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00:00 >> Questions for Coach Scott?
00:03 >> So Chad, last few games,
00:05 it seems like the offense is starting to find its rhythm.
00:07 I mean, is that true?
00:09 Coaches like where it goes, it is going, and how much more can it?
00:13 >> It can go, it can get even better than what it's been.
00:16 Be honest with you, we really, we still haven't played our best.
00:19 But what we're doing right now is what we believe we can be offensively coming into
00:23 the football season.
00:24 Being able to control line scrimmage, run the football effectively,
00:27 be able to pass the football effectively, be able to extend plays,
00:30 and have the ability to be able to create within the scheme and around a Garrett.
00:36 But this is actually,
00:37 that's where we thought we could be coming into the season.
00:40 >> How much better can it get?
00:42 You said it's not got it to its peak yet.
00:45 >> It can get a whole lot better and more so just continuing to do the little
00:49 things, we still have a couple technical issues, technique issues,
00:53 not technical, technique issues within certain schemes.
00:56 And that can make a certain concept or certain play that much better.
01:01 Cuz sometimes in some certain places, certain positions, certain people,
01:04 constrain a lot, just a little bit more harder to make play go that much further
01:10 than what happens.
01:11 >> Running back guy, I'm sure you saw that stat,
01:13 showed it to players, 11 straight games with 140 plus yards rushing.
01:20 Considering the different guys that you've had up front,
01:23 the different guys that are running the ball, it's kind of a team deal, isn't it?
01:28 >> Tim, absolutely, complete team deal.
01:30 It's a testament to the, cuz more than the guys up front and
01:35 those guys being able to plug and play, I've had a lot of injuries in that room.
01:39 And the next guy, it's the next man up, same thing in my room, it's a credit.
01:43 Those guys are preparing and paying attention to their practice and
01:48 execute plays in which they should be with them, practice like they're game reps.
01:53 And it's also a testament to the Garrett at the quarterback spot,
01:58 not taking negative plays.
01:59 And what in the past would take an unnecessary sack that would cause you to
02:04 lose yards, he's doing a phenomenal job extending plays with his legs.
02:07 >> Chad, last week you had said throughout practice you were gonna be on
02:12 the team every step of the way.
02:13 >> Every step of the way.
02:14 >> Positive results, I'm assuming.
02:17 >> Absolutely positive results, and I did that exact same thing,
02:20 exactly what I told you, I was on him every step of the way.
02:22 He had his best week of preparation, and I know he's productive in the game.
02:27 I was more proud of the fact that he only had one negative play.
02:31 His discipline was 95% from a discipline standpoint.
02:37 And that's a testament to him, just like me being on him and
02:41 him being on himself and paying attention.
02:45 So I'm gonna do that same exact thing for the rest of the season.
02:49 >> We got to talk to him, he's pretty self confident.
02:52 He's a self confident dude.
02:53 >> He real, very confident.
02:55 He very confident.
02:56 He's a kid that has success out there.
02:57 I've laughed at Pop Warner and on high school and up.
03:00 So very confident.
03:03 I like to keep that in him.
03:04 Right now he just go, I don't know if he thinks about anything,
03:07 just go out and just play ball.
03:08 And that's a great thing, it ain't a bad thing.
03:10 >> Right, he also talked about that he feels one of the things he did a lot
03:14 better this past week that led him to get more opportunities was his
03:18 body language was better.
03:20 Is that something you've noticed?
03:23 And did you have to maybe get used to his demeanor and body language?
03:26 Cuz he said actually past coaches have kind of been confused by it.
03:29 >> Yeah, more so like the way I term it with him,
03:31 more so like being where his feet at.
03:33 Sometimes bad body language, he just kind of mopes around as if he's not in it.
03:38 And that may not be the case, but
03:39 getting him to understand the importance of what his body language reads.
03:43 What his body language says outside of him not saying anything.
03:46 Just what his body language tells everyone.
03:49 But I'd call it be where your feet at.
03:52 Pay attention to what's going on so
03:53 when you get in the game you can line them right the first time.
03:56 You can get it right off the signal, off the play call.
04:01 As opposed to somebody telling you or you getting it the second or
04:03 third time.
04:04 And just being a lot more locked in so he can know what's going on.
04:07 So when the ball snap he can be more reactionary which allows him to use his
04:09 gifts.
04:11 >> Curious, was there a little nonverbal message when you had your start in
04:15 lineup at running back because it seems like CJ got the message.
