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SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: ALABAMA v MISSOURIDecember 1, 2014Markus GoldenATLANTA, GEORGIA CHUCK DUNLAP: Markus, while we wait on the questions to come in, would you mind just talking about your team as you get ready to face Alabama on Saturday. MARKUS GOLDEN: Yes. Really we're just going to prepare like we always prepare. This is what we talked about, being in this position, and we're in the Championship now, and we're going to be ready for it. So we're just going to prepare all week, get our plays, and get the system we're going to run from the coaches, and we'll be ready. Q. A lot of talk going into the season about, obviously, Michael and Kony leaving. Did you and Shane kind of come in with a chip on your shoulder? You guys played a lot last year with a lot of success, and did you guys kind of come in with a chip on your shoulder as far as wanting to prove people wrong about this defense? MARKUS GOLDEN: Yes, of course, we did. It wasn't because of Mike and Kony. Mike and Kony helped out a lot when they were at this program, but it was more just for the team, for Missouri, period. Just to get everybody out there and show them we've got a lot of competitors on this team. Q. And after the SEC Championship Game last year‑‑ obviously, you gave up a lot of yards and a lot of points. What do you take from that as you prepare for this one? MARKUS GOLDEN: Really just get the system from Coach Steck and trusting what Coach Steck wants us to run and just get out there and do it. To actually make sure we make tackles and not beat ourselves. Get out there and make more plays than we make mistakes. Q. Go back to that Georgia game. I know things weren't looking very good for the team at the time. Where do you think you guys as a team have come the furthest since that day? MARKUS GOLDEN: As a team, I feel like we came real far from it. The leaders pulled everybody together after that game and let everyone know we can't let that one game define our whole season. The whole team took pride in it, took pride in what all the leaders were saying, and we wanted to fix it. We didn't want to let that one Georgia game mess up our whole season. So we just told everybody we could still reach our goals and all the goals we set were still ahead of us, and we were able to reach them. Q. You guys are putting a lot of people in the NFL, especially at your position. On the front end of that, a lot of times Missouri doesn't have very highly ranked recruiting classes. What does it say you guys keep winning the East even though you finish towards the bottom in the SEC in those recruiting rankings? MARKUS GOLDEN: I really have to give it to the coaches and Coach Ivey, the training staff, the athletic training staff. We come here, and they work us hard in the weight room and on the field and work hard to develop the guys. That's what we were able to do. Like me myself, I was able to come here and become a way better player than what I walked in as. I have to give it to the coaches. They're just pushing us out there to be great. Q. When you look at Alabama's offense with the ability of Blake Sims being able to run and throw, what's the biggest challenge in defending him and Alabama's offense? MARKUS GOLDEN: Really, they got a lot of good players on the offense. They've got a good offensive line. They've got a nice quarterback that can scramble and get out of the pocket, and they've got some good running backs. Really, we've just got to run our game plan and play the Mizzou way and play hard and tough and physical. We like games like that. We like playing against great players. No matter what, we're going to be able to get after the pass rusher. We know he's fast, but we're fast enough to run him down. Q. Just to follow that up, if you guys are able to win Saturday, do you feel like you guys are deserving of being in the playoffs? MARKUS GOLDEN: I think that isn't in my power. Only thing I can do is get out there and prepare to play this game Saturday and do whatever we've got to do to win. All that other stuff, I'll leave it up to the people that judge that and control that because that isn't in my control. Q. Markus, the production that you guys get out of your defensive linemen, is there anything that you guys do schematically, you think, that lets you have that much success? MARKUS GOLDEN: Really, I have to just say we work hard. We work hard. We've got a lot of guys that get out there and just play hard and tough and physical. So I have to just say guys putting in their mindset that no matter what, we're going to play hard. No matter what, I'm going to make this play. That's what really helps us. We get out there and do what we do in practice and work hard all the time. Q. How have you and Shane fed off each other this year? Both of you were putting up pretty big numbers. How does that feed into what both of you do? MARKUS GOLDEN: Really, like I said, we do what we did in practice. Work hard in practice and do our pass rushing moves we're going to be using in games. Just go from practice and take it over to the game. Of course, we've got to give credit to Coach Kul, and the way he pushes the guys in the defensive line room. So that's what I have to say, Coach Kul and just us working hard all the time. Q. Markus, you kind of touched on it a little bit. What has it been like to play for Coach Kuligowski? What's it been like? MARKUS GOLDEN: It's been fun to play with Coach Kul. Coach Kul is a fun coach to be around. When it's time to work, he's ready to work, and he knows how to have a little fun too. It's been a great opportunity to be up here and be with him every day as a defensive line coach. Q. In what ways has he helped your game grow individually? MARKUS GOLDEN: Every way, I say. Mostly just pass rushing moves. I came in as a linebacker. I knew how to rush the passer, but I didn't know all about the pass rusher moves. Coach Kul was able to teach me a bunch of different pass rusher moves that I can use, and I'll use them for the rest of my career. Q. Markus, what was the attitude like last year in the locker room after the SEC Championship Game? MARKUS GOLDEN: Last year after the SEC Championship Game? Q. After the loss to Auburn, what was the attitude like? MARKUS GOLDEN: Of course, we weren't too happy because we worked hard to get there. We're a competitive team. So we weren't too happy. At the end of the day, we were telling each other we're going to make it back next year and be in the same position. Q. What can you take from last year's game to this year's game to help you against Alabama? MARKUS GOLDEN: Really getting out there. It's going to be a big atmosphere. Going to be a lot of people there. Going to be crazy, a lot of fans. We already know that now so it won't be a surprise for us. We've been there before. Now we've got to get out there and play the Mizzou way, be tough and physical, and do everything the coaches asked us to, and we're going to be okay. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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