• last year
Transcript
00:00 Our guys pushed and fought together to work to get better.
00:05 And today was not a perfect game.
00:07 You know, we didn't, you know,
00:08 there were a lot of things we're gonna have to clean up
00:09 and continue to improve upon.
00:11 But I'm proud of our football team.
00:13 I'm proud of them, not just because of, you know,
00:16 just winning the game, but just to who they are
00:18 and the mindset which they bring,
00:20 the way that they fight for each other,
00:21 the way that they, you know, the work that goes into it.
00:25 We had a lot of different guys had to rise up, you know,
00:27 today, I mean, you look at receiver position,
00:28 we got three receivers that, you know,
00:30 two guys that have been starters
00:31 and a great freshman that were out today.
00:35 And when you see Kentron, you know,
00:37 it's a shame that, you know,
00:38 the touchdown was called back,
00:40 but Kentron coming up big, you know,
00:43 you see Kyle Moorlach does a big play there,
00:46 you know, on the vertical shot.
00:48 You know, Kyle's been so solid for us.
00:49 You know, Darion, you know, Ja'Kai with a big play,
00:53 you know, I mean, it's fun to see those guys
00:55 continue to grow and improve.
00:57 And then, you know, Keon was special and, you know,
00:59 he needs to be, I mean, he's a great player.
01:01 You know, Trey Benson, you know, was awesome.
01:03 I mean, you know, Trey has been battling, you know,
01:05 whether it's running, you know,
01:06 catching the ball to the backfield
01:08 is one of the things he's improved so much.
01:09 I thought, you know, those were two monumental plays,
01:12 you know, there in the game.
01:14 You know, defensively, I thought our guys battled,
01:16 you know, it's a tough, you know,
01:18 some challenges that show up against that offense.
01:20 And, you know, ultimately, you know,
01:23 for the most part, we were very disciplined in our gaps.
01:26 You know, we got a chance to be able
01:27 to impact the quarterback.
01:28 I don't know how many sacks we had,
01:30 but I know he was disrupted
01:31 throughout the course of the game.
01:33 You know, I thought our guys really flew around.
01:35 You know, they had some plays,
01:36 which, you know, is going to happen from time to time.
01:39 But I thought our guys, you know,
01:40 were really working hard to be better.
01:43 And, you know, we've got great depth
01:46 on that side of the ball.
01:47 And, you know, it was challenged a little bit today.
01:48 I had some guys that were down or limited,
01:51 you know, dealing with, you know, a variety of things.
01:54 But I was proud of the way that our guys competed.
01:57 You know, special teams, you know,
01:59 fortunately, we had the first, you know,
02:00 the first miss in a field goal, you know,
02:03 went off the upright.
02:04 But, you know, I still love, you know,
02:06 Ryan's response to it.
02:07 You know, we were working, you know,
02:10 there late in the game,
02:11 and he was ready if his number got called.
02:13 But, you know, I thought the kickoff return by Deuce Spann,
02:16 another big spark.
02:17 You know, Deuce is a special player,
02:20 and I think you're seeing some of the explosiveness
02:21 that he has, continuing to grow in all other areas,
02:25 you know, being able to impact our football team.
02:27 But, you know, I think that you're seeing
02:29 some of that confidence emerge in him.
02:32 So, yeah, just proud of our guys.
02:35 You know, definitely excited, you know,
02:37 to be able to come on the road and get the win.
02:39 And, you know, it sets us up, you know,
02:40 for another road trip next week,
02:42 and we'll continue to work and get better.
02:44 You like the way --
02:47 There were a couple things, Josh, that hurt really early on.
02:50 It seemed like it was going to slow down
02:52 and make it easier to keep up.
02:54 Yeah, no, I mean, I thought our guys played really hard.
02:56 I thought they executed --
02:57 I mean, we had some penalties, you know, that we had.
03:00 You know, we had a couple negative plays.
03:02 I mean, it was --
03:05 You know, obviously, those things will happen.
03:07 Hopefully they don't happen very much.
03:08 But, you know, I love the response.
03:10 I mean, to be able to come and finish the second quarter
03:13 the way that we did, I mean, that was a heck of a response.
03:16 I think it was 10-7 going in,
03:18 you know, at the end of the first quarter,
03:20 and then to be able to get it to,
03:21 whatever it was, 24 or 34 out of the 10.
03:24 I mean, that was a big -- It was a big jump there,
03:27 and I thought our guys played really hard.
03:28 We did a good job of being able to manage the clock
03:31 to maximize the points we had,
03:32 and, you know, really good players made really good plays.
