Football vs. Ohio State Postgame Quotes
1/12/2021 12:16:00 AM | Football
Head Coach Nick Saban
THE MODERATOR: Welcome to the postgame news conference for the 2021 College Football Playoff National Championship game. We are now joined by Nick Saban, head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide.
We'll start with an opening statement and then go to questions.
Coach, congratulations. Please give us a brief opening statement.
NICK SABAN: Thank you.
Well, I'm just so proud of our team for what they've accomplished all season long, the adversity they had to overcome, the togetherness that they have as a group, the way they've supported one another. To go undefeated, win 11 SEC games, win the national championship, beat two fine teams in Notre Dame and Ohio State, tell you how proud I am of that.
A lot of guys played not absolutely 100% because we were pretty beat up, but showed a lot of guts and a lot of grit out there in terms of the way they competed and the way they performed.
I think it was a fantastic offensive performance by Mac and Smitty, the whole group. The offensive line has done a great job all year long. Really just can't say enough, can't really put it into words in terms of how proud I am of this group, this team, because they are the ultimate team.
THE MODERATOR: We'll take questions.
Q. I know you don't like to compare teams, but both of your undefeated teams, really different offensively, and probably defensively. Could you compare the two, what it's like to have another undefeated team.
NICK SABAN: Well, I think especially in this year, with all the disruptions, no spring practice, really no summer ball at all of any sort to develop players, no games where you could play other players and develop players on the team. I think this, based on the circumstances, this team has really accomplished a lot, to be able to do what they did.
We have great leadership on this team, really good players, that are the best people on the team. I think it's always fun to coach when the best players on your team are the best people.
The other undefeated team we had had great people and great players. They were a great team, too. I think ball has changed. It's a little more wide open, a little more spread. This team has adapted, and we've changed with it.
Our coaches did an outstanding job with this team all year long. Just proud of our whole organization and everybody who contributes to it for what we were able to accomplish.
Q. Smitty and Najee, two of your players that set single-season records for receiving and rushing yards. Seemed like their performance this year is largely a product of your shift in offensive scheme in the last few years. Could you explain how much of a difference you think your change in philosophy played in getting those two players to have the games they did and the seasons that they did.
NICK SABAN: Well, I think it had a significant difference. We've gradually changed through the years to be more spread oriented but still keep post style, drop-back concepts with our offense, legitimate play-action passes. This whole sort of blend of all these things, creating balance to be able to run, make explosive plays, with play-action passes that complement the runs, and be able to throw RPOs to people in the box a lot. We threw a lot of RPOs tonight. A lot of those slants and glances. They had eight guys in the box, one more than we could block. Went one-on-one with the corner.
Mac does a great job of executing it. Smitty obviously had a great half. Najee has played well all year long, had some tough yards to get out there tonight. We knew it would be tough running against these guys the way they play. We knew we'd have to throw the ball to win, and we did it effectively.
Q. What kind of job did Sark do finding a way to get play-makers in position to make plays?
NICK SABAN: He does a fabulous job. He's done a fabulous job all year long. He had got a great plan, does a great job preparing the players. He does a really good job of calling a game. He knows what the other team is doing, knows how to attack it, knows where to put the players to put them in position to be able to make those plays against what the other team is doing.
He has just done a fantastic job this year. I can't even tell you. Can't even put into words what a great job he's done, how much confidence the players have in the plan and the execution. He's really helped Mac, as well, I think. Mac had a phenomenal year.
Our offense was really the key to the success of this team. We're an okay defensive team, not a great defensive team. We played well enough, got enough stops. But the offense was dynamic. That's what made the difference.
Q. You had a couple teams, 2016, 2018, that came close to going undefeated. This team actually did it. What do you think is the legacy of this team finishing the undefeated season?
NICK SABAN: Well, to me, this team accomplished more almost than any team. No disrespect to any other teams that we had or any championship teams. But this team won 11 SEC games. No other team has done that. They won the SEC, went undefeated in the SEC, then they beat two great teams in the Playoffs with no break in between.
This is our fifth game in a row, from LSU to Arkansas to Florida to Notre Dame to here. Played 13 games, went undefeated with all the disruption that we had in this season. I think there's quite a bit to write about when it comes to the legacy of the team.
Q. What does it mean, one, to have guys like Mac, Jaylen, even Landon at the end, gut through the injuries you were talking about? You were asked about Bear Bryant afterwards. What does it mean to you to continually be compared to a coach with his legacy?
