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VIZIO BCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: AUBURN v FLORIDA STATEJanuary 2, 2014Jay ProschPASADENA, CALIFORNIA Q. Jay, all season everybody has talked about how this offense revolves around you, runs through you. How many times did you carry the ball? JAY PROSCH: None. I've had no handoffs. I've had five passes, though. That's it. Q. How can the offense revolve through you, run through you? JAY PROSCH: Well, you know, coach says sometimes that I'm the point of attack guy and kind of get things started. Well, obviously the offensive line is the front that gets the movement, but I'm kind of the extra guy, the extra offensive lineman that we have that really seals the deal for our running backs. Q. Have you ever had a touchdown? JAY PROSCH: I did. I got one touchdown this year. I think it was against Western Carolina. So that was fun. But it was really rewarding to see my teammates score. So I enjoy blocking, too. Q. Was it on a reception? JAY PROSCH: Yeah. It was a reception. Q. When was the last time you had a touchdown before that? JAY PROSCH: I scored the year before that. I ran in two touchdowns. Q. Jay, you said you think it was against West Carolina. You know it was against West Carolina. (Laughs)? JAY PROSCH: Yeah. It was. Q. Do you remember the play call? JAY PROSCH: I do remember the play call. Q. What was the call? JAY PROSCH: It's a play where I line up at tight end and I do like a crossing route under the linebackers, you know, and I really wasn't supposed to get the ball on that play. And I was actually‑‑ one of our tight ends was out, so I was just in there backing him up, so it was like kind of just‑‑ I don't know. I guess it was just meant to happen because I wasn't supposed to get the ball, I wasn't supposed to be on that play. Q. Out injured, the tight end. Who were you in for? JAY PROSCH: I think it was Brandon Foltz. I think he had like a little nick or something, but it wasn't anything serious. So yeah. Q. When that call comes in, you hear the play call, are you thinking, wait a second, is the ball coming to me? JAY PROSCH: No. I was just excited I got to run a route, something different like‑‑ I mean I get to run routes every now and then, but it's kind of like, you know, a lot of the same stuff, and you just get used to the routes for your position. So it was cool to be able to run something different. And I was excited about that. And then all of a sudden like he started rolling out and I was like, all right, I'm going to have a chance, and a window opened up. Q. What was the actual play call? JAY PROSCH: I can't remember the name of the play. It was earlier in the year, so obviously we rotate our plays. I can't remember the name of the play. Q. Did you know Rhett when he was GA earlier in your career? Did you overlap with him? JAY PROSCH: No. I wasn't with him at that point. Q. What was your impression when he shows up? He's obviously a young guy, and you're transitioning‑‑ as a fullback, you're transitioning from obviously a more pro style to something more up tempo. What were your first impressions of him in the spring training? JAY PROSCH: Coach Lashlee, he's really‑‑ he's the kind of guy that you can tell he's on top of everything. He's very quick and very smart. And so it was nice, even though he's young, it's still nice to know that he's on top of everything. And he handles players very well. He knows how to motivate us and he knows when he needs to get on us and when not to. So overall I think he's a great offense coordinator. Q. How does he relate to you? It's not a huge age gap. JAY PROSCH: Yeah. Well, whenever like‑‑ whenever we might not have a great practice and Coach Malzahn like gets onto us or tells us we need to do better after practice, Coach Lashlee will pull us off to the side and be like, all right, look, it really wasn't that bad of a day. We just need to focus more on doing this, doing this. He's like, we believe in y'all. We're just trying to help y'all. So he really understands like how we feel and how to like convert what other coaches are saying into positive. And I really think that that goes a long way with our players. Q. What's his personality like? How would you describe him? JAY PROSCH: He's a very funny guy. Q. Why? JAY PROSCH: I mean he just jokes about like little stuff that, I mean you don't see other coaches doing that. You know what I mean. And like I said, he relates to players. He creates bonds with like him and nick and Jeremy and Wallace, they all have a special bond. And he has a bond with the offensive line. So he really knows how to bond with players and get close to them and create that connection. Q. What does he joke with you about, Jay? JAY PROSCH: He jokes with me sometimes about