CHEEZ-IT BOWL: OKLAHOMA VS FLORIDA STATE

December 26, 2022

Dillan Gibbons

Camping World Stadium

Florida State Seminoles

Press Conference

Q. What did you see out of practice today and what did you see from the team and what kind of energy was it and was it what you wanted to see?

DILLAN GIBBONS: Yes, sir, amazing amount of energy. We are going to be the most conditioned team out there on the field. Our coaches have pushed us really hard over our past couple weeks playing football.

I have been to this bowl game twice, back when it was the Citrus Bowl and the Camping World Bowl, and the most conditioned team going out there is going to have the best advantage.

I'm excited to see that come to fruition the next couple days. Part of the way these guys have worked. I'm a sixth-year senior, my last bowl game, so it's great to see young guys sacrifice on a day-to-day basis, to get us better, whether that be on the scout team or supporting us one way or the other, but it was a great practice.

Q. I wanted to ask you about winning the Wuerffel Trophy. What does it mean to be recognized for something like that by an organization?

DILLAN GIBBONS: It is tough for an individual to take that kind of recognition, at least for me. Everybody that's been a part of my process, everybody that we have been able to tell their story. All the individuals that have worked with Big Man Big Heart and helped us out through the process so far.

I really am standing on the shoulders of giants in the literal sense. That experience was wonderful, in New York City at the Heisman event with Danny Wuerffel.

But, it's been crazy, a crazy couple weeks. What I'm focused on right now is playing football and winning one more game.

Q. Coach Norvell told us earlier that he didn't have to talk any player into playing in this bowl game; a lot of guys could have opted out. What does that mean as a team overall to you specifically?

DILLAN GIBBONS: Right after the Clemson week, I started realizing how special this group was, specifically on the offensive line, specifically on the offensive side of the ball. I just wanted one more game, one more experience with this group of guys.

We have some amazing athletes, guys like Jordan Travis and Trey Benson, wonderful coaches like Coach [Alex] Atkins and all the other position coaches. We have a special group of guys with a bunch of very special individual pieces. It is great to go out there and play another game, but I am looking forward to fist pumping the guy to my right and left and going out there and sacrificing for each other.

Q. I was asking Jordan this question, what kind of conversations were you having with the younger guys, especially given how encouraged you are, their level of sacrifice, what do you tell them going forwards?

DILLAN GIBBONS: Part of leadership is conversational based, but the other part is going out there and showing it on a day-to-day basis, right. Showing it through our actions, going out there and performing the way that we want to perform on game day.

So having that sense of urgency, coming into meetings this morning, 45 minutes to an hour early, trying to get that competitive advantage in every single facet of our lives. So showing them that, showing them the way to conduct themselves in a meeting, on the practice field, and pushing to the best we possibly can every time, that's how we lead every time.

Q. You talk about being a dependable 6-man at Notre Dame, but did you envision all this, even in your wildest dreams, the success you would have on the field and changing the culture for this program moving forward and what you've done off the field? I know you had big goals coming to Tallahassee, but is this the way you saw it playing out in your head the entire time?

DILLAN GIBBONS: Yes, sir. It's an amazing experience. I understood the opportunity that presented itself when I did make that change from Notre Dame to come here to Florida State, and I attacked that opportunity everything I possibly can.

If it wasn't for the coaches that allowed me that opportunity, I wouldn't be here today. If it wasn't for the guys in my offensive line room and the wonderful guys we have on offense and everybody that sacrifices on a day-to-day basis to help us win football games and run football, it's been an amazing process.

None of it would have been possible without people helping me and individuals that were receptive to what I was trying to bring to the table.

Q. You've gone up against Coach Brent Venables in your time at Notre Dame and over here. What challenges are you getting ready for?

DILLAN GIBBONS: Multiple front. We are going to see a lot. We are preparing for as much as we possibly can prepare for, but [it] doesn't matter what team we are playing or defensive coordinator we are going against. What matters is we are playing Florida State football, and I can look to my left and right and trust the guys next to me. We are all seeing the defensive front through one set of eyes.

I am really confident in our group and the plan our coaches have put in place, and they have allowed us the best opportunity to go out there and play our football.

Q. Another year of improvement, both in pass blocking and the run game. What about Coach Atkins and the coaching he's done? We get to see it a lot of times throughout the week; talk about him and the big year on the O-line?

DILLAN GIBBONS: At Notre Dame, I studied leadership, and I have not met a better leader than Coach Atkins. He gets it done on the field and off the field, encourages every day. Some coaches have a certain style or a certain way they want the offensive line to be conducted. Some coaches lead by example.

Coach Atkins is a blend of those two. He does an incredible job in pushing us every day, but not necessarily being that father figure. He does a great job in balancing that. He has an incredibly high ceiling, and I really can't put a stop to where he could possibly go. So, he does an incredible job with this offensive line unit, and I can't thank him enough for allowing me this opportunity at Florida State.

Q. I don't want you to give us any secrets, but can you give us insight schematically or is it a mentality thing of what you guys have been doing that's allowed you to be so successful running the football specifically?

DILLAN GIBBONS: You can point to some individuals that we have on the offensive line, but like we were talking about in our meeting today, it's not like we have a bunch of incredible athletes on the offensive line. Guys that are going to go out there and demolish guys, physically, every single play.

We work on those other little things. Every little facet in our lives that we can control, we control those controllables. Whether it be like this morning, showing up early to meetings, a little bit more emphasis at the end of a block, really digging down and doing as much as we possibly can with the ability each and every one of us has.

But at the same time, I think having that continuity, having that same group of guys that play week-in, week-out, that's helped this unit grow into what it is today.

Q. Seems like Jordan Travis is a quarterback, who is willing to lay it on the line on every play. I'm just wondering what is it like to block for someone like that, and how much faith do you guys have in him?

DILLAN GIBBONS: So over the past two years, our relationship has grown, blocking for him, trying to protect him the best I possibly can. But, it is pretty amazing to have a guy -- I was up there at the Heisman weekend a few weekends ago, and it is tough for me not to see him in that picture here this year or next year.

To have a guy that you can say, Hey, Jordan, go win a football game, and he will go win a football game, that's crazy. We haven't had to do that too many times this season yet, but I love protecting him and keeping him off the ground and picking him up when he goes out there and sacrifices for this team.