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00:00 [BLANK_AUDIO]
00:07 >> Ashton, you never did let their offense get comfortable,
00:11 especially the former.
00:12 >> I thought, I mean, limited.
00:14 >> And just talk about that, and
00:16 I think it was late in the fourth quarter before they got past McPhail.
00:21 >> Obviously, our coaches have a good game plan.
00:23 We didn't know which quarterback we were gonna get.
00:26 But I mean, we prepared for Riley, so he's a good quarterback.
00:30 He's got great pocket awareness.
00:31 But at the end of the day, we've got to play our brand.
00:36 I think we displayed that.
00:37 To get after the quarterback, that's one of our goals.
00:41 Stop and run allowed us to put that pressure on them, allowed them to do that.
00:45 >> Brian, if you could just kind of talk about losing Renato just before the game
00:50 in the warm-ups last week.
00:51 I'm sure it kind of throws everything for a loop.
00:54 So just kind of talk about how the O-line got together and
00:57 started to mesh with Adam and come out and help Juar do what he did today.
01:01 It's gotta give you confidence in the guys moving forward.
01:04 >> Absolutely, yeah.
01:06 Really hated for Renato.
01:08 I love him.
01:08 I've played with him for three years now.
01:11 You just really hate to see that happen, especially in warm-ups.
01:13 Kind of a freak deal.
01:15 So he's had a really good attitude about it, and
01:18 it's been awesome seeing the guy step up.
01:21 It always is a next man mentality.
01:23 So Austin, Josh Black, John Paul,
01:27 several guys have stepped up and really played well this week.
01:31 And I'm just really proud to see that.
01:33 And it's a credit to coaches, a credit to those guys just being able to step up and
01:40 being ready for it.
01:41 They're an all season, they are gonna play a game even when they're not.
01:45 So I'm just proud of them for that.
01:47 >> Yes, ma'am.
01:49 >> As Jeff talked about how just making different adjustments to defense and
01:54 everything that he's been able to throw at you guys.
01:56 Where do you feel like you guys have grown the most in terms of learning the play,
01:59 working out, being able to hold a deep team to shut out and
02:03 then as few yards as you guys did?
02:05 >> You rephrase, sorry, I got lost.
02:10 >> Just where do you feel like you guys have shown the most improvement and
02:13 growth defensively this season in terms of learning a new system and
02:17 now executing?
02:19 >> I mean, I really feel like it comes down to us playing together.
02:23 I mean, we get together frequently, study the playbook, try to implement.
02:28 Cuz I mean, we have a lot of stuff coming at us every week.
02:31 So obviously, we're preparing for a great offense.
02:35 So just getting in a film room, I think, just getting together,
02:40 really playing cohesively, that's really the difference.
02:43 That's what allows us to pick it up.
02:45 >> Brian, just a question for you, having Jarrard back,
02:49 from an offensive line perspective, what does he bring to the offense?
02:52 And what's it like being able to see him make plays out there?
02:56 >> Yeah, it's incredible to watch.
02:58 We, as a whole, I think we have a really incredible running back room.
03:02 Those guys, the other guys, Maurice, Isaac, they've stepped up really,
03:06 really well for us.
03:07 And our really good backs as well, but everyone knows Jarrard's a really special
03:11 player.
03:12 And it's awesome being able to block for him and watch him make those plays.
03:16 And then obviously, it's huge having him back, just having that three guy rotation
03:21 or four guy, however many guys we have rotating in.
03:24 And really, really just proud of him for stepping up,
03:27 fighting through what he's doing.
03:28 And he's an incredible player, so.
03:30 >> Yeah, for both you guys, you came off a loss.
03:35 After you lost that game to Pitt, were you guys a little salty?
03:38 Did it motivate you?
03:39 Or do you have to just approach it like every game is the same and
03:42 just try and get better?
03:43 >> Yeah, I think it obviously motivated us quite a bit,
03:49 especially going into La Valle week and having that sitting on us for two weeks.
