ROSE BOWL GAME PRESENTED BY CAPITAL ONE VENTURE X: OHIO STATE VS UTAH

December 29, 2021

Devin Lloyd

Utah Utes

Press Conference

Q. Talk about getting here. You guys had such a journey. Now that you're finally here, what's the team's mindset as you're here in California getting ready for the Rose Bowl?

DEVIN LLOYD: Yeah, mindset is to play the best we can in the granddaddy of them all really. This is an amazing opportunity for the program, for the university, to be the first team to go to the Rose Bowl.

As much as we want to enjoy all the festivities that come with it, we know ultimately we're here to play a game and win a game. We're going to do everything we can to just make sure we put ourselves in the best position to win.

Q. I asked Nick Ford yesterday, including yourself, your last game in a Utah uniform. How fitting is it that it's in the Rose Bowl?

DEVIN LLOYD: Couldn't script it any better. I'm just really thankful for everything that's happened along the way in my journey. I'm just looking to go out the right way. Looking to go out the right way as well as everyone on the team.

Q. This defense has been solid this year. What has been the key for you guys? What's been the key to your defensive strategy this year?

DEVIN LLOYD: Yeah, for sure, I think Coach Scalley does a great job of first setting the culture, and then I think everyone on the team is really just bought in.

We have a lot of young guys, and ever since they came in all they did was work. Then us as leaders, myself, Micah, and some of the guys, you know, who have been here prior years, we just set the example every day and we make sure that they follow.

Everyone is just bought in. Everyone has done a great job all year doing all the little thing right because it always adds up and all matters.

Q. One more thing from me. What were be your Hollywood ending?

DEVIN LLOYD: Yeah, of course getting the win, you know, that's why you come out here and play the game. So getting the win, and I mean, really just going out the right way with all my brothers.

You know, it doesn't really matter how the game goes. It's going to be a tough opponent and you never now how those games go.

Obviously you want to come out here and get the victory.

Q. It really hit home that you guys were here and playing in the Rose Bowl, getting to wear the uniforms with the helmet with the rose on the side.

DEVIN LLOYD: Wait, what was the question?

Q. Getting to see the uniforms and the rose on the helmet, did it really hit that you were guys were playing in the Rose Bowl?

DEVIN LLOYD: Yeah, that was definitely a very nice touch that I think our equipment staff does a great job of that, starting with Cody and Kelly. They're always looking out for us and always make sure that whatever we get, you know, it has some thought behind it.

I love all the little touches and details for sure.

Q. Just seeing CJ Stroud, how does compare to anybody else you faced this year?

DEVIN LLOYD: Yeah, he has a live arm. He is a prototypical pocket passer who is capable of running as well, so I would consider him a dual threat because he has flashability when he does pull it.

He wants to stay in the pocket and get it to his lead receivers, and I know a couple of them aren't playing, but it's Ohio State so I know they'll have guys ready to go, ready to play, especially in this game. And so he's a very well-rounded quarterback.

As far as comparing him to somebody that I played, you know, I mean, he's very accurate. I can't really think of anybody that I would compare him to because he's in a world of his own kind of.

He's still a very good talent.

Q. You're part of first Utah team to win the Pac-12, make it to the Rose Bowl. What does it mean to you to be part of that sort of history?

DEVIN LLOYD: Extremely special. It's the things that when you come here on a visit you dream of, you want to make happen. You want to be remembered in Utah history. You don't want to just go four, five years without necessarily doing anything.

Obviously you're going to graduate, come to college and get what you really came there for, but on the football side of it you want to do something special. You want to be remembered.

So to put myself in that position along with everybody on the team, you know, I can vouch for them saying it's something we'll remember for the rest of our lives.

Q. And just the history of the Rose Bowl game itself, TV and that sort of thing talks about the playoffs, playoffs, playoffs. What is the Rose Bowl mean as a player?

DEVIN LLOYD: Yeah, it not being in the playoff, I think it's the closest game probably to a playoff game. It's always going to be two tough opponents, and, I mean, it's national television so everyone in the world is going to see it.

I mean, it's just really a historic game that everyone in the nation looks forward to. Even though it's not a playoff game or not one this year, I think the hype behind it is just as if it's a playoff game.

Q. For you personally, somebody being under the radar, now you're a likely first day guy in the NFL. Was there a moment where for you it just sort of the clicked, where you realized all this was possible for you?

DEVIN LLOYD: Yeah, after -- well, when I decided to come back after last season, you know, this is all that I envisioned. I envisioned nothing but the best and I put in the work and I held others accountable.

This is all kind of in the range of what I was hoping for to happen. Obviously things don't always go as planned, but I'm just really grateful and blessed to see it all come to fruition.

Q. And I know after being in Oregon and Vegas, talked a lot about the names of (indiscernible) and the history of them being part of this run as well. What does it mean to you to be able to kind of carry on their legacies?

DEVIN LLOYD: Everything. You know, everything for me personally and everything for the guys on the team. You know, we been playing for them and through them all season. You know, we dedicated so much of what we do to them just because they left such a huge impact on everybody on the team.

I mean, their spirit is with us. You can feel them in the games and in the locker room. I mean, you can feel them with us.

