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CFP NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

January 5, 2019

Quinnen Williams

Santa Clara, California

Q. You're back here at the National Championship game obviously as a major player, where maybe last year you weren't. In general what's the last year been like for you to surge in and become a national household name?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Oh, it's been amazing, man. It's just been a blessing. Just believing in the process and believing in everything Coach Saban want me to do and the staff want me to do. Believing in my teammates, and we just growing together and stuff like that.

It's been an been amazing process this year, and just benefitting the fruits.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Uh-huh. Oh, they help tremendously. Like guys like Jonathan Allen who played in the National Championship a lot. Just guys on our team. Like Christian Miller, Jalen, because this is like their third National Championship. They already won two, so this is like their third National Championship they may be able to win.

So them guys right there just help me out tremendously just like the nerves, just the big stage in general. And it's like my third time being in the National Championship so I know how everything go.

Q. What's it like to have guys like that who have been in the pros and know what it's like there? You know, over the winter whenever that step comes for you that you have those resources, those guys.
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: It's amazing. I feel like I have -- I already have like the blueprints on how the NFL go and stuff like that. Like they just give me advice along the way and just teach me. Just tell me different things I have questions about. Like how it is in the NFL or how -- like my favorite player is Jason Kelce, the center for the Eagles. I think Daron Payne went against him. I'm like, Man, how he was? Like he was super fast and super good. Just different stuff like that we get to talk about.

Q. Just as somebody from Birmingham, to play so close to home, what's that experience been like?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: It's been a huge experience. I got a lot of -- I'm from Birmingham, so it's like 45 minutes away from Tuscaloosa, so a lot of people support me from Birmingham, a lot of people come see me. I can just go home whenever I want to. Just come see my family whenever I want to, so that's a huge blessing.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: I definitely didn't know I was going to be -- like be on this stage I am now. I just really -- it wasn't very tough. I feel like it just happened. For like all this stuff, like the Outland and all that stuff, that's like huge. I'm like, Man, I ain't know I'm going to be all this.

But just following the guys who was in front of me, man. They were great leaders. The coaches I had, Coach Karl Dunbar, Coach Saban, just the different coaches in general who taught me different things. Coach Pruitt. Different people who taught me different things.

I knew I was going to be good, but I didn't know I was going to be like this good.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: He helped me tremendously. My first few years I was up under Jonathan Allen wing, so I really tried to imitate everything he did and did everything he do. But when he left everybody left, when everybody left, like Daron left, I knew like I wanted to play on the field, get on the field this year. I asked him super questions. I bugged him about, Man, how you get so explosive? How you sit on double teams like that? How you get so good on the inside. So he helped me a lot with that.

Q. (Regarding Jonathan Allen.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Yeah, sure.

Q. How do you stay patient during that process?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Uh-huh. Just believing in the process, believing I know when my time do come, I know I'm going to be ready for it. I know I'm going to succeed in it. Those are the main things.

I see people like Ryan Anderson who didn't play much his first three years and his fourth year, his senior year, he just was an animal. Time Williams was on our team and he ain't play much, and them guys was amazing.

I just had to really put my pride to the side, mature, and really think about Coach Saban got my best interest at heart. Whenever he feel like I should play, then I know I'm going to be a beast.

Q. Did you ever question your decision to come to Alabama?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Oh, definitely not. I knew I was learning from some great guys. I had a great coach, Coach Karl Dunbar my first year. I had a great coach, and just the guys that we had on the team was great leaders. So I was like, I'm getting led in the right direction, so if I keep staying focused, keep doing the things that these guys want me to do, I'm going to eventually be in they shoes.

Q. (Regarding who would be the highest rated on the team.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: I think Tua would be -- no, I think I would be the highest rated player on my team, like a 98. I get like a 98.

Q. What would Tua be?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Tua be like a 97, I think, just because he's he slow. His speed will hurt him. I think he will be like a 97. His throwing power, all that, throwing accuracy, all that be a 99.

But me, I think Raekwon Davis be up there, 97, just because he big, fast, strong, can do everything. Let me see who else.

Jared Judy. Jalen he be like a 90, because he got a 99 speed. Yeah.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Oh, you definitely get the same feeling you got the first time. It's just a blessing. It's just you worked hard from the off-season to the summers to the fall camp, so it's definitely a huge feeling getting into the National Championship.

Also, I been in the National Championship. I'm a junior; this is my third year being in the National Championship, so it's like I know we got media day, we got to have bed checks. The different things that come along with that you know. Just like Clemson know. Them guys know also.

The younger guys may be a huge, oh, man to them. You let them experience it because this is like -- you know what I'm saying -- a great experience. You also make sure they focus, because I been through it before? I know it's not like, Oh, we going to media day to me.

