Go to Home Games 2004 front page

read interviews with Coach Mike Shula, Marc Guillon, Freddie Roach, and Brodie Croyle (posted 9/19/04)
see pictures from Alabama/Western Carolina GameDay in Tuscaloosa

Tide Beats Cats 52-0 ... Croyle Tears ACL
Marc Guillon (#18 QB, So. 6-3-212 lbs SQ Chico CA, transfer Univ. of Miami)

These comments came following the 2004 Western Carolina game as Marc Guillon answered questions from the press pool ...

Press pool ... Marc, you got your first substantial reps today. Your thoughts on how you played.

It felt good. It was my first significant reps in a while and it just felt good to get out there. I felt comfortable out there. We're just going to have to build from here and take this into next week.

Talk about your confidence knowing that the team seems to be in your hands now. You head away to Arkansas. How do you feel? Are you ready to carry the team?

Oh yeah, for sure. I mean, that's what I'm here for. We're all hoping and praying for Brodie. I'm not really sure what happened, but I'm sure he'll be all right. I feel real good with the guys I'm surrounded with and they feel real good with me. We're just going to take it step by step.

What was is like getting that touchdown? You were jumping up and down more than anyone else.

(laughs) I was. I've been looking forward to that ... my first touchdown here at Alabama. It felt great. Le' Ron (McClain) made a great catch and the line did a good job blocking, so it felt real good.

Can you talk about the mood when Brodie came out ... was there a little bit of a lull?

No, not really. I was ready to go and it's what you prepare for every week as the backup ... you prepare like you're the starter. I wasn't too flustered. I felt good going in there and the guys feel good with me coming in. So it felt like it was a smooth transition.

Did y'all talk at halftime about when you would be going into the game?

No sir, actually we didn't. You kind of know when you're up by that many points at halftime that you might get a chance to go in. So my mind was right coming out at halftime.

You knew this was a scenario that you knew could happen to Brodie. Now that is has, does you're preparation chance mentally?

As a backup, you prepare mentally like you're the starter every week because something like this could happen. Tragically, it did. We're all thinking of Brodie. No one wants to see that happen. But unfortunately, things like this do happen in the course of a season, so we're going to go on and keep playing hard and keep playing tough like we have been.

Can you talk about how you feel all around about the offense from what you've seen Brodie doing in the first two games. Do you feel you guys are balanced enough going into Arkansas. It probably going to be a tough one.

Well you know, we're just going to keep the same game plan. All three quarterbacks feel the same about all three of our plays. The coaches know that and see that and will pick the best plays to run.

How comfortable did you feel out there tonight in your first action?

Very comfortable! I've been playing football a long time. It just felt good to get out there in front of the home crowd. It really wasn't a huge deal with Western Carolina. They're a good team and we have a lot of respect for them.

Did you speak to Brodie after he came back out of the lockerroom and what did you discuss?

I did a little bit. You know, he's kind of down right now understandably. Like I said, we're all just hoping and praying for him. In the long run, he'll be all right.

Marc, do you know the whole playbook?

Yeah, I'd like to think I know the whole playbook. Obviously, there's always going to be stuff the coaches put in week in and week out. But they'll just try to suit us quarterbacks for what we do best and what the rest of the offense knows best and runs best. So it's not really a matter of knowing the whole playbook. It's a matter of knowing what you're going to run that week.

When things kind of settle in tomorrow, do you expect to have any nerves or any jitters?

Ummm ... yeah probably. This is my first time being the starter, so I'm just going to take it like I have been with my preparation. Nothing much will change. It's just that I'm the guy that will be playing now.