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00:00 It was a pretty good Tuesday practice.
00:02 Coming off a shortened day, one day closer to our last game.
00:08 Yesterday was the guys' off day.
00:10 They came in, got treatments, did things to try to get their bodies back and right,
00:14 but today we needed to put in the work.
00:18 Coaches, it was an early morning Monday, but we got a great start on Southern Miss
00:23 and I appreciate the work from the guys.
00:26 I thought there were some times of ups and downs in just moments,
00:30 but it was more like a play.
00:31 It wasn't necessarily even a sequence of things today,
00:35 just opportunities for guys to grow and continue to push.
00:40 I thought they came out with the right work ethic
00:42 and we were able to get some good work, good speed.
00:45 We still did some good on good work, which was good and productive.
00:49 We'll be able to go back and watch a film and continue on towards our game week.
00:54 So we'll be third down situations, a couple of two-minute different things tomorrow,
01:00 but excited about seeing our guys continue to grow.
01:04 That was a big point of emphasis coming off a Sunday night.
01:08 Just like I said before the game, it was about us.
01:11 Still that's our focus.
01:13 We've got to go get better fundamentally.
01:15 The little things, cleaning up some of the mistakes that showed up in the first game.
01:21 Like I said, I'm proud of the team for their approach.
01:25 For as physical as that game was, you guys came out pretty unscathed.
01:29 Yeah, for the most part.
01:30 There were a few things coming off the game, but nothing at this time
01:34 that I think really is going to extend much further.
01:39 We'll see as some guys that did have some bumps and bruises
01:42 kind of where they are as the week progresses.
01:44 What's your thought about the offensive line performance
01:46 when you go back and watch the game?
01:48 I thought they did a great job.
01:50 There were some challenges that we faced throughout it.
01:54 I think we played eight different linemen, which is what we planned on.
01:58 There were some really, really good performances.
02:02 I think when you come out of a game not giving up any sacks
02:06 against a talented defensive line, they were able to create some push at times.
02:11 But I thought our guys from the first quarter to the fourth quarter,
02:15 I thought they got better throughout.
02:17 I think you're seeing the confidence of those guys being able to work together,
02:20 but also the different combinations that were used.
02:24 What I loved is just the toughness and the mindset.
02:27 You get to the third, fourth quarter,
02:30 and there was some tough sliding in the run game early,
02:33 but the guys kept pounding at it.
02:36 I thought they were able to kind of enforce their will there
02:40 at the end of that game and what we were doing in the run game.
02:44 So I was really proud of those guys.
02:46 They're some very talented players and pass rushers,
02:49 and we were able to kind of neutralize them.
02:51 With the run game in general,
02:52 is that kind of what you're looking for to get the progress they've had?
02:55 Absolutely.
02:56 There are certain things that you always have plans of things you want to do
03:01 going into a game.
03:03 And then just the ways we can mix the different variations.
03:07 I kind of liked some of the lessons that were learned early in the game
03:11 and how we were able to apply that as it got later.
03:15 Our guys are in great shape.
03:18 They played tough.
03:19 You can see the strength, the size, the physicality as the game continued to wear on.
03:23 That's part of the battle.
03:25 We only played 64, 67 snaps, but it's not like we played 90.
03:34 When you see that being able to establish that kind of toughness
03:38 and physicality there at the end, it shows through the training.
03:44 The way the offense was kind of smothering there some in the first half,
03:48 to regroup and have that ball touchdown drive right before half time.
03:52 I thought that was one of the keys of the game,
03:54 was that response of the second quarter touchdown was huge.
03:59 And for guys to be able to go out there and execute,
04:04 it really both sides of the ball.
04:06 You look at the situational football.
04:08 We spent so much time talking about that,
04:11 so much time repping and trying to put those guys in different experiences.
04:17 For our cash down, third and fourth downs,
04:20 I think we were 9 of 14 or 10 of 15, I think it was counting the fourth down.