The first time was huge. Like I had a great time the first time, the first two times. This time I'm having a great time, it's just I know what's coming along with it. I know it's more businesslike. It's my job. I already experienced it and it's my job to let the younger guys experience it and make sure they head still on the right path and in the game.

Q. You talk about you thought you would be good but not this good.
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Uh-huh.

Q. What did you think when you see your name...
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: That's cool. It's cool. I like it. It's cool. I'm really like, man, I'm blessed. God put me in a great moment. My parents put me in a great moment. Just believing in Coach Saban, working hard, all my hard work paying off, and just the guys around me. Without even the offense, offensive line. I would give credit to them because I work hard with them. Like they work me hard for to be where I'm at now.

Like they never let up. I made sure they -- you know what I'm saying? They make sure I'm prepared for the game, you know?

Q. Is that something you can wrap your mind around, that you could be the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Nah. I really haven't thought about it. I feel like I'm going to think about it when the time comes and if the time comes. But I really haven't thought about being the No. 1 draft pick. I haven't even thought about the draft or the NFL.

I see it on Twitter and stuff like that, but I really don't try to dig much into it or think about it really because I'm just focused on National Championship.

Q. Let me ask it this way: at the beginning of this year, did you think that would be even an option?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Definitely no. I didn't even think I was going to start at the beginning of this year. Just working on coming from defensive end to nose guard, and we got a lot of guys that could have had that position. Like Mathis and Stephon Wynn. A lot of guys could have had that position. A lot of guys who I had to outwork. A lot of guys on my own team who I had to push to get that position.

So I didn't know anything. I ain't know I was going win the Outland, I was going to start.

Q. If you look at your season, really the last four or five games, after LSU you really seemed to turn it on. Something happen?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: No, I just -- going through the season Coach Cochran was -- I talked to Coach Cochran a lot just about different things. I talked to Coach Cochran and he was just like, You need to start being a vocal leader. I'm like a really lead by example type guy, a guy who is going to do everything right and expect the people behind me to do everything right.

When he say you need to be a more vocal leader so people can really follow, I feel like I had to start stepping my game up. I can't just tell you what to do when I'm not doing it, you know what I'm saying? So I felt like I had to start pushing myself every day, and when you push yourself you get better.

So I started to get better, and towards the end of the season that's when my leadership started to come out. But I really didn't start really becoming a leader until I feel like I won the Outland. After I won the Outland I really became a leader.

Q. How do you think your experience playing off the edge some has helped you rush the passer from the inside?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Oh, the speed I use off the -- I played off the edge my whole life. I played outside linebacker in it high school. I played defensive end when I first got up here. I love pass rushing off the edge. I love pass rushing in general. Moving inside, I was like, man, the moves got to come quicker. On the edge just the moves come with the flow, but in the inside it come quick because the center can sit on you right now. That quickness I had coming out the edge I just used the interior. Had to learn how to really sit on double teams, take on double teams, expecting double teams, and just more physicality in the inside.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: I expect them to play hard, physical, and I expect them to play fast. I really don't look at if I'm going to get double teamed or not. When I'm not double teamed I got to win the one-on-ones, but when I am double teams I got to also split a double team. It doesn't matter what they throw at us, we're prepared.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Yeah, I got banged around a couple times. That just come along in a hard game like that. A lot of guys got banged around. Oklahoma got banged around; Clemson got banged around. Just take that process, get myself back together, get my mind back together, and get my body to feel back healthy. I'm 100% now, so...

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: He's very extraordinary. He can do it all. He can make the throws, deep down, short throws, checks; he can run when he need to run. He's a very balanced quarterback. He's not electrifying as much, but he can do it all. And they offense in general can do it all. They got a great offensive line. Great running back behind them and great receivers. He make those receivers, he throw them open all the time. It's even amazing him being so young; he got like three more years of college to go.

Q. (Regarding lucky socks.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: No. We got to wear Nike in the game.

Q. Wenonah, talk about representing the area and what that community has meant to you.
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: That community means a lot to me. I'm from Birmingham, Alabama, so I go back to my old high school and just watch the film, just like those guys watch the film. Try to teach those guys the stuff that I learned, because when I got to college everything was new. Many people didn't know this type of stuff in high school.

Every time I get a chance to go back to Wenonah, I just go back to a middle school or high school, somewhere just to talk about the different things outside the neighborhood. I just grab a few guys just around the city and just mentor them and make sure they go on the right path.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: It was cool. Through my whole recruiting process it was fun, it was cool. I was an Auburn fan and I really loved Auburn. Wanted to be a Tiger since Cam Newton, and Bo Jackson, all that. But I was making that decision -- when I first got the offer I committed on the spot, as soon as I can. I was an Auburn fan.

But many people had to tell me like, Bro, you making this decision out of a fan and not like as a business decision, so I started taking my recruitment serious, as a business decision, where I want to be in the future.