NICK SABAN: Well, I don't think anybody really compares to Coach Bryant. In the era that he coached, the era that he won, he won a lot of different ways. He won throwing it. He won running a wishbone. He won it running conventional offensive formations.
His legacy lasted over a long, long period of time. We all have to adjust with the times. Obviously things are a little different now. The challenges are a little bit different with the spread offense, the things that make it more difficult I think to play good defense in this day and age.
I think Coach Bryant is sort of in a class of his own in terms of what he was able to accomplish, what his record is, the longevity that he had and the tradition he established. If it wasn't for Coach Bryant, we would never be able to do what we did. I mean, he's the one that made Alabama and the tradition at Alabama a place where lots of players wanted to come. We've been able to build on that with great support. His family has always supported us in a tremendous way that has helped us have the success that we have.
But that tradition that he established, that's a big part of that.
Q. How difficult was it to see Devonta go down in the second half after the season he's had? How is he doing as far as his hand after the game?
NICK SABAN: Well, he really dislocated his finger. I told Smitty after the game, I said, You're the only player that I know that missed a whole half because of your finger.
It was dislocated and they couldn't get it back in. If they'd have got it back in, he would have been fine. He actually wanted to play, we just didn't allow him to.
He's a great competitor. I heard somebody say he set some kind of record in the first half of the game. Heavens knows what he would have done if he played the whole game.
But you're talking about the ultimate warrior, ultimate competitor. I'm so happy for him that he was recognized as the best player in college football because I don't think anybody's done more for their team than he has for our team.
THE MODERATOR: Coach, thank you for your time tonight. Again, congratulations on the national title.
NICK SABAN: Thank you. Appreciate it.
Devonta Smith
THE MODERATOR: We have our most outstanding offensive player of the game, Devonta Smith. When you're ready, give us an opening statement, then we'll take some questions.
DEVONTA SMITH: Just blessed to be in this situation.
THE MODERATOR: Let's go ahead with questions.
Q. Just wondering what happened with the hand injury. How did it happen? What was going on in the locker room when you were trying to get it fixed?
DEVONTA SMITH: Just dislocated my finger. Just tried to put it back in place.
Q. Watching your teammate, Jaylen Waddle get back on that field tonight, talk about his toughness in wanting to be out there with you guys.
DEVONTA SMITH: Just shows the commitment, how much he love his team. Him just wanting to be out there, just doing what he can, give us everything he got. That was just the message, give us what you got, we'll take anything.
Q. From a year ago to now, what is the biggest difference in Mac Jones that enabled him to have a performance like this on this stage?
DEVONTA SMITH: Just his commitment, his dedication to everything. Him just getting in the film room, getting prepared for moments like this.
I don't think nobody prepared as hard as him on this team just with everything that he's done.
Q. Now that the game is over, what is your reaction to Shaun Wade saying he wanted to cover you, how you think that matchup went?
DEVONTA SMITH: Well, I mean, I just practiced hard all week, just worked, came to do my job. It just worked out well for me and the team.
Q. I wanted to ask you about you and your classmates, how you approached going into this season. After the Orange Bowl last year -- the Citrus Bowl, sorry, maybe wasn't quite the end of the season that you wanted. To come back and commit to this season, not knowing it was going to be as crazy as it was during a pandemic, what was that like? What were the conversations like between you and your teammates when you decided to go all in on this season?
DEVONTA SMITH: Well, we had a mission. Everybody wanted to end things the right way. We just all came to work every day and just put in the work. We got the result that we wanted.
Q. To have over 600 yards, you, Jaylen, Landon, what do you think that says about this offense, having that many injured guys play through it and put on the performance that you did?
DEVONTA SMITH: Just the love for the team. Just everybody want to do what they can. Just have young guys there just ready if anything happen, their dedication. Just the love that this team has for each other.
Q. Your last game with Sark. What kind of job did he do? Every defense is trying to focus in on you every game, yet you're still getting open, getting mismatches. What kind of job did he do helping that happen?
DEVONTA SMITH: He just called the game the way he's been calling all year. Just putting in the right position to make plays, just trusting in us. That comes with us coming to practice every day, getting in the film room, doing the things we need to do.
Q. If you had to convince anybody to come back this year with the pandemic and everything? Also why was this the ultimate team? Nick Saban called this the ultimate team.