blocking and kind of how that's a lot of what I do. (Laughs). Q. How did you end up at Illinois? JAY PROSCH: Whenever I came out of high school, I wasn't highly recruited. I played offensive line my first three years of high school. My senior year I played linebacker, and I loved it. I had a great year at linebacker, but most of the SEC schools around here weren't convinced that I was a linebacker, so they were kind of‑‑ they were iffy on if they wanted to offer me or not. So I never got an offer. Some of my other offers were from smaller D2 schools and I had a Northern Illinois offer and then the Illinois offer came and that's the one I thought was the best choice. Q. At what point when you were there‑‑ JAY PROSCH: It was during my second year. It was beginning of my second year, and it was during spring football. Q. So were you thinking about transferring that whole second year? Did you know it was that serious at that point? JAY PROSCH: No. I mean we knew it was serious, but the thing about her was in her process, it was probably halfway of that second year, she seemed fine. I mean we knew she was in treatments and things like that, but it hadn't taken a toll on her yet, you know. She still seemed like normal like my mom, even though she was going through this terrible thing. And then at a certain point it took over and she started like deteriorating laterally. Her body, her mind, everything was out the window, and that was whenever I was like, you know, it's definitely‑‑ because you know, we had hopes and everybody was like we're going to beat this thing and everything like that. But at a certain point you realize that you just gotta get what you can out of it. So that's whenever I decided I needed to move closer to home. Q. You were just thinking get home any way possible at that point? JAY PROSCH: Right. Yeah. Q. So how did the process work going with Auburn, because they didn't want you the first time around, I guess. JAY PROSCH: Right. Q. So how did that work? JAY PROSCH: Well, I was just emailing every school in the area. And obviously my football career was still in my mind, so I was trying to get to play for a D1 school, and I had a little bit of contact, but not a lot really, and so I was just like thinking about like south Alabama or somewhere like that just so I could be close, you know. And then one day all of a sudden Coach Luper called me, and he was like, hey, we hear that you're the best fullback in the nation and we need a fullback. He was like, would you like to come play for Auburn? Out of the blue like that. And I was just like, yes, I would love to. Q. Did Coach Curtis run any interference for you? JAY PROSCH: Yeah, he did. I talked to Coach Curtis a lot, and he helped me‑‑ he helped me get my name out there to schools, let them know that I was looking for somewhere to be closer to home. And so I really think that helped. Coach Curtis has always been there for me and always willing to help me with anything I need. Q. Did the way the season played out last year, did that make it tougher for you dealing with what you had to deal with at home? I know some people football is a way of escape, I guess, but could it be an escape for you last year since y'all went through such a tough year? JAY PROSCH: No. Not at all. Football really made things worse. I would say overall that it was probably the worst year that I've ever had. Not football wise, but just in general in my life, because like you said, I do look to football as an escape, and it's kind of like my way out of things, you know, and almost like a peace, even though it's not a peaceful sport. But yeah, like you said, last year was such a terrible year, and our team was so falling apart, it was like disaster everywhere, so it was rough. Q. So what did you do? JAY PROSCH: I get through that kind of stuff, I mean you know, obviously I look to God for answers and things like that and I just find strength in Him. And along with that, I have three older sisters that I'm very close to, so we get through‑‑ I get through things with them as well. So I just, you know, try to find an inner strength within me and just know that things are going to get better eventually, and that's how I get through it. Q. Now how is it is for you? JAY PROSCH: Amazing. I mean since my mom passed away, we already had a tight bond, but now we're even closer because we're the only people we have for each other. And so we know that we have to really be careful with how we treat each other, and we have a great respect for each other and really close knit. And everything we do goes through one another, and we make decisions together and things like that. So it's really awesome. Q. Did you have questions about your role when you just came back, how it was going to work? JAY PROSCH: Yeah, I did, because like you said, I didn't know anything about Coach Malzahn or anything about what type of offense he ran because I was in Illinois when he was here and I wasn't worried about Auburn. I talked to (Kirken) a lot, and he reassured me that I was going to have a really good fit in this offense and I was definitely going to be able to like play and stuff like that, because I really had no idea what to expect. And so that gave me confidence. And then obviously when spring hit, I figured out what I would be doing. And I wasn't as happy about it at the time, but now I love this position, and I'm extremely happy about playing it. Q. Did there come a point where you maybe even thought about asking to change positions? JAY PROSCH: No. Fullback is really where I want to be. So I wasn't really wanting to be anywhere else, you know. I wasn't really wanting to play tight end, and I wasn't really wanting to, I don't know, move to defense or anything like that. So I was just willing to do whatever they asked me to do and I was hoping that that was a big role in the offense so that I could be a part of it. Q. How did you get used to the idea of I'm not going to carry the ball? JAY PROSCH: Well, I've never really carried the ball a lot. In high school I played goal line fullback my senior year, got a few carries, and then Illinois zero. I got zero carries in the two years I was there. I got one pass reception. And then last year was my first year to actually get like carries on there. I mean I think I had like six or seven carries last year, which I was like, wow, this is cool, fourth and one, I might actually get to get the ball. But I mean it hasn't really‑‑ it's not like I went from a huge year of running the ball to nothing. But I really don't care about carrying the ball. Obviously it's fun and I'd like to do it, but I'm not like dying to get the ball. I like to block and I like to see my teammates be successful. Q. And yet you have giant hands? JAY PROSCH: Yes. Q. So wouldn't you be the perfect guy to give the ball to when it matters? JAY PROSCH: You would think, but also we have other guys that are getting it done. So you know, we're not really looking for another outlet. But you know, I do have large hands. I feel like I can catch very well. I like catching the ball. But like I said, that's not my main focus and I'm not stressing over it. Q. What makes your role satisfying to you? Why do you like it? What do you like about it? JAY PROSCH: I'm a hard‑nosed type guy. I like playing rough and tough football. So whenever‑‑ you know, when I was at Illinois it was right down my alley, it was straight on, full speed contact with linebacker. And it changed when I got here this year because it's more‑‑ there is some blocking like that, but most of it's like more, I guess, kind of finesse blocking at times. And‑‑ Q. Sounds like a dirty word. JAY PROSCH: Yeah. Q. What does that mean? JAY PROSCH: Just like running‑‑ like coming around the edge and sealing linebackers, working up to DBs and having to be really careful with how hard you try to go at them, be able to have your weight on your heels and still be able to block them. It's not just like throw everything out the window and run full speed and ram this guy. Q. Talking about your hands, you run a wheel route and you've been able to get a ball on there. Would you like that play to be called? JAY PROSCH: Definitely. Like you said, I love catching the ball, and so I would love if they called it more. But it's not bothering me that they're not. It's just one of those things, like oh, yeah. They call this play, awesome. This is going to be fun. But I'm not sitting back in the background thinking, gosh, we're running this play. We should be running the wheel. Q. Has it occurred to you that if you lose, the SEC streak is over and you'll probably hear about it the rest of your days? JAY PROSCH: Not really. I'm not thinking about failure, honestly. And you know what, if that happens, then that happens and you just gotta go with the flow and just take things as they come. But I'm not thinking about failure. I feel like I'm very confident in my teammates and myself and I think we've had an outstanding year and I don't see any reason why we can't continue that. Q. One of the knocks on them or one of the questions on them is their strength of schedule compared to an SEC's team strength of schedule. From what you've seen, how would they stack up in the SEC? Would they go undefeated the way they have? JAY PROSCH: That's a difficult question to ask because I don't think that anybody can really predict that, but all I can say really is that they're a great team and the schedule they've played I'm sure has been a tough schedule. I can't say because we didn't play those teams. But I know