So I started visit other schools and I came to Alabama and I just fell in love with it, like the family atmosphere, the hard work. Really the thing that really stood out to me is the different guys that come back. Like the guys I look to that was in the NFL, like Dont'a Hightower, Courtney Upshaw, Eddie Lacy. All them guys come back every day. You probably see a new face every day, every day you come back. It was just amazing me to see that. Like, man, I played with you guys on Madden. I looked up to guys on Madden, and y'all are like, you know, what I'm saying, getting treatment right next to me.

Q. When you're a high school kid I imagine you have so much pressure and you're living in Birmingham.
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Uh-huh.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Yeah, yeah, I got that. Just like super Auburn fan and super Alabama fans, so I got that. I got the criticism, the hatred, Roll Tide and I got the War Eagle. It was fun when I look back at it.

Q. On the Sports Illustrated sport of the year they put the Clemson D-line on the cover. Did you see that cover?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Yeah, it was cool. Them guys are great. I met those guys at I think the Nagurski Award. All them guys great. Number 99, he's definitely great. You got 42, 90, the other end, all them guys are great. I feel like they a great group together, and they definitely deserve to be on the front of Sports Illustrated.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Electrifying.

Q. What do you mean? (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: No, definitely not saying that. He's a typical pocket passer. He's not going to give you that dual threat run that we just got from Oklahoma. He going to stand tall in the pocket and throw his receivers open and he going to really do great. I feel like Tua is not electrifying. Like he can't break out of the run whenever he want to. But those guys are great pocket passers, like a Tom Brady or Matt Ryan type quarterbacks who can stand in the pocket tall and make the throws that they need to make.

Q. There is a forecast of rain on Monday. This field can be pretty tricky even in prime conditions.
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Yeah.

Q. If it's a little slippery or sloppy, which team do you think that will favor?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: I just think it will favor the most physical team. Like in general, if it's wet or dry, the most physical team going to win, the most dominant team going to win, the most team who execute in the rain or dry going to win.

Q. How important is it to have -- I don't know if it's your older brother or not -- but to have people who can keep you grounded, still be your family while obviously now you're becoming such a national presence and there is draft talk. How important is that to have those resources?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: I think it's very important. Being a top draft pick or not, just being in college in general you got to have those people who really keep you grounded. You got to have those people who can tell you no sometimes. Playing for Alabama or playing in college and being a big name in college you hear yes, yes, yes all the time. Having those people like your grandma, mom, dad, brothers, sisters, anybody who can just treat you like a regular person.

Q. If you win, this will be Saban's seventh National Championship.
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Yeah, he the GOAT.

Q. He is the GOAT?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Yeah, he the GOAT. People can say it and be like, He the GOAT and be playing. I can really tell you he really the greatest like all time. Like I knew he know everything from defensive back to punting to kicking. Everything. He know the technique on how to do everything.

Q. And then when someone like Drake shouts out Alabama, does that do anything for you? Is it exciting to see worldwide people support the Tide?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: It's great to see any fans support Alabama. Drake, just because he's a huge name and he's supporting Alabama, it's cool, but it really don't give us motivation or bring us down or any of that. Just going to play like we play in general.

Q. Is 15-0, no team has done that since the 1800s; a long time.
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Yeah.

Q. Is that exciting?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: It's very exciting just to think about it. Like, man, so many people came through Alabama and they couldn't get to 18 and 0. So many great defenses and great offenses and coaching staff in general came through the University of Alabama and couldn't accomplish the things we got accomplished in our hands.

So there is really some guys the motivation -- like I know Jaylon Mosley, we talked about it because his brother is C.J. Mosley and C.J Mosley he had a great defense, but they couldn't go 15 and 0, you know what I'm saying?

So we talked about it. Being his fifth year, he gots I think two National Championships up under his belt and could be a third one he could win, so it's very exciting to see those guys. Yeah.

Q. Where will this game be won?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: I feel like it will be won in the trenches. Affecting the quarterback on each side. Like they got a great defensive line and we got a great defensive line. We got a great offensive line, they got a great offensive line. I feel like the game going to win in the trenches. They defensive line affect our quarterback and we got to affect their quarterback.

I feel like on the offensive line, defensive line going to win the game. Whoever has the most dominant performance in the trenches going to win the game.

Q. A lot of people look at these two teams and start talking about...
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Uh-huh.

Q. What sets you guys apart?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: I really don't know what set us apart. I just know we go and try to do our job. Me, Raekwon Davis, Stephon Wynn, Isaiah Buggs, Phi Mathis. We just go -- and LeBron. We just go and try to do our jobs. Like nothing more, nothing less. We try to execute to the best of our ability.

