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00:00 >> It's kind of rare for a guy to make his first two starts on a championship game
00:04 in an Orange Bowl.
00:05 Has that reality sunk in for you?
00:08 >> Yes, sir.
00:09 And it's awesome.
00:10 It's an awesome opportunity, once in a lifetime opportunity.
00:12 When I first started, if you would have told me this, what happened, this story,
00:18 I wouldn't believe you.
00:20 But it's God's plan and His process and I trust it.
00:24 I trust the process and I'm excited for the opportunity.
00:27 >> Is it kind of, I know the outside noise is not supposed to have that.
00:32 And I know everybody says it doesn't.
00:33 But is it kind of freeing in a way that everything you guys have been through,
00:37 everything you guys have heard about yourselves the last three weeks,
00:39 nobody expects anything from you guys.
00:40 Is that for you guys, just go play, just go have fun on Saturday?
00:44 >> I think every game we just try to go and have fun.
00:46 At the end of the day, this is what we love to do.
00:48 And we say it all the time, all we got is all we need.
00:51 And that's never been more real than now.
00:55 All we got is all we need.
00:56 >> How did you find out Tate was not playing?
00:59 Or did you talk to him?
01:00 What was that process like?
01:02 >> Yeah, we talked a little bit.
01:04 I didn't know much, but he's a great guy.
01:10 And I'm happy for him wherever.
01:12 I wish him the best.
01:14 He's been a great teammate, helped me learn a bunch.
01:17 And I wish him the best.
01:21 >> How did you find out you were starting this game?
01:24 >> Coach called me.
01:25 >> What was your reaction?
01:27 What was your next reaction?
01:28 >> Let's go.
01:30 I'm excited.
01:30 I'm excited for the opportunity.
01:31 Let's go.
01:32 >> How much has Jordan helped you throughout this year with obviously the last
01:36 couple of day breaks with camp beginning and obviously now?
01:38 And what places have been of use to you?
01:42 >> Jordan's helped me a tremendous amount.
01:45 When I came in, he literally took me under his wing.
01:47 With football and outside of football in life,
01:52 I'd always hang out with him outside of football as well.
01:54 Him being here is special to me, cuz just his support and
01:59 he's helping me with offense as well.
02:02 In practice, he takes me out to practice, talking about a play and
02:05 how I can do this and that.
02:07 So I mean, he's still out here helping all the guys.
02:10 And I think it's just awesome to see him out here supporting us.
02:14 >> You look back at the ACC change of game and
02:16 just I'm sure it's kind of blurred so much what happened so quickly.
02:19 Did you look back at it?
02:20 How helpful was that experience?
02:23 >> There's a lot to learn from.
02:26 And I think that's what football is all about.
02:27 You'll never be perfect in football.
02:29 There's always a way to get better.
02:32 And there's always stuff you can do to improve.
02:34 So just going back and watching the game film and
02:36 seeing what I could have done differently and how I read this and
02:39 that has helped tremendously.
02:42 >> Is it much different that you guys practice so intensely?
02:45 But is it still different even though you actually get that playing time?
02:48 >> Yes, sir, it's a lot different.
02:49 And it's a little faster for sure.
02:55 But practice does a great job preparing us.
02:58 The coaches do a great job.
02:59 And I mean, I think we have some of the best coaches in the country,
03:04 especially preparing us for a game.
03:07 >> A lot of these guys, all your teammates are left for this game.
03:10 And yet, the guys you're playing with, have you practiced with them?
03:14 The guys who you'll be playing with in the game?
03:17 >> Yes, sir, I've practiced with them.
03:20 We got a great group of guys.
03:22 I truly trust all of them.
03:25 And we're just focused on the guys we got here right now.
03:28 And we believe that we can go out here and win this game.
03:34 And I've spent a lot of time with the guys that I'm playing with,
03:38 practiced with them as well.
03:39 So we're fully confident.
03:41 >> I think obviously this takes out what you guys wanted to do.
03:45 But have you guys spoken about what actually you still can accomplish
03:49 this year by winning this game?
03:51 You might want to be the team in the country, and be proud of it.
