CFP SEMIFINAL AT THE CAPITAL ONE ORANGE BOWL: GEORGIA VS MICHIGAN

December 27, 2021

Quay Walker

Hard Rock Stadium

Georgia Bulldogs

Press Conference

Q. I wanted to ask you, when you were being recruited, what impressed you about Glenn Schumann, and now that you've played under him for four years, how have you seen him grow as a coach?

QUAY WALKER: Just his knowledge for the game and everything like that. Me and Coach Schumann's relationship pretty much started kind of late or however you want to put it throughout my recruitment. My main recruiter was Coach Kevin Sherrer. Ended up going to see and whatnot. It was him. But ever since me and Coach Schumann started, things have just been real, real perfect from the get-go. Just anything that we talked about, everything that stood out that I wanted to stood out just stood out from him, mainly by him being so intelligent of the game and whatnot, things like that, just stood out with me, and that transferred over to today.

Q. Quay, Coach Lanning talked about eye discipline and how important that will be against Michigan, especially with how they pull and use tight ends. How have you guys been drilling that during bowl prep and staying on top of it?

QUAY WALKER: Just been working on it each and every day throughout practice and just making it one of our key focus points, however you want to put it. It's just something that we really are looking forward to. Just pay close attention to even in walk-throughs we do the same thing as well. We're pretty much tested throughout each and every day.

Q. Coach Lanning had mentioned that they've been showing you guys a lot of the running backs breaking tackles, and I'm wondering what the keys are going to be knowing how physical these guys are and how they enjoy the contact and are actually looking forward and not trying to avoid it.

QUAY WALKER: At the end of the day this is pretty much why you play football. That's pretty much the name of the game, just run to hit, make sure we wrap up, drive our feet, as well. Pretty much game tackles, as well. Just swarm the ball and do what we do and that will take the place of everything, but back to what you said, they're really good backs.

Q. Obviously the Alabama game has been a major talking point for a lot of media and fans. I'm just wondering from your perspective as you looked at that game and played in it, was there anything at any point when you thought, geez, maybe we're not as good as we thought we were?

QUAY WALKER: No. At the end of the day it just came down to that day it just came down to the main team that played the best game. They played the best game. They were the better team that day. They executed very well and highly on both sides of the ball.

At the end of the day we pretty much didn't do our job on defense. We didn't get any turnovers, didn't sack the quarterback. More than likely when that happens you're not going to win the game. At the end of the day, no, we've just got to do what we've got to do, and that will take care of everything else.

Q. Quay, I wanted to take you back to when you committed to Georgia. There was a lot of guys from that 2018 signing class who are now key players on defense. When you guys were coming together, did you have a feeling that you had a special class coming together?

QUAY WALKER: Oh, no doubt about it. That was the main goal. Seeing the 2017 team and the things that they did, going to the Rose Bowl, winning, going to the gnat at this, as well, that was a thing that we wanted to do, as well, as recruits, so we pretty much had our minds made up. But we know it's not easy getting here, just got to put in the workday in and day out, and things will happen for you.

Q. You mentioned the 2017 team. Kirby has obviously got this program back on this stage. What's been his message do you guys about, I guess, now that the Alabama game is past you and you have two games if you can get by Michigan to get to your goal. What does he say about where you all are at and what you have ahead of you?

QUAY WALKER: Pretty much just continue being us and not let things ruin what we have going on, which is the Dawgs going to beat the Dawgs. We've just got to focus on three things. Focus on us, Michigan, as well, and things we can do to get better. Other than that, everything should play out how we want it to play out. But at the end of the day we've just got to go play football.