we've played a very difficult schedule and we have had to fight very hard for our wins. And so there's really no telling. I guess we'll figure out in a few days here how that correlates. Q. When you hear you're the best fullback in the country, that's a nice compliment, but are there other fullbacks in the country? JAY PROSCH: I don't know. I know there's other through backs and stuff like that, but I don't really know. But it's a compliment for me no matter how many fullbacks there are, and I'm happy about it. Q. Sorry, back to this SEC thing, though, is it a point of pride, though? Do you have a pride in your conference that you'd like to keep that going? JAY PROSCH: Yeah, I mean for sure. Obviously this is the conference‑‑ just like anything that you represent you have pride in, I'm sure. So it's the same way for me. Q. And is it clear to you in your mind that this is by far the best conference in football? JAY PROSCH: I believe so, yes. Q. Why? JAY PROSCH: I think the competition in this conference is way beyond any other conference. You know, the players in this conference are all at such a high level that it makes the play at a higher level. So I think that, you know, the best players are in this conference. And not to say that other conferences don't have great players, but I just think there's more in this conference and it raises the level of play. Q. And having played at Illinois, was it close? JAY PROSCH: It was different. The competition, like I said, wasn't as high. The players were still really good, but they were a different type of good. These players are smarter football players, they're faster football players and they're better trained football players. Q. Smarter? JAY PROSCH: Yeah. I would say so. Q. Why? JAY PROSCH: Do you disagree with that? Q. It seems hard to believe. JAY PROSCH: Why is that? Q. I guess because you're saying they're smarter because they just test out higher or they're trained better? JAY PROSCH: No. They're smart football players, football‑smart players. Quarterbacks, linebackers, they all‑‑ they're not just the type of guys you can just run a play action and you're going to be able to throw it over their head. It's not that type of football. You have to really not only have smart plays but be able to execute those plays flawlessly because these guys like I said are smart football players. There's football smart and there's knowledge smart. These are football‑smart guys. Q. And so going from that conference to this one, was it like black and white to color TV or what was it like? JAY PROSCH: Yeah, it was. It was to me. Like I said, at Illinois we could just run the out formation lead play and we could gash people. Not that you can't do that here, but I'm just saying it's more difficult, I think, with schemes and stuff like that. So I mean I definitely do think that the BIG TEN and stuff like that is a great conference, but like I said it's just a different type of conference. Q. How much does it mean to you that you came back where you grew up and succeeded at this level? JAY PROSCH: Oh, it means so much to me. When I was in high school I was always watching Auburn/Alabama and SEC football. I really didn't know anything about the BIG TEN football. So I always wanted to play for one of those schools, really, and I didn't get the opportunity to, so I had to go with that and I was happy with where I was, but when this chance presented itself, it was like a huge opportunity for me, and an honor. And so now that I've played in this conference and had a year of success, I've really felt great about it. It's a big accomplishment for me. Q. So are you therefore excited about the SEC network coming? JAY PROSCH: Yes, I am. Q. They'll be right on your‑‑ JAY PROSCH: Yeah. Q. (No microphone)? JAY PROSCH: You know what, I can't say, honestly, because seriously, like the year has been a blur kind of. And I don't remember like certain hits or stuff like that. I can say that‑‑ but it's not‑‑ I mean I think it's just because it's just been a crazy year. I can say that the defensive end for Tennessee, he was a smaller guy, but he was very strong and tough and very physical which sometimes is worse than having just a big blob in front of you. So he was definitely a good player. And I had fun with him that day. But yeah, I can say that he was one of the harder guys and tougher guys to block. Q. Do you wonder about concussions? JAY PROSCH: No. I've never had a concussion, and I've never had really any time where I've hit somebody and felt dizzy or felt like I needed to sit down or anything. So I've never really experienced anything that way. Q. Are you doing it right? JAY PROSCH: I don't know. I think I am. I hope so. Q. Did you make other people feel dizzy? JAY PROSCH: I would like to think so, yeah. Q. Has