What the Texas players said following the Longhorns' 38-24 playoff win over Clemson

Texas got to host Clemson in the first round of the CFB Playoff, allowing local QB Cade Klubnik an opportunity for a homecoming. The rushing attack and Quinn Ewers said nah.

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Behind two tailbacks – Jaydon Blue and Tre Wisner – that had 100+ yards each and timely defensive stops, the Horns beat the Tigers, 38-24, from Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on Saturday night. Here’s what the players said as the Horns begin preparing for Arizona State in the Peach Bowl on New Year’s Day.

Q. Jaydon, two big touchdowns today. Can you walk us through what you saw on the closer one and then the 70-yarder after that?

JAYDON BLUE: Yeah, the first thing, I want to give a lot to credit to the guys up front. Those guys paved the way for me. But we made a big emphasis that we was going to have to run the ball in order to win this game.

Like I said, I credit these guys. Those guys are the reason that those two touchdowns happened.

Q. Hayden, what was the second half like for you having to switch positions to a position that you don’t play all the time?

HAYDEN CONNER: Yeah, it was interesting for sure, but Jake being such a good leader and such a good role model for that position, it was really easy to transition over and have him coach me up on the sideline whenever I needed him to.

Q. Quinn, Sark was talking about having checked to both touchdown runs Jaydon had. Talk about that process of when you’re reading the defense pre-snap and when a check pops like that, how does that feel for you as a quarterback?

QUINN EWERS: Yeah, it’s a great feeling. Anytime you’re able to get the offense into the correct play call for certain looks. I think it’s just a testament to the coaches giving us those looks in practice and it being kind of easy to see and easy to be able to check.

Q. Jaydon, I don’t want to put words in your mouth, but that 77-yard run, was that a season’s worth of frustration being released when you scored that one there?

JAYDON BLUE: Yeah, of course it was a sour feel after everything I’ve been going through. But it’s all God. I stayed patient, and luckily I saw a crease, and it was everything from there.

Q. Quinn and Gunnar, Gunnar, you broke the single season receptions record for a tight end at Texas. Your reaction to that? And Quinn, just the connection that you had with him this season.

GUNNAR HELM: Yeah, first of all, I think somebody predicted me to have nine receptions this year.

Then yeah, no, super cool feeling. Super blessed. But obviously I wouldn’t be in this position without the O-line protecting Quinn. Obviously without Quinn allowing me to make a great play.

I think that our line of communication is constant, and we trust each other out there, and glad I made the play.

QUINN EWERS: Yeah, I think me and Gunnar just have a great connection on and off the field, which I think the off the field helps the on the field. We’ve just got a great connection, and just always is open it seems like, so it makes my job a whole lot easier for sure.

Q. Jaydon, why do you think the running game (indiscernible) this year?

JAYDON BLUE: It all starts in practice. Like I said coming into this week, we made an emphasis that we were going to have to run the ball in order to win this game, and the O-line and us in the backfield took a lot of pride in working on that, so we’d be able to run the ball effectively.

Q. You came so close last year, in a similar position. Is that kind of a motivating factor for you this year, as well?

QUINN EWERS: Yeah, I think it motivates the entire team. Us being so close last year, a couple plays away from going to the National Championship, and then who knows what happens. But you can’t live in that dream. We just try to go 1-0 each and every day, each and every week, and then see where that gets us.

Q. Gunnar, did you take the over on the nine receptions.

GUNNAR HELM: Yeah, I did.

Q. Quinn, Coach talked about overcoming adversity and here you are at Georgia putting together a big win. How does that bode well for you guys?

QUINN EWERS: Yeah, I think it just gives testament to our culture once again, coming off a bye week, and ultimately a loss to Georgia, a team who beat us twice and just kind of circling back in and connecting back with each other and putting in the hours in practice and just getting ready for this game, going out there and competing, and ultimately having success in the run game and on the pass game.

Again, I think we played great complementary football tonight. Our job was to put the defense in great positions, and I believe we did that for the most part. If we can continue to play complementary football, I think we’re going to be really tough to beat.

Q. Hayden, can you speak to how far this offensive line has come?

HAYDEN CONNER: Yeah, it’s definitely a brotherhood for sure. We all rely on each other. We trust each other, like when Kelvin went down at A&M, Goosby came in. We didn’t skip a beat. That’s why we practice. That’s why we love each other and everything.

Q. Can you talk about how cool the atmosphere was for a playoff game, and would you want to see all the playoff games being on campus?

HAYDEN CONNER: DKR is pretty special. We would have liked to have the bye, but getting another game at home is something to be grateful for, getting one more in front of the fans and everything. I kind of like traveling, playing away games.

