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Tide Tames Bulldogs 32-7, Arenas Breaks Record These are the post game comments and interviews with Javier Arenas after the Mississippi State game … Javier Arenas ... Looking at it from an overall standpoint, we played good in the 2nd half. We didn't let this team push us around so that felt pretty good. Press Pool ... Did the punt return kind of pick the team up a little bit? Yeah, I think it did. If a guy catches a touchdown pass out there, I think that picks a team up too. Get an interception for a touchdown, that picks a team up. So I definitely think it picked the team up and got us energized, and then we started rolling. Take us through the touchdown return. Tell us, what did you see? Man ... and I'm not just saying this ... but my guys, my line out there blocking for me? It was all them. There was this HUGE wall. I didn't have to shake any tackles and I didn't have to break any tackles. I hit the wall and took it up the sideline. Credit to all of them, all 10 of those guys. I wish could have congratulated each and every one of them after the touchdown, but ... All credit due to them. On the other return, it looked you were going to let it go and then the ball bounced right to you, and you took off. Yeah, the wind was a factor out there. But that's no excuse to let the ball bounce. I think I could have caught that ball, but I didn't dwell on it. You can still grab the ball and run with it, so honestly that was a big play for me. I usually make the call, then pick it up and run. I didn't call the ball dead, I picked it up and ran it up the sideline. What did it feel like to beat them (MSU) for the first time in two years? It felt good. It was just another step taken for us to realize "We are capable". You understand what I'm saying. It's proof for us to realize "We are capable". I treated these guys like they were a Top 10 team because of the way they play us. You guys see the way they play us. It was 7-5 for a good little minute there. So it instills faith in us, more faith. What's it mean to be 11-0? It means a lot. I can't really explain it man ... undefeated and unbeaten. Not perfect though! Because mistakes are made. But it feels good man, it feels very good. Was it anything you think Mississippi State did wrong, or was it something that you did right on that punt return you had? I think it's something that we did well. Probably also something that they did wrong, a guy squeezed or something. Our guys did exactly what they were supposed to do. It took care of itself. Coach Saban said that punt return probably changed the game ... Uhhh ... OK. I didn't really pay attention to that during the game. It was a punt return, it was a touchdown. Let's go play defense. That's my mentality, you know what I saying? I didn't sit back and watch the game, you know what I'm saying, so I can't determine that. Coach can. He's Coach and he saw the whole game so he made that decision. It was just a punt return for me and I'm just out there playing ball. It had to feel good to have that punt return spark the offense. It was and I think that honestly, I'm back. I can make plays. If we need a spark, give a spark. We got here late, can you take us through the touchdown? I told these guys, it was my blockers. All 10 of those guys set up a beautiful wall for me, and I just hit it. I didn't make any moves, I just ran. It felt real good and all credit due to my blockers. Were you even touched? I think ... one guy might have tried to arm tackle me but he was getting blocked too. Does it feel good breaking Alabama's record for punt returns for a touchdown? No. When I graduate it definitely will, when I look back on it. It definitely will. But if I focus on that right now, I'm going to be satisfied and dwell upon it, and that's something I don't want to do at all. I want to keep moving on and get better. Were you surprised they kept kicking it too you? When teams do that do you kind of take it as a personal challenge? I'm not surprised because personally I been struggling fielding the ball and holding on to balls. Honestly, I'm thinking to myself before the game that I'd kick to me too and let me mess up you know? (smiles) I put it upon myself to go back to the basics, look the ball in, call a fair catch when I need to ... until I did what I did today, I don't think I'd have earned respect from my opponents. Those guys had no reason to kick to ball away from me. Talk about what happens in the bye week with what is so-far the biggest game of the year. Just be conservative with our bodies and the decisions that we make. I might have the opportunity to go home. Just stay off our feet and relax. And I think all our guys will do that because winning the next game is big for them. I know you guys try to take it one game at a time, and now it's finally at that game. What does it mean to have a chance to end that streak? Well, it means a lot. We'll have to be riled up and ready to go. We're going to play big out there. I think a lot of emotion will be in that game, a lot of emotion. That's going to help us out a lot.
Click for post game interview transcripts from Mississippi State ... or other Homes Games 2008 interviews Javier Arenas (#28 KR/DB Jr. 2L 5'-9" 198 lbs. Robinson High, Tampa FL)
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