Cincinnati Bearcats College Football Pregame Quote, 12/28/2021

Personally, I’ve been having a great week. Going through the things that I seen on film, but together as a team, we’ve been just staying focused on the task at hand. The week has been going well so far.

Just what sort of pride do you take in not having allowed a touchdown at Cincinnati? And what sort of challenge do you think it will be to face Jameson Williams in this game?

It’s going to be a big challenge, first of all. But I take a lot of pride in that. And that just comes with my preparation leading up to the game. It’s not something I just think of when I’m off the field or when I’m on the field. I just take every snap one at a time.

We just recently talked, obviously, to your coach, and it’s clear that he trusts you; you guys trust each other. How do you decide, how do you do the math, sort of risk and reward, about when to take a chance, maybe jump something versus try to protect against the big play?

You just got to be a playmaker. It’s just a natural instinct. It doesn’t take as much thinking. You just got to play fast and just do whatever you feel is best. That’s all.

Can you just talk about this game and this moment and how big it is and how big it would be for this program to take down a heavyweight like Alabama?

It would be a big win, especially coming in as the underdog. I’ve never been on a stage this big. I’ve been in championships in my younger days, but never one like this, obviously. It would mean a lot for the program and for the world to be able to show the world what we’re able to do.

I was just curious, what’s the mindset of this team? And what makes this team so special this year? You guys went to Notre Dame and were able to beat the Irish there. You were able to persevere through those midseason woes, maybe not playing as good as the outside knows and wants you to, and you’re able to finish 13-0 and get to the playoff. What makes this team so special to be able to play like this?

Just being able to have a brotherhood. You know, it’s not just position groups. I could talk to whoever on my team. They could talk to me no matter what position they play. That’s the main thing, just having a strong bond, strong brotherhood, and just being able to focus on the task at hand and not get so caught up in the outside noise.

When you look at Jameson Williams, what kind of stands out the most and how big of a challenge is he for you guys?

He’s a fast guy. He’s a good receiver. It’s going to be a big challenge for us. You know, it’s Alabama. I wouldn’t expect nothing less, but we’re looking forward to it.

Talking to Coby [Bryant], he calls you his partner in crime, the dynamic duo. He gives you all the credit for winning the Thorpe Award. How would you describe your relationship and how it’s grown, especially with the things you guys have gone through this year?

That’s my brother. I came in very young, and he was always the older guy in the corner group. So he took me under his wing. And for me to be able to just have the success that I’m having now, I can be able to help motivate him in certain aspects and he do the same thing to me. That’s just been helping our bond get stronger and stronger.

I wanted to ask you something about what [Coach] Luke Fickell told us about a week or so ago. He said when you first arrived at the program, the first couple years, you were just a skinny kid that he didn’t think would have a chance to actually become what you are now. I want to ask you, did you know how he felt about you early on? And do you think you’ve surprised him and even yourself in what you’ve become?

I surprised everyone. I didn’t think I was going to be able to just get on the field like that because I was so small. I think they had plans to redshirt me, but I didn’t know. I just used to be out there just playing, just listening to the older guys. I came in, I didn’t do too much talking; I just listened to the older guys, and they helped me get on the field. The corner group started trusting me. So that just helped the coaches believe in me. And that’s why I was able to make plays early on as a freshman and ultimately be where I am today.

Just what can you say, you mentioned being the underdogs, have you felt that way about this team? Is that something you guys carry as like a chip on your shoulder from last season into this season not being in the College Football Playoff last year? Or do you not see yourselves as underdogs from the inside out?

From the inside out, we don’t see ourselves as underdogs. We feel like we can play with whoever. But from the outside in, everybody’s going to see us as underdogs. Not saying that those opinions matter, but we know what it is and what we have to do. And that way we just keep pushing each other so we can go out and handle the task at hand.

Ahmad, what makes playing against Bryce Young so challenging? And have you ever competed against him before at any level? And does he remind you of any other quarterbacks that you’ve played against?

