QB VINCE YOUNG
(On if he was wondering at the end of last season if he was ever going to get another chance to start at quarterback)
"I knew I was going to get a chance. I would just have to be patient and wait for it. That was pretty much my mindset going into it."
(On how he is a different quarterback compared to last time he was the starter)
"I know the offense a little bit more than the first time around. I'm definitely more comfortable with the offense. The game is slowing down a whole lot for me. I'm more comfortable with the offensive coordinator (Mike Heimerdinger), of the different concepts and the things that he wants to do. I understand his thought process."
(On if he feels like he is a more mature person also)
"Well, I am older."
(On if he came out a stronger person from what he went through last year)
"I definitely did. I think it bettered me a whole lot on becoming an NFL quarterback. It also gave me a chance to deal with some things in my personal life like the money issue with people calling asking for money all the time. Dealing with that type of stuff in the background, giving me a chance to watch (QB) Kerry Collins play as an NFL Quarterback, and take a couple of pointers from him and put into my game."
(On what is the best thing he took from Collins)
"Being patient and third down is the biggest thing in the NFL as becoming that elite quarterback as well as fourth quarter."
(On if there is still room for improvement)
"Always, this is just my fourth year so I got a long way to go. I can't wait until I get on a level with the (QB) Peyton Manning guys and things like that. I feel like my game could be elite as well just like them guys if I continue to keep working in the offseason, taking a game at a time, and taking a season at a time as well."
(On what he would like to do better)
"Just excel at all pointers. Just continue to get better with the offense and know where everybody is at. (Offensive Coordinator) Coach Heimerdinger, he brings something to me every week. He puts more on my table every week so I want to continue to keep that. He sees that he can have that type of confidence in me that I did a great offensive job with the scheme last week, made good reads, stay focused, and things like that. I just want to continue to keep letting it become not only just Heimerdinger's offense but my offense as well. I want him to just have that confidence level that he can just let me go out there and call what I want to call."
(On why RB Chris Johnson has been good the last few weeks)
"Our offensive line. Our offensive line is doing a great job up front. They're doing a lot of opening up the wholes for him and making key blocks for him. Definitely, our receivers and tight ends are making some good blocks down field. It takes all of us. And C.J. being C.J., the type of talent that he is and the vision, the speed that he has, and let him get one-on-one with a (defensive back) DB. He's going to win that battle over."
(On how difficult last season was for him)
"It was tough for a while. You want to be out there playing because of the competitive nature I have in myself. It definitely was hard but just being patient was the biggest key. I was working on my crafts behind the scenes, staying in shape, staying focused on what the offense was doing, and just staying ready. You never know when your number is going to be called so that's what I did, stayed focus."
(On if he is amazed at what RB Chris Johnson does)
"Yeah, just the size he has and people saying that he's not going to be that type of back to run between the tackles, he's not going to be able to pick up blocks I really feel like he's answering all of his critics. It's just his second year and he has a long way to go of some things that he's going to do that I feel in the long run, is going to shock the NFL of the type of back that he is."
(On if he hears him going through the holes)
"He's there for a minute and he's gone the next. He's a speedy guy. That's just a God given talent. Some guys either have it or some guys don't. Obviously, you see that he has it. To see that he's in one position or one area and by the time you look up, he's already in the endzone."
(On the fourth quarter comeback against Arizona)
"As a team, that was big for all of us. Coming from 0-6 and working to where we are right now, it's big for all of us. To see the excitement of the guys around here in the locker room, the hard work we're putting in, extra work and thing's like that, it's paying off a whole lot. Guys are becoming a pro. Even the young guys are hopping on board and understanding their roles as well. That drive was real huge for our organization. A lot of people counted us out. I could see our fans walking out and all kind of stuff. We stayed focus and got to the endzone and (WR) Kenny (Britt) made a great catch for us."
(On who is the unsung hero on the team)
"I'd say (LB) Keith Bulluck. He's a big-time leader for us. Especially our offensive line as well. They don't get as much credit as they deserve as well. They do a tremendous job of making key blocks, coming off on different guys, and making wholes for C.J. (Chris Johnson) as well as well as giving me time to deliver the ball down field. One of the biggest guys I would say is Keith Bullock, that's been in that league for a long time. He has done some big things and has been kind of one of the leading tacklers in the league, but gets looked over because of our record and things like that."
(On what makes Bulluck special)
"I would say the leadership role. The talent that he has…the guys tends to want to run away from him a lot but he still runs sideline-to-sideline. The biggest things are his leadership role and how he is as a person. Guys on our team, we really do look up to him a whole lot."
(On why Texas is going to beat Alabama for the National Championship)
"Because we have to. We need to and we have to. It's going to be a good game. I think it's the first time in history that they have ever matched up. It's going to be pretty big at the Rose Bowl just to see the Crimson Tide fans and definitely the Longhorn fans. We love to travel, so it's going to be a big one. All love to our Longhorns and definitely (Texas Quarterback) Colt McCoy."