04:20 >> Yeah, absolutely.
04:20 It was like it was a message.
04:22 He did get a message.
04:23 And it's more of us, it's one of the reasons why I like to say we won this game.
04:27 I was very, I think I put something out where spread it very proud of how this
04:31 team played.
04:32 It's more of a team versus a knee or team versus a weed deal.
04:36 You always gotta do what's best for the football team.
04:39 And he absolutely did get the message.
04:41 He responded.
04:43 I like the way he responded throughout the week.
04:44 He said some things.
04:45 He's a very self-aware kid as well.
04:49 He said some things like he's been a lot more explosive or
04:54 a lot more attentive to details and practice.
04:57 Doing a phenomenal job getting back to the basics.
05:01 So he's very self-aware and he worked on all the things last week and
05:03 he responded really well.
05:04 >> He said he ran a little mad too.
05:06 I think you want him to run mad, right?
05:07 >> Ain't no doubt.
05:08 Ain't no doubt.
05:08 That was a message and he responded.
05:10 He did.
05:11 >> Chad, the mix of running backs here, starting Justin and mixing him and
05:16 Jaheim and CJ, but by the time he got to the fourth quarter, CJ was, I guess, fresh.
05:21 >> Yeah. >> And the defense was worn down a little
05:22 bit. I don't know if you planned it like that or
05:23 if you noticed it was going that way, but- >> Say it one time.
05:25 >> I don't know if you planned it that way, maybe you did, or
05:27 if you just noticed it was going that way and you continued that way.
05:29 But it just seemed like the right mix of players and
05:31 snaps and then the timing lined up good at the end.
05:33 >> Yeah. >> But was that intentional going in or-
05:35 >> No, very intentional.
05:36 Absolutely, very, not by chance at all.
05:38 Very intentional.
05:39 In the previous week, Justin played really well.
05:42 So I thought he deserved the opportunity to get started.
05:45 And I wanted to keep those guys fresh.
05:47 And we got a talent at Rome.
05:49 We've been trying to find the right balance of how to play those guys where
05:53 they get rhythm.
05:54 I thought previous week, Justin and CJ is a pretty good combination and
05:58 we always want to find a way to get Jaheim touches.
06:00 And so the mindset was going in that game was to play those two guys and
06:04 let them establish a rhythm and also get Jaheim touches.
06:06 He's very special with the ball in his hands.
06:09 He got going, he got hot.
06:11 And he's a kid on his offense, him and Rodney Gallagher,
06:14 they could do some things with the ball in their hand that we can't coach.
06:18 And so once he got going, I thought it was the right thing to obviously keep
06:22 the ball in his hand, let him continue to make big plays.
06:24 And then that kind of rhythm, allow CJ to stay fresh and be able to run angry and
06:29 more determined than he had been the last couple weeks as well.
06:32 That he's a lot more fresh and
06:33 then put him in a great situation towards the end to be able to come through.
06:36 Like we needed to in the end and close out the game for us.
06:39 >> What's left for Garrett?
06:40 I mean, it seems like he's playing very well, but
06:43 is there more left that he hasn't even done yet?
06:47 >> I believe so.
06:48 I believe so.
06:49 He's still like, he'll tell you, he's doing a great job standing plays.
06:54 He's playing a lot smarter than he has in the past, not creating,
06:58 not having a lot of negative plays.
07:00 But it's still some couple of re-decisions on like run reads where
07:05 he might make the wrong decision.
07:07 And it's kind of a risky deal because you never want to take away his creative
07:09 ability and that's any of those guys with playmaking ability.
07:13 So it's a fine line sometimes,
07:14 I know one of the plays where he kind of got deigned up a little bit.
07:17 It was one where it was a wrong decision.
07:19 So just on his read decision, him being so competitive,
07:23 he loved for himself too and we loved for him too to be 100%.
07:27 >> Are these reads, keeping it as opposed to handing it off?
07:32 >> Yes, sir, it's keeping it or handing it off.
07:34 >> Okay. >> Yeah.
07:35 >> Are you giving, I know Neil said that you're giving him more.
07:38 Are you giving him things where he can change the play and see something and
07:42 get him in either in a different direction or a completely different form?
07:44 >> No, we'll look that stuff for him.
07:46 We'll look that for him.
07:48 We haven't gone that far to give him the ability to change it on his own.
07:52 Now within certain pass plays, he can check a route or whatnot to a receiver.
07:55 But as far as checking completely out of a concept, we'll do that for him.
