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ROSE BOWL GAME: OHIO STATE VS WASHINGTON

December 30, 2018

Dre'Mont Jones

Pasadena, California

Q. Why should people watch this game on Tuesday?
DRE'MONT JONES: It's a game with a lot of history and it deserves to be watched. You've got two very talented teams going at it head to head. I know this isn't a playoff, but this is a game with a lot of potential to create a lot of havoc.

Q. What do you mean by potential to cause a lot of havoc?
DRE'MONT JONES: I mean, I think it's going to be an intense battle between two great teams with a lot of history behind them. Washington is no slouch, we're no slouch, and we're going to go out and play.

Q. What does Ohio State need to do to win?
DRE'MONT JONES: Just do us essentially. We don't need to do anything special, nothing out of our character. We just need to go out there and just play football, get our 13th win.

Q. How do you account for your success this season? Why do you think your team did so well?
DRE'MONT JONES: I felt like our brotherhood that we built early on before the season was started, in the off-season going through what we went through with Coach Meyer being gone and finding a bond and sticking together and holding on together so that we win games, I think the brotherhood is really what helped us gel.

Q. How much have you and your teammates talked about let's win this one for Urban?
DRE'MONT JONES: I mean, almost every day a little bit because we realize this is his last game. We can't really just take that lightly. We understand what's on our shoulders as a team. I mean, this is Urban Meyer's last game, and he's a man with a great legacy.

Q. Just kind of inside the offense of Washington, what do you see as the toughest things that you will have to take on?
DRE'MONT JONES: I think the running backs. I think this is the best running back group we've played all year by far, especially No. 9. He's super patient, and if we don't stay in our gaps, he can bounce out and get a big run.

Q. What is it that sets him apart from other running back groups?
DRE'MONT JONES: I feel like it's not just one person. There's multiple guys that can run. But No. 9 is especially the guy that will lead them out in the charge.

Q. A lot of events this week, Southern California, fun in the sun, all that stuff. Is it difficult to stay focused?
DRE'MONT JONES: No, because we realize we have a job to do. We understand to take some time away from football and relax, but we also realize what we're here for.

Q. As you get ready for the game Tuesday, what do you anticipate are the focus points for you?
DRE'MONT JONES: Just remember to relax and remain humble. We can't do anything out of our element. Don't be the type of guy to do something different, just do what's in the game plan and things will fall into place for sure.

Q. Can you talk about your motivation playing football and playing at such a high level?
DRE'MONT JONES: I guess my motivation would be my parents, because as a kid they always expected so much out of me, because like they raised me to be that way. I mean, having the tough parents I had, I didn't want to fail them. I didn't want to let them down, especially being the youngest brother of three. I mean, I feel that's my why.

Q. What's it like for you when you play, everyone is coming at you offensively? What do you see?
DRE'MONT JONES: I mean, just I enjoy football, so I just attack things with a whole different purpose. I realize that for things to get out of whack, it starts with the D-line first, and I know being a defensive lineman first I've got to stay stout and stay aggressive so that our defense can have a chance to be successful.

Q. Is there a certain time, whether it was high school, college, where you felt really comfortable in playing your position?
DRE'MONT JONES: I would say really around my senior year because I was starting to just mature as a player, starting to grow, learn how a defense actually -- what it's about really. I started getting comfortable I think it was my first year my senior year, saying, I'm the guy now, the attention is on me and I've got to start making things happen, especially being committed to Ohio State.

Q. Have you thought about after college, what's that like for you?
DRE'MONT JONES: What do you mean by that?

Q. Well, football, whether you continue football or if there's another career path for you after college.
DRE'MONT JONES: No, I declared for the NFL, so that's what I'm doing.

Q. How are you feeling being out here in California, getting to wear some shorts and sunglasses?
DRE'MONT JONES: I don't know about shorts. It's a little cold, but yeah, it's been nice so far.

Q. Coach Day said he's only wearing shorts and long sleeves while he's here?
DRE'MONT JONES: Coach Day is tripping. It's wild. It's cold outside in my eyes.

Q. How has practice been going? Seems like you guys -- it's almost like at ease, you guys are in rhythm and you know what to do?
DRE'MONT JONES: Yeah, pretty much. Practice has been really nice and smooth. No one is I guess being weird or tripping about Coach Meyer leaving because we understand how it is now, and we're just going to keep playing.

Q. Has Coach Meyer been maybe a little more sentimental in the things he's been saying in practice?
DRE'MONT JONES: No, he's been the same way, which is just who he is, because we don't want a coach that's going to change the last game, so we appreciate that.

Q. How about Coach Day, more vocal in practice than normal, or is he pretty much going to wait until Coach Meyer is done?
DRE'MONT JONES: Pretty much wait until Coach Meyer is done. Nothing has really changed besides Coach Meyer is retiring. He's been still the same ol' guy, Coach Day has been the same ol' guy. Everyone has been the same, and we appreciate that because we don't want to feel like anything has changed now that he's leaving.

Q. What have you seen from Washington that you've been working on in practice?
DRE'MONT JONES: Their running backs. I feel like they rely on their running backs a lot to make things happen, especially No. 9. He's really the driving force for that team. I feel like they have a three running back core that really gets them going, and also an NFL-type of quarterback who also manages the game well.

