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ALLSTATE SUGAR BOWL: OHIO STATE v ALABAMADecember 30, 2014Jalston FowlerNEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA Q. In those moments where the game is in the balance, are you nervous, like what are you thinking when you are watching them? JALSTON FOWLER: Most of the time I'm nervous I'll be like, what's going on, I can't take this, man, it's a heart attack, get your heart attack up there. Q. What was the swing of emotions from T.J. fumbling you guys coming down and tying it knocking the guy out on the kick return? JALSTON FOWLER: It was amazing. One moment, the moment, oh, man, we got a bet they drove it down on the field kick the field goal, I was just happy and I started yelling, This is why you come to Bama. Ain't no room go out there or not, on the kickoff, it's pretty exciting. I think the momentum shift right there. Q. What was the Auburn game like? JALSTON FOWLER: That was fun. I was up for that game. The only thing we kept saying the whole week is we owe these guys. Q. Was that kind of the mindset, how much did that 2013 game play into the 2014 game? JALSTON FOWLER: Played a big part in it because we wanted‑‑ I won't say it was in, but that's what we got to the point where we're saying the speech we do every week before practice, every week before the game, this is the reckoning that we all started. Q. Going back to when you first started out can you imagine all the things that happened in your life, master's degree, playing for championships? JALSTON FOWLER: No. I was just in for the football. And I'm happy I did come here and get my degree. Q. What's the biggest change for you personally during that time? JALSTON FOWLER: Just different attitude from going from being a young man to an adult. Q. How did that work for you? Who was instrumental in that for you? JALSTON FOWLER: Coach Stevenson, Kerry Stevenson played a big part in it, my granddad, my brothers, my mom. She played a very big role. Q. Does your son want to play football? JALSTON FOWLER: I don't know right now. He likes to throw the football around and likes to shoot basketballs. He might be a sports man in the making. Q. What's your concentration in getting your degree in? JALSTON FOWLER: Sports management. Q. You have designs to play in pro football? JALSTON FOWLER: Yes, sir. Q. I know you're from Mobile how much does it mean to play in the Superdome? JALSTON FOWLER: It's big for me. I was waiting for them to give me the invite. I was going to accept it anyway. Just going to feel good to play in front of the home crowd. Everybody excited about it, talk about it at home. Q. It's early in the process where do you fit in the NFL not many teams use a true fullback anymore. JALSTON FOWLER: I feel I fit in pretty well. Couple teams, Giants. They love big backs, Pittsburgh loves big backs. San Diego love big backs like to use the fullback in different ways. I even considered Tom Brady, because he's a guy, the Patriots, they like to use guys in different spots, get as many mismatches as they can. Q. Is there a guy that's playing that you model after? JALSTON FOWLER: Marshawn. If I had a chance it would be Marshawn Lynch. Q. What is it about his style? JALSTON FOWLER: Just took his name, beast mode. I like the way he run. He goes at you. Q. Are you a fifth year senior? JALSTON FOWLER: Yes, sir. Q. Is it kind of unusual nowadays to get fifth year guy you probably don't see a whole lot of guys around you who were there when you got here. How many are there? JALSTON FOWLER: It's not too many. Most, some of them went in the first round, guys that came out with me. Q. A lot of guys at a program like Alabama get to leave early go to the NFL and get drafted high. What's the satisfaction for you in sticking around for five years and maintaining the level of success? JALSTON FOWLER: Getting two degrees and getting to graduate, let my mom see me graduate from college. That's the biggest thing that came out of it for me. Q. You have two degrees? JALSTON FOWLER: Yes. Q. What are they in? JALSTON FOWLER: One in human environment, the other is sports management. Q. When did you finish those off? JALSTON FOWLER: I finished in I think like 2012 season right there in August. And I finished this year in December. This month, earlier this month. Q. And football‑wise, being able to see the program, maintain its level of success and keep it going, how satisfying is that? JALSTON FOWLER: Very satisfying, because you know Coach Saban will go out there and get the best and you've been alumni, you want to see your team win no matter what. Q. Are you seeing younger guys come in more and more ready to play right away? JALSTON FOWLER: Some. I mean, it depends on what kind of coach they had in high school. But most of them, most would be ready but some you have to groom. Q. Is it pretty remarkable that y'all have been able to stay at the very top from an extended period of time with so many guys leaving early? JALSTON FOWLER: You bring in another guy. I mean, we always have the top recruits we want to come, it's not hard to stay on top with all those guys who want to come play with Coach Saban. Q. (Indiscernible) Ohio State, if you stay in the game, say in the fourth period, it's got to be a pretty good look for you guys. You know where they are. When you leave the game all of a sudden they're bringing different packages and stuff like that. You should get a lot of snaps in this game? JALSTON FOWLER: I don't know. I'm just going to leave it up to the coaching staff but I hope I do. Q. How many snaps do you average per game now? JALSTON FOWLER: I don't know. But I know the running back coach told me I played 600‑some plays this year out of like a thousand, I think, a thousand or something. Q. They got a little SEC defensive line. They've got some big