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Justin Wilcox spoke for 13 minutes after Cal's big win over Auburn on Saturday. Here's a look back at everything the Bears' head coach said in his postgame press conference.
This was obviously a big statement coming into SEC territory, and being able to protect that lead and hold on. What did that mean to the team?
Well, it creates confidence and validates the work you put in. All the things you do in the offseason and fall camp, gives you validation. And, it's great to be able to watch the video and learn some lessons, because there'll be lessons to be learned, but come out with a victory against a really talented team in a hostile environment. It's a big win.
Auburn scores on the first drive, and you guys hold them in check for most of the way. Anything you guys did differently from that opening drive, or just stick to your guns?
No, I think it was just settling in. On the first drive, we had a couple of losses in man. We were a little aggressive in hitting our run fits fast on some of the RPO stuff. They made some good plays, and you got to give them credit. They made good plays, and we didn't make enough. Then I thought we settled down and played real competitive, really, all the way through. Had the one drive there in the fourth. We had, I think it was three 15-yard penalties — the two PIs and then the targeting — which it's really hard to stop them when you do that. The guys kept competing, and did it all day, and the five takeaways were the difference.
You've seen your fair share of defensive slugfests. How do you begin to describe the defense grinding through each and every ask?
I think just taking the field against a really talented team, a good football team and stepping up to the challenge each and every time. Those guys are competitive guys, and really proud of them. The defensive coaching staff deserves a ton of credit. Obviously the players, Teddy and Noel, we can go down the list the guys that impacted the game, but those guys put a awesome plan together. Those kids were prepared to play. So Peter Sirmon and (Andrew) Browning and Tre (Watson) and TB (Terrence Brown) and Vic (So'oto), those guys deserve a ton of credit.
Not a lot of people in the nation knew about Teddye Buchanan entering this year. What do you think they know now?
Well, he's a really good football player. We knew because we had played against him prior, and Teddye's a talented guy. Physical but it's his approach that's as impressive as anything. When you're around the building with him, the way he approaches meetings and walkthroughs and practice, he's just a total professional. There's not much that he's not prepared for. And doesn't mean he's going to be perfect, but he's he's going to be in the right places, and he's going to play really hard, and if somebody gets a play on him, they're going to have to earn it. He had 11 tackles and tackle for loss and sacked the quarterback.
You guys, as an offense, a lot of turnovers last season. Through two games, zero turnovers. I think, plus-eight and takeaways now. Just how much of a huge difference is that for you and the program?
Huge. We talked about coming into the day wanting to be plus-two, plus-three. Offensively, there was some tough sledding against a really talented front. There was times when we were kind of playing that field position game. Maybe we'll get to them, but if we don't, the punter was big today, really big. Protecting the football and not giving it to them. The only sacred thing in the program. There's no sacred coach or player, but the one sacred thing is the football and they took care of today.
I think I heard there was over 5,000 Cal fans here that traveled to Alabama. Can you talk about what that means to the program and to the staff and players?
That's the loudest group of 5,000 people I've heard, if that was the number. Seemed like a lot more than that. Obviously an incredible venue. This environment, we knew coming in to be a great environment — loud. And that's why you play college football, is to be in these environments. Then be able to run off the field and see all those smiling faces right there in the corner wearing blue and gold, that was special. So, we appreciate them. Thank you all who came out and who couldn't come that watched on TV. We appreciate all you old blues, and young blues.
This time last year, Fernando Mendoza and Jaivian Thomas were sitting on the sideline. No one really knew about them other than you guys. What type of growth have they shown you, both as players and as people, with what they did today?
It's just kind of part of that process is sometimes guys just need an opportunity, and both those guys we'll expect to continue to grow and get better. I think the the number one thing that shows up in environments like this, when maybe practice it's not as clear, is when they get in these competitive environments, when the lights are on and there's 80-whatever thousand out there, and it's loud. Some guys, it's just like that gives them energy, and they love that. I think those two guys are like that. I think Nyziah is like that. Because, a month ago, I don't know if any of us would have thought in Nyziah, through two games, would have done what he's done. So, I think that's just part of maturation and guys getting opportunity and being prepared when they get the opportunity.
With 4:44 left in the half, I think it was a fourth-and-2 at the 41-yard line, it looked like you wanted to be aggressive and go for it. Then you called a timeout. What transpired there?
Listen, there's analytics, and we have all that stuff. There's the book says this, the book says that, but at the end of the day, you gotta do what you think is right for the team. We were going to get the ball to start the second half, and we thought the defense had settled in and maybe we could pin them and potentially get the ball back. And if not, stop them. Let's go to halftime and come out and get the ball in the second half. Didn't want to do something greedy and give them the ball in the go zone, where they're in four-down territory immediately, right before the half. So, right, wrong, indifferent. I think the book there said to go, but I don't know at some point the human being has gotta consider all the context. If not, the book's just going to be coaching the team.
How important is it for you guys to win this one in a one-score game, and what does it mean for what you are trying to build?
Like I said before, it builds confidence. Because there's really no way to build confidence without demonstrated performance. I think you can prepare the best you can, but to truly be a confident player, you gotta go out and demonstrate it. And, I thought the guys did that. It validates the work they put in, in the meetings and the walkthroughs. All the things we're asking them to do. And now, the key is that we continue to get better. This can't be the best we play all year. We gotta continue to grind and get better. I'm excited to get back and watch the tape. We'll celebrate, but we got a game next week. We'll give them the 24 hours to enjoy the win, but we got a lot of football left to play.
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