Everything the Alabama Football Defense Said on Monday Ahead of the Cotton Bowl
DALLAS — On Monday afternoon, the Alabama defense took center stage ahead of its 2021 Cotton Bowl matchup against No. 4 Cincinnati.
Alongside defensive coordinator Pete Golding, linebackers Will Anderson Jr. and Henry To'oTo'o, defensive back Jordan Battle and defensive lineman Phidarian Mathis all spoke with the media ahead of the team's appearance in the College Football Playoff.
Here is the full transcript of the Alabama defense's Monday press conference:
Alabama Defense Press Conference - Dec. 27, 2021
Defensive Coordinator Pete Golding
Opening Statement
COACH GOLDING: "I mean, obviously, I thought ‑‑ early in the year, I thought we were locked in, focused, played pretty well early, and then went through a little stretch there, obviously, the A&M game, didn't execute versus a very good football team. They exploited some things, I thought. I thought that was an eye‑opener for us to go back to our preparation and making sure we're doing the right things in practice and instilling those habits we need on Saturday.
"So I don't think it was a certain point; I think, obviously, anytime you lose a football game, especially here, I think you go back to the drawing board. But, more importantly, nothing really schematically as much as it is from a preparation standpoint and a practice standpoint of how can we get fundamentally bettor to where we're not missing tackles from a communication aspect, we're not having busts on the back end and then from a run fit standpoint that we're locked into solo space and then we're pressing our gaps and getting guys off of double‑team.
"So I don't think it was a certain play. I think if it was a game, it was the A&M game. Obviously, there were still certain times after the A&M game that we haven't played as well as we should have. But I think that's preparation throughout the week and getting guys locked in and communicating and being on the same page for those guys to be able to play fast and play well."
Q. You talked about some of that inconsistency from your defense. Sometimes that was game to game; sometimes it was quarter to quarter or drive to drive. If you look at the defense and the way they've been playing, sort of trending this last month of the season, what would you say the identity of this defense is?
COACH GOLDING: "I think hopefully we're getting to the identity of this defense of tough, competitive people that love playing football, that play with passion, play with discipline, and play with great effort. I think, obviously, you can cover up a lot of mistakes, in my opinion, in football with speed and effort. So we're not going to be perfect. Those kids aren't perfect. I'm not perfect.
"There are going to be things that occur in the game where we make a mistake; but if we're playing fast and we're playing tough and we're playing physical, I think sometimes you can hide those mistakes, you know, with effort.
"So I think that's something that has shown up. Obviously, there's been games where it's been a negative yardage play or we've gotten off the field on third down and I can assure all 11 were on the same page and doing everything correctly, but, you know, one guy made a decision for maximum effort and to do a great job, and he beat his guy.
"So I think a lot of it comes up in the preparation aspect of it. I think, obviously, you've got to get 11 guys that feel comfortable with what you're doing. Obviously, we see a lot of different things that we don't prepare for. You know, obviously, we prepare for everything they've done and a history of wherever they've been. And then, obviously, we put issues on tape that we've had problems with throughout the year with other opponents that we feel, obviously, they're going to try to do versus us because it's been successful.
"So you try to prepare your guys for everything that they could see. Obviously, they're on the chalkboard too drawing up new things. You've got to have your guys comfortable within your defense to let the rules apply when they see something that they haven't practiced against. And I think, with that, comes communication. I think communication, obviously, is better with older players that have more experience that have been in those situations.
"But it's our responsibility to put them in those places in practice to show them everything, have a plan for it, be able to execute and be able to communicate. So I think that's been the biggest difference to me the last couple of weeks. A, guys have been comfortable. I think there's been better communication on the field. I think there's been better effort overall to the football. And I think we've tackled better.
"I think we're rallying to the ball and we're vice tackling and trying to take shots at the ball. It still isn't where it should be. Obviously, getting the ball on the ground and creating turnovers. Obviously, we're still limited in size, something we've got to do a really good job of. But I think the preparation throughout the week, the attention to detail, and trying to practice the right way so then, on Saturday or Friday night, this week, obviously, it's second nature."
Q. These Alabama coordinator jobs historically have been a bit of a jumping‑off point for coaches to become head coaches. In these last couple years, how do you feel like you've grown as a coach and relative to some of the opportunities that might come your way in the future?
COACH GOLDING: "Obviously, I took this job to work for the best football coach that has ever coached the game in my opinion. So I learned something new every day. I've always been one that, regardless of where I was at, to be where my feet are, to do the best job where I'm at, to try to prepare our kids the best way to develop them on and off the field. So I've always been one, I think if you do a really good job where you're at, which, obviously, a lot of people before me have, then opportunities will come.
"I promise you I'm in no rush to be a head coach. I think a lot of that is overrated. I got into this profession to develop players, to be in that room, to have fun with them. And I think sometimes, depending upon where you're at, you don't get that anymore."
Q. How do you handle criticism from fans?
COACH GOLDING: "Well, their name ain't on my paycheck; so I really don't listen to them. Obviously, my old man was a high school coach growing up; so I think it was something I learned at an early age from my mom. She was like, "Look, some are going to love your dad; some people are going to hate your dad. So it's still your dad; you're always going to love your dad." But, you know, I don't listen to the outside noise, to be honest with you.
"You know, I think if you're a football coach and you do that, I think you get out of this profession pretty quick. You'll start selling insurance and playing golf. There's no bigger critic on me than me. Obviously, Coach [Nick] Saban does a great job and stays on top of us to make sure we're doing things correctly.
"But also, obviously, I want to put a great product on the field. And that comes with great preparation throughout the week, demanding that from your guys, getting it in practice, obviously, schematically being sound and trying to get guys in the right place. But, more importantly, throughout the week, demanding it. And then I think it shows up.
"So I don't get caught up into it. I'm not a big media guy and all that type of stuff. I try to work my butt off and put our kids in the best position that we can for success and try to coach them throughout the week."
Q. Last time we got to talk to you at the beginning of fall camp you said that Henry To'oto'o as a transfer was a above and beyond from your standpoint that you'd ever seen in a transfer. What did you see in him at that time to know that, and then how big has he been for your defense both from a leadership and ability standpoint this year?
COACH GOLDING: "I think, from leadership standpoint, I think a lot of it is basically on your personality. The one thing that I was impressed about him when he came in is he soaked it all up. He didn't come in the first day trying to tell folks what to do. He came in and was aware of his surroundings, worked his butt off, and tried to work harder than everybody else and tried to learn the defense, and he tried to learn our players and how we do it here and what's the expectations.
"And I think once he got a grasp of that, then he decided to leave. Henry is one of those guys that he's going to try to prepare harder than anybody else. He's going to try to work harder than anybody else. And he's going to try to practice larder than anybody else.
"But what he does is he bringing people with him. And so he's going to go to his backers that third week he was there and say, "Hey, you know what? 4:00 today, this is in the summer, I'm getting some extra tape. If you want to come, come on."
"And it was a couple guys the first week and then it was a couple more the next week. And by the end of the summer, it was all of them. I think that's one thing, he's a by‑example guy. But guys appreciate how hard he works and how much he loves the game and what he puts into it.
"So he naturally, I think, people gravitate towards him. And I think he can bring people places they can't bring themselves. And I think that's leadership. But he's not one of those guys that's going to curse them out or grab them by the facemask and do all those things. I think it's by example and studying hard and preparing hard and practicing hard. And I think people see that turn into success on Saturday, not always like he wants it. He makes mistakes like everybody else. But I think from his energy, his effort, his attitude, I think people want to mimic that. And I think he brings people with him."
Q. Last year you talked a lot about Will Anderson as a freshman and just how impressed you were with him on and off the field. This year, obviously, his stats speak for themselves, but he stepped up as a leader as well. Have you ever seen anything like what Will has done these past few months on the field, off the field, as a leader for your team?
COACH GOLDING: "I mean, obviously, you've had guys that I think have been able to impact a team. I think it's very rare to have a guy with his skill set, his ability to be the type of person that he is. I think Coach (Nick Saban) mentioned this last year about last year's team.
"It's rare for your best players to be your best leaders and your best people. You know, normally, there's a flaw in people. And I'm not saying he doesn't have flaws, but I ain't found one. So he's a kid that loves football, works his butt off. He's in there with Coach Sal [Sunseri] all the time getting extra tape.
"And then he's another guy that puts it on tape, whether it's practice or a game. So nobody can question his work ethic, his attitude, his intensity. So when he steps at somebody, there's nothing they can say. And I think he's got a little different demeanor than Henry [To'oto'o] probably of getting people to do certain things that they need to do to help us to be a better football team.
"So with the athletic ability, with the character the kid has and the leadership, he's definitely the total package. And that's why, obviously, he's received a lot of awards and he's helped us win a lot of football games. He gets everything he deserves."
Q. I want to ask about Cincinnati and Jerome Ford, who you were briefly with there at Alabama, and his ability to hit big plays, but also quarterback Desmond Ridder, curious what you see out of those two guys.
COACH GOLDING: "Obviously, I think they're undefeated for a reason. I think they're coached extremely really well. I think they got a very good scheme. They use all 11. They run their quarterback as well. They work you horizontally and vertically so that they're very challenging from that as aspect.
"They do a really nice job with big people, creating extra gaps to make you be sound. I think, obviously, 9 [Desmond Ridder] has played a lot of football. I think he gets them in and out of certain plays, you know, at the right times based on coverages and fronts on the run game and pass game.
"And then I think Ford, obviously, we knew he had elite speed coming out of high school. I think he was a ten‑five guy in high school. I think he's gotten a lot stronger, got a really strong lower body, has a lot of YAC yards. He's got good balance and body control. I think he's got good vision. They use him a lot in the backfield.
"And they've got some guys on the perimeter as well, you know, with 12 outside that, you know, they say it's a 50/50 ball, it hasn't been with him all year. They throw it, and he goes and gets it. And then they've got those two tight ends that are extremely long and have really big catch radiuses that they use in the pass game and in the C area blocking. So they're a very successful offense. They do an extremely good job. They're well coached. So we got our hands full for sure."
Q. Just what have you seen from Jalyn Armour‑Davis in practice? And then how key is he in stopping this big passing attack that you just kind of talked about in Cincinnati?
COACH GOLDING: "Well, obviously, Jalyn for us had a lot of experience in games. He's a smart football player. He's instinctive. He's one of our longer corners with top‑end speed.
"So we're playing longer guys this week that can run, can go up and catch the football. They're a multiple offense and create a lot of formations by motions and shifts. So, obviously, the experience that he's had and the understanding of our defense and the composure that he has, we need. He's practiced all week. He's looked well to me. So it's good to have him back."
Q. After watching about every Alabama game this season, one of your biggest losses to injury, it appears to be Josh Jobe. How will you guys get over the loss of Jobe for this game?
COACH GOLDING: "Yeah, I think it's ‑‑ well, it started last year, or every year in football, you're going to have some guys go down. And then throw COVID on it. so I think You've got to develop the bottom of your roster, which I think Coach (Nick Saban) does extremely well and good job at, especially in camp and throughout the season of how we practice.
"So we've got guys at the corner position, whether it be Kool‑Aid [McKinstry] or some other guys, that have played in games, have started games. So they're going to have to step up. That's no different for them. They've got to lock in. They've got to focus, got to be able to play the next play. And when their number is called, they got to be able to compete and contest the play. I think we're ready. I think we got guys ready to play."
Q. I wanted to ask, obviously we can't talk about any of this in college football landscape without mentioning COVID. And I just want to know do you have a preference, or what would that preference be during this time, to kind of have this limited access to all this extra stuff and all those extra distractions or do you like that stuff normally for bowl weeks?
COACH GOLDING: "You know what? You know, it kind of reminded me of fall camp. We had like ‑‑ I can't remember what exactly it was ‑‑ but, like, the second week of fall camp, we kind of revamped and went to masks and all those things. It reminded me of last year. And that's what I brought up to our players.
"I said, "You know what? Last year, a lot of guys made decisions to give up everything outside of this facility for one common goal." And that was an entire team. It was going out, it was being with their family at certain times, to work their butt off, to play for each other for one common goal. And that was to win a championship.
"And so I think that's what it brings me back to. I think that's what it brings our guys back to. We've been here before. We've done this before with the pandemic. And you can't be selfish. You have to realize, what you do, you do to everybody in that room.
"We got a lot of guys that put a lot of work into this season and they've given themselves the opportunity to be able to play and compete in this semifinal game and who are you, you know, to take a chance on that?
"So I think we've been through this, which has helped. I think we've got very unselfish guys. I think we've got good leadership on our football team. And they stood up the other day and it was like ‑‑ you know, one guy on our team said, "I've never experienced a bowl week, but I have experienced getting a national championship ring."
"That's what we're here for. So I think bowl games are a great concept, but we're playing to win a championship. In order to win a championship, we've got to win this game versus a very quality, good football team. And so if our entire focus of every individual on our team is not on that, then we're not going to give ourselves our best chance.
"So having been there before, I think our kids understand that through the great leadership of Coach [Nick] Saban and the leadership of our team. And I don't think they're worried about going to the Cowboys game. I don't think they're worried about Six Flags. I think they're worried about what can they do consistently, play in and play out, to put the best product on the field to better win the football game.
"And I think that's not easy, especially with guys at that age. But having been here and the culture that Coach Saban has set, that's what's expected, and that's what these kids expect."
Linebacker Will Anderson Jr.
Q. How fresh are you right now after having a couple weeks off? And over the course of the season, you obviously have a lot of natural ability, great first‑step explosive, speed, and all that, but how much do you feel like your pass rush moves have improved over the course of the season?
LB WILL ANDERSON JR.: "I think they improved a lot. I'm feeling good. This break we had was really good to spend time with our families and just regroup and get our bodies back right.
"But as far as pass rush moves, this whole break we've had, I've been able to just take a step back and really get back to my fundamentals of me using my hands or different moves. A lot of it goes back to just countermoves and stuff like that.
"So I think this whole break that we've had so far, I think I just got back to my technique of working my hands better, getting into my secondary move if my primary move doesn't work. So it's been good."
Q. Obviously, Bryce [Young], is a pretty calm guy. In terms of his competitiveness and that competitive fire, how would you describe that?
LB WILL ANDERSON JR.: "I would describe it as one of a kind, you know, for him to stay with his composure and he leads the offense the way he does. I tell him all the time my hat's off to him. I try to take little things from Bryce's game as far as the aspects of being a leader and staying composed and not getting frustrated. I think Bryce does a great job of that, and I respect him a lot for that."
Q. Coach [Pete] Golding talked about this a minute ago, but, as a leader, what's your message to your teammates about, not only following the COVID protocols, but focusing on the real reason you guys are in Dallas is to win a football game?
LB WILL ANDERSON JR.: "Most definitely I agree with what Coach Golding was saying. As a leadership group, we came together, and we just have to tell the team we know what's at stake. It's either win or go home. We don't want to go home; we want to win.
"And I think the biggest thing was it was like a medical call. I think everybody just needed to be locked in on what's going on right now. And the main focus is winning this game and being all in. Nobody needs to be distracted, going out, running the streets, or anything like that.
"And I think when you have a group of guys like that on leadership that we all could come to the same thing. Nobody was being selfish. Everybody had a mutual understanding of we know what's going on. It was really good. With the team, most guys would be, like, complaining and stuff like that. The team has responded very well. There hasn't been any complaining, no negativity, nobody's been the cancer. Everybody responded the right way, and practice has been great. And I think that's what it's all about."
Q. Kind of bouncing off Charlie's question about leadership, Coach Golding [Pete] Golding was just saying that you and Henry [To'oto'o] kind of motivate guys in different ways on the defense. Kind of talk about y'all's differences in leadership, but why it's important for both of y'all to lead in the areas that you do.
LB WILL ANDERSON JR.: "I think for me I'm more of a vocal leader than Henry is. Henry is going to show it through his actions. He's going to be real positive. He's going to come to work every day. He's not going to say much, but he's going to show you through his actions, and you have no choice but to follow.
"And he's right in the center of our defense; so everybody has to follow exactly what Henry is saying. Henry's a great leader. But me on the other side, I just try to be that more vocal leader, you know, make sure everybody is doing the right thing, holding everybody accountable so we can all be on the same page and everything can get done. So I think when you have two leaders like that on defense, everything works out great."
Q. I just wanted to ask kind of a twofold question. Taking yourself out of the mix ‑‑ we always expect you to have a big game ‑‑ who could you see on defense stepping up, having a huge game against Cincinnati?
And one more, if I can go ahead and ask, can you talk a little bit about seeing Jameson Williams in practice? Can you tell us a little bit, what has he added to Alabama's offense this year?
LB WILL ANDERSON JR.: "Well, I'm not going to sit up here and put any pressure on nobody on the team. I'm hoping that everybody on the defense has a great game and have a big game and we all can go out there and play on the same page. We all can fire up there and have fun and everybody play together.
"So I think that's the biggest thing going in a game, especially a playoff game, that everybody has a big game. Because, a big game, we know what's at stake and everybody could be on their Ps and Qs and everybody needs to have football on their mind and make it the main thing.
"As far as Jameson Williams, he's been electrifying this year. He's really another leader on the offense that's not really been talked about much. He has so much energy, he really gets those guys going a lot. I was just watching a video of him, and I didn't know he'd be doing some of the things he's been doing when he scores a touchdown. But his energy, I think they feed off that energy, him making plays, him being a vocal leader, telling them if something is going bad or something like that.
"He's been a great leader on the offensive side, and I don't think he gets enough recognition for that. But he's been electrifying this year. He's been a great addition to the offense, and we love him."
Q. What was your favorite Christmas gift this year?
LB WILL ANDERSON JR.: "All of them. I can't single one out. No, I'll tell you, it was a hoodie I got. It was, like, this brown hoodie I had and it had, like, different colors and stuff like that. It was pretty dope. My sister had got it for me. It was dope. I like that one. That's probably my favorite Christmas gift."
Q. I just wanted to kind of quickly ask you about the challenges of facing this Cincinnati offense. Obviously, you know, in the SEC you're playing against the best of the best nationwide. What similarities do you see between Cincinnati and SEC competition that you've already played and how do you feel about this match‑up on New Year's Eve?
LB WILL ANDERSON JR.: "Most definitely the offensive line and their quarterback. I feel like all year we've seen great offensive lines that are really big, can move, maulers, and protect their quarterback really well. As far as quarterbacks go, we've seen a lot of quarterbacks like him this year. You know, they're fast, can move out of the pocket, make plays with their arms, can run.
"So as far as that, that's like the SEC and the games that we have been playing this year. They have a really good offensive line that protects really well. Their quarterback is outstanding. He can make plays down the field with his arm. He can run. He can escape the pocket. So it's going to be a really good challenge for us, and we just have to be ready."
Q. I want to ask you, I know your coach has said this before, that he kind of prefers the underdog mentality and it worked well for you guys in the SEC championship. And in this match‑up, of course, a lot of the outside noise is that Cincy is the underdog coming into this. I'm curious what your preference is and how does that impact you, the outside noise, ahead of these big games?
LB WILL ANDERSON JR.: "To me, I still feel like we're the underdog in this game. I mean, all year we have been disrespected. I'm pretty sure we're still probably getting disrespected out there. Where right now we're not really worried about the external factors. We just have to worry about what's going on inside the facility and the practice field and all the meetings and stuff like that. And I think that's our biggest concern right now, making sure that we're ready and prepared for this game."
Q. You know how much an athlete and what confidence can do for an athlete and vice versa is the true, too. When you don't have a lot of confidence, it can show itself on the field. Do you feel like the performance you guys had against Georgia, did that give you guys confidence, and if so, how are you seeing that since that game?
LB WILL ANDERSON JR.: "Since the Georgia game, I've been so proud of the guys, because the intensity, the energy hasn't dropped off one bit. Practices have been really well. Meetings have been really well. Walk‑throughs have been really well. The way that we've taken that energy from that game and had a break as long as we have and the energy is still rolling and everybody is still ready to play, and everybody still has that same mindset, it's been great. I'm so proud of those guys, and we just have to keep it rolling until the game this weekend."
Q. You said just a minute ago that Alabama has been disrespected and continues to be. I guess where do you hear that? Where does the disrespect come in and how do you channel that?
LB WILL ANDERSON JR.: "We channel it as positive energy. We love it. It just fuels us up even more. We know what type of team we have. We don't really worry about what other people have to say about us. But we can't use it as fuel because we just have to keep proving people that they're wrong and that we are an elite team and we can play very well."
Q. So Will, you seem like you like to have a lot of fun, and I know these bowl weeks obviously provide that but not during a pandemic. I'm curious, how has that impacted the team just to not enjoy that part of the bowl week and to be kind of segregated once again from media and all this kind of in‑person stuff?
LB WILL ANDERSON JR.: "Like I said earlier, the interest has been really well. Nobody has been complaining about anything. Like I said, we know what's at stake. And I told the team, when we had talked, you know, we all we got and we all we need. We know the biggest focus and we know what we have to do. We can't let anybody, you know, go out and go get COVID and bring it back and stuff like that. So the team has handled that very well.
"We have a hospitality section that I know all the guys of the team love to play video games and different type of games and stuff like that and we can all hang out and stuff like that.
"It's been good. We have a little aspect of it, just to go in there and chill and do those type of different activities and stuff like that. So we have a little lounge where we can play and just be in a safe environment. So it's been good."
Q. Will, just what's it been like having Chris Allen around the team this year, even though he hasn't been able to play since the opening game when he got hurt?
LB WILL ANDERSON JR.: "With Chris being a vet and Chris going through so much, he's been around the program a long time and he knows so much about football. You know, me, I kind of like ‑‑ I don't know, as much as Chris does. So I can't like sometimes help some of the guys with certain things. But he has stepped in that role of him not being able to play, he sees different things that, you know, what he can help. And like if somebody mess up or they don't quite understand, he fills in that role and tells them like hey, this is how you do that, stuff like that. So he's been a great leader. I mean, man, especially the outside linebacker role with us being so young and stuff like that. He's shown tremendous leadership, great energy. He's always been positive around us. He just keeps us uplifted. Sometimes when we get tired or stuff like that he just tells us to keep pushing and stuff like that. So he's been a great leader and a great big brother to us. So we love him so much, and we thank him."
Q. Will, I know you don't know Jerome Ford. You obviously didn't play with him at Alabama. But knowing that he's coming into this game and it's a little bit surreal that he's playing his former team and there's all these storylines, I'm curious what you guys on the team have talked about and the people that do know him well and possibly are friends with him, what they have talked about ahead of that matchup.
LB WILL ANDERSON JR.: "You know, whatever I have heard about him has always been a positive. It's never been nothing bad. We know it's going to be a great challenge for us. But from everything I've heard about him, I heard he had great character. He was a great athlete. And just watching film, he can make a lot of plays. He has great swiftness ‑‑ quickness. He can move. It's going to be a really good challenge for us. But as far as anything I've ever heard, it's always been great stuff, and we're ready for the challenge."
Q. Take yourself back to the first time you saw Dallas Turner and he's a wide‑eyed freshman out there, probably running around to where he is now. How would you explain that journey and how much improvement he's made?
LB WILL ANDERSON JR.: "He's made a lot of improvement. The first time I seen Dallas, you know, he was like any other freshman, you know, a little nervous, overthinking everything. But what I expressed to Dallas was something that was really big with me last year, don't overthink because it's going to slow you down a lot. You're not going to be able to play fast. You're not going to be able to do what you want to do, and then you're going to be wondering are you good enough? This and that.
"And I try to tell him, like, take it one play at a time. I think once he started his second game and he started taking it one play at a time, he started ‑‑ you know, recognized what was going on, Dallas is a very smart player, great instincts to move, too. So when he started like slowing the game down for himself and started playing really like to his ability, it's been really good for him. He hasn't been overthinking. Like I said, he's super smart, and I think that's one of the best gifts he has. He's so smart that he knows what things are coming sometimes.
"But, you know, just I tried to express to him like, just take it one play at a time. And he's been doing a great job. And just seeing his confidence grow and continue to grow and how much potential he has and how good he's going to be, I'm really excited about Dallas."
Linebacker Henry To'oTo'o
Q. Give us an opening statement about your excitement about playing in the College Football Playoff versus Cincinnati before we open the floor for questions.
LB HENRY TO'OTO'O: "Definitely a huge blessing to be here. Team's excited. We're all excited. It's a huge blessing and a testament to the hard work we've put in this season. Just got to be able to finish strong, keep our head focused for this week. Huge challenge for us. Cincinnati is great team. They do a lot of great things on offense and defense. We're looking forward to the challenge."