03:54 I think it was good for us, a little extra motivation.
03:57 But as Coach Baum always preaches, it's a one game season.
04:01 So whether you win or lose, after a very short period of time,
04:05 you gotta go in the next week and be ready to win the next game.
04:07 So it was, we moved on pretty fast from it, and
04:12 just learned from the mistakes that we made and came out, obviously, and
04:16 played really well today, so.
04:17 >> Also Jermaine Lowe too, as well.
04:20 >> Great, Tom.
04:22 >> This one's for all three of you guys.
04:24 How would you describe the attitude and
04:26 physicality that your positional groups play with?
04:29 Because against two, they're ordained, two teams known,
04:32 being physical up front, how do you control both of those efforts and
04:35 show them up here?
04:36 >> Jermaine, do you prefer to stay in or bring them home?
04:40 >> I mean, coming to this game, at least from a D-line group,
04:44 we weren't worried about the score.
04:46 Our main goal was to be the most physical team out there and
04:49 to outplay their defense.
04:51 We come down, we always heard about their defense this, their defense that.
04:54 So coming into the game, it was just more about who could be the most physical and
04:58 that was our main goal.
05:00 It wasn't about getting stopped, it was about getting stopped, but
05:03 it wasn't about nothing else but just being the most physical team up there.
05:07 >> Natural.
05:08 >> Yeah, I mean, that's been our goal.
05:11 Coach English preaches that, our coach preaches that.
05:14 We wanna exert our will on people week to week.
05:18 So I definitely think that's just something we live by, really.
05:22 We wanna present a brand of physicality that is unmatched, basically.
05:27 >> Yeah, I think it's the same for us on the offensive side of the ball,
05:31 on the O-line.
05:32 We're always, the goal is to, and the plan is to be the most physical front and
05:37 control the line of scrimmage.
05:39 And we all know that you win the games up front on both sides of the ball.
05:42 So that's always a focus and something that is talked about every week.
05:47 And just being able to dominate the guy in front of you,
05:50 dominate your assignment, and go execute the play's call.
05:53 So that's always a focus for us.
05:54 >> Mike.
05:55 >> This is for Jermaine and Ashton.
05:57 At some point, you guys look up at the scoreboard and
05:59 you see the zero still up there.
06:00 And you guys, okay, we got a chance to shut out.
06:02 At what point does it, and then how much emphasis goes on to,
06:05 I guess, let's finish with the zero?
06:07 >> I mean, obviously, you're aware of it.
06:11 The goal of every game is to get a shutout.
06:13 But obviously, we were aware of it around halftime.
06:17 But I mean, really, we just gotta focus on the series now.
06:21 It's not about thinking that far in advance,
06:23 cuz anything can happen in this football.
06:25 They put on pads too, so I just think we just kept the energy high.
06:31 That's just what got us to that point.
06:34 >> Yeah, like Ashton said, it's in the back of our head when we see
06:39 the zero up there, but at the same time, we know we still gotta go out there and
06:42 still put some stops in, turn the ball, and get some takeovers and stuff like that.
06:46 But I mean, it's in the back of our head.
06:48 We know it, but it's something we go for every game.
06:50 But I mean, all that matters is, like our coach said,
06:53 it's the next play and the one in front of us.
06:55 >> Last one.
06:57 >> Jermaine, obviously injuries have been something you've struggled with for
07:00 a few seasons now.
07:00 I just, how do you feel, and what has that process been like for
07:04 you in terms of just getting healthy enough to stay on the field?
07:07 >> First of all, I just wanna thank the athletic staff, the training staff here,
07:10 and the coaches for catering to me and allowing me to get healthy.
07:16 So as of right now, I'm starting to get more healthy and stuff, and
07:20 just a little more loose.
07:21 So I mean, all the credit goes to the athletic training staff, Sean and his guys,
07:24 and Coach Varman, the way they catered to me and allowed me to get healthy.
07:28 >> All right, thanks guys.