03:35 [Inaudible]
03:42 Yeah, I think Jordan's playing at an elite level,
03:44 and, you know, there's things, you know,
03:48 for what I know within the offense
03:50 and what he's working and dealing
03:54 and being able to manage within it, I mean, it's awesome.
03:57 And, I mean, he's got a lot of ownership.
03:59 You know, there's times that there's a little thing here,
04:01 a little thing there that we get to continue
04:03 to work and improve on,
04:04 but I love the confidence of what he's bringing.
04:06 I love the encouragement of his teammates.
04:08 I saw some times, you know, slightly,
04:10 you could be a little bit different here,
04:12 a little bit different there,
04:13 but he's kind of helping work with those --
04:16 or, you know, through those things with those guys.
04:19 You know, but, I mean, he's really playing at a high level,
04:21 and, you know, we need him to.
04:23 This is a time of year where you got to see that continued growth,
04:25 and I think you look at the career of Jordan Travis,
04:29 and that would -- you know, he's lived that.
04:31 And, you know, here, you know, in his last year,
04:34 I mean, he's just continuing to get better,
04:35 and I'm grateful for him and just, you know,
04:38 all the things that he brings for this football team.
04:41 [Inaudible]
04:52 No, I thought they did a good job.
04:53 You know, they were disruptive.
04:54 I mean, there were some very physical plays
04:57 that happened in there.
04:59 You know, it's not -- it's just, you know,
05:01 when you play gap control,
05:03 or however that is against that offense,
05:05 I mean, if you just sit in a gap, I mean, you know,
05:07 it forces just the timing, the delay.
05:10 It opens up windows. It's hard to do that.
05:13 So we were very aggressive with it.
05:14 We wanted our guys to attack.
05:16 We wanted not only to be in a gap, but to go win the gap
05:19 and then have an opportunity to make a play.
05:20 And I thought our defensive front really established that.
05:23 I thought our linebackers, you know, showed up,
05:25 did some good things.
05:27 You know, it's what you have to do against an offense
05:31 that can really challenge you in a lot of different ways,
05:33 and they got some good receivers.
05:34 And, you know, so those guys made a couple plays
05:37 from time to time, but, you know,
05:38 I thought we disrupted the quarterback
05:40 with the forcing unit, and I was proud of them.
05:43 I believe it is.
05:44 Back to the one on the right side of the rim.
05:45 You said that every time that the linebackers are involved,
05:49 there's trouble taking away the team's momentum.
05:52 No, like I said, it's a -- I'm really proud of them
05:55 for how they were able to impact,
05:57 and it really is a carryover
05:59 from the impact of the defensive line,
06:01 you know, forcing, penetration, being able to create,
06:03 and then allowing those linebackers
06:04 to be able to follow up with it, you know,
06:06 and how they were fitting.
06:08 And so it was definitely big seeing guys fly around,
06:12 and, you know, it's what we needed today.
06:14 [Inaudible]
06:26 If we get a lot of one-on-ones with Keyon,
06:28 we're going to throw him the ball.
06:29 [Inaudible]
06:36 Well, I mean, you -- I don't want to say --
06:41 you know, obviously, there was a lot of pressures
06:42 that were being brought,
06:44 and, you know, sometimes when you bring, you know, pressures
06:47 and you get soft coverage,
06:49 and you know where the one-on-ones are.
06:51 And so -- but, yeah, I mean, if you get a great player in space,
06:55 I mean, I like the odds for good things
06:58 that are going to happen.
06:59 And, you know, he made a guy miss,
07:01 and we're able to capitalize on that.
07:03 [Inaudible]
07:18 Yeah, you know, we really talked a lot.
07:20 It was, you know, the main points for this week
07:23 is, you know, we wanted to be better,
07:24 and we wanted to start fast, and that's something that's --
07:26 when you come on the road, noon kickoff, you know,
07:30 we have to control all things with our energy,
07:32 our intensity, you know, the execution
07:34 when we get out on the field.
07:35 And I thought our guys did that.
07:37 And it started this -- you know, it started on Sunday last week.
07:39 But, I mean, it was -- you know, when you saw how they prepared,
07:42 I was very confident in how we'd play.
07:44 When we got them up, you know, early this morning,
07:46 and, you know, I knew in pregame,
07:49 I was like, "These boys are ready to go."
07:50 And that's -- it still goes back.
07:53 You get one guaranteed game, you know,
07:55 one guaranteed opportunity, you know,
07:57 and that's where, for us, it's just you go maximize all of them.
08:00 And, you know, this is a --
08:05 that's what makes football so special
08:06 because it's so limited.