DEVONTA SMITH: No, I didn't pressure anybody to come back, just let everybody make their own decisions because you don't know what they're going through or what their family situations are like. I just kind of let everybody just do what they wanted to do. The guys that did came back, I'm glad they came back. The guys that left, I'm proud of them. I'm happy they made the decision that was best for them.
With everything this team has been through with the pandemic, everybody staying as one, coming closer as a family.
Q. What do you feel is your legacy? You won all the awards this year, a championship as a freshman with the winning touchdown, a championship this year, came back for your senior season, set all the records at Alabama receiving-wise. What do you think your legacy would be?
DEVONTA SMITH: I wouldn't be able to do none of this without my teammates or without God. Just come here, I just put in the work every day no matter what the situation was, just believing in my coaches and them putting me in the right situations just to make plays.
Q. What makes Christian Barmore special? What is that switch he flips on? He plays with such an edge to him.
DEVONTA SMITH: He's just got a high motor, a guy that's going to give it 100% every time. He puts the work in. He just love the game. He just loves being out there. He's just an unbelievable player.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you very much for being with us. Congratulations again.
DEVONTA SMITH: Thank you.
Alex Leatherwood
Q. There was a lot of talk about what you guys wanted to do. You wanted to come back and you really wanted to make this year about winning. Talk about the discipline it took the entire year and with the distractions, and just what it meant for you to come back and have this opportunity?
ALEX LEATHERWOOD: I mean, just like you said, there were a lot of distractions: COVID, the off-season workouts, the whole nine yards. It was an unprecedented year with a lot of adversity.
But we just stayed the course, you know what I mean. Tried to stay focused and took everything day-by-day and really got everybody bought in and locked into what we wanted to achieve and we came out victorious.
Q. It meant a lot for you to come back and get this done. Reflect on your years at Alabama and what has the coaching staff meant to you and what do you take away from your career here?
ALEX LEATHERWOOD: I mean, looking back on it, it's some of the best years of my life. I feel like I learned a lot throughout the years about myself as a player and about people and just a lot of things, how to handle adversity, how to work hard, how to do a lot of things, you know what I mean, and I wouldn't trade it for anything.
I don't regret coming back, and I love everybody on this team and all of my past teams because you just don't get the opportunity to have a family like this, you know what I mean. College football is special and I'm glad I got to be a part of it.
John Metchie III
Q. What was the most exciting moment of the game for you?
JOHN METCHIE III: Most exciting moment of the game, it was definitely the end. Definitely the confetti coming up. Just finally being able to say that we're National Champs and that we went undefeated. It had been a long road, so I think that was the best moment of the game for me.
Q. Nick Saban said this was the ultimate team. Can you just elaborate on just the season that you had and just how the preparation this week led you to play your best football this week?
JOHN METCHIE III: Yeah, I think all around, this is an amazing team. Just our ability to fight through adversity, personal adversity, team adversity, able to come together, able to get down to the nitty-gritty of football and just persevere, really. I love this team and I really think that this is really a a really great team.
Q. And how do you use the performance that you had tonight going forward in your football career at Alabama?
JOHN METCHIE III: Just continue to work and continue to hold ourselves and continue to hold myself to a high standards. We set really high standards for us, so we have to reach it or exceed it. Going forward, it's continuing to build up what this program means and what this program does, and just be able to get back to this point. This is what we do it for, for the game like this, and to be able to continue and keep it going.
Q. Can you tell us what it feels like for a Canadian kid to play on a stage like this and such a big game?
JOHN METCHIE III: It feels great. I do it for all my people back home who continue to support me. I remember watching these National Championship games when I was a kid in Canada and dreaming of playing in it. So being able to finally play in one and win one, as a matter of fact, is surreal. It's something that's kind of hard to put words to describe.
Q. Nick Saban talks about how Alabama is a next-man-up type of team. When you saw Devonta go down, how did you know that you have to be next man up then?
JOHN METCHIE III: It's just how the team is. We practice this way and play this way. It's always been next-man-up mentality. Make sure when the next man steps up that there's no drop-off; and it's just part of holding ourselves to that standard and when we set a standard for ourselves, making sure everyone reaches that standard, so that when one person goes down, there's no dropoff and we're able to continue playing good football.
Christian Harris
Q. Justin Fields threw for six touchdown passes in the semi-final. What did your defense do to slow him down?
CHRISTIAN HARRIS: I think today we just went out and tried to execute whatever coach's game plan was. Coach put together a great game plan, like I just said, so I think all we had to do was go out there, just execute. I think that's all we did.
