Everything Cincinnati's Defense Said on Tuesday Ahead of the Cotton Bowl
DALLAS — On Tuesday afternoon, the Cincinnati defense took center stage ahead of its 2021 Cotton Bowl matchup against No. 1 Alabama.
Alongside defensive coordinator Mike Tressel, defensive backs Ahmad 'Sauce' Gardner and Coby Bryant, linebackers Darrian Beavers and Joel Dublanko all spoke with the media ahead of the team's appearance in the College Football Playoff.
Here is the full transcript of the Cincinnati defense's Tuesday press conference:
Cincinnati Defense Press Conference - Dec. 28, 2021
Defensive Coordinator Mike Tressel
Opening Statement
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR MIKE TRESSEL: It goes without saying that this is a phenomenal opportunity for our team. I know, as a coaching staff, we're very proud of our guys having gone through this entire season with a target on our back and a lot of super seniors coming back specifically for this reason, having the ability to fight and strain through, and put ourselves in this situation, because we know there's a lot of teams in this country who had those same goals and aspirations going into this season, fired up about the opportunity to play Alabama. They're in these situations often, and that's where we're striving to be.
Questions
Q. I wanted to get your thoughts about Ahmad [Gardner] and Coby [Bryant] and their special relationship and how cornerbacks can become almost like partners in a team, they describe themselves as a dynamic duo, and what you've seen in their growth and how they work off each other?
COACH TRESSEL: Yeah, you know, it is sort of special. And it's sort of amazing that they are the dynamic duo and they feed off each other so much. Because when you look out there on the football field, they're 53 1/3 yards apart. One is on one sideline and one is on the other. Both great football players, both great football IQ, but they really balance each other out in terms of personality. Coby is the type of guy that's all about business at all times. He makes sure everybody in that room is locked in. Ahmad is the type of guy who, certainly, on the field, is locked in from start to finish but has the ability to keep the room loose, keep the defense loose, make sure we have fun as we're preparing like professionals. I think their personalities complement each other, really help their position group, each of them, and our defense as a whole.
Q. Piggy‑backing off that last question, those guys, when they got to Cincinnati, do you see that as a development sort of achievement in how far they've come, or were they overlooked, or is it a combination of both? How did they get to this point?
COACH TRESSEL: I think anybody who reaches this point, it's a combination. And there has to be the innate talent there. Obviously, those guys have that. The developmental piece, yeah, a little bit of credit to coaches, Coach [Luke] Fickell, Coach [Perry] Eliano, but a lot of development credit goes to them and their ability to work and never be satisfied and always scratch and claw. And our defense, what we're able to do is based on those two guys being able to lock down their jobs. You can't do what we do without two great corners.
Q. So as has been mentioned, you have some great individual players, but you've put together, together with the other coaching staff and players, a defense that allowed 4.32 yards per game ‑‑ I mean, yards per play, 305.8 yards per game. That doesn't happen by accident. There's a lot of players that don't get noticed, and we're talking about some of the star players. Who would you say is an unsung hero, a player that doesn't get enough attention on your defense, and why are they so important to you?
COACH TRESSEL: You know what? You could go through D‑line, linebackers, DBs, and name unsung heros. That's how we got to this point. We talk about unit strengths and four units coming together on game day to be the strongest in the nation. That's our Black Cat brand of football.
But to name a couple, Curtis Brooks, our nose tackle, might be the MVP of the defense. Even though we sit here and talk about the corners and some of the other guys, that guy is definitely an unsung hero and owns the middle of the defense.
Joe Dublanko as the mike, having the ability to communicate and run the show and finish plays as well, probably doesn't get enough credit for how he finishes plays.
The safeties, Arquon Bush, you know, you don't get to this point as a great defense without having leaders and unsung heros in every single position group. And I feel like that's what we have.
Q. You got several guys rated high on the draft boards, and Cincinnati hasn't had a first‑round pick in 50 years. And, of course, Alabama always fills up the draft, it seems like. How much do you see this as an opportunity to showcase the school's talent?
COACH TRESSEL: I guess that's not the way we choose to look at it, as an opportunity to showcase our talent, as much as our unit strength and our team strength and our team chemistry. And we feel like everybody coming together is the only way to beat an Alabama or anybody else that's in the playoffs. Our guys are excited to match up. I mean, anytime you get a chance to play a team who has highly rated players, a team that has highly rated units, a team that has a Heisman Trophy‑winning quarterback, we're a very, very competitive group of guys. So we're excited for that opportunity. We do not feel like we need to show anybody else that; we're just excited for us to have the opportunity because we believe in ourselves.
Q. How have you seen this Alabama offense change since the last couple times you coached against them at Michigan State? And just what sort of element do Bryce Young and Jameson Williams add to this offense that maybe it didn't have 5, 10 years ago?
