Offensive Lineman D.J. Jones

Nebraska Football
Weekly Press Conference
Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2010
Pre-Texas A&M

On going up against the No. 1 ranked run defense in the Big 12
"It will be a good challenge for us. I feel like we're doing pretty good as an offensive unit, but we're not going to be complacent by any means. We're going to go in there and do what we can to dominate this defensive group."

On what it's been like as an offensive lineman going from passing to running more
"It's been a transition that we try to do as an offense to go in and compete and take advantage of what Coach (Shawn) Watson or Coach Bo (Pelini) asks us to do. If we need to run the ball against a team we're going to do that. If we're going to pass the ball, we're going to do that as well. I think it just makes us more well-rounded to have both things in our package."

On what the offensive line likes to do the most and if that matters in the play calls
"Not really, Coach Watson makes the calls. We go out there and do it. He makes the calls. We say yes sir, and we go out there and compete and do what we can."

On what is different about pass blocking against a three-four defense
"Mainly, just because they're going to have more speed because they have the linebackers who are going to come off the edge. We just have to know in our heads that we have to be a lot quicker. Like Texas A&M, their three down linemen are pretty big guys, so it's going to be a competitive game. It will be a good versatile game for us to have speed and big guys who will be stronger."

On Texas A&M's Von Miller
"(It's about) technique and watching film and knowing the things that he is going to do, his tendencies. He's quick and being able to hone in on his abilities."

On what the last two weeks have been like for the offense
"On the offensive line we try to think about it as we have a young quarterback back there, when Cody (Green) steps in, he is a young quarterback as well. We just know that us being a unit with three seniors on it up front, we have to take the offensive line and put it on our shoulders pretty much, take the offensive unit and put it on our shoulders and try to lead for those young quarterbacks back there, for the rest of the offense and the team."

On if they like passing the ball or running the ball better
"It just depends on what kind of game we're going into. If we need to pass the ball, we'll pass the ball. If we need to be solid with running the ball and getting those yards we can do that as well."

On what the mindset is going into the next two games
"Just this week, focusing on what we need to do. Taking it day by day, watching film and making sure we're rested up when we go down there. We're going to have a crazy crowd, you know how it is down there at Texas A&M, we just have to go down there and block that out and know what we're there to do and that's stay with our consistency of winning."

On if this will the loudest crown they will face on the road
"Most definitely. It will definitely be a loud place down there, and we'll have the sound turned on this week making sure the offense is ready to deal with the noise."

On if the crowd noise in practice emulates real crowd noise
"It helps, it helps a lot. Knowing we have an away game where it is going to be loud and playing the sound during the week and having to look in at the quarterback for the calls and stuff like that. It helps us get used to do that and what it's going to be like."

On what he likes about away games and hostile crowds
"I think it focused me up a lot because I know there is crowd noise. When we come up the sideline fans are yelling at us. It makes me focus a lot more just on what I need to do to help the team out and help out our offense."

On if they get more excited for a team like Texas A&M with a No. 1 ranked run defense
"Not necessarily, we just want to win. I don't think we have anything we need to prove to anybody, just ourselves in anything. We need to make sure we go down there with our confidence and know we are able to do good things when we are on our p's and q's."

On how he would describe his season
"I'm grateful for the position I've been in this year and being able to help out this team. Before I wasn't starting 13-straight games like you said. Just being grateful for the position I've been in and not taking anything for granted."

On if this team plays up and down to the competition
"I don't think that at all. I think we go into the games with the mindset that we're going to try and dominate whoever we're going against."

On if there is any change for them when they are going against a prolific offense like A&M
"We try to go out with the mindset like we're going to be the best offense on the field that day. We're going to do everything we can to make that happen. Whether we're going to against the Indianapolis Colts, we're going to make sure we're the best offense and are doing what we can do."