guys like you guys have. But when they‑‑ I guess the question is that when they go, when you leave the field, they go into this 3‑5‑3 they go 3 and they start moving Bosa around all over the place so it makes it a little tougher to find him, I think, when they go into that second and third down. Have you seen that on the film? JALSTON FOWLER: Yeah, I've seen it. They like to move these guys around a lot. I mean, they like to stand them up, give them different looks. It's crazy how they work their defense around that guy. But you gotta always know where he's at because he's one of the main priorities, one of the top guys on the defensive line. Q. You've got to find him, too, because you're the guy that's got to chip him or hit him. If you go out, you've got to take him on. JALSTON FOWLER: There's a couple plays I have to take him on. I look forward to it because I like contact. Q. Are you still about 245? JALSTON FOWLER: No. Q. You don't look it. What are you? JALSTON FOWLER: I'm about 260, 255. Q. Tell me a little bit about your visit to the hospital yesterday, what did you learn from that and did it change you in any way? JALSTON FOWLER: It changed me a lot because I have a son, and just to see kids like that, I just don't like it. But just to put a smile on their face by giving them an autographed football, that makes me feel like the best man in the world. Q. Is there a story that sticks out from your visit that you'll remember for the rest of your life, whether it's one child that you met or anything like that? JALSTON FOWLER: It's not one thing, it's just seeing those kids like that and just putting a smile on their face just makes the biggest difference in my life, and probably in their life. But we had one little guy who was so energized he was happyto see us ‑‑ it made my heart melt and happy for him. Q. You guys have an opportunity to go to the national title game but yesterday's visit put all of this in perspective, in the proper perspective, was it sort of a reminder if you will that, yes, we want to win but this is not life? JALSTON FOWLER: Yeah, it put it in that type of perspective because you see people when they grow up like little kids, some of them might not be there to play football ever. But just by them seeing us it gives them hope all the time. So it helps you like think about like where you are in life and where you want to go in life. So you just can't believe all the stuff that's going on in your life. So it's really big for us. We put all of it in perspective because you get to play this game. Q. Was that your first visit to Children's Hospital? JALSTON FOWLER: That was actually like my second or third visit. I know we did, we went down to kids hospital in Miami, too. Q. I know you have an awesome nickname. Could you tell us about it and how you got it, what it is first and how you got it? JALSTON FOWLER: I don't know where it comes from. But I mean. Q. First, what is the nickname? JALSTON FOWLER: The name is Nudie but I like to say it's Nudie Baby and everybody just laughs when I say that, every time we go somewhere. The name comes from my dad when I was a baby. He used to walk around and just say, This is my Nudie Baby. This is my Nudie Baby, nobody can't have him. And it stuck with me. Q. Your teammates call you that too? JALSTON FOWLER: Some call me new things, some call me Nudie. Making up nicknames on this team. Q. You always answer to it and stuff? JALSTON FOWLER:  Yes, ma'am. I always answer to it. We just have a lot of fun doing it. Everybody, most of the guys on the team have nicknames. Q. Who has the best one? JALSTON FOWLER: Me. Nudie Baby. Q. How did you end up telling them what your nickname was?  Isn't this like a unique‑‑ JALSTON FOWLER: I just came in to play, one day we were at practice and everybody called me Nudie. And Coach Saban said Nudie and everybody said who is Nudie. And they were like, Jalston, and it stuck with me. Q. How did you end up telling Saban the story? JALSTON FOWLER: Everybody asked me where the name came from. I just ended up telling everybody. Q. Who besides you has the best nickname on the team? JALSTON FOWLER: The Vogue Dog, Brian Vogler. Q. If you could give a nickname to Coach Saban, what would you call him? JALSTON FOWLER: I don't know. Nicolas. Nico, something like that. Q. Got through talking with T.J. You've had a lot of fun in the backfield complementing each other's style? JALSTON FOWLER: Yes, sir, we have a lot of fun, and we talk to each other in the game and during the game we tell each other where we got ourselves, and it's just a lot of fun being back there. Q. I can remember your senior year at Vigor when you didn't play and you were out there ripped and ready. Did you ever have any idea that things would work out as good as they have worked out for you at bam ma? JALSTON FOWLER: I didn't actually going in people doubted me. I love the doubters because when you prove them wrong it is a compliment to you. Q. We asked Jay Prosch out of Mobile make such a contribution as a blocking back, got his chances every now and then to run or catch a ball. But the blocking is what it's all about and moving the football, isn't it? JALSTON FOWLER: I love blocking, I love opening up holes for those guys and giving them a lane to run in. That's pretty big in our offense, because sometimes hard to move the ball don't have a guy who is willing to stick his neck in there. Q. Last time Alabama played Ohio State was in the Citrus Bowl. Sherman Williams, Blount High School, was the star of the game he was the MVP. Talked to him a couple of weeks ago. Your thoughts about Ohio State and that style of football that they play out there. JALSTON FOWLER: Those guys are tough. Built like SEC players. They've got good guys up front and guys that will come down and hit you in the mouth in the secondary, the