SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE FOOTBALL MEDIA DAYS

July 18, 2023

Jaden Crumedy

Mississippi State Bulldogs

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We have another returnee from last year's SEC Media Days. Jaden is one of four, and he's ready for your questions.

Q. Since many people probably haven't seen your campus, what is it that they're missing, and why is Mississippi State a great place?

JADEN CRUMEDY: Mississippi State is a great place because everyone shows love. It's really like a family environment. You can just have fun there.

Q. Mississippi State has a great history recently of elite defensive tackles between Jeffery Simmons, Fletcher Cox, Chris Jones, and as a defensive tackle playing for them, I want to know what does it mean to carry on that legacy at this position at that university? I also want to know have you ever talked to any of those guys? Any of those guys give you any pointers or advice?

JADEN CRUMEDY: For me, I love that I'm in a school where they have like progressed people like them.

Yes, I have talked to a couple of them, and they do give me pointers and stuff. I feel like it helps a lot.

Q. What's it been like so far playing for Coach Arnett? This is your first time having a defensive guy as the head coach. Kind of what's that like?

JADEN CRUMEDY: It's been real fun because, for one, having him already as a defensive coordinator, I already knew he was like a hard coaching coach. So he was already doing that as a head coach, but like he shows love. Like it's really just been fun being with him.

Q. You've been at State for a while now, and you're one of the old guys on that D-line. You talk about Coach Arnett and him developing, but how do you help as the old guy developing the younger guys?

JADEN CRUMEDY: We help develop them by just making sure they know what to do and how to do it. Just continue to coach them up on their plays, continue to coach them up on different steps and stuff. Just really like position work. And like the other young guys as far as making sure -- if they're leaning over or something whenever we're having conditioning or anything, I just be a leader to make sure that everybody is up.

Just making sure that everybody is good and going to be in the right direction for when like times get tough.

Q. Jaden, now your defensive coordinator is the head coach. He has his own style. What changes do you anticipate?

JADEN CRUMEDY: I feel like it won't be any changes because I already know how he is. He's already being like a hard coaching coach, and he's a fiery coach.

If he wants to get something done, like whenever we're in practice, he's going to make sure that happens. He's going to make sure everybody does their job. We're going to do it to the fullest.

Q. How would you rank the Egg Bowl in terms of college football rivalries?

JADEN CRUMEDY: I'd say it's the first because that game right there, it's the truth (laughter).

Q. Obviously there's a lot of guys moving in and out after a coaching change. How essential was like Coach Arnett being hired and you returning to State versus transferring somewhere else?

JADEN CRUMEDY: I had no intentions on transferring nowhere else because I feel like Mississippi State is the place to be because it's a family environment. Who wouldn't want to be somewhere like that?

And with being with Coach Arnett, he shows love and like -- I mean, who wouldn't want the head coach to show them love and just to make sure that his players are always good and just to be a great coach to one another.

Q. Being in the SEC as long as you have, you've faced a lot of elite players, some of the best talent in America. I just want to ask is there a particular offensive lineman that stands out amongst all the other guys you've gone up against?

JADEN CRUMEDY: I wouldn't say there's a particular guy that's outstanding. I look at everybody as the same, but they just have differences in their technique. I really just look at everybody the same and just go at them how I can.

Q. You played against Arizona last year. Is that correct?

JADEN CRUMEDY: No, I didn't.

Q. But this is the first time you're going to play against them in Starkville. What do you anticipate, playing a Pac-12 team?

JADEN CRUMEDY: I just anticipate it being different because I haven't played a Pac-12 team. With my teammates saying they played them last year, I know that was a very different environment. They were saying it was pretty hyped and stuff.

I really feel -- I'm really excited playing that game because you can play against people you never played before, and they're coming all the way down here. It will be really fun for me.

Q. What's the most difficult environment you've had to play in?

JADEN CRUMEDY: I'd say playing at Texas A&M, being very loud. It was very different for me being there, especially for my first time playing there in the stadium. Yeah, it was different.

Q. You'll be returning to Kyle Field again this year. What are you anticipating it being like? Are you looking forward to that kind of game?

JADEN CRUMEDY: I'm looking forward to it. Who wouldn't want to play in a loud environment? I got used to it, but my first time being there, it was a different experience because it's like a big place in there, very loud. They can get real loud.

I'm looking forward to playing there, though.

Q. Jaden, you're from Hattiesburg, Mississippi, so Southern Miss is on the schedule. How do you approach that game, and what does it mean to you as a native of Hattiesburg?

JADEN CRUMEDY: To me, I just approach it like any other game. At the same time, I know a couple players that go there. I'm just really ready for the game because like some of my family, they'll still be coming to the game to see it, and I see other family members after the game as well.

Yeah, it's just like another game on the schedule for me, just to execute my job.

Q. For your friends outside football, what questions about the SEC do they have? Do they ask what it's like?

JADEN CRUMEDY: Yeah, they ask what it's like a lot, and they're always trying to see like why I never come home because I don't go home at all. We're really always busy doing either workouts or like having meetings or something. Yeah, that's the only question they ask me.

Q. One final question. Jo'quavious came with the bulldog tie. You've got the maroon stripes. Did you coordinate the outfits at all?

JADEN CRUMEDY: It wasn't coordinated at all. I thought he was going to wear all black, but it wasn't coordinated at all.