Star UGA Football Defender Breaks Down Georgia's "Business Trip"
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New Orleans, LA - Georgia Bulldog star linebacker CJ Allen breaks down Georgia’s “business trip” with the medcia during Sugar Bowl media day.
Q. The preparation going into this one, how are you feeling?
CJ ALLEN: I feel overall good. Just changing the mindset of the whole trip. It's a business trip. You are here to win a football game.
Q. As one of the team leaders, what is your message to the young guys who may not have played in this game last year, and how to prepare?
CJ ALLEN: My message has been you can come to New Orleans another time, any time you want to come. So just be here for the reason, play your role, and understand why we are here.
Q. There's been a couple of players who said you weren't as prepared as you thought you maybe could have been last year. Why do you feel like that is? Why do you feel like this year, you guys are prepared?
CJ ALLEN: I thought we all can be more prepared. Ultimately in these type of games, you are away from your home, or miles away. So you got to understand what type of trip this is. It's a business trip.
Q. Why do you feel that Georgia is playing its best football right now?
CJ ALLEN: It starts in practice. That's something we have been talking about all season long. If we want to play good, we have to practice good. That's the type of team we are. I think just executing those type of things, executing our cause, that's the reason why we are playing better.
Q. Speaking of practice, who gets yelled at the most over the loudspeaker at practice by Kirby [Smart]?
CJ ALLEN: Honestly? Everyone. Everyone gets it. He might be on field one, you are on field three, he might still call you out. I don't know how he can see you, but you will hear your name out for sure.
Q. What is unique about this defense this year, do you think?
CJ ALLEN: I think just like the way we play. We play for each other. We play together. We never back down, give up. It's never enough for us. No matter what's going on, we are not going to stop. We are going to keep going. We are hard to kill for sure.
Q. Coach Schumann, what do you appreciate about him?
CJ ALLEN: I appreciate how much he goes the extra mile for us. He demands excellence from all us of and he pushes us to be better. I think Coach Schumann does a great job preparing us for the game.
Q. You guys obviously got a good look at them first time around. Talk about how you guys have prepared for an offense like Ole Miss the second time around, a team that has really done well in the one game and really physical up front on the offensive line as well.
CJ ALLEN: I think ultimately with a team like Ole Miss, they go fast on offense. Number one, you got to be in good condition. You also got to be able to communicate and just get the calls to each other and set your feet.
Q. Talk to me about what they do offensively this time around compared to what they did in the first game that you guys played.
CJ ALLEN: I think it's a very explosive offense, they've always had that with some great skill players. The offense, especially with the quarterback (Trinidad Chambliss), his ability to stay in place and move his feet.
Q. Being able to play in a College Football Playoff football game this time around, you have been in quite a few of these yourself. What does this mean for you, knowing that you have another opportunity to potentially play for a national championship if you win and continue to advance?
CJ ALLEN: It means a lot inundating. We can't get there without winning this one. We are focused on what is in front of us.
Q. How have you guys improved defensively from the beginning of the season to where you are now?
CJ ALLEN: I think executing our cause and getting lined up and playing together. That's a big part, just playing together, obviously just making the right calls and putting us in the best situation.