03:56 Has that been discussed that this isn't the,
04:00 many people believe it's a meaningless game.
04:02 Have you guys discussed that, that this is still to accomplish?
04:06 >> Absolutely, the Orange Bowl is an awesome bowl.
04:08 It's one of the best in the country.
04:10 And we got a great opportunity in front of us, playing Georgia, great team.
04:15 We're also a great team, so it's gonna be a great game.
04:18 We're truly excited and thankful for the opportunity.
04:21 And no, it's still a big game for us.
04:25 We're taking it serious.
04:27 And like I said, we're just focused on the guys that we have here
04:33 to help us win this game.
04:35 And all we got is all we need.
04:36 >> Do you think Florida State's ready to raise a banner?
04:39 Feeling in the other field?
04:40 >> Absolutely.
04:40 >> You guys talked about that you guys could be kind of still
04:45 picking yourself as a national champion.
04:46 >> Yes, sir. >> If Washington and
04:47 Michigan lose, would you guys win?
04:49 >> Yes, sir, absolutely.
04:51 >> Just a year ago, you got to Florida State.
04:54 Now you see a boot coming in.
04:56 What's that been like for you?
04:57 How do you feel as a guy who's been here for a year, a younger guy,
05:00 that kind of helped you along?
05:01 >> Yes, sir, awesome.
05:02 He's a great guy.
05:03 He fits our quarterback room exceptionally well.
05:07 Great guy, likes to have fun, but he's gonna get serious when it's time to get
05:11 serious, and that's how we all are in the quarterback room.
05:14 We like to have a good time, joke around, play with each other, but
05:18 when it's time to get serious, we get serious.
05:20 And that's exactly how he is.
05:22 Great guy, great football player, and I'm excited to,
05:27 I wanna do the best that I can, how Jordan helped me and
05:30 helped him with all of this as well.
05:32 >> You had the injury against Hudson, missing some time.
05:36 How much do you think that impacted your development this year?
05:39 To miss that practice time and
05:41 then not be able to get into other earlier games, you couldn't have had
05:44 that opportunity.
05:45 >> Yeah, there's definitely an effect to some point.
05:48 Just not getting the physical reps for about six weeks or so.
05:54 But during that whole time, I was staying locked in mentally.
05:58 So I was able to take my mental game to the next level when that happened.
06:03 Although I didn't get the physical reps, it helped me mentally for sure.
06:08 >> Mark, how do you make your peace with, life is full of unknowns, I get that.
06:13 But you'll never know what would have happened if Jordan had a gun.
06:16 You never know what would have happened if the committee saw things differently.
06:19 How do you move past all those unknowns and all those what ifs and all that stuff?
06:25 >> I think me especially and the whole team just look at it as control and
06:30 what we can control, cuz Norville is big on that.
06:34 And just when you face adversity, just keep climbing.
06:38 So that's kind of been his message.
06:41 Life's full of adversity and this is teaching us all about life.
06:44 You can't control what you, you can only control what you can control.
06:47 You can't control everything.
06:49 So we just gotta worry about that and
06:52 worry about what we can control and do what we can with the opportunity.
06:56 >> Tell us a little bit about Tocars, this is development from you first arriving
07:01 in Tallahassee to where you're at now going through these processes.
07:05 Again, the ACC Championship Games and now the 4-12.
07:08 >> Coach is awesome, Coach Tocars is a great guy, great quarterback coach.
07:12 We built an unbelievable relationship.
07:15 He recruited me hard.
07:16 He stuck with me the whole way.
07:19 And I'm truly thankful for that cuz I feel that I made
07:24 the best decision in the end and I think it was because of Coach Norville and
07:29 how they are as a person and a coach.
07:32 And it's been nothing different.
07:34 They're great people.
07:36 >> From maybe a quarterback intangibles standpoint,
07:39 what are some of the things you learned most from playing against Louisville?
07:42 That's a lot of them, that's a lot of them.
07:44 >> I'd say just the decision making process time.
07:51 It's a little faster.
07:51 So just feeding up my thinking and my decision making.