Q. Quinn, you guys talked about adversity, bouncing back after the loss. Within games (indiscernible) the message to you guys. How does that come into play in every game, your ability to handle after an open drive touchdown today (indiscernible)?

QUINN EWERS: Yeah, I think we really just do a good job of staying enamored with us and not focused on what just went wrong. We’re really just trying to focus on the next play, and I think we really did a good job of that tonight for sure.

Q. Gunnar and Hayden, especially with what happened up front and then when things don’t necessarily go right in certain instances, how much pride do you guys take that there are so many aspects of this team that can lift you guys?

HAYDEN CONNER: I think it’s like Gunnar said earlier, we play really well, complementary football. When the defense got that turnover, it sucked that we didn’t put points on the board, but defense responded well and we handled our business. If we can continue to play complementally football the way we did today, I think we’ll do some good stuff.

GUNNAR HELM: Yeah, I think he hit it right on the head.

Q. For Gunnar and Quinn, Coach kind of said that they threw y’all a look you weren’t expecting. Gunnar, on your touchdown you had to change up your route. Can you walk us through what you saw and how that happened?

GUNNAR HELM: Yeah, so it was more just kind of lean and then post route, just kind of selling the corner, and then when the safety bit down I just took it high.

One of my main jobs in that look is to cross the safety’s face. If the look is not there for me to get the ball. When he pinned down, I tell Quinn all the time just to put the ball high and I’ll do my best to go up and make a play, all 6’5″ of me.

QUINN EWERS: Yeah, he did a great job. Again, like he said, we really harp on crossing the safety’s face, but just the testament to him not being a robot and just running drawings. It was cool to see for sure.

Q. Hayden and Jaydon, Sark was in here and said that he specifically challenged the O-line (indiscernible) SEC Championship. How did he do that, and how much of that was what we saw today?

JAYDON BLUE: Well, to answer that, going back to the SEC Championship, we didn’t run the ball well at all, and we went back and watched the film and those were one of the things that he brought up.

We were going to have to run the ball in order to be successful the rest of the way. He just stayed on us in practice, and the O-line, the running backs, the whole offense took that in, and we were more physical in practice, and we really made a big emphasis on us running the ball.

Q. Barryn, can you take us through that fourth and 1 stop and what is it about this defense that you guys were able to come up big in these late game situations?

BARRYN SORRELL: Yeah, in the huddle before I’m telling the guys, this is what we work on, this is what we practice for. We call it a red zone locked. The team might be able to drive down the field and we can’t control where we are, but we’re not letting anybody get in the paint, and that’s the mentality that we have on this defense, especially on this defensive line.

Shout-out to Bill. It’s hard for a running back to make a play when an offensive line is right in his face as soon as he gets the ball. So shout out, thank God for Shea.

Q. Michael, you told us this past Monday that your job was (indiscernible) and you actually got a sack and then after the game was one of the great sports moments. You met Cade on the field and embraced. Can you walk us through that moment together?

MICHAEL TAAFFE: Yeah, well, when you look across the sideline, no matter how close you are with the other opponent, they’re your opponent for 60 minutes. Once you step through those white lines, then he’s your opponent and that’s just how football is. That’s how I’m raised. That’s how competitive I am. He’s the same way. We were definitely sharing words back and forth, so that was fun.

But then at the end of the game it’s all love. He’s a great guy. He had a great game. Made us — exposed some things that we haven’t — I don’t know how many yards they had passing, but definitely need to improve. Myself, the defensive backs as a whole.

He helped us out get ready for next Saturday for sure. Hats off to Cade. He’s a baller. But I didn’t play good enough. I’m glad that I made that last play because I was ticked off I didn’t play good enough as a competitor. I wanted to do more.

But the great thing about football is we had more points than them, and so we get to do it again on January 1st, so I’m so blessed, to excited to have another opportunity with guys like Jahdae and Barryn.

Q. Jahdae, can you speak to what this means to Andrew and Michael and you for the relationships you guys have, to win a game like this Wednesday guys that you know?

JAHDAE BARRON: I mean, it means everything for those guys and for me. That’s why I wanted to wear a shirt for Andrew Mukuba, Michael Taaffe. A lot of reasons, and a few of the reasons, Andrew used to be at Clemson. He’s from the city.

Then Michael Taft, he’s from the city and he’s playing against his old quarterback. Those are the guys I had with me when I won the award. And I said that award, it wasn’t just me on it, but also those guys that helped me because they’ve been pushing me.

Just to follow up with Taaffe, we’ve got to do better, but I’m so proud of Taaffe. He wanted to make more plays, but it’s not about how you start, it’s about how you finished, and he finished the correct way, and he sealed the game for us.

