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VIZIO BCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: AUBURN v FLORIDA STATEJanuary 2, 2014Reese DismukesPASADENA, CALIFORNIA Q. Of the defensive nosemen and linemen that you've seen, how does Jernigan compare to what you've seen? REESE DISMUKES: He's a great player. I don't know that he necessarily compares to any that I've played so far, but I mean you know, he's up there with the guys from LSU, Alabama, Georgia, I mean all the top tier guys, Mississippi State. He's up there with those guys. He's just a great player all around pretty much. Q. Greg Robinson only seems to be beginning to tap his potential. How good can he be once he gets more experience? REESE DISMUKES: You know, Greg, we run behind him a lot. You know, he's one of the reasons we're pretty successful. And I mean he's a great player, and I think that you know, the sky's the limit for him, you know, and his future is pretty bright. I think he'll have a great career in the NFL when he decides to make that decision. Q. Take a turn in terms of being more comfortable? REESE DISMUKES: I think what a lot of people don't realize about nick is he only got on campus I think three weeks before we even started fall camp. So I mean going into the first game he only had like six weeks in the offense, and I think, you know, from that standpoint, you know, each week, up to, I'd say really after LSU, you know, he kind of had a full grasp of the game and we kind of really unleashed things there. Q. That's unreal. He had three weeks basically, six weeks basically to learn the offense? REESE DISMUKES: Yeah. I mean not‑‑ I mean yeah. So I mean we gotta kind of start off basic, you know, when that happens, and you know, kind of add things along as you go. And I think that's really the big thing with him. Q. He gets so much credit for his running ability, for his ball fakes and reads. Does he not get his due as a passer? REESE DISMUKES: Yeah, I don't think he does. I mean he's a great all‑around player. I think you kind of saw that, their first touchdown against Missouri, he stripped Sammy on the run, on a 50‑yard pass, I think. But I don't think he gets a lot of credit as a passer, but I mean he's just a great all‑around player and I'm happy to have him as our quarterback. Q. Reese, what is your role prior to the snap? What are you supposed to be doing? REESE DISMUKES: Prior to snap, I mean I'll let guys know the situation, you know, we're on the goal line, we're coming out. You know, kind of the things that maybe not everyone kind of thinks about, third and one, third and long, you know. Maybe what's coming. I mean kind of the tendency. Q. (No microphone)? REESE DISMUKES: There is no huddle. It's just me and the five guys up front. And I mean just try to let the back know. Depending on the play I'll have certain calls and other things like that, and just kind of get everybody on the same page. Q. How important is it to sort of disguise or not give a tell of what's to come? REESE DISMUKES: I mean we don't really try to disguise anything. I mean we do what we do, and I mean I make my calls. I mean they might pick on the tendencies, you know, towards the other game or something like that. But we don't really steer away from that. We kind of just do what we do. Q. Is it always the same setup for you in terms of your feet and your hands? Does that change at all? REESE DISMUKES: Not really. I mean whether we're under center or in shotgun, that might change a little bit, but not necessarily, nothing really changes. Q. Do you concentrate to keep everything totally consistent? REESE DISMUKES: Yes. Q. You say you don't really try to disguise anything, that's amazing because no one knows what you're going to do. How do you deceive defenses so well? REESE DISMUKES: I mean I think with all the stuff going on in the back field, I think Coach Malzahn, and you know, those guys, I mean they do a great job of putting us in the right situation, and great play calling and great plays in general that work well. Q. Reese, Lamarcus Joyner was talking about how much they've been studying tape, but particularly the Alabama tape. He said that they couldn't have a better head start on preparing for how to deal with y'all than looking at the Alabama tape. How do you combat that, because they are very similar defenses. REESE DISMUKES: I mean Coach Pruitt, he came from Alabama. I mean he recruited me when he was at Alabama, but I mean it's pretty much the same scheme, if you look at it. I mean Florida State runs the same scheme that Alabama does, so I mean it's pretty much watching yourself but on another team, you know, play the team that you're about to play. Q. Does that