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SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE MEDIA CONFERENCE

November 30, 2009

Greg McElroy

THE MODERATOR: Greg, could you talk about the upcoming match-up with Florida and the championship game?
GREG McELROY: It should be a tough task. Obviously we've been working for this moment. We've been working to get back and get an opportunity to play in the SEC Championship game. And we're very excited and fortunate to be able to have a rematch against a team we played last year.
So everyone's really looking forward to getting out there and making improvements as needed this week and try to play the best way we know how.
THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. I just wanted to ask, as you look at Florida's defense, what's the top challenges they present and are there any similarities there with Alabama's defense?
GREG McELROY: Well, really, what they do is not necessarily overly complicated. But what they do have, they have a lot of tremendous talent.
So obviously it's tough to prepare for in the sense that you can replicate the looks, but it's difficult to replicate the personnel that they have. So I think that's really what kind of obviously makes things difficult for defenses.
Now, as far as schematics, they're not nearly as confusing as our defense, I feel. But as far as speed and flat out talent, they're very, very similar.
So they do some very good things. They have a lot of confidence in their defensive backs and their secondary. And they do some different things with their pass rushers in their front. And they do a good job of mixing things in. However, it's not overly complicated. It's mostly based on a talent.
So really as far as what our defense does and their defense does, they're pretty different. Tries to confuse you as opposed to trying to line up and beat you with talent.

Q. The comeback win the fourth quarter drive against Auburn this past week, obviously the win and everything surrounding it is hugely important. But how important was it to have that experience of leading a job in the fourth quarter to win the game, how important is it going to be going into this one?
GREG McELROY: I think it's important for everybody involved. I think the fact that we didn't play our best game and the fact that we were able to learn and also having gotten the victory is obviously huge for us as a team and as our confidence is concerned.
So it was important for us as an offense. Because most times people will sit back and say, okay, if our offense is put in charge of winning that, shoot, we're going to be out of luck.
But it was nice for all of us to kind of be able to put together a drive and give them a memorable moment. The fact that everybody in the huddle seemed very confident and seemed very willing, and I think everybody felt strongly that they were going to do exactly what we did and take it right down and score.
I think that was definitely a positive for us on offense and obviously going into a great defensive matchup. This upcoming week against Florida, we're really going to have to have a good week after having, putting that long and critical drive together, I think that should allow us to go a long way.

Q. Can you talk about your year in general as a starting quarterback and you started fast and then passing game where you kind of struggled but in the end you kind of finished up real strong. Tell me about the learning process of a first-year starter?
GREG McELROY: Yeah, as you approach your first season starting in the SEC, you've got to understand that I'm not real -- I don't think I was real ready for it in the sense that there were going to be ups and downs. I think I was a little bit -- I kind of saw the glass more as half empty or half full as opposed to half empty, because you are going to have some ups and downs, and even the best players on any given Saturday can struggle.
So I think I had to understand that. And I think all in all, after kind of looking throughout the course of the season, having played 12 games now, I'm very, very happy with my performance.
And the fact that I have improved on things we've struggled on at times. We've gone through and thrown only four interceptions throughout the course of the season, which is obviously one of our primary goals in the passing game to maintain field position and not turn the ball over.
And we've been very productive. I think if you look at things, you know, we're doing a good job on the passing game. We're averaging a lot more yards than last year. And we're doing a good job. We have a lot of good playmakers, and I feel confident in the improvements we've made. Now, with that being said, obviously our toughest challenges are still ahead of us.
So we are going to have to continue to play good, continue to make improvements, continue to focus, continue to have great preparation in order to be successful against a good solid Florida team.
You know, it's a tough and tall order but definitely something we're going to try to be ready for and something we're going to try to handle and really be able to have a great week of practice in order to be the best way prepared possible.

Q. Can you tell me what about Mark Ingram's performance this year has placed him into the short conversation for the Heisman trophy, why do you think he's being considered for that award?
GREG McELROY: I think he should be considered because of his consistency. Mark has done as good a job as anybody, in both the passing and the running game.
If you really are an advocate of the game and you know and are very focused on every person in the game and their roles, you'll notice how good Mark is in protection.
I think a lot of people get caught up in the numbers and the statistics for running backs. But when you really look at Mark's game as a whole, he's so much more than just 125 yards a game or whatever it is. He does a great job in protection. Does a great job in the passing game, makes plays in yards after a catch. And he's been a great security blanket for us all of us in our first years as starters, he's that solid rock.
He's been a guy we can fall back on when we need to grind the clock and a guy that's gotten off to great starts in games for us. He's been very consistent and very positive.
He's been such a helpful weapon for me in the back field. And we've really worked well together. So Mark I expect to totally continue. And he deserves all the credit he's gotten. He really does. He's as good as any in the country, in my opinion. And we watch and play against the best running backs in the country week in week out, in my opinion.
Mark gets my vote if I were to have any type of vote in the Heisman. And I'm very proud and happy that he has had that recognition.

Q. How cognizant are you guys of the fact that this game could go a long way to determining whether Mark or Tebow win the Heisman?
GREG McELROY: I don't think anyone's worried about that. I know Mark as an individual is not so worried about that.
I think Mark wants to avenge the loss that we had last year in this game. And I think Mark wants to obviously do whatever it takes for him to win. Now, if that's running for 500 yards, then I'm sure Mark would be more the willing and more than capable of doing that.
Now, if that's being in protection every play and things like that, then I'm sure Mark would do that, no questions asked and do whatever it takes to win. I think that's what makes Mark so special.
As big as this award is, for not only just him but the entire offense as a whole, Mark's more concerned about victories as opposed to rushing yards and touchdowns, because that's the true measure of a man. That's why Mark is a special player, because so many guys our age get caught up in the statistics and the individual accolades and things like that, and Mark is very mature beyond his years in the fact that he wants to win championships more so than he wants to win a trophy.
And he also understands that there's a direct correlation between winning and -- winning the trophy and winning a championship.
We're going to try our best to go out there and accomplish things on the field both for the team, and we hope he gets all the credit he deserves, because he's very deserving of all the credit he's gotten.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you.

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