Q. When you were a high school recruit though and you think about Alabama, did you think this would be the place defensive lineman...
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Oh, yeah, definitely. Definitely. There are just so many guys from where I'm from. Birmingham in general you got Josh Chapman; you got Marcelle Daries. You got a lot of guys from Birmingham, Daron Payne who went to Alabama. So many defensive lineman who succeed and was first-round draft picks from Alabama, from Birmingham.

I really looked at that. I was like, Man, that's like D-line U. They got all the D-linemen coming out of there. And then they got great defensive line coaches coming through here, so...

Q. Did anyone talk to you about why they have so much success?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Oh, yeah, definitely. Just in general why they got so much success is because they work hard, and it's the process. Coach Saban's process means everything. You follow his process, do what he ask you to do, and you will succeed.

Q. Talk about the Clemson D-line. What did you see out there?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Them guys, I haven't watched film on them or nothing like that, but just watching the games in general, them guys are amazing. Just to see the pass rushes, the run stop kills that they have and different things like that. I met Christian Wilkins at the Outland Nagurski Award, and we just talked about different things in general, like different techniques in general, different pass rush skills, just different people in general who we look up to.

Q. Do you think they're like you guys or different in technique?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: I feel like they got they differences. Every defensive line -- I'm not the same as Raekwon Davis or Isaiah Buggs, so everybody in general has they different techniques and different way about how they going to work as a defensive lineman. Those guys definitely have the same -- different tendencies than we have.

Q. So you're talking about individual techniques?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Yeah, uh-huh.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Yes, sir.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Never. I feel like just the way we practice. Like it's so many people on our team who was five stars and four stars and they want to be good. Like the things we do at practice every day. Like I'm going against Damien Harris. You know what I'm saying? I got to stop Damien Harris, I got to stop Tua, you know what I'm saying? Jacobs. Those are some guys right there, like, Damn, like them draft picks, NFL talent.

So it's like the (indiscernible) that we have to go against them guys. I'm not going to go against a better center than Ross Pierschbacher or I'm not going to go against a better tackle than Jonah Williams.

And I feel like if I can beat those guys I can beat anybody. So just competing in practice, just getting after it at practice, that intensity at practice that Coach Saban bring at practice would not be matched by anybody.

Q. How do you stay engaged when you're not playing and waiting to play year after year?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Get chippy. We get after it. You got so much adrenaline inside you to play somebody else you really like bump heads with your opponent. Like we bump heads a lot at practice because it's so competitive. It's so competitive. I want to beat you and you want to beat me, but we can't play a game against everybody else so we treat practice like a game.

I know preparing for Oklahoma it was a lot of hitting and a lot of badging. We just like started to turn to really full out games.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: No. Yeah, we were getting after it for real. For sure. We get after it every day like it's a real game.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: No, uh-uh. I know my sophomore season I did think about it, but my freshman season I was like, Man, this is a whole -- at practice I said, Bro, this is a whole new ballgame. These guys really going like they don't know each other at all. Just like every freshman see that when they come to Alabama. They like, man.

Q. What's that like, that initial you walk in and you see five star five star, five star?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: It was crazy because I was a three star. Walk in like, man, there is such and such from ESPN top 300, you know what I'm saying? When I first got here I seen Bo. I'm like, that Bo, I'm like amazed.

Q. Is it intimidating?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: It's intimidating when you first get here as a freshman. Bro, there is Williams, like you know what I'm saying? Something like that.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Yeah, yeah. There one of the moments right there. Oh, you got (indiscernible.) Walk up and be like, Man, Jared Judy. Like stuff like that. Or that's Henry Ruggs and I got to check him. Like that.

Q. Help you elevate?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Oh, yeah, it definitely helps you elevate your game. When I first got here I had to go against Cam Robinson and like all those freaks up front. That made me even better.

Q. Grown men.
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Yeah.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: I would think it was Georgia. I would say Georgia. You can ask Raekwan, Isaiah Buggs who they think, but my personal opinion with Georgia was they came out, they were very physical, they were very tight up front, and they came out with a game plan. They executed their game plan well. There go Isaiah Buggs right there. Isaiah! (Laughter.)

I feel like them guys are very good. They can do it all. The thing that I feel set Clemson offensive line, set them different from everybody else, is the things they can do. Like they can run the ball. They get nasty when they want to. They can set the because block up when they want to. They can pass off the games when they want to.

All the different things they can do in the pass rush and run block that make them dangerous up front.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: No. I want to intimidate all quarterbacks, so freshman, senior, red shirt, it's going to be the same. We going to see if he can take it. But I know he's a great quarterback. He can make the throws quick. He can get the ball out quick because he really haven't been hit all year because he got the ball out quick.

He rarely get hit. When you get hit, we going to see how you recover that hit. Or not recover, but how you shake back and see if it don't change you up.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Oh, I can just speak for the defensive line. We always laugh and goof off and hang out with each other 24/7. The chemistry for the defensive line is like we read each other minds. It's like if I feel like we can run a stint on him, we going to run a stint. Okay? Know what I'm saying? It's not like we got to argue about it or talk about it. We read each other minds. We know what we got to do to win.

