Opening Statement
MARTINDALE: Okay. How’s everybody doing? I hope you had good holidays and continue to have them. Happy New Year. We’ve been preparing for this for a while now, and it’s coming all together, and we’re excited about playing this game. That’ll open it up for questions.
On meeting Kyle Whittingham
ROLDER: You know, it was more of a brief introduction, I think. Just getting to know him, he was introducing himself, his background. It wasn’t more than that, and I think the conversations that you’re kind of looking for are coming down the road. But for now, that’s all it was.
On what fans should know about this team
MARTINDALE: I can’t speak for the team, but I guess I can. Defensively, we take great pride in how hard we play, and to show the joy of the game. So, I think that’s why this game will be entertaining to watch.
You have some really good players on the field, both sides, and our guys love to compete, and they’ve been doing it all during bowl prep, and it’s nothing new to us. We don’t have to ramp up because it’s a game, because that’s just how we are, and how we do it.
On the leadership stepping up in the last month
MARTINDALE: I think a bunch of different guys. Ray, Benny, Jimmy, you know, which I knew that. I called that shot two years ago. Just each position group has somebody stepping up. I mean, Dom Nichols, a young guy that’s really prepared and has gotten better. The last two weeks even, and I’m excited to see him play. The secondary, Shug, Jyaire Hill, he’s a natural leader. TJ Metcalf.
On what stands out about Texas offense
MARTINDALE: You look at the quarterback. I mean, he’s a very talented young man, respect to that entire family for with his two uncles and his dad, which they said Coop was the better athlete out of all three of them. But their offense is explosive.
It’s one of those things, though, it’s like, remember, well, maybe, maybe, oh yeah, there’s people my age. When you had that box of cereal, you didn’t know what the surprise was. It’s the same thing going against that offense. You’re not sure who’s going to be there, but they’re going to be very talented and it’s going to be a great challenge for us…