08:01 It's more so once we get him in the right situation, the right call,
08:03 the right look defensively, him making that right decision to keep it.
08:08 And sometimes it's great, those defense guys do a great job too,
08:12 not making it just 100% keep it read, 100% give read.
08:17 So it'll come with just a lot more reps.
08:21 >> CJ and Jaheim look totally different, I mean, they're different backs and
08:25 everything, but they seem to be the same kind of person.
08:29 Talk a little bit about the personalities they have and what drives them.
08:34 >> Both outgoing, both comical, jokesters, got great relationship,
08:39 more like a big brother to a little brother.
08:42 Like I'll say this, and this is a great step too for both of them,
08:47 particularly for CJ, Jaheim's worst day last week was probably Saturday morning.
08:52 It was probably definitely Saturday morning of the walkthrough,
08:55 first play he get in the game.
08:56 And it's something that he's got him right all week,
08:58 could have been one of those situations where he wasn't where his feet was.
09:01 But couldn't get lined up, ran it again, couldn't get lined up again,
09:05 ran it again, couldn't get lined up again.
09:07 It's on Saturday morning before the football game.
09:09 And CJ said, Coach, I got him, I got him, don't say nothing to him, I got him.
09:13 I got him, and he pulls him over there and said, man, listen,
09:15 this kind of stuff that'll keep you out of the football field, man.
09:17 You gotta lock in and do what you're supposed to do, man.
09:20 And he said, Coach, don't worry about it, I got him, he gonna be all right.
09:23 I thought that was a huge step.
09:24 None of the coaches got upset, we didn't get upset, Coach Brown didn't get upset.
09:28 We proceeded on, we got the play right, then we got him out of there and
09:33 ran the next play, but CJ took that upon himself, said, Coach, I got him.
09:36 So that was a huge step, they got great relationship, and
09:38 that's the kind of leadership you want, the kind of leadership you need.
09:41 Sometimes it's better for
09:42 their teammates to say that kind of thing to them as opposed to the coach,
09:44 because they'll respond better sometimes.
09:46 They feel it's the coach says it to them, man, he's not gonna put me in.
09:49 So I thought that was a huge step Saturday morning.
09:54 >> Is the development of an offense, the beginning where the coaches prepare
09:59 the players, then basically call the plays and manage the game,
10:04 to then the players have the ability to have some freedom within the concepts.
10:09 To the other end, you prepare them for the week and then the players play.
10:13 Is that the evolution of an offense and where would you guys be in that?
10:16 >> We're at the point right now where we do a great job putting together
10:22 the game plan that those guys believe in, those guys have say so in,
10:25 particularly Gary.
10:26 Gary said earlier in the week last week, Coach, I really like this game plan.
10:29 You know you wanna build around those guys where they like it, feel good about it.
10:33 And it's been that way thus far, it's really that way last week.
10:36 They enjoyed that, try to be creative, change the looks every snap.
10:41 And then ultimately, you always tell those guys,
10:42 it ain't the play that's called, man.
10:44 It's the player behind the play that's called.
10:45 So we gonna call the play to try to put the ball in the hands of the best guys that
10:48 can make a play for us.
10:50 And at that point, they go out and make the play.
10:52 Coach Brown made a big emphasis on Friday, Friday morning, I believe.
10:56 And I reiterated that same message Friday night about,
11:00 he talked about shooting the shot.
11:01 And I've always said that catchers catch, runners run, throwers throw,
11:05 blockers block.
11:06 And we had fourth and two, critical situation, critical play.
11:11 And coach wanted to go for it, we was on timeout.
11:14 I said, this is a head coach's job, this head coach's time,
11:16 he's shooting his shot right now.
11:18 I said, so Ty, you gotta shoot your shot.
11:19 He's shooting his shot, going for a fourth and two, you gotta shoot your shot.
11:22 Those guys are not gonna execute the play.
11:23 And Garrett made a phenomenal throw to EJ Horton, he caught the ball,
11:28 big time play.
11:28 >> I mean, when you call a play and you set up a play and you design it,
11:34 there's only so much you can do, it's out of your control once the guys have it.
11:37 >> Right.
11:38 >> Are they giving you the reactions and are they seeing the things?
11:41 Like, yeah, that's what you're supposed to do there.
11:43 You seeing more of that?
11:44 >> Well, they are, even more so that is that, and I'm saying that,
11:47 they're in the huddle, they're like, man, coach, man,
11:49 that's a great analogy right there, man.
