THE MODERATOR: We are joined by Georgia's Ladd McConkey.
If you have a question for Ladd...
Q. Given that you're kind of nearing the end of year three, aside from the occasional bumps and bruises, how would you assess your career? Pretty successful on every front. I know you don't want to brag on yourself, but...
LADD McCONKEY: Yeah, I mean, obviously we've had some great success since I've been here. I mean, yeah, we've won a lot of football games. That always makes it a lot better.
Yeah, just kind of been able to go out there. Obviously have had some great players beside me on the offensive and defensive side of the ball.
Being able to have the success we had. Obviously want to have some more this year and the years to come. But it's been awesome, it's been a great time.
Q. You had your role your first year on the scout team, then all of a sudden you opened a lot of eyes by starting last year against Clemson. How would you say your role is different this year? Have you taken more of a leadership element? How would you compare your role from last year to this year?
LADD McCONKEY: Yeah, I definitely feel like with this being my third year, I mean, I guess really being one of the older guys on the team in an aspect, you kind of got to step into that leadership role and be someone that the younger guys can look up to and show 'em how to practice, show 'em how to do the right things.
I feel like that's something kind of really I've been trying to work on, trying to build on. I had some guys in front of me when I first got here that did it for me, did a great job at it. I love to be able to give back to the younger guys like so many guys invested in me.
Q. Looking at your whole season from a macro perspective, you've won some big shootouts, some battles, when do you feel this offense is collectively at its best as far as tempo?
LADD McCONKEY: Yeah, I think really when we get in our rhythm and we get going, that's probably when we're at our best football. I feel like that's kind of for anybody. If you're having success and you're having fun out there, you're playing with confidence, that's when you're going to be your best.
Once we get things rolling, we're doing things out there, I feel like that's probably when we're at our best. That's where we try to be every week.
Q. Is there a specific game you can think of that best exemplifies that?
LADD McCONKEY: I feel like we've had some spurts, whether it's been in the first half or the second half. But I feel like the opening game this year was probably a good example of that when we went nine straight possessions without punting and stuff like that. I feel like really that's what we want to try to do, convert on third downs, be explosive, score in the red zone.
Q. Are you able to enjoy all of these wins a little bit more than last year knowing you have the national championship trophy? Is it more fun this year?
LADD McCONKEY: So we try to look at it as, like, last year's team was last year. We're a new team this year. There's obviously a lot of different players on this team, some players that are playing in different roles.
We want to kind of go make a statement for ourselves and do it for this team and not just last year. I don't feel like there's really a sense of relaxation or anything like that. We're still treating this like this doesn't happen often so we want to go out there, make the best of it, do what we can, be as successful as we can.
Q. What's the difference between chasing that championship last year and 'defending it' this year?
LADD McCONKEY: Yeah, I mean, I feel like we're still chasing that national championship. We're still chasing the SEC championship this week. That's what we're focused on.
There's been so many guys that have played in the SEC championship before but haven't won it. That's a goal that we set at the beginning of the year, is to win the SEC championship.
We're trying to go out and get that done, then the rest, focus on that when it comes.
Q. What's it like to look in the trophy case, see a national championship ring, but no SEC ring? I'm sure that's a motivation this week.
LADD McCONKEY: Yes, sir, definitely. It kind of gives us motivation to go out there and get the job done. We know what it takes. We've been in this position before. So we just got to make the most of it, go play our game, let the rest take care of itself.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Ladd.
LADD McCONKEY: Thank you. Appreciate it.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports