Nov. 24, 2009
Opening statements...
"Well, it's obviously a very exciting week for our players and our fans and it's a great rivalry game. It's another Iron Bowl and I am sure that there are so many people who are excited to come out and watch. This is what makes college football great, these types of rivalries. It ought to be a fun game on Friday at 1:30. We've got ourselves up for a challenge. We are playing a great football team, but we are going to have fun and we are looking forward to it."
On red-zone efficiency...
"When you get down there, it's all about execution. I feel like when we have gotten down there, we have executed well. We have a good plan every week when we get down there in taking advantage of different coverages that you see when the field shrinks. In terms of game plan down there, I think that Gus (Malzahn) does a great job with that and I think we have taken advantage of that. We have been productive when we get down there. Hopefully, we come up with another great plan against this great defense. They are a great defense and once we get down there, it is going to be more difficult this week than most weeks to get it in the end zone. Up to this point during the year, we have been very successful."
On studying film from last year's game...
"I have looked at it, of course. We don't put a whole lot of stock in the past, but you want to look at it and see what went on."
On what would be learned from last year's game...
"You know that 36-0 was the final result. There were opportunities in the game that, I think, were missed. Other than that, that is pretty much what you see - missed opportunities and Alabama did a great job."
On differences in the physical nature of Auburn and Alabama...
"I think that both teams were physical. When you get in these rivalries, the physical nature of the game has to be on both sides of the ball. Typically, in my opinion, the most physical team wins, but that doesn't mean that Auburn wasn't physical at times during the game. At the end of the day, going back to the times that I was here, the more physical team, in my opinion, won the game. Alabama is not going to try to trick anybody. They are going to do what they do and be more physical than you. But, in these rivalry games, that is what it's all about."
On how Auburn physically matches up with Alabama...
"Well, we have got our work cut out for us. It's a great football team. We have had our moments when we have really played physical football and we have also had our moments when I thought we could have played more physical football. Alabama is a very physical team themselves. It will be a great challenge for us."
On players having the "bitter taste" of last year's game...
"I have answered that question all year about the past. We are not living in the past, although history is always made in this game. The year before is in the record books and it is history, it is part of the history of Auburn. We don't dwell or constantly live in the past and motivate through what happened here and there. This is a new time and a new year. This game won't be any different in terms of the fact that we have got to do what we do better than they do what they do. It's all about execution and physicality of the game. Last year's game, we've moved on. There is no relation between the two."
On players' worry about last year's game...
"I didn't worry about the players earlier in the year when all the questions were about whether or not things were going south because it happened last year. But, that didn't happen so I don't think that they live in that world either."
On similarities between Ben Tate and Mark Ingram...
"They are two really good running backs and they're used in different ways. We use Ben different ways than Alabama uses Mark. They are two great running backs in their own right. I don't think it's fair to compare. There's no comparison there, they are used differently. They are both very good running backs. I wouldn't feel like I'm prepared to compare. Ben does a lot of great things for us and Mark does a lot of great things for them."
On the importance of the game for Auburn and where the program will go...
"Well I think anytime you're playing a rivalry game, an in-state rivalry game, it has, potentially, and not every time, but it has potential to have a bearing on recruiting, obviously. For us right now, we are trying to better ourselves for the best bowl game we can get to. We are already bowl eligible. Obviously, winning this game would get us a better bowl than if we didn't win it. I still think there is a lot to play for and then just the fact that this game is not an obligation, it is a privilege to play in. Period. I want our guys to understand that they are going to be a part of something that is a privilege. That in itself right now is a huge motivation to play, in my opinion, along with the other things. Somebody is going to go down in the record books Friday. Somebody is going to do something that is going to go down in history and it will never be forgotten. Somebody on one side or the other. It happens every year. It is a privilege to be able to play in this game."
On the importance of the crispness of Auburn's offense this year...
"One of the things we have felt very strong about all year in terms of getting fast starts, our offense has been a big part of that. If our offense goes out and we can have a fast start and we can move the ball and go down and score, then obviously that helps us. Whether it is Alabama or whether it's somebody else. We feel like we need to have a fast start. The crispness of our offense certainly plays a potential role in that. But this game is no different than in any other in that we know we need to start fast."
On the importance of the off week, especially for the defense...
"It was big. I think that not just physically, as I have said even earlier in the week, I think mentally, just mentally for our guys just being able to walk away for a couple days and then come back and refocus. I just think that's a big part of rejuvenating yourself. I think it came at a time when we needed it."
On wanting players like Ben Tate to be confident in their game and abilities...
"I don't know the context of how all that played out. I'm sure it was very innocent. I wasn't there, I didn't hear it. Ben is a confident guy. There's no question about it. But he is also very complimentary of others, too, because I believe what you didn't mention was that he was very complimentary of Mark (Ingram), as well. People can make that into what they want to make it in, but in my opinion, it was probably done in a very innocent way. Do I want all of our players to have confidence? Absolutely."
On Alabama having the characteristics of a national championship-type team...
"They have very good players and they are very well-coached. They are at the point in the season when obviously that's their goal. They have gotten to the point where they are one of the teams that's a viable option to play in that game. Are they a tremendously talented and good football team? Yes. I haven't seen everybody else out there. I don't know. I don't know who to compare them to. I just know they are a very good football team. The rest of that will just have to play itself out and that's just going to have to be the best answer. For me to really give you a good answer, not knowing and seeing everybody else, would be hard for me to do that."
On what Antonio Coleman means to the defense and how he's improved this season...
"I am really proud of AC because I think you've seen a better football player over the last three weeks to a month because he came back, which was huge for our football team and says a lot about him and what he thinks of Auburn. It has been a little frustrating some for him during the season, I think, because he was hurt and was basically playing with one hand. For a defensive lineman, that's really, really a tough situation. He never complained, just went about his business and worked hard. He got his cast off three weeks or a month ago, and I think he's made a big difference in his game and I think he's come along and improved every week. It was obviously a big shot at the time for our defense. I'm just really proud of the way he's overcome a lot of things this year injury-wise to contribute to our team, and his leadership has been a huge help for all of our younger kids. And just the statement that he made when he said `I'm coming back to Auburn because I want to come back and I don't have to,' I think it's a huge statement for Auburn."
