Q. We had Coach Kwiatkowski on earlier, and he said in the back end y'all started to move towards a little bit more middle of the field closed defense. I'm just wondering, I know that sometimes may be tough to see from your perspective, but how do you think that adjustment has helped your all's defense this year?
ALFRED COLLINS: I feel like it gives us a little bit more time to get to the quarterback and then allows our DBs to hold the receivers long enough.
So I mean, I feel like it's like beneficial to both, both the front line and the back line guys.
Q. Alfred, Michael Taaffe was saying after the game that he was glad Clemson had a little success against you all because you learned some lessons. What did you learn playing Clemson and how is that going to help you moving forward?
ALFRED COLLINS: What I learned against Clemson. I would say just you can't take anybody lightly. Everybody you play is great and they deserve the attention they deserve. So, yeah.
Q. Alfred, what have you seen from the Arizona State offense on film, and also, these forth and one stops throughout the season, what do they do for a defense when you all are able to stop them like you did against Clemson and A&M?
ALFRED COLLINS: What I've seen from the offense their running back is a constituted. Man we were watching film and like wow, okay. Quarterback, sneaky athlete. O Line is pretty solid. Receiver is pretty good. What was the second question?
Q. When you guys get these 4th and 1 stops as you have throughout the season, especially in the Clemson and the A&M game, what does that do for a defense mentality wise?
ALFRED COLLINS: That's a great mentality booster because we pride ourselves on not allowing people into our paint, and in big situation like that when we do that, it just feels good. Builds confidence.
Q. Now that the season is closer to the end than the beginning, I'm curious, what did you and Vernon talk about coming into this year, because everybody talked about sweat and T Murphy are gone and it's up to these two guys. How much pressure did you all feel to step in and make it happen?
ALFRED COLLINS: You know, we use that as fuel because that's all we heard, and we knew me and Vern are very high level defensive linemen, and the way we prepared throughout the entire year leading up to this point, we felt ready. So it wasn't too much pressure.
Q. Alfred, I was just curious about PK and his defense. Did you feel like he changed a lot in the years that you've been here at Texas, and how does he try to simplify the game for you all?
ALFRED COLLINS: It really comes down to just locking in on the game plan and film, because I mean, there's a lot of movement. So just locking in during the game plan, in the game plan has really helped us throughout these years, I think.
Q. Alfred, when you look back to the early part of your career through all the weird stuff in 2020 with COVID stoppages and coaching changes and everything else, how thankful are you and what has it meant to you to be able to get that year back to be able to have that this year to kind of end your career maybe I don't know ideally maybe the way you want it chasing a national champion?
ALFRED COLLINS: It's honestly a blessing. Like I said, other media things, you gotta go through things in life to boss up, you know.
And I feel like the journey that I went through was just what I needed, you know what I'm saying, so yeah. I think I answered your question.
Q. Alfred, nice to meet you. Obviously there's been a lot of discussions that Arizona State from an offensive standpoint even with players like Skattebo and Sam Leavitt haven't really seen a defense like the defense that you guys have brought in week in and week out. Can you kind of explain maybe to Arizona State fans who may not know the identity of this defense, can you explain in just a few short words or sentences what the identity of this defense is and what you're going to be bringing to an Arizona State offense that may not necessarily be experienced with a defense like this?
ALFRED COLLINS: Turn on the tape. That's the few words I have. Turn on the tape and you'll see.
Q. Colin won that National Freshman of the Year award recently. The ball get-off he has, the first two or three steps looks elite to me. How hard is it to get to that level, and is that God given or is there some film study that he does to see the snap count? How is he so good at that?
ALFRED COLLINS: He's very good at just -- I mean, sometimes it's just natural. I feel like he's just got that eliteness in him. And just being here with these great coaches that are just chiselling him up, and yeah.
Q. Alfred, Big Bill Norton on that goal line stand, what's it been like? You guys all seem like such a cast of characters, the interior defensive linemen. How has that bond developed through the year? What was your reaction when you saw that on film when you all are watching it back with Bill Norton and that mustache?
ALFRED COLLINS: Nah, we're for sure close-knit group. We play for each other, and just looking at that just shows the grit and the want-to to not allow people in our paint, and it just feels good to see my brothers, you know, making big plays.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports