WATCH: Four Alabama players speak Wednesday ahead of Sugar Bowl
NEW ORLEANS — No. 5 Alabama is only three days away from taking on No. 9 Kansas State in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. If the Crimson Tide can secure a victory, it’ll give them an 11-win season for the 12th straight time under head coach Nick Saban.
On Wednesday afternoon, five Alabama players spoke to the media. Four of those players include tight end Cameron Latu, running back Jahmyr Gibbs, offensive lineman Emil Ekiyor Jr. and wide receiver Ja’Corey Brooks. Below, we’ve got video of all those availabilities, plus transcriptions.
TE Cameron Latu
On Alabama playing in the Sugar Bowl…
“I’m pretty excited to just come out here with my guys, and just compete for the last time this year. Just show that we’re a good team and that we can finish the right way, as a team.”
On the biggest challenges he sees against Kansas State…
“Definitely from an offensive standpoint, their defense is very disciplined and they play very together. They’re just all one defense; they move together, tackle together, they just do stuff together. We’re going to have to find the zones and get the ball to our playmakers to make plays.”
On Bryce Young playing and the low number of opt-outs on both sides of the field…
“First of all, it is a blessing to have Bryce as a quarterback, because obviously, he’s the best at what he does. Not a lot of people have an opportunity to play with guys like Bryce. His ability to read, he’s a good quarterback, no need to explain that. Low opt-outs just shows how locked in we are and how connected we are as a team. We stick together and went through this season as one. It’s great to have everyone come out and play with us; it shows how committed they are to the game, so we’re happy to have no opt-outs.”
On things Alabama OC Bill O’Brien does better than most…
“Definitely keeping his cool. Like if it’s a bad play it doesn’t affect him, nothing affects him. Just like in the Auburn game people say he was laughing on fourth down before he threw that ball to Jahmyr (Gibbs). He was laughing, he’s not even fazed. He has his mind in such control where it’s nothing. There are not too many guys like that, a lot of people get pressured or fold to temptations, he is the same every day. The consistency is crazy. Having that on your team, that leader on your team just makes people better and it’s helped me a lot, so I’m blessed to have him.”
RB Jahmyr Gibbs
On his response to fan criticism of Alabama OC Bill O’Brien…
“A lot of people have never played in a college game before, never coached in a college game before. He’s coached in the NFL, he’s coached in college, so I guess he knows what he’s doing.”
On the season’s toughest challenge and how he’s overcome that…
“Probably the adversity we went through with the losses. As a whole, bouncing back from those and responding the right way, not letting the outside noise get to us and just playing our game.”
On focusing on the Sugar Bowl and not thinking about missing the College Football Playoff…
“I think we all just bought into Bama. Us not opting out and showing that we’re together, that we want to play to the (Bama) standard.”
On what Alabama’s draft-eligible players not opting out says about the program…
“I think it shows we’ve bought into the program. We’re all together, nobody’s opting out. We just want to play to the standard of Bama football.”
On if it was a group decision for draft-eligible players to return for the bowl game…
“I think it was more like we just couldn’t sit back and watch our team play and us not be up there. It wouldn’t feel right.”
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WR Ja’Corey Brooks
On refocusing after Alabama’s transfers left…
“We loved all the guys that were here but, you know, as a team they’re not here anymore so the guys that are in the room know they had to step up. We all had to step up. Really nothing had to change. Everybody still plays their role and everybody has to do their job.”
On the trajectory of Alabama’s WR group into next season…
“I kind of like our position group. I liked it for what it was but I feel great about it. The young guys are developing still and some of the older guys that are here are helping them [the young players] develop. I feel like we’re going to be great.”
On how some of Alabama’s younger players have grown throughout the season…
“Just growing mentally from the playbook and just off the field, how they carry themselves. They’re some great kids and some great student-athletes. We all grow as receivers together because we piggyback off of one another.”
OL Emil Ekiyor Jr.
On the state of Alabama’s OL coming in and the impact of freshman OL Tyler Booker…
“Having five transfers has definitely impacted our depth in a big way. I think the biggest thing is that we got into a lot of shape. We take double reps just from missing guys and things of that nature, but [OL] Tyler Bookers really stepped in and did a great job all year. He came in with a great mindset and really matured for his age and took care of business from day one. So, just him transitioning to the role of a starter was no real problem because he was already working his tail off all year and he’s been ready for the moment. So, I’m excited to see what he does for the game [Sugar Bowl] because I know he’s prepared well. He’s a really good young player.”
On which New Orleans dish he would choose if he could only have one…
“That’s a tough one. There’s so much good food down here [New Orleans] and it’s kind of hard to choose. But, I’m going to go with the really good desserts. I had some really good beignets when we first got here so I’m going to roll with that one. I’ve had beignets before but they’re different down here.”
On the five players who transferred from Alabama…
“I don’t think it’s necessarily something you can sense throughout the year. I think it’s kind of towards the end, maybe, that guys got a little checked out at the end of the season and we just knew that “Oh he might be leaving.” It wasn’t really expressed amongst the team and there wasn’t really anything said in the locker room. Guys still showed up to practice and everything and didn’t really complain much, but towards the end of the season we all understood that they made a decision that was best for themselves and we wish them the best wherever they go.”
On what the benefit is of players transferring out of Alabama’s program…
“I think it’s good. You kind of just eliminate the guys that are not necessarily bringing the culture down but the guys who were here this year really didn’t complain and be negative, but I think it’s good to have everybody here that wants to be here and I think it’s helped the preparation. This week we’ve done a really good job of preparing and the intensity and focus has been good. I think it’s probably just because everyone’s here that wants to be here.”
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