07:56 And just trusting what I see, trusting my receivers.
08:00 >> How hard is it to do that when you didn't necessarily think you'd be in this
08:04 role at this point in your life, so you're having to speed up decisions.
08:07 I mean, all those kind of things at the same time.
08:10 >> Yes, sir.
08:11 I think it's the best way to learn, to experience every game,
08:16 get a little bit better, especially the top two as well.
08:20 And more practices.
08:22 So I've been able to get more practice under my belt after the game.
08:27 So that's helped a lot.
08:29 >> Along those lines, obviously playing in a bowl game like this,
08:31 a lot of it is a celebration of the season.
08:33 But for you and especially a lot of your teammates,
08:35 a lot of this is real learning reps for you guys.
08:38 How do you compartmentalize that going into something where,
08:41 obviously you still have a chip on your shoulder,
08:42 you wanna finish the season on a high note.
08:44 But these are learning reps for you.
08:46 >> Absolutely.
08:46 No, the Orange Bowl is great.
08:48 And we're here having a good time, but
08:51 we're also here to work as well and win the game.
08:53 So like you said, every practice helps.
08:56 It helps us build chemistry as a team.
09:00 It helps us individually.
09:01 So we're here to have fun, but we're also here to work and to win this game.
09:08 >> I know you mentioned having Jordan around earlier.
09:10 How big has that been for you with all the experience that he has?
09:13 >> It's been huge.
09:15 I can talk to him about anything.
09:17 And he's always there.
09:19 Doesn't matter what time of the day, he'll always pick up.
09:22 And I know I can go talk to him about anything, especially football,
09:26 especially things outside of football.
09:28 And like I said, he even texted me yesterday after practice and
09:32 was up for the play.
09:33 So he's been a tremendous help.
09:35 >> Obviously, you kinda expected to come in here and
09:37 learn behind Jordan and Tate this year.
09:39 So the last couple weeks going into practice,
09:41 knowing you have the opportunity to play, what has that been like?
09:45 >> It's been a different experience for sure.
09:49 But I just think it's all part of the process.
09:53 And it's been kinda cool to see and learn how a starter should do things from Jordan.
10:02 So I'm kinda just trying to take what he has given me throughout the year and
10:07 apply that to my everyday practice routine and
10:11 just hanging around with the guys on the team.
10:14 >> What stands out about Georgia?
10:16 Obviously, one of the best defenses in the country.
10:18 >> They're just a well-rounded team.
10:20 They got great players, both sides of the ball.
10:22 But I mean, at the end of the day, it's a football game.
10:27 Yes, sir.
10:28 >> Were you home in Tennessee when Coach Norwell called you and
10:30 told you about the outdoor for the other big Tate?
10:32 >> I was actually heading back.
10:35 >> You were driving back?
10:36 >> Yes, sir.
10:37 >> But where exactly were you?
10:38 >> I was about to take off on a plane.
10:41 >> You were?
10:42 >> Yes, sir, and I got the call.
10:44 >> What airport did you fly out of?
10:45 >> I was flying out of Charlotte.
10:47 >> Okay. >> Yes, sir.
10:49 >> What was that flight like,
10:50 knowing that things have kinda changed since you landed?
10:52 >> It was a little more intense.
10:58 No, I mean, it didn't change much.
11:02 Cuz I mean, even being a backup, I prepare like I'm a starter.
11:06 Cuz I mean, we all seen anything can happen, anything.
11:11 So each and every game I prepared like I'm a starter.
11:14 So it didn't change much, especially my preparation.
11:18 It just stayed the same.
11:19 But I'm thankful for the opportunity, for sure.
11:24 >> A lot of the guys, the skilled guys that you worked with against Louisville,
11:28 some of them I guess, aren't around right now, right?
11:30 So how much continuity do you have with the guys that you're throwing with,
11:33 were those guys that you were working with in practice mostly anyway?
11:36 >> Yes, sir, I've got a ton of work in practice with these guys.
11:39 I trust them, they trust me.
11:41 So we're confident in our chemistry, and we're confident that we'll win this thing.
11:46 [BLANK_AUDIO]