Calvin Ridley on Clemson's secondary: "They get after the ball and are ballhawks."

Calvin Ridley | Wide Receiver | University of Alabama

On his comfort level playing at Alabama and getting attention being the main guy: “Sometimes I feel like it’s a lot. Sometimes I feel like I want to stay away a little bit, but I’m cool with it.”

On how Jalen Hurts will be different this year compared to last year in the national championship: “He has definitely gotten a lot better. I feel like we were limited with the things we could do last year. We can definitely run the ball and I feel like our passing game is a lot better. The coaches have done a great job with him. He sees a lot of things different and is better for it this year.”

On what he sees in the Clemson defense what the differences are from last year: “Last year their defense was really good, but I feel like they are still a really good defense. Their defensive line is really good. Their linebackers get to the ball and make sacks. Their defensive line helps their secondary so much.”

On if it helps that Alabama has seen Clemson on this stage the last couple of years: “It helps, but nothing really changes. It’s the same thing for them, but it comes down to executing the plays and being more physical than the other team.”

On strengths and weaknesses of the Clemson secondary: “They are really good. They get after the ball and are ballhawks. Their defensive line helps them to create turnovers, and they play physical. They have some good guys over there, and we have to get ready.”

On getting in and out of his routes quickly because of the defensive line pressure: “I have to be fast off the ball and get into my route quickly, so I can get open so they don’t create turnovers.”

Second Availability: 

Calvin, what do you remember about last year's game between the lines against Clemson that you took away from it?

I remember that was a real physical game, and it came down to the end. And it was about making efficient plays and keeping the ball and having a good drive. And that's what's going to win the game.

Jalen Hurts was just telling me that it wasn't as much anything Clemson did last year as much as you guys had executed. Did you see it the same way?

Yeah, I feel like we didn't execute our plays good enough then. I feel like if we would have done that, we would have been out -- the coaches have taught us the right stuff. We just got to execute.

Was there anything Coach Venables did that you didn't see on film that kind of took you by surprise last year?

No, not really. He did the same stuff you see on film pretty much. They just have some good players, and they made good plays at the right time.

Do you see anything different out of Clemson's secondary or what they're doing this year versus last year?

Yeah. Pretty much the same thing, I would say, but they're doing a good job. They're playing good football and locking people up, making turnovers. I think they're doing real good.

What's the key for you going into the game? You've been through a couple of these battles. What's the key for you going in there?

Just stay focused no matter what and keep my head up, play fast every down and just go after it. Leave with no regrets pretty much.

About the passing game, what's it going to take for it to be a little bit different or maybe come out and do some more things on the offense side in terms of the passing game this time around against this Clemson defense?

I feel like we got to run the ball first, establish a running game. And once we establish a running game, open up the pass and all of it's just going to fall in. That's how I feel like we should go about the game, in the passing game.

Being that you prepared for them now two times -- obviously going to the national championship -- how does this one feel different outside the obvious of it not being a national championship?

It feels like a national championship. I know that this is probably the national championship. I'm not saying that those other teams aren't good, but this team is really good. And I know that we got to go in this game laser-focused in order had to come out with a win. That's how I feel about it.

With this being like a national championship like you said, what's the preparation been like? Keeping in mind that it still is having that same intensity.

It's been the same preparation for any game. We don't really change anything up, but we do have in the back of our mind that we are playing Clemson. We know we got to bring our A game, but we don't want to get too emotional about it and get our heads lost.

How much have you been able to teach the three freshmen? And do you see some of yourself in those guys?

I mean, I think they definitely watch what I do earlier when they first got here. I feel like they definitely got it down pat now. They are learning things because Locks (Mike Locksley) has a lot to do with everything they can do. And I feel like they're great. They are really good kids. I mean, they pay attention and they love football.

What do you think has been the key to your surge here late in the season?

Just wanting to win. That's it. I mean, I go out there and I do whatever the team wants to do, wants me to do to get the win.

How would you sum up your season so far, how successful do you think it's been?

It's been all right. It could have been better, but we're winning. And we're in the Sugar Bowl right now. I'm happy. So it definitely could have been better, but I'm happy with whatever.

How important do you think you and Jalen Hurts' connection is to this offense? And how has it been being the number one guy for this team?

It's pretty good. I mean, I feel like we need to get other guys the ball, just it can be better, like, if everybody had the ball. The pass game would be more fluent, more efficient. Right now it's pretty good.