Q. Michael and Jahdae, that game sealing 4th down hit that you made, what are the emotions of a play like that?

MICHAEL TAAFFE: Yeah, for sure, was so torn because I wanted to get out there again and try to make a play, but then again, when your offense gets 1st downs when they keep burning the clock, it’s like, all right, we won the game, so it’s whatever.

I care about winning more than anything else. That’s all I care about. So I can have zero stats. I can get a play in. But if we won, I’m happy.

But then at the end of the day we got another opportunity. It’s our job as a defense to hold our standard and not let anybody get in our paint. That’s what we talk about. What these guys preach is not letting anybody get in our paint. That’s what we take pride in. That’s what we hunger for.

Somebody had to make a play. I knew that it was time to make a play, and I just made the play that came to me.

JAHDAE BARRON: Just to follow up, he kind of hit everything, but us three, we’re all defensive leaders here. Taaffe, he just keeps everybody going, no matter the adversity that we face, and he’s always there just harping on everybody, just making sure we’re staying engaged and mentally focused. This game you have to have a lot of strong mental focus, just keep playing and having adversity up and downs, them driving down the field.

But just to hold us and just to be tight and not let anybody get in the paint when it mattered. That was big.

Q. Barryn, once you get the hand-off (indiscernible) you get the sack, as well. Do you feel like you’re playing your best ball right now?

BARRYN SORRELL: Any time you get to make a play, I’m definitely happy to do that. That’s why I work for, and that’s what we work on as a front. But that’s just the standard of Texas defense that we have built, starting with these guys up here.

But that’s the standard on this defense is to go out there and make plays, and I’m happy I made plays out there, but I get to play good on January 1st, and hopefully that’s my best game.

Q. A lot of jokes, a lot of laughing happening right now. How much fun are you having playing with each other this season?

JAHDAE BARRON: Sometimes I have mood swings. I don’t know why. I’m just happy. I’m just blessed to be up here with these guys. We have another opportunity just to continue playing football. But I’m just most proud of how we just bought in. We’re still buying into Sark’s culture, and we love everybody. It’s not a bond that we have on the field but we strongly have it off the field, just connecting with people, me talking to Sorrell, we’re in different position groups and just things like that, just having a connection with everybody.

I think that’s what I love about it.

BARRYN SORRELL: Yeah, it definitely goes just to our culture. We know what matters, so at the end of the day we’re going to go out there and have fun. Especially on defense, we call it we’re throwing a party. We’re throwing a party every Saturday, and that’s what we went out there and did today and that’s what I’m going to do next week.

It all starts off with fun. At the end of the day, the stakes are obviously getting higher, but we all picked up the football for a reason, and I’m just happy that we all continue to get to play.

MICHAEL TAAFFE: Yeah, to follow what they talked about because I 100 percent agree, we get to do this. We’re so blessed to be in this opportunity. I think our defense, the one thing that I could describe our defense as, the culture of our defense is the love for one another.

When we break it out after walk-throughs, after time-outs, we’re all hands on one another, loving one another, and that’s so fun.

When you get to the real world and you’ve got to work, then I’ll say I’m working, but right now I’m not working, I’m getting to do that. I don’t work. I have fun every single day.

Q. Michael, it seems like in some ways this game went against script. Was today evidence of this team’s versatility and greatness?

MICHAEL TAAFFE: Well, Cade is a tremendous quarterback. We all knew that. I specifically knew that. What he can do with his legs, what he can do with his arm. Everybody it seemed like on their offense was on the same page. When he was scrambling, they’re going to find room and a zone to get open, catch the ball and get upfield. Definitely made our job really hard, but I’m so glad that we had that opportunity now to see, all right, let’s get better from this. Let’s see what we can do moving forward as far as upping the good of what we’re doing and fixing the bad.

You never want to forget about the good because you always want to keep pushing the good. But then looking at the bad how can we fix that, how can we minimize our mistakes.

The offense did what they do. I’m so proud of that offense. It feels good when you get to sit on the sideline for seven minutes coming out of the half if I’m not mistaken. They run the rock, and it’s so awesome. It hurts for a defense when you’re just getting the run, run, run, run, run, and you can’t stop it.

Q. Hey, Barryn, this was an imperfect win; you guys had some leakage. How can that help you moving forward in the return to Atlanta?

BARRYN SORRELL: Just realizing that it’s a blessing that we still get to keep playing. Obviously there’s things that we can work on, like he just said, but at the end of the day we get to go back to work, and that what we’ve been doing throughout this whole year. We’ve had success on the defense but it’s because we’re harping on the details each and every week. Even when there might be a performance where it might seem good to everybody else, we’re looking at the tape and we’re trying to see what can we do to make it a Berwyn and a better defensive performance.