I’ve never competed against him. I don’t know where he’s from. But all I can say, he’s a good quarterback. He’s a great quarterback. He’s very smart even though he’s young. And that’s all I really know about him.

Just curious, the linebacker group in front of you, a lot has been made about the secondary and even the defensive line, but there’s an interesting mix of different players in that linebacker group, especially if you include the snipers. What benefit does that give you guys as a defense as a whole?

Can you repeat the question? I didn’t hear the beginning part.

The mix of linebackers you have, especially if you include the snipers in there, the different skills and strengths that they have, what benefit does that give you guys as a defense as a whole?

Great benefit. When you got everybody playing fast and flying around the field that makes everyone’s job easier. It helps in the back end, the D-line getting after the quarterback. And it helps us when the backers and snipers are getting hands on the receivers and rerouting them. As long as all of us handle our 1-11, it makes things much easier.

Wanted to see if you can just comment a little bit on the aspect of Alabama year in and year out is all over the draft. Cincinnati hasn’t had a first round pick in 50 years. And you got a bunch of guys that are on the draft boards right now. How big of an opportunity is this stage, just from a pure display of talent, for Cincinnati?

Huge opportunity. We know that we have first-round talent. But we just don’t think about it. We feel like we don’t have to prove anything to anyone because we know what it is for real. But it’s a huge opportunity. We’re looking forward to it.

This might be a stab in the dark here, but did you go up against Jameson Williams at all in 2019 when you guys played Ohio State? And if so, what was that like?

No, I was guarding Garrett Wilson, Number 5, and that was later in the game.

And what kind of challenges does he have besides his speed, Jameson that is, besides being fast, what do you think he presents?

He’s a smart receiver. He’s smart and he’s fast, quick, can catch, got good hands.

Alabama’s offense likes seriously gets out of the gate, you guys ‚Äì they want to score quickly. What do you guys have to do to control that so you don’t look up and you’re down by 21? How do you guys get to slow that down so they can be playing Cincinnati football?

We got to do what we prepare leading up to the game. It’s not rocket science. It’s not nothing special or particular that we have to do to stop them from quote, unquote, getting up by 21. Just going to do what we always do.

You said inside you guys are confident. And you do hear the other stuff. I mean, is there a chip on your shoulder? Is there motivation for –

Most definitely. We always have a chip on our shoulder, no matter if we’re better than the team, if we’re going in as an underdog, we know we deserve so much more. And it’s always been like that since I got here. So the fact that we’re able to finally be where we always wanted to be puts more of a chip on our shoulder. That’s more motivation.

For those that haven’t covered you and know all about it, can you talk a little bit about the nickname, if anyone even knows your name is Ahmad, or if you’re mostly called ‘Sauce’ and if Coach Fick [Luke Fickell] refuses to call you ‘Sauce,’ and how that’s evolved?

I’m mostly called ‘Sauce’ by my teammates and some of my coaches. Coach Fick [Luke Fickell] still calls me Ahmad. Which is fine. I don’t mind being called my legal name. And that was a nickname given to me by my little league coach, Coach Tez [Curtez Harris], when I was around six years old.

Just curious, this offseason, Brady Collins challenged you to get up to 200 pounds. How difficult was that making that goal? And how much do you feel it’s helped on the field to not just have the length and athleticism but also have some of the strength as well?

I appreciate him for that. It took a lot of dedication by me because I always just like eating junk food, Wendy’s 24/7. I spend so much money on Wendy’s it don’t make sense throughout the week. But I feel like I’m able to play faster even though I put weight on. I feel like I’ve gotten bigger and faster and stronger which is good. And it helped my technique at the line of scrimmage and down the field.

There’s been a lot made of Jameson William’s speed for reasons. He’s blazing fast. But what are some areas where you may have an advantage? Areas where you may be able to take advantage of things that you have?

I’m just going to do everything that y’all see me do on film. And that’s going to help me get the job done.