HEAD COACH DeMECO RYANS
First off, I'd like to start this by thanking our Lord and savior Jesus Christ giving all our praise, honor and glory to him for this opportunity to finish out our season. This was a strong win. I'm proud of all our guys. Proud of our guys for back-to-back 10-win seasons. Finishing undefeated on the road in our division. Just efforts today by DP (Dameon Pierce), starting with him, to have over 170 yards rushing and a long run. It was really good to see him be productive and make plays for us in the running game. I thought Davis (Mills) did a really nice job stepping in, he was efficient moving the football down the field. C.J. (Stroud), our first drive out, thought he did a really nice job of operating, running the offense. Guys operating in an efficient manner, so just proud of the collective effort from everyone. Defensively, Derek Barnett had a big day for us, getting two sacks and to get the fumble recovery for a touchdown, that was a huge play for us. So, we had a lot of guys play, lot of guys make plays, but what I'm most proud of is that guys played our brand of football.
What do you feel like you all learned from this game?
Guys just played good ball, and it's not anything that we learned specifically. Guys played well and guys did what they had to do.
In terms of confidence and everything going according to plan, is that pretty much exactly how you wanted to draw it up where you're able to rest guys, but they got into some rhythm before leaving the game?
Yeah for sure, I wanted to make sure our guys got into a rhythm offensively to start, so I thought we did that in our first drive. And we were able to get guys out and come out healthy, that was the main thing in this game.
This is your second go around at it, do you feel like at this point having made the playoffs last year, you all are better prepared for this moment?
For us and everything I talk about for me is like owning the present moment. So right here, right now, I feel like our team has played really good football throughout the year. We've earned a right to play postseason football, which is always our goal and now we're excited for whatever opportunity comes next, whoever we'll play, not sure who that will be yet. But I'm so proud of our guys for the effort, the mindset, the way they work to put us in position where we are now. Very proud of this team.
Speaking of that, watch party tonight with the team? Are all guys going to be doing their own thing?
No watch party, everybody going to be doing their own thing. Hopefully just resting up, getting ready to go.
You mentioned DP (Dameon Pierce), how cool was it to see him taking more of a back seat to Joe (Mixon) this season, but when he gets the chance having a career day today?
The thing about DP is what I always mentioned for all our guys, whenever you get your opportunity it's about what you do with that opportunity, right? And maximizing, and DP, he maximized the opportunity today with the carries that he had, made some really big runs for us. I was excited, I think our whole entire sideline was excited to see him play the way he's played for us.
Yeah, kind of going off of that, just how cool is it to see you know guys like Joe Mixon, guys who had gone out of the game early, but stay kind of in it and supporting their teammates that didn't play all that much this season?
You see our sideline in the game, no matter who's in, when they're in, everybody's still locked into the game and they're excited to see their brothers go make plays like that's what our team is about. We have a tight football team. We have a special bond, special team and that's what you see. That's why you see our sideline operate the way they operate. They like to have fun, like to see other guys making plays. It's exciting and that's what football is about and that's what our guys are about.
Diontae Johnson got a taste of it. Did you feel like you got what you wanted from him*?*
Diontae did a really nice job since he's been here. He's catching up to speed really well. He had a really good week of practice. And made a nice play during today for us, tried to get it to him a few other times, but it didn't work out, but man I'm encouraged by his last week of practice and encouraged by the game today.
Juice Scruggs and the offensive line configuration, how did you feel like they looked while they were out there and having him over on the right side?
Right now, coming off the field, anytime you can run the ball the way we ran it, I thought our O-lines collectively did a really nice job. I thought pass pro and running the football and rushing, the guys did a really good job staying attached on their blocks and giving us the running lanes that we needed to make those plays.