Q. This was the 18th National Championship for Alabama. What does it mean to you to be a part of that?
CHRISTIAN HARRIS: It's a blessing, truly a blessing to even be able to have the opportunity to play in this game, especially being that we've been through so much this season with corona and injuries and stuff.
But we persevered and we just stayed the course and just truly a blessing to be in this position.
Q. To follow up on that, it's obviously been a challenging season for you and everybody, but how rewarding is it to finish on top like y'all have?
CHRISTIAN HARRIS: It's amazing. Like I said, it's a blessing. From going in the summers to having workouts to not knowing if we're going to have a season, just trusting the coaches and staying to the course and it's just truly a blessing. I'm at a loss for words right now. I can't really believe it. It's still hitting me right now, so, yeah, it's just amazing.
Q. What was that game plan as far as trying to stop Justin? I know he had a couple big runs there, but it seemed like generally you were able to contain him both on the ground and through the air.
CHRISTIAN HARRIS: Like you just said, containing him and making sure we were all disciplined in our drops. They got a lot of crazy route concepts out there. They got a lot of great explosive receivers and they had some real good catches out there.
But it was just going in there and just trying to make sure we contained them and make sure that we run the routes. We didn't play that much man-to-man. I think we played a lot of zone. So it really just helped us out take away a lot of his looks. We just executed and came out with a victory.
Q. Kind of looking back over the season, how do you feel like this performance kind of validated what you were talking about over the past couple weeks, just how the defense has gotten better and kind of shown that some of those early season games were maybe a little bit of a fluke?
CHRISTIAN HARRIS: Well, I personally think there was a lot of question about our defense after that Ole Miss game. They had almost like 700 some yards on us. I think ever since then, we just tried to go in and make sure we stay focused on communication. I think that's what really played a big part in our success as a defense as a whole, making sure everybody communicates and we're all on the same page, whether it's the right call or the wrong call, as long as we're on the same page we can all go out there and execute. And I think we do a really great job of that whenever we're communicating.
So I think coming into this game just making sure we over-communicate whenever we have to and just trying to make a statement and I think we did that.
Q. Talk about just the discipline from you guys, and this is a talented schedule you had to play. I mean, you had to play Georgia and you had to play Florida. It's all SEC. And then you play a team like Notre Dame, who is talented, and obviously tonight. Talk about this unit, the discipline, and just the coaching staff what all this means to you.
CHRISTIAN HARRIS: We started being here, being disciplined is our number one thing definitely. It kind of starts in the fourth quarter whenever we're going throughout these crazy workouts that we have, just ignoring the fact that, yeah, your body's hurting or you might be tired or you might be tired of doing the same stuff every single day, but, like you just said, staying disciplined is very important, sticking to the course and trusting what the coaches say, trusting what the coaches say every single day, with the corona and the fact that we had to do the same thing every single day it does get repetitive, but when you stay to the course you see what happens, we won a National Championship, so...
Q. I figured since we're here, I'll ask you another one. Coach Saban talked about it's the next-man-up mentality. Talk about that for this defense. I mean, obviously in a COVID year you have to have that, but in a normal year it's a next-man-up mentality. Talk about the depth of this team and just what you've seen from some of your fellow teammates out there on the field.
CHRISTIAN HARRIS: You know, everybody says when you come to Bama, you might not play as a freshmen, but we have a lot of talented freshmen who came in here and stepped up, guys that were starting and guys that were second string that prepared just as well as the first string did. That way, because you never know when your opportunity will come. You could be one play away from you being a starter and you having to go out there and execute whatever the game plan is and in a National Championship games like this. So, and I think just trying to make everybody understand that you never know when your time could come. You need to prepare for every single game just like you're a starter. That really helped us out a lot. So, yeah, I think it really played a big part in our success.
Q. Justin had a pretty big game last week against Clemson and came out this game and had a couple big runs, a couple of big plays here and there, but it seems like you guys contained him fairly well. What was the game plan coming in and how were you able to execute it?
CHRISTIAN HARRIS: The main thing was to make sure we were all on the same page and put pressure on the quarterback. He's a really great quarterback whenever pressure's not on him and he has time to look down the field and pass to his receivers. This week we tried our hardest to put pressure on him and do what we can and see if we could get off the field on third down.