COACH TRESSEL: You play these guys and there's going to be superb talent at various spots. It's just a matter of who that person is and what position they're playing. Every time I've faced Alabama, there's been big‑time wide receivers. Jameson is no different. He's flat‑out fast. You watch their explosive play reel, and it's a highlight show.
Bryce Young at quarterback, he's unbelievable. He knows where to go with the football. He understands, even when free pressure is coming, how to drift away from that and buy himself a little bit more time. He has the ability to extend plays.
Alabama's always going to have running backs that you really have to be concerned with that will run physical. So that doesn't change. Obviously, the names on the back of the jerseys change, but different coordinators. I think the passing game has been something that's been really, really explosive this year.
I think their ability to get different receivers and play to their strengths has been something that we're aware of. Obviously, some guys are in, some guys are out. That will change the game plan. We're going to have to adjust during the game.
But the bottom line is they have great players. They've had great players in the past. We feel like we have great players. And I know our guys are excited just to have the opportunity to go against the best. And we feel like that's who we are as well. So yeah, great players. We're excited to go up against them. We feel like we have guys that match up, and they're excited to do it.
Q. I have a question about dealing with really good tight ends. You see in the NFL now, it's become a revelation of these freaky athletes. Obviously, they're coming from the college game, but we don't see quite the same level of production. I guess other than them being big, strong, and fast, what is challenging about dealing with a talented tight end in the college game?
COACH TRESSEL: You know, Alabama specifically, they have three different tight ends that have three different skill sets that you have to be aware of, all well‑rounded, but differing strengths. We do feel like our defense is designed with some players on the field that match up pretty well.
Our sniper position where Deshawn Pace and Ty Van Fossen play, that's an extra safety on the football field, [Bryan] Cook, we have guys that we feel good about in those situations.
But the bottom line is the size and speed combination, the size and speed and skill combination that people put out at those tight end position where they can play a wide receiver or get in the box and be physical, yeah, that makes life tough. We've tried to design our defense to have match‑ups for exactly that.
Q. This is your first time in the playoff, but it's certainly not your first time experiencing big game moments. How is that going to help your team in this situation?
COACH TRESSEL: Well, first of all, it's not my first time in the playoffs. I have been in the playoffs once before. But that's neither here nor there.
I think that there's some trust that's grown between our staff, our players, and especially with a veteran group, where we all feed off each other. We recognize Coach [Luke] Fickell has been in these situations before. Coach [Mike] Denbrock has been in the big‑game situations.
We trust each other. We feed off each other. There's a calmness with the experienced veterans that we have on the sideline. And that's something I've really noticed this year, especially, hey, we faced some adversity. We had a stretch there where people were giving us things that we'd never seen before, and we have to adjust. And that experience and that trust will be a huge factor. Because we know we'll take some punches, but we're just going to keep delivering the body blows, continue to fight, continue to fight, continue to fight. That's what we believe is our identity, and that's what we'll hang onto. And we trust each other.
Q. Just what can you say about Luke Fickell, what he's meant to this program and what he's meant from his vision that you've heard and what he's addressed over time to getting to this point right now where you are on nation's highest stage.
COACH TRESSEL: He's a special person. He has the ability to really push guys when they need to be pushed and make sure we are really prepared and about business when it's time to do that, but also allows players and coaches to be individuals, allows players to have a good time, have fun, celebrate. So there's a great trust in our team in our leader because we know he will have us prepared, he wants what's best for us, he wants us to have a good time.
We've talked about enjoying this experience, believing in ourselves, knowing that being us, being the Bearcats, playing Black Cat football, that's enough. That's enough. So there's a high level of trust. Everybody sees his vision. We believe what he tells us, and it trickles all the way down from the top to the bottom. There's no doubt about that. So our guys will be in there believing in the Bearcats, there's no doubt. We're ready for this.
Q. The three‑three‑five was a bit new to you, or at least this version of it, when you got to Cincinnati. I'm just curious how instrumental guys like [Coach] Perry Eliano and [Coach] Brian Mason and [Coach] Colin Hitschler and [Coach] Greg Scruggs were in helping you understand where this team was at when you got to Cincinnati?
COACH TRESSEL: Oh, huge, huge. Those are great coaches, great football minds. But, more importantly, you could tell right off the get‑go that they were all in and we were in it together. But they were huge. There's no doubt. I did not walk in the building thinking, with this veteran group of coaches and this veteran group of players, that we were going to change a whole bunch of things.
We had to be who we are. We had to continue to play, for the most part, exactly how we've played in the past because our kids believe in it. It plays to our guys' strengths. Obviously, you always adapt, you always evolve. I have to be who I am as a coach, I'm not trying to be somebody else as a coach. But their knowledge, I lean on them to this day. There's no doubt. I lean on those guys to this day and really appreciate the fact that it was obvious we're in this together, a family.
Q. You have, as you mentioned, an extremely high defensive IQ between your coaching staff and a lot of your veteran players. Please explain how you strike the balance between getting exotic, throwing new looks or some things out there that maybe aren't on film already and then still being able to have your guys play fast and free?
