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read post game interviews with DeMeco Ryans, DJ Hall and Jamie Christensen
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pictures from Game Day against Tennessee
Finding
a Way ... Vols Booted 6-3
DJ Hall (#22
SE, So. 6-3 190 lbs. 1VL Fort Walton Beach FL - Choctawhatchee High School)
Jamie Christensen (#86
PK, So. 6-0 178 lbs. 1VL Norcross GA - Naval Prep School)
DJ Hall
and Jamie Christensen answer questions after the game
These post game comments came as
Press Pool ... Jamie, I guess it's pretty routine now, kicking those game-winning field goals.
Jamie Christensen ... (laughs) I wouldn't say that, but it's a great feeling. I'm glad I could help the team win again. The kick ... once again, I've done it a thousand times and it's no different except for what's at stake. I'm just glad to be part of this.
Is there any added significance kicking a game winner against Tennessee as opposed to Ole Miss?
Not at all. Every game it's the same to me. The uprights are always the same length. I'm just glad that once again I could help me team win.
Is there any added pressure on you when you go out to kick a field goal in a game-winning situation?
Well I knew I had to make it up to the team for missing that first one from 51 yards. My hips came around too fast and I knew what I had to correct on the second one. I knew if I did the same thing on the third one, I'd put it through.
Do you remember your routine on this one a little better than last week?
It's pretty much the same routine. I just warmed up on the sidelines, and didn't talk to anybody. One of the guys actually helped me with the cameramen that were coming around me. He got them away from me so I could just focus on kicking the net. I just ran out there ... the snap was perfect once again. the hold was perfect once again. That made my job easy.
DJ, could you talk about what y'all said before that long pass play, and what you saw?
DJ Hall ... Well, when we came to the huddle Brodie came right at me and was like "Hey, I'm going right to you so just run." And that's what I did. They were in a press coverage, and I gave him a little move and ran right by him. Brodie put it in the right spot and I was just there to make the catch.
It looked like you were falling down when you made the catch. Did the defender make contact?
Yeah, he kind of gave me a little bump and I was kind of off balance. But I was still able to make the catch.
Were you sore today?
Oh yeah, I was in pain from the start. But you really don't feel it at all because you've got guys who need you to step up so you can't really worry about the pain. There's a difference between being injured and being hurt. I wouldn't say I was injured, I was a little sore and hurt. But it wasn't nothing I couldn't fight through.
Did you think about Tyrone Prothro at all during the game?
I think about Tyrone every snap. As you can see, every game I write Tyrone Prothro somewhere. Before the play, I was thinking "What would Pro do?" Obviously, you can see what Prothro would do. He would make the catch. He might have been more spectacular ... one-handed or a back flip catch or something ... (smiling) but I tried to make it as impressive as I could
How does it feel to be the number one target?
Aww man ... it's ... it feels good but we've got a lot of targets. I just feels good when it's third down that the quarterback is looking for you to be open. It just makes you work harder.
Did you feel the pressure on that last drive? The offense hadn't scored much ... did you think that it was your last chance to win this game?
I wouldn't call it pressure. It's more excitement than anything. You know it's your last chance and the defense has been playing hard the whole game. We hadn't really put any points on the board. We knew we could drive the ball down the field and shock a lot of people. And that's just what we did. We came out and played hard. The O-line stepped it up. A lot of guys were hurting and they just fought through it.
DJ, did you ever have that many catches (11) at Choctawhatchee? I don't think they even threw the ball 11 times the whole season.
(laughs) No, not ever! I don't know how many catches I had, but my whole senior season in high school I think I may have had 2 catches. I don't know it was exciting for me.
Jamie, the placement of the ball on that last kick ... on the hash mark ... what was that all about?
Jamie - Once again, I didn't care where it was placed. I just knew that I had to put it through. I tried to focus on the little things ... like my jab step, to keep my head down and keep my hips square to my target. And I did that.
Brodie really seemed to be placing the ball at a specific point. Did you tell them that's where you wanted it?
Jamie - No, they didn't ask me anything. I just wanted to be alone and just focus on what I had to get done. That it.
DJ, did your ribs flare up on that punt return where you fumbled? You came out on the next one.
DJ ... Yeah, it did when I got hit and fumbled, he hit me right in the area that was a little sore. I got up a little slow and I told Coach to put Little B (Brandon Brooks) in because I didn't want to jeopardize the team anymore than I did. I had like two fumbles, and I didn't want to do that again.
Did you wear anything on your ribs today?
Yeah, I had protector around my back and my ribs, so that helped me out a lot with the contact I was taking.
Do you think they tried to target those areas and tried to get the ball. It seemed every tackle they were trying to hit you and pull the ball out.
Oh yeah, that was probably the smart thing to do. Against Ole Miss, we had a lot of fumbles. Obviously they watched film and knew there would be a chance that we could fumble. They did a pretty good job of stripping the ball out. But that just gives us something more to work on it practice.
How were y'all able to exploit the corners today with their top guy out?
They weren't as good as he was. They were a lot shorter, and they backed up more than I thought they would. So we ran a lot of short routes and a lot of hitches, that's just how it went.
DJ, is there a confidence on the sideline that even though they have 1st and Goal that the defense is going to get them stopped and give you guys a chance?
Awww (laughs ... when the defense is on the field we don't even worry about it. I don't know how they do it, but they've got guys on that side of the ball that are just incredible. It's hard for me to explain because they way they play ... that's the kind of team you want to be on. You don't ever worry about them giving up big plays or nothing like that. That's not what they're about.
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