University of Alabama senior quarterback Blake Sims participated in a teleconference with reporters regarding the upcoming SEC Championship Game against Missouri at the Georgia Dome (4 p.m. ET, Saturday, CBS).
Here’s some of what he said:
Blake, Coach Saban has mentioned that going tempo, playing fast just fits you better. Why is that a better way to play for you as a quarterback?
“I think to have reads that the coaches go through daily, just go through the reads, and I think I just play better as a whole because I’m not thinking as much and just reacting off of what people do. I think that’s what I’m best at.”
What were your first impressions were of offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin when he came in and what’s he done with you specifically in the offense?
“My first impression of him was a guy that was ready to come and make Alabama the best team in the nation. He’s got a great personality with everybody, and he got along with everybody and had to do what he had to do. He’s been doing a great job coaching. He’s on top of it and making sure I go in the game very prepared and making sure I always know that I got to do what I’ve got to do.”
Have you been impressed in games with his play calls?
“I have. I have. I’m just very happy that he came here and gave us the opportunity to win games.”
How beneficial was it going forward to win kind of a shootout game over Auburn like you did this weekend?
“It was very big for us. We were just happy as a team to be able to do what we did, and we overcame adversity, and we became as a team when we were down, and we praised each other when we did right.”
What does a win like that with the offense playing as well as it did kind of say about the growth of what you guys have done in Lane Kiffin’s offense this year?
“It’s great. A lot of people didn’t expect us to do good in Coach Kiffin’s offense, knowing that it’s the first year that he’s been here, and he’s done a great job coaching us and just knowing what we need to do in the game.”
From what you’ve seen of the various defensive lines, what allows them to be as productive as they’ve been so far this year?
“They play their role. They know what they have to do to win the game. They do the little things, and they’ve got a lot of pride. They watch out for one another, and they don’t want to leave something on the field.”
I guess it was in the second quarter of that game where you did start to go to the up tempo. What do you remember about that point of the West Virginia game? Did it just feel smoother? Does it seem like it’s been a lot smoother ever since?
“I think that game, as a coaching staff and as players, we learned a lot about each other that game. We learned about each other’s emotions. We learned about how like this team plays better under any situation, and we just tried to be better and better and work from there.”
Any concerns at all as far as the pass rush considering Cam Robinson has another injury. He hurt his shoulder. He hurt his ankle. Are you concerned at all that Missouri might get even more pressure just because of injury?
“No, I think Cam’s a very tough guy. He’s willing to leave it all on the field. He doesn’t want to miss a game because he feels like he’s leaving his brothers out there, and he wants to do something to make the team better. This whole week, Cam is going to do whatever he has to do to play.”
You’ve had your share of injuries. You’ve had to come back from a loss. Just how do you feel about just yourself and your season that you’ve had?
“I’m very happy for the way that things have been, even though we had a loss. We’ve had ups and downs and big games that we’ve won, and I’m just happy for the way that I overcame things. I’m just happy to be in this situation because I have great players around me and I have great coaches that are very legendary and that are known around the nation. I’m just so glad for the plan that God has for me, and I’m just happy that I’m where I’m at, and I really didn’t see myself in this position a lot of months ago.
You waited a long time for this opportunity. What kind of test of patience was that for you to wait to get to this point where you’re at now?
“It was a lot of hard work and dedication, making a lot of sacrifices. Pretty much really just wanted to let my team know that I’m willing to do whatever I have to do, and hopefully they’re happy with the way we’re playing with each other. I think everybody knows that we do whatever we’ve got to do to win.”
Also for you, what kind of confidence boost was that to respond the way you did to some of those early interceptions against Auburn?
“That’s just pretty much putting the past behind and you worry about the future, take one play at a time, and just pretty much letting yourself know, hey, this game is not over. You have a chance to win because there’s still clock on the board. Showing the guys that you’re still humble and you still want to win this game.”
A lot of times, if quarterbacks don’t win their starting job early in their career, they transfer somewhere else. What kept you at Alabama when you were backing up A.J. and weren’t the starter yet?
“That’s pretty much the family that we have, the bonding that we have, and even with our coaches, we have a tight communication with them. I didn’t want to go nowhere and start that all over. I have brothers here at Alabama, and we’re so close that I was very confident. I don’t really like connect with people like that. So I didn’t want to go somewhere else and end up not having that same relationship with other people.”
Christopher Walsh has covered Alabama football since 2004 and is the author of 19 books. In his free time, he writes about college football.