COACH TRESSEL: Yeah, so that's sort of what experience does, to be honest with you. You have been in these situations. You know what we do as a base so inside and out that you can spend a little more time focusing on those wrinkles, focusing on a few things that we know the offense hasn't seen.
You're playing against a great quarterback, a great offensive coordinator, you have to give them some looks that they don't know exactly what they're looking at. But because of that experience, the way our older guys lead our young guys and how well they know what we do, we're able to spend time on those new things, and Alabama will see some things they haven't seen before.
LB Darrian Beavers
Q. Please provide us with an opening statement about the excitement of playing in the College Football Playoff.
LB DARRIAN BEAVERS: I'll say this is a dream come true for me, for this program, and for the city of Cincinnati.
Q. Just take us through this journey of coming in as a transfer, trying to find your way in this program, trying to find what position best fit you, where you fit in this defense, to now be one of the leaders of a team that's playing for a championship.
LB DARRIAN BEAVERS: It's a crazy journey. I feel like I've been through a lot. Obviously, coming out of high school wasn't highly recruited. Went to UConn, trying to find a role there. Obviously, that team was going through some things and decided to transfer for multiple reasons that really truly blessed me in the end. I feel like ever since I've been here, all the things I've gone through, has helped me become the player I became today. So the crazy journey worked out in the end.
Q. You almost sat out last year. How close did you come to sitting out? And take me through that decision to go ahead and play last year and take the COVID year this year.
LB DARRIAN BEAVERS: Yeah, I feel like it was more about I knew that I needed another year to become the best I can be in my college career. So I wanted to maybe play my four years ‑‑ play my four games and redshirt. I knew I had a redshirt year still since I played as a true freshman at UConn. So I wanted to maybe play four games, four important games or something like that, and try to redshirt and just work on my body.
I knew the potential that I had and the visions that Coach Brady [Collins] saw in me in the weight room. And I knew I could become a better player on the field. So I just wanted to take an opportunity to, just like I said, sit out a year, just focus on my body, and try to become the best player I can.
I feel like COVID ‑‑ having a COVID year kind of just fit in perfectly with what I wanted. And I had the chance to play the whole season and come back another year like I wanted to. And I feel like, just as I said, it's been a blessing.
Q. You guys all year have been in kind of "prove it" mode. You've been asked to win and when you win it's got to be by a lot. And then now you're asked to kind of fly the flag for the whole Group of Five. I guess my question is: Have you allowed yourself at all to live in the moment and kind of savor what you've done so far? And if so, when was that and how?
LB DARRIAN BEAVERS: I think it's ‑‑ I think it's both. I feel like you have to look and see what you've done and see what you accomplished but also try to stay focused on the next game and your next opponent. So I think it's a little bit of both. So I know since I've been down here in Dallas, it's more about just focusing on the next opponent, the next game. There's not really much to see what we've done for the Group of Five teams, but it's more just focusing on Alabama.
Q. You're obviously a local kid and a lot has been made about the Cincinnati players or Ohio players on this roster. From kind of a personal standpoint, whether with you or maybe family, back in Cincinnati, what has this journey really the past couple of years meant from that perspective being someone from Cincinnati and seeing the program rise to this level?
LB DARRIAN BEAVERS: It's been a blessing. Like I said, I grew up here. I have "Cincinnati" tattooed right here on my arm. So Cincinnati is in my blood. And I feel like the recognition that this city has gotten from this football team has been extraordinary. And I feel like it's put the program on the map. It's put the players on the map. We deserve our recognition, too.
And I feel like, like I had said, put the whole city on the map, that everyone is starting to turn to Cincinnati. And it's just been a blessing.
Q. There are a lot of people outside this program who would probably say Cincinnati doesn't have a shot in this game. What is your response the people who don't believe in Cincinnati?
LB DARRIAN BEAVERS: I don't really get into that. It's more, like I said, we just focus on Alabama. We're going to give it our best shot.
And the best team ‑‑ the team that wins is the best team that plays. And we feel like we have a good shot obviously because we're preparing to play the best. So they're the champs, and we give all the recognition to them and stuff like that.
So we've got to come into the game hungry and stay humble, also, and like I said, just prepare the best we can. And hopefully the outcome comes in our favor.
Q. How do you feel you guys match up with Alabama's offense?
LB DARRIAN BEAVERS: Like I said, I feel like we're good. We're all confident in every level of this defense. And like I said, we just have to prepare like this is Alabama.
I mean, we've got to prepare like it's our last game or we're playing for a national championship. That's the hunger we need to have during this game. And I feel like the last couple of practices we've shown that. And I feel like if we keep preparing physically and mentally, we'll be good for the game.
Q. Talking about having local guys on this team, you come from the unique experience of being on a defense that has three players from the same high school. What is it about Colerain and what you guys learned there that translates to playing together on this level and having this kind of success at the College Football Playoff?
