LSU Tigers Players Quotes BCS Championship Part Three

Q. They struggled in the red zone. They moved the ball a little bit. Are you all a "bent but don't break" defense, or were there things you would like to improve from the last game against Alabama? How were they moving? I guess Trent's going to get his?

MORRIS CLAIBORNE: Like you said, Trent is Trent. But with this defense, based on what you said, we've bent a lot this year, but we haven't broke. And we just try to go out and play our style of football and that's trying to keep teams out of the end zone.

Q. Is it just sort of okay, stay deeper than the deepest and if they move in front of you, like eventually you guys are going to make a play, somebody's going to make a play?

MORRIS CLAIBORNE: That's right. We just try ?? our coaches do a good job of having us in the right spots and the scheme we play in, and when opportunity presents itself, we just try to take advantage of it and make plays when we can.

Q. Tell me a little bit about facing guys like AJ and Trent and just the Alabama offense coming in, what you all plan on doing?

MORRIS CLAIBORNE: I mean, they've got a good offense. They're pretty balanced with the passing around, mechanics. He has an arm, he can get the ball out to his receivers. And everybody knows Trent. He's going to do what he does and that's run the ball. We just have to come together, execute what we've got planned, try to get the job done.

Q. When you were at Fair Park High School, did you imagine sitting on a stage like this, when you were recruited, and I know you were talking yesterday about being a wide receiver, but did you imagine being one of the top DBs sitting on this stage getting ready for the National Championship?

MORRIS CLAIBORNE: I never, never. You dream about playing in the big games, but at this point that I am now, I never imagined it.

Q. Mo, I have to ask these questions, and I apologize. Tell me a little bit about your decision on the future after this game and just what's going to go into your decision making?

MORRIS CLAIBORNE: Everything right now is LSU. I mean, NFL wise I haven't gave it no thought. I mean, everything right now is LSU. And I'm trying to win a National Championship.

Q. How much are you going to talk to your mother, Opal? We've talked to her a couple times. How much will you confer with your family and talk about what the right decision is?

MORRIS CLAIBORNE: After everything is done I'll sit down with Coach Miles and my mom and see what's the best decision for not just for me, but for my family.

Q. Is there a possibility, say LSU wins a National Championship, would that defer your decision?making at all?

MORRIS CLAIBORNE: I mean, I don't know. We just have to wait and see. 

Q. And I guess ?? I think your mom said you're going to, like you said, wait a week and all that kind of stuff. Your advisors, different stuff like that, does it take into account the possibility of being a top five pick, being the top DB in the country, different things of that nature?

MORRIS CLAIBORNE: It does. But as of now, I'm here, I'm here to stay with LSU right now.

Q. You are an incredibly talented defensive back. I think it's kind of funny that you have a teammate who, because of his nickname, and I think can steal the ball, he's got that knack, but here you are, how much license and rein does he have on the field? Is he doing his own thing a lot of time and do you have to cover for him? What do the guys say about it?

MORRIS CLAIBORNE: He's a solid player, all around the board. You can't take nothing away from Tyrann. And after seeing a video, I mean, he deserves his nickname that he has as the Honey Badger, because obviously it takes what it wants, and Tyrann takes what he wants on the field. He's always in the right place at the right time, and he always is making plays, and we count on him to make those big plays for us.

Q. Is he a team guy? He kind of does ?? he wears a suit, dyes his hair, calls attention to himself, is he a good team guy?

MORRIS CLAIBORNE: You're around him 24 hours of the day you'll see what a great guy he is. He has excellent character. And he's all for the team.

TYRANN MATHIEU

Q. These are two teams that obviously know each other very well. What would surprise you?

TYRANN MATHIEU: I think they're definitely going to throw us some new looks, some looks we never seen before. Maybe some plays we never even seen before. So that's why we practice, to approach the game with the knowledge that to expect the unexpected. So we're looking forward to playing those guys come Monday.

Q. Can you talk about your relationship with Trent Richardson?

TYRANN MATHIEU: I think leading up to the Heisman, I kind of met him through Russell Shepard. Once we got to the Heisman, just became kind of close. Talked about football, talked about life, and just got along pretty well.