I know his weakness and I know my weakness. I know certain guys on our team can't go straight speed to power, and some people know I can't bull rush. Different things like that that we know about each other that we can feed off and make each other better.

Q. Any off-field memories from this season from the D -- line?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Super we got memories, super memories, but not really good memories I can think of right now.

Q. Can you talk about the satisfaction of this year, the way it's developed for you? At this time last year a little bit different than this time.
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Yeah, way different. Way different from last year. Last year, I didn't know I was going to play last year. None of that last year. But this year, it's just more -- I'm more of a person who everybody look up to on the team. I have to set a great example. I feel like I had to do everything right. I put pressure on myself to do everything right. I feel like if I mess up, man, I got to learn, I get that down perfect so the guys behind me can't mess up.

That's really the main thing to me this year that I really pay attention to. I see all the accolades and all the things on Twitter and social media and that people tell me, but the main thing I really want to focus on or I focused on this whole year was setting a good example for the guys behind and next to me.

Q. We are talking to the seniors about the last game and soaking it up. It could be your last game depending on your decision.
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: I really haven't thought about it being my last game. I really don't know if it's my last game or not like that. I soak up every game. Every week I soak it up just playing with my brothers, playing with these guys right here, just amazing to me. Every year it get better and better. My freshman year I played with some great first round draft picks. My sophomore year I played with some great first round draft picks, this year I'm playing with some great first round draft picks. Every year is a new journey, a new page, a new chapter. And me getting older and the younger guys coming in, I'm like, man, I was like that when I was a freshman?

So different stuff like that. And like being older now you understand like different people frustrations. Like you understand why the young guys get mad because they don't get play time, and you be able to talk to them guys about it -- especially me, because I didn't play at all. Like patience. Believe in the process. Stuff like that that you can speak to the young guys about.

Q. How much has Nick Saban meant for your development?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: I'm a whole brand new -- I feel like I'm a brand new football player, brand new person in general. Coming out of the Wenonah I really did a lot. I was small. I lift weights a little bit, but I was like 255, 250. Coming up here I'm like 300 now. Man, I'm way different. Way, way different just in body general and just learning from the guys in front of me, Coach Saban, just learning from everybody turned me into a beast, turned me into an animal.

I feel like it's my job to go back it Wenonah and teach those guys the different thing that I learn up here.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: It's very special being on the field with other guys who get NFL talent. It just show you like the different talent level on the field, the different things that guys can do on the field. Just both teams are great teams. We are a great team and they are a great team. That show you right there like how great both of the teams is.

Q. (Regarding Clemson offense this year with Trevor as opposed to Kelly.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: It's very different. You got a quarterback -- two different quarterbacks. Kelly can run and he can pass, so he much of a dual-threat quarterback. And you got somebody like Trevor Lawrence, he can make ever throw. He can make the back shoulder throw, the fade throw, he can make the post, the slant, the D.

So the different things like that that he can do. He really don't run much, but when he run he can get out of there, so you got to really protect that sneaky run basically. Just the different -- he can stand in the pocket tall, and they clear the pocket for him and he get the ball out quick, quicker than he we ever seen. That's going to be a good thing to game plan around.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: My dad and my two brothers.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Well, they haven't flown that long before so I think that's the greatest thing. I never flew this long before, so I think that's going to be the hardest thing for them.

Q. If it was closer think you'd be able to get more family there?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Oh, yeah, definitely. If the game was in Atlanta I have a lot of family there. Yeah.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: If we played if Atlanta, I would have about six, seven.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: I feel like not a big change. Those guys last year on the defense executed very well. We watched the game. I watched the game two or three times on like how did they just hold Clemson to 6 points. I just wanted to see that. The things they did, they executed. The call was called and they went out and executed and dominated the line of scrimmage. Those guys dominated up front very well. They affected Kelly and did the things they was supposed to do.

That's what we have to do. It's not no big thing we have to do. I feel like we have to execute the call. We got to get the call and be physical.

Q. What impresses you the most about Lawrence?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Just the way he get the ball out, the things he can do with the ball. He can get the ball out quick, make throws quick, he can make the reads quick. So a fake to him, getting our hands up, getting hits on him, and just rattle him in general going to be good.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Not true freshman, because there has not been a true freshman to rattle him, but Tua was a true freshman last year, so you never want to sit there and say he a freshman, we can rattle him.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Just because we get hits on them. I feel like you can rattle any quarterbacks that you get hits on them and you can affect them very well.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Oh, it's very important to get pressure on them, hit them early. You want to distract him. You want him to look at you before he look at his receivers. Feeding double teams and just our front seven getting after him going to be a huge task.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Oh, it's a very good challenge. They have a great offensive line. Guys move very well; they pick up blocks very well; they read off each other very well and help each other very well. And then, not to say that, the quarterback can get the ball out quick. He can read the throws quick, deep balls quick and get it out there.

