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SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: GEORGIA VS LSU

December 2, 2019

Azeez Ojulari

Atlanta, Georgia

THE MODERATOR: We'll begin the call with Azeez Ojulari. Azeez, while we're waiting on questions, please take a moment to comment on the Georgia team entering the SEC Championship.

AZEEZ OJULARI: This is Azeez. I just feel really great and excited for our team coming into this championship game. We're just excited and very blessed to have this opportunity, and we're going to be ready.

Q. Azeez, not by personnel, but what would you say about the LSU offense? We know they're so explosive and everything. Do they do a lot of the same alignments and schemes and all that stuff that may be close to somebody you've faced that you can name, a team so far?
AZEEZ OJULARI: I would say there's not anything close. They're very different. Their offensive is very explosive. They generate big plays. They have playmakers all over the field on that side of the ball. Yeah, they have a very good offense.

Q. They do use empty backfield with Joe Burrow back there by himself a lot of times, don't they?
AZEEZ OJULARI: Right.

Q. Obviously, it's early in the week. How much have you all started studying that LSU offense?
AZEEZ OJULARI: We started studying a pretty good amount so far.

Q. What things jump out to what they do so well? Obviously, you weren't playing much in that game last year, but what looks different about their team now than when you all played them a year ago?
AZEEZ OJULARI: They just have playmakers all over the field on that side of the ball. They just have playmakers left and right. They can make big plays happen no matter what it is. They can make a bad play turn into a big play. So they've got playmakers all over.

Q. Azeez, I was just wondering, with a mobile quarterback like Joe Burrow, how important is it to maintain your pass rush integrity and not let him get outside the pocket?
AZEEZ OJULARI: That's a big key for us, definitely. Make sure we keep him inside the pocket and generate that pressure on him, definitely cause bad throws. So we've definitely got to generate our pass rush this week and keep him inside the pocket and make sure we don't lose contain on him because he can get out and make big plays with his legs also.

Q. Azeez, when you're on the field, is there any chance that you'd be lined up in the slot covering the wide receiver, or are you playing more toward the line of scrimmage?
AZEEZ OJULARI: It depends on the calls we get, definitely. I could be. It just depends on what call we get from the coordinators.

Q. So with that chance, you look at those wide receivers, you mentioned the playmakers. What is about Ja'Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson that are just so difficult to defend? How do they get so open?
AZEEZ OJULARI: They run their routes good, really. They can catch those 50-50 balls also. So it's just like those guys make the big plays when they need to be made.

Q. Coach Smart has called Clyde Edwards-Helaire the epitome of just a great running back. He's a bowling ball type running back and runs with great quickness. Do you think he's going to be as good a back as you've faced all season long?
AZEEZ OJULARI: Yes, sir. Definitely, for sure. He's a great back. He can make big plays, bounce off tackles. He's hard to go down. He's a very physical runner. We've definitely got to bring our A-game, for sure.

Q. Of course, you didn't play last year being a redshirt freshman, did you? But he had a really good game against Georgia last year, right?
AZEEZ OJULARI: Yes.

Q. I know you've gotten a little bit of time to take a look at the offensive linemen from LSU. Is there any specific weakness or something that you're looking forward to this weekend, maybe a specific pass rush, that someone may be susceptible to the speed rush, or anything like that headed forward?
AZEEZ OJULARI: They're a great group of guys up front, definitely. They're talented up there too. It's going to be a good challenge for us with the defensive front coming into this game, just working on the edge and keeping contain on the quarterback, making sure we have a good level rush and not running upfield.

Q. It's kind of a similar thing in the run game as well, having gap integrity against LSU. I know Kirby Smart preaches on that all year long, but how important is it to stay gap sound against a football team like LSU?
AZEEZ OJULARI: Definitely, it's really important for us because they can turn that little gap into a big play if someone's out of their gap. We've definitely got to do our job and own your gap and do what you got to do.

Q. Azeez, I guess the blueprint for the year has been just defense making the other offense one-dimensional. Do you see that as a reality, or is it going to be more important just winning third down or limiting explosive plays as the key for this game?
AZEEZ OJULARI: We're definitely going to make an effort to limit the big explosives, definitely. That would be a key element for this game because they could make those explosive plays continuously because they have the top offense to do that. So we want to limit those and make sure we make the stop.

Q. Azeez, what impresses you the most about Joe Burrow?
AZEEZ OJULARI: He's so elusive. He doesn't go down easy. He can throw those 50-50 balls. He's just a great quarterback overall, Heisman candidate. So a great quarterback.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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