what's the feeling like? Is it different coming here the second time around? Is it the feeling of different? It's about the same. You know I don't remember a lot of things about it. You know he has a coach. You just kind of move on to the next week the next year. Uh As I walk down this hallway right to this spot I remember we had our meetings down there that it started to come back to me but I wouldn't be able to call out this this lobby area here. But Um you know we got a different team than we did. You know 2018. Um I think we have a more mature team. But when you take the field will you have a feeling one way or the other? When you take that field on saturday you definitely have a feeling of it's a it's a championship game, Championship atmosphere. It's the I think the A. C. C. Is the most underrated conference in the country. Uh Not not people talk about it kind of shocked. They don't get it. So depending on what the performance we see on saturday. Do you think people would begin to talk about the A. C. S. I think so especially with you said you've got a very good week of practice. Can you take me through how focused these athletes were getting raped? Just seemed different than normal? I think every week is good. But it was just a little bit different. Just seemed like there was just laser focus and you talk about laser focus every week but just seemed a little bit different. So I couldn't put a, you know, couldn't put a finger on exactly what? Just seemed really good. It takes a team effort to get here. The players, obviously the staff, the school, the program, but how important have the fans been and the success of this football team getting to this point today. They've been extremely important. I mean, we talked about it every week having, you know, the panther pit, having our fans, you know, driving in on the bus today and seeing people out there screaming our kids play for the fans. I mean that's who they played for and they play for their families and they play for the fans, they play for the coaches and you know, nobody wants to play in an empty stadium. I get the sense the confidence level has risen on this football team and the players we've talked to this week, it's not only about being here, they say, I'm just not happy to be here. Not only do I want to win, but we feel we should win this game. Yeah, I mean, you can't be overconfident, but I think again, I think part of that is they've been here before and I think they were excited to be here. Um, and you know, this time, it's like we already did this, like we're going to finish this thing off the right way and I think Nazi attitude. And speaking of guys who are confident, playing well, we've been here before, Kenny Pickett at the beginning of the year, you said, this guy needs to be up for the Heisman in the recent weeks is kind of swelled now people have really begun to recognize Kenny and what he's done is that satisfying to you to see him get that recognition on a nationwide level? It really is. I mean, Kenny came back to win a championship, um, but you know, improving your draft stock and all the rest of things that come with it, you know, building his legacy at the University of Pittsburgh, goes all, you know, go in there together. So it's just been, you know, unbelievable for, for every aspect. And that's the beautiful thing about it. I look at Wake Forest and there are similarities between Pitt and wait for us from a very strong quarterback, explosive offenses, stability and the coaching ranks. Do you see a similarity with a team that you played only once ever in Wake Forest? Yeah, I really do. I mean, there's continuity between the, you know, the staff's, I guess, um, and uh, and again they do what they do and they do it well, they don't try to do too much on offense or defense and, and again, that's kind of how we're built, We're not going to junk it up offensively or defensively, this is what we do and you've got to stop it and that's what we do defensively and, you know, we got to make plays. Well it sounds like the defense that steps up, we'll have the ultimate success in this game given how explosive the offenses are, who are the key people in defense. They need to not only have good games but be leaders in order to have your defense be successful. Well I think this is every week, I mean it takes 11. Um but if I walk into the line reading room I say you guys are the key. You guys gotta get push up front, we gotta put pressure on the quarterback. Then I'll walk into the tv meeting room and I say hey you guys are the key to victory, You gotta lock them up, you gotta press, you know, we're gonna press and you gotta play great technique and and why are those guys up? And I think it takes all those guys, it's not one but I'd say between the D. Line and in that defensive secondary, those four Dbs are critical. Finally, you've always said it's it's wanna know each week, it's wanna know. But is this difference, it's a championship game, is it a different experiences, a different way that you approach it? I mean can you make it just another game? To me it's just another game. I don't want you guys thinking about it's something bigger and maybe we did that the last time as well to me it's another game At the end of the day. I like I said a few weeks ago, our job is to go win football games and is to be wanna know, get number 11 however you wanna put it. Um, there's been three teams and Pit history that have gotten exactly 11. There's been one that got 12, um, ultimately have a chance to do that if we get number 11. But you realize if you win this game is your first sec championship, something you have not done before. No question about it. And we'll worry about that. After the fact, let's just get what we want to know and focus on. I don't want them looking at the scoreboard. Don't look at the scoreboard. Don't look at the time. Just keep playing 11 plate of time. Pat, thank you very much. Good luck to you. Very excited to see what happens tomorrow. No doubt. Thanks again, appreciate always pleasure. Okay, mm hmm. Yeah.