Sorry about the words that ran together. This last one was sent to me as a PDF and didn't copy and paste well.
WILLIAM VLACHOS
WILLIAM VLACHOS: Playing in the National Championship two years ago, you know, we really had no idea of the opponent, Texas, because we really can't gauge on film what they're really like because they don't play the same people we play.
So with an opponent you're so familiar with, and you know their scheme inside and out even before this preparation began, yeah, I think it gets a little monotonous to get ready; but it is a great opportunity to be able to refine the game plan and stuff like that.
Q. Being an offensive guy, I know ?? I'm sure you've heard everyone go: There were no touchdowns the first time, and they kind of grind away and say we don't want to see a rematch. Not that you have to respond to that, but what do you tell people and say why that was a great college football game?
WILLIAM VLACHOS: I think it was old school. Obviously people, I'm sure, enjoyed watching West Virginia put up 70 points in a game. I'm sure it was entertaining. I know I was entertained by it.
But when you look at the core of football, you look at blocking, look at tackling, you look at rushing the ball, great defense, special teams play, all that type stuff, I think that game incorporated it all at a very high level. Even though there weren’t many points scored, you're dealing with probably the two best defenses in college football in that game.
Two offenses are also very good, and the defenses, I guess, won out, and obviously weren't able to put the ball in the end zone when we got in the red area. I think for a true football fan, I think they really enjoyed that game.
Q. Are there ways, when you look at it and say you can have a 9?6 game and it could be let's say a 9?6 gameintheBigTenbetweenIndianaandPurdue,andyouhavepeoplelookatitandgo: It'snotarena football, whatever, and they can look at it and say that's a different game than the 9?6 game you guys had, just because you look at it, you say it's more physical or whatever, but how do you judge what's a really good football game if you're sitting at home watching it?
WILLIAM VLACHOS: You know, the last couple of years, all I can watch is the centers, whenever I watch football. And people will tell you, I don't watch sports. I don't watch football games unless it's people that we're going to play.
I pretty much pay attention to the SEC, and I watch the Super Bowl. But I think you're right. I think that when you see a game, with the great talent on the field and the little things being done right in the physical game, that's the type of game that I appreciate to watch.
Q. When you watched the West Virginia game, are you just looking at it going: This is kind of amusing, because it goes so back and forth like that, or the Baylor game, have you had a chance to see that?
WILLIAM VLACHOS: I didn't see the Baylor game. When you watch the West Virginia game, you look at the mistakes and you see how costly they are. You look at a 14?point turnaround and if they don't fumble the ball at the goal line the guy goes 99 yards for a touchdown. It's fun. You're sitting there waiting on Clemson to stop them.
That's something in the SEC, particularly the defensive linemen, they're so strong, I think better than everywhere else in the country. Just kind of ?? I don't think those type games are really a possibility.
Q. Could you ever see yourself in that kind of offense, the scheme that they run?
WILLIAM VLACHOS: I watched West Virginia's film because they played LSU earlier this year. Yeah, you know, I wouldn't be on an offense that's very heavy pass, I don't think, because I'm kind of a perched?off center as far as zone schemes and stuff like that; but, yeah, I think I could play that offense.
Q. Can you talk about Alfred McCullough's development throughout this year and how he sort of gained in season opportunity given the injuries you've had to endure on the line this year?
WILLIAM VLACHOS: He's done a great job. He's a fifth?year senior came here playing defense first. He wasn't a starter going into week one. And I think, you know, whether he deserved to be or not was kind of
irrelevant, but I think he put a lot into the preseason and the offseason to be a starter, and he wasn't.
And our new offensive line coach said to hang in there, keep working hard, everything would work out, and sure enough it did. He comes in halfway through the year and doesn't miss a beat and starting a National Championship.
Q. Do you feel like things like the Barrett Jones' injury were some of the reasons why things fell apart towards the end of the LSU game?
WILLIAM VLACHOS: I mean, no, not really. Barrett finished the game. Barrett played fine in the game. I don't think that was much of a factor.
TRENT RICHARDSON
Q. The LSU loss, after the corrections (indiscernible)?
TRENT RICHARDSON: We had like a real statement. We came back into the next game, I think we played like Mississippi State or Ole' Miss, one of them guys, and we just said that we just want to re? recon, and get back to where we was going headed to and make sure we stay in a straight line and make sure we don't forget what we're playing for.
Andweknewinourheadthatweweregoingtogetanotherchance,atleastwefeltlikeit. Sowejustre? recon ourselves and got back to where we was in that next ballgame and make sure we stayed on the right course and make sure that the team leaders on this team here, that we made sure that we was standing up and not getting down about the situation that we was in.
Q. Having been around you the last few weeks for the preparations (indiscernible), do you feel like you have something to prove?
TRENT RICHARDSON: Oh, yeah, most definitely, because we didn't win the first game. You've got to have a chip on your shoulder anytime you're playing any type of sport. I mean, as a competitor, as a man, youfeelyoushouldwinallthetime. Idon'tknowapersonthatlikestolose.
You play to win. And that's the bottom line. And that's what we're here for. And we're not shining unless we're winning. We're not here for nothing but for the National Championship. We're here for a trophy. That's what we agreed on, that's what we worked hard for all year, and that's what we're here for.
Q. Compare this experience to two years ago. How has that experience affected you?
TRENT RICHARDSON: Two years ago, I was a freshman and another guy, just a guy trying to find his way on the team and make a name for him. This year I kind of had a name coming into the season.
SoitwaskindofdifferentformebecauseIhadtobeoneofthosetopleaders. AndwhenIwashere,in Pasadena two years ago, I was just a young guy, and it was leaders on the team, and there was captains and stuff.
All I had to do was follow. Now I'm trying to lead the team, make sure that we stay on top of what we have to do, and be one of those guys that is going to put the team on their back or that's going to spot the team or come into halftime, or if it's tied up, we got 30 more minutes to play, we've got to see them in the game. To be one of those guys, it's incredible. And it's tough, playing in an environment like we play in every week, week in, week out, and playing in the SEC, it's very tough.
So to be one of those guys, man, it's an honor for me, and I really want to thank God and thank my teammates for letting me lead them on this far and let me be the team captain for them.
Q. The experience two years ago, how much did that help?
TRENT RICHARDSON: It helped a lot, most definitely, because I sat behind Mark Ingram, and he showed me a lot. And with those leaders we had on our team, Orlando, Javier, and Mike Williams, all those guys that we had over there and Terrance, it was a big experience.
And it really helped us get prepared for this game because we've been here before. We know how to win it. We just have to make sure we can stay on top of our game. So get prepared for this game. I think we did the same training, the same amount of stuff, and the same amount of snaps that we did for that '09 game to get ready for this game here.
Q. DoyouexpectthegameonMondaytobeahighscoringgame?
TRENT RICHARDSON: No, I don't expect it to be no high?scoring game just because the way we play football around here. I'm not trying to say that our offense can't score. I'm not trying to say their offense can't score. But with our two defenses and how they battle and how they hit, I don't expect for a blowout game or 45 points up on the scoreboard unless we go into like five overtimes, and I highly doubt that there.
So whatever it is, the games you've been watching, you're not going to get that here. You're going to get a slugfest, man?up game, and see who is the best man on the field come Monday.
Q. How did it feel Sunday morning physically (indiscernible), overall your thoughts?
TRENT RICHARDSON: It really didn't hit me Sunday morning, because I still had a lot of adrenalin going from the game. It hit really me like Monday. Sunday when I woke up, I felt pretty good. But Monday I was kind of sore, and I knew I had just been into a hard?nosed game, a 60?minute game. You have a defense like LSU coming at you, trying to pound you all day, and you're trying to do as much pounding, ?? it's tough playing in the SEC and the defense that we do play.
I had to make sure that I was prepared for next week, for the next two days, and make sure I was resting up my body and getting my body, getting all the knots and bruises out of my body. But, overall, I came back and played pretty strong the next week.
Ithadtobeagoodexperience,justbeingpreparedforthissituationherenowthatwe'rein. Iknow they're going to bring it to us, and I know how they're going to try to come to me.
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