COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF MEDIA CONFERENCE

January 6, 2021

John Metchie

Alabama Crimson Tide

CFP Media Conference

Q. I'm wondering, how difficult is it waiting and not knowing whether you're going to play Monday or whether it's going to be another week given the COVID situation?

JOHN METCHIE: I wouldn't say it's too difficult. I think we just focus on what we have to do to prepare for the game, and whenever that is and whatever date it is, I know that we'll be ready and well prepared to play.

Q. Can you maybe walk us through that 40-yard reception in the Rose Bowl and DeVonta Smith's blocking on that play, as well?

JOHN METCHIE: I think it was just a good call and great execution. I think we got the call into the right look that we wanted, and of course what we take pride on as receivers is also playing without the ball, and I think that was great of Smitty leading me down the field, leading the way.

Q. Can you tell us a little bit about the relationship you have with your brothers, some of your friends back in Brampton that I understand you still keep very close ties with through the course of the season and what those kind of relationships mean, supporting you in your football journey?

JOHN METCHIE: The relationships I have with my brothers and all my close friends back in Brampton and back home mean everything to me. They are the reason why I am the way I am. They've helped me with everything, and they continue to be there for me unconditionally. Those relationships definitely mean a lot to me.

Q. A two-parter: How has Jaylen looked in practice, and what would getting him back for this game mean to you guys?

JOHN METCHIE: Waddle has looked good. He's been doing a lot of treatment. He's been on top of everything, and I feel like that's that.

Him coming back, as to him coming back, I think everyone knows what he brings and what that brings when he's on the field to the defense, how they look at that, how dynamic our offense is.

So I feel like everyone kind of knows what he brings to the table.

Q. I'm not sure how much you look at individual match-ups before, but there's a chance Sevyn Banks, No. 7, for Ohio State could be on you a lot. If you've studied tape on him, what do you see from him? He's a young receiver who's in his first year starting for Ohio State.

JOHN METCHIE: I don't really look at individual match-ups a lot, but I do look at their defenses and their personnel and who we're going to play.

But he's definitely a good DB. Their DBs are really long, lengthy, good in coverage. So I think just on my part, being prepared, being prepared to face whoever and win my box.

Q. Just wonder, where were you watching the Heisman stuff last night, and what was your reaction when you saw DeVonta today?

JOHN METCHIE: I was watching it at my place the other night and I wasn't surprised. I had said it long ago that Smitty is the best player in college football this year. So definitely seeing him win was great. I'm extremely proud of him.

But I definitely wasn't surprised because I knew he was going to win it from -- from time.

Q. Is it cool to see a wide receiver finally win the Heisman Trophy? And do you think we'll see more wideouts win it in the future?

JOHN METCHIE: I hope. I hope more wideouts win in the future. But it definitely is cool, especially it being somebody from Alabama and somebody in our receiver room.

Especially it being more of a quarterback/running back award people say, but it definitely is cool, and I definitely hope that more wide receivers win the Heisman Trophy coming up.

Q. What's something about Mac Jones that you feel maybe doesn't get enough appreciation from the rest of us?

JOHN METCHIE: I'm not really sure. I think Mac does everything well. I think he does everything great, actually, as far as being a leader, his ability, what he does on the field, his preparation for the games. I think he's great at all those things.

Q. How are you and the other receivers able to be on the exact same page as Mac? And how does he make the determination who's going to get the ball?

JOHN METCHIE: Just practice. I think we practice really hard. We always practice hard. I think that's where a lot of the chemistry is built, a lot of the bonds are built.

And as far as determining who gets the ball, we just kind of go out there and play and the ball finds the right person. Like we say, the ball will always find the right person. So I think that that's pretty much it.

Q. Just wondering if you could tell us, just how much of a different player are you now than you were before you came to Bama?

JOHN METCHIE: I'm different in a lot of ways, physically, mentally, emotionally. You just grow coming to Alabama. Just knowing that every day you're going to compete and that this place is going to bring the best out of you. It's going to force the best out of you for you to be the best version of yourself, for you to be a competitor.

I think in all those ways, I've definitely grown.

Q. You said DeVonta is the best player in college football; can one defender slow him down?

JOHN METCHIE: No. Nah.

Q. You elaborated last week before the Rose Bowl about the journey you've been on, different countries around the world. What have you learned or what did you learn about yourself along that journey, living in different countries, that's helped prepare you as a football player and a person?

JOHN METCHIE: I think that has taught me to be comfortable being uncomfortable. Just because I've never really been in one place for an extremely long amount of time and I kind of always have been moving around, so it's always a new environment, which can be uncomfortable for a lot of people.

But it's kind of taught me to be comfortable being uncomfortable, and that helps a lot in the sport and in life.