AUBURN AUTHORITY

Jonathon Mincy press conference recap & transcript

James Crepea
Montgomery Advertiser

AUBURN -- Tigers cornerback Jonathon Mincy spoke publicly for the first time on Sunday since his June 28 arrest for possession of marijuana.

In a series of very carefully phrased responses to 16 questions during a six-plus minute press conference, Mincy said the word "mistake" six times and "trust" four times.

Mincy, a senior starter and preseason Third-team All-SEC selection, entered a pre-trial diversion program on July 25.

Neither Mincy nor quarterback Nick Marshall will start Auburn's season opener against Arkansas on Aug. 30.

Marshall, who also spoke Sunday for the first time since his marijuana citation, was the only Auburn player or coach to attend the press conference.

Below is the full transcript

Q: Can you explain what happened that night?
I made a mistake. Right now, I'm very apologetic to everybody that is a part of the Auburn family -- the coaches, the fans and my teammates. Day in and day out, (I'm) just trying to get everybody's respect back.

Q: Talk about from that point forward this summer, talking to your teammates, how have things gone since then?
It's a family here. I made a mistake, just every day I g and try to get everybody's trust back. That's what is important to me. I let everyone down. That's my biggest outcome right now, is just getting everybody back.

Q: Has it been hard to refocus on the season?
No. I have great support here -- coaches, players and the fans -- and just don't think about it. I made a mistake and that's in the past.

Q: Do you know what your punishment is? Gus has come out and said you're not going to start but do you know definitively how long you're going to be out?
No. I trust coach (Malzahn) and that's the biggest thing - is just getting his trust. Whatever the punishment, I open it with open hands.

Q: Fans have had a hard time understanding it because only a couple of days earlier you were at a D.A.R.E. event and then something related to drugs happens. Did that almost make this a little bit of a harder process?
Definitely. I put myself in that position and it was a mistake that I have to pay the price for. I've just got to get them fans back.

Q: Talk about moving forward, how good has it been to get back on the practice field to be able to focus on football again?
It's been indescribable. It's been good just being out there with my teammates. Just being able to come back after the season like we had and being out there having fun, playing the game that I've been blessed to play for this long. So it's just a great opportunity and I'm excited for the season.

Q: All your teammates have said every time they've been asked about it, that they got your guys' back and they still respect you. How much has that meant for your teammates to be there for you?
It's big. Like I said, I made a mistake and my teammates have been there since Day 1 and they're still here. That's what is important to me and I just love being out there with them.

Q: Talk about coach (Melvin) Smith. How big has he been in this process for you? He talked about the work you did in the summer in coaching guys up and seeing you take on that role, how big has he been for you?
It's been real big. Coach Smith is like a father-figure I never had. I grew up in a single-parent home so when I got here, different coaching changes, Coach Smith has kind of been the outlook that I can go talk to about anything on and off the field. I'm very blessed to have him as a coach, and just the rest of this coaching staff, it's a blessing.

Q: To have Holsey and Garrett and guys back, how big a difference does that make in the secondary?
It's real big. Just to have experienced player that are out there is going to have a big impact when the game comes down to the line on that third or fourth down. I just love going out there. Some of the young guys are stepping up so it's going to be a great feeling. I'm excited for the season.

Q: As a defense you were good in red zone, third down, but how much - defenses always talk about dominating - do you guys have ambitions to be much better than you were even last?
Definitely. Coach Johnson and the rest of the staff, they implement outstanding defensive strategies for us. We just have to go out there and not bust coverages and do our assignment.

Q: Can you talk about the secondary as a group. It look like you have more depth than last year, and you played a lot the last couple of years, how does this compare to your other teams?
Just being able to be fresh, that's going to be the biggest key. Not just me, but anybody being out there, bringing in fresh bodies, that's going to play a major role in the season.

Q: Watching you at that camp late last month you looked like a different guy when you had that whistle on got to coach those guys. Did you like how that made you feel, being able to do that?
Definitely. That's something I have a passion for, just working with younger individuals and being around football. Anything dealing with football, I embrace it. It's just a blessing to be able to play this game and be in this position.

Q: Coach has said that you don't have any kind of history of any incident or failed drugs tests or any behavioral issues at all. How much do you point to your track record to say, this mistake is not who I am, this is who I am. Are you trying to say that to not only your teammates, your coaches but to everybody on the outside who doesn't know you as well?
Definitely. Like I said, it was a mistake and a very humbling experience. But the biggest thing right now is leaving that in the past and just gaining everybody's trust back, starting with the coaches and my teammates and these fans.

Q: You said in the spring that you wanted to be a team captain. Do you feel like this incident at all jeopardizes the chance of getting to do that?
That's up to my coaches and my teammates. I'm just going in day in and day out getting their respect back.

Q: What has it been like moving back to field (corner). How long at all was there any transition in moving back?
Both of the positions have different issues and I'm kind of familiar with both of them. I'm sure the coaches have a great scheme where I will play and I'm going to follow their lead.

Q: Did you think at all, has it crossed your mind about how his might affect your future beyond this?
It's behind me. I'm just going in and focusing on this season. I've got my coaches and my teammates behind me, and the Auburn family, and I'm just going in ready to play football.