Q. Give us some insight on what the last month has been since winning the SEC championship and getting to this point landing in Dallas.
LB HENRY TO'OTO'O: "Definitely fundamental football. Going back to watching previous games throughout the weeks that we had and just trying to clean up our fundamentals. Being able to face little things that we can improve on and use during this game and be able to execute on the field during this game. These past couple weeks and this past month has been huge for us."
Q. Pete Golding was asked about the turning point in the other press conference of this season on the defense. What do you think was the turning point for you guys?
LB HENRY TO'OTO'O: "I feel like the turning point for everybody on this whole entire team was when we lost versus Texas A&M. We kind of just molded and came together as a team. It's a feeling you never want to feel again. Being able to take a loss, taking it to the chin. It's something that we never, ever wanted to feel again as a team. We kind of came together as a team to be able to do what we have to do to be able to be in the position that we are now."
Q. I'm curious for you transferring into Alabama, is this kind of what you envisioned when you made the decision to go there, ending up in these games? And what do you think about the fit between you and the team has allowed for you to have such a good season this year?
LB HENRY TO'OTO'O: "Obviously, when you come to Alabama, you're going to compete for championships. For me, I just want to be able to come and mold with the guys, be a brother to everybody, and just be that guy they can depend on either on or off the field. Just be a good brother and good friend to them.
"You come to Alabama to play for championships. I honestly think it's just a bond we had and the bond I created with everybody to be able to have this success. Your relationship doesn't only last on the field but off the field. It's a true testament to everybody on our team."
Q. In your first year here at Alabama, what do you feel like is maybe the one area or areas that Pete Golding has helped you the most in terms of your growth as a player?
LB HENRY TO'OTO'O: "Definitely knowing the entire defense and knowing what everybody is supposed to do. Coach P is a great coach at literally everything, honestly. He knows how to critique the little things. I think he's really helped me in my game in the little things and the critique that I need to make. So I appreciate everything he's done for me."
Q. A lot of the questions from Alabama and Cincinnati people have been about Jerome Ford obviously being a former Alabama player. You didn't play with him. I'm just curious from a guy who didn't play with him, what have you seen on film from him?
LB HENRY TO'OTO'O: "I mean, he's a ball player. He can play ball. Cincinnati's whole entire team can play ball. Jerome Ford is one of those guys that they depend on him to make explosive runs. He does a great job of it. So I think he's a really, really good player, and it's a huge challenge for us to be able to stop him."
Q. I'm just curious, there's players on both sides of the ball, both teams who have transferred into the programs or transferred, in the case of Jerome [Ford], from Alabama to Cincinnati. You entered the transfer portal and ended up at Alabama. What was that process like? And what do you think the transfer portal has done for college football?
LB HENRY TO'OTO'O: "I think for me personally, it was a really long process, a long decision that I had to make. But I honestly think the transfer portal is good. A lot of people are able to find what's best for them. That's what a lot of people don't understand, is we're human, too. Players are human, too. And we have a life to live. And we want to have a successful life, too. I think the transfer portal is huge. It's a blessing for a lot of people, and you can see people using the advantages of it."
Q. Kind of a follow‑up to that transfer portal question, how hard ultimately is it when you are a high school senior to make that decision when it comes to committing to a place? And do you think sometimes maybe players just need to kind of go somewhere, get a lay of the land, and figure out what's best for them, and then ultimately use the transfer portal to their advantage?
LB HENRY TO'OTO'O: "That's up to the person, players on their decisions. It's them, it's their decision. That's how I feel about it. It's your decision, honestly. I ain't going to lie."
Defensive Back Jordan Battle
Q. Tell us about your excitement getting ready to play Cincinnati.
DB JORDAN BATTLE: "I'm excited for this moment. This is now my second time being here in the College Football Playoffs. And I feel like the team has come along. They're doing a great job in practices. We've had great practices since coming off of our breaks. I like the team's energy right now, and I think we're very excited to play in this game."
Q. On the Alabama defense, Phil Mathis kind of holds the front‑end and you kind of hold together the defense on the back‑end in the secondary. How has Henry To'oto'o held everything together in the middle of the defense as kind of the on‑the‑field signal caller this year for you guys?
DB JORDAN BATTLE: "When we're playing games, the biggest thing is communication. When the front‑end has the call and the back‑end has the call and we're all on the same page, that's when we make plays. When we're not, that's when we allow big plays. That's a big thing for Henry, a big task for Henry, get the defense on the same place, get the call in, and allow us to play our game."
Q. You mentioned liking the energy, getting back to the playoff again. At what point this season did you feel like this team could be special, we could get back to the playoffs like we did the year before?
DB JORDAN BATTLE: "Kind of like what Henry [To'oto'o] said. After that loss against Texas A&M, you kind of saw a different energy week in, week out in the practices. From that game on, our practices have been great. Everybody is about the energy. Everybody is about the mental focus we need for the games. And I feel like that's a big thing. It will play a big role in the College Football Playoffs."