08:08 It's so -- and it's hard.
08:10 And so you see guys that prepare at a high level.
08:12 They come, and, you know, they pour everything
08:14 they have into it. They support each other.
08:17 You know, they believe in the process
08:18 of what you're asking them to do,
08:19 and then you're able to take a step.
08:21 And, you know, even with today, I mean, there's --
08:24 you know, some of the mistakes that were made,
08:26 I mean, I cannot wait to get back and to get better at them.
08:29 I mean, to go clean them up, fix it, you know,
08:32 make sure that your guys understand
08:33 the potential that they have because,
08:35 you know, right now, great, right?
08:39 There's still so much for this team.
08:40 There's -- and whatever that is, I mean, it's just --
08:44 we want it all, and go get all that you can by how you work,
08:48 how you invest, how much you care about each other,
08:50 and, you know, to think we're already eight games
08:53 through this season, I mean, it goes fast.
08:56 And I want to enjoy every day that I get with this group
08:59 and some of these guys that have been here for five years,
09:02 you know, some maybe six years.
09:04 I don't know. I mean, but, you know,
09:05 ultimately, it's been a journey.
09:07 And, you know, but we get today, and we want to maximize today.
09:10 Lord willing, we'll wake up tomorrow,
09:11 we're going to go get better,
09:13 and that's the mindset and approach to this program.
09:15 [Inaudible]
09:19 The second half didn't start fast.
09:21 Is that more a product of some of the changes that they made,
09:24 or is that some of the things that you've been putting up
09:25 on the run?
09:27 Yeah, I mean, there's some negative things that happened.
09:31 You know, we had penalties that challenged us,
09:33 obviously, the first drive offensively,
09:35 and we had a TFL.
09:37 I mean, they had a good play.
09:38 They had a good call into a play that we had,
09:41 took a TFL, you know, long yardage situation.
09:45 You know, those things are going to happen
09:46 throughout the course of the game.
09:47 I mean, this defense has played, you know,
09:49 really good throughout the season.
09:51 And, you know, I think they've shown
09:53 that the ability and the talent.
09:55 I thought our guys were able to neutralize
09:57 a little bit of that here today,
09:59 but, you know, it did not start how we wanted it to.
10:02 But, you know, I was proud of our guys
10:04 and being able to make the plays, you know,
10:05 down the stretch to allow us to come out with a victory.
10:08 [Inaudible]
10:14 So, talking about your consistency
10:16 in many of the plays,
10:17 how does each of these benefits for you?
10:21 Yeah, I mean, each game you take the experiences,
10:24 the good, the bad, you know, the areas of, you know,
10:27 productive play and then the areas where,
10:29 you know, we made mistakes.
10:31 You got to learn from them and build from them.
10:32 And, you know, down in that locker room,
10:35 you're seeing the team afterwards,
10:38 they have that desire.
10:39 And it's not -- I mean, this is a hard --
10:42 you know, it's a hard-earned process.
10:44 Like, you don't -- I mean, every day you show up,
10:46 you know, within our program, and you're going to get challenged.
10:48 I mean, we're going to be challenged for more,
10:50 we're going to be challenged for better.
10:52 You know, I know I say it a lot, but, I mean, this --
10:54 there's a lot of other places you can go
10:56 which can be probably much easier.
10:58 But for our guys, I mean, you can see how they grow.
11:01 You can see how confident they are in the moment.
11:03 Even when adversity shows up, you know,
11:06 when success shows up, you don't get distracted
11:08 by just the moment.
11:10 You understand that the growth that's in front of you,
11:13 if you're willing to take it all,
11:14 and if you're willing to receive it all,
11:15 if you're willing to invest it all to go get better.
11:17 And so I think that there's some positive things that showed up,
11:20 that whether it's carryover from the last game
11:22 or things that we've done throughout the season
11:25 that are allowing us to take positive steps.
11:27 And, you know, we want to be our best here this next week.
11:30 And we'll do the same thing as we get back to Tallahassee,
11:35 watch the film, improve from it.
11:36 I promise you we'll be in a squat rack tomorrow,
11:38 and we're going to be out on the practice field
11:39 going to get better.
11:41 Today, you had three more over by Tyron.
11:43 It seems like you guys have done a good job
11:44 of just approaching them,
11:45 controlling that, getting them to the middle,
11:47 just getting to the ground,
11:49 holding that first lengthening kick around.
11:52 You guys may or may not be the top four.
11:54 Would you encourage guys not to pay attention to that?
11:57 Yeah, I don't think it's real.