anyone ever told you your head actually resembles a helmet. It just looks like a football helmet. JAY PROSCH: No. No. I don't think so. Q. Do you have to get a special‑sized helmet? JAY PROSCH: No, I don't. Q. Looks like it would hurt just without the helmet to be hit by you? JAY PROSCH: Yeah. I like to think I have a hard head. Q. When you watch Florida State, you talk about the SEC, do you see a team built like an SEC team? JAY PROSCH: I do. I mean like I said, they have an extremely fast defense. They have a great defensive line, and they are kind of hard‑nosed defense that's going to come and get you, which is kind of what we see in the SEC. So I definitely think they resemble an SEC team, which is I think why one of the reasons they've dominated their conference so much. Q. You hear a lot of teams talk about you gotta be disciplined, you gotta have eye discipline. That's how you stop this offense and then the game comes and it's like Mike Tyson said, everybody talks till they get punched in the mouth. I mean what happens? What happens once the game comes? JAY PROSCH: I think that says it all. I mean teams think that what we do‑‑ people say it's trickery or stuff like that and I don't understand that at all, because if you just simply turn on the film, it's obviously not trickery. We run the ball hard, and we have an offensive line that's going to knock you off the ball a few yards and we're going to instantly gain at least three yards, and then on top of that we have great runners, we have a great through back. And so I think that that speaks for itself. I mean we knock people off the ball and we drive the ball. And sometimes it's chipping away, but you chip away, you chip away and you're going to break one. So I think that, I mean, that's it right there. Q. I think that eats at Gus, too, about you're a gadget guy, you're a trickery guy, spread offense. He's always been a physical, downhill running coach. I mean that's something you guys obviously take a lot of pride in. JAY PROSCH: Yeah. Coach Malzahn is a very smart coach with his play calling, decision making and figuring out what defenses they're in and what plays you need to run. He makes great decisions, and I think people mistake that for trickery or something like that. He's just very smart, and we see that as players. You know, we have 100 percent trust in him and confidence in the plays he calls, and I just think people just don't know how to accept that. Q. Coaches are just smarter in the SEC; right? JAY PROSCH: I don't know about that. Coach Malzahn is. Q. You guys have a feel, I mean leaving in Alabama last few years and being at Auburn, what this means to you all to have this kind of year, with Alabama's run the last two years and living in the state, just how soothing for everybody at Auburn? JAY PROSCH: Yeah. I think for our fans and obviously players and stuff like that, it brings back the Auburn feeling and the Auburn way. It's great for us players to be able to give pride back to our fans because they supported us through everything, and so it's really nice to be able to just give back to them and make them happy. So it's really great. Q. How difficult was it not only the year you guys had last year, but having to sort of go through them winning the last two years, and live in that state? JAY PROSCH: Yeah. It's really hard because a lot of my friends are Alabama fans and things like that. So they just‑‑ even if they aren't saying anything about it, you still, you can just feel it, you know. It's not a good feeling. You always want to be a competitor at least and last year we weren't even competitive with them. So it was just completely degrading. But obviously this year being able to step up to the challenge and have a win against them just feels amazing for not only the players but the fans too. Q. If you did blow the streak would you hear it from your Alabama fans? JAY PROSCH: I don't think so, because I can always come back with the‑‑ (laughs) you know. Yeah. Exactly. But no, they're supportive of me any ways, so they would never throw that in my face. Q. Do you remember Gus saying to you guys the first meeting, did he actually say we're going to have the greatest of the biggest turn around in college football? JAY PROSCH: Oh, yeah. He said it in the very beginning. Obviously he didn't say we're going to go to the national championship, but he knew‑‑ he instilled in us from the beginning that we were going to turn this thing around. Whether that be eight or ten wins, that would still be a turn around. So he said that from the beginning and we believed him because we saw the progress within the team ourselves, so we believed it, too. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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