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

Coby, if you would, give us an opening statement about your excitement of being in the playoff this Friday.

This is definitely a blessing. I just want to give a shout-out to God. Without Him, none of this would be possible. So I’m definitely excited.

There was some talk yesterday from the Alabama side about them feeling like the underdog. Obviously, the betting line would have you guys as the underdog in this game. I’m curious about what you thought about that messaging coming from Alabama’s side.

They have their opinion. So I really don’t pay attention to the outside noise. I’m just focusing on the team and how we can get better each and every day. So I really don’t try to pay attention to the outside noise and just stay locked in, be the leader I can be for this team.

What about you personally, do you feel like you guys are the underdog in this game, from your perspective?

Like I said, I try not to pay attention to being the underdog or who says what. Like I said, I’m just focusing on being a better leader for this team and going out and executing and having a great game on Friday.

Can you talk about what you’re seeing in Jameson Williams’ film?

He’s an explosive receiver. He has great speed. I respect his game. He’s a vertical threat down the field, so I definitely respect him and his game.

A lot has been talked about Ahmad Gardner’s development going from 150-pound wide receiver to being the corner he is today. I’m curious from another corner in the room, what was he like when he first got there? Could you see the talent immediately and just see a little development could take him a long way?

Absolutely. I saw it from day one. That’s why me and him have such a great relationship. From day one, I took him under my wing as my little brother. I saw it from the first day he stepped on campus. Just to watch his growth from day one up until now is impeccable. I actually just complimented him on that not too long ago. Just to see his body change and him getting faster, stronger, bigger has definitely been fun and to be a part of.

It seems like a lot of you have been talking all season about how to block out the noise, and that seems like it’s a really important thing for you and the team. Is that something maybe as a team you guys talked about in the beginning of the prove it? Can you maybe trace that back to somewhere?

Absolutely. That was the message from day one. We’re all we got, meaning the team is all that matters right now and just staying focused on how we can get better each and every week. Always go back to the famous quote of Kobe Bryant: ‘The job is not finished.’ And that goes from day one up until now. So we are just staying humble and hungry.

Just when you’re looking at film, what stands out most about Alabama quarterback Bryce Young?

Just how confident and poised he is. Just for him to be only a sophomore, I have the upmost respect for him. Just being poised. And playing quarterback isn’t easy. Just to not get rattled by anything and playing on the stage he’s playing on, it just shows me a lot about him and his character.

Obviously, with John Metchie being injured, Alabama comes into this game with the exception of Jameson Williams. They have got a lot of young receivers, Ja’Corey Brooks, Traeshon Holden. As a veteran defensive back, do you feel like that’s something you guys have to your advantage, that maybe you and your fellow cornerbacks might be able to play a little bully ball with some of these younger receivers, maybe get in their head early on.

It doesn’t matter who lines up in front of us. We’re going to treat our opponents the same, respect our opponents. Go out and play our game. You can’t do anything extra, be out of character. We have to be ourselves and, like I said, just play our game and dominate the way we know how to dominate.

Is there anything from Bryce [Young] that you’ve seen on film that maybe stands out that maybe the average football fan at home isn’t seeing? Rather mentally, physically, is there something that he does better than any other quarterback you’ve studied?

I would say he has a great deep ball. He throws the ball really well and smooth. And I honestly respect him. Like I said, just how poised he is and confident. He just doesn’t get rattled by if they’re down or anything. I respect that.

Have you seen anybody with the same kind of speed as Jameson Williams? And how do you handle someone, a track star-type speed guy as a corner?

I mean, we face speed every day. We have fast receivers ourselves, Tyler Scott, Tre Tucker, even Mike Young. Alec Pierce obviously. So we face speed every day.

Just like I said, just playing our game and being confident. We can’t just get out of character for someone being fast or anything. Just being ourselves. Like I said, just dominating the way we know how to dominate.

Just what you can say about a chip on your shoulder, feeling like the underdog. Do you guys get a sense of that, from the outside in obviously? But the inside out, do you ever view yourselves as underdogs, especially in a game like this?

No, I can go back to having a chip on our shoulders, absolutely. That’s what Coach Fick (Luke Fickell) preaches from day one. That’s the type of guys he wants on his team. As a leader, you just try to pride yourself as being a leader for the team and telling those guys there’s always more work to be done and just going out and being great on game days.

Are you able to enjoy, because all week is supposed to be fun, supposed to have events and do things like that. I know COVID has changed things a little bit. Are you still able to enjoy this week and do some things as a team, the kind of events that you were expecting?

Absolutely. I’m blessed, you know. I’m with my brothers, my coaches, and most importantly, it’s football. Football is supposed to be fun. This is the game I’ve been playing since I was six years old. So absolutely I’m having fun. It’s what I want to do.

You work so hard from day one just to get up to this opportunity. But like I continuously preach, the job’s not finished.

So absolutely, I have fun but there’s also work to be done.

Are you wearing No. 8 in the bowl game for Kobe [Bryant]?

Yes, absolutely.