CHEEZ-IT BOWL: OKLAHOMA VS FLORIDA STATE

December 29, 2022

Treshaun Ward

Johnny Wilson

Jammie Robinson

Camping World Stadium

Florida State Seminoles

Press Conference

Florida State 35, Oklahoma 32

Q. Treshaun, after the year you've gone through and everything this program has been through, how sweet is this for you personally?

TRESHAUN WARD: You know, when Norvell first got here, we been through the tough time. Seeing this team being happy for the first time, getting like our ten wins and stuff like that, it's amazing. It just brings us together and the confidence we got now, it's just -- it's great to see that we're being successful right now.

Q. Johnny, on that last pass that you caught, can you walk us through it? Did you know the ball was probably coming to you, the throw that Jordan made, and Norvell called it hand fighting, like it was a physical catch that you made. Walk us through the play.

JOHNNY WILSON: We ran the play earlier in the game and it was open and he asked me, "Is it open?"

"Yes, it's open."

We ran it again, and it wasn't as open as it was last time, but he threw anyways. I expect him to throw it to me every time, you have to, everyone does. The ball is the in air, and I just had to make the play. I knew the situation. And yeah, I tried to stiff arm him and I tried to score; I caught it. That's all that mattered.

Q. Jordan talked about the next chapter next year, kind of coming back, working hard or trying to continue the progress that you guys have made, how do you see this program evolving in the next year based on what you guys were able to do this year?

TRESHAUN WARD: Use this year as an example, with where we started from January from last year, it all built up to what we had this year. It's only going to get better from this point on. And we're just going to work even harder so we can get to that National Championship.

JOHNNY WILSON: We just getting started. That's it.

Q. We've talked about this a little this year, for the last point to come from Ryan Fitzgerald, how satisfying was that to see someone who has been through a lot this year and to come through and get the win, how big was that?

TRESHAUN WARD: It was very exciting for him to get that. With this first part of the season, how it was going, he got a lot of -- (indiscernible) what he was doing and all that. I came to him the first time he made the first field goal and I told him we going to get it back. When the game come to the end and whatnot, it came to him and he made it and we came out victorious. We couldn't have done it without him.

Q. Jammie, can you talk about your performance tonight, a couple tackles, sacks. Seems like you were determined to make a statement tonight. Do you feel like you did that?

JAMMIE ROBINSON: I always felt like Coach put me in the best position and I just trust in him. I just be committed to whatever they tell me to do, you know what I'm saying. I'm a team player and I just try to be here for my teammates and try to give it my all and give 110 percent every time I step on the field.

That's how I feel about my performance. I just do whatever Coach call. I run a play -- whatever play Coach calls, I'm running it, you feel me. That's how I am. I'm a team guy honestly.

Q. What did a game like that mean and a season like this as a whole mean, where you are now, as compared to a year ago?

JOHNNY WILSON: Honestly, I feel like it was about time, like all the work was going to pay off at some point, all these guys, we all work so hard. We know what we put into this, and it's like you expect it. It's almost like you expect it to happen. You know, you work so hard, you do it so much. You don't expect nothing but the best of yourself. And that's just what we try to do every day is just be the best version of ourselves.

Just doing what I did tonight, it was just all for the team. I just knew I had to make the play when it came to me, and yeah, that was that.

Q. Jammie, obviously to make the decision to come and play -- play in this Bowl game, and the performance you had tonight, does it justify your decision and what does it mean to you?

JAMMIE ROBINSON: I'm just trying to take a couple days off. See my New Year's; I'm going to have a New Year's present for everybody.

You know, I appreciate Florida State for everything, even if I leave or if I don't leave; I don't know yet, you feel me. I just take a couple days off. Clear my mind, you know what I'm saying, and talk with my brothers and talk with my parents and my family, you know what I'm saying, and just see what's best, what's the best decision for me.

Q. Coach Venables said that they made a couple mistakes in coverage and a safety on you on a big play, and gave you a lot of man coverage. When teams do that to you, do you feel like challenged a little bit, and did you feel that tonight?

JOHNNY WILSON: I don't know, it's like if you put your corners in man against me, I just feel like your coach doesn't really respect you, that's all, so yeah.