So just playing for them and letting them strengthen us in games, it's something that we take extreme pride in.

Q. How emotional do you think it'll be Saturday after the game, because you guys have been on an emotional rollercoaster since Christmas of last year when the season concluded. Last season basically began Christmas last year. With everything you guys have gone through and everything, Saturday closes that chapter.

DEVIN LLOYD: Yeah, extremely emotional. Like you said, we been through so much the past year. Really it's kind of like the final game. It's all coming down to this game. One of the biggest atmospheres in college football. Everything is kind of at stake in a way.

Really we just want to make sure we go out right and dedicate these games to them the right way. I mean, really just going to give everything we have. I know it's going to be very emotional at the end of the game, especially for the guys that this is going to be their last time playing, last time wearing Utah on their chest.

So I can see a lot of tears, ugly tears of joy, but just a lot of emotions.

Q. When you're playing defense, just watching you, it seems like you play this way like you don't want anybody else on your team to get attacked. Is that a fair way to assess the mindset out there?

DEVIN LLOYD: It's a race to the ball. Myself, Micah, and then really all the guys on the team, we kind of always play around and joke around, but it's a race to the ball. First one to get there is going to get rewarded.

I think that's the mindset it should be. That's that relentless mentality that we set really in our culture. It's first one, it's always flying to the ball, always getting to the ball, always getting in the frame. That is us as a defense.

Q. When you're scouting teams, do you study where other defensive players have had success and try to replicate that in some ways? Is that something that makes sense, or do you have to really just do your own thing?

DEVIN LLOYD: Yeah, of course you take things from everybody's game. I'm a film junkie, always watching film. I love watching NFL linebackers. Levonte David, Devin White, Darius Leonard, Fred Warner, Eric Kendricks. There is a lot of guys that I watch and emulate their game.

Even those are current backers, but like Ray Lewis Louis, Patrick Willis, Derrick Brooks, all these guys are the main ones that I watch. I try to take things from their game, apply it to my game, but also always keep my own game my game.

I really just what I take from other guy's games, good and bad, learn from it, and I see what they do right, what they do wrong, and then I try to put that in my game but also keep in my own game.

Q. A week like this, are you looking at who has had success at Ohio State?

DEVIN LLOYD: What was that?

Q. Do you do that with like teams who have played Ohio State, find defensively players that have had success?

DEVIN LLOYD: Yeah, obviously when you're you scouting for you want to see what teams have done against them that worked and didn't work, and that can be scheme-wise, personnel-wise. You know, how you're attacking an individual player or how you're attacking the offense.

You can do that from multiple ranges, but for sure.

Q. (Regarding Ohio State offense.)

DEVIN LLOYD: They're explosive, talented. You know, they're going to be missing Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson obviously along with their left tackle, but I think they're still going to be very talented.

I mean, they're a team that's so well-rounded. They're very good at running the ball, but definitely will take the top as well. I just say they're a complete offense really. You know, they have the players who can get it done, good coaching. You can tell they're very technically sound with what they do.

Q. I just asked Morgan this; I'll ask you. Does C.J. Stroud compare to anybody you've seen in your career at Utah?

DEVIN LLOYD: Yeah, I keep getting that question. I can't necessarily put in an exact comparison on him. What did Coach Scalley say?

Q. He said he sees some trace Justin Herbert.

DEVIN LLOYD: Justin Herbert. Yeah, CJ for me, he's definitely in his kind of own world.

At the same time, he's got a lot from a lot of quarterback's games. He's just a really talented player obviously.

Q. Speaking of CJ (regarding quarterbacks from Southern California.) What do you feel like it is about this area that produces so many?

DEVIN LLOYD: I don't know. I really don't. I guess it's just that Cali blood in him. I'm from San Diego, too, so you know, I'm a little biased. I'm not really sure.

Q. Is there any sort of rivalry?

DEVIN LLOYD: Not really, but I'm pretty sure down the line it'll probably pop up, you know, so you always want to just make sure you get the win so you have the bragging rights, stuff like that.

Q. What does mean for you to...(indiscernible)

DEVIN LLOYD: It's obviously everything as a program. This is something that every Pac-12 team strives for year in and year out because you know that you won your conferences and you really made it to the granddaddy of them all.

So, I mean, obviously you want to be in the playoffs, but this is like right next to the playoffs. I think this is -- I mean, it's obviously the biggest bowl game in college football, and I think the hype around it makes it a game that anybody would want to play in.

Q. Do you guys feel like you have to prove something on a national stage?

DEVIN LLOYD: I personally feel like Utah isn't the most respected nationally. I don't think in comparison to a lot of guys on the east coast Utah gets as much recognition. So I know personally for me, I feel like this game will help Utah get a little bit more respect.

Q. Do you remember the first time you felt comfortable as a linebacker?

DEVIN LLOYD: Yeah, let me go back. It would probably be somewhere around my sophomore year. I would say 2019. Going into that fall camp is when I felt the most comfortable, like I was ready to play.

That's when they announced that Manny Bowen was actually leaving the program, but even up to that, prior, I was ready to compete at a high level and I was ready to play linebacker. That's when I felt the most comfortable, like ready to really play Division I college football at linebacker.