It's going to be very hard to affect him. When we have a chance to affect him, we have to.

Q. Last week you had a viral moment at media day when you were talking about Colin Murray. Then you thought about it for a second and Nick Saban was sitting right over there. Were you surprised at how big that moment blew up?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Yeah, I was very surprised how big that moment blew up. I feel like it wasn't really a blow-up moment. It was just like I wasn't going to say anything about Colin Murray, because that's my dog; we cool. I wasn't going to say nothing bad about him at all. I was just going to say something that I felt like it was an opinion, and we try to stay away from opinions and speak about facts. I didn't want to speak about opinions.

Q. What is the toughest challenge about stopping Clemson's offense?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Make it one dimensional. I feel like making them one dimensional going to be huge. They can run the ball. They got a great quarterback in Travis -- I mean running back in Travis and they got a great quarterback in Trevor.

Making them one dimensional going to be huge. Making them put the ball in Trevor hands and making him make the throws. But just making them one dimensional. They got a got to balance offense and a great balanced offensive line who can pass and run block very well.

The big thing for us is going to be stopping the run first.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: All the way, because Coach Saban speak about nothing but facts. When he speak to us he speak about nothing but facts. He don't feel like -- he never speak about how he feel or opinions or nothing like that. He doesn't speak about nothing but facts and he try to make us -- he don't try to make us, but he ask of us to stay away from our opinions, because opinions can get you in trouble. You know what I'm saying? So we stay away from that.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Yeah, definitely. Coach Saban, he got -- oh, let me see. It was cold outside and I had tights on and he was like, Quinny winny, you got your pantyhose hose on today. It was just funny to me. He had everybody laughing that. It was very funny.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Just executing. I feel like the big starts and the thing that we do is just executing. The team who executes the most going to win. The team, most physical team going to win. So executing and doing what we have to do and being physical up front is going to win the game.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Man, everything he do, the way he make us carry ourself on and off the field. The little things. Tuck your shirt in and make sure you have the right shoes, the right shirt on. Make sure your shirt is buttoned up. Just the little things he make us do that we think is little that turns up in huge moments.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Yeah. Every detail. The way you eat, the way you present yourself, the way you talk, the way you speak, your haircut, the way you look, the way you smell. A lot of stuff Coach Saban preach to us about that we think is so small, but really show up in big games. Like if I don't have my shirt -- if I have my shirt out doing self-indulgent things off the field, when I get off the field I become undisciplined, like jumping off sides or getting personal foul calls and things like that.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Just being confident. Coach Saban give me the confidence to speak. The coaching staff in general. And my teammates just believing in me and the things that I have to speak about, they listen. I feel like the things that I do speak about, try to speak about, are the right things. Sometimes I'm wrong. I know a couple times I was wrong with Wilson in the game. He like, Bro, you wrong. I'm like, yeah, I'm wrong. You know what I'm saying?

But just giving my opinion. I feel like everybody look up to me just for like the accolades that I have and the thing that I did. I feel like I have to lead guys just like those guys led me.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Trevor Lawrence is like a pocket passer so he can really stand in the pocket very well and make the deep throws and make the small throws and make the long passes whenever he wants to.

Colin Murray was very electrifying and he can take off whenever he want to. It was most like containing him and affecting him. With Colin Murray, you get your hands up because he going to throw quick. You fake to him and rattle him up, because you don't want a quarterback like that standing in the pocket for too long. He can make different throws down the field and things like that.

So it was a huge thing going from Colin Murray to Trevor Lawrence.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Not really player, but I know some guys in the NFL who he like -- I feel like Matt Ryan, Ben Roethlisberger, people like that who can pocket pass and make the deep throws whenever they want to.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Oh, yes, ma'am. The confidence, like most of the guys on the team, we been in a National Championship many times. We played on big stages many times. Guy's confidence in what they can do and what they can get, and we confident in our coaching staff and our coaching staff confident in our player ability. Confidence is huge.

Q. Weirdest place you've ever gotten a Roll Tide?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: In a restaurant. I got a Roll Tide in a restroom in a restaurant when I was using the restroom. That was probably the weirdest place I ever got one. But you get them everywhere. Like all the fans we have, they're amazing fans, so you can get it everywhere. Whenever anybody say Roll Tide you got to say Roll Tide back.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: I was in the stall and somebody washing their hands and said Roll Tide.

Q. What was it that gave it away that you were in the stall? Did they see you walk in?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: I think they seen me walk in. They seen me walk in. I had went in the stall. Yeah, they said Roll Tide. This is Jalen Hurts, everybody. Let me tell you that.