work to your advantage or disadvantage that they've got such a fresh tape of kind of looking at a high‑quality opponent? REESE DISMUKES: I mean I think it helps equally. I mean we played Alabama, and Georgia is very similar to Alabama and Florida State. I mean it helps. I mean it's the same thing, it helps us and helps them. Q. So y'all are looking at the tapes, too? REESE DISMUKES: I mean obviously we're going to watch film. I mean what we did against Alabama is a lot of the same stuff that we will do against Florida State. I mean it's the same film. I mean they run the same defense. So I mean it helps you equally. Q. Some of the things the Florida State players were saying is talking about how they were trying to adjust to the pace in practice and they've done a few things. We've heard other teams say the same stuff all year, except then when it gets to the game, they can't simulate the pace of you guys. How does it work the way you do and why can't teams try to simulate it? Is that something because they don't do it all the time? REESE DISMUKES: I don't think you can really simulate‑‑ I mean we can't even simulate how we go in the games in practice than in the games. We go faster in practice than we do in games, but I think the refuse placing the ball, situations of they're trying to sub players in and we're going and they gotta get setup and we really don't care if you're setup or not. We're just going to go. I mean how do you prepare for that, I guess you just try to go as fast as you can with your head cut off. I mean that's really pretty much‑‑ that's how I feel like when we're out there, like we're running around with our heads cut off sometimes. But you just try to prepare the best you can, and it's fast and it's a different style of play and you just gotta get ready for that. Q. And that's what they said even looking at films even the Alabama game they'd catch one player or two players a little bit out of position and that one on one tackle the guy was supposed to make becomes a broken run for four yards. Have you been able to take advantages of some other teams' weaknesses with the pace? REESE DISMUKES: I don't really notice where they're not lined up or not. I don't think that's really our‑‑ that's not what we're looking to do. We like to go fast, and you know, defenses get tired and that kind of thing. And they gotta sub people in and out. And I think we just try to go fast. That's what we do. And we catch people in the wrong position sometimes. Q. Reese, when you have so much talent up front on both sides of the ball, what do you think is going to be the difference? REESE DISMUKES: I mean you know, we're just going to have to go out there and play our best football. They're a great defensive front, really front seven, and we're going to have to play our best football to win the football game. And I think, you know our guys against their guys, it's going to be a great game. Q. What stands out to you about Timmy Jernigan, their nose? REESE DISMUKES: I think he's a great all around player. You don't really notice any weaknesses in his football game. He plays the run and the pass very well. And he's a good pass rusher and good run defender as well. And you don't see that much. Usual, you know, somebody is good at one or the other, but he seems to be pretty good at both. Q. Are you looking forward to that matchup? REESE DISMUKES: Yeah. Should be fun. I like playing in games like this. I'd rather play Florida State or Alabama every week than play like western Carolina, because I mean that's not very fun. Q. Reese, people talk about trickery, isn't it really just blocking on the line of scrimmage, it's how well you block the other guy? REESE DISMUKES: Yeah. I mean people are going to say what they want to say, but at the end of the day, you know, it's power football. Q. One of the things last year with 3‑9 start, it seemed like the offensive line was struggling. The same guy this year. What was the difference? Was it just the change back to the offensive formation that you guys began to gel and become such a strong offense? REESE DISMUKES: Yeah. You know, Nick and Tre and those guys, they've done a great job, and the receivers blocking on the perimeter as well. And Jay Prosch, I mean you can't say enough about him. But I mean you know, we started to win football games, and when you win football games, your team comes together. And it's just a lot easier to be successful, I feel like. I mean Coach Malzahn and the rest of those guys have done a great job of telling us it's a new day or that's kind of our motto or whatever this year, and we just started to gel and Coach J. B. Grimes has done a great job with us too. He's a big part of our success as