11:51 And then they start talking amongst one another, like, man, let's go do this.
11:54 We got this, we can do this, we know we can go do this.
11:56 So once they start, and I said that, I asked those guys way back in the spring,
11:59 how good do you wanna be?
12:00 You don't have to tell me this right now, but how good do you wanna be?
12:03 And I reiterate that to them last week,
12:05 that I think they know now how good they can be.
12:08 And they started to see the results as a result of it.
12:13 They're doing the little things to create those big things.
12:15 So now they started to talk amongst each other, that they can go make those plays.
12:20 And for those guys to start fast, go down and score on the first drive, for
12:24 us to finally end the game in our own hands.
12:27 Not where the defense made a play and we finally got the ball back and
12:31 we just gotta nail it.
12:31 But where we finished the game in a four minute situation,
12:34 we got first downs, to take a knee and get in victory formation.
12:38 So just seeing little things like that that we're emphasizing that's happening.
12:42 And I give you an example of, we talked about receivers being able to recognize
12:46 coverage, and that the best block sometimes is just running the defensive
12:49 back off.
12:50 We had two touchdowns in the backfield with CJ and
12:52 Jaheen White where Preston Fox runs the DB in the back of the end zone.
12:56 Jaheen walks in, we had one with EJ Horton on CJ's touchdown,
12:59 recognizes the cover one, it runs at the back of the end zone.
13:02 And the DB has no idea he scored until he turns around.
13:06 Just those little things like that, that those guys starting to buy into and
13:09 understand that, with their God-given ability,
13:12 if they could do the little things that we're coaching them to do, man.
13:14 With their God-given ability, there'll be a one-on-one situation where they could
13:19 do some of the special things you guys have been seeing with those guys with
13:22 the ball in their hand.
13:22 >> [INAUDIBLE]
13:25 >> Say it one more time.
13:25 >> [INAUDIBLE]
13:27 >> He can give more, we can give more.
13:29 He's doing a bunch of good things and he just need to be more consistent.
13:33 Consistent in what?
13:34 Just consistent in his pad leveling block and
13:37 consistent in his playmaking ability.
13:39 He had a ball the other day that he's caught a tougher ball in the past and
13:44 he knows it, he gotta make that play.
13:46 But he's making plays, we need to get more consistency out of him.
13:50 >> [INAUDIBLE]
13:56 >> Huge, critical.
13:56 >> How do you coach that?
13:58 Cuz watching it back, it's like he just knew it was there.
14:01 >> Yeah.
14:01 >> How do you coach that?
14:03 >> I tell you, we talk about our standards just about every day.
14:06 You can ask those guys, they'll tell you.
14:07 And one of those standards is strength.
14:09 Force yourself or your body part to do something usually great.
14:12 And the guy that's at six foot five, six foot six, or 300 pounds, strains and
14:17 beats like three defenders to that ball and crawls up and
14:19 gets in a fetal position at six foot five, six foot six.
14:22 And that's just something that we emphasize absolutely every day,
14:24 straining.
14:25 So we emphasize that part, him at that particular time,
14:29 just having awareness and just continue to play through the whistle.
14:32 I think we'll put him in position to do that.
14:34 And that's a testament to how those guys practice.
14:36 Cuz if you don't practice that way, if you don't strain and practice,
14:39 nothing about anything within your attitude or
14:43 anything tells you to do that in the game if you don't practice that way.
14:46 And those guys practice that way,
14:47 in particular him cuz he came back, that was his first game off injury.
14:50 I think he was ahead of the schedule, did a phenomenal job in rehab,
14:53 putting himself in position to come back and play.
14:55 So his strain was what put him in position.
14:59 >> Neil got, obviously coached an aggressive game against UCF.
15:03 >> Yeah.
15:03 >> Now, Neil's calling plays, but what does that do for you?
15:09 Does that do for the offense when he gets that aggressive?
15:11 And have you, cuz you're a part of the planning and
15:14 the planning of what plays are gonna be called.
15:17 What type of coach would you say you are in terms of that aggressiveness?
15:20 >> Same way, same way.
15:22 Actually, I tell them, great call, coach.
15:25 Wish you'd do a call that play, coach.
15:27 We wanted to be that aggressive.
15:28 Give them great encouragement to do it, that we back them up,
15:30 that it's the right call.
15:32 And again, and that's something that we emphasize with those players.