Q. Difference in the offensive line this year for Clemson?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: They can do it all. They can run block and they can pass block very well. The different things think give out, they don't really have much tendency that you can really see. They protect the quarterback very well. Defeating that, making them guys rattle and making guys miss a lot going to be a huge task.

Q. Why did you cut your hair?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Jalen Hurts was getting so much attention when he cut his hair. I was like, Man, I want to see if I can get so much attention too. I cut my hair and try to be like Jalen Hurts a little bit. Didn't work out too much. (Laughter.)

Q. (Regarding Trevor this year.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: He's very great. I feel like he can do it all. He can make the throws deep down field, short throws, long throws, and he can stand in the pocket tall. I feel like he play like he a veteran. He may be a freshman, but he play like he a veteran. You can see him on field making the calls on the field checking the plays and doing what he have to do for the team. They coached him up very well. You can really see that.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: He the GOAT. Ross Pierschbacher the GOAT for real, and I go against him every day. Every day we tell it -- he may say I'm the best; I know he the best. Going against him help me out tremendously because he's a veteran, fifth year senior; been here a long time. He was up end Ryan Kelly and those guys. The things he can do on that level is unmatched.

He can make the one-on-one blocks, he can make the double team blocks, he physical up front, and he can be passive on pass plays. Footwork is amazing. He's hundred pounds, so just the things like that that he brings to the table I feel like no center like has on him.

Q. He's really smart.
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Very smart. That's another thing. I'm a smart nose tackle and defensive lineman, but the center is the smartest person behind the quarterback on the field. Ross Pierschbacher, I feel like he's the smartest person in general. He played tackle before. He played guard before. He played center before. He know everything. He know who is supposed to be blocking who and where to be blocking where. He know different fronts on the defensive line. That's another thing. Yeah, he's very smart.

Q. (Regarding Jonah Williams and In and Out Burger.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: I haven't had a chance to try In and Out, but everybody has been speaking on it. Everybody saying In and Out. Jonah is from California. I never had In and Out, I'll try to after the game because I'm trying to stay small right now, so...

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: I'm definitely a routine type of guy. I have a great routine that I have to do before the game. I have to meditate before a game. Like we get out of meetings 9:00 that night, so from 9:00, I try to get in bed by 11:00. By 9:00 I start my routine. Meditate and I eat oatmeal cream cakes. I eat like two oatmeal cream cakes and then drink a Sprite.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Every day. I didn't know that until I got here and I started getting them from him. Because he got a lot. Like a lot of them. I started getting a couple from him. I started getting a lot from him, so I'm like, man, I got to get me some. I guess GOATS love oatmeal cream cakes.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: He probably do. He got to have them. I bring mine. I pack mine up with me just in case they don't have them. So I pack like four of them up. I eat two every Friday and a Sprite.

Q. What's the biggest thing with Trevor Lawrence you'll have to do?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Fake the quarterback, rattle him up. I feel like from the first play to the last play we got to affect him, get him off his throws, off his game, really stop the run. The biggest thing going to be stopping the run, because they got a great running back in Travis. Stopping the run and affecting the quarterback going to be huge.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Just a new task. I feel like every week we get a new task and new challenge. I feel like I love a challenge. Going in the mountains is never going to be easy. When you get to the top of the mountain you going to really enjoy it. I feel like that's the real task. I look at this season like a mountain.

When you prepare for a mountain you prepare for it. Once you start it get harder and harder. When you finally get on top of that mountain, you going to enjoy the preparation and everything about it.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: I really felt like I was rated where I was supposed to be rated. I feel like -- I was like, man, I never think about where I was right now. I never thought I was going to be like that.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Oh, huge transition. I was like 250 in high school; now I'm 300 pounds. Huge transition. I'm whole different person. Like whole 'nother different person.

Q. What kind of different challenges does Trevor Lawrence present?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Colin Murray was very electrifying. He can take out a run whenever he want to, and he can make the passes whenever he wanted to. Trevor Lawrence a really huge pocket passer. He's like 6'6" and he can stand in the pocket tall and make every throw. He can make the back shoulder throw, throw the ball wherever he want to.

He got great dynamic receivers who he can throw it too, so stopping that, making them one dimensional front, first of all, because they can run the ball very well. Number 9, Travis, they can do everything very well.

Q. What's it like for your media day right now?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Feel great. Just a blessing to be up here. I remember my first year I was down in the chairs and I used to come up here and ask Jonathan Allen and like Daron Payne questions and stuff like that.