11:58 I don't think it's real to say, "Hey, don't pay attention."
12:01 But you don't control it.
12:04 Keep getting better.
12:05 Keep doing the things that we're doing.
12:06 You know, go be our best.
12:10 You know, we can't force anybody to --
12:12 You know, but they watch.
12:15 People understand.
12:16 I mean, this team has been -- They've been through it.
12:17 I mean, we played a really good schedule.
12:19 I mean, I think that every team that we've played
12:21 is at least 500 or better.
12:24 I mean, we've played a good schedule of opponents,
12:28 but none of it will matter, all the rankings,
12:30 all the things that are out there,
12:31 if we don't continue to improve.
12:33 And so, just say, "Oh, guys, don't watch that show,"
12:36 or, "Don't see this."
12:38 They come and stand in front of you guys,
12:40 and you're going to ask, "Are you upset,
12:42 or are you happy, or are you --"
12:43 I don't care. I mean, it really is.
12:45 I mean, they're going to know,
12:47 but what are we putting our focus on?
12:50 Are we focusing on a number?
12:52 A number is not going to define us.
12:54 What's going to define us is what shows up
12:56 and how we play next Saturday.
12:57 What's going to define us is how we work tomorrow.
12:59 What's going to define us is how we improve this week.
13:01 That will be defining, and that's what I care about.
13:04 And, you know, we line up against somebody,
13:05 and we put everything we have and do all that we can,
13:08 and, you know what, if we face a disappointing moment,
13:11 I know how I'll respond
13:12 because it's about maximizing the opportunities
13:15 that we're given, and, you know,
13:17 I'm sure there will be a number beside our name,
13:21 but what that number is, you know,
13:23 it really doesn't matter right now.
13:25 All right, let's continue to work, continue to improve,
13:27 and see what that number will be at the end.
13:29 -Great.
13:30 -A number of --
13:32 none probably more than a big phrase
13:34 in section 9A-F.
13:36 I know you talked about wanting to improve as we do,
13:37 but I know that's not necessarily the only issue,
13:39 but how far do you see the economy --
13:41 how much of a weapon can you be in that path?
13:42 -He's been great. He had one game.
13:44 I mean, one game that he dropped a few balls,
13:47 and, you know, Trey's so hard on himself,
13:49 and I swear it's like -- I love him.
13:51 I mean, I love the human being because he just --
13:53 he cares so much about his teammates.
13:55 He is the biggest fan of every player on this team.
13:59 Like, you feel his energy and encouragement,
14:01 and then, you know, when it comes to himself,
14:03 like, you know, he's always pushing,
14:05 and, you know, what he did in the offseason,
14:08 that was an area that needed to be improved,
14:10 but what he's done as a pass catcher and, you know,
14:12 the plays that he's made throughout the course of the year
14:14 have been awesome, and so, I mean, I was --
14:16 he got to break the rock for us there after the game,
14:20 and, you know, you just --
14:21 you see all the things that he does,
14:23 and, you know, he's a special player and just,
14:26 you know, for all that he does,
14:28 and I know he can run really fast,
14:29 and I like when he scores touchdowns,
14:31 but, man, he's one of the best men I've ever been around,
14:34 and I'm just grateful I get a chance to coach him.
14:36 -Fourth and then at that point,
14:38 how was it like for the coach to come back
14:40 and get a game-leading, fantastic play that he won?
14:44 -It was pretty cool, and, you know,
14:47 you get a sense that you come in pregame,
14:49 and we get there -- we get out in pregame,
14:50 and there's garnet and gold all over this fan.
14:54 I'm like, "Man, this will be interesting," and, you know,
14:57 but it shows just the support of our fan base,
15:00 and, you know, for the games that we've had at home
15:03 these last three weeks, I mean, all sold out,
15:06 I mean, unbelievable atmosphere.
15:08 To see that on the road, man, it's special.
15:11 You know, we understand who we represent,
15:13 and there is a standard of how we need to operate
15:15 and what we need to do and how we need to play,
15:17 but when you go on the road, you know, conference opponent,
15:21 man, and you see that type of support,
15:24 and I'm grateful for our fans, everybody that showed up,
15:26 and, you know, loud.
15:27 It's great hearing the word chant,
15:29 you know, throughout the course of the game,
15:30 and -- but it is special, and, you know,
15:34 we represent a special place,
15:36 and, you know, we got to continue to work to improve
15:38 to make sure we're doing that the right way.
15:41 All right, thank you.
15:42 Have a good one. Peace.
15:43 You guys be safe heading home, okay?
15:45 [BLANK_AUDIO]

Recommended