Georgia Bulldogs College Football Pregame Quote, 12/30/2024

Q. Just basically talk about how you came here, to the College Football Playoff. Talk about you as a kid and playing football. Did you dream of moments like this?

MYKEL WILLIAMS: I ain’t feel like it was possible for as a while until I got my first offer in high school. My dad let me know I could be where I’m at. And playing football, I started playing football at 9 or 10 with a club, the Bulldogs, and it was right down the street from my house. I walked down the street and go to practice. It was good. Just to be here, it’s like amazing! It’s kind of mind blowing. God blessed me with the ability and the mindset to get here with hard work and dedication.

Q. Having this experience in the playoffs, kind of how have you been able to stoke the guys around you?

MYKEL WILLIAMS: Just by instilling confidence in them. It’s a playoff game. It’s win or go home, but it’s still football at the end of the day. It’s not just a game, but it’s still a game. Do you understand what I’m saying? Just make sure everybody knows that and keeping them calm.

Q. How do you get here and keep going with the injuries?

MYKEL WILLIAMS: Yeah, my motivation comes from within. I have motivation. I want everything I’m playing to be a certain way, and I’m not going to stop until I get that. That’s my motivation.

Q. First of all, like being back, and being back in the playoff after the way things went. Just initially getting here, what has everything been here?

MYKEL WILLIAMS: It’s been a blessing. I’m extremely excited to be here with the number of opportunities keep going forward and hopefully play for a national championship.

Q. What are the last few weeks being off, getting back to the practice, and seeing the new guys? What has the entire time been like?

MYKEL WILLIAMS: It’s been great. We have been adding some new pieces and seeing those guys come in and do their thing. Then we have been working hard and grinding daily. Grinding daily for this game right here.

Q. Who has stood out of the new guys?

MYKEL WILLIAMS: We have a lot. We have 11 new guys come, I think. Probably more than that, but we got a lot of guys that really stood out and showed their flashes, their ability.

Q. What is the initial thought when you see a guy like Elyiss [Williams] at his age get out there and his size? What did you think, you as a pretty big guy as well?

MYKEL WILLIAMS: It was crazy. He’s huge. He’s huge! I’m excited to see what he becomes as a player because I feel like we are developing him the right way. I can’t wait to see what he becomes.

Q. And then as far as the matchup, look at the way Notre Dame plays, some similarities maybe to Georgia Tech. I know they don’t have many of the same motions and things like that. You have a quarterback that can run and an elite running back. Do you see similarities to your last game of the season against Georgia Tech and Notre Dame? Do they do anything similar? Can they help you guys?

MYKEL WILLIAMS: You can try to compare them if you want, but I wouldn’t. They are two different teams, two different schemes and two different quarterbacks. Riley Leonard is capable of running, but, like, he’s different from Haynes King in his own right. He’s a great quarterback, great athlete, hell of a running back. He’s different from Haynes King.

Q. What do you think those are specifically, between him (Haynes King) and Riley [Leonard]? People are, it’s a similar matchup, but you are saying it’s not. What’s different about this?

MYKEL WILLIAMS: They execute things that they do differently, really. That’s what it comes down to, just, like, small little details in their game.

Q. And then for you, the role you play, as versatile as you are, you will probably have to be pretty active. What are you looking to do to make sure you (Riley Leonard) keep him corralled and not able to escape?

MYKEL WILLIAMS: Yeah, man, my job. That’s really what it boils down to every play. Do your job, and how well do you do your job. That’s what it really comes down to. I’m trying to do my job well.

Q. What was the message when you left from your coaches, from Coach [Kirby] Smart? What are you expected to do?

MYKEL WILLIAMS: This is a business trip and we will treat it as such. We will come here practice hard, and come here and play a game, play a hard-nosed physical game.