THE MODERATOR: Questions for Grayson.
Q. Five starts last year, you were forced to grow up kind of fast to become the go-to guy. What have you learned about you since last season?
GRAYSON LOFTIS: Yeah, I think the main thing I've learned through that process was I didn't know how to be a college quarterback when I started playing. I think what I mean by saying that is, I didn't have a lot of knowledge in how to do it. Being in a room with guys like Henry and Riley who had starts, snaps in big-time games, I learned the value of asking questions, being able to talk to veterans and guys who had done it before, really figure out how to do my process. Going into this year, building that foundation to be able to grow off my processes and the questions I can ask to better myself as a player.
Q. Not only are you competing on the field with Murphy, but you're competing here today, the opportunity to speak to the media. Did anything go into, any type of fun between what you're wearing, what he's wearing, some of the things you guys are doing? Have you tried to have a playful banter back and forth?
GRAYSON LOFTIS: I mean, I think it all just comes natural. I think from the first moment when we introduced ourselves in our meeting room, it was all about us having a good chemistry. We hit it off right there.
Just the ability to be able to joke around, crack jokes with the guy, push yourself to be the best player, push the other guy to be the best player in an informal way. Have fun while you're doing it. You don't realize you're getting better. You're just out having fun with a buddy at practice.
Q. You'll turn 20 on the day that you host the defending champs. When you think about sport and great opportunities, a cool moment.
GRAYSON LOFTIS: Yeah, something that's happened over the time with me playing football, having an October birthday, you have the potential to get a game on your birthday.
It will be a lot of fun playing on my birthday.
Q. You can spread the field really well. Would you rather throw short, medium or long?
GRAYSON LOFTIS: I'd say medium because, one, it gives me a chance to have some yards, ball to air, passer to air. It gives the receivers a chance to have some yards after the catch, as well.
Q. You mentioned the value of asking questions. How was it to have to grow up real fast going into your second year?
GRAYSON LOFTIS: I think it was a whirlwind. Through those last five weeks of the season, you feel like you learn a lot. You get a lot of snaps, a lot of invaluable experience. Then you get the chance to come back, you get a new staff, guys who have a different perspective on football, who have all learned different ways, come up through different values.
You add a guy like Maalik to the quarterback room, a lot of success, just a different avenue. You get to ask him questions.
The value of picking up little tidbits of information and knowledge from everyone and using your resources available to you to learn as much about the position you play in football as well.
Q. You just said it was a whirlwind. You had to be anchored. How did you stay anchored during that time when all these things are happening and you're still so young trying to figure it out?
GRAYSON LOFTIS: Credit a lot to my family. My mom and dad have always been my two biggest fans and my two biggest critics. They're willing to shoot me straight no matter what. If you don't have people like that to be a sounding board, you can talk about the crazy moments, the bad moments, whatever it may be, having people like that who truly love you to be able to talk to about those kinds of things is what was able to help me anchor myself to those moments.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports