a guy who, I think, plays edge at Texas A&M. He’ll come in and play D line. He’s going to put a little bit more weight on. But I feel like he’s going to be very successful in the system.
Q. What advice would you give to him joining this defense after you spent so long with this defense? What did you tell him about what to expect, I guess, from it?
JUSTIN EBOIGBE: Just to expect that it’s expectations each and every day. Going to have to come in and work and understand that the expectation of the last place isn’t an expectation here. It’s a grind each and every day.
And it’s a competition each and every day because it may be a guy that’s younger than you are, a guy that’s behind you in the depth chart wanting the same opportunity as you.
You have to prove it each and every day, whether it be in the weight room, whether it be experience or whether it be on the field, you’ve got to understand that it’s a competition. That’s what makes it so successful.
Q. A lot of people forgot about Alabama week 2. Did you guys feel as players that you were in real trouble, you lost to Texas at home, et cetera?
JUSTIN EBOIGBE: No, we never felt like we were in trouble. We understood we still controlled our destiny. Texas was not an SEC opponent. At the end of the day, it wouldn’t hurt us as far as getting to Atlanta. We knew it was going to be a tougher role, but we had to win out.
But it was going to take one game at a time, and we were going to have to really put importance on taking it one day at a time, each practice trying to get better, trying to minimize mistakes and do this.
Q. They weren’t just questioning you guys, they were questioning Saban, which having been in the program a long time, when you heard people say maybe he’s not the coach he used to be, what sort of went through your mind?
JUSTIN EBOIGBE: Just use that as motivation. Use it as fuel. They made a trademark letting all naysayers know, understanding if you’re not with us, you’re against us.
Understanding that it’s going to take us, all the guys in the locker room, in the room, the coaching staff, everybody, the support staff, everything, it’s us against the world. Understanding that it’s going to be one day at a time, one game at a time, and we controlled everything that we controlled and we deserved the right to be here.
Q. Were there a couple moments where he really pulled you together, where things potentially could come apart, and here’s your 72-year-old coach, coached like when he was 42?
JUSTIN EBOIGBE: I would just say understand that he put confidence in us saying that he still really loves this team. And just putting importance on showing us that he believes in us. If he still believes in us, what everybody else has to say doesn’t matter. He never stopped believing in us one day, he never stopped coaching us or looked at it as the season as a failure.
It’s something that made us come together even more. Even after that week 2 game, the week 3 game, USF. Jalen became the starting quarterback, and we finally knew who was going to be the quarterback, and we rallied behind him. He became a great leader because we finally knew who was going to be the man in charge.
So just understanding that he put confidence in us, put confidence in Jalen, still had confidence in the defense, and we are here because of all of that.
Q. Justin, have you seen L.T. in practice when he transferred over?
JUSTIN EBOIGBE: He’s been at practice with us. Great guy. Definitely helping out the offense. So hopefully it helps out on Monday from all the stuff he’s done in practice, going up against us. Great guy because when it comes to individual drills, he’s the first guy up, ready to help us give us a look. So I have nothing but great things to say about him.
Q. Have you seen anything in the last year to make you think he’s close to walking away, Coach Saban? Have you seen anything in him this year from that makes you think he’s ready to say —
JUSTIN EBOIGBE: No. No. He always say why would I walk away and do what? First day I came in he still has the same fire and passion that he does now. I truly believe him. I know when I was getting recruited people said he was going to walk away, and he still hasn’t.
Q. All year Michigan has talked about the TCU game it played last year, this big learning experience. From your perspective, is that a game you look to as to how to throw Michigan off, how to throw McCarthy off?
JUSTIN EBOIGBE: Not really, because each year is different. Each game is different. If you try to compare us to the week two, we’re not the same team.
I’m not going to compare what happened last year because that’s not the same team that had different players, different mindset, they learned a lot of things.
And they can have a learning experience from that, but we’re going to take what they can give this season as what they are.
Q. Kool-Aid said that Michigan reminds him of Auburn. Do you agree with that?
JUSTIN EBOIGBE: I mean, a team that has nothing to lose. They’ve been in this position before, so close to the national championship. So they want to play spoilers for the season that we want to have. It’s still all about us.
Q. Similar offense to Auburn?
JUSTIN EBOIGBE: As far as they like to run the ball. That’s their bread and butter, they like to run the ball. I’m pretty sure they’re going to have their mindset to run the ball.
Q. What do you think about Blake Corum?
JUSTIN EBOIGBE: Great back, very patient back. Takes advantage of people getting out of the holes, getting out of the run fits. And he’s somebody that came back from an injury last year. So I’m glad that he came back and had a successful season.
Q. Do you like the game Ole Miss, tempo, rush, rush, rush?
JUSTIN EBOIGBE: Honestly, it’s crazy, early in the season that’s all we played was tempo teams. But I just like the challenges of each and every week playing a different team, playing a different style of game.
And it’s just fun because a different level of preparation that you have to have, especially with having all this time to prepare for a team, it’s something that you look forward to.
DEONTAE LAWSON
Q. What’s the biggest thing that stands out going against J.J. McCarthy?
DEONTAE LAWSON: I think the biggest thing is everyone being on the same page. He’s a great quarterback, and he makes the right decisions, and he can definitely use what he knows and what we give him and that can hurt us. So we just have to be disciplined and make sure everyone is on the same page so we can execute.
Q. Justin and Dallas said Tyler Buchner has done a good job replicating. Have you seen that too?
DEONTAE LAWSON: Yes, sir, no doubt. Tyler Buchner give us great looks. Not the only week he’s done it. And I think it definitely helps us in a way because he’s quick and it will definitely help us in the game.
Q. When you’re watching film, what stands out about their running back and what are the challenges facing a talented running back like that?
DEONTAE LAWSON: He’s patient. He’s very patient, and he runs behind his pass. They’ve got a few guys that they rotate back there. And the offensive line, we have a good offensive line there. They’re able to get movement and outleverage you, basically, and that just creates lanes for the running back to run through, and we’ve got to be disciplined. Everybody gotta be in their gap and we’ve got to be able to stop the run.
Q. When you first got here, what was going through your head? What did you know about them? What did you think?
DEONTAE LAWSON: Honestly, when I first found out that we were in, I mean, I wasn’t really thinking about who we were playing at the time or anything. I was just happy for the opportunity that we created. But now that I know a little bit about Michigan, I mean, they like to run the ball and they have an elite quarterback and guys on the edge. And we know the talent we have, and we just gotta prepare the right way so we can execute.
Q. Sign stealing stuff was a big deal in October. Did that cross your mind at all with Michigan?
DEONTAE LAWSON: No, not really too much. I’m just not going to really speak to that.
Q. What are your impressions of — (inaudible)?
DEONTAE LAWSON: He definitely catches my attention. His cuts. His patience or him being patient and just how he runs behind his pass. He plays hard for his team and I know he’s a great leader for their team. And ready for the challenge.
Q. Challenging, small guy, small in stature, does it make it tougher to bring someone like that down?
DEONTAE LAWSON: I wouldn’t say it makes it tougher. I would just say we have to gang tackle him because he has a lot of gravity or a little leverage, I would say. But that’s great for running backs to have and it will be a challenge for us, for sure.
Q. Could you take me back to the offseason. First time you heard Link, was Jalen selling it?
DEONTAE LAWSON: It was Jalen and Terrion selling it. I was with it. I agree everything they say. I mean the saying they’ve got is amazing, especially at the time we’re at now. We just have to keep building on that.
I think that’s something that really brought this team together in a way, but it’s just something that they said and that we’re going to live up to.
Q. I know he’s not in your position group, but have you had a chance to talk to LT since he’s came on board and I think LT…
DEONTAE LAWSON: No, I haven’t talked to him much. But like if I see him, I would say hello, but other than that, we haven’t had a conversation or anything.
Q. Is it weird to have those guys come in in practice or do you try to give them as much advice and try to get them to adjust?
DEONTAE LAWSON: It’s really not weird. Just try to get them adjusted, try to tell them how it’s like and I mean I’m sure they’ll see like once they’re at practicing and everything.
Q. What’s practice been like since you guys got to LA?
DEONTAE LAWSON: The same practice structure, just different environment. But I think the first day everyone just had to get a little used to it. We’re kind of just sluggish a little bit. But as the week continues, I feel like we’re getting closer, closer to where we want to be.
Q. Is it nice to have a normal game week of practice? I think you had an extra day off for the game, but to have that, a different setting, that familiarity of the schedule?
DEONTAE LAWSON: No doubt. At the end of the day, we know what we came here for. We know what it takes to win the game. That’s all we can think about and keep our mindset.
Q. Jalen, practice, how far have you seen him throw the ball at times?
DEONTAE LAWSON: I don’t want to make up nothing, but I know he throw it pretty far. And he is strong. He’s been showing it since we first got here.
Q. I know obviously you don’t take him down in practice, but in scrimmages, when he escapes out of the pocket, he moves, what kind of movement is it?
DEONTAE LAWSON: He’s electric. I mean, sometimes we say in practice, when he scrambles, he would have got sacked or he would have got tackled but we know like he would have been going — I mean, it’s great to have him, and it sucks for the defense.
Q. Talking about the personality of this team, how is it different than the last two years.
DEONTAE LAWSON: I just think we’re so together, and I think as people, like the people, our leadership group, how they’re able to connect with the young players, that can make a huge difference because when you can create a relationship off the field with someone, then on the field, I mean, you can tell them to run through a wall and they’ll do it and that’s great for us to have that definitely been in our favor.
Q. That was missing somewhat in the last few years. Do you see that as something that you had to…
DEONTAE LAWSON: I definitely will say that. When I first got here, I just don’t think we were close enough, but we’re a team. But like off the field we weren’t as connected as we are this year, and I think that has made an improvement in our play.
Q. What specific strategies did you guys take and how did that come together?
DEONTAE LAWSON: Offseason, we did a lot of team bonding and just working together and having a young team kind of helps as well, just really learning from, what I did personally, I just learned from the years I’ve been here, the leaders that I’ve been around, and just do everything I can to inspire guys.
Q. (Question about previous teams.)
DEONTAE LAWSON: I would say Henry To’oTo’o is the biggest. Henry To’oTo’o showed me the way a little bit. Him, Will Anderson, of course, Jordan Battle, those three guys that I can name that I kind of — I listened to what they had to say. I listened to everyone. But those guys were a little different, and Henry was just my brother. So that was different.
Q. What do you see of J.J. McCarthy on tape?
DEONTAE LAWSON: I think he’s an elite quarterback that makes the right reads, makes the right plays and don’t make mistakes, and that’s what you want in a quarterback. I feel like he’s a great leader for their team, and he’s a great player.
Q. Michigan has talked about which of their quarterbacks are giving the look for Jalen Milroe, the most similar. Who do you think in practice is the guy who gives you the best look for J.J. McCarthy on your team?
DEONTAE LAWSON: I think we have Tyler Buchner that can help us with the reps. And I mean he does a great job.
He’s been doing it for a couple of weeks. And he does a great job for us.
Q. What does he try to emulate about McCarthy, maybe?
DEONTAE LAWSON: I mean, really just the running ability. I mean, he’s going to throw it — J.J. is going to throw it regardless. We don’t have anyone to imitate that. But just the running ability and making sure we’re just seeing that as well.
Q. You have kids coming in midyear, and is that weird when you see them show up? Does that go through your mind, like, wow, look at how young these dudes are, what they’re in for?
DEONTAE LAWSON: I wouldn’t say it’s weird or anything. I would say the only thing, Sterling Dixon, he’s a new enrollee, and what’s crazy is he — in high school, I was a senior, and he was in ninth grade, and we played at the same school. When I saw him here I was like, yeah, I’m getting old.
Q. When you started that like welcome to Alabama moment, a first practice, first workout, something where you’re like this is different?
DEONTAE LAWSON: I would just say like my first couple of days of workouts, man, those were intense and something I never did before. I would say that was my welcome to Alabama moment. Of course, the competition on the field is crazy. But I would just say the workouts. That really opened my eyes early.
Q. (Inaudible) Justin question, what you want to do up front.
DEONTAE LAWSON: Yeah, you know with Justin being a veteran guy, he definitely took that D line group to another level, I would say. I feel like more D linemen know what to do, and certain calls. And that can help me not being able to say (inaudible), I can tune into my job and try to see what the defensive backs are doing, and it’s great to have a guy like that.
Q. Seems like he’s maybe naturally taken on a leadership role just with everything that he’s been through, just the effort. Do you see that in various ways throughout the year?
DEONTAE LAWSON: No doubt. He’s a guy that’s showing up every day. No matter what, no matter how he’s feeling or anything that happened, once he gets in those doors and on the field, it’s just a different Justin. You can tell that he’s hungry. And we saw that in the offseason of his work schedule, like you said.
And just him being him. And just being a leader on the field, and I feel like that helped in a tremendous way.
Q. Like everything that he went through over the last year, the effort that he gives and then also like his building team voice, I think they naturally listen to him?
DEONTAE LAWSON: Yeah, I mean, Justin, he’s kind of a character. He has a great personality off the field and he’s always trying to either brighten someone’s day or just be there for someone. I think that’s what stands out to me about Justin. And on the field it’s a different Justin.
He’s what D linemen need to be. And he gets guys to follow behind him, and that’s what’s great to have.
Q. Favorite Justin story.
DEONTAE LAWSON: Justin story. Me and Justin we got something we do, we started this year, in the offseason a little bit. It’s just a little like (inaudible) kind of thing, and I would say that’s my favorite moment. This is my first year, really, playing with him. I mean, that’s my favorite moment.
Q. Michigan is a team that likes trick plays, fakes. As a linebacker it’s really important whether you bite or not. How do you make sure you don’t get fooled by those plays?
DEONTAE LAWSON: I think I just gotta trust my training, make sure I’m prepared in the right way and just trust my eyes. I mean, that’s really all I can say on that. Just trust yourself.
Q. Do you think there’s a way to really predict these plays, or is it kind of almost impossible?
DEONTAE LAWSON: Yeah, you really can’t predict it. But I mean, you can kind of catch up on tendencies and try to anticipate, but you can’t really predict, and you just gotta react, really.
Q. Coach Saban helped pull you guys together after the Texas game, and even South Florida.
DEONTAE LAWSON: Coach had this statement after the game. He just said, we have two choices; this could be the midterm and not the final. And I think that’s what I took from it the most. Like, okay, a little midterm. We see where we are. Now we’ve just got to — we know what we have to do and let’s do it.
Q. The words resonated for you; he found the right words, I guess?
DEONTAE LAWSON: It was a perfect analogy for that situation.
Q. How do you connect with a 72-year-old coach? Is it a struggle? Does he have this uncanny ability to connect with young people too?
DEONTAE LAWSON: He’s a coach. He’s been doing it for a long time. So I think he sees how he can connect with guys, through their experience there, and he finds his own way to connect with different people and that’s really all.
Q. How about with you personally? Any moments with him, connected?
DEONTAE LAWSON: I don’t really connect with him that much. But I mean I would say the DBs connect with him the most because they’re in his room. But other than the DBs, like, I don’t know, the DBs are kind of like his kids. We connect — I would say the most times we connect is if he calls my name. Like if he calls your name on the field, then okay, yeah.
Q. On the radar?
DEONTAE LAWSON: Yes.
Q. I know there were times friendly talking trash, does he do that with any part of the defense?
DEONTAE LAWSON: I doubt it. A little bit. But that’s just Coach. He has his days where he is just in a joking mood.
Q. When he calls your name on the sidelines, is that thumbs up, thumbs down; are you scared?
DEONTAE LAWSON: I think if he calls your name, you can’t be scared. Right? Because he’s not going to call your name, really. He’s an old-school coach, call you by jersey number. If he calls you by your name, oh, yeah, he knows me.
Q. Still any talk about joyless murderball?
DEONTAE LAWSON: Yes, sir, every week. Every practice. That’s what we preach, and that’s our mentality. Joyless murderball, DOA, all that.
Q. Any point in the Texas game where you felt we’re not delivering joyless murderball, we’ve got a higher standard to meet, maybe when you talked about that?
DEONTAE LAWSON: This defense, I think up until this point, we really played one bad quarter of defense. And that was that game in the fourth quarter. And that’s something that we still think about, but it’s way past this.
But we want to make sure that we don’t make those kind of mistakes anymore, and we know that can hurt us, as we saw.
Q. What did Nick do best from that game against Texas to get you guys where you are now? I know it was very positive and yet he never really deviates from who he is as a football coach.
DEONTAE LAWSON: Well, I would say what he said, like I said earlier, he said this is the midterm. Not the final. And that stuck with me the most.
But I think what changed our team is the players that we have. I mean, like a coach can only do or say so much to us. And I think that’s just coming from the players and the leadership. We have to take accountability and actually be the leaders on this team.
Because the leaders that we have, they know what it takes to be a national champion or be a championship team. We just have to get those guys to deliver to the young guys to let them know we’re only going to be as good as you let us be.
Q. The standard at Alabama is pretty heavy stuff. I think since Coach has been there, you’ve never gone more than two years and not won a national title. Got a chance to keep that alive. What does it take to play in that type of environment?
DEONTAE LAWSON: Well, I think you gotta be mentally tough. You just gotta keep going no matter what. I mean, just playing for Coach, he’s a perfectionist, and so am I. So that kind of helps, but I would just say just living up to the standard.
You know the standard, once you get there, and just do everything you can to uphold that.
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY
Q. Booker said you guys were like a team of misfits. You lost Will, lost Bryce. How much have you embraced that?
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: That was a challenge coming into the season. I feel like we embraced that moment and we embraced that we wanted to be our own team. We feel like every team is different. Like this year’s team is different from last year’s team, last year’s team different than the year before, so on, so forth.
I felt like we knew this team that we needed to work and we needed to embrace who we are and find out our identity and check out our identity and uplift our identity as a team.
Q. How are you feeling?
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: I’m feeling good.
Q. Time off helped a little bit?
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: Yeah, yeah, sure.
Q. Early in the season when things weren’t going well and some of the former Alabama players started saying some things, did that motivate you at that point?
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: Well, yeah, former players, they just love the program, love the standard. They got kind of feelings and they’re going to say what they say.
But we just be us and do what we do, move on and just be a better team for ourselves.
Q. How have you felt about being in the underdog role? It’s not Alabama’s typical position. Going into this playoff how does that make you feel?
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: Well, we just look at it like any other game. We don’t worry too much about whether we’re the underdog or not the underdog. We just look at it like we’ve got another opportunity to go out and show the world who we are, show our identity as a team.
We look at it like that. We don’t look at whether we’re the underdog or whether the other team is the underdog.
Q. In what ways do you think this Alabama secondary would have an advantage over Michigan’s receiving corps?
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: I feel like we’ve got to go out there as a secondary and do what we do best, communicate, over-communicate. Make sure we’re all on the same page. I feel like we’re all on the same page, everybody knows their job and everybody is reading their keys, I feel like we’re going to stop them.
Q. What sticks out about JJ McCarthy and their receivers?
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: I feel like starting with JJ, he’s a great quarterback. He can make all the throws, whether it’s to the field or he can make good tight throws in tight windows. He can put the ball where he needs to put the ball, so I feel like he’s a good quarterback and I feel like receivers do a good job of getting open for him and running decent routes for him and just making tough catches, also, when he puts the ball in tight windows.
Q. Did you talk to Damani Jackson? Did you see him at practice?
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: I seen him at practice yesterday. I didn’t really get a chance to talk to him because we was practicing, but I’m very excited that we got him here.
Q. You kind of came to Alabama just as NIL was starting. How have you seen it change and what impact did the formation of Yea Alabama, has that had a noticeable impact?
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: First one, I feel like my class is the last class of not having NIL. NIL really started the class after me. It started right before my freshman year, but no one knew where to take it unless you was just a high-profile athlete at that time.
I feel like NIL has grown a tremendous lot and helping programs in a lot of ways.
Q. What sort of impact has the Yea Alabama program — just sort of looking at it from the outside, there’s not a lot that’s out there about it. Just I guess from the players’ perspective.
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: We’re very thankful to Yea Alabama, thankful for everything that they do and how they’re trying to make us a better program. We’re just very thankful for them.
Q. Can you walk through the mechanics maybe of just a deal that you’ve had? Is it generated by Yea Alabama, or does somebody reach out to you?
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: Yeah, Yea Alabama is its own little thing and it’s a guy or two that just reaches out to a player, whether they have a brand that want to represent that player or they want the player to represent their brand.
That’s how it go, and kind of just prolongs with the deal.
Q. Does this Michigan offense remind you of anyone you’ve faced this year?
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: This offense kind of reminds me a little bit of Auburn. I feel like they do similar things. And also Georgia when they’re getting in a lot of silver and just lining up big guys and running the ball right at you.
Q. Going back to the NIL thing, do you feel like getting some NIL money now is going to help you and other players your age maybe be more prepared for the NFL money when it comes just because you’ve had a chance to learn some financial literacy now?
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: Yeah, I feel like having a chance to make money now in college will prepare us to learn before we get to the NFL, because you get a chance to have money that’s not as much as big as you would have in the NFL.
The mistakes that you make now wouldn’t be as hurtful in the NFL because you can learn from those mistakes that you have now here in college. Then when you get to the NFL you already know, learned from the mistakes that you learned in college.
When you get to the NFL you’ll be already knowing what you need to do and how you need to handle things.
Q. How different is it, you guys had the early season struggles — does it make you appreciate where you are and how hard you had to fight to get here?
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: Yes, I just feel like I love this team. We’re always there for each other. We have each other’s backs. We lean on each other. We understand that it might not be everyone’s day and someone has got to step up and take one for the team.
No matter whose day it is you’ve always got to prepare, because you never know when your day is going to be needed most from the team.
Just like I said, man, just those early mishaps just gave us a chance to learn and find out who we really are and help us improve our identity and made us a stronger team, made us a stronger bond, and made us connect with each other even more.
Q. Is this team tougher than last year?
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: Well, like I said, teams are different. You have two different teams, so it’s hard for me just to say which one of the teams is mentally tougher of the teams. I feel like we were both two great teams.
Q. I know you were practicing yesterday, but did you get a chance to say anything to Damani Jackson or talk to him at all?
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: No, I didn’t get a chance to talk to him because we was practicing, but I’m very excited that we have him.
Q. You’re the same recruiting class with him, right?
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: I’m not sure. I don’t think so.
Q. You didn’t know him heading in —
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: No.
Q. What advice would you give him?
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: Just come in and work. You’re going to be around good players. You’re going to be around great coaches and great development. I would say, come in, work, keep your head down, trust the process, and things will work out well.
Q. Malachi said he reminds himself that Caleb Downs is still a freshman. When did he stop looking like a freshman to you?
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: I would say Caleb Downs really stopped looking like a freshman really fall camp. I feel like he’s always been a pro. He’s always handled himself like a pro. He always takes advantage of all of his opportunities, and he’s always there to listen and learn. I feel like he’s a great team player.
Q. Is he kind of an old soul or are there times outside of football that you can tell he’s a few years younger?
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: Yeah, when he’s about business he’s about his business. He don’t really give you childish vibes, but sometimes he is his age.
Q. Do you have an example or anything like that?
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: No.
Q. What are your impressions of JJ McCarthy?
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: I feel like he’s a great quarterback. I feel like he do what his team needs him to do. I feel like the coaches do a good job putting him in a position to make him play very well. He makes all the throws. He can make all the throws. He can fit the balls into tight windows and make accurate throws. He has great ball placement.
Q. How was the not watching film on the iPads impacted your preparation at all?
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: No, it hasn’t.
Q. Do any of Michigan’s receivers stand out to you? It’s not a group that’s had a lot of accolades this year.
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: I feel like they’re just a great receiving corps together. They do a good job together.
I feel like they do what we need to do for the team, and I feel like them and JJ connect on a very good basis. I feel like they know how each other are and they play well together.
Q. Is there an offense that’s comparable to what you’re seeing on film from Michigan?
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: Auburn offense kind of compares the most to me.
Q. That’s an offense that has had success with you, especially on the ground. What do you have to do better to not have that happen?
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: I feel like we’ve just got to read our keys, make sure everybody is doing their job, not trying to do somebody else’s job, making sure we’re where we need to be, and making sure we’re all on the same page.
Also making sure we’re communicating.
Q. A lot of the Michigan players were saying Caleb is the hardest hitter on the team. Who is the hardest hitter on the secondary?
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: Shoot, hardest hitter in the secondary? It’s probably both of those guys, both of those guys, both of our safeties. Also Jaylen Key, too. I feel like a lot of those guys do a good job bringing the bang.
Q. (Indiscernible) …this sort of I guess this mantra about what the defense is all about?
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: I’m not familiar with it.
Q. Have you found yourself looking at Coach Saban going, is he really 72? He’s like a grandfather coaching football.
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: We’re really thankful for Coach Saban. He moves around very good. He jogs everywhere he goes. He gets around practice very well and also walks with a pep in his step. For him to be the age that he is, he moves good.
Q. Were you able to see Damani Jackson in practice yesterday and what were your thoughts of him?
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: Yes, I seen him at practice yesterday. I didn’t get a chance to talk to him or rap with him at all because we was practicing, but I’m very excited to have him here.
Q. Did you know him before all of this? Had you ever run into it or anything like that?
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: No, sir.
Q. Where do you think you’ve improved the most from a technique standpoint and an actual performance standpoint this year?
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: I feel like I was making sure I was more locked in on my press technique, making sure press technique is a string point of my game. I feel like I improve more just being more confident within myself, understanding the game, more understanding what down and distance it is and what routes may come off down and distance. I’m just trying to figure out different things for tendencies for a team.
I feel like before I was just out there playing just using my talent and using my ability and playing within the defense, but this year I feel like I took it to another level.
Q. They have a really good tight end that gets in seams and becomes kind of a mismatch. What have you seen from the tight end and how do you combat that?
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: Yes, their tight end, he’s a good player. He does a good job of making plays for them and being able to play and also being able to make plays in the passing game for them. I feel like he’s a good player.
Q. Caleb Downs, he’s got quite a routine, how he handles himself. What have you seen from him in terms of the condition he keeps himself in and the routine he has?
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: I feel like he just handles himself very well with treatment and just doing all the small things to just make him a better player and make him be able to perform the way that he’s performing.
Q. (Indiscernible) talking about replicating JJ McCarthy. What have you seen from him and how beneficial is that?
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: Well, just having a good guy over there that we can face and someone who can act like another quarterback and just getting us the best version of that quarterback is always a good thing, because you see in them what you’ll get in a game. So just being able to take advantage of that, it’s very important.
Q. There was a turning point in the season after the Texas loss — what do you think the turning point with this team was? How did you come together?
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: I feel like we just — after those second and third games, I feel like we had a moment where we can either be in a break, and I feel like we stood together. We was there for each other. We was a brotherhood. We found our identity and we came together and just made the decision within each other to say, hey, man, what are we going to do. It’s on us.
It’s not all this, the past is on us, and the future is definitely on us.
I mean, it’s up to us to do what we want to do as a team, and everything that we had that we wanted was still in front of us, and I feel like we did everything we could do to get to this point now.
Q. When you’re watching film, what stands out about their quarterback?
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: I feel like he can — he’s a great player. The coaches do a good job of making sure that he’s doing everything that he’s comfortable with. I feel like he can make all the throws, and I feel like he’s good at fitting the ball in tight windows and just having good ball placement.
Q. Kool-Aid, what was the turning point or was there one? Was there a moment, a meeting, shouting?
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: I wouldn’t say a lot of shouting was going on. I feel like we had a lot of player-held meetings. Not a lot of, but we had a player-led meeting and I feel like we just talked to the guys and we just heard everyone out.
Q. (Indiscernible).
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: I feel like we just heard everyone out and got an opportunity for everybody to express themselves to the players and just for us to come up with a plan that we wanted to be and the team that we wanted to be.
Q. Was it noticeable to you guys early in the season that Coach Saban was talking about this team very positively in public and urging the fan base to be patient with this team? Did you guys notice that?
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: Well, I don’t really just do too much media, but I can’t remember if I did hear that or not early in the season. It was so long ago.
Q. Did that mimic what he was like internally, that he was positive, still felt like he wasn’t upset that you guys were struggling?
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: Well, you know, just being on a team and hearing how the head coach, especially head coach like Nick Saban, still talking good and still having confidence within us as a team is very important, and I feel like they did play a big role into why we’re here today, us just being confident and us knowing that our coaches are still confident in us and still believe that we can do what we need to do. It’s a very key part to where we’re here now.
Q. How far back recruiting-wise did you hear, well, Coach Saban doesn’t have long to go, he’s going to retire? Were people putting that in your head or asking? It’s happened again now because he’s 72, but you’ve heard it before, right?
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: No, I really never even really thought about that. I never had a thought in my head when I was in recruitment that Coach Saban would ever be retiring or not being the coach at Alabama. I always knew he would be here for my four years.
Q. Did other coaches say that to you?
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: No, none of the other coaches ever brought that up to me in recruitment, even from other teams. I never heard that.
Q. Have you noticed much of a change with Coach Steele taking over this year?
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: Well, biggest change I would say is I just feel like we’re — I want to say we just play very like more physical I would say.
We do a lot up front to mess with the quarterback or mess with the offensive line. That’s the biggest thing I would say.
Q. I know you’re obviously probably tied to the receivers, but stopping love land at tight end, is that a challenge (indiscernible)?
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: I feel like he’s a good player and the coaches do a good job of using him in a great way to match his skill set. I feel like he can block and I feel like he can slip out into the seam and also line up in the slot and do it very well. I feel like they do a good job of just using him and using his skill set.
Q. Do you think you guys are built to stop in some ways their tight ends because of what you guys can create on the edge with Turner and Braswell and also you’ve got yourself, Kool-Aid, to kind of occupy the receivers to create the conflict with them as far as what they can do from a blocking standpoint as well as trying to get those tight ends out on pass rush? Do you feel like you guys are equipped in some ways to —
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: I feel like we’re just us, and our defensive scheme is just our defensive scheme. We just do what we do. We just play. We go out there and just do our job as a team and all of them guys on the field just do their job.
Q. Michigan’s running game, what stands out?
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: I feel like they’re downhill. They have a good running game. Their offensive line works very well in getting a good push up front, and I feel like they’re running back is a good back. I feel like they’re very good at running the ball.
Q. Do you still have an NIL deal with Kool-Aid?
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: No, it came to an end.
Q. Do you see any signs of Coach saying adios this year to football?
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: Me personally, I don’t see none. I don’t see no thoughts of just seeing him in general that this may be it for him. This is new to me now. It never crossed my mind before.
Q. When they recruit you because I’m sure a lot of people used that against him. Did you hear that from rival schools that he wasn’t going to coach a lot longer?
KOOL-AID McKINSTRY: I never heard that in my recruitment from other schools or from no one in general. This is my first time.
MALACHI MOORE
Q. Did you know Damani the first time he was recruited? What was your reaction?
MALACHI MOORE: Yeah, actually I hosted him when he was a recruit and when he came to ‘Bama, we had a good time. We definitely cool. Talked to him and yeah, I saw him at practice yesterday and I was thinking like yeah, that would be a good addition for our squad.
Q. What sort of player is he from what you know about him?
MALACHI MOORE: Yeah, he’s a good player. He’s explosive. He’s fast, quick and he definitely can tackle and cover really well.
Q. What stands out about the Michigan run game?
MALACHI MOORE: I would just say how patient their backs are. That’s a big thing, like, with the holes, kind of clogged up there, just sit back and wait a little bit. But also they see a little gap, they hit it downhill pretty fast. Just their blocking schemes, they work well as a unit on their O-line and definitely one of our challenges in this game.
Q. Do you like playing the snaps — than Ole Miss, same tempo?
MALACHI MOORE: I don’t know. It’s kind of just like whatever week it is, like I really don’t have a preference because when the fast tempo, yes, I would say fast tempo is something that could get you if you let it.
But I think every team is going to tempo us at some point in the game, so it’s kind of been coming like a natural reoccurring thing.
Q. Michigan is a team that runs a lot of trick plays almost every game, they have some sort of fake, some sort of running back throw. How do you prepare for that?
MALACHI MOORE: Making sure I have good eyes at all the right times. Make sure that my man covered when that’s my responsibility, and also, just staying in the deep part of the field, if I’m in the deep part of the field, just that’s the biggest thing with trick plays is just your eyes and eye control. That’s the biggest thing when it comes to trick play.
Q. Can you predict when they come or is it hard to predict?
MALACHI MOORE: It’s kind of hard to predict when it happens because they kind of do it just like throughout their offense. Like you said, they have one almost every game. They sprinkle it in here or there, so you never know when it’s going to come.
Q. A Sugar Bowl would have been cool but is it a little more fun that you guys are out in California playing Michigan?
MALACHI MOORE: Yeah, it’s definitely a lot of fun. Ms. My first time being in Cali. Definitely a fun experience, and to be playing in the Rose Bowl is like a dream. It’s one of the biggest Bowl games there is. I’m looking forward to taking the field on Monday.
Q. How beneficial has this year been to prepare yourself for the next level?
MALACHI MOORE: This year has been a great year for me, man. Just learning as much as I can. Also helping and encouraging my teammates along the way. Definitely getting more football knowledge.
I’d say that’s the biggest thing for me is just knowing what my opponent is going to do, and knowing what I have to do and knowing what everybody else around me has to do.
Q. Has anybody nudged you, a fifth year?
MALACHI MOORE: No, no.
Q. How is the personality of this team different from the last two?
MALACHI MOORE: I would say we just a close bunch. Everybody just talks to everybody in the locker room. Everybody speaks to each other. We always have fun with each other, like yesterday we on the bus ride back from practice and we all just turn the speakers on, singing RAW waves together, and just bonding together, man.
And I think that’s one of the most important things and that’s something we’ve been harping on since the end of the year last year is just got to spend time with each other and get to know each other more on a personal level.
So I think we have done that, and I think it’s been great and we are going to continue to do that.
Q. Is that something you weren’t doing as much?
MALACHI MOORE: Yeah, we weren’t doing it as much and this year we kind of like put emphasis on it, and it turned out good for us.
Q. Who was behind that?
MALACHI MOORE: I would say everybody. Everybody I talked to, like Deontae, J-Mil, Dallas, Kool, like Terrion. We all just wanted everybody to be close and know that they are important to what we have going on and what we want to accomplish; and that we need everybody in this room, no matter what your role is, to be successful.
I think we do a good job of not really trying to exclude anybody from us being successful. I think that’s one thing that everybody likes. Like even to the walk-ons, they are close with us just as much as they would be if they was on scholarship. I think that just says a lot about our team and how close we are.
Q. Do you feel a difference because of that on the field?
MALACHI MOORE: Yeah, I think this my most fun year I’ve had playing football. Just taking the field with those guys each and every Saturday, just the energy we bring, the energy that our teammates have on the sideline for us, it’s definitely a great experience. Like I said, it’s the most fun I’ve had playing football in my lifetime.
So it’s definitely just a blessing to be a part of this group.
Q. Said you are the misfit of the Alabama team — is that something the players talk about, being a misfit? Is that something you rally around?
MALACHI MOORE: It is something we rally around. I think we just take each game personal, I would say. Like when we go out there, we know we have something to prove each and every day because like I said, like we got — we still had doubters out there and I think that’s one thing about us is just earning our respect this year, and that’s something we take a lot of pride in.
Q. How have your in-game responsibilities changed going against the quarterback?
MALACHI MOORE: I think we just have to definitely keep him contained in the pocket but also we have to cover people twice. After they run the initial route, if he scrambles or something like that, we have to make sure we stand on our guys and lock on and don’t leave nobody free running.
He does a great job of controlling their offense. He does a great job of getting the defense to show their look, show their hand, and then changing the play to play his offense in the best situation possible. I think that’s a great thing that he does. But he also gets the ball to his play-makers a lot and knows when to make the right play and does make the right play for his team.
Q. The guys on the defense said that Tyler Buchner has kind of filled in and played on scout team. What have you seen from him?
MALACHI MOORE: He’s been going a great job for us. J.J. is a mobile quarterback and Tyler is definitely a mobile quarterback for us and he does a great job of giving us a look each and every day. I think he’s doing a great job of getting us prepared for the game.
Q. How crazy is it that you have a starting quarterback on scout team now and then even LT Overton coming in on defense for the scout team?
MALACHI MOORE: Yeah, it’s different, but it makes us better to have good competition and someone that’s actually going to give us a great look instead of going through the motions so to say. It’s definitely challenging in practice but you always want practice to be harder than the game. I think it’s good for us.
Q. Dallas talked about Tyler’s speed. Is that something that can give problems in practice but make it better for the game?
MALACHI MOORE: Yeah, definitely, whenever he scramble, Coach got to tell us to break on the ball or stay on our guys. So that’s kind of him just getting us prepared for the game every day.
Q. That’s something Michigan is struggling with, but can you imagine trying to find a scout team player for Jalen?
MALACHI MOORE: No, I don’t think you can do that one. J-Mil, he’s kind of a one-of-one. Yeah, I bet they having a hard time trying to simulate that.
Q. When you watch film, what stands out about their running back, Blake Corum?
MALACHI MOORE: He’s a tough runner, but he’s also very smart and very patient and he follows his box. Yeah, he’s a great player, very quick, very fast and a very tough player. No matter how many times you hit him, he’s still going to run the ball the same way each time. Yeah, he’s going to be a challenge Monday.
Q. Does this offense remind you of anybody?
MALACHI MOORE: I would say just the element of the way that you get tight ends and they are running, I would say Georgia. Just by the way they use their tight ends and motion, it’s kind of similar.
But I think Michigan’s motion is a lot more than Georgia does, and they also line up in different formations a lot. Different personnel, so to say?
Q. Justin was talking about how this time, he was watching you go to the Sugar Bowl. What does it mean to have him back?
MALACHI MOORE: Yeah, it means a lot, man. We definitely missed Justin last year. I’m just happy for him and proud of him of the way he’s handled his situation and the way he’s came back stronger than ever, playing some great ball for us.
You know, I’m really proud that he back with us and I’m really happy about how he’s been playing.
Q. What was the first time like when Jalen and Terrion approached you guys with LANK and what was your reaction? Did they tell you right away this is what it means or did you figure it out yourself?
MALACHI MOORE: I think it was from the summertime, even the spring, them just saying LANK and some people knew what it meant and some people didn’t. I had to ask, “What you talking about, ‘LANK’? What is LANK?”
He let me know and so I was like, okay, I can mess with
As the summer kept going, it kept building and building and building, and then probably after the Texas game, that’s when it really resonated with all of us for the rest of the season for real because didn’t nobody expect us to be where we are at today.
Q. When you found out you were playing Michigan, what was your reaction? Did you know anything about them?
MALACHI MOORE: I ain’t going to lie, I didn’t know anything about them for real. But I knew that they had a great running game and a great quarterback. But other than that, I haven’t watched Michigan this year.
Q. What’s the perception, the idea of the — (indiscernible.)
MALACHI MOORE: I don’t know, have I played a Big Ten team? I don’t know. I don’t think I have. But it definitely a challenge but on film, they definitely look physical on film. They do a great job of trying to impose their will on their opponents. That’s one thing we’re going to have to do, what we talk about all the time is changing the way people think throughout the game for 60 minutes and that’s going to be the test on Monday.
Q. Do they look like an SEC offense?
MALACHI MOORE: They look like an SEC offense. Like I said, they have a great O-Line, great skill players and a great quarterback. It seems like they play with a lot of chemistry as well. When J.J. scramble, the receivers know where to go on the field for him depending on where they are already at when he scrambles, yeah.
Q. Did you get a chance to talk about Jalen when he came in as a recruiter or anything like that, and what is your overall impressions of him coming in?
MALACHI MOORE: Yeah, Bobway [phonetic], we actually trained together with Woodall and stuff like that and Clay is like two minutes from my high school. I definitely stay in touch with him and talking to him. I think it’s great for him to come in and have an opportunity to come in and play.
Yeah, he’s a great player. He very, very fast. Actually when I met him, I didn’t know he was that fast until I actually seen him run. I didn’t know he was sly like that. Yeah, I’m excited for him.
Q. The last Big Ten team you played was Ohio State in 2022.
MALACHI MOORE: Facts. Facts.
Q. What do you think of California?
MALACHI MOORE: I like it. It’s smooth out here. A little different but it’s smooth.
Q. Did you hang out at Disney?
MALACHI MOORE: Yeah.
Q. Favorite ride?
MALACHI MOORE: Probably Space Mountain. Space Mountain, pretty good.
Q. Y’all have the young bucks coming in that do Bowl practice with you guys. What have you seen from any of them and what’s it like seeing the young guys come in?
MALACHI MOORE: I would say this group that just came in, obviously they are very eager and willing to learn. They just excited about being in college. They also know, at least they are trying to find their way around, how we practice and this and that. I think they are having a great time and I think it’s great that they are getting to come in early and witness what a College Football Playoff Bowl week practice entails. It’s probably definitely an experience for them.
Q. Did you learn anyone’s name?
MALACHI MOORE: Yeah, yeah, I learn everybody’s name. We got Payne, Xavien, Dre, Jameer and Red [phonetic spellings]. Yeah, those guys are great. I don’t try to get them a hard time or anything like that. I try to help them as much as I can. I take knee pad level and try to give them the little jams I know of while I’m still here.
Q. Does it make you feel old?
MALACHI MOORE: Yeah, it does make me feel when they start stalking about they was born in ’04, ’05, stuff like that.
Q. The vibe of the whole team, making everybody feel together, is that different from past teams? Seems like you’ve taken it to another level?
MALACHI MOORE: I would say different, it’s been much more of an emphasis this year. This summer we actually got together and planned out stuff to do as a team, whether that’s going paint balling or everybody going fishing, four wheelers, like everybody just need to spend time together. I think that’s been fun for us.
It’s different when you are always at the facility and you’re always doing football with your teammates. You’re not really talking about what they are going through in life or how they are doing in life. You just talk about football when you’re at the facility. It was great to get away from the facility, get away from football and just have fun and do stuff that you enjoy doing with your brother.
Q. That could probably be hard at a school like Alabama, everybody coming in as a four-, five-star prospect, have a lot of things going on, hard to remember to be college kids and do fun stuff?
MALACHI MOORE: Definitely you can get caught up in it. But you’ve got to make it a priority, though. When you make it a priority, you tend to act on it more, and that’s what we’ve been harping on.
I credit Ha Ha Clinton Dix a lot for that, they have been doing a great job of organizing stuff for that and giving us ideas and stuff to do. That’s Ha Ha biggest thing since coming in here. He’s told us, we got to bond with each other man, y’all got to watch film together. Y’all got to do something outside of here together. He said that’s what they did back in the day. I definitely see what he’s talking about when he talking about close-knit togetherness.
Q. When you had the tough stretch against Texas, probably that bond helped you?
MALACHI MOORE: Yeah, definitely, because we all know what we working for and we all know how much work each of us put in, and we just want to see each other succeed and we want to be at our best.
So we playing for our brother.
Q. And you see the results at the end?
MALACHI MOORE: Yeah. Yeah.
Q. I know it worked out for you in the end but what did you learn from week two, the Texas game? What did you take from that point to say, here is where we need to go from here?
MALACHI MOORE: Just finishing, and I think in that game, we shot ourselves in the foot a lot. So that’s been our biggest thing. When we get in games like that, like don’t shoot yourself in the foot. Don’t have unnecessary penalties that you don’t need to have. If you eliminate those, then you’re probably going to end up on the win side.
Q. In Houston —
MALACHI MOORE: Yeah, I thought about it once we got into the playoff, once I seen the teams. But I just think about Michigan right now, yeah.
Q. What’s it like playing your head coach’s position?
MALACHI MOORE: I think it’s great. Like you said, he pay a lot of attention to it, so he’s not going to miss anything. He’s going to show you good plays, show you bad plays, and tell you you did a good job here but also telling you that you need to do a better job over here. But I think that’s a great thing. Like, you know, the greatest coach in college football is in my position room and I’m learning from him each and every day.
Q. How did he change, or not, after weeks two and three, lost to Texas and then not so good against USF?
MALACHI MOORE: Yeah, that’s a great question. I feel like Coach allowed the team to come together as a whole. You know, he still coaches us hard no matter what, but just with the leadership that we got to take this on or what went wrong or here or there or what we going to change to not have this happen to us again. I think everybody jumped on board to his plan, and yeah, here we are today.
Q. I asked Dallas this. In your recruitment process to now, how often have you heard from rival recruiters, fans, friends, how long is he going to go? He’s not going to be around when you graduate; did you ever hear that?
MALACHI MOORE: I did hear that throughout recruiting and something like that. But being around Coach, I don’t think he going anywhere any time soon. I think he still having fun with it.
DALLAS TURNER
Q. What did you first think of Michigan when you heard the matchup?
DALLAS TURNER: I knew they were a good team, that it was going to be a fun game to play in, especially in the Rose Bowl and stuff. Just blessed to be here. Just blessed to have the opportunity just knowing that a lot of people counted us out at the beginning of the season. It’s how we play football.
Q. When you look at the Michigan offense, what do you see?
DALLAS TURNER: I see a group of guys that work very well together. You know how they scheme up their offense, their run game and how they approach offensively, and just the offensive scheme that they have, you can tell that that team is very “cream of the crop” in what they do.