This is kind of like the heavyweight showdown again, the third meeting, almost like Ali-Frazier III in a way. What do you think about this rivalry almost in a sense, considering it's another meeting for all these stakes?

I just think it's two of the best teams in the nation going at it. I mean, you just got to bring your A game when this game comes. And you never know, like, those first two games, seeing the outcome of those, you just got to play good football.

What's the preparation been like this week for the team? What do you think with the way things have been going? Does the size of the Superdome get to you at all?

No. I actually thought the field was kind of small, but it didn't look as big. The preparation has still been the same from the first week at Florida State. We don't really change anything up. We just try to stay laser-focused and keep our game plan going.

Having a stumble in there at the end but getting back into the college football championship, how has the adversity made this team a better team and challenged you guys to become even maybe more focused on the goal?

So we got another chance, I mean, and we're going to take full advantage of that. We've been talking about that, but that's pretty much what it is. It's just leave with no regrets. I mean, we're all going to go out there and lay it on the line and play our best game.

So I'm curious, just from your standpoint, for them anyway, the last two years, [Hunter] Renfrow has kind of emerged as a guy when a lot of focus was on other guys. So you're obviously the guy that they focus on. Who do you think for your team -- which other receivers do you think are in position to step up and make some big plays this week?

All of them. Whoever is in the game I feel like definitely can make a play at any time. So I don't want to just a single one guy out. It would be most of them. But I feel like all of them can and they will. Q.

How is Jalen Hurts a better quarterback this year than he was a year ago in terms of the passing game, progressions, those kinds of things?

The passing game -- I feel like his passing game got better. Sometime last year, he would sit back and just take it all. Now he sits back and he reads, he reads, he reads. And if it's not it, then he takes off. So that makes a whole big difference. And sometimes receivers can't get open every time, and he finds some way to make a great play with his feet. So his feet does help us in some type of ways. At the end of the day, he's doing a great job.

What has Coach Daboll brought to the offense? What do you think is the best, most positive thing he's brought to you guys?

I think he's definitely got the offense organized. I mean, we all know the game plan works very well. We go into the game. We know our stuff. And sometimes when the plays don't work out, it really is on us. I mean, we're not executing the plays to the ability that we can and that we do in practice. I think he does a great job. He brought that NFL mind here, and he just does a great job with us.

Two years ago in the semifinal game, you broke out for a couple touchdowns against Michigan State. Stage is a bit bigger now, third meeting with Clemson. How have you kind of led this wide receiver group and the young guys that could also have that breakout game?

I'm just looking at it as another game. We're not getting our emotions into the game. We're just going to go into the game like it was the first game of the year and just going to go out there and make plays and try to dominate this game.

I appreciate that, and I love the "make it another game" and just kind of put it in the back of your head. But there's nothing that's telling you that this is to go to the national championship and you're truly in your head saying that this is probably just another game?

I mean, I know it's for the national championship. But I honestly am just playing this game just to win and go to the next round. I mean, I don't want to get my emotions into it because that will make me play bad. So I'm just looking at it as another game, go out there and dominate the game.

How has this wide receiver group grown from week one to now?

Like I said, we don't have the stats and all that to prove that we're one of the best groups in the nation, but I definitely feel like we have improved a lot. We work hard every day. I mean, we don't have the stats, but I feel like we can go out there and compete with any group. So we've definitely improved a lot.

As for being in New Orleans, I think you guys are going to have more of the crowd. I think it's going to definitely favor Alabama. Does that play a factor?

That does play a factor, to have your fans in here. You get the momentum going and sometimes the crowd can really help a team play. But, yeah, I definitely think we need the crowd. That will help us a lot. But, at the end of the day it's all going to come down to us executing the plays and playing good football.

How would you describe your crowd when you do have your loud home crowd?

Oh, we have great fans. They get us going and, I mean, they just -- I didn't really know about it so much, but the fans can really help the team win a game. So I hope all our fans come and help us, cheer us on.

Having a month off can have pros and cons in between games. What are you going to do to make sure you're not going out there flat and the rest of your team is not going out there flat?

We definitely had a long time off, but it definitely can help too. We needed time to recover. We had some guys banged up. I was kind of banged up. But for us to shake back and get ready, you have to practice hard. And that's what we've been doing, practicing real hard and competing against each other, going hard. And I feel like that's going to help us in the game