LB DARRIAN BEAVERS: Yeah, I give a lot of credit to Colerain. I feel like they prepare their players well for the next level. The workouts, the intensity in practice, the competition we play in Cincinnati, I feel like all those factors factor in to how we perform at the next level in college.
And I love playing with people that I've played with before. Makes you very comfortable. You know how to talk to them. You know their personalities and stuff like. So I feel like playing with people you've played with before really helps out.
Q. To follow up, is there a toughness level that comes with being a Colerain football player that translates?
LB DARRIAN BEAVERS: Yeah, like I said, our workouts, they're really intense, they're really tough, our practices. Like I said, the competition that we play, all that's all pretty high level and high tier.
So I feel like we play good competition, which helps us perform better. We practice against each other. We play with high intensity. I mean, all the factors that Colerain has really helps the players perform good at the next level.
Q. You talk about the next level from high school to college. Next level from college is the pros. And obviously there's a lot of next‑level guys on the Cincinnati team. What do you think the success of this program this year and last has done for the NFL draft prospects of guys like yourself and others?
LB DARRIAN BEAVERS: This is why ‑‑ this is one of the major reasons we came back. We saw the vision that this team had. We had a bad taste in our mouth about the last game. We just had a vision that this team could do better than last year.
And obviously team success brings individual success. So we knew that we would get a better opportunity for the players, too, all the people that came back. And I feel like it's been a blessing, all the recognition that I've got, and all the other players got, all the rewards that are given out and stuff like that, it's just been a blessing that we all decided to come back. And it's been crazy.
Q. You guys have gained a lot of attention obviously as a team. Do you think, though, that people that have not really paid attention are going to be very surprised on NFL draft day on how many Bearcats get called out?
LB DARRIAN BEAVERS: Yeah, I feel like it's going to surprise a lot of people. I mean, we have really, really good players here. And I feel that will be showcased during the game and then showcased, like I said, on NFL draft or any senior bowls that people go to or the Combine and stuff like that, that people are going to start recognizing the Cincinnati Bearcats have really good NFL talent here.
Q. You talked earlier about your journey to get here. I know Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner was a 150‑pound wide receiver in high school. I guess on that note, how important is development at the college level? And do you think maybe with this team that maybe it's a testament to what development can do against a blue chip program kind of like Alabama?
LB DARRIAN BEAVERS: Yeah, I think development is one of the major keys in any program success. When I came out of high school, I was like 190. I played safety. And then I went to UConn and I kind of ‑‑ the weight room wasn't the weight room like it was here. I gained maybe 20 pounds or something just from eating a lot and stuff like that.
When I got here, that's when I saw my body really transform. So I gave all my development to Brady Collins. You can see all the stories, like you said, Ahmad, and then, all the guys that come here that might be undersized, they blossom up and become really good football players. So I feel like development here at Cincinnati makes it ‑‑ makes this program the way it is.
Q. Do you think maybe also time is kind of important with that? Like, it takes time for players to develop a little bit?
LB DARRIAN BEAVERS: Yeah, it definitely takes time. It's not going to happen overnight. But I feel like certain places take longer than others. I feel like here it's shorter. I feel like the way that we work out, the way that we attack in the weight room, on the practice field, and in the study rooms, I feel like it's all, I mean, just so well done here. It's really improved my game and everyone's game here.
Q. Obviously, the transfer portal has been a big discussion across college sports just these past few years. And with you and just looking at Jerome Ford, you guys have made the most of it. And for people who are skeptical of that portal, why does it work and why do you think especially you two have had success? And look where you are playing in the Semifinal here.
LB DARRIAN BEAVERS: Yeah, I don't know if I would be here right now if it wasn't for the transfer portal. So I feel like it's been a blessing for me.
I just needed a new opportunity. I feel like the program where I was at, just the players there weren't bought in. And it kind of drove me crazy that we try to figure out ways to win and just people weren't buying in. So I needed a new opportunity to just, I guess, grow and play football, play real football.
And the opportunity to go to Cincinnati came up. And obviously that's my hometown and a lot of other factors factored into that. And I feel like the transfer portal saved my football career.
I had an opportunity to go in the transfer portal and go to Cincinnati, and look where I'm at now. It's just been crazy.
CB Coby Bryant
Q. Coby, if you would, give us an opening statement about your excitement of being in the playoff this Friday.
CB COBY BRYANT: This is definitely a blessing. I just want to give a shout‑out to God. Without Him, none of this would be possible. So I'm definitely excited.
Q. There was some talk yesterday from the Alabama side about them feeling like the underdog. Obviously, the betting line would have you guys as the underdog in this game. I'm curious about what you thought about that messaging coming from Alabama's side.
CB COBY BRYANT: They have their opinion. So I really don't pay attention to the outside noise. I'm just focusing on the team and how we can get better each and every day. So I really don't try to pay attention to the outside noise and just stay locked in, be the leader I can be for this team.
