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TOSTITOS FIESTA BOWL: CENTRAL FLORIDA v BAYLORDecember 30, 2013Blake BortlesGLENDALE, ARIZONA THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. Were you always going to play quarterback? BLAKE BORTLES: Yes. Tight end was never an option. Coach O'Leary gave me an opportunity to play quarterback here. That was the decision I made. Turned out all right. Q. When you arrived, they had a true freshman in Jeff playing quarterback. He's moved to receiver. Was the idea you would automatically come in and play quarterback? BLAKE BORTLES: It was never that. I knew I would have to earn and fight for a position. I was never told I was going to be the starting quarterback day one. He actually came in the semester before me, won the starting job, had a great year. Took us to our first bowl victory and beat Georgia. I was like, I have to stick it out, beat this kid out. If I want to play in the NFL, I have to be the best quarterback on my team. Things worked out. Q. What was your relationship with him like early? BLAKE BORTLES:  I mean, it's never changed honestly. People often ask that question, think we don't like each other, he doesn't like me, things of that sort. We've had a great relationship since day one and have been able to maintain our friendship, have really been good friends ever since we've gotten to college. Q. What has this experience been like for you so far, all the hype? BLAKE BORTLES: It's been awesome. It's really a dream come true for us to come to a BCS game, have this experience, go on this journey. A lot of thanks to the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. Q. How many of the Bortles family is making a trip out here? BLAKE BORTLES: I've got four coming. Not so much. It's an expensive flight from Orlando. Thankfully I was able to get a couple family members out here. But I know they'll be watching back home. Q. When you put your name in Google, it comes up girlfriend, and you see your girlfriend. Is she making the trip? BLAKE BORTLES: She's coming with my parents, my brother and my grandma. She's way more famous than I am. I'm sure she'll have a great time with my family. Q. She has 2,000 Twitter followers. If after the game she has 200,000, will that be weird for you? BLAKE BORTLES: No, I don't care. Q. How long have you been together? BLAKE BORTLES: Since high school. Q. There's similarities between Baylor and UCF: first BCS bowl games, both teams are in states where other schools dominate. Do you see those similarities? BLAKE BORTLES: Definitely. Those two things right there, we're really dominated by bigger schools within our state. That affects everything as far as recruiting, everything like that. I think both of us being here for the first time in a BCS game is a big change. It's a huge similarity. Q. What would it mean for UCF, for the program, the reputation, to win? BLAKE BORTLES: I think it would be huge. I think getting to a BCS game is a huge accomplishment itself, but that's not really our goal. Our goal was to win the conference championship and go on and win a bowl game, which is a BCS bowl game this year. Q. Did you think you would be playing in a BCS game when you committed to Central Florida? BLAKE BORTLES: I can't say I did. When I committed we were in Conference USA. Had a very slim chance of making it to a BCS game. I'd say it's been a special journey to go from Conference USA to the American, automatic qualifying bid, make it here this year. Q. You are underdogs. Does that give you a different sort of motivation? BLAKE BORTLES: We've been underdogs a couple times this year and really embraced that role and kind of have taken that on. We don't mind it at all. When people expect you to lose, it's not a bad thing. But we prepare the same way we do each and every week. Q. When you look at Baylor's defense, what do they pose? BLAKE BORTLES: They do everything well. They play within their defense. They're well‑coached. They're a Big 12 defense. They're good. We're going to have to be on our game in order to execute. Q.  Is it a nice story for two programs with similar backgrounds? BLAKE BORTLES: I think it's huge to have this exposure, accomplish this feat, be able to make it here. It's great for both programs. Q. The twin brothers, can you see the relationship play out on the field that they have? BLAKE BORTLES: They have a special relationship on the field. I came in as a freshman. It's awesome to watch them make their bonds. I guess there's the twin thing, but they're usually on the same page. It's really special to watch. Q. Very competitive as most brothers tend to be. Is it fun watching them push each other? BLAKE BORTLES: It is fun watching them push each other. It's even funnier to watch them argue about who runs the faster 40 time. It's fun watching them compete in everything they do. Q. As they've grown, they've been able to rely on each other. BLAKE BORTLES: They definitely make each other better. That's probably one of their best assets. Q. Are there big differences between them physically or personality‑wise? BLAKE BORTLES: There is. Justin is leaner. Jordan is thicker. That's the difference I see. Justin has a freckle on his face (laughter). Personality‑wise, Justin is more the comedian, clown. Jordan is more the competitor. Q. After this game, when you start to think about the decision about going to the NFL, what factors are you going to look at? BLAKE BORTLES: I really don't know because I haven't sat down to think about what are the good things, the bad things, the pros and the cons. I honestly can't even answer that. I wish I knew. But that's something I'll have to figure out in the future. Q. Did you make a decision early on you weren't going to let yourself think about it before this game was over? BLAKE BORTLES: Definitely. Late in the season when stuff started coming up, it was like, Don't worry about