well. Just came in and we've all stepped up our game. Q. Reese, Gus is known as a clean coach. He doesn't cuss. He really tries to be positive with you guys. He's got some I guess interesting quirks in the way he says things. What really sticks out with him maybe from this season or even in the past just kind of the way he communicates with you guys and gets the point across? REESE DISMUKES: Yeah. He doesn't cuss or anything like that, but he can get under your skin pretty well. I don't know if any of you have ever been kind of chewed out about someone who doesn't cuss. It's way worse. Yeah, I mean I would much rather be cussed out ten times out of ten than, you know, being like yelled at by Coach Malzahn. Q. I guess he makes up words every now and then? REESE DISMUKES: He's a heck of a coach, and I mean has some interesting ways about going about things. But he's a pretty funny guy. Q. You know, from the recent outside he's a pretty laid back, I mean I know he's obviously an intense competitor, but the version you guys see of him, what sort of sticks out? REESE DISMUKES: I mean he's fearless as far as his work ethic and stuff like that. And you know, you get up to the complex early, he's up there probably 4 in the morning. I mean I have no telling when he gets there. And he leaves like after midnight. I mean I don't think he needs sunglasses because I don't think it's ever sunny when he's awake or when he's not in his office studying film and stuff like that. But he's just a fierce competitor, and you know, loves what he does, and I don't think he sleeps very much, and it shows. He's always 100 percent prepared and on top of his game. Q. I think the biggest misnomer about him is that he's been more of a‑‑ you know, he does it with trickery and gadgets. He's always been a physical, downhill, running type of coach, and that obviously fits what you guys have done. Is that pretty obvious from the outset to you? REESE DISMUKES: Yeah, we're a run, play‑action team, and our first go‑to is run the football. And to really be successful in his offense you have to run the football downhill because we're not a team that's, you know, we're not good third and ten, third and long, you know, third and short, that kind of thing. That's, you know, where we thrive. And that's really the game, I mean third down in the red zone, if you're successful in both those things, then you're going to have a successful football team.  And we've done good in both those areas and that's kind of really been key. But he's run first. Q. How well were you guys playing offensive there at the end of the season against Missouri? It was just the precision? REESE DISMUKES: Against Missouri? Q. Yeah, as an offensive player, that had to be‑‑ REESE DISMUKES: Yeah, Missouri they did a lot of stuff up front, like Ole Miss. They're bigger than Ole Miss. They do a lot of the movement and that kind of deal, trying to get you to play in your back field. And I mean you know, we kind of started off, you know, not too hot, you know, kind of getting used to the game with as much as they do. And we just went out there and stick to our guns, and really got rolling there. Q. Did you say you're not good in third and ten, third and long? REESE DISMUKES: I mean what team is good in third and ten, third and long. Q. Okay. But then you said you got better at it. REESE DISMUKES: No. We thrive on third and short. I mean we're not‑‑ I don't know any team that's trying to win football games and they're in third and ten all day long. Q. How do you guys stay sharp in offense because you were playing such a high level and all of a sudden you have 30 days? REESE DISMUKES: I mean really the coaching staff has done a great job of sticking to what we do, and we haven't really changed anything that we've done in practice. We've kind of done the same thing since the break started. And I think that was really the big key. I mean still going out there and doing what we do. We're not changing anything, putting in a whole bunch of quirks here and there, but we're sticking to what we do best. Q. Reese, do you remember what your impressions were when you first watched Florida State on tape? REESE DISMUKES: I mean they're great, they're fast, great football team. Defensively you really don't see any weakness there. They're pretty good all around. Q. Do you feel like whoever wins the edge wins the game or is that always the indication? REESE DISMUKES: I mean I feel like in the SEC and their league, you know, the front seven is going to win the football game. I mean it can be all the pretty boys all you want, but I mean whoever wins the line of scrimmage all day is usually going to be who wins the football game. Q. Do they look like anybody that you had seen? REESE DISMUKES: I mean like I said, they resemble‑‑ they're as close to an SEC team as any non conference team I would say that you've seen on film. So I mean they're a great football team. And I mean as far as the front seven, they're a lot like everybody that we play in this league. I mean physical and fast. Q. Along those lines, Reese, you guys have been in a lot of battles this year in the SEC. You always are, and the grind of that league. Is there something to be said for you guys being more battle tested coming into this game? REESE DISMUKES: I think, you know, experience, like say Mississippi state, we win a last‑second game there. You know, have a two‑minute drive.  