Everything you need to know about the 2024 Birmingham Bowl

Well, first of all, uh, just want to say thank you to everyone in Birmingham who's, who's welcomed us and we're excited to be here and play against, uh, in *** great game against *** great team in Georgia Tech. Um, this is *** culmination of *** special year, uh, for us. And there's been *** lot of effort and sacrifice made to get this team to this point. I think it's also *** great opportunity for us to, to launch into what's next, you know, and so our team's been focused in preparation both in, uh, celebrating the time we have together. This is *** tight knit team that cares *** lot about one another and, um, so we're having fun. Obviously we're focused on preparing and playing our best against Georgia Tech and then also. Um, for this team to leave *** legacy and to make history as *** team is important to us as well. So there's been *** lot of, of, uh. Great motivation for us to, to, um, again, get everything thing we can out of this time in bowl prep and. Uh, I'm happy to be in *** historic city in ***, in *** great game again and, uh, thank you to Birmingham for being so welcoming to us. OK, we're gonna open it up for questions. Who wants to start us? Diego, how much does it mean to, to play in this bowl game and how special is it for you to have that extra year of eligibility you fought for? It's uh very special just to be in, you know, get an opportunity to play in our 13th game this year um you know we're super grateful this team will never be the same, so you know just taking it one day at *** time, cherishing every moment, um, but it'll be uh *** legacy left here from this team that we'll build on for next season. And how about the, uh, super blessed about it, um. You know, it's just God's doing. We got *** lot in plan for next season and um we got bigger dreams we want to be playing in January come next season. OK. Hey, um, so I'm coming from *** different perspective in my questioning, but just wanted to know how are things going in Birmingham so far. You started this morning off with practice, of course you'll be playing golf here in *** little bit and then of course you have other activities planned for tomorrow. So what's the visit been like and how are you enjoying things? Well, from my vantage point, I'd like maybe Marlow to talk to. This is his hometown and so he's able to experience it, uh, that way, but, um, this is *** first-class bowl operation. again, there's so many volunteers and people here in Birmingham. Obviously ESPN the work they do, um, the SEC and, and, and the work on their end as well. This is, um. The Birmingham Bulls all class and so we had *** great welcome yesterday. There's been, uh, some fun activities for our guys lined up and, uh, *** chance to engage with, with this city and, um, we couldn't be happier with this is the, the place where Diego, as Diego said, we get to celebrate our our 13th game, our last game together and, um, you know, I'm, I'm really proud of the way this team is, is pulled together and, and, um. Just put their focus on playing at our best. um, this is obviously *** challenging time in college football, and one of the things that makes me most proud about this team is the genuine sense of connection they have. And I'm talking about the players, you know, and obviously coaches are *** part of that too, but, um, it's fun for us as coaches to be *** part of *** team that cares about one another and, um, again, the city of Birmingham has been very welcoming to us and we're, we're happy to be here. Yeah, I mean, it feels great to be back in Birmingham. I had my first bowl game. I mean, I came in with Coach Lee in 2021, and we always harped on having postseason play, so to have postseason play from my hometown, it just feels great to be back. I mean, the city is welcoming and I was just excited when we first got out that we'll be playing Georgia Tech here. Oh, high school teammates, old friends, family, friends from other states, so I'm gonna have *** big crowd there. Usually Diego has the most, uh, family and friends at games, but I think Marlo's might have *** beat this time. We have *** question online, uh, Robbie Weinstein, if you want to go ahead and unmute and ask your question. Yeah, hey guys, um, you know, Diego already talked about this, I guess with my dog, uh, gets *** little excited here, but, um, you know, Clark, from *** staff standpoint and Marlon from *** team standpoint, what was the reaction when when Diego got that decision and, you know, obviously just how it kind of changes the trajectory of the program essentially. Well, I, I care *** lot about Diego first. I mean, that, that's so, you know, my first point of celebration. I actually saw, I happened to see him in the hallway right as it was all coming out. I, I