Q. (Question off microphone). Do you expect that kind of game Monday night?

TYRANN MATHIEU: Saying it's two pretty good defenses playing in the game and two pretty good teams overall. I don't think we expect the score to be 45 to 30. So we really expect our defense to stop those guys. And I know those guys think the same.

Q. Your coach obviously took over for Coach Saban. There's some that didn't give him the respect that they did Coach Saban, and winning a National Championship still didn't (indiscernible), what would a win on Monday night, two National Championship wins (indiscernible)?

TYRANN MATHIEU: I think it would do a lot for his reputation. Coach Miles is a great coach. And he's a great teacher. And I think he definitely can evaluate talent and able to put groups of guys together who get along with each other and are able to play hard, fight hard for each other. 

Q. You talked a little bit yesterday (indiscernible)?

TYRANN MATHIEU: It depends on the competition, and it depends on the edge that you're trying to catch that week. So if anything, get the guy out of his game, whether you know his mother's name or know where he went to high school or where he grew up at, I think those kinds of things the players think about the whole game, like how do you know that. I just try to catch an edge any way I can.

Q. Talked about Trent Richardson, the person, what about the player, Trent Richardson? Obviously the first time around he didn't get in the end zone but he was able to get some yards. What allows him to have success?

TYRANN MATHIEU: I think obviously, I think, our view of him, and everyone else's view of him, he's a great player, a great running back. And he's pretty much a beast. He's a freak in the open field, and usually takes one or more defenders to bring him down. I think as a defense and as a secondary, we're looking forward to helping out the rest in support and bringing him to the ground.

Q. You had to overcome a lot to get to this point, a lot of off?the?field stuff going on at LSU, including your suspension. What did you gain from that experience and what have you learned getting to this point through all the trials and tribulations?

TYRANN MATHIEU: When I struggled at, I truly believe you have to go through things to strengthen your faith and to definitely broaden your horizon and to definitely open your eyes to let you know what you're in it for. And that's teammates and that's LSU as the institution. So you never want to forget that. Just teaches you to keep a high spirit at all times. And I truly believe the things we went through this year, if we can get through that, we can pretty much get through anything on the field.

Q. Tyrann, along those same lines, some of the challenges and struggles you went through as a child, how much stronger did that make you?

TYRANN MATHIEU: It teaches you to fight for everything, and nothing's going to be given to you. So with that being said, you know, you try to take that to the field. You don't want to take any play off and you don't want to take any opponent lightly. So preparation and hard work and determination is really my motto.

Q. As a child, how important was it for you to go into your aunt and uncle's home for the support and everything?

TYRANN MATHIEU: It obviously was a blessing to be able to see two different sides of the scale. And they definitely helped me out a lot and definitely took me out of a rough situation. So I commend them for doing that for me. And I truly thank them.

Q. You talked a little bit about the trash talking. Probably have the chattiest guy on Alabama Marquis Maze. I asked him about you. He said: I can't really remember a lot of trash talk. Do you have any ammo on him as far as the school and his mom or is he more (indiscernible)?

TYRANN MATHIEU: He's definitely one of the more talkative players on their team. But when you are playing against a great team like Alabama, you don't try to pick out individuals. You'd rather just focus on the whole team and you'd rather just watch film of the whole team and get a better understanding of the team.

Q. Do you say anything to Kirkpatrick before this game and just thoughts, statistics from the play or whatever?

TYRANN MATHIEU: Well, obviously didn't mean to cheap shot him or to hold him up or whatever the case may be. I think I was just trying to get to my technique, the technique we practice every day in practice. And unfortunately I wasn't able to get there and kind of held on to his jersey. No, I haven't had many words for him. So I wish him the best of luck in this game and wish him the best of luck in the future.

Q. What do you think your story tells kids in New Orleans?

TYRANN MATHIEU: Well, you know, to never give up, to never give in. And there's a lot of negativity surrounding the city. And it's a lot of people trying to pull youth down. So just strive for the best and just pray every day and work hard at what you want to be in life and keep guarding your life, and all those plans can come true.