Q. What about you personally, do you feel like you guys are the underdog in this game, from your perspective?
CB COBY BRYANT: Like I said, I try not to pay attention to being the underdog or who says what. Like I said, I'm just focusing on being a better leader for this team and going out and executing and having a great game on Friday.
Q. Can you talk about what you're seeing in Jameson Williams' film?
CB COBY BRYANT: He's an explosive receiver. He has great speed. I respect his game. He's a vertical threat down the field, so I definitely respect him and his game.
Q. A lot has been talked about Ahmad Gardner's development going from 150‑pound wide receiver to being the corner he is today. I'm curious from another corner in the room, what was he like when he first got there? Could you see the talent immediately and just see a little development could take him a long way?
CB COBY BRYANT: Absolutely. I saw it from day one. That's why me and him have such a great relationship. From day one, I took him under my wing as my little brother. I saw it from the first day he stepped on campus. Just to watch his growth from day one up until now is impeccable. I actually just complimented him on that not too long ago. Just to see his body change and him getting faster, stronger, bigger has definitely been fun and to be a part of.
Q. It seems like a lot of you have been talking all season about how to block out the noise, and that seems like it's a really important thing for you and the team. Is that something maybe as a team you guys talked about in the beginning of the prove it? Can you maybe trace that back to somewhere?
CB COBY BRYANT: Absolutely. That was the message from day one. We're all we got, meaning the team is all that matters right now and just staying focused on how we can get better each and every week. Always go back to the famous quote of Kobe Bryant: "The job is not finished." And that goes from day one up until now. So we are just staying humble and hungry.
Q. Just when you're looking at film, what stands out most about Alabama quarterback Bryce Young?
CB COBY BRYANT: Just how confident and poised he is. Just for him to be only a sophomore, I have the upmost respect for him. Just being poised. And playing quarterback isn't easy. Just to not get rattled by anything and playing on the stage he's playing on, it just shows me a lot about him and his character.
Q. Obviously, with John Metchie being injured, Alabama comes into this game with the exception of Jameson Williams. They have got a lot of young receivers, Ja'Corey Brooks, Traeshon Holden. As a veteran defensive back, do you feel like that's something you guys have to your advantage, that maybe you and your fellow cornerbacks might be able to play a little bully ball with some of these younger receivers, maybe get in their head early on.
CB COBY BRYANT: It doesn't matter who lines up in front of us. We're going to treat our opponents the same, respect our opponents. Go out and play our game. You can't do anything extra, be out of character. We have to be ourselves and, like I said, just play our game and dominate the way we know how to dominate.
Q. Is there anything from Bryce [Young] that you've seen on film that maybe stands out that maybe the average football fan at home isn't seeing? Rather mentally, physically, is there something that he does better than any other quarterback you've studied?
CB COBY BRYANT: I would say he has a great deep ball. He throws the ball really well and smooth. And I honestly respect him. Like I said, just how poised he is and confident. He just doesn't get rattled by if they're down or anything. I respect that.
Q. Have you seen anybody with the same kind of speed as Jameson Williams? And how do you handle someone, a track star‑type speed guy as a corner?
CB COBY BRYANT: I mean, we face speed every day. We have fast receivers ourselves, Tyler Scott, Tre Tucker, even Mike Young. Alec Pierce obviously. So we face speed every day.
Just like I said, just playing our game and being confident. We can't just get out of character for someone being fast or anything. Just being ourselves. Like I said, just dominating the way we know how to dominate.
Q. Just what you can say about a chip on your shoulder, feeling like the underdog. Do you guys get a sense of that, from the outside in obviously? But the inside out, do you ever view yourselves as underdogs, especially in a game like this?
CB COBY BRYANT: No, I can go back to having a chip on our shoulders, absolutely. That's what Coach Fick (Luke Fickell) preaches from day one. That's the type of guys he wants on his team. As a leader, you just try to pride yourself as being a leader for the team and telling those guys there's always more work to be done and just going out and being great on game days.
Q. Are you able to enjoy, because all week is supposed to be fun, supposed to have events and do things like that. I know COVID has changed things a little bit. Are you still able to enjoy this week and do some things as a team, the kind of events that you were expecting?
CB COBY BRYANT: Absolutely. I'm blessed, you know. I'm with my brothers, my coaches, and most importantly, it's football. Football is supposed to be fun. This is the game I've been playing since I was six years old. So absolutely I'm having fun. It's what I want to do.
You work so hard from day one just to get up to this opportunity. But like I continuously preach, the job's not finished.
So absolutely, I have fun but there's also work to be done.
Q. Are you wearing No. 8 in the bowl game for Kobe [Bryant]?
CB COBY BRYANT: Yes, absolutely.
LB Joel Dublanko
Q. Tell us about the excitement of playing the Cotton Bowl Playoff before we open it up for questions.
LB JOEL DUBLANKO: I would just say, you know, thank you to the Cotton Bowl for having us out here. This is a tremendous blessing and a tremendous opportunity and thank God every day for putting us here and this prove it we've had. Ultimately you prove it's defined by the way you finish it. And so looking forward to this opportunity this week.
Q. You guys have a pretty eclectic mix of linebackers, I would say, especially if you include the sniper position in that. What benefit does that give you in a game like this with the different, you know, strengths of maybe you and Darrian [Beavers] and Deshaun [Pace] and Will [Adams] and Ty [Van Fossen].
LB JOEL DUBLANKO: I think all those guys just have so many different aspects to their game of strengths. And I think Will Huber and ‑‑ he's able to, you know, really complement kind of what I do and stuff like that. A little bit more run heavy. And then you've got Ty Van [Fossen] and Deshaun Pace, and I think that those two really complement each other really nice, too as well.
So I think like you said, they just kind of all play together. And I think the way the coaches use them, they do a good job of, you know, being able to balance between the two.
Q. I asked the same question to Darrian [Beavers]. You guys have spent a lot of this year in kind of "prove‑it" mode, at least to the public. If you win, do you win by enough? And now you're kind of expected to represent the Power ‑‑ or the Group of Five.
Has there been a moment yet for you personally where you've been allowed just to kind of sit back and reflect and savor and enjoy what you've done to this point?
LB JOEL DUBLANKO: Yeah, absolutely. I mean, before this game there's a good amount of time and after the championship game when, you know, all of Cincinnati that was there came out and rushed the field. That was an amazing moment, and just being able to sit back and take that in. That's an experience I'll never forget.
But yeah, I think, you know, there's many parts of this prove it that there's been ups and downs and challenges, like you said. People trying to put expectations on us and try to tell us how we should or shouldn't play or what's good or bad or what we need to do to prove ourselves. And I think that affected the team a little bit. But ultimately, we got back, towards the end of the prove it, of really focusing on ourselves and playing our game.
And so I feel like that's where we're at right now. We always play with, you know, a chip on our shoulder. We always feel like, you know, we're the underdogs, we're, you know ‑‑ whether or not we're the returning champs for the AAC or not, we just always have that grinder kind of go‑after‑it type mentality.
Q. I asked Darrian [Beavers] about this, and I kind of want to ask you, too. How important is development within a program, specifically at Cincinnati? And then especially for someone like you who's played so much in your career, how much better are you today than you were when you first started playing as a redshirt freshman?
LB JOEL DUBLANKO: I think it's night and day, the difference of me and my transformation. I think a lot of it comes with maturity. I think the development at Cincinnati with, you know, Coach [Luke] Fickell, especially as a linebacker and the defensive side of the ball, I think there's a ‑‑ you know, Coach Fick was a defense coordinator at Ohio State, and so there's a tremendous amount of expectations and, you know, good pressure that I think, you know, can take coal and make them into diamonds.
So I think the development at Cincinnati is really what has set us apart and just the way we train, our culture that we try to establish and we establish with all the guys on the team. Yeah, I think it's just a night‑and‑day difference from, you know, guys coming in.
Q. Just wanted to ask you about Alabama quarterback Bryce Young. What stands out to you about his game?
LB JOEL DUBLANKO: Well, he's not the Heisman for no reason. He's really good. He's a really good ballplayer. Can throw the ball from multiple arm angles and has got a really pretty deep ball. Hardly ever misses on his throws. I think he can extend plays well and buy some time for those deep routes to get open. And yeah, he's a really good quarterback.
Like I said, he's the Heisman for a reason. And so it's a tremendous opportunity to play a player of that caliber, and we're just really looking forward to it.
Q. Just preparing for Bryce Young, obviously he's the Heisman trophy winner, but I was wondering as one of the leaders in that linebacking room, have you had conversations with some of your guys about how you're going to deal with him? Not just throwing balls into tight windows but his ability to beat people on the ground as a dual threat as well.
LB JOEL DUBLANKO: Obviously, the past few weeks, that's what we've been trying to do and trying to figure out. Where are areas in this game we can exploit and try to create to our advantage. So yeah, absolutely we've been doing that. And there have been conversations that have been happening about that.
Q. I'm just curious, Joel, when you made the decision to come back for a sixth year, was this what you envisioned or is this even beyond what your wildest dreams were when you decided to give it one more shot?
LB JOEL DUBLANKO: I would like to say I ‑‑ well, after last year, yeah, obviously I think this is what we're all aiming for. But definitely, you know, when I first came here, in 2016 I was not thinking, you know, making it to the College Football Playoffs. Even a few years ago I wasn't thinking that.
But these last couple of years, you know, we've been able to be in a position to where we are in these conversations. So it's a huge blessing to be here, absolutely.
Q. How cool is it to be a part of that?
LB JOEL DUBLANKO: It's super cool. I mean, I just ‑‑ like I said, I thank God every day to be here and just want to honor this opportunity as much as possible and go out there and make Cincinnati proud. Get that Dub [W].
Q. You guys beat Notre Dame this year, obviously, and stuck with Georgia, pretty much almost beat them last year. How much confidence does that give you guys going into a game against a Power Five conference team?
LB JOEL DUBLANKO: Yeah, I think it gives us tremendous confidence going into the game. We know we're really good. We've got to go out there and play our game. Yeah, I think we've just shown over and over again that we belong in these games and we have the players to be in the game.
Q. How eager are you to put it to rest, all the talk about Cincinnati, you know, Group of Five, all of that?
LB JOEL DUBLANKO: Yeah, I'm just looking for the opportunity to play. I don't really listen to much outside talk. But I'm just looking forward to, you know, showing the whole nation who we are.
Q. I think anybody outside of this program looks at Alabama as, you know, one of the top brands in college football and such an explosive offense. I'm curious as a defensive player when you watch them on film and you prepare for them, is this the biggest challenge you've faced as a college football player, going up against this offense?
LB JOEL DUBLANKO: I would say yes, absolutely. I think them being able to be a high‑powered offense, just like you said, you never know when they're going to make that explosive play and that big play to completely blow up in the game. So that's a dangerous part about them and why they've been so good. They have athletes all over the field. Obviously they like some guys more than others. But every guy on the field can play, and from top to bottom. And so yeah, I would absolutely agree with that statement.
CB Ahmad 'Sauce' Gardner
CB AHMAD GARDNER: Personally, I've been having a great week. Going through the things that I seen on film, but together as a team, we've been just staying focused on the task at hand. The week has been going well so far.
Q. Just what sort of pride do you take in not having allowed a touchdown at Cincinnati? And what sort of challenge do you think it will be to face Jameson Williams in this game?
CB AHMAD GARDNER: It's going to be a big challenge, first of all. But I take a lot of pride in that. And that just comes with my preparation leading up to the game. It's not something I just think of when I'm off the field or when I'm on the field. I just take every snap one at a time.
Q. We just recently talked, obviously, to your coach, and it's clear that he trusts you; you guys trust each other. How do you decide, how do you do the math, sort of risk and reward, about when to take a chance, maybe jump something versus try to protect against the big play?
CB AHMAD GARDNER: You just got to be a playmaker. It's just a natural instinct. It doesn't take as much thinking. You just got to play fast and just do whatever you feel is best. That's all.
Q. Can you just talk about this game and this moment and how big it is and how big it would be for this program to take down a heavyweight like Alabama?
CB AHMAD GARDNER: It would be a big win, especially coming in as the underdog. I've never been on a stage this big. I've been in championships in my younger days, but never one like this, obviously. It would mean a lot for the program and for the world to be able to show the world what we're able to do.
Q. I was just curious, what's the mindset of this team? And what makes this team so special this year? You guys went to Notre Dame and were able to beat the Irish there. You were able to persevere through those midseason woes, maybe not playing as good as the outside knows and wants you to, and you're able to finish 13‑0 and get to the playoff. What makes this team so special to be able to play like this?
CB AHMAD GARDNER: Just being able to have a brotherhood. You know, it's not just position groups. I could talk to whoever on my team. They could talk to me no matter what position they play. That's the main thing, just having a strong bond, strong brotherhood, and just being able to focus on the task at hand and not get so caught up in the outside noise.
Q. When you look at Jameson Williams, what kind of stands out the most and how big of a challenge is he for you guys?
CB AHMAD GARDNER: He's a fast guy. He's a good receiver. It's going to be a big challenge for us. You know, it's Alabama. I wouldn't expect nothing less, but we're looking forward to it.
Q. Talking to Coby [Bryant], he calls you his partner in crime, the dynamic duo. He gives you all the credit for winning the Thorpe Award. How would you describe your relationship and how it's grown, especially with the things you guys have gone through this year?
CB AHMAD GARDNER: That's my brother. I came in very young, and he was always the older guy in the corner group. So he took me under his wing. And for me to be able to just have the success that I'm having now, I can be able to help motivate him in certain aspects and he do the same thing to me. That's just been helping our bond get stronger and stronger.
Q. I wanted to ask you something about what [Coach] Luke Fickell told us about a week or so ago. He said when you first arrived at the program, the first couple years, you were just a skinny kid that he didn't think would have a chance to actually become what you are now. I want to ask you, did you know how he felt about you early on? And do you think you've surprised him and even yourself in what you've become?
CB AHMAD GARDNER: I surprised everyone. I didn't think I was going to be able to just get on the field like that because I was so small. I think they had plans to redshirt me, but I didn't know. I just used to be out there just playing, just listening to the older guys. I came in, I didn't do too much talking; I just listened to the older guys, and they helped me get on the field. The corner group started trusting me. So that just helped the coaches believe in me. And that's why I was able to make plays early on as a freshman and ultimately be where I am today.