Q. Is there anything about Coach Meyer's last game, anything planned, or is there going to be a surprise?
DRE'MONT JONES: Probably get some Gatorade dumped on him, but don't tell him yet.

Q. Will it be red?
DRE'MONT JONES: Probably be red, yeah.

Q. What do you see from a guy like Myles Gaskin?
DRE'MONT JONES: I see a player with a lot of skills, and if I don't stay patient, he can really break one on me, like an 80-yard run or something like that, so I know I've got to be patient and wait in my gap so I can make a play, along with my other teammates, too.

Q. What about Jake Browning?
DRE'MONT JONES: Same thing. Just doing what we have to do because we can't be out of our element because we realize this is a really good team, and we can't just do anything special -- well, not special, but we can't do anything out of character. We have to remain humble and remain within the defensive scheme.

Q. When you look at the Washington defense, what do you see?
DRE'MONT JONES: I haven't really looked at their defense. I don't know what's going on over there. I don't really care, either. That's the offense's job.

Q. Did you watch the semifinal games last night?
DRE'MONT JONES: I caught the Notre Dame and Clemson, yeah.

Q. How did you feel about the game?
DRE'MONT JONES: It's hard to really give my opinion. I don't know. I feel like we definitely deserved to be in there, but you look at the results -- we're here now, so we've got to be appreciative of our time here because we didn't have to be here. We've got a great team and Washington to look forward to, and I can't wait to play.

Q. What does being in the Rose Bowl mean to you, especially since this is your last game in an Ohio State jersey?
DRE'MONT JONES: It means a lot to me, especially because I know what type of game this is. We haven't been here in years. It's a chance to get our 13th win in a season, which hasn't happened in years. I mean, this game is something that has so much history behind it. It's really hard to explain.

Q. How are you feeling?
DRE'MONT JONES: I'm a little sore, but I'm good overall.

Q. Are you ready for the big game?
DRE'MONT JONES: Yeah.

Q. Talk about the excitement of being here in preparation for the big day.
DRE'MONT JONES: I mean, I feel very just vibrant inside because I know what type of game this is. I'm in the Rose Bowl in California. Nothing -- it's really a bittersweet feeling. Just talking to some players in the past and just hearing their response to being in the Rose Bowl, some players never got a chance, and then talked to one of our guys that did play in the Rose Bowl, and he said it's one of the best games he's ever been a part of.

Q. What will be your signature on this game? What impact will you leave on this game?
DRE'MONT JONES: Just trying to let people know who I am as a person and as a player. Nothing much can be done. Just trying to finish out the right way especially because it's Coach Meyer's last game, so we can't just go out sad. We can't go out like we don't know how to play. We've got to play with all our heart and give it everything we have.

Q. What has he meant to you?
DRE'MONT JONES: I mean, he's kind of been like an uncle to me I want to say. He's been very influential in my life for the last six years, and he's been recruiting me since my junior year. I'm definitely going to miss him. It's been a long road, just seeing how he's changed since me being a fan watching him coach and now being a part of this as players, being a part of this school. Really just emotional for me a little bit.

Q. As far as your education, how is that going?
DRE'MONT JONES: I graduated a couple weeks ago, so I mean, I'm pretty much done.

Q. What's your degree in?
DRE'MONT JONES: Sociology.

Q. What do you plan beyond sports to utilize the sociology degree?
DRE'MONT JONES: I don't know yet. It's hard to really say because you can't really do anything with a sociology major. You've got to go to grad school for that. Sociology is just a stepping-stone to get somewhere. But I don't know yet.

Q. What made you choose sociology?
DRE'MONT JONES: I was really unsure what I was going to do at first when I first got to college, and then I took a class in sociology, and I kind of fell in love with it a little bit. I don't want to say in love, like head over heels with it, but I liked the class a lot, and I decided to pursue that career.

Q. As far as your inspiration, who inspires you?
DRE'MONT JONES: Well, I really look at my parents, how they raised me, how they talk with me. I mean, they gave me everything I needed. I mean, I was a spoiled kid, being a brother of three, being the youngest of three, so they really pushed me every day, and that's the reason why I'm here today.

Q. They'll be here rooting you on?
DRE'MONT JONES: Oh, yeah, for sure.

Q. Any words of inspiration you live by?
DRE'MONT JONES: You know the movie Batman, the Arkham Knight? I don't know why I live by this, but the quote says, "you either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself a villain." I don't know why, I just live by that quote for some reason.

Q. How will that play into the game?
DRE'MONT JONES: I mean, my translation would be just play with everything you have, and if you play weak or you play scared, you can see yourself changing as a person, as a player. Just play within your element.

Q. What's your goals from this point forward?
DRE'MONT JONES: Just continue to be me because my life is going to change a lot, just declaring for the NFL Draft. I mean, this is my last game, so I've got to just remain humble and just remain myself because it's a crazy world out here.

Q. Any NFL players that inspired you or you pattern yourself after?
DRE'MONT JONES: I do watch Aaron Donald a lot, but when I was younger, it used to be Julius Peppers.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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