So being the person up here in the same shoes in the same seat is like a blessing. All my hard work paying off.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Well, you have to chase him around regardless. Definitely not as much as Colin Murray. It can get dangerous in that pocket when he can make the throws. He can make the throws quick and efficiently. Trying to rattle him and trying to get him to get out of his shell and out of his safe zone going to be huge.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: I don't know what those guys doing. I just know the guys got a great team and they can perform. You can see they can perform. They been in the playoffs a lot of times. Their preparation is huge, and going against those guys going to be a huge challenge.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Oh, we have tremendous fun. Outsiders may seem we just machines and business oriented, but definitely not. Coach Saban jokes with us a lot and we have a lot of fun doing everything we do.

Q. What's the biggest challenge you're anticipating?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Stopping the run and making them one dimensional. Huge challenge. They got a great running back in Travis and great quarterback in Trevor. Making them one dimensional, stopping the run, first and foremost going to be a huge challenge.

Q. Both Top 5 teams in scoring defense. How do you limit that offense?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Every game we go into I want to? Shut them out? I feel like my defense trait is just to shut them out. Every team we go to we want to shut out. We going to execute and perform well for a shut-out.

Q. Do you feel Roll Tide will still make the trip out here?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Oh, definitely. We got the greatest fans in the world, the best fans in the world, so definitely they going to make that trip out here. Probably fans already out here in California.

Q. For this team to be in this position and play Clemson one more time, how do you feel past experience might help?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: I really don't know about past experience because I haven't played. This is my first time playing Clemson myself. But I think executing and doing what the coaches want us to do and performing going to be huge.

Q. Do you think when you leave Alabama you're going to be a top pick in the NFL draft?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: If it's God willing I hope I can be. That's the plan, things going on, but I'm really not focused on that. I'm focused on winning a National Championship and hanging out with my boys right now.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: After I won the Outland. I feel like after that was a huge eye opener for me. I was a leader by example type guy. I wanted to do everything right. After I won the Outland I was feel like I was in the shoes of huge people. I felt like it was my time to step up and be a leader, do the things that I got to do, but also be a vocal leader and make sure I motivate other guys, make sure I teach other guys and things like that.

Q. Did you have players who helped you in that way?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Oh, definitely. Many guys like Daron Payne, Jonathan Allen, Thompson, Raekwan Davis helped, me. He started last year and I didn't, so he helped me a lot. Just everybody in general.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: I definitely don't. Some guys on the team do.

Q. Who does?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: I think -- I don't know who does. I never heard a Saban impression. You got to go find some guys...

Q. Want to give it a try?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: No. I definitely don't? Want to talk like the GOAT. No, he the GOAT for real.

Q. Did he get on you at all about talking about Colin Murray?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: No, definitely didn't get on me because he knew I wasn't going to say anything bad about him. But he is just glad I stayed away from my opinions, things that I feel like are not factual.

Q. Get enough sleep?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: The time schedule threw me off a little bit. We're two hours behind I think Alabama time. It's like -- what time it is? It's like 11:00 in Alabama right now.

Q. Almost lunchtime.
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Yeah. Only thing that threw me off.

Q. I talked to everyone now about their ratings. I'm coming back to you with the final verdict. One person who is higher. Thompson said 99.
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Who?

Q. Deonte Thompson.
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Deonte Thompson say he's a 99? I give him a 96, 97. He's not fast. His speed going to be like an 82 something like that. Jalen Hurts going to get a 95. I give him a 95. I give a 95. Your speed will be a 99.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Deonte say he a 99. He say I was a 99 or him?

Q. Him.
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: DT say that. I gave DT a 97 because he ain't fast. I'm faster than you. I play Madden but that's an old version. You still got the game, huh?

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: That's '07, Bro. I don't even know. Yeah, that's way better than Madden. Coach Saban would've been on the cover.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Yeah, let me see. On the team? I think I would be the highest. It would be me, Tua; I think Raekwan Davis, Jalen.

Q. Your whole D-line put themselves in the 90s.
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: What about Isaiah Buggs gave himself?

Q. A 94.
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Yeah, he deserves 94.

Q. (Regarding the Bachelor. )
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: One girl?

Q. They come on the show to try to get one girl, propose to her. They want to.
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: Yeah.

Q. So I want to ask you some questions as if you were on this show. Got to be honest.
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: All right.

Q. When they come to meet the girl for a first time they come out of a limousine and do something crazy; maybe chill. How do you come out?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: I come out chill and cool.

Q. What would your pickup line be?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: I really don't use pickup lines. I just walk out. Be a gentlemen.

Q. (Regarding his ideal date.)
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: It was in Dubai. Go to Dubai.

Q. Why?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: I hear Dubai got everything like heaven in Dubai. And I go there and take her to the tallest building in the world. I go on that and have a dinner date up there.

Q. Sounds romantic.
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: It is dope.

Q. Starts with 25 to 30 guys; how far do you think you could make it?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: I'd win. Of course I win. I win, on the top, just because of the Dubai date.

Q. Not because of you because of Dubai?
QUINNEN WILLIAMS: That's good crazy right there.

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