Q. (Indiscernible) they had to reshuffle their offensive line. Have you noticed much of a difference between what you saw in the last four, five quarters or whatever it was?
DALLAS TURNER: He is a very good guard, but from what I’ve seen on film and stuff like that, they shuffle a lot of guys around. I will say that. Just seeing how versatile a lot of their O-linemen are, it’s something that you have to pay attention to because you never know. We don’t even know who is going to start this week. You just have to be prepared for everybody.
Q. Coach is 72 years old.
DALLAS TURNER: I got some old people in my family too. I know how it is and how you have to approach them and how you have to talk to them and stuff like that. I feel like me and Coach Saban have a really great relationship. He jokes around just like us. He is just a little older. It’s a very good relationship between me and him.
Q. Over the years he has really adapted Xs and Os and how to connect to players. Have you seen that even in your time there?
DALLAS TURNER: I feel like since I’ve been at the University of Alabama, times have changed obviously, you know, with NIL and just different trends in college football. It’s a whole new generation of kids in college football too.
I feel like the way he adjusted to how he approaches his players and stuff like that, I feel like it’s been a very beneficial thing. Just building a strong relationship between him and the guys.
Q. Have you thought about, again, age 72, he could have an eighth national championship if you guys win, that he might walk it off. Has that crossed your mind?
DALLAS TURNER: Not really, but we just are living in the present right now. I can’t really speak on that, for real.
Q. Did you feel like people were doubting the Bama mystique? A lot of people talked about that over the years, kind of the intimidation factor. Do you think that people thought that, hey, it’s gone now after your loss to Texas?
DALLAS TURNER: I feel like a lot of people tried to write us off at the beginning of the season, especially the loss in week two and the performance we had in week three.
We had to come together and grow as a team. Every team is different, so the team I played on my freshman and sophomore year is different than the team we have now. With the leadership group and the type of attitude we have in the locker room and stuff like that.
It’s just everything is starting to come together, and we’re starting to peak at the right time.
Q. As a captain and a leader, where was your head after week two?
DALLAS TURNER: I mean, after week two I had to kind of do some self re-evaluating too with my play on the field and how I approach the game of football every day, my work habits, and just how to lead the guys in the right direction.
It was kind of a ‘come together’ moment where we had to sit down and really figure out what do we want to accomplish this season, so I feel like that was a pivotal moment in the season.
Q. After that was USF, the game you won. Was there more of the same soul-searching?
DALLAS TURNER: It was still a little bit of the same. There was a lot of things that us players we can’t control, but you know, it is what it is now.
Q. How have you seen a big part of that of Jalen just grow? We’ve seen him grow on the field, but he has been more comfortable talking, saying things. How have you seen him grow?
DALLAS TURNER: I came in with Jalen. Just seeing him grow from when he was 18, 19 years old to now being a grown man, it’s just a blessing. He has overcome a lot of things throughout the season. Everything he went through, he talked to us. That’s one thing — just happy to see a guy to bloom into the flower he is now.
Q. You saw the comment he made about Coach O’Brien yesterday?
DALLAS TURNER: Yeah.
Q. Did he ever voice any of that in the moment when that was happening?
DALLAS TURNER: Not really. I didn’t really know what was going on because he is on the offensive side of the ball. I can’t really say too much about it. I don’t really have no knowledge about it.
Q. (Indiscernible)?
DALLAS TURNER: Go out there, hit and run fast and go out there and just have fun and play football, enjoy it.
Q. Are you still embracing that? Do you talk about that?
DALLAS TURNER: Yeah, we’ve been talking about it since the beginning of the season. We also have a term on defense called DOA, and that means dead on arrival, when we get to the ball. That’s something that’s stuck with us. We break it down every meeting on DOA. It kind of brings our defense together.
Q. Where are you better right now defensively, Dallas, than, say, that Texas game? Where are you most improved?
DALLAS TURNER: I feel like us as a defense, we are most improved by being on the same page. Being on the same page and understanding our assignment and knowing where our help is on the defense.
Just when guys come together as a defense, especially after a tough loss like that, you have to build a chemistry on the defensive side. To go out there and have fun so everybody is on the same page and do what we need to do and ball up.
Q. How does J.J. McCarthy’s mobility in his legs factor into how you are trying to play?
DALLAS TURNER: You have to contain the quarterback. Whenever he drops back in passing, everybody knows that J.J. can run very fast. He is an athletic quarterback. He is good at what he does.
You just have to contain the quarterback. You know it’s going to be a long day tomorrow on running around chasing him. I mean on Monday.
Q. With what are your impressions of Blake Corum?
DALLAS TURNER: He is a baller. I can’t even lie. I watched a lot of him last year. He is a very good running back. Very tough running back. He doesn’t give up easy. He is going to tote the rock for sure. He has no quit. He is a very good running back.
Q. Do you think he looks different from this year to last year since he has had the knee surgery?
DALLAS TURNER: If you know football, you know how injuries affect people, but you know the potential that they always have at the end of the day.
I feel like that kind of stands out a lot. Everybody knows he can run the ball. He is elusive, quick. Might be in this gap, and now he is in the other one. It’s going to be hard.
Q. Have you gotten to know L.T. Overton yet?
DALLAS TURNER: I got to talk to him a couple of times. I have seen a lot of good things come out of him. He seems like the type of guy that he is going to buy into the system and go about ways how we do over here.
Also, he played basketball, so I played basketball too. So we both played under you the same UIBO circuit. He is a little younger than me. I never played him or anything like that. I do know he played basketball.
Q. Did you see Domani Jackson at practice yesterday?
DALLAS TURNER: I seen him at practice. I didn’t get a chance to talk to him, though?
Q. What was your reaction?
DALLAS TURNER: I feel like we’re DBU [Defensive Back University], so…
Q. When you guys were going through that Texas game, Dallas, everybody was doubting you, did you guys as players ever feel like there was a ‘sky is falling’ type moment?
DALLAS TURNER: Honestly, it always hurts losing, especially at home. Honestly, it was never really no panic. It was just like a moment where we had to tighten up as a defense, just have to tighten up and had to really get things right because that was a sloppy performance on us. Honestly it was a re-evaluating moment for us as a team.
Q. You know what was different too is for the first time in a while you heard a lot of people saying that maybe Coach Saban had lost his fast ball. I wonder how his players felt about that.
DALLAS TURNER: We never lost faith in coach, obviously. We believe and trust in everything he says to us and never lost faith in him. Same with our quarterback.
Q. He seemed like he was really intentional early in the season about being positive publicly and pushing back against fans maybe expecting too much from this team early on. Did you guys notice that? Did you hear it? How was that received in the locker room?
DALLAS TURNER: The media stuff, we call that rat poison in the building. We hear it, but we don’t hear it at the same time. It’s just you just keep on putting in the same work every day.
Q. When you are a guy that has won six titles, people are saying he is done, is it sort of weird to hear?
DALLAS TURNER: A lot of people that say that never played football before, but it is what it is, though. People talk.
Q. Tyler mentioned that a lot of the old Alabama players, the alumni, kind of mentioned that it didn’t look like old Bama, and they were influential in trying to get the program kind of back to that mentality. How much did they kind of provide some kind of, I guess, counsel to you guys?
DALLAS TURNER: On the sideline you see guys like Dont’a Hightower, Marcell Dareus. Those guys, they kind of just — they really motivate, especially when you see guys that you’ve been watching when you were 10 years old on the TV watching you on the sideline and giving you advice and stuff like that. It’s just very influential. Everyone on the team knows what old Bama was about for sure.
Q. Tyler said that the old school players chewed glass to eat dirt. Players aren’t like that anymore. How much do you feel like that gets lost it, and you have to coach players a different way these days?
