CFP NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP: ALABAMA VS GEORGIA

January 5, 2022

Quay Walker

Lucas Oil Stadium

Georgia Bulldogs

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We're joined by Quay Walker.

Q. What do you have to do to control the Alabama offense? Seems like when they went against Cincinnati they learned how to control them a little bit, but the experience helped them at the end. What do you have to do to make that not happen at the end of the game on Monday?

QUAY WALKER: We've just gotta do what we're capable of doing, executing on a high level, communicating to one another and just doing things that we need to do on the back end and the front end as well.

We just pretty much can't give up no plays like we did in the SEC Championship. We gave up a lot of plays by a few busts, you know what I'm saying? Things like that. In order for us to do what we have to do manage the quarterback pretty good, rushing, and set the quarterback as well and finish where it's supposed to be.

Q. What made it so difficult to get to Bryce Young in that first game?

QUAY WALKER: To be honest, I really can't say. It was pretty much just the way we rush. And we got really, really close a couple times. But at the end of the day you've just got to finish getting close. Pretty much the main thing at that.

Q. With this being Dan Lanning's last game at Georgia, what kind of impact do you think he's had on this program in the four years that he's been here?

QUAY WALKER: Pretty much we enjoy Coach Lanning, all of us have enjoyed Coach Lanning since he came in. I remember like yesterday, he just got onto the staff, the day he came in my house -- it was actually during recruiting time, I think I want to say around late December, November, whenever. Probably January or something like that. He played a huge impact as well as all of our other coaches as well. Going to miss him. So I hope that answered your question.

Q. A question on the pressure. It looked like watching the game it wasn't for lack of trying. You guys put some of your pressure packages on and just didn't get there. How much of it was them thwarting what you were trying to do and how much of it was sometimes it seemed like you guys dropped a lot of guys in coverage?

QUAY WALKER: I pretty much say pretty much it just fell back on us. I think we had everything dialed up pretty good, but sometimes it works and sometimes it don't. But more than likely I think in that game it worked, but like I said earlier we just couldn't really get home.

We were there, what not. May be a little smaller (indiscernible) that we had to do to get better in order for us to do what we had to do to get a sack or get him down or whatever the case may be.

The whole game, the game plan was pretty much pretty good for us in what we did by dropping the coverage and showing all types much things and stuff like that. But at the end of the day he's a pretty smart guy, so just gotta play football.

Q. What do you remember -- obviously you weren't on the team then -- but of the 2018 national championship game, did you watch it and what did you remember? And also have you guys heard a lot about that at all now that there's a rematch?

QUAY WALKER: Only thing I remember watching, watched the whole game. It was a pretty good game. I know we came out with the lead at first. Things started to change later towards the game. But other than that, no, we haven't talked about that or even in the past game or whatnot.

Besides us talking about our mistake that we made in that game and things that we gave up, but other than that, no, nobody hasn't talked about that game.

Q. You hear and read a lot that, schematically, Georgia has to do this differently, defensively it's got to do that defensively. Is it really that simplistic or is it just a matter again of just executing -- no missed tackles, no busts, et cetera?

QUAY WALKER: That's it. That's the only thing we have to do, is worry about us, tackle well, rally to the ball, communicate, what not, so we won't have these type of busts that we had in our past game. Something we have to do is just play our game and everything else should take care of itself and play out fine.

Q. For 12 games your defense was lauded as historically good. And then the SEC Championship game took some luster off of that. How much does your defense still have to prove in your mind?

QUAY WALKER: At the end of the day, we just have to prove to ourselves, me proving to those other ten guys that I'm out there on the field with and the offense as well as a whole team. We have nothing to be worried about about proving to anybody else outside of this building, outside of this team.

At the end of the day, we're the only ones that matter and what it come down to. So other than that, our main focus just needs to be on worrying about us and how we can get better as a team and be able to do what we need to do in order for us to get a win on Monday.

Q. Working on a story on Brock Bowers. Wondering how soon did you realize he was going to make as big an impact as he has. And is there one play either in practice or in game that really stands out for you as Brock leaving his mark on the 2021 Georgia Bulldogs?

QUAY WALKER: Pretty much as soon as he came in, as we started doing conditioning, summer conditioning and doing those type of things. The way he pushes himself, the way he stood out, probably wouldn't be able to tell he was a freshman just coming in, the way he worked.

But, yeah, I think he pretty much is wired different in the way that he's built and the way that he came in and started working. He's made a ton of plays. The plays you see him making in the game are the same plays he makes in practice.

Q. What is it about the linebacker position that drew you to it? I don't know what age, I don't know when you started there, but that seems to be the center of most defenses.

QUAY WALKER: Are you saying what made me start playing linebacker?

Q. What drew you to it to play that position?

QUAY WALKER: Actually, it started in high school. One of my coaches, Coach Shelton Felton, I was playing offense at the time. And the next thing you know I think I was real physical on the offensive side. He mentioned I'm going to switch you to defense. By the time I switched to defense, before I even want to say played a down of defense, it was already out that certain colleges what not just because of my size and everything like that.

That's what pretty much started me playing defense, linebacker, I think to answer your question, about me being real physical on the offensive side of the ball.

Q. The hit that Chaz Chambliss had the other night, obviously he was ejected from the game. What was the reaction in the locker room when he took down that back and just kind of showed his skill, and how important is he for the future of this program, especially with some of the younger guys?

QUAY WALKER: I can't say in the locker room, but I know on the sideline we were pretty hyped about it. Great hit. Chaz is a person who works really hard and has a bright future as well. A lot of those guys come in, work each every day just seeing the older guys, the leaders. Seeing the way we work, it pretty much affects them and drawing them in, coming in getting better each and every day and forward on towards the future.

Q. How did you process the SEC loss to Alabama, what were your emotions immediately after that game?

QUAY WALKER: I felt pretty bad. Since being here I'm 0-3 against them. So that felt pretty bad. But knowing that we didn't have any sacks, knowing we didn't have any sacks on defense, any turnovers, more than likely you're not going to win that game if you don't do those types of things.

So at the end of the day I pretty much already knew. They were pretty much the team that day we didn't execute on those types of things. As bad as I want to say it hurt, it did I kind of pretty much already knew why we didn't win the game. I knew the mistakes we already made that led up to that.

Q. We've overheard how Kirby Smart is the ultimate competitor. Do you have any stories, any memories behind the scenes about him and his ultra competitive side?

QUAY WALKER: No, I don't know pretty much have any memories about it. But I know I have a lot -- there's a lot I can say I just can't tell you one off my head. I think everybody knows how Coach Smart is without me telling you. I think you can see it from the outside.

Q. Quay, we heard that Stetson uses a flip phone. He's gotten a lot of criticism this season. Seems like he actually bounces back pretty well. Is he somebody that is not really involved with what people are saying about him and he just likes to stay focused, and is having a flip phone part of that?

QUAY WALKER: Stetson had a flip phone before that, before we started the season, I want to say. But Stetson don't really pay too much attention to what's being said of him. We don't either. So like I said earlier, I think for the question, the main thing is for us to worry about all the guys that's there because nobody else matter and their opinion. At the end of the day whether you're doing good or bad somebody is going to have something bad to say about you anyway regardless. I think it's the main focus, the way he approach that just cancel out the outside noise, major props to him for that.

But yes, having a flip phone -- I don't think you really care too much about the outside noise and social media.