JAMMIE ROBINSON: It don't add up. It don't add up.

Q. I have a question for each of you. Treshaun, Coach was asked about how do you keep six scholarship running backs happy; and he's like, man, we're on fries. All we care about is what we do, focus on your job. How hard was it to focus on your job maybe when you weren't getting the ball as much as you wanted, and how fulfilling is to perform on a stage like this to help your team out for a huge win?

TRESHAUN WARD: I feel like especially with my injury, being out there and seeing all the boys going crazy when they was out there and having an opportunity, I was playing through them.

So I always stress that there is no selfishness in our room, and we want to go to the next room. All each other want to get to the next level. So there's no reason for you to be selfish.

Coach Norvell, he has a lot of guys that he was at Memphis with that he had some guys that stacked the room and they made it to the League. Just got to trust the process and just be there for each other.

Q. What did it feel like to see a guy like Duke who has had an up and down season deliver maybe the biggest play of the game to turn the ball over?

JAMMIE ROBINSON: Honestly, I feel like Duke, like you said, he faced a whole lot of adversity. And I feel like our whole room kind of be facing a whole lot of adversity, you know what I'm saying. Like a lot of injuries be happening.

But guys always step up, and I feel like we got a great group, you know what I'm saying. Like last year, everybody was on us about the DBs being, like, iffy or whatever you call it.

But this year, we all -- we put the critics, you know what I'm saying, if their place, you know what I'm saying. Like I love Duke like he my real brother, you feel me. He can call me and I can call on him about anything, and he definitely stood up and he delivered, you know what I'm saying.

Because earlier, it's so crazy because we was on the sideline, we was under coverage and he probably might have made a mistake or whatever, you know what I'm saying. He was down about it but everybody turned around, "Bro keep your head up, keep your head up." You seen it later in the game, he made a play. And then you know how it be, everybody around him, celebrating with him.

We already knew what type of guy he was. Even last year when he was a freshman, he came in and played against Miami, probably had one of the best games against Miami. Caught an interception, you feel me. You know, I knew about my boys, you feel me. I love them boys, you know what I'm saying. I appreciate what he did tonight for sure.

Q. Johnny, you did a real good job tuning out the noise and focusing on this game. Did you envision a night of this stature?

JOHNNY WILSON: Every game, I just want to do my job. It's never like I'm fishing for stats. I wanted to win. That was it. I just wanted to get that tenth win with these boys. I'm just so happy that we finally accomplished that. It was a long, tough season. A lot of hard work we put into this season, and just to get that tenth win, that was it.

I was not trying to do anything past what I'm supposed to do. I just had to do my job tonight when the opportunity came. That's that.

Q. That moment with Jaz at the end of the game when he got hurt, the way the team responded, the culture of this program, what's it like to see that? Treshaun, you've been here for most of the transformation, and Jammie, you've seen it. What was that moment like in encapsulating what that team is as a brotherhood?

JAMMIE ROBINSON: You just said it, brotherhood. That's all it is, you know what I'm saying. For me, I could say this is my best college year. Even though we won ten games, that's the main reason but I feel like we brothers and all.

Like Coach said earlier, like, it ain't how it used to be. Like prior, you'll see guys in the locker room and hallway where y'all walking by each other, you probably not even going to say what's up to them, you feel me; it used to be like that.

But now, everybody is speaking to everybody, you know what I'm saying. And it shows, like, the whole sideline got up on the field, you feel me, when he got carted up. It just shows that we got a brotherhood. Definitely I'm going to remember this season for the rest of my life, for sure.

Q. Treshaun, the offense has had so much success this season, but you only had like 11 points at halftime. What did you guys talk about at halftime, and what do you think was the difference in the second half?

TRESHAUN WARD: We knew that we came out a little bit flat the first half and when we got to the second half, we made a few adjustments and whatnot to what they were doing. They gave us multiple looks that we didn't see. We adjusted to it and we trusted each other and we just kept climbing. We had every confidence with each other and we was speaking to each other and came out there and got the win.

With Jaz, I felt like the game was already won once everybody started to rally up and that showed true brotherhood. We had to do it for him and all the boys that was hurting tonight.