Just realizing that we have another opportunity on January 1st and we’re going to take the steps and clean things up so that we can go out there and have a better performance.

Q. For all three of you guys, you’re going up against Arizona State next. Your thoughts on facing that kind of offense.

MICHAEL TAAFFE: Yeah, haven’t looked at the scouting report yet on Arizona State. Can’t wait to do it. Obviously a great challenge. When you get a bye week and this type of platform, this type of college football platform, that obviously shows a testament to how good you are as a team.

We’re going to have a really good opponent, and we’re going to respect our opponent. We’re going to get ready for the challenge. I’m so excited for the challenge. I know Barryn preaches stopping the run all the time, so he’s going to be excited for the challenge, and when the opportunity presents itself, we’re going to be ready to go. We’re going to go get it.

BARRYN SORRELL: Yeah, I’m excited. Obviously I’m blessed just to keep playing and play again on January 1st, but my time being here, I feel like I’ve heard that a lot, that a team is going to come in here and run the ball on us, and I’d like to say there was a different result a lot of those times. Just looking forward to that challenge again. Everybody up front is going to be looking forward to that challenge, especially this box, because that’s what we do as a defense. We just harp on stopping the run.

It’ll be fun for that challenge for sure.

JAHDAE BARRON: It’ll be an amazing challenge. He’s a hard downhill running back, and I’m knowing these guys can get everybody on board to just execute and we’re going to trust PK’s plan and we’re going to have a good plan to do it?

Q. Jahdae, you’ve talked about Michael’s defense. Why is Michael deserving of postseason accolades?

JAHDAE BARRON: That guy is amazing. I can start like 15 years ago. That dude is amazing. It’s nothing he does on the field, on camera. It’s everything he does off the field, off the camera, how he just commits himself to the Lord, for one. He trusts the Lord. That’s why he goes out there and plays fast and literally tackles like a maniac, because he knows everything is in the Lord’s hands. That’s number one.

For two, he trusts his teammates, and we trust him. We know he’s going to play fast, and he loves /USZ. He loves us unconditionally, no matter the mistakes we make, no matter if we get on his nerves. I get him mad every single day. Literally he gets mad at me every day. But that guy right there, he’s a tremendous hard worker, and he just continues to push himself.

You guys get to see it when the cameras come on, but this guy pushes himself like no other, more than anybody else that I know off the field, so I know he’s going to continue to do great things in his life.

Q. It felt as if Cade’s ability to extend plays with his legs and get the ball out of his hands downfield was a bit different than you guys have seen this year. Is that what you saw?

ANDREW MUKUBA: For me, I’d say with him, our main thing was trying to force him to play the position. We tried to give him a lot of looks in the back end, a lot of disguises. I feel like he did a good job in the game escaping the pocket and making downfield throws. They kind of had the Q draw, the QB run designs going a little bit.

Q. Drew, you get the win against your former team. How sweet was that? Moving forward, what’s the evaluation process for the defensive backs to tighten things up?

ANDREW MUKUBA: It obviously felt good to get the win against my former team. I’m glad I’m on this side of the win.

As far as the guys in the back end. There wasn’t really nothing that we were surprised or shocked or anything like that. I believe in the guys in the back end. I know I wouldn’t even say we had a bad game, there was just a couple things we’ve got to clean up as far as technique and things like that, and I believe we’re going to be straight. There ain’t nothing to worry about.

Q. For Andrew, a couple big defensive stands you guys have had, one today and one against A&M. Can you take us into these big moments for this defense, how you guys are able to step up when it mattered most?

ANDREW MUKUBA: I would say for me as a unit on defense, I’d say it’s pride. I feel like we take pride in not letting guys score or get in our paint. I know we do a good job of doing that. In those situations, the only thing we preach is to not let those guys in our paint. If we don’t let nobody in our paint, I like our chances to win all the games that we play. That’s just something that we take pride in as a defense.

Q. Drew, how much pride do you guys take in the level of physicality that you guys play with, and how much is that a focal point for you guys on a week in, week out basis?

ANDREW MUKUBA: We take a lot of pride in that. We try to go out there every week, come out there and play with violence because that’s how you play this game the right way, with violence. That’s something we try to get across from the D-line, the linebackers to the corners to the safeties. Just go out there and play aggressive and play violent.

Q. Pete, Jahdae and Taaffe described as genius throughout the last couple months. I know tonight you had some timely blitzes with Guilbeau. Take me through that decision making, when those blitzes come, what goes through your mind? And can you talk about how bad you want to catch that pick on Cade, and take us through that play.

ANDREW MUKUBA: I mean, I don’t know, for some reason I feel like this game that’s one that I’m kind of disappointed on because I wanted that one really bad. But I’m going to get other ops. I’m going to get me another one.