WIDE RECEIVER DeMARIO DOUGLAS
How good was it to get the win for your coach?
It felt good just to see that smile on his face. To come back into the place that he was coaching and do our thing. It felt good after the game and seeing him smile happy, man we worked hard for this.
Take us to the one-handed catch.
I don't know. Blessings right there. I just had an under route, and I seen the ball and my eyes were just locked on the ball and its fourth-down and that's a big play. So I know man I can't let the ball go regardless. So my eyes was like really locked on that ball.
Reached out the right hand?
Yeah right hand and it just landed there.
But your body was kind of going the other way?
My body was going left and I saw the ball behind me and some Spider Manish type catch.
Did you feel like an out of body experience? After the play, what were your emotions?
I was like, let's go. These plays happen here and there. I was just blessed. And we scored on that drive so that felt good.
How much do you see Drake Maye getting better each week? What did you think of today's game?
He keeps his poise. Never too high, never too low. H comes into the game very prepared. He watches a lot of film, definitely locked in and gets everybody right in their position. He's becoming a great leader and his confidence is getting up there. I want it out of the roof. I want his confidence out the roof. So as we play week after week after week I need it to keep going up, and I'm proud of him for sure.
I know so much has changed since last season. I asked about that game last year and it left a sour taste. If you think about it in context of that game, how much has Drake Maye changed since the loss to Tennessee last year?
Yeah a year ago we lost. That one hurt. One that we could have had and we lost. But you got to have that next play mentality. I don't know if he had it in his head that we lost last year here and come back this year and come get that dub. But we all got his back regardless of anything and the people that would probably here, we play for Vrabes no matter what. Every game we play for Vrabes and it felt good to get this win.
The one handed catch you made obviously stands out. I'm curious if there had been any other one handed catches that come to your mind that maybe would be similar to that?
Kind of but not going the opposite way. I don't think so, not going the opposite way. But on the same feel, I kind of had a one hand catch here on Tennessee, but that one was different last year. But going different way, that was my first.
Did you ever play other sports? Did you play baseball or basketball?
I played baseball in middle school, but when the ball hit me and the coach told me I can't dodge the ball, I was done. He wanted me to turn my back and I told the coach I ain't going to lie after this year coach I'm going to stick to football and basketball.
Did you dive and catch in the outfield?
I was a great center fielder for sure.
So you didn't play short stop?
We had people that was real good at that on our team.
How are you guys feeding off of each other? If it's not you, it's Kayshon Boutte making that grab. If it's not Boutte, it's Stefon Diggs. It's seems like you guys have nice rhythm.
The selfishness, we took it out. We grew a bond that our energy takes over everything. Once one guy make a play, man, the next one go make a play. We build off each other. And man, that's why I love this room. It starts with our coach. Our coach makes us closer. He give us a speech almost every day before practicing. Man, it hits home. It's like, once one makes a play, man it's your turn next. It could be your turn, next. So just be ready. And when that ball come your way, make a play. And it feels like we've been doing that and I pray that we keep going that way.
You guys talk about going on the road and winning away from home. To prepare this upcoming week for a home game when the fans haven't seen you in a month, what do you expect that excitement will be like?
I know the energy is going to be out the roof. Our fans, we have some good fans. We have some great fans, and I can't wait. I can't wait. It's nothing better than at home. I need another home win. That'll feel good.
Big picture perspective. This past offseason, you were very vocal that you were sick of losing. You were one of the only handful of guys who have been here the last couple of years. You guys have already surpassed the win totals of the last a couple of years. How do you feel? Do you feel optimistic? What's your general feeling since we talked in the summer about being tired of losing?
I feel good. So, as we say, flip the script, things like that to get the win, man. It's just playing your part, knowing your role, things like that and the unselfishness. I feel like that's what's helping us win. We're out there playing for each other. That also adds a part to it. And man, the guys that we have, man. It starts with our coaches, and then the players that we have, we're all close. I think that's the first team that, offensive and defense are close. Like, we're close, and it's just a good energy. If y'all seen the locker room, we'll be wrestling, receivers wrestling the D-line. That don't even sound right. Them boys be huge, but it just bring us closer, brothers. That's how brothers do, and that gets us close.
