Alabama / Kentucky postgame interviews with Mike Shula, Shaud Williams, Thurman Ward, Derrick Pope, Brodie Croyle

Thurman Ward (#1 Jr. RCB, 6-1 186 lbs. Starkville, MS - Starkville High)

These comments came following the Kentucky game as Thurman Ward answered questions from the press pool ...

Thurman Ward – My role on the defense? Right now, I’m backing up Charlie Peprah so that should speak for itself. But I’m always ready whenever Coach (Chris) Ball wants me to go in and give Pep a blow. I feel that with me coming in substituting that we don’t lose a beat on defense. I’m really satisfied. This is my fourth year here and I’ve just come to accept the fact that this is how I contribute to team and help us win. As long as I do my one eleven, and I’m asked to do it, I feel great!

Ummm … (laughs) … it’s kind of hard to do because it was really emotional last week. But it goes hand in hand really with Kentucky because this is the first SEC game. So that means just as much as playing the number one team in the country to me. But it was just really emotional for me when we faced Oklahoma because Coach (Dave) Ungerer had been talking my ear off about good their returner was, and he was one of the best in the nation. I just got tired of it. (Kentucky’s) Derrick Abney, he’s more of a north/south guy. He doesn’t have a lot of juke moves. He’s just going to get the ball up the field, which was OK you know. He had some good returns tonight. It was just the emotion, I would say from last week to this week … it was just the emotion of the game.

How can you compare your first year here, to this year. A moment ago, you were talking about accepting your role.

When I came here, I had some big expectations from my family, from my people back home and from myself. But we came in and my first year we went 3-8. My second year, I had an all right season. I returned an interception 60 yards for a touchdown. And then I went through a little transition with Coach Fran at the receiver spot or whatever. I can’t really say that I’m disappointed in my career here. You know, some things haven’t really gone the way I thought they would go. But I’m happy. I’m going to be graduating pretty soon and I’ll have my degree. I’m just going to enjoy the rest of my football career here.

What’s been the key for keeping this football team together considering all it’s been through?

We’re all we’ve got! Basically, we’re all that we’ve got, know what I’m saying? The different coaches … it don’t matter what coach comes in. If he comes here, we’re going to accept him with open arms. But when push comes to shove, the players are all that we’ve got and the team is all we’ve got. And we’re going to stay close, ain’t nobody going to divide us.

Click on the name for parts of their post-game interviews ..
Coach Mike Shula (Alabama Crimson Tide Head Coach)

Brodie Croyle (#12 So. QB, 6-3 200 lbs. Rainbow City, AL - Westbrook Christian High)

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