Q. You have had some time now to evaluate the Cincinnati offense. What stands about what they do well?
DB JORDAN BATTLE: "The Cincinnati offense is very explosive. They have a great quarterback. They have a great running back in Jerome Ford. Great receivers, great speed at receivers.
"They have the ability to make explosive plays. I feel like the main thing is keeping our eyes in the right places And, like I said, being on the same page and getting our calls in and being able to play ball."
Q. What do you remember about being teammates with Jerome [Ford] and how happy are you for him having the success he's having?
DB JORDAN BATTLE: "Jerome was a very funny guy. We were actually like ‑‑ he's probably one locker over from me. So we have a pretty close relationship. He's a great player, very explosive. He can make the explosive run. So we know we have to come and wrap up because he has great balance when he's running the ball as well. He's a great player, and it's going to be a great task for us."
Q. When you have seen Jerome's [Ford] film, what's different about him that you remember? Is he a different running back now than when he was with you guys?
DB JORDAN BATTLE: "Obviously, he's improved a lot. He was a great running back when he was at Alabama as well. Now he's just showing it off very well in the games. He has great speed. Like I say, he has great balance. He runs behind his pads. So we have to come ready to the ball, all 11 hats, because one guy might not make the tackle, but we have to be able to make sure that the next ten will make the tackle."
Q. You guys have a lot of younger guys, all over the defense but especially in the secondary. Can you just talk about what you've seen from them?
DB JORDAN BATTLE: "Yes. In the film room, they're paying attention a lot more. They're getting the plays down. Like I said, communicating very well to the safeties. Kool‑Aid [McKinstry] is making sure he is getting the call from the safety. We have Khyree Jackson making sure he's getting the call from the safety. Those guys are coming along very well. We just like to see the improvement from them, and the mental focus they carry every day in practice. Just to keep it up."
Q. You guys have obviously been in this position before as a team multiple times. How do you make sure you don't try to overlook a team like Cincinnati, especially when you guys are heavily favored in Vegas and stuff like that?
DB JORDAN BATTLE: "We try to focus on us. That's the main thing. The game starts with us. We go out there and we're not on the same page ‑‑ we go out there and let up explosive plays, the game can be lost and won by our play.
"We try not to focus on the opponent too much and the ability of what they can play to but try to play to our standard and keep that focus going into the games."
Q. Obviously, a lot of the talk with Jerome [Ford] is that he's gotten an opportunity now at Cincinnati to show off what he's been doing. Maybe he was a little bit more talented at Bama in the backfield. From a defensive guy at Alabama, how good is the Alabama backfield year in and year out, and how deep is it?
DB JORDAN BATTLE: "Every year Alabama has a great running back, so this is almost like an every year kind of thing. The younger guy sits back and watches the older guy, and the older guy teaches the younger guy very well. They also come in as great athletes and only improve from the leadership that they're getting, why they come to Bama. You see it every year. And guys take that information in from the older guy, and they just go and improve from it."
Q. Now that you're one of the veteran guys, you've been through it, how much do you kind of personally pull aside Kool‑Aid [McKinstry] and others to help them get through and get ready for big moments like this?
DB JORDAN BATTLE: "These guys listen very well. They ask questions when they don't know anything. They ask questions in the film room when they need to know something. Kool‑Aid [McKinstry] doesn't know anything or Terrion [Arnold], Khyree [Jackson], when they don't know anything, they ask questions and make sure in the game they don't mess it up or make sure when they go out in practice, they don't mess it up. They try to perfect their crafts every day. That's a big thing. They listen and they always want to get better."
Q. You said you had the locker next to Jerome [Ford]. As he was waiting his turn, did you ever sense him getting frustrated at not really getting that opportunity? And when you guys are on the field, what do you think it's going to be like to see him out there, a guy you practiced with and now obviously you have to play against?
DB JORDAN BATTLE: "For the first question, I didn't see any frustration in his face. He just came to work. Every day in practice, he was working. We saw him in practice, when he was going against the guy or going against me or going against the guys I was in practice with. He never showed any frustration. He just went out there and worked every day.
"Can you repeat your second question for me?"
Q. What do you think that's going to be like to face your former teammate? Obviously, he's going to want to beat you and you guys are going to want to beat him. What do you think that dynamic will be like?
DB JORDAN BATTLE: "You see it almost every game. You see guys you played against in high school and knew in high school.
"The main focus is competing. We love the competition. We know he's a great player. He knows we're a great defense. We know they have a great offense. It's just competition. That's how it is every week in, week out. We know we're going to get the opponent's best, so we have to come out and give our best and play to our standard."
Q. Have you thought much about what you might say if you all end up on the ground together after a tackle or anything like that? Or you're just going to play that by ear?
DB JORDAN BATTLE: "No. That will kind of be instinct or in‑the‑game type of thing. I don't think I thought of anything to say. I probably won't even say anything."
Defensive Lineman Phidarian 'Phil' Mathis
Q. Tell us about your excitement about this week's game against Cincinnati.
DL PHIDARIAN MATHIS: "I'm happy to be here with my teammates. We are enjoying our team here at the Cotton Bowl. We're just getting better as the week comes, preparing for the game. We are going to take it day by day, enjoy our time here. But, also, we're going to get that work in."
Q. You kind of held things together on a defensive front for Alabama this year. And Jordan Battle kind of held things together in the secondary. How has Henry To'oto'o held everything together in the middle of the defense as the on‑the‑field signal caller for you guys?
DL PHIDARIAN MATHIS: "Henry's like the captain of the ship. If we don't get no call from him, he'll probably be asked ‑‑ we all out of place. So, you know, once he give our call, he give the signal out in the call and we get to rolling from him. He play a big role in this defense.
"He's a great leader. Got a great mentality of football. I love him to death. I am glad he transferred."
Q. Talk about a guy like Henry [To'oto'o] and also Jordan [Battle], what does it mean having guys that you know are confident in the system that you go to battle with every day?
DL PHIDARIAN MATHIS: "It feels great. It shows I don't have nothing to worry about knowing that I got those guys right behind me. Those guys come to work every day just like me, and we do a great job of picking everybody up on the defense. We try to lead by example and also with our mouth. So I'm happy to have those guys in my circle, including a lot more guys on the defense."
Q. What do you remember most about Jerome Ford, and how do you think he's improved just watching film?
DL PHIDARIAN MATHIS: "I feel like Jerome has improved a lot. But it doesn't surprise me because he's always been a hard runner and he's always been a great football player, just being here his freshman year and like that. He's always been a great guy to be around. He's real cool. And I'm happy to go up against him on a different side."
Q. What's it like going up against ‑‑ I don't know how frequently you've played against a guy that you were teammates with or whatever. And I guess in the transfer portal era, there's a lot more of that. What will it be like to be in a game like that against somebody that was a teammate? Different or not that different?
DL PHIDARIAN MATHIS: "I don't think it's different. I mean, because for me, you know, I practiced against Jerome [Ford] in spring and fall camp, so I'm pretty familiar just playing against him.
"But by him being on a different team, I feel like once you family, you family. But we're going to war. After the game, I see him, win or lose, hug and dap him up. That's still my family. I will always remember him as one of my brothers."
Q. Guys before you talked about how the Texas A&M loss was your turning point for this season. Was there a specific moment or a time where you could tell the team was different, like the switch had been flipped?
DL PHIDARIAN MATHIS: "Most definitely. I feel like Texas A&M was turning a point. It showed a lot of guys how it feels to lose and how it feels to be down. We got the experience early, so we know how it feels to be down and out, the world against you. So you don't want to feel like that no more. So we just took that as motivation and try to get better every week.
"We still had battles that we had to fight, but we overcame, and we stuck together as a family and got through a lot of things. I think that's what makes this team so strong, that we fight together no matter what."
Q. Phil, you talked about Jerome [Ford] a little bit. You guys also have some transfers on your side that have helped you guys out this season. What's it like to see kind of the influence of the transfer portal on your team but also just on the game in general?
DL PHIDARIAN MATHIS: "I'm happy for my teammates that transferred in. Those guys came in, and they created a lot of value for themselves. And I'm just proud to say they're my teammates. No matter what, no matter what they go through, I'll always be here to support them. That's all I really have to say about that."
Q. You guys really took on the underdog role before that SEC championship game and seemed to thrive in it. How do you kind of approach this game. Obviously being a favorite is not something you think about. But how do you try to find that same type of motivation to be the underdog?
DL PHIDARIAN MATHIS: "I feel like we were the underdog way before that game. Coming into this game, we just got to have that mentality that it's a two‑game season. And everybody we play, they're going to be good. They're here for a reason. So we got to bring our best and just have that mentality that it's win or lose, do or die. You don't get no re‑dos in this. It's a two‑game season. It can maybe be one. We just got to have that mentality that we're going to go out here and do our job, everybody play on the same level. Everybody on the same page. It's all about whoever wants it the most."
Q. Coach Damon [Cogdell] talks about how important player leadership is and how it can make his job a lot easier. How have you seen this team's player leadership evolve over the course of the season?
DL PHIDARIAN MATHIS: "The team leadership, I think it does play a big role because some players, they can ‑‑ I mean, I feel like they understand it better when it's coming from their own peers and not just coach. So I feel like he is right about that. When players hear stuff come from us, they understand, all right, they got this mindset, so we have got to have this mindset also."
Q. A lot of the talk with Jerome [Ford] is the fact that he's been able to get opportunities at Cincinnati and kind of run with it. I guess in your experience as a defender at Alabama, how deep and talented is this Alabama running back field year in and year out? And, I guess, how competitive and hard is it to earn opportunity in a backfield with so much talent?
DL PHIDARIAN MATHIS: "Like I say, man, Jerome always been a great runner. He had to do what he had to do ‑‑ he had to make his decision on what he wanted to do. Like I say, I'm happy for him. I'm happy for his success at Cincinnati. Like I say, I'm going to support him no matter what. That's still my brother. He's just on a different side now. We are just going to be going to war with each other."