think I actually gave him *** kiss on the side of the head which shows you how excited I was, but, um. I'm happy for him. I'm happy for our sport too. I, you know, I think college football is better with guys like Diego playing as long as they can possibly play and, um, I think he's been inspirational to so many people at Vanderbilt, so many people in the Nashville community, but I also think he's been inspirational to *** lot of people across the country and. It's *** testament to the platform that Vanderbilt and Nashville provide our our student athletes. And when you have someone special like Diego as *** part of your program, you wanna hang on to him again as long as you can. So, um, happy for him, happy for us, um, happy to be able to continue to build on the progress we've made this season and to do that. Obviously there's gonna be *** lot, um, that's gonna remain intact, you know, we want to retain um the healthy parts of our program that we've uh in *** lot of cases worked hard over 3 and 4 years to invest in the people and and to um to get to this point and then we need to look to to areas where we can elevate and add, um, from the transfer portal but having leadership intact in our locker room. Makes all of that possible and and it ensures that we don't lose our identity and the values that we hold most dear um so guys like Diego will be fighting for that program every day and as we introduce new program members and teach people what it means to be *** part of An football which is distinct um. You know, it's, it's great to have his leadership voice in that room, um, to, uh, to help us again carry our identity forward and, and, and look to build upon the progress of the season. Yeah, me and my teammates appreciate what Diaza has run through the program this year, and I mean, the first time I, I heard about it, I was actually in the locker room cutting hair. I heard Diego come in to the locker room screaming. I'm like, what's going on? I walk over there. He, he got his other ear of eligibility de him up, and I'm just excited for him, man. He's, he's one of the greatest I've played with in the Vanderbilt, so it's good to have him on our program. I wanna be clear that Mar Marlow doesn't cut my hair. Um, I don't wanna do that to him. OK, we have Joey Dwyer online if you want to unmute and ask your question. Clark, and I guess for the players too, you mentioned legacy and kind of leaving this game with that how do you hope that this team is remembered, I guess the fallout of this game as well. Well, we, you know, the, the game's important to us because we want to win the game and that's not unique to us. We know Georgia Tech takes the same approach and it's again, it's *** great matchup. We're gonna have to play well. I mean, there's *** lot that we're gonna need to do, um, that, you know, is reflective of the success we've had this season where we protect the ball, where we interlock three phases, uh, we control the game offensively and we're opportunistic defensively. Those things hold true in this one. Um, I, it's just exciting to me, I think the matchup, they got the matchup right, um. Yeah and so to play in *** meaningful game where, where you, you, you're matched up against an opponent in so many ways, and I said this. When I was in town last, we're almost kind of mirror images. I mean, they, they have ***, *** tough program that plays really hard and they're physical and, you know, they establish *** physical run game. They use formations and motions to create leverage advantage offensively. I, you know, I'm, uh, Tyler Santucci, the defensive coordinators, we, we were cut from the same tree. I mean, I just, um, there are *** lot of similarities. So I think that's exciting to be *** part of ***. *** game with 22 really tough teams, um, and ***, and *** great football city. As far as the legacy of the team, uh, you know, we'll, we'll reflect more on, on the progress made in this season. I think the cool thing about, you know, the legacy of this team is the conversations that we'll have when we get back in January about the people that are no longer with us in the program that worked really hard, um, and Marlo mentioned it, you know, earlier too, I mean. You know, to go back to 2021 and 2022 and 2023 and to just think about the pain and suffering at times that we've experienced and how there's been such *** neat group of people that have stayed intact and kept working with the belief that, you know, we were gonna break through at some point. I mean, that, that is so special to think about. And as we have opportunities to now build upon ***, um, *** bowl experience and hopefully *** bowl win and hopefully, you know, the first winning season. Since 2013, all those things are meaningful to us because it gives us *** chance, like Diego said earlier, to reach for more. And I've been pretty consistent in saying this all season, you know, your, your season doesn't come down to one game, um, you know, when we beat Virginia Tech to open the year, that wasn't, that wasn't the goal of the season. It's, it's about, um, trying to find the potential of *** team and, and, um, we're grateful to have this experience together. Um, I think what we say is we're proud but not satisfied, you know, so we want to really look to have *** great competitive game, um, on Friday and, and then to, to build upon this season and to solidify the legacy of this team in the way we operate moving forward. We have Aiden Rutman, if you want to unmute and ask your question. Diego, obviously super exciting that you got your year of eligibility, um, but then going beyond that for, you know, your teammate Stephen Hubbard and then for otherhupa players around the country, how exciting is that for you that you got the opportunity to blaze that path for everybody? Yeah it's uh it's amazing I think it was *** long time coming um you know I think that they got it right, um. You know, people like me deserve an extra year uh for Big low uh we'll be excited, you know, he's he's about 27 now, so. We'll be excited to get him when he's 28, uh, but yeah, I mean, um, for the Vanderbilt future it's, it, it looks bright, um, we just gotta like coach Lee said, live up to our potential, so we'll be excited to, uh, you know, play this game and then when we get back in January, go to work. Do we have any other questions in the room? Clark, you have *** national championship ring as *** baseball player back at Birmingham Southern in in 2001. What memories do you have of, of that year? And it's *** special coming back here for maybe that reason as well. I've, I've got *** lot of great memories from my year at Birmingham Southern, um, you know. Brian Shupe was *** coach. I know, you know, if you're familiar with Birmingham Sports, you know who Brian Shupe is. I mean, such *** legend was *** legend at Birmingham Southern, obviously finished his career out at at UAB, um. I think I learned *** lot. I mean, I know I learned *** lot from. From him, um, and how he operated that program and how we built authentic connection within that program, it was always others focused, others centered, um, there was always something bigger than baseball. Butch Thompson was on that staff too. Obviously Butch has had *** great career. Matt Braga was *** coach on that staff. Matt, um, you know, has, has been to Omaha with with Tennessee Tech. So you know, I was around *** lot of really cool people. And, um, you know, and the coaching staff and then great teammates too that I stayed in touch with and have stayed in touch with, um, like anyone's freshman year in college, it was *** formative year. I learned *** lot about myself and, um, you know, Birmingham Southern was such an incredible institution. At the time it was NAI, you know, they then moved to Division One athletics and then. Uh, soon thereafter down to Division 3, it just, um. It was kind of *** *** neat moment to be *** part of that place and to to have it be the finish of an NAI, um, time in that that league, uh, but, um, to go out on top was really meaningful and again as *** freshman, you're kind of inheriting the history of the, the struggle and the fight and the program and, um, you know, Coach Shu had. Had it written on his heart that we were gonna, you know, finish that way and, um, the team willed its way through *** tough schedule to do that. And I, I mourn the, the closing of the school. I, I'm sad about it, you know, um, it's unfortunate. I, you know, but, um, certainly I've got great memories. I know so many other, others have great memories from their time there and mine was *** short stay, but it was very meaningful to me. Um Uh, for Marlon, for *** kid from Alabama to beat Alabama and Auburn this year during your senior year, what did that mean to you personally? I mean, being *** ballplayer at Vanderbilt, of course I wanna win and get beat every team, but just being from the state of Alabama, I mean family all across Alabama Auburn fans, Alabama fans after that game, I checked my phone. I got aunties, cousins, everybody hit me up saying, oh y'all be my favorite team because I growing up I was an Alabama fan. I mean that's something I was born into, but by the time I got up here, I'm not *** fan of anybody for all for Vanderbilt, but. You know, family still hits me up this day saying, oh, you beat Auburn y'all run Alabama and stuff like that. Just know his family that, uh, know that family would say, but I mean I'm just proud to be *** part of this team and just win any game that we win. Any other questions? Well, thank you so much and we will see you all on Friday. Thank you, coach.