SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: GEORGIA VS ALABAMA

December 4, 2021

Ladd McConkey

Georgia Bulldogs

Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Postgame Press Conference

Alabama 41, Georgia 24

Q. Just a simple question: What's your answer for what happened out there today?

LADD McCONKEY: They're a great team. Came out with a great plan and executed well. That's basically it. They're a great team. They're going to make plays. That's going to happen. They out-executed us and came out on top.

Q. How do you keep things positive in the locker room knowing there's a lot to play for in the season?

LADD McCONKEY: I think that goes back to what we've done since winter workouts, summer workouts. We came in here as one team. We're leaving at one team. We have full faith in our defense. Our defense has full faith in us.

Really just being connected the whole way throughout, even through the ups and downs. That's really the big thing is just keeping connected and just staying positive. I mean, it's not over yet. Whatever the committee decides. We know we have some games ahead of us.

It's just approaching that, putting this one in the past, fixing our mistakes, and going from there.

Q. I know we've got a couple of games left, hopefully a couple, but how would you describe this season, how it's been for you?

LADD McCONKEY: It's been unbelievable, just kind of getting to go out there with my team and compete week in and week out. There's not another group I'd rather battle with. So it's been awesome getting out here to compete with these guys. Obviously, it sucks to fall short, but we've just got to bounce back and finish the season strong.

Q. I was just going to ask you about the College Football Playoffs. How certain are you that Georgia will be one of the four? What will the mindset be? Is it a new season kind of mindset, or is it a correct and move forward? How do you look at that?

LADD McCONKEY: Really just it's up to them. Obviously, I feel like we're one of the best teams, and we've showed that. So it's just really up to -- it's their decision. So just kind of really, like I said, putting this one to bed, learning from our mistakes, and then approaching the next game like we have all season. So that's basically it.

Q. Ladd, can you take us through the touchdown. It looked like you caught the ball in traffic and kind of broke free. At that point, I guess it was kind of a shootout. Can you take us through your score?

LADD McCONKEY: Yeah, it was just a little quick screen. It looked like I made the play, but if you really go back and watch, it had a lot to do with a lot of other guys. Taking down a linemen and coming down the field and blocking for me. I'm thankful I have those guys, and they had my back.

Q. Ladd, you talked about how Alabama came in with a really good plan. Can you speak on specifics of any of that? Any stuff that may have given you guys trouble?

LADD McCONKEY: We knew what to expect. We knew they were a great team coming in. I don't think there was really too much that kind of surprised us. It's just they came out and executed and did their assignment. When you play football like that, you're going to be successful.

Q. Obviously, we all know that you were a Tennessee fan growing up and that kind of stuff, but you're obviously a Georgia guy now. Losing to Alabama -- this is the seventh in a row to Alabama, I think it is -- as players, did you feel any of that pressure and tension of kind of the Alabama beast thing? Does that even enter your mind when you're playing somebody in a game like this?

LADD McCONKEY: No, we approach every game like we're expected to win. I know what my guys can do. I have full confidence in them every single time we step on the field. It doesn't matter who we're playing. We approach it with the same mindset of everybody go out there and win. I don't think that really played any factor in this.

Q. I guess just the fact that this game, the second quarter, they score 24 points. Were you surprised that, when you scored the touchdown, it was kind of a race to score points at that point? Because a lot of people thought this would be a low-scoring game.

LADD McCONKEY: Really you've got to kind of see how the game plays out. You never know exactly how it's going to unfold. Obviously, they're a great team; they're going to make plays. We're a great team; we're going to make plays. Really just bouncing back.

When somebody hits a big play on you, you can't get down. You've got to keep the same levelheaded mindset and just approach the next play. Can't get too high. Can't get too low. That's basically it.

Q. You have three weeks before you play again, so there's going to be a lot of people like us and talking. When Stetson throws three interceptions, they're going to bring his name up again. How is he built to deal with people questioning him?

LADD McCONKEY: He's a great player. He has a great mindset. He's confident in his ability. We're confident in his ability too. Really that's not going to faze him. He's going to go watch the film, see where he messed up, and fix his mistakes.

I mean, I have full confidence that he's going to do that. It's not just him, we all made mistakes tonight. So we can't say it's one player. Can't say it's offense. Can't say it's defense. We're a team no matter what.

Really it's all of us going back and kind of fixing our mistakes and going from there and approaching the next game, whoever it may be, just like we've approached every game this whole season.