15:35 We're gonna prepare you guys well, you're gonna know the plan.
15:37 It's gonna be simple, it's gonna be effective.
15:39 Don't be cautious when we call the plays, go out and execute it.
15:42 And it ain't the play that's called, it's the player behind the play that's called.
15:46 And then us giving coach that backing, that is the right play call.
15:51 And it shows sometimes they work, sometimes they don't.
15:54 But what it does for our football team, for our offense, it shows those guys that
15:58 the coaches have the trust and belief that they can go out there and
16:01 make plays in crucial situations, on crucial downs,
16:06 critical parts of the football field.
16:08 And with the self-awareness that we have on offense,
16:10 with our guys with experience and the character of those kids.
16:14 Those kids go back and look at it and they'll come in and they'll say, well,
16:17 coach, I should have made that play, or thanks for believing in me.
16:20 Just that confidence alone from us to down to them,
16:24 it's gonna allow us to put us in a position to go be as good as we're capable to become.
16:27 >> Chad, you guys have moved Garrett outside a little bit more lately.
16:31 >> Yeah. >> It's not new, but more.
16:33 Is that just because you all trust him to make the right decision more?
16:35 >> Absolutely, absolutely.
16:37 >> Yeah, I guess what works for him, cuz it really stresses the defense,
16:40 it looks like, they're getting fives everywhere.
16:42 But a lot can go wrong there, a lot can go right.
16:45 I mean, how has that worked out?
16:46 >> It's worked out great, and the thing I love about it, he can sit in the pocket.
16:49 He sat in the pocket and made big plays throwing the football.
16:53 He sat in the pocket and found check downs that have turned into some big plays.
16:59 And he's left the pocket and made big plays with his legs.
17:03 And one of his areas of growth is that he's left the pocket and
17:07 kept his eyes down field.
17:09 And it made phenomenal throw for big play or
17:12 touchdown with the receivers doing a great job scrambling down field.
17:16 I emphasized in the other day, one of the things he did phenomenally,
17:18 last week was in a walkthrough.
17:20 And he threw a ball kind of like off balance.
17:22 I'm like, what are you doing?
17:23 Why you throw the ball like that?
17:23 He said, cuz I was simulating getting pressure in the game.
17:27 And I don't know if you guys remember, I think it was second and one.
17:29 It was in the score zone.
17:30 He rolled out to the right.
17:32 He threw like an off balance throw to Devin Carter right on the sideline.
17:37 And I immediately thought about that play.
17:39 I asked him, why did he throw the football like that?
17:42 So he's starting to even practice,
17:43 starting to simulate what happens in games in practice.
17:47 And we always talk about practice,
17:49 what happens to enable you to play your best when your best is needed.
17:52 And so he's doing a phenomenal job making plays in the pocket,
17:56 making plays with his feet, making plays, finding the check downs.
18:00 He's doing a great job where some people say, well,
18:02 sometimes the best plays are the broken plays.
18:04 He's making plays on broken plays as well.
18:06 So excited about where he's playing, his growth and his toughness and
18:10 his physicality.
18:10 Those guys, they rally around him even more when they see a kid like that get
18:14 knocked down, look like he's gonna be out of the game.
18:17 And he shakes it off and comes back, refuses to go out.
18:21 I mean, that just inspires everybody else to go out there and
18:23 play that much harder.
18:24 I mean, if you guys see, I think it was the run we got stuffed on in the goal
18:27 line, which was an undisciplined run.
18:29 If you go back and look at that thing,
18:33 Gary Green's in the middle of that thing blocking.
18:34 He's like right in the power.
18:36 I mean, this a kid that's, he's hurting, he's hurting,
18:40 he's banged up a little bit.
18:41 And he's handing the ball off to CJ Donaldson and
18:43 he finds a way to go get in.
18:44 He's like literally in the middle of the power.
18:47 You know what I mean?
18:47 That's kind of, when you got a leader like that that's fighting for you like that,
18:50 it's real hard not to fight the same way around him.
18:53 >> That coaching not taking the unnecessary shots,
18:56 he won, and then Boogie had himself exposed and put one on the grid.
19:00 >> It is, and honestly, part of like, he asked how much more can he grow?
19:05 And I talked about his decision making, one of the ones where he got dinged up is
19:08 one of the ones he should have handed the ball off.
19:09 So, and like I said, it's a give and take deal, but definitely,
19:13 he's getting better with that as the week goes, and keep improving.
19:17 [BLANK_AUDIO]