|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
DISCOVER BCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: ALABAMA v NOTRE DAMEJanuary 5, 2013Manti Te'oMIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA Q. (Inaudible.) MANTI TE'O: I mean, every game is a defensive battle. It's a defensive, offensive and special‑teams battle. You know, I'm expecting to just be part of a really good game. Q. You've got the family coming, but how has the ticket situation been for this game? MANTI TE'O: It's been good. I have six family members coming in, and that's the amount of tickets we're given. It worked out pretty good. Q. Do you get a lot of others that hit you up for tickets? MANTI TE'O: Obviously. I think every individual who plays in this game is contacted from family members that they haven't met yet. Q. Walking in here does it become more real? MANTI TE'O: Yeah, it's becoming really real, especially as I walked on this field. Haven't seen it yet, and this is my first time seeing it, first time seeing the crystal ball up close. To know that Monday I could be part of the team that hoists that crystal ball, it's definitely becoming real. Q. (Inaudible.) MANTI TE'O: I think we understand what Alabama does, and people understand what we can do. It's all about executing, and I think that's football at its finest. You know, teams that just line up and play their hearts out and just play tough, physical football. Q. Does that make it more difficult or easier? MANTI TE'O: Whether you know what they're going to do or not, you've still got to plan just the same. You know, who knows? Alabama can come out and do something totally different. You never know. But what we do know is that we're going against a really good team that has proven itself over the past couple years, and we've just got to come out and play. Q. Are you getting a sense of how real this is becoming, just the sense of the historical significance of this? MANTI TE'O: Yeah, I'm starting to, just because of the advertisements and the commercials. To hear the history and the tradition we both know about Alabama and Notre Dame and this historic game. It's a really good publicized game, and it's going to be a good game to watch. Q. TJ talked about restoring a buzz at Notre Dame from a national perspective and how this game will do that. Do a lot of you guys feel the same way? MANTI TE'O: Yeah, I think so. I think that's something that's always on our mind, but it's not the biggest thing that's on our mind. I think for us we're just focusing on the team that's here now, and I think once we focus on us, on the guys in the locker room, everything else will take care of itself. Q. Did you envision this four years ago? MANTI TE'O: Never. Never. Q. (Inaudible.) MANTI TE'O: I think it's a combination of both the players and the coaches. You know, we're led by one of the best assistant coaches in college football, Coach Diaco and his coaching staff, and they're not just‑‑ they don't just teach us the techniques and fundamentals of the game. They help incorporate the mentality that you must have in order to be dominant in this game. We're fortunate enough to have coaches that have played the game, so they know how we feel at certain points, they know what makes us tick because it's the same thing that made them tick. I think with that and the combination of the guys we have‑‑ in order to be here you can't just have some average Joe players, and the same goes with Alabama. We know they have really, really good players, and so do we. With our defense, it's just a combination of the both. Q. (Inaudible.) MANTI TE'O: I think whenever you‑‑ in order to make it this far, you can't be a team of individuals. You have to be a team that plays as one, as one unit, and that trusts in each other and have kids on the team that plays for the guy next to him. And I think that's exactly what we have. You know, we've demonstrated that throughout the year by the close games we've had, and also the big victories we've had. We've demonstrated that brotherhood that we have on this team. Q. How well did you get to know Barrett Jones? And can you describe your impressions of him and what it will be like to play against him. MANTI TE'O: Just a real good guy. I got to know Barrett well. He and I were at a few functions together, being at the awards circuit. But he's just a real good guy, very smart. He's obviously the captain and leader of the offensive line, or the offense. He's just very smart. Q. (Inaudible.) MANTI TE'O: Yeah, it's going to be nice. I think it's going to remind me of high school where I had friends on the other team, and it just creates a more competitive environment when you know the guy, not just for his number but for who he is and what he stands for. Q. Jesse Williams said he feels a bond with you, too. Can you talk a little bit about that. MANTI TE'O: Yeah, I think the Polynesian players‑‑ players alike, but Polynesian players, we have a certain amount of pride. We take a certain amount of pride in the way we play football but also the way we conduct ourselves off the field. I didn't know Jesse was Polynesian until I saw his tattoos. I think that's a great tale for a Polynesian player, is his tattoos. I saw a few of his tattoos and immediately I knew not only who he was but what he stood for because it permeates through every Polynesian player out there. Q. Talk about having three All‑Americans on the offensive line. Is it kind of fitting to have this huge test ahead of you? MANTI TE'O: Yeah, I think when you go against a team like Alabama, we understand that they're the king of the hill. They've been there, they've done that, they obviously have been so dominant the past couple years and this season, as well. So we understand who we're going up against. Like I said, what better way to finish this year but to play in the biggest game in college football and to be going against the best team in college football, and that's Alabama. Q. (Inaudible.) MANTI TE'O: It's come really far. It's just a different team. It's a different mentality. We understand that we can't do it on our own. We understand that it's not the senior class versus the junior class versus the sophomore class. It's not like that on this team. It's a team. It doesn't matter how old you are, it doesn't matter how many snaps you've had. We're a team and we're going to win and lose as a team. Q. Talk about the Michigan State game and also (inaudible). MANTI TE'O: Yeah, Le'Veon is just a big back. He's very talented, and he does a lot of great things. He's going to have success at the next level. I just found out he's going to enter into the NFL Draft, so he's going to have a lot of success there. But that Michigan State game was another physical game that we played in, and another game that helped mold our team to what it is today. Q. What are you hoping your legacy is? MANTI TE'O: At Notre Dame I hope my legacy is just a guy who gave Notre Dame his all, a guy who really committed himself to the school, and I really feel fortunate to play under the Golden Dame and receive an education there. Just one who really gave everything he had. Q. (Inaudible.) MANTI TE'O: Yeah, Shane Victorino is just a real good guy. We met him before and had the opportunity just to hang out with him for a couple days, and like I said, it's that bond between Polynesian players and even non‑Polynesian players who know what Hawai'i is all about. Rob had the opportunity to be with Davone Bess yesterday and just chill with him. You may not know the guy, but just because he's Polynesian or because he's from Hawai'i, feels like you know a lot about him without even meeting him. Just to have Shane here and have him experience this moment with us, he's family. Q. You guys have had nine first quarter shutouts. What is the key to getting off to a fast start? MANTI TE'O: Yeah, Coach always talks about the four quarters of success, and the first quarter is obviously start fast. If you're going to play in the National Championship, you'd better start fast. It's not, okay, you guys, we've got to start fast; it's a must, especially since we're going up against a team that's really, really good. So defensively we have to do what we have to do. We've got to limit the points, and we have to make sure that we're doing everything we can to get the ball in our offense's hands. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
About ASAP Sports •
FastScripts Archive •
Recent Interviews •
Captioning •
Upcoming Events •
Contact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links |
|
ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297
|