I mean that circumstance has prepared‑‑ kind of prepared us for Georgia. It ended a little differently. I mean Alabama. Really, you know, the team as a whole, we put ourselves in situations where we found a way to win the game in the fourth quarter, and that's, you know, if we're within 14 points, you know, going into the fourth quarter we feel like we have a shot to win the game and that we will have a good shot. And I mean I think that goes, you know, something to say. I mean like LSU we were down 21‑0. We come back and we have a shot to win the game. I mean say we went down 21‑0 against Florida State, we've been in that situation. So we kind of know what to expect, what it's going to take. I think that kind of circumstance has helped. Q. Can you contrast what‑‑ and I know it's a huge contrast, last year living in that state, being an Auburn fan and this year and what this has meant to the whole Auburn community, turning around, especially seeing the way Alabama had sort of had their run the last couple of years? REESE DISMUKES: Right. I mean I think it's big, I mean as far as people's blood pressures. I mean it's helped. But I mean it's good to take the state back. I was tired of hearing people talk about Alabama as well as anyone else was. But I mean it just feels good, you know, to be successful. Me and my teammates all the hard work you put in in the off season and all that stuff, to go out there and not be successful, you ask yourself why are you doing this, that kind of deal. And you know, makes you second look at things. But I think as far as taking the state back I think it's just great all around. Q. How long is the off season when you go 3 and 9 and then your rival just down the road is back‑to‑back national champions? REESE DISMUKES: Yeah. I mean I think it was quicker because I mean‑‑ Q. You just want to get back on the field and try to do something about it? REESE DISMUKES: Yeah. It makes you work even harder. So I mean this off season will probably be longer, but we'll see. Q. When you came and looked at what you guys had, did you see the sort of potential? REESE DISMUKES: Yeah. I mean we got good athletes, and I mean I just wanted to get back on the field and win one football game. I mean‑‑ and get back to a bowl game. I think that was the big thing. But we just wanted‑‑ and to kind of use Coach Malzahn's philosophy of winning one game at a time, taking it one day at a time, we're getting better each and every day, each and every game. Q. Gus says Jay is the most player on the offense. REESE DISMUKES: Yeah. I mean‑‑ Q. Can you talk about him and what he means to you guys? REESE DISMUKES: Yeah. I mean Jay Prosch. He's a Hercules, hulk is what I call him. Q. What do you call him, Hercules? REESE DISMUKES: Hulk. Y'all probably just saw him. He looks like a statue. But I mean yeah, he's that kind of guy that does all the dirty work. And I don't think enough could be said about what he does for us. He's kind of like Coach Lashlee says, he's like glue. He's the reason we've rolled the way we did. Q. Did you guys rally around him last year? It must have been really hard for him last year? REESE DISMUKES: Yeah. His situation. He's from kind of the same area I'm from, so we kind of clicked right off the bat. And we just kind of helped him get through that and it was a tough situation for him and his family, and he's got great sisters. Q. Do you think the Alabama fans are rooting for Auburn? Is it an SEC thing or is it just too hard for them to root for Auburn? REESE DISMUKES: I mean I don't know. I got a lot of friends that go to Alabama, and my brother played at Alabama, and obviously they're all rooting for Auburn, because they like me, but I mean I don't think‑‑ I think like say, for instance, last year I was rooting for Alabama because I wanted to see the SEC win. But I mean I think‑‑ I talked to some players on their team and I think they're rooting for us. But I mean I think it's kind of an SEC thing. But of course the Harvey Updykes of the