04:26 You look at the defensively, 3 of 13, I believe it was,
04:30 and we were 0 and 3 on fourth down.
04:31 That was huge.
04:32 The goal line stands, red zone.
04:34 We were able to keep them.
04:36 We scored, I think it was, two touchdowns inside the red zone.
04:42 We were 2 of 5 of doing that,
04:44 but then also held them to a field goal and another with the two stands.
04:49 I was really, really pleased with that part of it.
04:52 Offensively, 4-4 in the red zone was something that we wanted to have a big emphasis of.
04:56 When we got there, we needed to do it.
04:57 And then a couple of that with explosive plays is always good.
05:01 All the things that we try to emphasize and work on, I thought applied.
05:05 We had some uncharacteristic penalties that showed up early.
05:11 You have your feelings on them, and I do,
05:15 but it was one of the things that we had to respond to.
05:19 We came out in the second half and cleaned it up,
05:22 and I thought that really helped put us in a position to have a great second half of the game.
05:28 We've got time for a couple more.
05:30 I guess, do you feel live when looking back, the effects of the--
05:33 No, I mean, I try to watch games as much as possible, and there's games.
05:39 You can see it, like, 4-minute.
05:43 Once you get inside that 4-minute mark of what it would have been like--
05:46 and of course in a game, you're not going to feel that difference,
05:48 but when you're 2 to 4 minutes in a game and you've got to score, you've got to do things.
05:55 We went to more of a 4-minute approach with--I think it was close to 7 minutes on the clock.
06:01 Being able to do that, get a first down, and then still be able to work that time,
06:06 I mean, you're gaining--depending on how many first downs you gain,
06:09 you're probably going to gain a good minute with three first downs that's removed from the clock
06:15 just in actual operation of what it would have been.
06:18 So I do think it has an effect at that point, but big picture approach.
06:23 I mean, you don't feel it as much.
06:25 How much did you like the way some of the guys finished runs late in that game,
06:27 Rodney Hill, Jaheim?
06:31 I think you look at--I know Jaheim gets a lot of attention, rightfully so,
06:35 but I thought Rodney Hill's run was impressive.
06:40 I mean, he's not the biggest guy in the world, but you see him--Mindset 1-2.
06:44 I mean, Rodney's got a great future, continuing to work, continuing to get better.
06:48 I thought he dealt with a little bit of an injury during fall camp,
06:53 so he had been a little bit limited.
06:55 So I didn't know what that play count would look like for him coming out of the game,
06:59 but when he got in there, he made it happen.
07:02 Definitely excited, but that was a hell of a way to finish off the run.
07:07 How much is this week a test, just a test of your team?
07:10 You talk about middle toughness and being tough, coming off a huge win like that.
07:15 It provides an opportunity to continue to be tested, but every day's a test.
07:19 I mean, I know it's--but it is.
07:24 Each day we've got to get up and make a decision on what we want to be.
07:29 I challenged the guys last week.
07:30 I think it was our Wednesday practice.
07:32 I mean, that was a test.
07:34 Ultimately there was some sloppiness and some things that showed up at that point
07:39 that showed up early in the first half of the game, and that pissed me off.
07:44 We had the choice.
07:46 I thought our Thursday and our Friday were much better, and I think that also shows up.
07:53 But, yes, the structure of this week 100% does provide an opportunity to have to
08:00 challenge yourself to another level, just in the sense of urgency of getting your
08:03 body back to where it needs to be.
08:06 Coaches, players, everybody involved in the preparation of what we're going to do,
08:10 the plan of attack, and then obviously going in and actually being able to execute it.
08:18 We spent a lot of time this summer preparing for this game,
08:22 and I knew it would be a short week, so we had a good plan in place.
08:27 We got a lot of early work, but now we're here.
08:29 We've got to go do it.
08:31 I'm excited to see how our guys continue to respond through this week.
08:35 Thank you, Coach.
08:36 All right, thanks, Coach.