DALLAS TURNER: Not everybody is like that now. There might be some people in college that chew glass to eat dirt. Of course, it’s different nowadays. It’s a new generation. Coach Saban likes to say, they don’t make them like they used to. I guess that might be true.
Q. Was there anything specific from Nick in the turnaround, or is it just the process every day? Can you trace it back to something?
DALLAS TURNER: It’s really just a process every day. We might emphasize something that time, but it’s like it’s a journey. It’s a journey. Every journey has its ups and downs and stuff like that. We’re still on our journey, of course, but you know, throughout the season it’s kind of been a roller coaster, but it’s been a roller coaster when you are going up at the same time. It’s just good to be a part of.
Q. How much concern did you have Saturday night when Florida State won that, hey, we’re right on the edge here?
DALLAS TURNER: I mean, we were the SEC champions. We beat a very good Georgia team, No. 1 in the country. I was really just more excited about that from how we came and how far we came from week two to being SEC champions. It was just a moment I had to embrace.
Q. You watched the selection as a team?
DALLAS TURNER: No.
Q. Everybody do their own thing?
DALLAS TURNER: I found out through Twitter. I was on my couch playing video games, and that’s how I found out. Someone called my phone. You are in the playoffs. I was, like, what? Yeah, it was crazy.
Q. Is that different from years past when normally y’all gather?
DALLAS TURNER: I don’t think my freshman year we gathered, and last year we didn’t gather, of course. I don’t think we ever really had a gathering to see who made the playoffs. I feel like they will let us know who we’re playing in the playoffs when we did.
Q. How would you describe J.J. McCarthy as a quarterback?
DALLAS TURNER: Very elusive, very mobile. He is a leader, field general. He runs the offense very well. He is just a very good quarterback. I’ll say that for sure.
Q. How do you think Michigan’s O-line compared to other O-lines you have faced this year?
DALLAS TURNER: I will say they have an old O-line, but an old, experienced O-line too. They are very smart. They know how to get in position and block. They understand run schemes and gap fits and all type of other stuff.
It’s going to be a very good game on [Monday]. It’s going to be a very challenging opponent to go against on Monday.
Q. Are you excited that you guys are in the underdog role? Is it different? How does it feel for you guys?
DALLAS TURNER: In a lot of games I’ve played in here I’ve been the underdog. The SEC Championship. This game. Just the past two too in the playoffs, I’m used to it.
Q. How much did you feel like you’re somewhat responsible maybe for limiting or keeping down Colston Loveland just by creating some pass rush where maybe he has to stay in to block maybe instead of going out on pass routes?
DALLAS TURNER: He is a very good receiver. He can block too. He is a very well put together tight end. You know it’s going to also be a challenge stopping him on Monday too. A lot of guys, a lot of DBs watch a lot of film on him. It’s going to be a very good challenge on Monday playing against him.
Q. Do you think because of what you can create with
DALLAS TURNER: The pass rush we have on the quarterback, it definitely could eliminate a receiver or a tight end in the game and receiving. You have to get the ball at the end of the day, but yeah.
Q. Do you think asking faced Brock Bowers, that you have a blueprint how to slow him down and contain him a little bit?
DALLAS TURNER: I believe in the DB room they have put together a blueprint. I was worried about the O-line and their running backs and quarterback. I don’t have to cover guys like that unless… yeah.
Q. It seems like Michigan has run a beat someone program. Beat Ohio State. Beat Georgia. Now it’s beat Bama. How do you think you can match their physicality on Monday, and do you guys have anything similar where it’s a 9-on-7 rough-and-tumble tackle drill?
DALLAS TURNER: We play in the SEC, so every week we try and get somebody’s best, especially on away games.
I feel like it’s nothing new playing against a team that wants to beat us. It’s also a very good opponent, and you have to respect your opponent all the time and stuff. It’s going to be a challenge on Monday for sure.
Q. Do you have anything that’s a 9-on-7 kind of running game only, kind of tackle drill to kind of get the guys hyped up?
DALLAS TURNER: We do a team run every day. That’s probably the hardest period of practice in my opinion.
Q. How crucial has Justin [Eboigbe] been to the success of the front seven?
DALLAS TURNER: I feel like since I’ve been here and I’ve seen how Justin is now, he has grown a lot, matured a lot. Really buckled down and perfected — not perfected, but perfecting his craft.
To see him grow, he is one of the team leaders in sacks and just being a captain and just being a leader in the D-line.
Q. He is a guy that can do a lot of things. How crucial is that? A lot of you guys can, but…
DALLAS TURNER: His versatility of playing from the zero all the way to a five technique and wide nine. Every 300-pounder is not doing that. Just having a guy like that in the defensive end is amazing.
Q. You still have a season to play, but there’s a chance that you and Chris both leave. How confident are you that Q [Quandarrius Robinson] can come in and be that leader on the edge rushing position?
DALLAS TURNER: I feel like every outside backer in the room should be confident enough to fill in those foot steps. I feel like everybody in the room, especially Quandarrius. He is an older guy. He knows and understand what it takes as well to be an outside linebacker at the University of Alabama.
Q. Do you guys pass down that knowledge? You said you got some stuff from Will [Anderson Jr.]. Have you throughout the season almost prepped him for that role?
DALLAS TURNER: I wouldn’t say I really prepped him, but we all learn off each other. It might be a passing move that Q does that I might ask him about, but if it’s something about plays and stuff like that and understanding the concept of the defense, he might come to me about it.
It’s all a circle. We all learn from each other. It’s not like someone at the top is passing down information and stuff. Energy is always good in the room.
Q. What challenges does their tight end present from what you have seen so far?
DALLAS TURNER: Which one?
Q. For Michigan.
DALLAS TURNER: Yeah, Colston [Loveland], he has a lot of versatility with being able to block. Actually, having a good yards after catch too. He is a big body, big guy.
He is going to catch the ball, of course. It’s going to be hard to bring him down on the field.
Q. People have been talking about how advanced Caleb [Downs] is as a freshman. Do you have a funny story that maybe kind of shows him as a freshman? Are there times where maybe not even from the football perspective that you can tell, okay, this kid is a little bit young, or is he just an old soul.
DALLAS TURNER: We’re teammates, so there’s some stuff in the locker room we might be playing around and stuff like that that just reminds me he is a freshman just like me too.
He is a very mature kid. I’ll say that. He is a very mature young man. Just having a guy down in the locker room. You can also learn stuff from him too, even with him being young and how he processes things and goes about his business. You can always learn go something from him?
Q. Have you followed the story of Michigan’s offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore? He coached four games this season when Coach Harbaugh was suspended.
DALLAS TURNER: I haven’t followed the story, but I do remember him winning we big game and getting emotional after the game and stuff like that. I haven’t really been following him too much, though.
Q. When you are watching film, what stands out about their running back [Blake Corum], and what’s the challenge of facing a big and talented back like that?
DALLAS TURNER: A lot of the things that stood out to me is his vision. He always no matter what type of run it is, he always seems to get yards. It’s weird that you see him get tackled in the back field.
Just him being him. He is a good back. He is a dude that you got to circle when we’re playing Michigan and stuff like that. You know, it’s just all about how you prepare the team.
Q. Justin was talking about how Tyler Bucher has really stepped in and provided you guys a look on scout team for J.J. McCarthy. What do you think about that?
DALLAS TURNER: He has done a lot of good things on scout team to give us a look. Tyler Bucher is fast and having to chase him around every day in practice, it’s a struggle, but he is helping us prepare chasing around J.J. McCarthy on Monday.
Q. If Michigan played in the SEC, how do you think they would finish?
DALLAS TURNER: If Michigan playing in the SEC, how do I think they would finish? I don’t even know. I don’t know. I feel like they wouldn’t be no bad team, though. I feel like they would probably finish — they might mess around and make the SEC Championship. Yeah.
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