world are going to be rooting for Florida State. But I mean I think all the people that like watching football and like the dominance of the SEC and being in the SEC will be rooting for us, but of course you're going to have those people that, poison trees, that don't like us. Q. Non tree poisoners. You've gone up against a lot of the great defensive line men in the regular season. No. 8, Jernigan, what impresses you about him on film? REESE DISMUKES: He's a great all‑around player. I mean he's good at defending the run and defending the pass, and his quickness. He's really strong. I mean I'm going to have my hands full all day, with the rest of our guys up front. We're just going to go out there and try to play our best game. But you know, I mean he's a great player and me and the rest of the guys are going to have to play our best to win. Q. They say you guys are clearly the best offensive line they've gone against. How do they look on film? REESE DISMUKES: Yeah. They're up there with the best. We've played a lot like them, from Alabama to Georgia, to LSU. You got pretty dominant guys in our league, and I mean they're up there with the best of them. I don't know that you can necessarily say there's one best or anything. Everybody does stuff differently. And I mean they're a great football team, you know, all around, especially on defense. Haven't really got a chance to look at their offense. I think they're pretty good, too. They got the Heisman Trophy winner. But we're going to have to play our best football to win this football game, and hope to go out there and do that. Q. A lot of this is made about the field, your offense knowing what to do and just doing it. How important is that for you guys just to all be on the same page without even really communicating that much, just knowing what's going to happen next? REESE DISMUKES: I mean you know, as far as offense goes, defense you can have one guy out of 11 make a play. But offense if one guy out of 11 is not doing the right thing, it may not work. So we just have to all be on the same page 100 percent of the time. And that's how you gotta‑‑ for it to be successful you gotta have all your guys doing the right thing. Q. Nick and Tre are pretty much on the same page with that zone read and what they have to do. Have you seen their relationship and how close are they on and off the field? REESE DISMUKES: Yeah. They're close, but I don't think they're closer than any‑‑ I think this team is‑‑ we're truly a team. I think a lot of the guys are close. But I mean obviously they're going to be pretty close with the roles that both of them play. Q. Reese, you mentioned people, talking about last year wanting to see Alabama win just for the sake of the SEC continuing this run of consecutive championships. How much talk has there been of not being the team to break that streak for the SEC? REESE DISMUKES: None. Q. None? REESE DISMUKES: No. Q. But it's something you're pretty aware of. As you mentioned last year you wanted to see Alabama continue. REESE DISMUKES: Yeah. I mean I'd like to see the SEC continue. That's not something we sit around and just talk about. I don't think that's been mentioned once. Q. Is there anything you've heard from like people, like fans or anybody, like win it for the SEC? REESE DISMUKES: No. I think one of my buddies sent me a snap chat and he said bring it back home. But other than that, none. Q. What do you see out of Jernigan, their nose tackle? REESE DISMUKES: He's a great player. I mean he's just a great all‑around player. I mean good against pass, good against the run. Really strong. And he's a pretty good player. Q. Does he remind you of anybody you guys have played this year? REESE DISMUKES: I mean he's up there with Johnson, Ferguson, kind of resembles both of them in one person. But other than that, I think he's a player of his own. And he's I think going to have a successful career at Florida State and on to the NFL. Q. Now that you've had a chance to look, what about the rest of their front? REESE DISMUKES: I mean they're a great all‑around team. I don't think there's really one weakness there. I mean they're a really good football team. Q. Reese, I wanted to ask you, the gift room, have you been in there yet to see what they have to offer? REESE DISMUKES: The gift room? Q. Like the player‑‑ what was the word I'm looking for? The gift suite? REESE DISMUKES: Yeah, the gift suite. Yeah, it was all right. Q. What did they have in there? REESE DISMUKES: I got a recliner. They didn't really have too much to choose from, but I got the recliner. Yeah, but I got the recliner. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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