Dylan Moses
Q. Dylan, with Christian playing in front of you, how have you seen him progress as the season's gone on? He was the defensive MVP tonight. How has he gotten better as the year's gone on?
DYLAN MOSES: He's progressed a lot. I'm so proud of him, me and him being close and growing up together and knowing him since we was kids. Like I said, it's a blessing to be in this position and I was, and I'm proud to be able to play beside him and I'm sure he's feels the same way with me.
Q. Coach Saban now has seven national championships, more than any other coach in history. What has he meant to you, as a player?
DYLAN MOSES: He's meant everything to me. Like he changed my life. I don't know if you guys remember, but he offered me a scholarship out of the 8th grade. I've been knowing him since I was 14 years old, personally. So the relationship everyone else has with him and the relationship I have with him is completely different.
So for him to be the greatest of all time and to surpass seven titles, to make seven titles and surpass all the other coaches, I congratulate him for that and I'm proud of him. I'm sure he's proud of his team for accomplishing his great task.
But as far as Coach Saban, man, he will always be the great coach, the greatest coach I've ever played for.
Q. How rewarding is this victory after such a challenging season?
DYLAN MOSES: It's like a weight off our backs after going through all the adversity we went through, not knowing whether or not we would play. And as far as like my personal things that I've went through just as far as life and all that, it's definitely a weight off our shoulders and this was our main goal. This is what we wanted to do. This is what I came back for, and I kept my word and we won the title. So I'm happy.
Q. For someone who's been through a knee injury, what was it like to watch Landon come in for the final snap there and be able to be on the field for this game?
DYLAN MOSES: It was motivating, it reminded me of what I did last year whenever we played LSU, back in 2019, whenever I dressed full pads and all that. So that gave a lot of motivation to a lot of guys, along with seeing Jalen playing after getting hurt against Tennessee a couple, well, yeah, several weeks ago. So we just wanted to play for our guys, play for our team and that's how we came out on top.
Mac Jones
THE MODERATOR: Mac, thank you for being with us. When you're ready, why don't you give us an opening statement, then we'll take some questions.
MAC JONES: Yeah, I'm just really proud of this team, from everybody, top down, the coaches, players obviously, and the fans for sticking with us all year. We set this as a goal, to potentially be the greatest team to ever play. I think we made a valid statement in winning the national championship tonight.
Who would have thought we would have won every game, all SEC schedule with everything going on. Then to finish off the last couple games the way we did, I'm just so proud of my teammates, the coaches, and everyone that supported us.
THE MODERATOR: We'll start with questions.
Q. Mac, the guy calling a lot of those plays, Sarkisian, what kind of job has he done to put all of you in position to make plays?
MAC JONES: Coach Sark, all year long he's called great plays. We really just think alike. I know exactly what he's looking for. We had that communication that every quarterback and offensive coordinator wants. He put our best players in position to make plays. My job was always to get them the ball.
Beyond football, Coach Sark means so much to me. He made me such a better player and person. I love Coach Sark. For him to deal with all the stuff he was dealing with with the Texas stuff, just locked in and gave us the best chance to win.
So that just shows the type of person he is. I know he's going to do great things in the future, and we just all love Coach Sark.
Q. You played for a legendary coach in high school, obviously now played for Nick Saban. He now has seven national championships. Is he the G.O.A.T.? Is he the greatest college football coach of all time?
MAC JONES: C'mon, man. Of course he is (laughter).
How could he not be? He does it the right way. He recruits well, but more importantly develops great players and young men. I'm just so blessed that he gave me a chance to come here along with all my teammates. I wouldn't trade it for anything. He's the greatest to ever do it. He'll be the greatest for a long time.
Q. You made a statement about what you thought this team did. Would you say you guys made a case to be the greatest college football offense, given all the awards, accolades, points, what you did tonight? Was there an extra sense of motivation, it's Ohio State, but just the history with these two programs? Was there some extra motivation around the building over the last week or so?
MAC JONES: Yeah, I mean, in the first question, I mean, I think we're the best team to ever play. There's no team that will ever play an SEC schedule like that again. At the same time we're just so happy to have won this game and kind of put the icing on the cake.
There was not a lot of pressure. We just wanted to go out there and play the game we've been playing since we were all five years old. We did that really well.
I think you just have to give credit where credit's due with everybody. So yeah.
Q. What does it say about Jaylen Waddle and Landon Dickerson that they were even able to play in this game? How special a moment was that at the end of the game to see Landon go in there and take that snap?
