Texas Longhorns College Football Pregame Quote, 01/05/2025

Q. Alfred, just talk about, first of all, the recovery. You guys played 97 snaps against Arizona State. How did you go about your recovery? How are you feeling? And then just size up going against Will Howard again, a guy you’ve faced in the past.

DT ALFRED COLLINS: We’re taking this time to, for sure, get our bodies back. That was a physical and long game, so we’re really putting the emphasis on our treatment and getting our bodies right.

And I’m excited to go against him again. He’s a great player, and I’m ready for this challenge. We’re ready for this challenge.

Q. What do you recall from playing Will Howard when he was at Kansas State? What stands out to you about the quarterback?

DT ALFRED COLLINS: He’s pretty big. I would consider him a dual-threat quarterback. He can run when he needs to. He can put the ball where he needs to put it, so he’s a great quarterback.

Q. When you guys have studied the Ohio State offensive line, what have you seen from what they’ve been able to do so far in this CFP?

DT ALFRED COLLINS: I thought they were very good as a unit. They’re very good at what they do, so we’re going to have to do our job to shut that down.

Q. Alfred, you guys are an underdog for one of the very few times. Ohio State has been very dominant, scored 83 points. What do you feel about your position as an underdog, playing against a team that’s just kind of on fire right now?

DT ALFRED COLLINS: We really don’t pay attention to what others say. We know what we’re doing in our building. And when the time comes, we’ll be able to showcase that to the world.

Q. Alfred, I’m curious, how many times have you played in AT&T Stadium? Is the game last year against Oklahoma State the only one? What’s it going to be like playing there again in a place that’s pretty special to football, in general?

DT ALFRED COLLINS: Yeah, that was my first time ever playing in AT&T Stadium, last year against OSU (Oklahoma State University). I’m just excited to be back. Love the stadium; love the atmosphere. This game’s going to be electric, so I’m excited for the atmosphere.

Q. Your guys’ running game, it was mostly pass against Arizona State. What have

you seen from that group with TreVeyon [Henderson], Jayden [Ballard], and everybody, as far as a focus in practice to get that side of the ball going after the win against OSU?

DT ALFRED COLLINS: Their receivers are special. They’re NFL guys. We’ve just been really intentional on our technique and fundamentals, because at the end of the day, that’s what it’s going to take to win. But just being intentional in practice.

Q. Do you see any common thread between your goal line and short yardage stands that you’ve had in the last month? And what is the key to that, in your mind?

DT ALFRED COLLINS: I feel the key to that, it starts on Monday, when we start practicing and getting things locked in. It just starts with the preparation throughout the week, because whenever the time comes, you’re ready.

DT ALFRED COLLINS: If you stay ready, you don’t have to get ready, so that’s how we really take those short yardage plays.

Q. On the time with PK (Coach Pete Kwiatkowski) and what you have learned about him and what makes him good at what he does?

DT ALFRED COLLINS: He’s very creative in his schemes and stuff like that. He really is locked in, and he gets us locked in, just on play recognition and alignment. So I feel like he really enhances us because he allows us to see things on the field when we’re playing.

Q. Alfred, do the coaches present plays to you guys, like: Okay, here’s what these teams like to do on fourth and 1, fourth and 2, whatever? And is that what you’re doing early in the week, scout team prep on their tendencies and short yardage?

DT ALFRED COLLINS: I mean, we just go over the plays, their go-to plays. Stuff that they’ve been doing throughout the season, we practice that.

Q. Alfred, their counter play has been really big for them the last two games. What have you noticed about that in looking at the film?

DT ALFRED COLLINS: Like I said, they’re very good at what they do. That counter play is a big play for them, and we’ve just got to all do our job, and we will be able to stop that.

Q. If I read the stats right, they’ve given up 12 sacks this year. I mean, that’s an incredibly low number. I was curious, are their running backs that good at pass protection? Do they go to two tight end offense? Are they throwing quick passes? What’s been the key to that for them?

DT ALFRED COLLINS: I feel like they just play together. Like I said, they’re good at what they do, and I feel like they’ve not necessarily perfected it, but they’re in a good spot when it comes to protecting their quarterback.