Q. Just what can you say, you mentioned being the underdogs, have you felt that way about this team? Is that something you guys carry as like a chip on your shoulder from last season into this season not being in the College Football Playoff last year? Or do you not see yourselves as underdogs from the inside out?
CB AHMAD GARDNER: From the inside out, we don't see ourselves as underdogs. We feel like we can play with whoever. But from the outside in, everybody's going to see us as underdogs. Not saying that those opinions matter, but we know what it is and what we have to do. And that way we just keep pushing each other so we can go out and handle the task at hand.
Q. Ahmad, what makes playing against Bryce Young so challenging? And have you ever competed against him before at any level? And does he remind you of any other quarterbacks that you've played against?
CB AHMAD GARDNER: I've never competed against him. I don't know where he's from. But all I can say, he's a good quarterback. He's a great quarterback. He's very smart even though he's young. And that's all I really know about him.
Q. Just curious, the linebacker group in front of you, a lot has been made about the secondary and even the defensive line, but there's an interesting mix of different players in that linebacker group, especially if you include the snipers. What benefit does that give you guys as a defense as a whole?
CB AHMAD GARDNER: Can you repeat the question? I didn't hear the beginning part.
Q. The mix of linebackers you have, especially if you include the snipers in there, the different skills and strengths that they have, what benefit does that give you guys as a defense as a whole?
CB AHMAD GARDNER: Great benefit. When you got everybody playing fast and flying around the field that makes everyone's job easier. It helps in the back end, the D‑line getting after the quarterback. And it helps us when the backers and snipers are getting hands on the receivers and rerouting them. As long as all of us handle our 1‑11, it makes things much easier.
Q. Wanted to see if you can just comment a little bit on the aspect of Alabama year in and year out is all over the draft. Cincinnati hasn't had a first round pick in 50 years. And you got a bunch of guys that are on the draft boards right now. How big of an opportunity is this stage, just from a pure display of talent, for Cincinnati?
CB AHMAD GARDNER: Huge opportunity. We know that we have first‑round talent. But we just don't think about it. We feel like we don't have to prove anything to anyone because we know what it is for real. But it's a huge opportunity. We're looking forward to it.
Q. This might be a stab in the dark here, but did you go up against Jameson Williams at all in 2019 when you guys played Ohio State? And if so, what was that like?
CB AHMAD GARDNER: No, I was guarding Garrett Wilson, Number 5, and that was later in the game.
Q. And what kind of challenges does he have besides his speed, Jameson that is, besides being fast, what do you think he presents?
CB AHMAD GARDNER: He's a smart receiver. He's smart and he's fast, quick, can catch, got good hands.
Q. Alabama's offense likes seriously gets out of the gate, you guys ‑‑ they want to score quickly. What do you guys have to do to control that so you don't look up and you're down by 21? How do you guys get to slow that down so they can be playing Cincinnati football?
CB AHMAD GARDNER: We got to do what we prepare leading up to the game. It's not rocket science. It's not nothing special or particular that we have to do to stop them from quote, unquote, getting up by 21. Just going to do what we always do.
Q. You said inside you guys are confident. And you do hear the other stuff. I mean, is there a chip on your shoulder? Is there motivation for ‑‑
CB AHMAD GARDNER: Most definitely. We always have a chip on our shoulder, no matter if we're better than the team, if we're going in as an underdog, we know we deserve so much more. And it's always been like that since I got here. So the fact that we're able to finally be where we always wanted to be puts more of a chip on our shoulder. That's more motivation.
Q. For those that haven't covered you and know all about it, can you talk a little bit about the nickname, if anyone even knows your name is Ahmad, or if you're mostly called "Sauce" and if Coach Fick [Luke Fickell] refuses to call you "Sauce," and how that's evolved?
CB AHMAD GARDNER: I'm mostly called "Sauce" by my teammates and some of my coaches. Coach Fick [Luke Fickell] still calls me Ahmad. Which is fine. I don't mind being called my legal name. And that was a nickname given to me by my little league coach, Coach Tez [Curtez Harris], when I was around six years old.
Q. Just curious, this offseason, Brady Collins challenged you to get up to 200 pounds. How difficult was that making that goal? And how much do you feel it's helped on the field to not just have the length and athleticism but also have some of the strength as well?
CB AHMAD GARDNER: I appreciate him for that. It took a lot of dedication by me because I always just like eating junk food, Wendy's 24/7. I spend so much money on Wendy's it don't make sense throughout the week. But I feel like I'm able to play faster even though I put weight on. I feel like I've gotten bigger and faster and stronger which is good. And it helped my technique at the line of scrimmage and down the field.
Q. There's been a lot made of Jameson William's speed for reasons. He's blazing fast. But what are some areas where you may have an advantage? Areas where you may be able to take advantage of things that you have?
CB AHMAD GARDNER: I'm just going to do everything that y'all see me do on film. And that's going to help me get the job done.