MAC JONES: It was awesome. Waddle, to go through what he had to, rehabbed his butt off. Fought to just get in there and help the team. Smitty kind of went down, he was in there. It wasn't like one or two plays, he was in for the drives. I was super happy for him, man.
That shows what type of person he is, to put literally his career and body on the line to help us out and help us to win a game. That means so much to everybody. I'm so proud of Waddle.
With Landon, I don't know if I can disclose his full injury, but the guy, most people can't even walk after the time period where he's at. He's worked his butt off, too, in the last couple weeks to get back on the field. He kind of joked with me, he's like, I'm playing. He texts me every morning, 7:00 in the morning, I'm playing, Mac, I'm playing. Just to see him go in there and do that.
After the game, just being with him, us getting a little emotional, means a lot. Landon has been through a lot. Transferred schools, took a risk to come to Alabama. A lot of people said that Landon was going to be done with the injuries that he HAD but he just keeps fighting. And I love Landon Dickerson.
Q. 464 yards, a hell of a way to go out on. Have you thought about this being your last game? What has been your career like, reflect back on that?
MAC JONES: Yeah, there's a lot of distractions and stuff. My family has kind of handled all that. I'm just really happy to have won this game. Even for us to focus with coaches leaving. We just locked in, gave everything we could to win this game. Obviously there's decisions to be made. I'm going to make the best decision for me and my family. I put myself, I'm blessed to put myself in a position to do either one, come back or hopefully go to the NFL. We'll discuss that this week and see what my plan is.
In terms of legacy, I mean, I just think it's cool. Just the class that we had coming in, the four teams that I played on throughout my career here, I just am so blessed to be on each team. Two national championships, one kind of watching from the sideline, one getting a chance to play. It just goes to show that anything is possible. When you put your mind to something, believe in your teammates and coaches, you can get things done.
Q. Are you okay? You hobbled around a little bit in the fourth quarter. Did you take a shot?
MAC JONES: I had a really bad bone bruise, which I don't know, they thought maybe something worse had happened. We did the x-rays and stuff and everything is good. I'll probably be really sore, black and blue, but just happy to be able to finish out the game. I mean, a lot of guys out there were kind of limping around. That just shows we wanted to finish strong for Alabama.
THE MODERATOR: Congratulations, Mac, on the national title. We appreciate you being with us.
MAC JONES: Thank you. Appreciate it.
Patrick Surtain II
Q. I think you held Justin Fields to about 50 percent passing, under 200 yards. And after the big game that he had against Clemson, what was the plan coming in and how were you able to kind of slow him down a little bit?
PATRICK SURTAIN II: The plan coming in was focus on our keys, communicating out there, and flying around to the ball. We knew what type of offense we was going against and our plan was to manage the game where it would eliminate those explosive plays that they had been consistently getting. So that was our main focus.
Q. This is the 18th National Championship for Alabama. What does it mean to you to be a part of those championships?
PATRICK SURTAIN II: It means a lot. We're another team in the history books. This team accomplished a lot and it's no better feeling to end this way. So I'm proud of this whole team.
Q. How rewarding is this season after such a challenging year with everything going with COVID?
PATRICK SURTAIN II: It's even more special. This team has been through a lot in the off-season, going into the season. But the main thing was we focused on one goal and that was to win the National Championship. We finished it. I'm proud of this team and what we have accomplished knowing what was going on before the season and I just say that we did it.
Q. What does it mean to you to win a National Championship in a stadium that your dad played in professionally?
PATRICK SURTAIN II: It means a lot, just playing a game that you seen your dad playing it for years and just to win it here, the big National Championship, it's a special moment and it's just a blessing to be here.
Q. Coach Saban preached discipline, that's what he's preached all year and I think especially in this year it's really important. Talk about how you guys stayed disciplined and stayed true to the goal. This is, you wanted to come back and you had a lots of seniors that wanted to come back to win this National Championship, talk about that what means to you just seeing what you set out in August to do with all the uncertainty right now culminating in this moment?
PATRICK SURTAIN II: Coach Saban always talk about being prepared, being focused and locked in, no matter which part of the season we're in, we can't be too complacent. But all those things he said, you know, it means something leading up to this point. And just winning it, especially during this season, finishing a goal, finishing a mission, there's nothing more things you can say, you know, we did it and like I said before, I'm proud of this team and what we have accomplished and we just, another team in the history books.
