The Gators were used to being in the SEC Championship Game. It was a school tradition. If they failed to reach those standards, they felt kind of useless and they didn't care about being here.

Hope's still there. I'll become an Auburn fan!

He's the heart and soul of our team. I don't care if he doesn't make a play. I just want to see him out there.

I hoped and prayed that he got a shot to play one last time. He's recovering real well, he's coming along well. That's him. You can't hold Vernell down too long. He's a tough guy.

I knew he was hurting. Everybody knew he was hurting.

I love it. It's a big personal challenge. It's on me, Marcus Thomas, Steve Harris and Joe Cohen. We're playing to out-physical them, to out-tough them.

They instilled so much effort, effort, go hard, go hard, that I didn't even realize my helmet was off. I wonder if that is in everybody else's mind. I think it is, and that's why the defense is playing at a different level.

It was kind of plus-plus for us without a scrambling quarterback.

It's a lot different this year. We're looking forward to playing for something. Everybody was kind of down and out last year. Our coach was gone. What were we playing for?

It was big-time for me because he made me think. You go outside and you're tired, 'Oh, I have a little achy leg or my ankle is (sprained).' He played with a broken leg. Any time now I think about any fatigue, any pain, I just think, man, Jack Youngblood played with a broken leg. I can get through this.