Kenyan Drake – December 7, 2017
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Thursday, December 7, 2017
RB Kenyan Drake
(What does your body feel like after that workload and what did you do to help it recover?) – “I just know it’s never going to feel as bad in a loss than a win, so I feel great in that aspect. I was pretty sore after the game; but it’s all about being diligent, so I just try to go get in the hot tub and cold tub, work with (Sports Performance Director) Wayne Diesel, our sports scientist. They do a great job trying to get everybody back on the field as fast as possible, so I just try to follow their lead and they help me get to where I need to be.”
(So 23 carries on Monday Night, are you up for that?) – “I’m up for whatever they put on my plate. Whatever helps this team win.”
(If you had to criticize yourself for what you put on the field, what would that criticism be?) – “I got (winded) a little bit earlier in the game, just because I didn’t catch my second wind earlier, so some of the routes when I came out of the backfield weren’t really crisp and full speed. I try to pride myself on having a high motor and going full speed, down-in and down-out, so I was a little disappointed seeing I put that on the film. So that’s something I’m going to try to work on this game.”
(The first thing people will mention, obviously, around the league when they talk about you is speed, but you’ve obviously shown you can break tackles and you’re a physical runner between the tackles. Is that a part of your game you think some people would be surprised about who haven’t seen you a lot?) – “I think anybody, if look at my physique and they look at my track record, they probably have some type of preconceived notions about me, whatever the case may be; but I just try to go out there and put my best foot forward and whatever you all say about me, whatever anybody says about me, that’s what they say. I just try to be my best player.”
(Were you curious before the game to see how you would react to a 20-plus carry game?) – “I for sure was. I felt like as the game went on, I kind of got stronger, especially with the o-line. They got stronger. Everybody just got stronger as the game went on and I feel like it was fed through the special teams playing well. Jakeem (Grant) did a great job with putting us in great field position after all the punt (returns) that he had. The kickoff return team, everybody played a part in it. Everybody just got stronger as the game went on.”
(I know you mentioned to us right after RB Jay Ajayi was traded that you don’t look at this as a seven-game audition to be a lead back; but your body of work is obviously going to be taken into account by the management here. Are you pleased with what you’ve put on tape to this point?) – “Like I said, I’m just here to help this team win games. At the end of the day, whatever assessment they decide to make with my body of work or the team’s body of work in general, that’s them. I’m here to play football and help this team win games.”
(But you have to look at this as a situation to become a starter. Even in Alabama, I don’t know if you ever felt like you got a real opportunity to be a number one back. This is your chance. Do you not look at it like that?) – “I look at it as a situation that we’re 5-7 right now and we’ve got the hottest team coming into our stadium on Monday Night Football. It’s a great chance for us to make a statement to the rest of the league that we’re not down and out. We’re ready to continue fighting the rest of this season and make a playoff push at the end of this year.”
(I know you’re part of special teams. How much of the room gave grief to S Michael Thomas for not picking up that blocked punt and running it in?) – “(laughter) You can’t forget about Walt (Aikens) because he tried to dive for it when he should have just let it bounce and pick it up and run it in. In any situation when there’s green grass in front of you, you just have to keep your composure. We got on them a little bit, but we were happy that (Terrence) Fede got that block. At the end of the day, everybody does their job as well as possible, so you can’t give them too much grief. It was a high pressure situation.”
(Earlier today, Head Coach Adam Gase was talking to us about before they drafted you, what you said to him about, ‘Even if I become the feature back, would I still get a chance to return kickoffs?’ Why is it that important to you?) – “I try to just harp on it every time I talk to you all. I want to help this team any way possible, whether that’s special teams, offense, whatever the case may be. Any time I feel like I can get extra touches, whether that’s kickoff return, punt return or even running down the field and making an impact play on kickoff (coverage), I’m all for it. I want to be a great football player, not just a great running back.”
(So even now with a game like last week with 23 carries, you would still be up for returning kicks?) – “Yes, if they ask me to go in there, whatever the case may be. If they call my number, I’m going to be prepared to step up and play in any situation.”
(Do you think your speed surprises defenders? I know they hear you’re fast, but do you think it surprises them in game?) – “Yes, because I’m not, once I get into the open field, I’m not too much with making too many cuts. I always feel like the number one priority is getting in the end zone, so I’m going to run as fast as I can until I get to that point. I’m not going to showboat, I’m not going to try to slow down, do whatever the case may be. I’m going to try to get in the end zone as fast as possible. I feel like it’s a 100-meter dash every time I get the ball. That’s my whole mentality.”
