CFP SEMIFINAL AT THE ROSE BOWL GAME PRESENTED BY CAPITAL ONE: ALABAMA VS NOTRE DAME

December 29, 2020

Miller Forristall

Alabama Crimson Tide

MILLER FORRISTALL: Next player we're joined with is tight end Miller Forristall.

Q. You come from a martial arts family. So how does that martial arts kind of translate onto the gridiron?

MILLER FORRISTALL: I think it was something growing up where not only my dad but growing up with a lot of discipline and it helped me kind of grow up as a man. A place where I got my butt kicked all the time, learned how to be tough, learned how to be disciplined and hard work. I think those are the three things it taught me the most.

Q. Of course everybody's kind of talked about this, but what has you really confident in Chris Owens knowing that he's been here a while, he's played a lot of football here, but what has you confident in Chris Owens getting this thing done at center?

MILLER FORRISTALL: I think, like what you just said. He's old like I am. He's played a lot of football. And just the way he's attacked this past week, week and a half. Put his head down, gone to work. I think he's ready. I trust him we trust him, the coaches trust him. And he's got to get his job done.

Q. I wanted to ask you about Jahleel and his progress this season. What have you seen from him? And what do you think of him, a tight end, returning kickoffs?

MILLER FORRISTALL: Pretty cool. There's not many tight ends returning kickoffs. Anytime one tight end get love, we all get love. We all eat. So, he's returning kicks is basically like me returning kicks. That's how I feel about it at least.

He's a guy who has really grown up this season. And everybody has seen him evolve and the player he can be. You get flashes of what he can be. And if he's consistent and puts his head down, he's going to be a really good special talent for sure.

Q. I'm just curious, what has the season been for like you? I know you dealt with some injuries as well, but what does this season, 2020, meant to you?

MILLER FORRISTALL: I think whenever this season ends it's going to be a lot of emotions for a lot of guys, just from -- we've been going since March really. And it's been up and down and up and down, and trials and adversity. And that's going to make the season I think my favorite, not only because it's my last season, but the adversity that this team has had to face has made us tighter and closer than any team I've ever been on. That's something I'm really going to appreciate when this is all said and done.

Q. You just said it was your last season. Have you given any thought to the NCAA rule that would allow you to play another season? Is that something that's kind of come up to you?

MILLER FORRISTALL: I've definitely thought about it. But honestly, right now, we've got Notre Dame in a couple of days that's where I'm focused. Last season or not, I didn't mean anything by that.

I just know we're focused on Notre Dame right now. That's where our heads are at. We'll try to take the season one day at a time.

Q. About this time last year there were a few juniors who left for the draft, but a couple who stayed as well in DeVonta and Najee. How much did you campaign for those guys to stay and what have they meant to the team this year?

MILLER FORRISTALL: I think these guys were getting all this national recognition. You can kind of see from a football side what they do. But you can't see from a locker room side, from a leadership side, the things that they do. And I think that's invaluable.

A guy like DeVonta Smith, how good he is as a leader on and off the field. The same thing with Najee. Those are the things you don't see but we see every day.

And of course I pushed for those guys to come back. If I stay another year I'll push for even more guys to come back. Those guys are invaluable for our team, and coming back has kind of set the standard for what this year was going to be. We're an older team, mature team. And this is for sure the closest team for sure.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you.