it. I told my parents not to talk to anybody, that we would figure it out when the season is over. We would talk it out and make a decision. Q. Was there a specific moment this year when you realized that you were really good, you could make it to a BCS game? BLAKE BORTLES: I think it kind of built up over time. After a win, another win, another win, confidence continues to build. The closer we got, we had a mindset of one game at a time. We realized what was at the end of the road, if we were able to continue to win, what would be there. Q. Coach O'Leary writes down a record he thinks you're capable of. You surpassed that. Is that something you think of as a team? BLAKE BORTLES: He probably puts more time into it. Our goal was to win a conference championship. To be able to accomplish that goal this season is something special. Q. Going against Bryce, two high‑end caliber quarterbacks, does that push you more to have a really good game? BLAKE BORTLES: I think so. Bryce has had a phenomenal year. He's a great quarterback as his numbers and team record speaks. Anytime I get to play against somebody that is well‑respected, it makes me want to play against him and give really my best game. Q. Last year you lost six games, and this year it's the exact opposite. BLAKE BORTLES: It's just the way the tides have turned. You can't control some of those bounces that go your way and some that go the other way. We've been very fortunate this year to have some go our way. Q. Talk about everything that's happened in the last year. BLAKE BORTLES: It's been a long journey. I think to go from playing in St.Pete to playing in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, the hard work that was done all summer, spring, has really prepared us for this moment. Q. We've seen programs that bring in good guys, then recruiting gets better. BLAKE BORTLES: The only way to get good recruits and a lot of them is to win and be successful. That draws attention to your program, makes high school kids want to be part of it. Q. Your receivers are some of the best in the country. What is that relationship like with you guys? BLAKE BORTLES: It's really good. We've thrown together for years. We've worked the kinks out, get timing down, making sure everybody is on the same page. Q. Jeff I've heard is the class clown. BLAKE BORTLES: They're all clowns. They're really good about when to clown around and when to get serious and go to work. They really make me a lot better. Q. Is there a confidence you have in this group of guys to know that you can make a play and they're going to be there? BLAKE BORTLES: Yeah. I know if I can get the ball in their hands, they're more than not going to make something happen. I have a lot of confidence in them. If I throw the ball to them, they're going to come down with it. Q. Does it feel like Super Bowl Sunday to you? BLAKE BORTLES: This is definitely the biggest stage we've been on. It's a great feeling, a great environment. We couldn't be more happy to be here and be a part of it. Q. Talk about the similarities in the programs. BLAKE BORTLES: I think the fact that we're in states that are overtaken by bigger football programs that dominate the recruiting trail, all that. Same record. First time here. Really just excited to play this game. Q. What would it mean for your city to win? BLAKE BORTLES: I think they would be very happy. Have a lot of family and friends there. Just really want to make them proud. Q. Do you also want to make your house proud? You live with three football players on the team. What do you want to do for that house? BLAKE BORTLES: I'd like to put our house on the map, as well as Joey and J.J. would. Q. When you were in high school, Jeff Driskel was a big recruit, he went to Florida. Did you come in with a chip on your shoulder because of that? BLAKE BORTLES: Yes. I've been able to maintain a good relationship with Jeff. I think a lot of kids come to UCF with a chip on their shoulder, maybe they're a little mad they didn't get recruited by the bigger schools. I think that's what makes us have a little edge on other people, is we want to be able to play with the best in the country. That's the attitude we have. Q. You are the second best team in Florida this year. Is there room in the state of Florida for a big four? BLAKE BORTLES: Hopefully they're going to have to make room. We're going to do everything we can to continue to be successful and make a name for UCF. Q. What do you have to do to keep your defense off the field? BLAKE BORTLES: They're a great offense, but they also have a great defense. We have to stay on the field, maintain drives. We can't go three‑and‑out. We have to continue to move the chains, put drives together, score points. Q. Is it starting to feel like it's actual game week, couple days away? BLAKE BORTLES: It's definitely getting closer. We're getting ready to gear up for this game. Each day the anxiety builds up, you want to go play. We're getting ready to take on this challenge. Q. What is it like knowing the stage you'll be playing on, to be on this national stage? BLAKE BORTLES: It's huge for both us and Baylor. It's a huge opportunity for our programs, our universities. It will give us a lot of good exposure. It helps both teams out. I think both of us are excited to be here and have this opportunity. Q. Do you relish the underdog role? BLAKE BORTLES: We really don't care much. Don't pay attention much to it. We know it's there. We know we're the underdogs. It's fine. We'll prepare like we did every other week of this year. Q. Which game sticks out most in your mind? BLAKE BORTLES: I would say Louisville. The team that was picked to win the conference this year. We're down with two minutes to go. We have to put a two‑minute drive together to come back and beat them. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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