linebackers. It's going to be a pretty tough game. Those guys look physical. Q. Is the mindset any different for a playoff Sugar Bowl game or is this just a game like‑‑ you guys have played like four or five straight playoff games in essence, haven't you? JALSTON FOWLER: We approach it like any other game. Going to practice. Working hard. Going into practice and trying to get everything together. Q. And the game plan is set almost I'm sure that you guys coming out here and you'll see a lot of Ohio State fans but you know bam ma fans are going to be here? JALSTON FOWLER: Yes, sir. The game plan already set and we know our fans are going to come check this thing out and come have a ball with us right here on the field, win, lose or draw. Q. Your nickname is Nudie. Give them the background story on where that came from? JALSTON FOWLER: When I was a baby, and my dad used to carry me around all the time saying this is my Nudie Baby and the name just stuck with me ever since. Q. I tell you what, Ohio State knows all about you, because you're a real key figure in this Lane Kiffin offense. How great has it been for him to utilize you as a fullback, an H‑back, a tight end and even sometimes as a wide receiver? JALSTON FOWLER: It's been great. It gave me a chance to show my versatility. And I'm so thankful for Coach Kiffin because if it weren't for him I probably wouldn't be in the position I'm in now. Q. You're a multipurpose running back. You can carry the ball. Catch it out of the backfield. You're a very good blocker. I know when I talk to NFL people they absolutely love your future potential in the league because you're going to save a roster spot because not only can you do those things but you can also play on special teams as well? JALSTON FOWLER: Yes, sir. I can do it all. Just give me the chance. I'll go out there and prove what I can do. I love running the ball. I love catching the ball but most of the I love blocking for those guys in the backfield to open up lanes. I got NFL potential. So I'm hoping that I can get in. Q. When you see Ohio State on tape, what jumps off the video? What impresses you the most about these Buckeyes? JALSTON FOWLER: Front four, those guys move well. The guys up front, they're very physical. I mean, especially like defensive end, like defensive player of the year in Big Ten. You gotta watch that guy. He's off the edge and linebackers, their technique is sound. Gotta watch out for that. Q. Very strong front seven, you talk about Joey Bosa, No. 97, 6'5", 280 pounds coming off that edge. He's got J.J. watt‑like efforts when he plays. When you look at Ohio State and your game plan is set, what's the strategy between now and Thursday night? You guys just relax? Are you going to a movie? Is the game plan the same in terms of the off‑the‑field meetings and those sorts of things? JALSTON FOWLER: It's pretty much the same. We probably go see a movie and we're just going to relax. We have practice today. Everybody said we're going to go play, that's the only thing I've been hearing we're just ready to play the game. Q. If you could, just tell me about the experience New Orleans, what do you like about the city? JALSTON FOWLER: I like just walking down Bourbon, seeing all the people out there, having a lot of fun in the city. Q. What's it like to be a part of the Sugar Bowl, a game that dates back to 1935? JALSTON FOWLER: It's a great experience. I like being here. I enjoy being around the surroundings. They make you feel good. They put you in a good spot, the hotel that you relax in and have fun in. Q. We're from the state of Ohio, so when you think of the state of Ohio, not the Buckeyes, but the state of Ohio, anything that comes to mind that you think about? JALSTON FOWLER: LeBron James and Johnny Manziel. Q. Someone was telling me that I think Amari's role is obviously the one that changed the most with the new offensive coordinator, but he says you might be No. 2 on the list because of all the things they let you do? JALSTON FOWLER: Yeah, I mean, you can line me up at fullback, running back, tight end, wide receiver, I have so many things I have to learn like on an offense because I do so much. Q. Did you expect that you would ever do that many different things? Alabama is not exactly the school that's known for that kind of creativity in the past. JALSTON FOWLER: I didn't expect that. But when they let me do it, I was already used to it, because I did the same thing, the same exact thing in high school coming out of high school. Q. What does that require of you? Game‑week‑wise, is there a bigger like wealth of knowledge that you have to‑‑ JALSTON FOWLER: A whole bunch of knowledge I had to have. You have to look over the playbook a lot because you gotta know what you're doing at receiver, gotta know what you're doing at H and at running back. It's just a lot for me. But I appreciate it because it lets me show my verse title. Q. You can't be a dummy and do that? JALSTON FOWLER: You can't. Q. How long did it take you to where you felt comfortable doing more than just one or two things? JALSTON FOWLER: It felt very natural to me because like I said in high school I did the same exact thing. So I was used to doing stuff like that. Q. When did you start doing that kind of stuff, like pee wee ball? JALSTON FOWLER: No, actually in pee wee ball I played defensive line and fullback. So when I got up to college I played‑‑ I mean got up to high school, I played fullback, running back, wide receiver, backup quarterback. Defensive end, linebacker, everything. Q. Did you have one in your head that you figured that's what you would wind up doing, in high school, I mean? JALSTON FOWLER: I ended up playing fullback. I did it all my life. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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